Hi again! The next chapter! I was in a happy, fluffy mood when I wrote this, so no angst! Yay, the impossible has been achieved! I highly recommend this song for anyone who has found "The One." It's a beautiful song about true love...so who better to portray it than Hound and Mirage?

WARNINGS: erotic imagery, sticky slash, tender luvins!

:blah: = bond talk

Enjoy!

Penguin by Christina Perri

Can you find the time,

To let your lover love you?

He only want's to show you,

The things he want's to learn too.

The hardest parts you'll get through,

And in the end you'll have your best friend.

Mirage led a busy schedule. He was Jazz's immediate subordinate in the Special-Ops division, and the amount of work that associated with that roll was forever exhausting. As soon as his debriefings ended, then he had to go train with Ironhide. "Ya can't rely on yer special abilities ta get ya out of tight spots! Yer gonna learn to fight, even if it kills ya!" had been the older mech's words. The Weapons Specialist put all the Special Ops mech's through a similar exercises, helping them to find ways to incorporate their spy skills with hand-to-hand combat.

After exhausting rounds of seemingly endless sparring, Mirage dragged himself back to his quarters, to catch a quick nap before going out on evening patrol. Crawling back to the Ark after driving through miles of sand, mud, and blistering hot pavement, Mirage wanted nothing more than to just sleep. To not see anyone, not have to put up a facade, just sleep. And for a while, that was what he did.

Then came Hound. Not that his daily schedule changed; meetings, training, and patrols still followed the regular time blocks. But after it was all said and done, Mirage now had someone to craw into bed with at the end of the day. Which is where they were now. Leaning against his partner's chest, sitting between his splayed legs, Mirage drank in the quiet and serenity of the atmosphere in their quarters. Steady in-vents and ex-vents from Hound lulled his mind into a comforting, sleepy haze. Letting his lover just be there with him was the best part of the day.

Some mech's didn't understand how two mechs so different could get along so well. Hound, nature loving, easy going Hound, falling for the stuffy, egotistical noble Mirage? Impossible. And yet, the different attributes of each mech attracted them to each other.

Each day was full of lessons. In every conversation that the two lovers had, new facets of their unique personality were uncovered. Sometimes they were light-hearted, trivial things, like how their day had been going, who was currently the bane of their existence, amongst other things. Other times, it was more serious topics, the deep talks about their unique upbringings, and their innermost secrets that they guarded with their life.

But in the end, both mechs learned how to be understanding, and became each others best friend. And, over time, more.

Love like this may come once,

Baby, it's fate.

Like a soulmate,

He's your penguin.

Baby it's fate,

Baby it's fate;

Not luck.

Turning up towards his tracker, Mirage thought over an animal that Hound had told him about. An earth creature, called a Penguin, that mated for life. Even though they lived in one of the harshest environments on this planet, his lover had explained, they still find the time to love only one; though the soulmates were separated for months at a time. One guarded their egg on land, suffering through the horrifying winter of the Arctic, while the other swam through the dangerous waters to get enough food for both themselves and their family.

Mirage couldn't help but compare the penguin to themselves. Both lived in harsh environments. The penguin's lived in blisteringly frigid winds and icy waters prowling with predators, whereas Mirage and Hound lived in a war zone, where EVERYWHERE had a predator lurking about. And yet, the flightless birds went forth in their endeavors of love, something Mirage envied.

As if sensing his lover's distress, Hound gently pressed a kiss to his spy's helm, murmuring, "What is it, love?"

Can you find the time,

To let your lover hold you?

He needs somebody to hold too,

His love is strong and so true.

His eye was aiming for you,

And he's the one that you were born to love.

Humming at his lover's concern, Mirage whispered back, "Nothing...I'm just thinking, enjoying this time that I get to spend with you. You're very comfortable, you know that?"

Lightly laughing, Hound replied, "Glad you think so. Hhmmm...I've missed this."

"Missed what?"

"Getting to hold you in my arms. I know that this war calls for our skills at unpredictable times, but I need something to hold me down too, you know? Being able to have you with me, and know that you are safe; its enough to hold me off for another day."

Love like this may come once,

Baby, it's fate.

Like a soulmate,

He's your penguin.

Baby it's fate,

Baby it's fate;

Not luck.

Kissing his lover, Mirage pulled away from him to whisper "That is possibly one of the most romantic things you've ever said to me," before diving back in for more. Warm, soft lips met again and again, punctuated with small whimpers from both mechs. Gently breaking the kiss, Mirage leaned in to his lovers audios, murmuring, "I love you, Hound," before mouthing down his neck cabling, sucking on a particularly sensitive one. Enjoying the shivers he wrought from Hound, Mirage kissed his lovers cheek struts, forehelm, nasal ridge; anything that was Hound.

