So, I wrote this little Breakdown/Airachnid drabble… thing. Just an idea I had and so I decided to throw it up and get it out of my system. It's meh and not very original in the fact you pretty much know how it ends. But maybe it helps give Breakdown the incentive to carry out the mission he so terribly failed concerning finishing Airachnid off.

Anyway.

Rated G since it's relatively harmless.

Breakdown's spark was thumping nervously in its chamber. He felt uncomfortable and twitchy, sudden heat climbing through his circuits. He had only been alone with Airachnid for five minutes, and it felt like an eternity had passed. The femme's back was to him, and she was busy typing a mile a minute along the control pad, occasionally glancing up to check the graphs and schematics on the monitors. It was just the two of them, their comrades and the drones off elsewhere.

Breakdown almost felt like this random pairing up for their assignment wasn't so random. Starscream had to have known something to put them together. Had to know Breakdown had a... Had a... Well. Maybe Starscream didn't know, but dammit, Breakdown wasn't prepared. He had been debating telling Airachnid his... you know, or simply pushing them away until they just gave up once and for all. It seemed the former was winning out, and even in Breakdown's nervous processors, he knew this was the perfect time to finally let it all out.

Confess his feelings for Airachnid.

Breakdown had been working on what to say (in private; everyone else would just laugh and mock him), over and over, sometimes for hours that usually ended up with him feeling ashamed and planting his face against the wall as he leaned there for minutes on end. Though it was only a couple days ago did he finally muster up the courage to seek Airachnid out and tell her about his feelings. But then she was off, maybe on a mission, maybe out doing her own... thing. She was often elusive; a loner type. Breakdown understood that, which made everything all the more harder. Why would someone who valued and treasured their privacy and freedom so much be willing to compromise it all with a relationship?

So Breakdown never got the chance to woo her, and when Airachnid returned, he had all ready dug himself back into a hole of self-doubt. He hadn't expected that just two days later, they'd be teamed up like this, doing practically nothing but watching monitors and keeping an eye out for Autobot or energon activity. And the femme seemed to be in a good mood, though with her, he could never tell. She was dangerous, likely to jump out and attack you at any moment, so he knew he had to be prepared for any reaction she should make.

Whether this meant giving Breakdown a shot or turning him down.

Breakdown sized Airachnid up as she bent over the controls. A second later, she froze and glanced fleetingly over her shoulder at the larger mech. Breakdown clumsily jerked his head aside, pretending to examine the screen nearby. Airachnid blinked then went back to work. It took Breakdown a couple minutes to slowly turn his head back and once again look upon her when, suddenly -

"Breakdown," she said sharply and turned, looking at the datapad in her hand, "I need - "

At the loud thunk, Airachnid glanced up. Breakdown had made a small gasp and stepped back; lost his balance and bumped into one of the control center's chairs. It creaked and shifted beneath his weight and the mech cursed, quickly standing and shoving the busted chair back in place. When he turned back around, his yellow optic brightened at the way Airachnid was staring at him, both confused and a little annoyed. "S-Sorry," he snickered, grinning like a doofus. "I was... I was thinking about, um... something and, um-"

Airachnid offered the 'pad. "Look this over for errors," she ordered. She mumbled something as Breakdown took the datapad; he couldn't understand, but it didn't sound very nice. She turned and went back to pounding the keys.

Breakdown watched her a few seconds longer before remembering the task at hand. He read the 'pad almost three times, having not been registering what he was reading the first two tries. His spark still thrashing as he remembered what he was originally going to say to Airachnid the other day, and a small, nagging voice pushing him forward, ordering him to stop dawdling and just tell her. Once Breakdown managed to actually read and understand the datapad's content, he cleared his throat and she simply held out a hand without turning back. He blinked before slowly slipping the pad in her fingers; the tips of Airachnid's claws brushed with his and he shivered; she didn't seem to notice and put the 'pad back on the console.

Another long, awkward moment of silence, and Breakdown began to fidget again. Finally, he sighed and closed his optics. What the Pit you doin', Breakdown? C'mon. You've faced 'Bots ten times larger and twice as strong as your aft in battle without fear, and yet you can't even ask a lovely, albeit creepy femme out for energon? Slag, you're going soft. Maybe MECH screwed more than just yer optic over. He scowled.

"Did you say something?" Airachnid asked, keeping her optics on the keyboard.

Breakdown gulped. "No, no." He shook his head. "I didn't."

"If you're bored," Airachnid continued, "then feel free to go wander the ship or do whatever you do." She picked up another datapad, scanned it. "I don't need you here, anyway."

Breakdown winced. Yeah, well - you knew she was rough around the edges, Breakdown. But you like that, remember? He smiled weakly. I mean, Pit - she's smart, she's witty; she can be funny sometimes, too, but her humor's kinda morbid but - but hey, she's strong and she's also incredibly... His optic scanned the femme head to toe. Yeah, exactly.

So, what you waitin' for? You've been a coward long enough, Breakdown. Fragging SAY SOMETHING.

