FIC: Friction

[wicked3659]

Title: Friction

Verse: G1 (Contrary Motion verse)

Rating: PG

Characters: Prowl/Sunstreaker

Prompt: ‘Say it like you mean it.’

A/N: Sort of a continuation from my recently created ‘Contrary Motion’ verse. :3

Things had been going well since their relationship had become public knowledge of the Ark’s inhabitants. Personally Prowl found this surprising. Given the Autobots’ penchant for rumours and gossiping he had expected something altogether worse. On the whole however, most had been quite supportive. Not to him obviously but Sunstreaker often spoke about what the others had been saying when he visited Prowl after their shifts. Jazz also had taken it upon himself to congratulate Prowl when he’d heard. Prowl had worried that there would be tension between them and he hadn’t wanted to lose his closest friend but Jazz had laughed it off and their relationship had remained unchanged.

They’d decided to take things slowly. It was a lot to ask to just fall back into a relationship they had once had as mechlings. Mechs changed and for Sunstreaker there was forty vorns of resentment to let go of. Still, Sunstreaker as it turned out was the more affectionate partner in the relationship, often wanting to be near Prowl, hold his hand, kiss him when he was least expecting it, kiss him when he was expecting it, a sly touch of a doorwing here and embrace there and Prowl had found himself looking forward to the golden mech’s visits. He always tried to have his work finished by the time he arrived and even allowed him to indulge in a cube of high grade from the stock that Prowl had confiscated from him over the vorns. In this Sunstreaker was sworn to secrecy. It wouldn’t do for the rest of the Ark to know that Prowl could and did indeed play favourites when the moment suited him.

Noting that his shift had ended, Prowl tidied his desk and waited. Sunstreaker would have been on patrol this shift and normally took longer cleaning himself off afterwards and so Prowl patiently poured out a cube of high grade for him and mid-grade for himself and took to reading a book file while he waited.

And waited.

Frowning when his chronometer pinged two Earth hours later, Prowl put down his book file. Now it wasn’t like Sunstreaker to be this late and usually if he wasn’t coming he’d tell Prowl in advance, knowing how much the mech liked order. Subspacing the still full cube and disposing of his own, he left his office for the night, not before checking with Teletraan where Sunstreaker had ended up. The mech was apparently in the rec’ room which was odd in itself. Deciding to take the long way to his quarters, which just so happened to take him past the rec’ room, Prowl didn’t think too much off it until Ratchet raced past him, siren blazing, followed quickly by First Aid.

“OUT OF THE WAY!” The medic yelled urgently, stealing a quick glance at Prowl as he ran past him. “YOU. WITH ME NOW!” He ordered, pointing at the tactician who stared at him in bewilderment before following swiftly in the medic’s wake, worry creeping into his spark.

****

Prowl skidded to a halt as he arrived at the rec’ room. The place was in chaos. Ratchet dived right in, helping Ironhide peel mechs apart that were brawling over the tables and everything else within their vicinity. The energon dispenser was smashed and energon was leaking out over the floor. Scowling, Prowl got to work and began barking orders at the mechs not involved.

“Perceptor, Wheeljack, fix that; see if we can clean that up.” He ordered, receiving two astonished pairs of optics looking at him before nodding compliantly. Turning to the crowd he pulled mechs out of the way that were on the sidelines. “Anyone who is standing around, find something to do elsewhere.” He barked over the din of the fighting ‘bots.

Mechs stared at him and back to the fighters, some confused, some starting to wander off. Growling lowly at the lack of response, Prowl’s doorwings flared out on his back. “NOW!” He commanded loudly, sending mechs scattering towards the exit, none wanting to face his ire and renowned stern discipline.

Turning to the fight, Prowl rushed over to help Ironhide drag off two angry minibots; Huffer and Cliffjumper and one of the Aerialbots; Air Raid while Ratchet lifted Slingshot from the scuffle. Stepping into the fray, Optimus bent down and dragged the twin hellions back from the middle of the scuffle, his voice booming through the room.

