As requested by Russianwinter013!

The mission had gone so wonderfully well.

The Decepticon medbay was packed with the injured, energon staining the base where it hadn't been cleaned away fast enough. The Autobots celebrated in their own lavish way, energon flowing like water as music vibrated the base.

Yet one face was missing.

Try as he might, Jazz couldn't find Prowl. Slightly peeved, as the mech had promised, Jazz immediately set out to find him.

See: his office.

But Prowl wasn't there.

Prowl wasn't in his quarters either. As far as Jazz knew, Prowl wasn't injured at all so he had no reason to be in the medical bay, yet when he poked his head in to check he could hear the distinctive voice of Prowl.

He got in just in time to see Ratchet hand a cube of something to Prowl, which was promptly downed by the doorwinged mech, back facing Jazz. Ratchets optics flicked behind Prowl and he started, startled to see Jazz, before greeting him.

"I thought you'd be at the party."

"Ah came ta look for the skiver!" Jazz promptly replied, happily flouncing over to Prowl. He had his suspicions about the cube, but if anything were to be believed it was best he didn't think about them too hard.

"I was just coming now." Prowl replied, nodding his thanks to Ratchet before turning, pausing to wait for Jazz to follow suit.

"Yeah, yeah. Ya're just mad Ah caught ya!"

"Indeed, I was caught." Prowl replied, humouring Jazz. Ratchet watched them go, shaking his head. If either knew about the rumours that were circling the base, the grape vine making them extravagant... Well, at least Ratchet knew that they were most certainly not true.

As expected, Prowl left early, but Jazz decided to leave him alone for once. The mech seemed to be off, and perhaps company wasn't what he needed.

Usually, Jazz would trail after him and insist the mech didn't go back to work whilst the others celebrated, usually convincing the mech to watch a movie or play a game with him. Jazz was almost certain he was the only mech Prowl properly socialised with.

Instead, Jazz remained and mulled over the realisations he had come to.

First and foremost, something was amiss with Prowl.

He shied away from bleeding mechs, despite having no problems with spilled energon. If he was involved in a conflict and there was copious amounts of blood on the field, he'd not be seen for joors on end after, and he'd be in a terrible mood. Bright lights irritated him, and he always had this aura about him that screamed 'I will put you in danger', despite the mech being incredibly docile within the confines of the base and when not in battle.

But Jazz had an idea of why.

Possibly, just possibly, Prowl was no normal mech, and he was what the humans called a vampire.

It had started in a rather silly way. Jazz always knew there was something off with Prowl, but given the severe lack of Praxians he had always assumed it was a cultural thing. That is, until he learned of Carly's love of horror movies and enjoyed a movie marathon with her that revolved around vampires.

Something was bothering him the entire time, and he couldn't quite place it until Carly had described the character to be 'Prowling around', and then the pieces began to fall into place.

Was Prowl...?

But that couldn't be - they were a completely different species with different ways of genetic coding- how could they have something like this?

This didn't stop his curiosity. He had found some semblance of an answer and he wanted more. Could this be it? They were aliens but at the same time... It just made sense.

Hacking into medical records was a one way trip to a painful medical check up and being stripped of his rights, so Jazz wasn't about to be foolish. He could just ask Ratchet but then he'd ask why, and saying it was for mission purposes would get a raised eyebrow. Why would Prowl from tactical be going on a Special Ops mission? He may have some basic training but he wasn't part of that department. No, Jazz couldn't do that.

Watching it was, and watching was what Jazz did.

That one time you spilled your drink down yourself and hope no one saw? Jazz did. That time you missed the last step? Tripped over a bump in the pavement? Laughed at your own joke?

He saw.

He knew.

But did he get caught? No. Absolutely not.

So why was it that Prowl seemed to know when he was watching?

Jazz tutted as Prowl met his optics again, raising an eyebrow in obvious amusement. How?!

Prowl panted heavily as he ripped himself away, watching numbly as the offline frame crumpled to the ground.

He'd done it again oh he was so stupid..!

His claws were tinged with the other mechs energon, and if Prowl licked his lips he could taste it. He was almost certain that it was also dribbling down his chin, but it paled when he looked at the mech on the floor.

He hadn't meant to. He hadn't meant to do it again.

But he had just walked in and caught him off guard, and before he knew what he was doing he had grabbed onto them and pierced their neck with his claws.

It was oh, so refreshing.

No more cubes Ratchet had painstakingly collected from the mechs on base during their check ups or physicals. No more mock ups of their life blood.