Breakdown studied the ground - he then stood upright, tall and proud, a stern expression on his one-eyed face. He took in a deep breath. Yeah... Yeah! I'm being ridiculous. I gotta stop acting like some hatchling. He looked back to Airachnid. Just... Just say it! Say it and be done with it!

Breakdown jut out his chin. Nodded once. Yes. He was going to do it. He then quietly cleared his throat. Airachnid did not respond. So he cleared his throat a bit louder.

The femme stopped then, and turned, regarding her partner with a tired glare. "Yes?"

Breakdown suddenly felt like jello and looked to the ground, heads sinking in between his tense shoulders. He immediately regret everything. "Oh, um... It's nothing." Airachnid went to go back to work but- "Er, wait!" She sighed and then faced him completely, arms folded over her chest. She could humor him a couple minutes. Breakdown rolled his shoulders and forced himself into a prim posture. "I was just... I was just wondering... Do you... Well... I mean, after this is all over with and we're off duty, um..." He tapped his blunt fingers together and grit his denta. "... Are you... Uh... Do you have any... Plans that... I mean, is it possible... I just." He started laughing in his embarrassment but instantly shut up when she cocked a brow at him. He licked his lips then jerked a thumb over his shoulder with a big grin. "I mean, I got some... um... It's not the best, but uh... Pretty good, uh... high grade... Haven't, um, haven't opened them, so..."

Airachnid pursed her lips. "And?"

Breakdown sucked in air and his CPU spun as it struggled to regain control. He had to remember what he practiced, remember what he was going to say. It took him a moment and Airachnid was starting to get irritated, but finally he dropped his fists at his sides, looked her square in the eyes and said, "I was wonderin' if you'd like to have a drink... with me. After work." The femme was quiet, and instead of using this as a negative, he quickly went on to add, "And well, if you'd prefer, maybe we could-could go somewhere nicer. To drink the high grade, that is. Um, you know, the sunsets on this planet ain't so bad, and it'll be about an hour before it goes down - the sun, that is - and we get off - get off from duty, that is." He stuttered. "I-I-I know a nice place, um, it's nearby, it's a... a... thing... with... um..." He smoothed a hand along the air, unable to find the word to describe the location, though it wasn't very hard. Breakdown's brain was still scrambling. "... Anyway, got a nice view of the sunset and the stars and I dunno, maybe you'd like it, get some fresh air, uh, see some... things... mountains and... rocks..." Paused. "Shrubs... cactus..."

Airachnid looked the mech over. He was hunching, so very nervous and anxious and afraid of rejection. That was so terribly obvious, the poor guy probably didn't even notice. Airachnid tilted her head and he lifted his until the cords along his neck strained. Seconds passed and Breakdown's spark was about ready to come flying out his chest until, suddenly... Airachnid smiled. Nothing dangerous or wicked, but genuinely... nice. Friendly. Breakdown felt butterflies - he didn't know she could look so gentle and sweet.

Airachnid dropped her arms from her chest. "Breakdown," she hummed, taking a step toward him. Breakdown instinctively took a step back. "Are you asking me out on a..." She took another step, and he bumped against the broken chair, bending it back again. When he looked up, the femme was only a foot away. She leered. "... Date?"

Breakdown's jaw opened, closed. "Well, I, I dunno if, well, it could be, but um, that depends uh if you-if you want it to be I guess?" he stammered, the chair continuing to groan against his weight.

Airachnid narrowed her bright optics, matching the now devious grin on her face. "Well then," she said, and strode forward. Breakdown tried to move, but only felt the chair jab harder into his back. She was suddenly, nearly flushed up against him. "Now that I know it's a date..."

Airachnid reached up a hand, and he watched with both fear and anticipation as it drew near his face. Two fingers touched his cheek. They gently stroked his red cheeks, burning hot. His single optic was about to blow itself out and his armor was rattling. She grinned, showing those pretty fangs. "Then you should know," she purred, and placed a thumb against his chin. She pulled his head down and he followed obediently, gulping loud and heaving. Airachnid was face to face with the mech now, her lips dangerously close to his.

"I would," she said, and suddenly her other hand was wrapped around the side of his helm, digging into the plating until he cursed; his optic widened when a pair of her spider limbs reached over his shoulders and stabbed against his back, suddenly pinning him against her rather painfully. "Never," Airachnid continued, her voice still sweet, "ever," and the sharp edges of her talons and limbs buried into his armor and Breakdown choked at the stinging sensation, "sully myself with the likes of a bumbling, half-witted joke like you."

Airachnid shoved him back, withdrawing. Breakdown grunted as he crashed against the chair, and both it and his body hit the ground with a loud, painful crash. He opened his single optic wide, horrified and even a little insulted. Airachnid stared down at him with a disgusted glower and tired frown. "Get back to work," she ordered, hand on her hip. She turned and then a datapad hit Breakdown's chest, the mech still too in shock to say or do anything.

Airachnid approached the control panel. "But," she said, chortling, "if you're still offering that high grade, I gladly accept the invitation."

END