::Swindle::
When Swindle came back online, the first this he realized is that he didn't realize he'd even fallen into recharge.
::Swindle::
The second thing he realized is that he was very, very hungry.
::Swindle::
The third was that he seemed to be snuggled comfortably against Astrotrain's side, the triple changers arm draped lazily over him as he recharge beside him. His engines humming contently as he rested.
::SWINDLE!::
And with a start, nearly jumping out of his armor, the fourth thing he realized is that Vortex was screaming at him through their short-range comm. So wearily, and still half in recharge, Swindle lifted his arm and opened him comm. He was met with black, not sign of Vortex. But he could hear the copter speak. "What...?" He asked tiredly, rubbing thoughtlessly at his optics. He slowly sat up, turning slowly to lean against Astrotrain. He vented a sigh, which came out as more of a yawn if anything.
"Swindle." Vortex's voice growled over the black screen. Swindle blinked lazily at it, and tilted his head ever-so-slightly to the right. "Hm?" He didn't have the Energy to speak. Too tired. "Do me a favor, will ya?" He tilted his head over to the left, and slowly nodded. "M'kay..." He shifted, considering standing, and pushing the idea aside. "Tell Astrotrain..." A paused, more of a dramatic silence. Swindle leaned closer to the comm. without thinking. Vortex snarled.
"TO GET HIS AFT OFFA ME!"
Swindle jumped, startled by the sudden loud sound. He blinked a few times, and gave his comm. a confused look. "Wh-what?" He wasn't sure he had heard that right, and just wanted to make sure before he woke up Astrotrain and possibly got a cranky triple changer in return. "GET HIM OFF OF ME!" Vortex snarled, making Swindle jump yet again. Yep, he heard right the first time. But he had to do something before attempting to wake the moody triple changer.
A grin split across his face. optics brightening clearly as he came a bit more out of his tired haze. He didn't bother deactivating the comm. he tilted his head back...
And howled with laughter.
Vortex growled at him, he could hear it. And it also solved the fact he couldn't see Vortex, the copter probably wasn't even able to look at his comm. Too busy being crashed under a Triple changer. Swindle continued to laugh, calming down a few minutes later just to start laughing harder. By now he had completely fallen against Astrotrain for support to keep from toppling into the muck. It didn't keep him from sliding down, though, covered with muck from the thigh down, he was too busy laughing to care.
A roar from Vortex, he stifled his fit, and turned to Astrotrain. Grin still spread across his faceplate. He tapped him on the arm, and got no reaction. Chuckling, he hit him on the arm a bit harder than needed. But it still didn't wake him, he didn't even flinch. Swindle's smile faded, replaced with a slightly annoyed frown. He all but punched him in the arm. Again, nothing. With a raised optic ridge, he glanced up at Astrotrain's relaxed faceplate. And frowned.
Slowly, carefully, he climbed into the triple changers lap, tilted his right arm up, and tap the bottom of Astrotrain's chin with it's barrel. He shifted his head to the side slightly, a frown formed on the triple changers faceplate as he shifted his position. Vortex grunted over the comm. "Owwww! Don't let him twist around!" Swindle chuckled lightly, but went serious again. He doubted he could wake Astrotrain is Vortex's screaming didn't. But might as well try.
"Astrotrain." He spoke normally, tapping him on the chest. No response. "Astrotrain~" He spoke in a sing-song voice, ever so gently. Astrotrain shifted slightly, nothing else. Swindle's right optic twitched a bit, he reached up and grabbed a hold of Astrotrain's shoulder, digging his fingers into a seam in the armor and pulling himself up. Wrapping his arm around Astrotrain's lower neck, he dangled slightly and leaned near Astrotrain's audios with a gentle smile.
"ASTROTRAIN!"
Astrotrain shrieked like a femme, jumping to his feet and knocking Swindle off his shoulder. Swindle yelped, but found his landing oddly dry. He glanced down, and smiled sheepishly at a very angry looking Vortex, whom had just unintentionally broken his landing. But the sheepishness wore off, and soon enough he was grinning, both hands placed firmly over his mouth to try and stifle his chuckled. He quickly got off his Gestalt brother.
Vortex must have been sat on for a while, because he was pushed pretty deep in the mud. Only about an inch or two of his chest sticking out, the rest had muck squished up around it. The only thing left dry was his chassis and faceplate. Which had quite a few specks of muck on them as well. Swindle decided staring wouldn't help him not laugh, so he looked to the groggy Astrotrain to his left.
Astrotrain blinked a few times, dazed, before finally looking down, rubbing his sensitive audio absently. He caught one look at Vortex, and started giggling.
Vortex shot him a glare, all his weaponry too mucky to work properly. Soon enough he had Swindle giggling. And far too soon both were stumbling around, trying not to loose balance and get mucky in their laughing fits. Vortex glared, pulling himself out - with a bit of trouble - of the muck. When he finally, slowly got the last bit of his back loose, the sudden loss of connection between metal and muck gave a loud pop, and Vortex went falling forward from the loose of grip on him.
It only made Swindle and Astrotrain laugh harder.
"Yeah yeah, laugh while you can. I'm gonna kill you both when I get this junk out of my systems." He grumbled, picking at some of the drier muck in his joints.
The two calmed down pretty quickly after that, and Astrotrain sat back down. Swindle frowned, and climbed up on the rock formation Astrotrain favored as a chair. Once to the top he looked around, standing only a few feet above Astrotrain's standing height. Shielding his optics from the sun, he glanced around the terrain. Nothing but muck for mile, it seemed. He turned, looking in a different direction. Aaaand muck. With a huff, he turned completely around, facing his back towards the other two and looking off behind the formation.
Muck. Muck. Giant Worm. Muck. More muck.
Wait.
Authors Notes: ...I didn't do that in purpose. I just wanted to switch it into more of a Astrotrain point of view. Figured it might get confusing if I did it in the same chapter. I dunno.
So you get...A CLIFFJUMP-I mean CLIFFHANGER!
Until next time!
8D
Disclaimer: Transformers does not belong to me, nor do any of it's Characters.