Time had passed sense their landing on this planet, a day it seemed. The warm company of the sun long gone, it finally faded away to abandon them in the dark, with only the mild glow of their optics to keep the darkness away. Wasn't much, far beyond enough. Swindle shifted slightly in his position against Astrotrain's right side, Vortex wondered off a while ago, while the sun was still lighting this mucky rock. He had yet to return, which made Swindle more uncomfortable. Astrotrain fell into recharge only moments ago, optics powered down, systems smooth, near silent in their dormant state. The light rumble of the triple-changers engine being the only sound in Swindle's audio receptors, he tried focusing on it, powering down his own optics to try and forget the fact he sat in total darkness, unable to see anything.
His sensors were sloppy at the moment, the cause of some of that "gook" he had gotten in his systems from the worms. Everything looked...weird when it came to his heat sensors, or motion sensors. Made him feel kind of queasy. He had stopped trying to bother using them sense his optics were momentary useless without the aid of the sun. He was beginning to wish he had some of those Earth "night vision" goggles. He vented a sigh, unable to fall into recharge for some reason.
He knew sparks couldn't leap into your throat, so the saying probably wouldn't work. But it sure felt like it had when Astrotrain suddenly moved. Having remained perfectly still, Swindle had stopped really paying attention, thinking more on when Vortex might get back. Where he was. The sudden movement nearly scared his spark out of it's chamber. Glancing over his shoulder, he could clearly see the triple-changer was still deep in recharge. With a sigh, and a frown, he turned and settled himself back against Astrotrain's side. At least he wasn't leaning against his legs...probably would have been kicked by now.
Powering down his optics again, he decided recharge would probably be best. He shifted slightly, leaning his head against Astrotrain's side, and attempted to let his systems calm down and recharge for a while. He would need the energy anyways, today had been a long day so far.
Astrotrain shifted slightly, Swindle ignored it. He did so again, and the smaller mech ignored it still. The third time got a reaction, for he leaned into - and somewhat over - Swindle as he, again, shifted. So reluctantly Swindle pushed himself off, looked expecting to see a half-awake Triple changer. Astrotrain shifted slightly again, still in recharge. And why that didn't surprise Swindle? He didn't care. He shoved the triple changed back to his side slightly, as best he could considering the size difference, then went back to curling up and attempting to recharge.
Astrotrain shifted again, and this time slide against the rocks surface.
Swindle barley had time to react to the sudden movement, as Astrotrain fell. He reacted as quickly as he could, moving so he couldn't be crushed by the larger mech. He managed to dodge the bulk of Astrotrain's body, luckily.
Not his arm, however.
He found himself on his stomach, with an arm over his back. Pinning him to the ground. The moist, mucky ground. Usually he wouldn't care, this happens to him alot. Mainly when it comes to recharging near Brawl. Because no one tosses and turns as much as Brawl. And the tank had this nasty habit of pinning you down. And Vortex would use anyone he managed to get a hold of while in recharge as a pillow, or something to snuggle. Blast Off wasn't really a toss and turn type of mech. And Onslaught rarely ever slept...at least not where anyone could see. So Swindle didn't know about him.
Sure, he'd slept near Onslaught a ton of times, mainly on missions. But he's never seen the other actually sleep. Not unless he went into recharge once everyone else did, and somehow managed to wake up before everyone else. But then again, Swindle wouldn't put it past their Commander to be able to do that. Something else to add to the list of; "Things Onslaught can do that should be impossible for anyone, even giant robots from outer-space, to do.'
Either way, usually he wouldn't mind this sort of thing.
But now he was face first in creepy, icky, worm infested muck. So yeah, he minded.
He struggled, trying to get himself up right, and lift his face from the muck. No such luck. Instead his hands slid out from under him, and he landed face first in it again. He could feel the substance push itself into his joints, mainly ground his jaw and optics. He decided painfully taking out his optics to - once again - clean the circuitry below wasn't something he wanted to experience. Again. For the third time today. So with an irritated, muffled growl, he twisted and pointed his right arm to the left of Astrotrain.
His Scatter Blaster hummed as it came online.
But Astrotrain shifted, moving his legs he kneed Swindle in the arm, his blaster powered down as it was submerged in muck, weight down by Astrotrain's knee. "Arg! What are the chances of him doing that!" The triple-changer was mow curling into a ball. Bringing his knees up near his chest, along with his arms. But, of course, things never went Swindle's way. So instead of him just moving his arm and leaving the smaller Decepticon there, he dragged him along the muck under his hand. Fingers curled slightly around Swindle's chassis, he was cursing the world as Astrotrain pulled a Vortex on him.
He found himself pressed against the larger mechs chest, both arms wrapped around him as if he were some...toy.
"Awww~" And of course, Vortex chooses now to show up!
Swindle glared up, catching sight of a glowing red visor, and white dental formed in a grin. He heard a cackle as Vortex moved towards them. "Ha! It's like you and Brawl all over again, only now your glaring at me instead, and Astrotrain is the one who's hugging." He stopped close enough for Swindle to be able to make him out slightly among the shadows, grin ever present. He shifted. "Aw, I want a hug too!" He held out his arms.
A few worms fell from his hands.
'"AUGH NO!" Swindle backed up as best he could, pressing close to Astrotrain. "GET THOSE AWAY! GO AWAY!" Vortex grinned wider, and took a step forward. But stopped, and started cackling. "Fine, fine! I won't "infect" you again!" He shook his hands, scattering the worms he had probably been carrying here. Swindle again tried to back away, but found himself unable to get any farther do to the mech behind him.
Who mumbled in his recharge and shifted slightly.
"I'm taking pictures of this." Vortex grinned his visor flashed. Swindle cursed, and started flailing. "Vortex I am going to KILL YOU!" Vortex cackled yet again. "Now if you can't reach me!" He teased, waving his feet just beyond Swindle's reach.
As if to spite him, on cue to that tease Astrotrain suddenly reached out, wrapping his free hand (the one NOT holding Swindle), and dragged Vortex in. Grabbing him by the legs, Vortex toppled backwards, his head hitting the muck with a loud splat. Muck went flying up in the air, Vortex had not time to react as he was suddenly pulled into a death grip by Vortex, hugged to his chest in a similar to Swindle.
Just a lot tighter.
He squirmed, a bit disoriented from the sudden movement. Swindle frowned, and lifted his right hand. He brought it up quickly in Vortex's direction.
Successfully hitting Vortex in the head with it's barrel.
"Ow..." Vortex shook his head, unable to do much else in his pinned state. How come Swindle had an arm free but his were pinned?
Swindle looked up at Astrotrain, raising an optic ridge. "What were the chances of you grabbing him at that precise moment..." He narrowed his optics as Astrotrain's head shifted slightly.
Swindle blinked, and leaned to get a better look at Astrotrain's face. He held no emotion, just a relaxed expression... Weird...he could have sworn he just...hm. He shrugged, powered down his optics, and again attempted to go into recharge. Vortex glanced up, and oh he didn't miss it.
"Why you son of a glitch..." He said with a smirk. Astrotrain shifted again, turning his head from the two.
And he smirked yet again.
Authors Notes: Sorry, this was half written, and I finished it today. But the ending is kind of rushed! So sorry it's not very good. I'll try and make up for it on the next chapter! And in case you didn't catch it...
Astrotrain's been awake the entire time.
Disclaimer: Transformers does not belong to me, nor do any of it's Characters.