Title: The Unexpected One
Pairing/Characters: Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Red Alert, Prowl, Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ironhide, Ratchet, Wheeljack Trailbreaker, Cliff-jumper, Bumblebee, Gears, Bluestreak, Megatron, Ramjet.
Verse: G1
Words: 1402
Warnings: None
Summary: The betrayal cut deep and the wound crippled them. Still, they did not fall thanks to the efforts of the one hurt most of all.
Disclaimer: Do not own Transformers.
Notes: The bunny is at the bottom otherwise it would spoil the fic. XD

Enjoy!

It was a fact that where one went, the other would follow.

When Sunstreaker got into a violent brawl after being insulted by the mini-bots again, after being doubted as an Autobot again, Sideswipe was at his side with a dark glare that conveyed a silent promise of pain if anyone said one more thing to his twin. When Sideswipe was sent to the brig for causing Red Alert to glitch and setting off multiple alarms all over the ARK because he changed the Security Officer's quarters in a mirror image of it's previous formation, Sunstreaker was sitting on the bench next to him with growling complaints and curses at the stupidity of his own brother when they both knew he was there to keep Sideswipe company.

Like the sun setting and rising, it was a fact that the twins were joined by their bond, always together, yellow followed closely by red.

Despite the differences of their personality cores they stayed interlocked with no clear distinction between one or the other.

Sunstreaker, the violate, vain, dark-tempered, and aggressive yellow twin whose cobalt optics often seemed like supernovas leaking power and destruction to those they found.

The twin who nearly ripped off Gears arms when accidentally backed up into Sunstreaker's finish and marred it with navy green. The twin who was the very first to jump into a battle. The twin who tore through the gore and bullets and fire like a demon spawned from the terrible entity Unicron. The twin who showed no qualms to slamming his bare-fist into another mech's face-plates, shooting a bullet point-blank through another mech's processor from behind, or piercing another spark chamber with an energon sword. The twin who did not laugh or smile with others; instead opting for silence and deadly glares to anyone who met his gaze.

Sideswipe, the chipper, bold, out-going, and optimistic red twin whose prankster soul and spark had set laughter ringing through the ARK on numerous occasions and lifting the spirits of the Autobots in dark times.

The twin who teased poor Bluestreak during a celebration party after throwing the attempts of Megatron back once again to keep plasma-soaked memories away. The twin who even made jokes as he jumped into the fray. The twin who made a comedy of himself as he dangled from the thrusters of a seeker shouting out curses. The twin who would linger about the med-bay after hearing that Jazz or little 'Bee had gotten badly injured during the fight and well-wish them with a 'Sideswipe Versus Ratchet Show Which Said Medic Always Wins'. The twin who did not stay silent when a friend was troubled; instead giving them a pat on the back and offer a cube of high-grade with a smile.

Yet there was an unspoken ominous future ever-present whenever another Autobot looked at the twins...

One of them was destined to leave. One of them was going to realize he was far too different from the other Autobots and would not process the chance to change his views. Like the sun rising and setting one would leave and the other would no doubt follow.

It was going to happen and it was not a surprise.

And yet it was.

The day of expected change was like any ordinary day. Mechs got up, mechs refueled, mechs went about daily patrols, patrol called in Decepticon activity, Autobots mobilized and arrived on the scene. Like always Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were side by side and Sunstreaker pulled just enough ahead, transformed a split second faster, and slammed his curled fists into a terrified Ramjet's helm, sending the seeker down in mere seconds. Then guns were blazing and both factions struggled to land enough hits to send the other running. Optimus had reached Megatron and after trading insults and phrases they were once more fighting, equal in strength and knowledgeable in each others moves.

It had always been a stalemate between these two great and powerful leaders. Never had one permanently fallen in battle and failed to get up and return the favor.

And things changed. Two twin forms rushed toward the two leaders.

Red followed by yellow.

One raising his gun and firing at Optimus. One turning his deadly hands on his twin.

Things had changed and time would not rewind for any spark.

Sunstreaker clashed with Sideswipe, two sides of one spark, ripping and shredding at the other -Prowl and Ratchet desperately dragging their severely wounded Commander away from Megatron as Jazz, Ironhide, and Cliff-jumper leapt forward in an attempt to keep the tyrant distracted- and still the matching optics met with fury, betrayal, and a horrible understanding that ran spark deep.

Everyone had known that one was destined to leave and that destiny would extend it's irresistible hand to the other to follow.

When it came time for that prophesy to come true one retreated with the Decepticons, turning from the red mark of the Autobots and leaving cries of confusion and anger and betrayal. The hand of destiny reached out to the other and was burned by the smoldering optics of a scorned and betrayed mech who felt in his spark that he could not leave the mechs of the ARK.

When Sideswipe left, Sunstreaker did not follow.

The days after were a cold kind of chaos.

Mechs lashed out at each other, blaming and tearing at each others spirits. Ratchet had locked himself in his med-bay, blaming himself for reasons he couldn't figure out, while Wheeljack kept his shattered friend from sinking to deep. Ironhide could be heard cursing wildly as he blew the gun range into pieces, his parental fury complete. Jazz, grim-faced and determined had taken off for the Nemesis not an joor after the defection and returned in silence. Prowl had not seemed to change but those closest to him noticed the pain in his optics, the subtle tremble in his doorwings as he struggled to give the crew a sense of normality even if they didn't think they wanted it. Optimus had grown into a subtly, shifting depression, lost with the thought of one of his mechs defecting to the Decepticons.

No one was spared the shock of it because no one had truly seen it coming.

Eventually the chaos had to end and quiet depression started.

However while mechs mourned for their lost friend, a lone demon of war watched over their vulnerable sparks and processors.

He entered the battle first to eliminate as many threats to his comrades as possible. He stole opponents from others with wild savageness when they faltered. He always took the fight when Sideswipe appeared -Bluestreak looked up with horrified optics to see the red warrior looming over him, Trailbreaker was knocked bodily to the ground as he let down his guard unconditionally at the sight of his former friend, Bumblebee lowered his gun with a look of lost confusion as the red mech stepped towards him- Sunstreaker charged in with a shining energon splattered armor to deal out fierce agony to the traitor.

He stood silent as mechs accused him of being sparkless and a bloody demon. Claimed he lacked emotions because he should be the most shattered after loosing his own twin. Actually cursing him for being the one to maul his own twin in every battle. Sunstreaker stood silent and only when they had finished venting out their anger and pain did he brush past them without a word, never speaking a word.

Things had changed but Sunstreaker did not.

He did not want to become a friend to these mechs he called comrades. Comrades was how he wanted it to stay. Because when the day came that the Autobots began to treat Sideswipe like the enemy he was, Sunstreaker would kill his twin and drag his own spark into the Pit as well. Because on that day, he did not want his comrades to find their ash-gray bodies, find spark chamber void of light, and mourn his death like they had with Sideswipe's defection.

Not without someone there to protect such deep wounds like he had.

The prompt was: It's always the last one you suspect. If anyone had asked they would all have said Sunstreaker was born to be a Decepticon. But they would have been wrong. Sideswipe defects to the Decepticons. Sunstreaker does NOT follow.

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