Bond Off

Time: Pre-Earth

AN: So, last chapter pushed this story over 10,000 hits. Um... Yay/happy jig/. I love all'a ya!

Okami's theories on twinned sparks ahead.

Metal slid together with a frenzy of screeches and squeals. Arms and legs entwined, pressing and pulling, writhing in ecstasy. Each touch resonated through their connection. Streams of data looped from one to the other and back again, transmitting sight and sounds, touch and emotion. They cradled each other in the warm glow of their affection.

Systems hit alarm levels, toppling first one then the other into overload. They weren't sure who was first as the data loop entangled their minds so completely…

Only a bond would be more intense.

They clung to each other, cycling and panting, faces buried in the other's neck cables. Oil and ozone perfumed the corridor they lay in. Wires and loose panels cushioned their frames. But this maintenance corridor gave them the privacy they required for their affair. Wrapped in each other's arms, all the unpleasantness seemed to melt away.

Prowl wriggled as Sideswipe continued to teasingly trace his lips down Prowl's main power line. "Let me reset, Sides," he chuckled, only to moan from the Toughline's amorous fingers..

Sideswipe's engine purred and he rubbed Prowl's doorwings, enjoying the phantom fingers caressing sensors he did not possess. Prowl turned his head, nipping at Sideswipe's own neck cables, one hand reaching up to fondle the warrior's shoulder brackets.

"What was that about resetting, sparkles?" Sideswipe crooned, nuzzling his lover's chevron.

Prowl's optics flashed, only visible by the brief blue glow on his helm. The tactician pushed the Toughline to his back, his doorwings flaring out and back. He ran eager hands over Sideswipe's chassis, trailing down to his waist. He paused to absorb each moan from the red twin.

"What have I told you about calling me 'sparkles?'" He sensuously ran his hands over the open joint at the warrior's groin. Hypersensitive sensors, designed to detect the slightest shift or tremor, ignited with the light touch of the tactician's hands.

Sideswipe writhed as Prowl's lips followed his fingers, his dental plates scraping over the wires and sensors. He gripped the top edges of the black and white doorwings, twitching them as he pressed back into a jumble of cables. "Is this punishment?" he panted.

White hands caressed the mag plates at Sideswipe's ankle. "Perhaps."

Prowl's sudden absence made Sideswipe activate his optics-he hadn't even realized he'd shut them off- and lift his head.

Prowl still straddled the warrior's legs, but his dim optics made it obvious that the tactician's attention wasn't on his lover.

"What?" then his communicator crackled with Blaster's voice, calling for all troops.

The Enforcer stood, giving Sideswipe a hand up. "Duty calls."

The warrior smirked, pulling out a tube of spot paint and inspecting himself for paint scrapes. "Of course it does. After all, it'sonly been a metacycle since-"

Prowl put a finger to Sideswipe's lips. "Shh. I told you this would happen."

They finished covering the marks, then swept critical optics over their partner's body, checking for anything missed. Prowl turned to leave.

"Finish it later?"

The tactician paused to glance back. "Later," he nodded.

"Love-" but Prowl was gone.

"You," Sideswipe finished, muttering between his dental plates. He turned for another exit, picking his way through the maintenance corridor.

Thirty vorn had passed since Prowl had initiated this relationship. They met whenever possible, often times after heavy repairs, eager to reaffirm the other's presence, and to share the concern they were otherwise not allowed to express. Sideswipe made a point to pull pranks on those who annoyed his lover. He took the punishment dolled out by the stern tactician, looking forward to the laugh they would have later.

Although five hundred vorn is only the blink of a Cybertronian eye, Sideswipe found it disturbing that he could number the amount of times Prowl had verbalized his affection. He could fragging count those times on one hand.

All the times with his previous lovers, it had never really bothered him if they didn't tell him how much he meant to them. Unlike Sunstreaker who needed to hear it from Springer at least once a stellar cycle, which was a matter of some contention between them. Of course those previous times, Sideswipe could be openly affectionate with his partner for the orn. With Prowl, though, and the stigma against officer/subordinate relationships, Sideswipe found he craved more from the tactician than the happenstance contact on a cycle to cycle basis.