Let go; let go of time for you and I

Time seemed to stand still for the two lovers. Everything faded away until it was just the two of them, basking in their love.

Let go; let go of time for you and I

Turning around, Mirage straddled Hound's hips, deepening their kiss, dragging his hands down Hound's side, before drawing his fingertips back up, enjoying the muscle cabling twitched under his ministrations. Tracing his digits along Hound's biceps, Mirage sucked and nipped at wires to further arouse his partner. This was another crucial part of their relationship.

While it didn't revolve solely around interfacing like most new relationships, sex was a heavy part of it. Especially for Mirage. Allowing Hound in like that, to trust him to give him pleasure and not pain; both mech's relished in the significant trust Mirage placed in his lover each time he opened his panel.

This time was no different.

Let go; let go of time for you and I.

Mirage clicked open his panel, moaning as the heat from his lover's body grinded against his valve. The tracker kissed down his lover's neck, before uncovering his piece as well, hissing as the cold air washed over him. They joined together, relishing in the sensation of being with the one they love the most. Firm, even strokes filled Mirage again and again, the spy keening at the sensation. Hound peppered kisses anywhere he could reach as he pounded into his spy, loving the tight, wet warmth that encased his spike.

Love like this, is all I want,

Baby we're fate.

Mirage was tantalizingly close to overload, when a sudden thought washed to the front of his conscience. What if he were to bond with Hound? If some flightless birds aren't afraid to do so, why should I be? Screwing his optics shut, Mirage unlocked his spark chamber, the golden light filling the quarters. Hound paused in his thrusts, reaching up to cradle his lover's helm. Beseechingly gazing into Mirage's optics, Hound panted, "Are...are you sure?"

"I want to feel you Hound; in every sense of the word. I need you. Please...bond with me. I love you," the spy replied. He wanted to feel Hound within his spark, his conscience woven within his own, to be connected in every way.

Moaning at the show of trust, Hound firmly kissed his soon-to-be mate while re-starting his thrusts.

"Ahhhnn...H-Hound...please...need y-you..." Mirage keened, spark spinning faster and pulsing brighter as it reached out for it's mate.

"Uhhhnn...yes, yes! Love you..." Hound replied, as he opened his own spark chamber, the silver light reaching for its golden counterpart. Tendrils from each spark reached forward, wanting to be connected, to feel the other.

Love like this, may come once,

Baby it's fate.

Slamming their chests together, Hound finally gave in to the siren's call. And was abruptly met with the sensation of Mirage. His memories, his emotions, his deepest desires and fears; Hound was privy to them all. Hound could detect Mirage weaving through his own thoughts, relishing in the sense of being so close.

Time and space seemed to freeze around them as they became one entity; not Hound-and-Mirage, but HoundMirage. Neither one was in control of themselves, only aware of the presence of their lover in them, around them, as them.

Then, the universe rapidly spun forward again, crashing through their systems with their strongest overload yet.

"MIRAGE!" screamed Hound at his completion, filling his lover with hot transfluid.

"HOUND!" the noble cried, whimpering at the sensation of being filled. Panting, he held Hound close in the aftermath of their lovemaking.

Like a soulmate,

You're my penguin.

Baby it's fate,

Baby it's fate;

Not luck.

Tiredly twitching as his lover drew out, Mirage sighed happily. :I love you, Hound: A gasp brought his attention back to his lover; Hound was leaning over him, rubbing at his green chest plates.

Whispering, the tracker breathed, "Do that again." Smiling earnestly, a rare feat indeed, Mirage obliged his mate.

:I love you, Hound. And I always will. It's like we were meant to be together,: punctuated with a loving caress over the bond.

Kissing his newly bonded, Hound replied, :And I love you too, 'Raj. We were meant to be together:

Cooling down from their passionate interface, Mirage merely had enough energy to nuzzle his tracker's nasal ridge, before falling into a contented recharge on his bonded's lap. Smiling gently, Hound adjusted his hold on his lover, before laying down himself and falling into recharge, the smile still on his face.

0.o...can someone explain to me what just happened? because i honestly have no idea. FIRST TIME WRITING SMUT, FIRST TIME WRITING A BOND! Please let me know what I can improve on! I need to know because my other story will be going there sometime soon, and...I kinda want it to be really, really, REALLY good.

Questions? Requests? Comments? Leave a review!

3 Huntress

P.S. There is a poll on my profile about upcoming one-shots. The plot bunnies have been biting again, and these are the ones they want to see written (but only if they'll be read) So, go vote! If you have an idea for a one-shot, maybe a two-shot, then PM me and I'll see what I can do!