A/N Written for a kink request from tfanon meme. The plot bunnies ran away with me and it ended up being longer than I had anticipated. I had fun writing it and due to a good reception on Live Journal I wanted to share.

Hope you like it.

//internal comm.//
'thoughts'
"speech"

Jazz hated monitor duty. It had to be the most tedious part of his job. He uncrossed his feet and shifted slightly in his chair before crossing them again and leaning back as far as the chair would allow. He thumbed through his datapad absently humming to himself. He was thankful however for the peace monitor duty provided, he could be himself here. Not constantly smiling, pleasant, friendly and on show. Sometimes the actor just needed a little respite. Also it was a chance to indulge in his guilty pleasure. Reading old Cybertronian articles from his favourite science fiction and paranormal phenomenon magazine; 'Strange but True.' He enjoyed learning about the unsolved mysteries, the strange tales and the downright weird, not for the chuckle factor involved, although that was always enjoyable but for the fact that as special ops Jazz knew that a lot of seemingly ridiculous stories had their foundations in truth. He had obtained quite a few sources from them in his time; it was very difficult to find a story that surprised him.

'Word of Mouth.' 'Urban Legend tells us that there is a particular mech who can't overload. That is unless their partner speaks a certain word. This mech has been a mystery to us for many Stellar Cycles despite rumors that float our way. That is until now. We can say for certain that the mech in question lives right here in the city of Iacon. He hasn't always lived here mind you so we tracked him down to confirm whether he would shed any light on the situation. Reporter: We hear you have a certain glitch in your programming that only allows you to overload during interface when a certain word is spoken. Is this true? Interviewee: Where are you obtaining your information? Reporter: A reliable source and certain medical records, can you confirm it? Interviewee: I do not know where you are getting your information nor do I care but you are crossing the line of reasonable questioning with such a personal inquiry. Reporter: Giving the readers what they want, can you tell us the word then? Interviewee: My interfacing habits are of no concern to you and are certainly not privy to the public. This interview is over. Reporter: At least tell us your name! Interviewee: If you insist upon this line of questioning I will be forced to take further action, this is a severe breach of my privacy. Which if I am not mistaken I am still entitled to. The following was transcribed from an actual conversation with our reporter. The mech refused to comment any further, we can only conclude from his reluctance to answer our questions that the mech in question is living proof that truth truly is stranger than fiction.'

Ok now that he found surprising. Jazz was intrigued, a mech who could overload at the sound of a word. Oh the fun he could have with that. If only he knew who the illustrious mech was and better still the specific magic word.

"Reading while on duty is not conducive to your work Jazz."

Jazz lurched, startled and sent his unbalanced chair flying backwards him with it. Landing with a grunt on his back, legs hanging over his toppled chair Jazz gazed up at the mech standing over him. "Primus Prowl earning yer namesake today aren't ya?"

Prowl inclined his head a little and offered his hand. Heaving Jazz to his feet he held out his hand once more. "The datapad please Jazz."

"Awww Prowl man come on, there's nothin' going on out there."

"That's not the point as you are well aware. If I make exceptions for you then I have to make them for everyone and that would be chaos."

Jazz grinned. "Yeah but you know you like making exceptions for me Prowler." His visor glinted mischievously as he tilted his head coyly, his voice low, playful.

Prowl quirked an optic ridge at him and resisted the tug of amusement pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Data pad Jazz."

Jazz pouted and slapped the pad into Prowl's palm, the black and white mech scanned over the page and his brow raised in surprise. "Umm interesting reading material."

"Yeah, yeah go ahead and laugh if ya wan'" Jazz shrugged with a roll of his optics, used to the teasing he received for his reading tastes.

Prowl made to leave without another word.

"Hey when can I get it back?"

Prowl glanced over the edge of his door wing half turning in the door. This time he allowed the sly tiny smile flash over his lips. "When you have finished your shift." The door swished closed behind him.

"Fragger." Jazz grumbled half heartedly. He didn't mind so much, it was almost fun to see how much Prowl would let him get away with or catch him doing, as far as Jazz was concerned he was keeping the sharp minded tactician on his toes and it gave him a reason to spend more time in the stoic mech's presence when he finally had been caught. That last thought had Jazz smiling again, his devious mind already cooking up ways to get Prowl back for ruining his 'me time'. First things first however, he had a little investigation into a mysterious mech to carry out.