He wanted to hear, to feel it even when the tactician was half the base away, to know the tactician at least processed those three simple words, 'I love you.'

Gray and black streaked the skies over Iacon, painting the buildings in shadow. Sunstreaker met Sideswipe at the entrance to the base. His optics slid over the red Toughline and he scowled his disapproval.

"What?"

"You know 'what,'" the golden warrior snarled, turning to transform and fall in line.

Oh yes, Sidsewipe did know. Sunstreaker had more than let the red twin know just how he felt about the situation. But he couldn't comment on that, not here, not now. "Ultra Magnus stalled again?"

"Fragging amateurs," the vehicle's engine grumbled.

"Sideswipe, transform and roll out," Prowl's voice snapped over his communicator. Primus, one would think that he could be just a little lenient.

The red twin transformed and squeezed in with his brother, shoving Trailbreaker to the side. The Roughrider blared his alarm at the Toughline. Sideswipe flashed his taillights at the defensive strategist. He was sure to have plenty of time considering his problem with Prowl after the battle, while he was in medical.
Prowl blinked up at Sideswipe's appearance next to his berth. The dim light gleamed off fresh paint that hid recent repairs. "What are you doing here?"

The red twin frowned, and sat on the side of the berth, against Prowl's shoulder plate. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

The tactician turned his head a little, shaking his systems online as he sat up. "I didn't say that. I'm just worried about you being found out."

"I have my ways."

Prowl shifted his doorwings, glaring at the red twin. "I'm certain of that." He pulled his knees up to his bumper and draped his forearms over the joint. "Again I ask, what are you doing here?" He took the sting out of his question by leaning over to place a quick peck on the red twin's cheek.

Sideswipe's mouth turned down in a glower, though his optics turned to the spotless floor. He sat there silently for a breem, his fingers rapping a rhythm less beat against his leg."If… It's…" Sideswipe paused, suddenly uncertain how to proceed. What he wanted was a commitment, perhaps more than Prowl was willing to give. Yet Sideswipe wanted to be able to look inside his own spark and know Prowl thought of him. Know the tactician loved him. The same way he knew with Sunstreaker. "I know we promised to make no promises, but I just…" He looked up at the patiently waiting tactician. "I want to know that you'll always be there, waiting for me."

A white hand rested against Sideswipe's cheek. "I'm here, Sides. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."

"Well… yeah… but…"

Prowl leaned in to kiss Sideswipe. "But what?"

Sideswipe caught Prowl's fingers, rubbing his cheek against them. "I don't know that, Prowl. And I want to. I want to bond with you."

Prowl withdrew his hand, his optics dim. "It could cost us everything. Bonds are unpredictable. It may take us longer than expected to adjust and we won't be able to be separated during that time. We are sure to be found out."

The red warrior huffed a sigh and curled toward his lover. He really couldn't argue with that. Their whole relationship depended on secrecy.

The tactician tenderly stroked the black helm, the rumble of his engine soothing to Sideswipe's sensors. "What's wrong, Sides? This is unexpected." The white fingers playfully rapped against Sideswipe's helm. "I'd almost think you were turning into Sunstreaker."

"Primus forbid that." The red twin let Prowl tug him against his chest plate. Knowing hands caressed sensitive seams, seeking to placate the warrior. "But I think I know why he does it." Sideswipe wrapped an arm around Prowl's waist, pulling the tactician closer.

Prowl's fingers stilled, and Sideswipe looked up. "Your brother's actions have always confused me." It was the closest Prowl would come to asking for an explanation of the golden twin's ways.

Sideswipe shifted, laying down and pulling Prowl with him. Prowl slipped an arm around the red twin's shoulders and drew Sideswipe close, one of his black horns on Prowl's shoulder plate. "It's weird being so close to someone, almost as close as with Sunny, and not knowing anything."

Prowl stroked Sideswipe's shoulder plate. "Even you don't seem to understand all your brother's processes."

"Well, even we have things we don't talk about."

Prowl was silent for a few breems, although his fingers never stilled. Finally with a shriek of metal, Prowl slid on top of Sideswipe. The berth creaked at the shifting in weight. His lips played down Sideswipe's cheek, his gaze never leaving the warrior's. "Can you count the things that can go wrong? And expose us both?"

