Starcrossed 33: Courting in Praxus: Giving Gifts
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A century to the orn after he claimed to have bonded with Jazz, Prowl walked into the precinct bullpen and paused, catching far too many quivering doorwings and officers than should have been there, all pretending to work. It was Mortar that kept his attention the longest, and Prowl gave him a look that bordered on demanding. Mortar pretended to look affronted and innocent at the same time, a mixture of expressions that left the large Praxian simply looking like he was trying not to laugh. "What?" he rumbled. "I enjoy a change of scenery as much as the next mech."
"Right," Prowl gave him one last penetrating look before moving on to his desk and the absolutely fluttering doorwings of his partner. "Fevor. Explain," he demanded evenly as he sat down and began to take an inventory of his desk, immediately spotting the out of place object.
It was perfectly centered, equidistant to the micron from either side, a metallic dodecahedron with etchings and glyphs covering every surface, and several lines of a poem written on the top surface, with more on the sides.
It was a classic love song, one that Radiance had a particular fondness of, but it was completely out of order. On pure instinct Prowl began to move the slides of metal so the poem could be read correctly.
"That was here when I got here," Fevor said, nodding towards Prowl's hands as everyone else stopped the pretense of trying not to stare, and Mortar even took a few steps closer to look over Prowl's shoulder.
"Night shift says they swear they didn't see anyone in here," the precinct chief commented, leaning in. "What's it do?"
"If it is what it appears to be, it is a written puzzle box. Once the lines are in order, it will open to display what is inside," Prowl explained with a tone just shy of mushy.
"D'you know who it's from?" one of the newest Enforcers, a young mech who wasn't familiar with all of the force yet, asked excitedly. "It's a gift, right?"
"A courting gift," Prowl confirmed, his doorwings giving a genuine flutter of pleasure as the box unfolded, then refolded so the poem was still on display while exposing the small holo-display inside. It lit up with the most artistic representation of Pantera's designation-glyph that Prowl had ever seen, entwined with glyphs of admiration, attraction, desire and many more.
Mortar's engines gave a pleased rumble. "Admirable," he decided. "That is good craftsmanship."
Fevor grinned at his partner from across their shared workspace. "Finally," he said, to chuckles of agreement all over the room. "Anything else with it?"
"No, no indication of who it is from," Prowl managed to keep a straight face. "Someone is trying to get my attention, and has succeeded." He shifted the object towards the middle of the desk between him and his partner where it was the least in the way of their work, but still easily visible and pointedly on display, indicating his acceptance of further courting gifts.
Mortar clapped Prowl on the shoulder, shaking him a little. "Someone is going to be a very happy mech to see that," he said, then, chuckling, left to get back to his own work.
Fevor was giving Prowl a knowing look as he settled in to start on reviewing the overnight reports that had been left on his desk. "So you're all finally getting around to doing this properly?"
"This is the first orn we are available for it," Prowl reminded him as he began to read the pre-patrol reports. "I've been bonded to Saxo one hundred vorns to the orn."
"Wonder what Saxo'll get," Fevor mused, then settled in to reluctantly start on his own pile of reports.
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Jazz walked into the main hub of the Praxus Ops facility to get his assignments, then stopped and raised an optic ridge when he found Whiplash inside waiting for him. His commander usually didn't show up at the start of an orn like this. "Hello," he greeted mildly.
The small, lithe black mech huffed at him and held out the datapad with his schedule. "Good morning to you too. You're on rooms 29, 50, and 52. Get an answer from 29 or leave him alive, be gentle to 50 but scare the coolant out of him, and for 52 I don't care what you do, just have fun."
Jazz gave his commander an odd look, not for the orders, but the delivery. It wasn't normal and he had learned well to be wary of things that weren't normal.
"Then there is that," Whiplash jabbed a finger at the flat box on the desk about half of Jazz's arm length to each side but not even a palm with tall.
Jazz cocked his head at it with a curious trill, lifting it and finding it much lighter than expected for the size. He slid the lid away and then optics brightened when he saw the contents.
A dark, shining whip, the same shade as one of his mates' plating, was laid out diagonally, its multiple tassels spread out in a pattern, with shining diamond flecks that looked razor sharp inlaid into the bands and gold wire forming intricate patterns on the handle. Jazz lifted it, engines purring, and realized that Saxo had been written in formal glyphwork around the base.
He turned and snapped, a quick test that revealed the balance, strength, and quality of the material, and his optics shone as he turned back, grinning. "I think I'll enjoy breaking this in."
Whiplash groaned and rolled his optics. "Just get going, and for Primus's sake, try not to flutter like that when you're working. No one will be frightened by that look."
Jazz just answered with a deliriously happy grin and nod before turning and all but dancing his way out, purring the entire time.
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For the first time in a long time, all three were in a hurry to get home, and Jazz made a point to take a break for the night early enough to be clean and home in time to jump Radiance and thank him, even if they couldn't admit, even between themselves, that they knew exactly who had gifted them the courtship presents and exactly how well they had been received.
"You look like you had a very good orn," Radiance laughed when he found himself with a lapful of purring mech, once Jazz had found them upstairs in the oil pool.
"Might have," Jazz said, grinning, nipping at his lover's lower lip. "Got to break in the prettiest whip today, handled like a dream."