The real thing, fresh and warm, from his best fri-

"Oh, frag." Prowl hissed, quickly comming Ratchet. He'd attacked Jazz. He was furious at himself! He'd always told himself not to and yet... It was always Jazz who ended up on the floor...

Prowl hoped Ratchets programme still worked. Jazz couldn't remember this, it would hurt more than anything.

"What did I say about controlling yourself!" Ratchet growled as he came in, locking the door behind him. "This isn't a permanent solution, you have to tell him. Optimus is already feeling uneasy about this whole thing."

"Easy for him to say, he's not the one dealing with it." Prowl replied, stepping back to allow Ratchet to attend to Jazz.

"You took more than usual this time." Ratchet stated with a frown. "Is something up?"

"Nothing that I know of." Prowl honestly answered. "Was it too much?"

"Not quite. He'll be fine with recharge." Ratchet replied. "If the cubes I make aren't enough for you, Prowl-"

"I refuse." Was the Praxians immediate answer, already knowing the question. "I will be fine."

"Clearly not if you're giving Jazz a hard time."

Prowl scowled. "I won't subject anyone to this on a daily basis."

"Even if they're willing?"

"It is not an experience I imagine to be pleasant."

Ratchet sighed and rolled his optics. "You pure bloods are all the same." He grumbled under his breath. "He'll come to in a bit, you know what to do."

"Of course."

"Good. Now, seriously consider what I said."

Prowl didn't reply.

Ratchet didn't expect one.

He left the room, leaving Prowl to remain sat by Jazz, who had now been moved into a far more dignifying position than before.

And he waited.

Eventually, Jazz did groan and slowly online his optics. "The frag did I get shot by?" He groaned, shifting to rub at his neck where mere moments before a gaping wound had been.

Prowl had the sense to clean up, and was as fresh as a daisy when Jazz looked at him.

"What happened?" Jazz eventually asked.

"You fell unconscious after a datapad hit you too hard." Prowl replied, smiling meekly. "I am sorry."

"Ya glitch!" Jazz replied, no malice in the words. "Ya always get meh !"

"I do apologise. You simply need to improve your reflexes."

Jazz continued to laugh and joke with Prowl until both decided it was high time to get up, and the pair left to visit the rec room.

But at the back of his mind, Jazz knew something was not right.

Months. Jazz had been on Prowls aft for months. And he hadn't found a single thing that was solid, definite proof.

Prowl had made sure of that.

But now, it felt as if he were at the end of his tether and he was moments away from just giving in and admitting to Jazz, but he held himself back. He couldn't, he honestly couldn't... Every time the words tried to escape his mouth stayed firmly shut.

And his desire may have been due to his burning throat.

He hadn't had a cube for that entire day, and then the battle that ate most of the cycle... There was energon everywhere yet he could have none of it, none of the wounded safe enough for him to sample nor did any smell half as enticing as Jazz's.

Prowl had developed a taste and he was terrified of what that meant.

This time, he made no promises. Nobody had seen him since the end of the battle, the mech immediately speeding back to base with Ratchet following him close behind. Prowl had gone straight into his quarters, allowing Ratchet in before locking the door. The medic wasn't even phased when Prowl had suddenly grabbed him hard enough to dent and slammed him against the wall, desperate expression on his face.

"Please. Please, Ratchet. There must be another way!"

"I've given you your only options. I honestly wish there was another way to, but unfortunately there isn't." Ratchet cooly replied, ignoring the aggressive rev of Prowls engine.

"I will kill him-"

"You haven't done it so far." Ratchet began prying Prowls digits off of him. "I'm sure Jazz has the mentality to tell you to stop."

"And if I knock him out again?"

"It's always been out of shock. If he knows, he won't. Besides, you've stopped yourself up until now. You are able to." Ratchet pointed out as he stepped away from Prowl. He would have a go at him for creating dents he had to later go and whack out, but for now it was probably not what was needed. Prowl was genuinely distressed, something he hadn't seen since Prowl came up to his hip.

"Look, Prowl - I know it's hard. I do. You can do it, you have every single time-"

"What about the countless others I had killed before I met you?" Prowl snapped. "I didn't stop with them. I can easily do it again."

"You're right. You can. But you won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know you, Prowl. You're not a crazed monster anymore, you overcame it. Jazz will be fine, and it's not as if you can't alternate between synthetic and real." Ratchet tapped Prowls helm. "Think, it's what you're meant to be good at. I expect you to have made up your mind the next time I see you."

Prowl numbly watched as Ratchet left. The burning feeling had only worsened, and Prowl could feel his sanity slowly slipping away as fiery claws tore at his throat. There was a dull, constant thudding in his helm, and the urge to leave the confines of the small room and hunt anything with a pulse grew stronger and stronger.