“ENOUGH!” Optimus stared at the still struggling mechs who stubbornly relented in their captors grasp. “Somebody start explaining what is going on here.” He commanded sternly, his glance falling first to the twins who glared at the others angrily.

“Don’t look at us, they started it!” Sunstreaker retorted, waving a hand at the minibots and Aerialbots.

“It is irrelevant who started it.” Prowl interceded tersely, his optics meeting Sunstreaker’s angry ones momentarily before he regarded the rest of the culprits. “Start explaining yourselves as Prime has requested or there will be consequences.”

The brawlers fell silent, taking to glaring at the floor in sullen silence. Optimus sighed and shook his helm looking to his second. “Well, Prowl as nobody wants to speak up I trust you have the matter in hand?”

“I do, Sir.” Nodding to Ironhide and Ratchet, he motioned for the ‘bots to start moving towards the exit. “You are all detained to the brig until this matter can be resolved. Ironhide, Ratchet, if you would escort them please and tend to any wounds.” At the beginnings of complaint, Prowl held up his hand, silencing the protests before they got off the ground. “This is not up for debate,” glancing around the rec’ room the black and white scowled darkly, “and anybody still here that isn’t directly involved in the next five kliks will be thrown into the brig along with them.”

Within seconds, Prowl was left standing alone amidst the wreckage of the Ark’s rec’ room. His optics dimmed as he surveyed the damage around him.

****

“Care to explain what happened?”

“Was a fight, had it coming.”

“Who had what coming and why?”

“Why don’t you ask lover boy.”

Prowl sighed as Huffer was returned to the brig. Each and every one of the fighting ‘bots had given him more or less the same answer. It was beyond infuriating and as Sunstreaker had refused to speak or leave his cell, Prowl had had no other option but to interview everyone else first until the mech stopped sulking. “Sideswipe, my office.” He palmed the cell release and the red mech stepped out giving his twin a sidelong look as he passed him. “This is beyond ridiculous, Sunstreaker. You will have to speak about this eventually.” Prowl stated, his frown deepening as the golden mech shrugged and turned his back to him without a word. Securing the cell, Prowl gestured for Sideswipe to follow as he swept out of the room in frustration.

Sitting in Prowl’s office, Sideswipe offered the mech a wan grin. “You know all of this just sorta got out of hand.”

Regarding him coolly as he sat opposite, Prowl clasped his hands in front of him and waited. “Do go on.”

“Well it was just… you know how mechs get when a joke’s gone too far.” He shrugged.

“What was the joke?” Prowl responded curtly, no longer in the mood for evasive mechs.

Wincing at the tone slightly, Sideswipe glanced up at him and grimaced slightly. “…You and Sunny.” He muttered contritely.

Optics flickering, Prowl sighed and pinched his nasal bridge tiredly. “Every mech involved when I have asked them have told me to speak to Sunstreaker who at the moment is refusing to speak to me for reasons I cannot fathom, please, Sideswipe, just tell me what happened.”

“It really should be him talking to you but yeah, he’s being a glitch so…” Venting air loudly, Sideswipe couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the black and white who at the moment looked worn down. “They were making fun of him. You know how it is. They didn’t mean any harm by it I’m sure and it was fine until…” He averted his optics and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Until… what?” Prowl prompted mildly impatient.

“Until they started insulting you and accusing you of stuff… and you know, Prowl, you don’t really help your case any. You’re always working, Jazz is the only one who gets to disturb you during work, you do have things in common with him and you’re never the affectionate one which was never a problem before they pointed it out, especially how you’re never seen with Sunny as you know his mech, his partner and it just got to him because he couldn’t deny any of it and… you know what happened after that.”

Staring at Sideswipe in astonishment, optics bright with confusion, Prowl shook his helm slightly. “What were they accusing me of?”