Deep, powerful engines rumbled with pleasure. "No wonder you're in such a good mood," Radiance said, as Prowl moved to press behind Jazz, sandwiching him between their frames.
"So do you want to suggest the activity, or listen to what I thought of?" Prowl purred next to his audial.
Jazz hummed through the deep kiss that Radiance had pulled him into. "Who says we can't do both in a night?" he asked once he was released, and turned his head to claim another kiss from Prowl, enjoying the way the sight made Radiance rev beneath him. "Tell us your idea."
"You on your back with me between your legs and your glossa pleasuring Radiance while he and I merge, all while hardlined," Prowl didn't hide how hot the idea made him, and the simultaneous engine roars he got in response told him his lovers enjoyed that plan just as much as he did.
"Though that would require moving," Jazz said, completely comfortable and enjoying his spread-legged position in Radiance's lap.
"That's true," Radiance agreed seriously. "I wouldn't want you to have to move if it was an inconvenience. So you," he wrapped his arms around Jazz's waist, lifted, moved him to the side, and stood up, "Can stay here as long as you feel like." He kissed the top of his mate's helm. "We will enjoy ourselves in berth."
Jazz just rolled his optics. "Oh, someone thinks he's a clever one," he teased, standing.
"Someone does," Radiance purred. "Especially since it seems to be working."
"Maybe I felt like moving anyway," Jazz hummed back, stretching, doorwings fluttering out with excitement, both from the events of the day and everything they were looking forward to for the night. The flare of Prowl's field against his back enhanced the pleasure of strong hands sliding along his sides as Prowl pressed close to kiss his neck.
"What is your idea, love?" Prowl purred deeply. "If we have the energy to keep going when I'm done with you."
"'If?'" Jazz asked, dipping down just enough to rub his frame back up along Prowl's. "If, says the Praxian who likes to remind me about his stamina." A single crook of his finger brought Radiance in front of him and he shimmied between the two, grinning. "I was thinking about coaxing my Praxians to pound me together, or maybe taking one of you with some help. Anything to get the three of us touching."
Prowl actually moaned at the first suggestion, then shuddered when the option continued to put him in the middle. "You're going to make me regret suggesting first."
"If I may?" Radiance rumbled, getting his lovers' attention. He reached around Jazz to settle his hands on Prowl's hips, then mag-locked against them and pulled, bringing his pelvis forward to press flush to Jazz's aft. "You know how much he loves being shameless for your spike," he purred. "And how much I love watching that. Yours could be a warm-up, before we take you together, before I merge with you..." Knowing dark fingers traveled up Prowl's chest, settling over his spark.
Prowl's vents stuttered and cycled rapidly at the very suggestion of merging while stretched by both his lovers. "Please," he gasped, trembling at the prospect.
"I think he likes that," Radiance said, grinning to Jazz, who pressed a deep kiss in response, reaching back to slide his frame along Prowl's once more.
"I think he does," Jazz agreed, plating already hot from excitement and the oil as all three headed inside for their berth. Jazz crawled on first, sliding his valve cover away as he did to give his lovers the best view possible before he rolled onto his back, spreading his legs open, holding an arm out to Prowl. "Please, lover."
"Anytime, my love," Prowl moaned, his spike pressurizing as rapidly as physically possible as he climbed onto the berth to cover Jazz, rubbing their oil-slick frames together as he kissed with all the passion and desire in him for the mech he had given up contentment and home for without hesitation.
Jazz arched up, pushing his hips against Prowl's, sliding his valve over the offered spike, before tilting his head back with an excited rev of his engines when fingers ghosted over the top of his helm, and then came down to grip the sides, holding his head in place.
Radiance leaned forward to claim an equally deep kiss from Prowl as his lovers had just shared, all of the amazement, gratitude, and love for his mates going unspoken but still clear through his field, which pulsed with an underlying, delirious joy that they could start taking the first steps towards making their union public, legal, and binding.
Gentle, firm hands pushed back and three frames moved together, familiar and eager, and Radiance moved forward, then purred at the first press of lips against his valve cover. "Know how much you like pleasuring your lovers," he hummed to Jazz, one finger under Prowl's chin, looking into the other Praxian's optics as his own visor lifted away.
"How much I love your optics," Prowl whispered and leaned in to kiss him deeply while he shifted to drive into Jazz's valve with a single thrust, filling and stretching all the way to the top sensor nodes and holding there briefly to revel in the way Jazz responded to the intrusion with pure enjoyment. "Love you, Radiance. I thank Primus every orn that you are with us."
Radiance grinned against the kiss. "I know," he said softly, then shivered at the hot x-vent between his legs that spread heat right through his systems. One more lick and the cover snapped away, opening his valve up to the eager glossa that immediately pressed up, timed with Prowl's first real drive into their lover, making all three of them moan in unison. "Love you," Radiance gasped, bracing himself against Prowl's shoulders as Jazz drew both legs up and back. "Primus I love you!"
Prowl caught the lifting legs and brought them higher, angling forward to press against Radiance as his hips drove into Jazz. He opened his mouth to claim a kiss from the black mech, trying to hold off the tremors of his rapidly growing charge that Jazz was only making worse with the way he squeezed in around the familiar spike, actively seeking every favorite ridge and sensor, using a century's worth of knowledge to his advantage.
