Title: Moving at the Speed of Sound

Author: pl2363

Series: Transformers AU/IDWverse

Rating: T (kissing)

Notes: Blurr x Springer. My favorite colors together in my secret favorite pairing ever… Thanks to Lune Nightingale for making me fall in love with these two together, and thanks for Mirage Shinkiro for settings and other ideas that inspired this. This is set in the same world as New Road, but after significant amount of time has passed and the remnants of the Wreckers are sent out in search of other Autobots tossed to the far corners of the universe during the war.

Title taken from the Ani DiFranco song 'Swan Dive'. Also... Transformers belong to Hasbro, I am just playing with them.

The POV is Blurr:

Dark grey smoke curled around in the air. The smell of molten metal and scorched earth assaulted Blurr's olfactory sensors. They had been attempting a possible rescue after picking up a distress signal on a smaller outer region planet. It turned out to be a trap set by a small group of decepticons apparently desperate to get off the planet.

::Location pings!:: yelled out Kup over the comlink.

Due to the large number of explosions from bombs lobbed at them, a thick haze of smoke hampered visibility. Continual location pings kept the small scouting team close together even if they couldn't see one another. Blurr relayed his ping back and noted that Springer's signal was the closest to him.

::Blaster! Guide us back to the ship with a location signal. These slaggers aren't gettin' our ship…or us,:: commanded Kup.

::Sure thing, we'll take off the moment yer all on board,:: replied Blaster.

Moving back towards the signal, Blurr heard yelling and the sounds of weapons being discharged. A wind suddenly kicked up and parted the heavy smoke revealing Springer in the distance. He jogged towards him when the smoke cleared further, revealing a decepticon with a large weapon pointed at Springer's back and closing in quickly. No one could move faster than Blurr, though. In an instant he zoomed up and knocked his weight into Springer. They tumbled to the ground narrowly avoiding a blast.

Blurr found himself sprawled out over Springer and offered a quick smile to the commander.

"Thanks," said Springer as he smiled back.

"You fragger!" The decepticon moved to aim his rifle again.

Springer wrapped his arms around Blurr, and they rolled to one side avoiding yet another heavy blast. Blurr freed himself from Springer's grip and leapt at their attacker. The weapon fell from the decepticon's hands in the scuffle. Blurr reached down to scoop it up. Before he could lift it, or even think, a shot from a secondary weapon the decepticon carried ripped through his frame.

Blurr dropped to his hands and knees. He looked down at his lower body. Energon and mech fluid poured from a hole that had been ripped open in his torso. He sat back on his heels and held his hands over the hemorrhaging wound. He stared down at the energon that mixed with dark purple mech fluid escaping between his fingers in ribbons of dripping liquid. Shock to his systems prevented the relay of pain for several drawn out seconds, and then, like a tidal wave, searing pain tore across his processor. He felt several functions seize up, including his vocalizer, which prevented him from speaking or crying out.

Springer's face dipped into his view. "Blurr! Hang on!"

The immense pain fogged his thoughts. He stared blankly at Springer's face twisted with a look of panic and determination. Then in an instant the world went black.

x.X.x

Images flashed across the various monitors. Maps indicated their location on some screens, while others showed a constant stream of information from the ship's systems. Blurr had been relegated to light duty as he continued to recover from his near fatal injury, which meant sitting around with Blaster in the control room, trying his best not to appear bored.

"How long did Kup say you were on light duty?" asked Blaster as he leaned back in his seat. Blurr looked over to see the monitor's colors reflect against Blaster's face in strange out of focus patterns.

"A mega-cycle at least," Blurr replied in a flat-sounding voice.

His fingers flexed against a thick piece of mismatched metal along his lower abdomen. Perceptor had placed the plating over the still damaged section on his front until he could figure out how to make a matching alloy for a full repair. He hated the ugly plating that marred his otherwise elegant frame, but he tried to keep in mind that it was only temporary.

"I'm glad you're still with us. And I know everyone else is too," said Blaster with a friendly looking smile.

Blurr offered a small smile back. "Thanks."

"I know Springer was especially relieved," said Blaster as his smile morphed into a wide grin.

"Springer? Why him 'especially'?" asked Blurr as he canted his head slightly.

"He kept vigil over ya while you were in the CR chamber. Percy kept trying to boot him out, but he wouldn't leave." Blaster turned his attention back to the bank of monitors.

Blurr kept his optics pinned on Blaster. "Really? I wonder why."

"Who knows? Maybe he felt guilty," replied Blaster.

"Guilty? For what?" asked Blurr. This was war. He knew all too well that injury or death were possible consequences, surely Springer saw it that way too.