“You’re going to make me say it aren’t you?” Sideswipe groaned, offlining his optics. “I know you wouldn’t, Prowl and deep down Sunny knows this too but he has nothing to go on but his trust and after the last time… you can understand why that’s wearing pretty thin, right?”

“Sideswipe,” Prowl repeated quietly an edge of warning to his voice. “What were they accusing me of?”

Lowering his gaze with a soft sigh, Sideswipe’s voice dropped to a low murmur. “Fraggin’ Jazz.”

Prowl literally balked at the statement, his spark clenching at such a painful accusation. Is that how little they thought of him? Masking his surprise and subsequent hurt beneath his stoic mask, Prowl met Sideswipe’s concerned gaze. “And how were you involved?”

“He’s my twin; you think I’m not going to have his back?” Sideswipe gave him a lopsided grin. “Besides, despite what you and everyone else think about it, I think you’re alright and if you’re good enough for Sunny then you’re good enough for me.”

His doorwings twitched minutely and he ducked his gaze slightly at the reassurance. “Thank you.” Came the small statement.

“You really need to sort things with Sunny though; I don’t think he’s going to be quite as understanding.”

“Has he ever been?”

“When it came to you?” Sideswipe chuckled quietly. “Yeah actually he did, just didn’t tell you about it though.”

Nodding, Prowl returned the small smile. “Thank you for being so honest, as a result you will only be assigned double shifts for the next week.”

“As opposed to what?!” Sideswipe retorted moodily.

“Having to repair and clean the rec’ room in your downtime.”

Wilting slightly, the red mech shrugged. “Counts for something I guess… can I go?”

“You may go.” Prowl watched the mech leave and sank back into his chair, his brow creased in concern and renewed worry. He hadn’t realised he had been so distant, so cold with Sunstreaker, it hadn’t been his intention but he hadn’t considered how that would be perceived by others, it had never been something he’d ever had to worry about before. Sighing softly, he headed to the brig to assign the punishment and talk to Sunstreaker. A conversation he was very much not looking forward to.

****

Sunstreaker glanced up as Prowl entered his cell and looked down at the floor again just as quickly. The mech had already assigned extra duty shifts and repair of the rec’ room to the rest of the brig’s inhabitants before dismissing them and now it was his turn. His turn to be treated like all the rest, nothing different, nothing special.

He frowned when Prowl sat down quietly beside him and sighed. “Just get it over with, Prowl.” He muttered sullenly.

“Sideswipe told me what happened… what was said…” Prowl began quietly, looking down at his lap. “I know what you must think—“

“—You don’t know slag, Prowl!” Sunstreaker snapped, pushing to his feet. “Do you know how it feels to be rejected by the one you care about? How it feels to be ignored by them for so long you question whether there was anything there at all? Do you, Prowl?”

Shaking his helm, Prowl replied quietly. “No I don’t.”

“Then I guess you can’t know what it’s like to have your fellow Autobots, your friends tell you that the person you’re with, the same person who chose to walk away all those vorns ago, treats you like nothing’s changed. Is still publicly a cold aft with you and on top of that tell you that they see you carrying on with Jazz during duty when I’m not allowed to visit until afterwards. You can’t possibly know what I’m thinking can you?” He growled through gritted denta, glaring at the mech who was still sitting, quietly, impassively watching him.

“I would know if you talked to me.” He replied calmly with a small frown.

“Oh don’t give me that, Prowl! You’re the one who said we should go slowly, you’re the one who has secret meetings with Jazz in your office, and you’re the one who can’t be seen with me publicly. What was I supposed to think, huh?!”

“You could have asked me, instead of succumbing to the taunting remarks of those who don’t know any better.” Prowl snapped, optics flickering with unspoken emotion.

Sunstreaker laughed darkly. “Can you even hear yourself?! They knew more about you than I did! What does that tell you?!”