Sideswipe brushed his fingers over the tactician's arm. "Ask me if I want to."

A knowing smile briefly graced the Enforcer's face. "Is this the same attitude that gets you in trouble cycle after cycle?" Prowl's voice was a soft murmur against Sideswipe's faceplate, his lips squeaking and squealing along the cheek seam.

The Toughline's engine revved to life. "Yes. But sometimes you have to accept the risks and act anyways." The warrior's optics sparkled. "You do it every day, so don't tell me otherwise."

Prowl rocked Sideswipe with a playful thrust. "I wouldn't have, but I base my decisions on numbers that are the most favorable to success."

"And this isn't?"

Prowl optics darkened completely. "No."

"Can't you accept that life is full of risks, and you'll never know unless you try?"

"Sides it's not always that simple. You can't always function with programs half-coded, and systems half-torqued-"

Sideswipe slammed a fist onto the berth, shocking the tactician into silence. "You're acting like it's the worst thing that could happen. Don't you want to?"

Prowl sat up, still straddling the warrior. "If it were that simple, but-"

Sideswipe gripped the tactician's forearm. "It's as simple as 'yes' or 'no'. Decide and act. It's that easy."

Prowl's optics widened, his doorwings sweeping back. "Do you even think about the-"

Sideswipe couldn't take it anymore, he pulled the Enforcer down into a fierce kiss. He didn't want the tactician to think, he just wanted Prowl to let go of his reservations and do. Prowl's engine growled and his fist slammed a few impressive dents into Sideswipe's chassis.

The warrior released the tactician, pressing his forehead against Prowl's chevron. Prowl snarled something incoherent and jerked away, but Sideswipe used his momentum to roll the Enforcer to his back. He slapped the smaller mech's arms down so that the white fists clenched by his audio receivers. Prowl's optics flashed and he strained against the red twin. "Sideswipe, get off."

Sideswipe pressed another kiss to Prowl's lips, pressing firmly against the malleable metal that made up the tactician's faceplate. "Can't you think of even one good thing that'll come out of a bond? Just one, Prowl."

Prowl didn't cease his struggles. "I never said I couldn't, but the risks-"

"Slag them," the twin's whispered growl puffed along Prowl's cheek guard. "Slag it all, Prowl. "

The black and white mech stared up at his lover, his doorwings scraping against the berth in a final protest to the warrior's treatment. "If you keep talking like that, my battle computer will crash."

"Then turn it off!"

Prowl paused, easing his arms out of Sideswipe's grip. "That would appeal to you, wouldn't it?"

Sideswipe leaned down, cheeky grin in place, to nuzzle Prowl's chevron. "I want to be able to immortalize you making a fool of yourself, yes." The red twin's optics brightened as he shifted to stroke the black and white mech.

Silence fell, except for the sound of their caresses, and rubbing bodies. Prowl suddenly shoved Sideswipe over, climbing on top of the red mech. His doorwings swept back, inviting Sideswipe's eager hands to stroke them, and fondle the inner joints.

"Wouldn't it be nice to know what the other's feeling, maybe even thinking, at any given cycle." A grin spread on the warrior's cheek and he rubbed his cheekguard against Prowl's arm. "Wouldn't it be nice to know I'm alive and safe on the battlefield, especially after I crash land a Seeker in a crevice?"

Prowl stroked Sideswipe's helmet. "That would truly ease my processor." A chuckle rumbled through his engine. "You seem to be more and more prone to doing that lately."

"Yeah, well, Cybertron's getting more crevices."

The black and white mech's optics dimmed. "Have you thought about what will happen if one of us is terminated in a battle?"

Sideswipe turned his face away. "I try not to, but, if it happens, will it matters if anyone finds out?" They both knew that Prowl referred to the likelihood of the red twin dying more so than himself. The tactician rarely allowed himself to be as exposed as the twins, especially during their bouts of jet judo.

Prowl thoughtfully gazed down at the warrior. "I've actually researched quite a bit on bonds, trying to understand your relationship with Sunstreaker. While doing so, I've run across quite a few things that can go wrong. Judging from that list, I could anticipate problems and prefabricate excuses that would allow us to be together and overcome them. At least on the base. In battle, there will be diversions aplenty that I could adjust our two tactics to keep us close together."