Radiance moaned against him, his own hips rocking slowly over the hot, pressing glossa, shivering every time Jazz swirled around the rim and then pressed in, rubbing lips to platelets as he hummed against his lover. When he broke away for long enough to look down and see the perfect view of Prowl buried inside their lover, his own spike cover slid back with a low, wanting rumble and he grabbed for Jazz's hand, lifting it up and pushing it against the extended length. "Please," he gasped, and shuddered when Jazz immediately wrapped fingers around, stroking.
Prowl rumbled and reached to join his fingers to Jazz's, working in flawless tandem to drive Radiance to the brink. With effort Prowl straightened himself. "Look, lover," he rumbled hotly, his hand still stroking that spike with Jazz, their fingers entwined and moving with the pounding pace Prowl set. "Watch us touch you. Watch me spread and fill him. It feels so good, the way he gets when he knows he's being watched."
Radiance managed to get optics to focus down on the visual of the contrasting colors of their fingers moving over the black and gold spike, his entire frame shaking from the mix of sensations, still finding himself shocked at how fast these two could make him lose himself like this. "He must be molten around you," he moaned, shifting to focus on the wide V between Jazz's thighs, the way Prowl was disappearing into him. "And Primus I can feel him moaning for us, right through his glossa, how much he wants it. Watching you, Saxo," he gasped, then gave a strangled, static-laced groan at the way Jazz's fingers tightened and his glossa rubbed up hard and hot against him. "Watching him spike you."
Jazz bucked his hips in response, the charge in his valve skyrocketing in an instant at the next slide, while his thumb swirled over the tip of Radiance's spike on the next
"You make such a visual," Prowl picked up, his voice crackling with static. "The way you stroke his spike, your fingers with mine. I can see you work his valve, love. I can see the lubricant flowing down your faceplates. You're so hot, Saxo. So tight around me, the way your glossa is delving into him and making him moan. Oh, you are such a show. Both of you, moaning and wanting and so incredible to be with in every way," Prowl keened and bucked, driving into Jazz hard and deep as his charge rose to the breaking point. "Saxooo!" he howled, pumping slick, hot, crackling transfluid deep into his mate, setting off all the specialized sensors tuned to his overload.
The hand that was still resting against Radiance's hip tightened instantly as Jazz arched, writhing on his lover's spike as he sobbed in ecstasy into Radiance's valve, rewarded moments later by the way the dark frame seized above him, thighs clamping in around his head, as Radiance's cry joined theirs. He shot through his mates' fingers, onto their frames, shaking the entire time and grinding against Jazz's mouth, only to slump down, trembling, when it was all over, panting and leaning heavily against Prowl. Jazz hummed happily and continued to move his glossa through dripping platelets, making Radiance twitch with each gentle flick.
"Never tire of this, of being with both of you," Prowl mumbled, shivering as Jazz's valve continued to work his spike until he drew out. His voice dropped to a deep, husky rumble. "I want you both to take me, stretch me so wide, merge with me and share every bit of it with both of you. It feels unbelievable to be between you."
Engines revved in eager response to that as Radiance finally got his hips to unlock and he moved off Jazz, collapsing down on the berth next to him. "Come here and swallow me, keep me hot," he purred to Jazz as the younger mech lifted himself up, before shifting yellow optics over to Prowl. "I want to watch you while he does. Use your fingers to get yourself wet and ready for us to fill you."
Prowl shivered and shifted to kneel on his pedes, then leaned back with his legs spread wide to give a good view of his slick platelets and just how wet he already was. With his helm tipped up to watch Radiance and Jazz, he slid a finger along his valve opening to bring it to his lips, glistening with lubricant to lick off.
Radiance purred at the sight, then his optics flickered over to Jazz, who was staring, transfixed, and he reached out to gently turn Jazz's head back around towards him. "I believe I remembering telling you to do something," he rumbled, smirking a little as he lifted his hips in suggestion.
"So you did," Jazz said, trilling, and all too eagerly leaned forward to take his mate's spike into his mouth, pressing until lips met housing and holding there, swallowing as directed, field giving a bright burst of pleasure at the way Radiance gasped as soon as he hit the intake.
Radiance's head fell back and his hand rested on top of Jazz's helm as he steadied himself for a moment, then looked back up at Prowl. "So hot, lover, I can't wait to spill in you. Show me how easily we'll slide in."
"So very easy," Prowl rumbled, playing to Jazz's love of his voice before pressing three fingers into himself in a smooth slide that dragged a deep moan from him. "I'm so ready, always ready, always wanting you."
It took everything Radiance had not to move to pounce his lover just from that sight alone, and only his hand on the back of Jazz's helm kept him in place. "Keep going," he managed, cooling systems kicking up in an attempt to regulate his rapidly increasing temperature. "I want to be burning hot before I'm in you."
Jazz whined, half in protest and half in anticipation, and the sound made Radiance moan while he watched, gaze moving between Prowl's valve and the fingers stretching it open for display and their mate's optics, bright, fixed, focused. Prowl's mouth fell open as a fourth and fifth finger were added and he moved, panting, and when his hips pushed up into his own hand, Radiance's will crumbled. "Take him with me," he whispered to Jazz, who lifted his head, licked his lips, and then turned his eager gaze to Prowl.
