Crash and Burn

Chapter 7-Heedless

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. They belong to Hasbro and Takara. I am merely taking them for a short spin.

Bluestreak liked the beach. It was so unlike anything he'd ever seen in his life. Spending as much time as possible at the beach was becoming commonplace for the young mech. Skipping monitor duty to do it, in fact, was a perfectly allowable thing to get away with, Bluestreak mused. He always drew night shift. Always. Monitor duty was about the only duty there was to perform, besides patrolling the island, running drills and weapons practice. The Autobots were ready for anything except the mind-numbing boredom of being trapped on an island.

No roads to race on, and not even his own quarters to have some privacy. The humans they served with understood they were not automatons, but the one human in charge, Galloway, Bluestreak would gladly squish. Even in spite of the fact they were finally getting their own space. No more recharging in his alt-mode, and the best part of the beach would hopefully go back to a meeting place for all of the NEST personnel and not just Ironhide and Chromia or Hound and Mirage's "special place."

Bluestreak's thoughts cycled back around to the fact Prowl would arrive soon. He was looking forward to the second in command's presence, but not the fact he was going to find out Jazz was gone. Prowl and Jazz had raised him, the only parents he remembered. Though not bonded, the pair was as close as any who were bonded. Bluestreak knew he'd had creators and a different name before the destruction of Praxis, but he couldn't remember them. He did remember being pulled out of the wreckage by a white and black mech who told him everything would be all right. That mech was Prowl. Maybe when Prowl got there, he'd be able to help him sort out the feelings he was having for a mech he probably shouldn't be having feelings for. But damn it all, how could he deny his own spark? And of course, said mech was coming down the beach toward him. Great. Right now, he wanted to knock that mech on his aft. Optimus Prime sat down beside him.

"You didn't report for monitor duty, so I decided to come find you," Optimus said.

"What is there to monitor?" Bluestreak snapped.

"Protocol must be maintained," Optimus said.

"Is that the best line you can come up with?" Bluestreak asked.

"I know it's been hard for you since you arrived, Blue, but we all have our duty to consider," Optimus said. "Prowl will be very disappointed to hear you've been shirking duty."

"Maybe he'll be proud to know I have the backstruts to stand up for myself," Bluestreak said.

"Did you not show up for duty because you don't feel it isn't important, or is this about something else?" Optimus said.

"Everything. . ." Bluestreak answered. "Nothing."

"Which is it?" Optimus said.

Fine. He'd tell him the truth.

""Nobody takes me seriously," Bluestreak said. "Ironhide and Sides, Chromia, but no one else. Why can't you? I've been a fighter as long as Bumblebee."

"That has nothing to do with. . ." Optimus started, but stopped. He didn't like where the conversation was going. "Blue, you should go inside, and report for duty."

"Not going," Bluestreak said, crossing his arms. His aft was firmly planted on the sand, and he was not budging, not until Optimus heard him out.

"You want to be taken seriously, yet you're acting like a petulant sparkling," Optimus said. "I need to be inside because I'm in charge of the watch, yet I'm out here with you."

"You work yourself senseless. You never stop," Bluestreak said.

"Blue, your concern is duly noted and appreciated, but I am Prime," Optimus said.

"I know. And I don't care," Blue said. "The watch can take care of itself, I'm not going back inside, because what's the point, and Primus, why can't you just listen to me?"

"I am listening. We've had this conversation before, and. . ."

Optimus suddenly found himself on his back on the sand, Bluestreak kissing the life out of him. After a few moments, Bluestreak broke away.

"Maybe now you'll listen," he said, standing, heading toward ops.

Optimus got to his knees, watching the other mech walk away. Maybe he had, indeed, underestimated Bluestreak and the strength of his feelings for him.