A grin lit Sideswipe's face as brightly as his optics. "Is that a yes?"

Prowl kissed the red warrior's nose ridge. "Yes."

Sideswipe pulled the tactician down into a grateful kiss. Wandering hands and enticing moans soon changed that kiss into something more passionate, more needing. Power was redirected toward their laser cores, prepping their sparks for brief separation, and –what could be fatal- exposure to the air. They pressed against each other, access panels sliding back and presenting data ports and cables.

Sideswipe stared into Prowl's optics as the tactician resolutely plugged himself into the warrior. His own fingers caressed the waiting end of the unused cable. He did not question whether he wanted this or not. He wanted this more than anything else. The relationship that had started out as a casual interface, had grown to mean more to Sideswipe than anything else, short of Sunstreaker. He longed for this more than he'd ever wanted to share Prowl with his brother.

But he couldn't stop his fingers from shaking.

Prowl, the one who'd originally objected to the whole thing, took hold of Sideswipe's hand, closing his fingers around the plug, and pulled the cable out. "There's no turning back, Sideswipe. If you have any doubts…"

Sideswipe finished the connection himself. "I have no doubts."

Systems booted up, calibrating between the two processors. Data ticked in their HUDs, synchronizing streams and feedback, establishing the connection. Prowl's fingers gripped Sideswipe's shoulder plate, twitching as information finally crossed the link. Sideswipe's fingers on Prowl, suddenly merged with Prowl gripping Sideswipe's shoulder. Lips traced along a jawline, but Sideswipe didn't know if that was Prowl's face or his own before his optics.

Prowl halted some of the datastreams, redirecting the programming.

Clasps unlatched and the tactician rose so that his chest plate was level with Sideswipe optics.

A command crossed the connection and Sideswipe felt his own chest plate loosen and open. The black bumper in front of him slid upward, exposing a pulsing beacon of light within the spiral shell of the laser core.

Systems heated, reaching alarm levels as the two mechs pushed their sparks together. Sideswipe panted, rising to his elbows to leverage his chestplate against Prowl's torso. Circuits tingled as the two lights brushed fields, still not quite coming in contact. He tingled all over, indescribable sensations curling in his processor, crawling throughout his frame. All centered on those pulsing lights that pushed and pressed against each other, drawing longing moans from two vocalizers Sideswipe threw his head back, cycling harshly to cool overclocked systems. He felt Prowl as a distant murmur in his processor, something he caressed, like the light before him.

He was Sideswipe, in body, arm wrapped around Prowl's waist, pulling the tactician closer. Optics focused on the nearly hidden face of the black and white mech.

He was Sideswipe in mind, his processor looping and spiraling in a wild rush with the tactician. Patterns fluctuated in time with the open laser core.

He was Sideswipe in spirit, spark reaching and pulsing toward that other soul. The other bright light that beckoned; so familiar, so desired.

The sparks pulsed, sending out questing tendrils of light. They repulsed, pressing back into their bodies like magnets of similar fields. They reached out again as the two mechs pressed ever closer, heedless of the pleasant tingle that had become a dull ache, and now a sharp pain that lanced through their circuits.

So close, so close, but they still hadn't touch, still hadn't mingled. Prowl's fingers on Sideswipe's shoulder, Sideswipe's arm around Prowl waist, both tightened forcing their open chests together, forcing the exposed sparks closer.

Mouths agape, air rushing through their ventilators, the sparks touched for the briefest of astroseconds.

Two voices cried out together, as pain, pain, horrible pain shot through them. Shrieked in their sparks. Shorted out their systems.

Like some horrid twist on an overload they collapsed, pushed away by their very essence. Red lit their HUDs, and systems reset, internal repairs already setting to work to sort out the multitude of shorts. Self-diagnostics kicked in, categorizing the damage.

The two mechs stared at one another in a daze, unsure of what to make of it. Both knew of the other's ache, their interface rebooting and recalibrating. Prowl slid closer, and shakily disconnected himself from Sideswipe, shuddering as his systems objected to the sudden loss of data. Sideswipe closed out the interface program, pulling his own cord free of Prowl.