Unbeknownst to Prowl, Jazz had been tipped off by Ratchet on the doorwingers location. Striding purposefully, Jazz came to a halt in front of the door that seemed to loom over him.

Jazz had always had his suspicions, and now he was certain that Prowl was a cybertronian vampire. The way the mech looked so desperately at the wounded, hunger and need so clear on his face, and the way he seemed determined to avoid them. The way the mech moved that battle was like how a wolf moved when going in for the kill. It was not natural.

And so it was with a healthy dose of fear that Jazz reached up and knocked on the door, stepping back slightly so as to not crowd the mech.

What he didn't expect was the door to suddenly snap open and for a hand to reach out and tug him in.

"Prowl-!" Jazz yelped, struggling to regain his footing as his hands scrabbled to release the hand tightly grasping his collar.

Prowl was panting heavily, his usual ice blue optics tinged with amber. Jazz felt his legs turn to lead and his tanks lurched - he was right. Prowl was a vampire.

"Prowl?" Jazz tried again, his struggling faltering. No response. Just a blank stare as their chest heaved.

"Prowl!"

Prowl seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had fallen into, immediately releasing Jazz and stumbling away from him.

"Jazz, I..." Prowl began, swallowing thickly. "Are you okay?"

"Ah think ya should be more worried 'bout ya self." Jazz replied, beginning to move towards him. Prowl threw a hand up, the other now covering his mouth and nose.

"Don't come any closer."

Jazz stopped.

"Why didn't ya say anythin'?" Jazz asked, disbelief tinging his voice. He had always thought that they were close friends, yet something like this had been hidden...

"It's not something I enjoy. Three others knowing is more than enough for me." Prowl replied, still not looking at Jazz. Before Jazz could reply, Prowl continued.

"But you always had your suspicions, didn't you? Even after all those times we had to blank your memory." Prowl slowly turned and advanced towards Jazz, the polyhexian unsure of what to do. Prowls optics were amber and every single step was sure, certain. Every word said with the confidence of a thousand kings. Even if he ran, Prowl would catch him, and what good would that do?

The strange wield on his neck began to itch.

"Ya've attacked me before?" Jazz asked, trying to stop his voice from shaking.

"My, my. Clever, clever little Jazz." Prowl cooed, hand resting on his jaw and gently encouraging Jazz to tilt it. Jazz didn't know what to do. Prowl could easily overpower him, fighting back was not a promising option. Try as he might, Jazz couldn't stop the slight tremble in his hands.

The soft thud as his back hit the wall went by unnoticed, all of Jazz's attention was on the mech holding him there. An iron grip was keeping him in place, Jazz's hands free to do as they wished. The thought of pushing him away was considered, but Jazz knew it was a feeble effort. There was no way he'd be able to. Briefly, Jazz considered comming Ratchet, but ultimately what good could that do? Ratchet would know about Prowls... Condition, and leading Jazz to him whilst he was so ready to attack? Special Ops coding stated Ratchet must have wanted him dead, yet another insisted that as the medic, he couldn't possibly want that.

"Prowl?" Jazz asked, voice trembling as much as his knees were.

"Shhh, this'll only hurt a little." Prowl replied, and Jazz could feel his breath ghosting over his neck-

All Jazz could hear was the hammering of his pump and the shallow gasps of his breath, nausea rising up inside him-

"Please stop-"

Prowl flinched, and when Jazz felt a warm liquid spill down his neck it was not his own. Pulling away, Jazz looked and saw that Prowl had sunken his own teeth into his bottom lip.

"Primus, Prowler!" Jazz whined, wiping at the energon that was dribbling down Prowls chin. "Don't hurt ya self." He scolded, although there was no venom behind it.

Ice blue was leaking back into his optics, and his grip slowly loosened. Teeth were removed from the now plump bottom lip.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Prowl asked, doorwings lowering and trembling slightly.

"Ya didn't, Ah'm fine." Jazz replied as he wiped away the rest of the energon that had run down Prowls chin. "Jus' a lil..."

"Creeped out. Terrified. Disgusted." Prowl supplied, allowing Jazz to continue cleaning him up.

"Wha'? No! Course not! Surprised! Ah wasn' expectin' that." Jazz replied, flicking the energon on his hands onto the floor. It could be cleaned up later. "Why would ya think that?"

"They are the usual reactions."

"Well, not for me." Jazz poked him in the centre of his chevron. "Ah cannot believe ya didn' tell me!"

"I didn't expect it to be accepted." Prowl meekly offered, but Jazz knew that there was something else he was hiding.