Blaster glanced back over at Blurr. "Well, by his account you got blasted trying to protect him."

"That's what we do. Look out for one another…" Blurr felt confused. His right hand started to pinch and pick at one edge of the temporary plating over his torso.

"I'm just tellin' ya what happened. You'd have to ask him to know why, I guess," replied Blaster with a non-committal shrug.

x.X.x

Energon swirled around in the bottom of his container as Blurr rocked it side to side, watching the thick glowing liquid coat the walls of the container then slowly slide back down. Every once in a while he would glance across the common room to catch Drift with his arm draped over Perceptor's shoulders. By now it was common knowledge they were a bonded pair. Part of him was happy they had each other, the other part felt both jealous of that joy they shared as well as sad about losing the race for Drift's spark.

"Works best when you drink it."

Blurr faintly jerked in response to the voice interrupting his thoughts. He turned to the side to see Springer a few paces away from the table he currently occupied.

"I suppose," Blurr replied. He expected Springer to come over and sit down with him, but instead the large mech remained standing an awkward distance away. After an uncomfortable moment, Blurr pushed on the chair beside him. "Have a seat."

A vaguely sheepish smile crossed Springer's lips as he slid into the offered chair. "Thanks."

"Sure." Blurr focused his attention back on the liquid fuel as he continued to swish it around.

"Thanks… for saving my aft, too," said Springer in an oddly shy voice.

Blurr glanced up, offering a smile to Springer. "It's not a big deal."

He watched as Springer looked down towards his own large hands that dwarfed the container of energon in their grip. "Well, I want you know that coming to my defense like that was…the definition of bravery."

Blurr's optics flared slightly at the incredible compliment. No one had ever said anything like to him before. Most compliments centered on his speed or looks. "Wow. That's nice to hear, but I know anyone on the crew would have done the same thing."

Springer lifted his head up, and their optics met. "No one else could have reached me in time and… I'm relieved you are all right. This crew wouldn't be the same without you," said Springer in a softened tone as he smiled warmly at Blurr.

Blurr stared into the soft blue hues of Springer's optics. They were beautiful in shape, especially the way the squinted slightly when he smiled, but Blurr also looked deeply into them trying to figure out if there might be another layer of meaning behind what he said.

"That's all I wanted to say, really. I should probably go. Kup'll get his circuits in a bunch if I'm not on the bridge when he gets there in a couple of kliks for our briefing…" Springer pushed to his feet then placed a hand on Blurr's shoulder and lightly squeezed. "Thanks again."

Blurr's spark jumped then quivered in response Springer's touch and words. "Sure," he replied in a quieted voice as he unconsciously raised a hand to press to the center of his chest.

Springer gave a final nod before turning to leave the common room. Blurr sat staring at the doorway as the triple changer disappeared from sight. He sunk in his chair slightly, trying to understand what just happened. His spark had never done anything like that before. Could he have feelings for… Springer?

x.X.x

"Stop fidgeting."

A sparkling Blurr pouted at his father's scolding words. Instantly his father's stern look softened, and he was tugged into a tight embrace. The reality of what was going on hadn't made its full impact on Blurr yet. They were about to attend something his father called a 'funeral service' for his other parent. All Blurr knew for sure was that his famous racing father hadn't been home in days now.

"Come on," directed his father as he stood back up and grabbed hold of Blurr's hand.

They walked off the platform on to a small single car shuttle filled with lots of other Cybertronians that all had the same look on their face. To Blurr it looked like they all had lost their favorite toy.

"I'm so sorry Downdraft," said an adult mech nearby who hugged his father. "We're all gonna miss him."

"Thanks," his father replied softly as he looked down at Blurr.

The other mech let go of his father and placed a hand on Blurr's helm. "We'll all look after you and make sure you carry on your father's legacy."

"What's a leg-a-cy?" asked Blurr.

His father swooped down and picked him up, pulling Blurr into another firm hug. He relaxed against the warm chest and rested his chin on a nearby shoulder. That's when he felt his father shaking. Blurr shifted his head to see coolant streaming down his face.

"You'll never want for anything. That I swear to you. Everything you could ever desire will be yours Blurr," said his father with a pained-looking smile.

- - + - -

Fingertips pinched at the edges of the thick panel across his torso. Blurr lay in his berth wide-awake. He rarely experienced memory feedback during recharges, but when he did, it had almost always been his most painful or formative moments. This time it had been both.

"Everything but what I really wanted..." he said to the empty room in lieu of his father, who had also long since passed from the land of the living. He remembered how he cried for days and days after seeing his famous father's lifeless frame at that funeral.