They lay there for another breem, shaken by what had happened, and unwilling to explore. To see if it worked.

Sideswipe ran another system check, changing the parameters to search for foreign code. The search came up with multiple results. All of them Sunstreaker. Sideswipe shuttered his optics and ran another diagnostic. And another. And another.

No sign of coding that could have come from any source but Sunstreaker.

And the results from Sunstreaker worried the red twin, as the pattern reflected injury or pain.

"It didn't work," Prowl murmured. He groaned, hands crossed just under his bumper.

Sideswipe winced as surges painfully swept through his systems. They seemed to resonate from his laser core. "Why?"

One doorwing shrugged. "I don't know. Unsuccessful bondings are almost as rare as spark twins. I wasn't looking for that, anyways. I was looking for successful bonds that go wrong."

They lay there, disappointed and drained, not at all one of their usual encounters. They parted, time nearly expired, both sullen at the unexpected occurrence. Prowl appeared to have slipped offline already, exhausted by the strain.

Sideswipe rounded a corner, hand braced on the wall as an overwhelming need for rest banished all other thoughts. He didn't register the other mech until he collided with the green frame.

Springer's hands on his shoulders were the only thing that kept Sideswipe from toppling over at their abrupt encounter. "Sideswipe, where the slag have you been? I've been looking-" The triplechanger paused, his optics sweeping over the red mech's frame.

Sideswipe hazily, but automatically, tried to place his location. He shouldn't be caught too close to Prowl's quarters. That would be bad, he knew, though at the moment, he couldn't quite process why.

"What the slag have you been doing? Come on, Sunny's in medical and it looks like that's where you need to be as well." The large triplechanger threw Sideswipe's arm over his shoulder and hauled the red twin toward the med bay.

"Wha's wrong wi' Sunny?" Sideswipe mumbled, his systems cycling down despite his fight to keep them up.

"He just crashed suddenly. You better not be trying to do that, too, fragger. Stay online."

"Crashed?" Why would Sunstreaker crash? Sunny never crashed, he always took care to control his speed, even when he was being hasty, inside the base. Doors hissed open in front of them and Sideswipe was aware of being taken by someone loudly snarling. The two pairs of hands laid him out on a medical berth.

"Springer, where the slag do you think you're going?"

Sideswipe blinked, dazedly gazing around the room. Already he could feel the dull ache easing away from his spark.

"I was going to finish the recharge Sunny interrupted with his screaming. Scared me out of my core."

Sunny… Sunstreaker, where's Sunny? He turned his head to the side. Oh, there he is…

Sunstreaker lay on the berth next to him, offline, and hooked up to a series of monitors.

"I swear to Primus, Springer, that if you bring in one more mech, you will be joining them. Do you understand?"

Sideswipe's body seemed to finally ease, his spark no longer aching.

Sunstreaker activated his optics and stared at his brother. A searching look. An unspoken question. What happened?

Sideswipe didn't answer, his processor slowly powering down. Sunstreaker seemed to reach his own conclusion, and a scowl marred his handsome face.

"Do you want me to leave them in the hall? I can do that, you know."

Sideswipe's optics powered off just in time to catch Ratchet's silhouette appearing at his berthside.

"Sides," Sunstreaker's voice hissed in his audio receiver.

Sideswipe activated his optics, blinking up at his golden twin. "Hey, are you all right?"

"I'll be better if you tell me what you were thinking."

The red twin sat up. "What are you talking about?" The pain remained as only the phantom of a memory, repaired.

Sunstreaker leaned over the medical berth, scowl in place. "I know what you tried to do." Sunstreaker grabbed Sideswipe by the throat. "Did it ever occur to you to ask me about it? You slagging, stupid idiot!"

"Sunstreaker, get your slag-sucking digits off your brother and getback to your berth. I haven't released you yet." Ratchet's voice reverberated from within his office.

Sunstreaker's engine growled. "We'll talk about this later."

The golden Toughline released his brother, and stomped back over to his berth. Sideswipe rubbed at his dented neck and laid back. He ran a diagnostic, setting the parameters to search for any foreign coding.

All that was returned belonged to Sunstreaker.