Pulling out another datapad from his subspace after this time locking the door Jazz began his searching. It was just too delicious a thought to resist.

****

Jazz's curiosity always ran on overdrive when he found something that challenged him or in this case was a complete mystery. His shift over he headed back to his quarters. Where would he start looking? He unlocked his door and headed inside. His visor brightened, catching sight of the datapad Prowl had confiscated lying on his berth. Jazz smirked, despite what front Prowl put up, he did make exceptions for him, subtle though they were Jazz noticed, he wasn't special ops for nothing. He skimmed over the article. 'Medical records.' He hummed to himself, immediately contemplating ways of accessing Ratchet's files without getting brained by a wrench or thrown in the brig for breaking numerous regulations regarding individual privacy.

Tomorrow he had an earlier shift which would give him ample time to prepare his for his little break in. He fell quickly into recharge. The next morning Jazz had to be up early for patrol and morning briefing, his mind was filled with who the mech could possibly be and he found himself looking at all of his friends and fellow Autobots with a suspicious optic. He was distracted enough to prompt even Ironhide into asking him what was wrong.

"Aw it's nothin' big guy. Just thinkin' ya know stuff." He flashed Ironhide his signature smile before their morning briefing began.

"Since when did you think?" Ironhide smirked hissing in hushed tones while Prowl gave out the duty roster for the delay.

"Hey I resent that." Jazz lightly punched the large red mech's arm.

"Is there a problem?"

Both Ironhide and Jazz's helms snapped up from their whispered conversation to the cool glare of the SIC.

"Ah no Prowler, I mean Prowl Sir... we're good." Jazz ducked his head quickly fighting the burning heat flushing his face plates. He felt Ironhide's low inconspicuous rumbles of amusement.

//Yeah ya laugh now wait 'til I get ya in the trainin' ring.//

//Bring it youngling.// Ironhide chuckled down the comm. his face maintaining its somber outlook as Prowl summed up the meeting. //Better run kid looks like Prowl's gonna hand ya your aft on a plate.//

Jazz looked through his visor keeping his head still. Prowl looked tense and his piercing glare would have chilled his spark, well it would if Jazz didn't thoroughly enjoy the attention from the SIC.

//Shouldn't a' giggled to yourself he heard ya and from what I hear off Ratchet the glitch has been pretty pissy lately.//

Jazz frowned. //Ratchet? Why what does he know?//

He saw Ironhide visibly shrug. //Apparently word is that Prowl occasionally suffers a sensory short out, too much work not enough self maintenance, he crashed last night. Ratch' wouldn't say more ya know patient confidentiality n' all.//

//Right.// It was Jazz's turn to frown as much as he enjoyed poking Prowl for a reaction he couldn't help but worry about the mech's personal habits. Often found working until the early hours without recharge or energon. Especially when the 'cons were acting up or the twins were being particularly rambunctious. He decided there and then that he was going to get Prowl to relax, right after he had fulfilled his other nagging curiosity.

The meeting was dismissed; Jazz was almost out the door when that smooth voice called him back. Ironhide smirked at him as he left. "Nice knowin' ya kid."

Jazz faced the stern SIC and gave him his customary grin. "What's up Prowl?"

"It is prudent for senior officers to actually listen during briefings."

"Yeah me and 'Hide were discussing trainin' and..." Jazz stopped when Prowl lifted his hand dismissively. His brow furrowed at how distracted Prowl currently seemed.

"I am not particularly interested in excuses Jazz. Just when Prime is absent I expect you to set an example."

"Won't happen again." Jazz flashed him a friendly smile, faltering when Prowl remained impassive.

"See that it doesn't. Dismissed."

Jazz was actually glad to get away from him for once. Ironhide was right Prowl was obviously feeling pissy and that just meant Jazz would give him a wide berth just to be on the safe side while he carried out his investigative work. He spent the rest of the day talking the audio off any 'bot that would listen, about this story he'd heard. To his disappointment not one mech knew who the mystery mech was although most had heard the urban legend. Feeling quite dejected with his fruitless efforts Jazz headed back to his quarters after a long day. He spied the black and white mech heading towards him.