"Here," Jazz purred, moving out of the way for Prowl to crawl over Radiance, who settled on his back, spike hard and nudging against the slick valve. Radiance pushed, slipping in easily, pressing deep, and then held for Jazz to move in behind and join him.
Jazz rested his hands on Prowl's hips, lifting, before sliding in, moaning deeply. This process had gotten easier over the vorns, more comfortable for all of them, but the fit was still intensely tight, forcing spikes to press together, stretching whoever happened to be in the middle.
Prowl could only gasp as he was held and shivered between them, now subject to whatever they chose to do. He was distantly aware of Jazz's hand reaching around front, tapping a charged cable against his interfacing port. It snapped open with an anticipatory quiver, Prowl's firewalls already lowering as he was plugged into.
The gasps from his partners came in the next moment as they finished making the hardline connections between all three, and then Radiance's processors came peripheral to his and Jazz's and all three held there, shivering together, reveling in the openness.
~Feels good, Prowler,~ Jazz moaned as soon as he regained enough of his senses to speak, rocking his hips back in a small motion, sliding his spike along Radiance's, making all of them shudder. ~Always so good inside you.~
~Yes,~ Prowl's reply was more moan than glyph, but the agreement was intense as he rippled and squeezed his valve around them.
~Jazz,~ Radiance breathed, back arching up, holding onto Prowl's shoulders. ~Open with us, I want to know our energy is in you when we overload.~ He caressed his lovers through the charged up hardline, and shuddered when he heard the sound of chest armor unlatching from behind Prowl.
No matter how many times he heard it, that sound would never, ever stop being an erotic one. His own locks opened and armor folded and tucked back, revealing a spark that was already pulsing in its chamber, eager to press forward. ~Prowl,~ he gasped, gazing at Prowl's near-white spark, strong and pulsing as the chamber slid forward and spiraled open. He moaned again, unable to keep entirely still as Jazz pushed against him.
~Please!~ Prowl keened, begging shamelessly for the merge and for the wave of pleasure that movement brought.
His lovers moved together to satisfy him, Jazz with his hips and Radiance with his chamber, open and lifted, reaching out with his spark to touch Prowl's in a brush of energy that was so gentle but enough to make them both cry out.
Jazz stilled as the merge started, resting against Prowl's frame, forehead touching his back and hands running up and down his sides, hips, legs, anything he could touch, as the locks engaged. He could feel their sparks joining through the hardline, was just as subject to the rush of light that flooded through them and made them keen for each other, could hear the echo of their songs. His lovers were intoxicating like this.
He let out a shuddering x-vent, barely moving his frame but for the small, pushing motions into the cycling valve, rubbing against Radiance, lost in the addictive colortaste of their merge. ~Radiance, Prowl,~ he moaned, reaching through the hardline.
~Love you. Jazz.~ Reached back in the mingled thought that was his triad. ~So good. Want you.~
~Have me,~ Jazz whispered, trembling with want. ~Love you want you yours.~
The connection was imperfect, meshing hardware with spark energy, but it worked as well as they could make it. Three awarenesses pushed together, brilliant and burning, giving and taking.
~Ours mine yours,~ Radiance's spark whispered back, surrounded by and surrounding Prowl, energy that swept and sparkled as it moved and caressed. ~Prowl, Jazz, belong, always yours. Prowl,~ came the shuddering cry. ~My love, have you, have me.~
~Always yours. Belonged to you on first sight. Grew to love you. Three, perfect balance. Mine, yours, ours.~ Prowl gasped, his processors already being overridden by pleasure and energy he desperately wanted to share with them all, to be truly one being with three frames. ~Soon. Soon we will.~
~Yes!~ came the clear, resonating response, echoing through three frames that strained to unite and touch as deeply as they were able.
~The first moment we can,~ Radiance vowed, energy surging out through them in agreement and promise, sending crackling hot charge racing through the hardlines, each frame amplifying and strengthening the current until it became a single, blinding loop.
~Feel your bliss,~ Jazz pleaded. ~Let me!~
Prowl could resist no command like that and his spark plunged down, enveloping and then being enveloped by the orb that was Radiance until they began a single, dense spark of glittering pale gold and the frames they powered screamed their bliss, crackling and oblivious to everything but the unity that was this moment.
Jazz's voice joined theirs an instant later as energy rushed in, around, through, filling his chest and swirling, pushing his frame into overload with his lovers', losing himself to the light of their sparks before he collapsed over Prowl, shaking and spent.
He felt a dazed brush against his processor, one that he returned, and very slowly, the joined sparks loosened and moved away. Slowly all three separated and slid to either side, bracketing Radiance's black form and sinking into a blissful recharge knowing that the next stage of their relationship had been successfully begun.
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Three vorns into the secret admirer gifts and Jazz had a nice little collection of weapons, vids, art, music and even professional lessons in acrobatics, all of which had something on display in his private office. Unlike the Enforcers, every agent got their own office immediately. It wasn't for work, though many used it as a quiet place for reports, but its real purpose was to be a space agents could be safe in. A private space to cry, scream, break down, recharge, self-service, laugh, or anything else that needed to be done in solitude. The walls were thick, sound proofed and there was no overt surveillance equipment to watch. It was a sanctuary. For Jazz, who hadn't needed it for anything more than a quick overload in vorns, it was now a showcase. He frequently left the door open so others could see what he'd been gifted. Those that could hang were tacked up outside on the hallway by his door.