Sideswipe deactivated his optics.

Disappointment churned in his fuel tanks and heated his systems.
Someone pounded at his door, loud and insistent, like the pounding in his circuits, pulsing from his spark. He supposed he should respond to the voice calling his name. Maybe he should try sitting up?

No.

That's not happening.

"Hey, Prowlie, are ya in there? "

Only one mech dared call him by that name. "Here, Jazz." Well that's what he tried to say, at least.

Primus, what was wrong with his voice. It was so soft, and full of static, and it glitched worse than a mouse.

"Hey, Prowl," Jazz was starting to sound concern, "if yer In there, I'm really sorry, but I'm gonna override th' doorlock." A chuckle reverberated through the door. "A'course, if yer not in there, y'really don' care."

Prowl shifted, dragging himself onto his side. His doorwing bent under him, but he couldn't find the strength to move past the overwhelming pain.

The door whooshed open, revealing Jazz's grinning face. "Well, it's nice t' see you chargin' late, Prowlie, but Prime wants ya to report to duty."

Prowl stared dully up at the visored mech. He should say something, he supposed. "Hkhhhhhhiiii Djshkaashhh."

The saboteur stepped into the room, grin fading. "Prowl?"

What was Jazz staring at? He tried to line Jazz's wide line of sight by the tilt of his head. His battle computer responded sluggishly, and only narrowed it down to somewhere along his torso. Which, considering his protruding chest, was still quite a bit. Numb fingers tapped around where they hung by his side, and he came across an opening in his torso plating, and a cable hanging free. He wasn't entirely sure if that was good or bad.

When did Jazz kneel next to the berth?

His systems belatedly logged a communication channel being used nearby. A call to medical for a ratchet. Why did Jazz need a tool? Prowl never took him for a mechanically minded mech.

Jazz's hand, shaking his shoulder, was a distant disturbance.

Not even the CMO's loud appearance jolted him out of his haze.
Whenever someone mentioned Prowl's name, Sideswipe usually tuned in. He felt a little protective of his lover, even if he couldn't show it. What Trailbreaker was saying made him stall in his tracks.

"Prowl never made it to duty today." The black Roughrider downed the drink in his hand. "Jazz found him in his quarters, shaking and only partially functioning." Trailbreaker leaned into the circle of his audience. Sideswipe had to strengthen his audio receivers to make out what the strategist was saying. "It looks like an interface gone bad, and Ratchet wants to know where the other half is. He's likely to be in as bad of a shape."

Sideswipe clenched the cube in his hands, staring into the pink fluid that he no longer wanted. Selfish. How could he be so selfish? He'd completely forgotten about Prowl.

"Would you move it Sideswipe, some of us want to refuel, too."

Sideswipe tensed at that obnoxious little voice that originated from around his elbow.

Someone must have asked a question while Gears pestered the red twin, because Trailbreaker was talking again. "I certainly don't envy Jazz. I don't think I'd want to walk in and finda mech spark fading. Even if they're a stiff piston like Prowl."

Someone shoved his waist, and energon splashed all over his chassis. He turned, almost instinctively, his fist planting neatly into Gears' helm.

"You little fragger, can't you wait just an astrosecond, or does your processor take that long to refresh.

The little minibot didn't know when to shut his trap. "I'm standing here rusting while you were starin' into space. I'm standin' here bout to keel over from energy depletion while-"

"Fragging shut your mandible," Sidsewipe snapped, pouncing on the minibot.

He took a fraction of his self loathing out on Gears before Trailbreaker waded in and pried them apart and Ironhide dragged him to the brig.

"Jus' because Prowl's outta action, don't mean ya can do as yer please."

Sideswipe hesitated, quickly wording his question to keep from sounding overly concerned, or knowledgeable. "Yeah I heard 'Breaker talking about it. Slotting idiot, caught with his interface cable out. What'd he do download a virus?" Sideswipe forced a chuckle, earning a dark glare from the old mech.

Sunstreaker sat in one of the other cells, his glower telling Sideswipe that he had not forgotten about the promised 'talking to' he'd yet to give.

"Why don' ya ask him yerself when he comes down ta chat with ya."

Sideswipe jerked to a stop, turning as the bars powered on. "Ratchet's released him?"