"Hi Prowler."

"Jazz." Prowl paused. "I meant to ask did you receive your datapad back?"

"Yeah thanks for returning it t' me. Although I have t' point out it's highly improper for ya t' be usin' yer SIC codes t' break into my quarters."

To Jazz's pleasure Prowl actually cast him a slight smile. "It would be highly improper if I had used it knowing you were there."

Jazz laughed unable to resist the chance to flirt. "Nah. That I would say would be downright common sense." He grinned at Prowl's puzzled expression before ducking into his quarters.

****

Jazz needed to get a hold of those medical records if his investigation was going to go anywhere. He would have much rather not have had to but he knew that if his curiosity wasn't satisfied it would not stop eating at him, it hadn't all day so tonight he was going to grab them. Ratchet had been busy recently but had been ordered by Prime, upon his return to get some rest while he could, so Jazz knew the medbay was going to be quiet that night. He sat on his berth and began formulating his plan of attack. After mulling over his ideas for a short while, he decided there was no time like the present. Besides it was late so it was highly unlikely that anyone else would be up working. Jazz sneaked out a little later on to make sure he wasn't spotted. His visor flashed in the dim lighting as he watched Red Alert's cameras scan the corridor with a faint whir. Jazz counted in his head, timing the precise moment when he could move down the corridor to the med bay without being seen.

He moved silently, his external sensors set on their highest sensitivity. It was probably too much attention to detail but Ratchet had a habit of appearing when you least expected him, lucky for Jazz the medic was rarely quiet about it. He found the med bay locked, glancing around carefully he keyed in an override code a devious smirk playing across lips. He slipped inside the dark room and switched his visor to night vision. He crept into Ratchet's office and tapped into the console. Managing to access the personnel files within minutes he made a small note to discuss computer security with Red Alert at a later date.

Optics narrowed behind his visor, there was too much information to go through in one night. Well if he wanted to know he would have to be thorough. He downloaded all the medical history onto a data file and quickly shut down the computer. Just as he was about to leave, voices sounded outside the door. Jazz froze; the voices were muffled, hushed. His keen audio picked up the deep baritone of Prime and the almost panicked tones of Red Alert.

'Frag.' Jazz scanned the room, he had mere seconds before the unlock code was punched in. He might have known Red would have sensors on the consoles, paranoid glitch probably had them installed on all of them in the base. He glanced up and spied a vent directly above him. Grinning Jazz leapt onto the nearest berth and pried off the vent, lifting his lithe frame into the cramped shaft he silently pulled the vent back into place just as Optimus and Red entered the room.

"I'm telling you Prime there was somebody here. Check the console."

"Alright Red I'm sure it was just Ratchet working late."

"No the console was accessed by bypassing the security, it was unauthorized."

Jazz slinked away emerging near to his quarters feeling and looking rather smug. He straightened with a smile, turned and walked straight into Prowl who beheld the slightest of frowns as Jazz was sent sprawling onto his aft for the second time in as many days.

"Primus Prowl!" Jazz flipped to his feet scowling with irritation. "Would ya warn a mech before ya creep up on him!?"

"I wasn't creeping Jazz."

"Oh yeah what the slag do ya call that just then? Made my spark jump outta my chest."

"Maybe if you weren't crawling around the ventilation shafts you wouldn't be startled quite so easily." Came the soft reply.

Jazz faltered his cortex rapidly coming up with reasons, explanations. A dare, a prank maybe? Prowl would believe that, hell he was usually the brunt of most of his pranks. If only because Jazz enjoyed watching that iron control slip once in a while. Eliciting any emotional reaction from the tactician was deemed a success in Jazz's optics, the mech simply fascinated him.

'Not the time Jazz quit it. Think.' He cast Prowl an innocent smile knowing full well Prowl would not let him leave without an explanation and he was well known for his almost infinite patience.

"I was umm training ya know? Timing myself, could come in handy if I was ever caught in a tight spot." Jazz widened his smile, hoping that just this once his charms would work in his favour.