Whiplash tolerated it with the explicit understanding that once the courting was over the showcase would be hidden behind closed doors. It was an unusual exhibition of normal society in their closed world, and it unsettled some agents to see it. For Jazz, it was something to remind him of why he continued to do this work, beyond just being good at it.
He'd been underground for almost a metacycle when he walked into his office, stretching his arms up over his head and cracking the joints in his neck, and almost missed the small box sitting on the desk.
It was a case, he realized as he looked closer, and when he lifted the lid, his spark fluttered with pleasure and he trilled, lifting out an energon dagger. When he turned it over, examining the quality and balance of the blade, he grinned. The formal glyphs of Radiance's designation were written along the edge, inlaid in shining gold. His own, or rather Saxo's, were inscribed on the other edge, and down the center, uniting them all in silver, was Pantera.
"About time," Whiplash grumbled from the doorway. "Though I have to give him credit for knowing you well and buying quality."
Jazz turned with a huge grin. "I was about to comm you. Is anything else going to get added to my docket, or can I leave after the next room?"
"No, you'll be useless with that grin you'll get after testing his new gift," Whiplash pretended offense. "You're due home time anyway."
Jazz purred deeply, turning the new weapon over a few more times, running a careful finger along the edges, before slipping it into subspace. "What grin?" he asked innocently, and sidled up to his trainer, mentor, and commander, and nipped a kiss from him. "I promise I won't look like I'm in love until I'm out of the room."
"Good," Whiplash sighed and shook his helm. "I cannot wait for you to bond and have this insanity be over with." His field told a different story, one of being rather smitten himself by the idea of someone actually going through with the old traditions and doing so with such care.
Jazz's optics glinted dangerously as he pulled the dagger again. "I can't wait to drive into that glitch's spark so I can bond," he purred, then flashed Whiplash one more grin before heading off for the washracks so he could look presentable for his next assignment.
The commander of Imperial Special Operations simply shook his helm and put a little more focus on finding a way to get Vortex into one of these rooms.
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As Jazz was drawing his first line of energon with his gift, Prowl was finishing booking a speeder into holding. Once done, he headed back through the building for his desk, engines rumbling contentedly with the thrill of the chase, only to pitch down with pleasure when he spotted something waiting for him there.
He'd stopped being surprised by the gifts left for him, more pieces of the first puzzle box, each adding a new glyph into the display inside, the occasional artifact, usually part of Cybertron's intellectual history, and even some classic puzzles.
This box looked different from anything else he'd received yet, though. This could have been purchased at a store that sold games. Except as he picked it up and examined it, Prowl knew immediately that it hadn't been. He knew every title, company and producer of tactical games. He knew what was out and what was set for release and what was still in designing stages, and he instantly recognized this as being none of them.
He sat down and carefully examined the box, his fuel pump speeding up and engine revving sharply as he took in the producer, Flamewind Games. It was a one-mech company that had produced every one of his favorite diversions. Two additional designations were listed and his engine revved higher at the AI specialist and graphics designer. Near the bottom, in the place where the company logo would normally go, were the glyphs "Single Production Game for Pantera from Radiance."
Inside was a small chip, the kind designed for a single installation, with etching on the surface that only the recipient could request another copy from the manufacturer. Prowl lifted it, optics shining, when he heard a deep chuckle from behind.
"So your 'mystery' courter reveals himself," Mortar rumbled, clear pride and approval in his field. "I was supposed to make sure you saw that before you left but luckily for me you found yourself something to file a report about."
"He has quite outdone himself," Prowl's harmonics were actually giddy, something that drew more attention than his mystery gift. "These designers are some of the finest in the market and it is a one-copy game."
A groan escaped Fevor as he reached the desk. "I'll deal with the report. I know that field. You aren't going to pay attention to anything until you've beaten that sim into submission."
"Oh, he'll be done with that in time to do the report and finish his shift," Mortar said, grinning fondly.
"I don't know, a couple of those other ones took him longer," Fever said, reaching across and stealing the datapad that Prowl had pulled out. "Go on, try it out, tell us how it is."
With a quiver of excitement Prowl slid the chip into a forearm port and accepted the download. His processor lit up with instructions, the game design and purpose. He didn't even notice that his frame was vibrating with his excitement, his field flicking his pleasure at anyone in range. It wasn't just a game. It was a randomized and adaptive tactical governing game. R&D, building cities, managing resources, keeping the citizens happy, negotiating with a dozen AI leaders selected from a list of thirty and waging war. It bore distinct similarities to many of his favorites, including the replayability factor, but customized to his quirks and interests.
A quick skim through the settings showed that he could set his own goals, be they financial, territorial, or anything else, leading to games that could be played for metacycles if the goals were ambiguous enough. The sheer number of settings, from the total population to the age and number of creations opposing leadership had, gave a computable but extraordinarily high number of possibilities. Adding in the AI that this programmer was so well known for, they almost became infinite.
Fevor's engines rumbled with fondness as the teek of Prowl's field became more and more excited. "Looks like that one's a success."
"Who is it from?" Mortar asked, knowing the answer perfectly well, but also knowing that with this gift, the mecha involved in this courtship could all publicly admit to it now.
