Swindle felt everyone turn their optics on him, and he hated it. Normally he wouldn't mind, but currently he felt less than sane, especially after the giggle fit he just had...for no apparent reason. His head felt weird, and his emotions felt like a big mesh. As if they were changing too quickly for his body to react. He felt gleeful, than angry, than sad, giddy, depressed, and so on. All changing to fast for him to physically react. Though not he'd become quite sure that panic was starting to show more somewhere deep in that sea of swirling emotions. Also, he had this nagging in the back of his processor that told him that all this is somehow Hook's fault.

But then again, every time he gets repaired and something goes awry he blames the medic. Except for when Starscream fixes him. Because if somethings wrong and he blames Starscream, and the Seeker finds out. He'll make sure to make something go wrong next time he managed to get a hold of you. Some terribly, terribly wrong, that makes you wish you had just kept your mouth closed.

That or he refuses to repair you, even if he's the only one who would know how.

Vortex learned that the hard way, and had the decency to spread the word. Either way, he's being stared at. And it's making him uncomfortable.

"Hook?" Onslaught broke the silence, turning and looking at the Constructicon "medic", who shrugged. "I thought you said his personality chip would be weird, not his emotion chip." Blast Off spoke from somewhere now behind Swindle. There was a pause, in which Hook grew a thoughtful expression. He finally looked up, giving Swindle a serious look as he stared at the smaller 'Con. "What's the difference?" He asked, completely honest.

Everyone simply stared at him, for a long, long time. Until Onslaught lifted his palm to his face, and groaned.

"Oh great. Now we're going to have an overly emotional swindler. That won't mess with his job. Not at all." You know things are bad when Onslaught's talking like that. Being sarcastic, face palming, groaning, and clenching his fist like he's about ready to punch the next thing that moves. Which was Swindle, who shifted uncomfortably. Luckily he was spared from being hit.

But Onslaught turned on Brawl and started yelling at him.

Swindle made a squeaking sound and backed up into Vortex, who reacted by pulling Swindle into his lap, wrapping his arms around him, and using the top of the smaller Combaticon's head as a pillow, as he sat his head down and watched the two begin to argue. Swindle struggled for a moment, but went ignored by Vortex. Why him? Why did he always get used as a pillow, or an arm rest, teddy bear, decoy, someone who everyone likes picking up at random just to see if he'll make that little "chirping" sound he does when he's surprised.

And why is it usually Vortex who's doing it all?

Or Brawl? Though mainly Brawl just uses him as an arm rest. Or foot rest on occasion. Or shield, often picking him up and holing him at arms length in-front of him when Onslaught's about to hit him. In fact, why is he so easy to pick up? Why did he have to be so small? Better yet, why was he becoming height sensitive again? Hadn't he gotten over that?

Especially sense no one teased him after he got angry, shot Brawl at the knees, and yelled; "WHO'S SHORT NOW?" after he fell on the floor.

Everyone kind of avoided him for a while after that, too.

Come to think of it, hadn't Brawl teased him again that one day before Swindle...sold them after they got defeated? Swindle frowned, leaning into Vortex a bit, who had his optics locked on Onslaught and Brawl, both still arguing. Luckily they had yet to start fighting.

Swindle frowned, thinking back to the day he had betrayed his brothers trust and sold them to a human as "Cybertronian Spare Parts", which they weren't. Though what humans don't know, won't hurt them right? Won't hurt them. In all honesty, when he went to his "contact", his only intention at the time was really to try and find parts to repair them. It was his only true intention at the time. He wanted his brothers back online. But when when he was told there would be a price - which was expected - he hadn't figured the man would swindle him into selling out his brothers. Swindle was swindled, of course he'd never admit it. So as far as anyone knew he did it all on purpose, just for the money.

Which in the end, wasn't so far from the truth.

Swindle's frowned deepened as he started to feel an overflow of emotions, consisting mainly of regret and sadness and this strange sudden desire to scream.

He didn't even notice when he started shaking, or how his lower lip suddenly started quivering. Vortex lessened his grip as he sat up, leaning forward a bit to catch a look at Swindle's face when he felt Swindle begin to shake in his arms.