"Training?"

"Aha."

Prowl folded his arms, his piercing blue optics narrowed in suspicion. 'He knows I'm goin' t' the brig.' Jazz tensed waiting for Prowl to respond. Much to his surprise Prowl let out a faint whisper of a sigh. "Jazz please refrain from training at such an hour and inform me of any future sessions you wish to carry out. I have just had a frantic report from Red Alert about an intruder and he is paranoid enough without you exacerbating the situation."

Jazz ducked his head, guilt rising rapidly. "Sorry, yer right stupid of me."

"It was. Goodnight Jazz." Prowl headed off in the other direction. Jazz didn't dare risk a look back the fact that he was getting away with his little escapade was almost surreal.

"Oh and Jazz?" He winced and looked back slowly.

"I would much rather you didn't use my access code for your.... training."

Cringing beneath his armour Jazz could only give a curt nod. 'Slag.' He wasn't off the hook, the look on Prowl's face spoke volumes. He was going to have to face the music in the morning. He continued to his quarters well aware that Prowl's scrutinizing gaze was following him. Prowl would know exactly what he'd done by morning, recharge for tonight was out of the question if he didn't want the night to be a complete waste. Jazz chuckled to himself, the things he put himself through in the pursuit of satisfying his curiosity.

****

Jazz lay on his berth, he was weary. Ratchet had numerous files on everyone who had ever served under Prime. Jazz knew a lot of the information already, confidential or not it was his job to know everything he could about the mechs he worked with and trusted. Rubbing his exposed optics Jazz sighed, it was already dawn and he had only gone through half of the files. He thumbed through the pad absently, resigning himself to defeat and quite probably a day in the brig for his troubles. He took one last glance through the datapad and was about to give up when a name caught his optic. Well it wouldn't hurt to learn a little more about the mech who perpetually spurned his advances and kept him at arm's length at all times, despite the tiny gestures - like returning his datapad - that never escaped Jazz's attention.

He narrowed his tired optics as he opened Prowl's personal file.

Designation: Prowl
Place of Creation: Praxus
Creators: Unknown
Rank: Second in Command/Chief Tactician
Status: Online
Brief medical history: Battle computer installed when a youngling, was too young for such advancement, unknown reasons for installation, patient can't recall installation date. Belief that the installation may have been illegal and/or forced original installation carried out with amateur skills. Resulted in a mild glitch, battle computer will crash when confronted with overly illogical situations. Damage is minimal, long term effects unknown. Repair currently not viable as would require removal of battle computer. Patient's permission necessary. Suffered sensory damage during the attack and destruction Praxus, was exposed to an EMP charge is one of only 5 known survivors. Side effects minimal, only present themselves during situations of intimacy which the patient subsequently avoids against this medic's recommendations. Occasional monitoring necessary to prevent build up of excess energy. Occurrences extremely rare no further treatment required or requested. Note: Persistent disregard of general health, lack of recharge and energon intake, prioritizing work over self maintenance. Vigilance suggested.

Jazz frowned it was a short file compared to the rest of the Ark's crew that he'd read. The rest of the file was encrypted as was his own and all senior officers' files. Jazz didn't need to go any further; his optics stared at the file, 'situations of intimacy.' "Well I'll be a rabid space bunny." Jazz mused out loud. "That has got to be him, Prowl is the mystery mech."

Taking a moment to process the information Jazz's face brightened with a wide smile. "Well all the more reason to up my game then." He chortled at his luck, thinking about it as he headed to his wash rack, it made sense. It did at the very least explain why Prowl was so reserved and reluctant to mingle or get close with anyone he worked with. This only served to heighten Jazz's fascination in him; he was now more determined than ever to break through Prowl's infamous outer shell. Now all he had to figure out was the magic word that would make Prowl's circuits sing.

Jazz's optics shuttered as the hot water caressed his armour, oh what he wouldn't give to be the one who whispered the word in Prowl's audio, the mech whose name Prowl called out in ecstasy. He shuddered at the thought, quickly turning the shower to cold in order to cool his already embarrassingly heated frame.