“It tells me you’d rather listen to rumour and conjecture than come to me directly like a mature mech would to sort this out properly and privately. It tells me that you’d rather believe their opinion of me than what you actually KNOW of me and as a result decide to solve everything you don’t like with violence! Tell me, Sunstreaker did you actually grow up at all in the last forty vorns?!” His voice raising in anger, Prowl found himself standing in Sunstreaker’s space, their intakes heaving with tension and emotion as they glared at each other.

“This coming from the coward, who hides away in his office, just like he’s hidden from everything his whole life, pretending he doesn’t care so he can stay safe and untouched in his little bubble, thinking of the rest of us as numbers, statistics in his strategies which he can manipulate to achieve the best possible outcome?” Sunstreaker’s voice was thick with anger as he spoke lowly, darkly, glowering at the mech standing before him. “Tell me, Prowl, which part of what I know of you is wrong? Because I’d love to hear your reasons for how you’ve treated me.”

Staring at him in stunned silence, his words hitting directly in his spark, Prowl pressed his mouth into a thin line and took a step back, optics tearing away from Sunstreaker’s face to glare at the floor. “You will not listen to reason.” He stated quietly.

“You haven’t presented any.” Sunstreaker retorted, huffing with a humourless smirk. “You know what, forget it. I guess something’s don’t change. Here let me save you the trouble of running away this time.” And with that Sunstreaker marched from the unlocked cell, his spark clenching in his chest as that smooth voice uttered his name in protest only to be cut off by the closing of the door. Driven by his anger, he marched on, not looking back.

****

Sunstreaker stood outside the door to quarters he’d never thought he’d see himself in and now he was standing outside it waiting to be acknowledged like a nervous mechling. “Come on, Prowl you stubborn aft, open the door.” He pinged the door lock again, fidgeting absently as still no response came from the other side. Knowing what Prowl’s habits were, he’d double checked Teletraan to make sure Prowl was in his quarters. He’d already been to his office and found it empty, much to his surprise. Now though, he was starting to get a little concerned. He hadn’t spoken to Prowl since their fight the previous day and the mech had all but avoided him during routine meetings, always slipping out discreetly, living up to his name.

Sunstreaker knew he’d acted like an aft and had said hurtful things but Primus the mech was infuriating. He at least wanted the chance to apologise. After forty vorns he was not about to let the mech just slip through his fingers again. “Prowl open the fraggin’ door!” He demanded wincing as his voice carried down the corridor. Growling softly and glancing about him, he retrieved something from subspace and proceeded to hack the lock. Having a couple of friends in special ops came in handy from time to time.

The door hissed open and he slipped inside, letting it lock automatically behind him. His optics brightened in the dark room and he took a tentative few steps forward, his foot bumping against something in the dark. Something which just so happened to let out a low grunt. Peering down, switching to night vision, Sunstreaker frowned at the Praxian, sprawled on the floor, half propped up by his berth a bottle of high grade clutched tightly in his hand. “Prowl…?”

“It is a violation of… regulation one seven four…. Four something… to break into an officer’s quarters.” The mech slurred drowsily, the bottle waving in Sunstreaker’s direction haphazardly.

“Are you overcharged?” The golden mech didn’t know whether to be surprised or amused. Turning on the lights he definitely had to swallow down the amusement when the black and white hissed and curled up on the floor, his arm draping over his helm. “I’ll… take that as a yes…”

“GO AWAY!” Prowl shouted out petulantly from beneath his arm. “Don’t need you to make me feel worse… do brilliant job of it myself.” He uttered slowly, muttering into the floor before attempting to take another mouthful of high grade.

Moving quickly, Sunstreaker gently pried the bottle from the mech’s surprisingly tight grasp and tucked it in his subspace. “I think we’ve had enough don’t you?”

“Don’t think I won’t go in there.” The Praxian drawled jabbing a finger at his chest which housed his subspace compartment.