"Prowl's harder t' keep down than Prime. He released himself."

Ironhide probably beat Prowl on the whole 'hard to keep down' front. "I'm sure that gave Ratchet the tingles, then didn't it," Sideswipe chuckled.

Ironhide snorted and left.

"You slagging. Stupid. Idiot."

Sideswipe sat down in the corner, his head clanking against the metallic wall. "Haven't we been over this, bro. You said that last megacycle."

"It fragging bears repeating. Both you an-" Sunstreaker cut himself off. "Both of you. Did the consequences ever occur to you? We're not like everyone else," a bitterness filled the golden mech's tone, "Our sparks are split and it takes a whole spark to merge with another."

Sideswipe glared at the wall behind him. "And you know this? How?"

"Research."

The only research Sunstreaker went out of his way for, that wasn't related to his appearance, was art and telecast related.

"You tried it, didn't you? With Springer?"

Dental plates ground on the other side of the wall.

Sideswipe went through his memory files. "When did you-" He came across an older memory of inexplicably collapsing. He didn't remember screaming, but he remembered being teased that he had. All he remembered was pain, pain, horrible pain.

The same pain as when he and Prowl had tried to push their sparks together.

"You never said a word."

Systems whirred, and a sigh sounded from the other side of the wall, long and despondent. "I'd hurt you, Sides. I just… I couldn't bring myself to tell you I was that selfish."

Sideswipe drew his knees up to his chestplate, draping his wrists over his knees. He pressed his lips together, his optics dark in thought. Could he really blame Sunstreaker for wanting to join himself with Springer and know, even half the planet away, that the triplechanger was functioning, if not safe. Could he fault his brother for seeking the very reassurances that he himself had desired from Prowl? It was programming, wasn't it? The desire to meld circuits and sparks and know that even death would never separate one from the other.

The door to the brig opened, and Sideswipe rose and scooted over to the bars. Prowl glanced at Sunstreaker, but his attention focused on Sideswipe.

The lights flickered and went out.

Three sets of headlights turned on, showing that Sunstreaker also stood at the now non-existant bars. Sideswipe heard Prowl call Red Alert to check on the 'sudden' blackout.

"If my paint gets scratched trying to recapture our Decepticon guests, it's coming out of your plating, Prowl."

Light flashed off the doorwing the tactician flicked. His bland face gave nothing away even as he stepped closer to Sideswipe. "Amazingly enough, Sunstreaker, those particular cell blocks still have power. I do plan ahead. We have less than two breems." Blue optics turned to the red twin. "Sideswipe, are you all right? Ratchet was grousing about you and your brother giving him unexplained fits again. "

"It's because you both are idiots," Sunstreaker snapped, leaning against the doorframe of his open cell.

The two other mechs turned to glare at the glowering twin.

"Sunny knows what happened," Sideswipe explained. "According to him, twins, like us, can't bond."

"No. I said it takes a whole spark to bond. There were cases of twins bonding, but both had to agree to one mech." The steel blue optics leveled one of Sunstreaker's infamous warning glowers on the two. "Don't even think about asking."

Prowl's doorwings tensed. "I couldn't imagine being bonded to you. So, I agree Sideswipe, don't even think about asking."

Sideswipe narrowed his optics at the tactician. "Would both of you shut up and stop teasing me?"

A smile touched Prowl's lips, and he rested a hand on the warrior's arm.

Sideswipe leaned in to place a kiss on the tactician's chevron. "Are you okay? Heard you scared Jazz into a stall."

"Ugh. Somebody deactivate me, please. It's better in my cell." The golden twin beat a hasty retreat into a hidden corner.

"I'm fine." Prowl glanced at the occupied cell. He pulled the red twin into his arms. "I'm sorry. I must have missed that bit in my research."

Sideswipe blinked. "What? You were considering a bond before I asked?"

"It did occur to me, yes. Although, I didn't expect you to ask first."

"You two are disgusting. I want you to know that."

Prowl smirked and he murmured loud enough for the golden twin to hear. "Your brother needs an interface."

"I can hear you, you know."

Sideswipe buzzed with repressed laughter, knowing he'd get it from Sunstreaker later.