"Before ya said that ya had to blank my memory. How many times?"

"Every time I claimed you were hit by a datapad." Prowl replied after a moments inner conflict. "After the first time it had legitimately happened, Ratchet said it would be a good cover story if I were to ever... Attack you."

"An' ya did. Multiple times, apparently." Jazz replied, mirth colouring his voice. "Yanno, if ya'd said Ah'd have been more than happy ta help."

"And I would, but I'm unsure as to whether I'll be able to stop myself once I start." Prowl admitted.

"Well, ya stopped all the other times didn' ya? And ya did with the others who ya drank from."

Prowl awkwardly nodded, suspicious all round. Jazz frowned. Something was up.

"... Ya did drink from others, right Prowl?"

Prowl avoided optic contact, absently rubbing the back of his neck. "I'd be lying if I said that I did."

Oh.

Jazz quirked an optic ridge, even if Prowl wouldn't be able to see it. "Ya mean it was just me?"

"Unfortunately that appeared to be the case." Prowl replied.

What did that even mean? Jazz didn't know, but he was determined to find out.

"So ya...?"

"Yes, yes, developed a taste! Laugh all you want, Primus knows the others did." Prowl replied, pouting slightly. Jazz's visor brightened.

"So ya think Ah'm yummy?" Jazz teased, before realising just what else Prowl had said. "Wait, others?"

"For security reasons. Someone had to know, correct? Ratchet, as my medic he has to know, Optimus as he is my leader and Ironhide in case things go pear shaped and I need to be stopped."

Jazz whistled. All this time, and he never knew.

"Well, if its any consolation, if ya ever want ta Ah'm up for it."

Prowl looked shocked, but nodded all the same. "I... Thank you, Jazz."

"Ya look like ya could use it right now." Jazz prompted, tilting his head slightly. Prowl quietly gasped and swallowed hard, engine releasing a purr.

"I am not sure if..." Prowl replied, even as the burn intensified and his body began to scream at him.

"Ah'll make ya!" Jazz insisted, looking for all the world as though he were about to reopen the weld on his neck.

"You are very good at persuading." Prowl muttered as he reached up, placing the tips of his digits over the wound. "I prefer doing it by hand." He explained. Applying a bit of pressure. "Is this okay?"

"Totally fine, Prowler." Jazz replied as he braced himself for the pain that was sure to come. "Why by hand though?"

"Means there is no chance of you ever becoming like me." Prowl replied before finally piercing the metal. Jazz gasped, but quickly calmed himself. He didn't want to deter Prowl at all.

But Prowl didn't notice the gasp. The moment he saw the energon welling up he knew that that was what he wanted and needed, and pride be damned he was going to have it.

Almost immediately after Prowl had latched on, the burn began to recede, his systems slowly regulating. He didn't notice how he had wrapped his arms around Jazz, one supporting the back of his helm and the other pulling him closer, nor did he notice how Jazz had clung to him, trying his hardest to not pull away at the foreign, and quite frankly weird sensation. He supposed that he'd get used to it.

Just when Jazz was starting to feel a little woozy and was about to ask that he stopped, Prowl had pulled away and was licking the wound clean. When he made to face Jazz, he had a guilty expression.

"I'm sorry."

"Ya can't help it. Ya feel better now?"

Prowl pressed his lips together into a thin line, but nodded all the same. "Definitely."

"Good."

Prowl released Jazz after suddenly realizing that he had neglected to, and stepped back. "It's probably a good idea for you to recharge. It tends to be... quite draining."

"Ah feel fine."

"You wont when it hits you. Come on." Prowl replied, giving a gentle tug on Jazz's elbow to prompt him to follow. Jazz happily trotted after him, although it wasn't with his usual energy. Prowl lead him through the door into the berth room and gestured to the berth. "If you need me, just call."

"Hey, Ah have a question." Jazz suddenly blurted. Prowls doorwings twitched.

"And what would that be?"

"How did the others find out?"

Prowl quirked an eyebrow. "I've known Ratchet since a young age. He helped me learn how to control it, somewhat. Optimus and Ironhide was a welcome accident."

It was clear Prowl wasn't going to say anymore on the topic, so Jazz just nodded. "Sweet. Ah'll see ya later then?"

"I'll be seeing you." Prowl replied, leaving the room and allowing the door to shut behind him as Jazz flopped back onto the berth, stretching out on the plush surface. But damn, Prowls berth was comfy.

Sorry if this wasn't really what you were after!

As always, I'm open to requests, so even if it comes to you at like, 3am feel free to hit me up in any way that suits you.

~Llama