He grew a panicked expression. "Onslaught!" He cried, looking up to their "Leader" pleadingly. Onslaught turned to look, catching sight of Vortex's expression - and only his, for his head slightly hid Swindle's - and frowned, tilting his head in confusion. He didn't get the chance to voice his question before something else caught his attention. He realized everyone was staring at Swindle for some reason. And he could hear this faint...sniffling sound?

Vortex suddenly sat up, revealing Swindle's face.

Onslaught began to understand why Vortex seemed so panicked.

Swindle sat there, hands to his face, a small stream of "tears" running down the sides of his face, shaking, bottom lip quivering, and look miserable. Brawl took notice too, staring at their youngest member slightly surprised. Not only at the fact that Swindle sat there crying in Votex's arms - who now had started rocking him back and forth and humming reassuring words to try and calm him - but at the fact that Swindle's current state...

Made him want to go over and hug him.

It made him want to comfort him, which in turn made Brawl feel like his logic chip had fried. It could just be from how pathetic and vulnerable his younger "brother" looked at the moment, but either way it wasn't very logical - to Brawl - to feel the need to hug him for it. Or anyone for that matter. Brawl just isn't the type of mech to care. Though he was glad that Swindle had managed to distract Onslaught, who seemed to be effected in a similar fashion...

For he's now sitting in-front of Vortex, looking slightly panicked and asking Swindle what the problem is. How he can help. If he needs anything. If something is hurting. If he should beat the slag out of Hook (who backed up slightly upon hearing that). If it was something he did. If it was something Vortex did. Or Brawl. Or Blast Off (who yelled that - clearly - it wasn't him because he's been "over here" the entire time. Meaning far enough away to of not been able to do anything to make Swindle cry). Then he proceeded to hug Swindle - as well as Vortex because of their position - and glare at Hook. Who held up his hands in mock surrender and backed off.

Brawl eventually worked up enough courage to walk over as Swindle started babbling off random things in between sobs.

He managed to catch something about when he sold them, how he didn't plan to at first and was apparently "tricked", but too embarrassed to say. How he had regretted something the moment he did it and continued to regret it, how he deserved any and everything bad that's ever happened to him - including what's happening to him now - and proceeded to name of a ton of others things he had done, or almost did, or planned on doing and apologizing for all of it.

So the typical break down of someone with a guilty conscience.

Brawl huffed, about to tune him out when he caught mention of his name, along with something about shooting.

"What?" He growled, turning to look. Swindle stiffened, staring at him for a moment. "What did you just say?" Brawl demanded again. "Nothing." Onslaught growled, glaring him down. "All he's doing at the moment is having a break down and apologizing for everything he's done." Brawl glared right back, taking a step forward. "I heard a mention of my name and shooting." He clenched his fists, turning his glare to Swindle, who stared at him for a moment.

A silence passed.

Swindle finally broke down again; "I-I'm-m s-sor-r-r-ry!" He wailed, his voice shorting a bit after that, so his words became slurred in static and sobs. Brawl frowned, pretty sure he had a few pairs of optics glaring at him now. Too many to just be members of his Gestalt. He shrank back a bit, sighed, then walked over and pushed - more so shoved, actually - Onslaught to the side, and sat in-front of Swindle. "Look, whatever it is, was, or was going to be, I forgive you." He sighed, Swindle quieting down and staring at him. He hiccuped something, sounding more like a hum. Brawl just guessed what it was. "Really...I always do." He managed the smallest of smile.

Vortex jerked back, Brawl looked up noticing a spark shooting somewhere from Swindle's injury. He didn't get a chance to question it.

Swindle suddenly tackled him, wrapping his arms around him. Brawl just froze, feeling Swindle nuzzle him. "Th-th-tha-a-ank y-y-yo-oo-ou-ou!" He exclaimed through a haze of static. Brawl - unsure of what to do - awkwardly patting him on the side of his head without the injury, lightly returned the hug. He smiled lightly, hugging him back fully, and pulling the smaller mech closer. Hugging. Isn't so bad, really...

"Hehehe~ Awwww!"

Wasn't.

Authors Notes: Wasn't. As in whoever "awed" ruined the moment. Ha-ha. Told you it was kind of fluffy, and Brawl felt bad. Next chapters have more humor and some more fluff, though it's from someone other than Brawl! Hope you've enjoyed the story so far, it's becoming a bit random, but that's for a reason.

Disclaimer: Transformers does not belong to me, nor do any it's Characters.