"Radiance," Prowl purred deeply, his doorwings quivering as he continued to scroll through the immense set-up options, including a 'random' setting for most categories. "It's beyond a success. This took planning, too. Beyond getting them to agree, creating a new game typically takes vorns."
"He is not my SWAT chief without reason," Mortar chuckled deeply, clapping Prowl on the shoulder. "I think I speak for everyone when I say the entire precinct approves."
Fevor snorted. "Approves? We've been waiting for it. Glad to officially hear he's the one behind everything."
"If he wasn't, we would be having words," Prowl chuckled, still quivering in excitement. "And I'd have to hunt someone down that knows me entirely too well."
Mortar laughed, loud and genuinely cheerful. "Congratulations, Pantera," he said, gave his shoulder one more squeeze, and headed to his office to leave Prowl to play with his new game in relative peace.
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The rest of the orn went quickly and quietly, giving Prowl plenty of time to fully explore just the setting options of his new tactical game and start a simulation that was still running in the back of his processors as he drove home. He was halfway there when he got the ping that Jazz was already there, and it took everything he had in him not to speed the rest of the way, not having seen Jazz in nearly a metacycle.
He realized with a pleased quiver that Radiance must have consulted with Whiplash and timed these particular gifts for a night when all three could be together, now that they could finally admit among themselves who their courter was.
When he got inside, it took less than a klik to find his mates in the downstairs lounge that also served as the smaller library, but with a city view that the upstairs library was lacking. Jazz had Radiance pinned up against a wall and was kissing him deeply, and looked up, purring, as soon as Prowl entered, and held an arm out.
"I've solved our mystery," he said, grinning, taking a kiss from his mate before they both turned back to Radiance.
Radiance grinned back. "I still don't know what he's talking about," he told Prowl.
"Is that so?" Prowl grinned in an utterly feral manner and relaxed his grip on his field, flooding them both with just how elated he was with his new game before he leaned in close to claim a heated kiss. "For some reason I got a new tactical game today. A singular production, and it had your designation on it as the provider."
Jazz hummed as he watched, hand sliding down Radiance's front. "That's an astonishing coincidence," he said, and his free hand was suddenly holding a dagger, one that he tapped lightly right under Radiance's throat, showing off the side that had their designations so artfully woven together. "Because I got this today and it also has his designation on it. What do you think, my love?" he purred to Prowl. "I think he might just be responsible for all those other gifts as well."
"I think he had better be, or we might just find a use for that blade," Prowl purred dangerously, and on a level he meant it. Even if it didn't mean using the blade on Radiance, but on the mech who was impersonating him with entirely too much success.
"I think we just might. Well?" Jazz asked, his own smile turning just as deadly as he spun just the tip against their lover's neck. "Out with it now, gorgeous one."
Radiance's engines revved with excitement and he laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "All right, yes, it was me," he confessed to what they already all knew. "All of-"
He didn't make it the entire way through the sentence before Jazz was grabbing him in a kiss, deep and joyful, and one that lasted for just a few moments before the dark mech was being grabbed by Prowl for his own kiss, one that left all of their engines racing. They passed him back and forth for a few kliks before finally letting go to let him steady his vents, looking dazed, and thrilled.
"Think we'd better find a way to thank you," Jazz said, unable to stop grinning.
"What do you think of sucking him off together?" Prowl stage whispered in Jazz's audial. "As revved up as get gets watching us, I imagine he would get that much hotter watching us go down on him."
The answering engine roar, not from Jazz, combined with the sound of a spike panel snapping away, was enough of an answer, especially when combined with the way Jazz's grin turned downright wicked as he looked back at Radiance, reaching down to brush his fingers along the extending length of his spike. "I imagine so," he whispered back, frame shaking with suppressed laughter, his field bright with an intoxicating joy as he sank down to his knees in unison with Prowl. He leaned in for a kiss, one hand wrapping around the gold-ringed spike, holding it while he slipped his glossa along Prowl's.
"Has he turned on the magnets while you've had him in your intake?" Prowl asked with a rumbling purr as he licked up that lovely spike in perfect tandem with Jazz.
Jazz pressed his lips around the tip, sliding off to meet Prowl for another kiss before they turned back, each x-venting hotly over the sculpted head, making Radiance moan. "He hasn't," he hummed, and pressed his thumb where his glossa had just been, looking up at Radiance, whose vents were already kicked up in pitch. "Holding out on me, lover?" he teased.
Radiance shook his head. "Not on purpose," he gasped, and moaned, hips pushing forward. "I will happily fix that oversight for you."
"It's intense," Prowl grinned, moving down to mouth the spike housing. "Makes your processor fuzzy in the best ways."
Jazz's lips quirked up in a curious smile before parting to let his glossa slip out to swirl around the tip, hot and wet, drawing a gasping cry and a sharp thrust forward against his mouth. "I'll leave you room," Jazz told his lover, who was using a mix of his glossa and fingers to stimulate the base of the dark spike, before he wrapped his lips around the tip and pushed, swallowing easily, stopping just short of taking the entire length in.
Hands came up to rest on Radiance's thighs for balance and Jazz swallowed, ripping his intake for a few moments before he heard the faint, electric hum of the magnet systems coming online, and the spike was physically pulled against him, creating a dizzying rush through his processors that made his intake spasm. They both moaned, Radiance's voice going up in pitch, his hands shooting down to grab each of their helms.