He had to chuckle at that, the situation was beyond surreal. “I didn’t even know you could get overcharged.” He murmured in confusion, gently helping Prowl to sit up, not minding too much that he was leaning heavily against him.

Tapping his helm, Prowl smirked. “Gift from Ratchet… he gave me the ability to turn it off….” He shrugged, his helm flopping onto Sunstreaker’s shoulder as the mech sat beside him. “Do it sometime…”

“Why…?” He asked softly.

“To… remember…” Prowl murmured distantly. “Forget what it’s like for everyone else…. Sometimes…” He gestured wildly with his left arm, sending him sliding backwards towards the berth.

Catching him easily, Sunstreaker shifted to lay him down so his helm was in his lap. At Prowl’s puzzled expression he shrugged and gave a small smile. “Don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“You!” Prowl started, pointing a finger up at Sunstreaker. “Are too good for me…” He murmured his optics dimming as he reached up and tentatively stroked Sunstreaker’s cheek. “Don’t deserve you…” He mumbled sleepily, his optics going dark as he began to drift into recharge.

Taking hold of his hand, Sunstreaker shook his helm and squeezed it gently, placing a small kiss to his fingers. “Don’t say that, you’re not in your right mind, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Prowl started suddenly, making Sunstreaker jump as his optics met the bright almost fearful optics of Prowl.

“What, what is it?”

“Don’t leave…” The black and white whispered softly, his hand holding his tightly.

Smiling softly at the rare show of need from the Praxian, Sunstreaker nodded. “Didn’t plan to, you glitch.”

Smiling a little, Prowl sank back into his lap, curling into his warmth. “Good… s’good…” He murmured softly. “Love you, Sunny…”

Chuckling at the softly whispered words, Sunstreaker waited a few moments before gently shifting to cradle Prowl’s frame, careful not to catch his doorwings and lifted him onto his berth. Lightly stroking his helm, he settled beside him gently and placed a small kiss to the centre of his chevron, whispering softly into his audio. “In the morning, I’m going to remind you of this and you’re going to tell me that like you mean it.” He smiled warmly at the sleeping tactician. He was going to have one hell of a processor ache come the morning. He froze when Prowl shifted, worried he’d roused him out of recharge he was sorely in need of, only to grin as the black and white curled around him, holding him tightly, his engine purring softly. Shaking his helm, Sunstreaker started to power down into recharge. “Love you too, Prowl.” He murmured quietly, optics going dark with a smile. “My stubborn aft, glitch.”

****

Comments

[acidgreenflames.livejournal.com]

This was AWESOME! So much wonderful, wonderful fluff and I loved it! Great job :D

[sunnysideofblue.livejournal.com]

Adorable, though I was a bit worried there in the middle. Both of the are so proud and stubborn. But I loved the ending!

[ayngelcat.livejournal.com]

That's a really great piece of drama, with a wonderful ending. And its adorable! Good work :-)

[anavidbookworm.livejournal.com]

A drunk Prowl is somewhere between funny and adorable. :) I'm sure that scene was fun to write. These two make a shockingly good pair and your characterization of them is perfect. Here's hoping there is more to come from this story line.

[bluebirdsoaring.livejournal.com]

Very wonderful story!!Prowl trying to just maintain life as usual and not thinking how others will see that in terms of his relationship with Sunny.

Sunny to the rescue of one drunk Prowl is super cute!!

[wicked3659.livejournal.com]

^_^ thanks! :D

[wicked3659.livejournal.com]

:3 glad you liked it, thanks for reading!

[wicked3659.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! :D These two tend to lend themselves to drama :3 thanks for reading!

[wicked3659.livejournal.com]

Heh, I quite enjoyed writing drunk Prowl it's true :p I may have to do it more ^_^;;

Thank you for the kind compliment. I hope to write more of them in the future :3

[wicked3659.livejournal.com]

Prowl is very typically being Prowl ^_^;; I'm glad you enjoyed the fic, thanks for reading :D