"It's intense," Prowl moaned, watching it happen to his lovers with overbright optics. "Not as good as in the valve, but oh so good."
Jazz could only whine his agreement, gripping Radiance's legs to hold himself steady in a world that was suddenly tilting in a completely unfamiliar, thrilling way. After a moment of trying to stabilize, and then giving up, he tried to swallow, and found he could move against the pull, slowly, and if the way Radiance cried out meant anything, this felt amazing for his mate. He purred, pitching deep and rumbling right from his engines, and the answer was a keen.
"See love?" Prowl gave an answering rumble as he stole a half kiss from Jazz before returning to suck and lick the housing. "It's amazing."
"Yes," Radiance moaned, his fingers clenching and unclenching on their heads, needing them just to stay upright, as he trembled, hydraulics in his legs whining with the effort to push deeper into the tight space, fighting his own magnets and the force they were exerting to keep him stuck to the intake. "Saxo!"
Jazz hummed, hands going up to his lover's hips and setting there, dipping beneath armor and playing along the tension cables with expert fingers that knew framework and how to coax any kind of feeling he wanted out from it better than most on the planet. He pulled his head back, slowly, the strange sensation of magnets tugging at his processors making him shiver while the resistance they created made Radiance moan, static starting to lace his voice.
Prowl followed up along the spike after his lover, using glossa and lips to attend to every exposed micron, purring deeply as the magnets started to pull at him as well, keeping everything slow and careful as they worked their mate's spike together.
"Primus, you two," Radiance gasped suddenly, and Jazz answered by pressing up with his glossa, massaging it against the underside of the spike nudging up against his intake, and that pulled a ragged, wanting cry as dark fingers clamped down on their helms and Radiance's entire frame shuddered with overload. Hot, crackling transfluid burst into Jazz's intake as powerful magnets in the hand on his helm made his processor go just as fuzzy as an overload. Next to him Prowl moaned, deep and pleased, as the potent palm magnet scrambled his processors, slowing everything down and injecting the same kind of euphoria as a powerful overload without the physical strain.
When Radiance finally came back to himself, he found he was bracing his entire weight against his lovers, magnetized palms keeping them held in place. With a thought, he flicked the entire system off and they both shivered, then Jazz drew off his spike and grinned, looking up with transfluid dripping down his chin and a field that was almost giddy, though it was nothing like the euphoric rush that was coming off of Prowl. It came in heavy waves as his far more delicately balanced and powerful processors, so central to his very purpose in being, unscrambled themselves more slowly.
"You're right," Jazz purred, static-laced as much as Radiance had been. "That is a rush."
"Palm is even better," Prowl mumbled, dazed and quite content to remain that way for the moment.
Radiance chuckled and slid down the wall to be at the same height as his lovers, running his fingers down the side of Prowl's face and tipping the mech's face up towards him as Prowl rubbed affectionately against his palm, and grinned at the unfocused optics. "Love the way that makes you go all fuzzy," he purred, and leaned in to nip at his lower lip. "Imagine if I caught you between my spike and my hand."
Prowl's entire frame shuddered with a surge of want enough to make his lovers groan. Prowl's glossa slipped out to lick at Radiance's wrist, playful and desirous.
Radiance purred back, equally playful, as Jazz wrapped his arms around him and tugged, biting at his lover's neck, engines hot and racing from the processor buzz and a metacycle of being away from his mates.
"Secret... admirer... not so secret... anymore," Jazz said between nips, before biting down hard enough to make Radiance jump, then twist and tackle his heated mate onto his back, pinning him down with a sharp rev.
Jazz grinned back, unrepentant, and squirmed. "Think we should break you in as our official courter," he purred. "See if you're up to the task."
"You know I'm up to the task," Radiance rumbled, and then couldn't keep himself from grinning back, and then laughing when Jazz grabbed him down into a kiss, his other hand reaching out to grab Prowl and tug him down when Prowl seemed content to simply watch them.
"You're Praxian, but we should test," Prowl kissed each of them, then nuzzled against Jazz's neck as he shamelessly rubbed his frame along his lover's. "Give you a full workout, make sure we're all compatible."
"Yes please," Jazz trilled, then yelped with surprise when Radiance slipped a hand over his spike cover and magnetized against it, rubbing, almost pulling the concealed spike out as soon as the cover was gone. Jazz's hips bucked up and he groaned, arching, before Radiance drew his hand away with a teasing grin.
"Berth, perhaps?" he suggested, trying not to laugh at the look Jazz was giving him, and then it was his turn to get tackled onto his back, before Prowl moved in and grabbed Jazz around the middle, growling deeply and playfully.
"Berth, yes," Prowl rumbled, before Jazz twisted to kiss him and Radiance somehow managed to get up onto his pedes, bringing the other two with him, before all three made their laughing, stumbling way upstairs to tumble into their berth to investigate as many ways to interface as they could before collapsing.
SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS
It was another ninety vorns before Radiance casually asked his lovers if they would like to meet him during one of their upcoming free orns to walk the paths of the Helix gardens, a request that they had all been eagerly looking forward to. As always, it was on the very first orn plausible between social expectations and their schedules, so all three and their respective social circles knew what that casual offer really was and why all three were amped up.
The previous gifts of courtship had all been in relatively private settings, environments with mecha close to Prowl and Jazz or left in the grand home that Prowl had bought for them, but nothing nearly as public as this. They socialized in public, but never gave gifts face to face. This gift, offered personally and publicly, and in a location where the courtees could walk away and end the courtship with no questions asked, was the final step of the opening phase. Their public acceptance would indicate a serious interest in continuing, and the burden of courting would shift to both sides.
That orn could not come soon enough for any of them, and had already had to be rescheduled twice after both Prowl and Radiance got caught up in Enforcer duties. This time, while Radiance had been delayed, he promised that he would only be a few breems late and that they should enjoy the walk until he caught up. He found it a little odd, but he knew how much his lovers enjoyed seeing him straight from field work with a bit of soot or ozone clinging to him, and wouldn't need to wash.
So late in the evening, after most had had their energon and were enjoying the fading light and the glow of the crystals, Jazz and Prowl walked arm in arm, leaning together with their doorwing overlapping, the picture of a contented couple and one that drew a few smiles from strangers, and not-so-strangers to see.
"May I join you?" came the sudden soft request from behind, spoken by a dark mech with properly canted wings and ritual-laced subharmonics, leaving no doubt that this was a formal request made by an interested, and serious, suitor. Radiance stood several paces back, far enough that he could still be considered to not be with them if they declined, holding his arm out and looking slightly worse for wear, with his carefully applied finish from earlier now dulled and scratched in places, but still as beautiful as ever to his mates.
The scene had the immediate attention of everyone in range, every conversation quieted and steps halted to watch. Though this was a moment between the three mechs, it was still socially expected that everyone who could witness it would stop and do so. As many traditions that had fallen to the wayside, this one was still firmly entrenched in every strata of Praxian society.
Prowl turned to face Radiance and took his public role as the dominant member of his pairing. With a warm, welcoming smile that left no doubt to the honesty of his actions, he extended his hand in welcome and greeting, palm up for peace. "We would be pleased if you would."
"I am honored," Radiance answered, placing his palm over Prowl's, with a truly grateful dip of his wings before he turned to Jazz, smiling. "And truly blessed. Thank you." He fell in step with them on the other side of Prowl and they began walking again, moving at the same slow pace, in companionable silence, getting knowing smiles from everyone they passed.
After enough time had passed, Radiance put his hand on Prowl's arm, guiding them to the side of the path. Again all who noticed paused to witness, to fulfill one of the happier rolls of society, and the three involved were alive with energy. Despite how well they all knew how the offer would be answered, in this moment the weight of the ritual set in and swept them up in nervous excitement.
Dipping his doorwings down in submission and acceptance of their absolute authority in the moment, Radiance drew two rectangular plates. Each was engraved with a sequence of glyphs beginning with Pantera or Saxo and ending with Radiance. Between the formal designations was the address of his home and the statement that the mecha listed above were authorized all use of it as their own.
"Will you accept the key to my home, so it may be our home?" Radiance asked, his voice trembling faintly with the weight of the moment and all it implied.
Despite how long he'd had the codes to that residence, Prowl still drew in a sharp vent as his optics brightened. He reached out and placed his hand over the plate with his designation on it, claws warm against Radiance's metal skin for a moment and held there, the gift between them, warming.
"Yes, Radiance. I would make my home with you."
Radiance fought against the surge of excitement that went through him, managing to get it down to just a quick flutter in his wings before looking to Jazz. Each partner needed to accept on his own.
Jazz smiled back, covering the other plate with his palm. "I would happily make my home with you, Radiance."
Joyful, celebratory trills sounded out from the witnesses around them, mecha who were all grinning, delighted for the chance to observe the courting ritual, and Radiance barely heard any of it as he stepped forward into the tight embrace of his lovers. A moment later, the trills switched to encouraging whistles and Radiance laughed in true, honest bliss as he gave in and turned first to claim his rightful kiss from Prowl, and then from Jazz, to the cheers of everyone watching.
Ritual completed, traffic along the paths slowly began to move again, leaving the forming triad to themselves where they stood huddled off to the side.
"Thank you," Radiance said, a hand on each of their necks, looking between them. "Thank you for letting me into your lives."
"We love you, how could we not?" Jazz answered him, and then looked to Prowl. "We have something for you."
"It's not part of any ritual, simply a gift that timed out like this," Prowl smiled, claimed another kiss that went on until Radiance's optics flickered off with a soft moan. When Prowl draw away and Radiance looked at the pair again, two visors, one a rich yellow that matched his own, the other a familiar bright blue looked back at him over one smile and one huge grin.
"Oh, Primus," Radiance breathed, his own visor brightening with excitement as he reached up to brush his fingers over each of them in turn. "Oh, wow. I knew visors would suit you, you look amazing!" He grinned, wings quivering. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but did you really have to give me this gift in public?" he purred with a suggestive rev, unable to hide how much the aesthetic on his mates turned him on.
Prowl leaned forward to kiss him, field licking along Radiance's to give no doubt he intended to enjoy that mood. "Perhaps not, but I do know how much you enjoy denial games. Perhaps when we get home we'll indulge you. Or perhaps we'll make sure all our new markings are painted and sealed before you can touch for pleasure."
Radiance shivered and Jazz purred. "We start tonight?" Jazz asked, eager subharmonics in his voice.
"We start tonight," Radiance said, just as excited. "Home?"
"Home," Prowl rumbled.