He let his optics dim as he thought about his creators. They had loved each other so much. After the loss of his famous racing father, his other parent spoiled him with whatever he wanted. The only thing Blurr ever had to do in return was race, which he did happily. Seeing the effect of losing one parent on the other made Blurr wary of that kind of all consuming love. All his attempts at relationships in his adult life had ended pretty much before anything even started, just like it had with Drift. He also hadn't been blind to how Drift and Perceptor acted around each other from the start. They reminded him of his fathers quite a bit... they looked at one another with that all consuming love brimming in their optics. He knew he really never had a chance with Drift…

Pressing a hand to his chest he wondered about his spark's behavior earlier. Had it been a fluke that it fluttered for Springer? His mind wandered to thoughts of the commander, a strong independent leader who cared about those around him and didn't mind showing it despite his tough, take-no-slag attitude. Unlike his surviving parent or those that surrounded him in his padded life as the top racer on Cybertron, Springer never soft peddled his opinions on anything. He called everything as he saw it and, in truth, that was probably one of the aspects Blurr respected most about him.

His life from before the war felt distant and almost unreal now. Even though he had changed so much since then, Blurr still maintained emotional distance from everyone by acting shallow. A failsafe to avoid ever having to be vulnerable to the type of pain he watched his surviving parent endure.

Blurr rolled to one side on his berth. "I don't even know what I want any more…" he whispered. Had his spark tried to tell him what he wanted? Had his adoration of Springer really led to love? He dimmed his optics, unsure he was ready to accept something as life altering as loving someone with his entire spark.

x.X.x

The ship hadn't docked any place since the incident on the planet, and being stuck on light duty was making Blurr stir crazy. Every joint seemed to twitch. He felt antsy and unsettled, and it wasn't simply a matter of being cooped up on a ship for so long that contributed to his unease. He couldn't stop thinking about Springer and how his spark had acted. Only one thing could alleviate the tension in his body as well as his processor: racing.

His usual 'race track' area for times like this consisted of the hallways and corridors during third shift. At that point in the cycle, most of the crew was tucked away in their quarters with the exception of whoever got stuck with watching the bridge.

Blurr headed to the bottom level cargo area, which he always used as his starting point. He had a planned-out route that took him up various ramps and corridors crisscrossing the ship and ending at the observational deck on the top level. He positioned himself at the start of the ramp incline and internally counted down… 3…2…1…go!

He took off running. Within a few strides, all his systems started to hum with information that flowed from the external sensors all over his body. Each limb moved in perfect rhythm as he ran through the different corridors. His vents and dermal plating relayed important information about air flow and temperature, his audios picked up the barest vibrations from movements ahead of him, and his mind mixed visual input with what he knew about the layout of the ship so he could anticipate sharp curves. Nothing compared to the feeling of all his systems aligning to do their intended purpose when he raced. No matter how foul a mood he might be in, racing always made him feel better.

Rounding the final upper level corridor, which also happened to pass by the bridge, Blurr wondered who might get to see him zip by. It had, more often than not, been Kup on duty who would yell after him to not run in the halls. Blurr smiled at the thought of riling up the elder mech.

He passed by the large open doorway to the bridge area and looked over expecting to see Kup, but instead he spotted Springer sitting in the center chair looking down at a datapad in his lap. Blurr quickly averted his view back to the 'track' and sped up as he felt his spark pulse hard in his chest at the unexpected sight. Springer always took first shift, so why was he on the bridge now? His spark practically pulsed right out of its chamber at the mere sight of him… Denial took over, as he decided it had to be another fluke... Just then he made the hairpin turn towards the short staircase that led to the observation deck, but with his mind no longer in sync with the rest of his body and he miscalculated his pivot, smashing into the wall.

The loud sound of metal meeting metal in the accidental crash echoed painfully in his audio receptors. "Slaggit!" he yelled, scolding himself as he came to a halt. He grabbed hold of the arm that impacted the wall, rubbing at it harshly while internally continuing to curse at himself. Heaving a deep breath of air through his intakes, he tried regain his composure and quickly ascended the stairs to the observation deck.

In a huff, he made his way over to the long couch and dropped down to sit. Blurr desperately hoped Springer hadn't witnessed him running past. He wondered if the crash into the wall had been loud enough to hear back on the bridge. Primus, he hoped not… Blurr groaned woefully at his behavior, and he leaned his athletic form back against the soft couch back. Nearly silent systems expelled heat while cycling down after his run.

Despite the lovely view of stars in front of him, he focused on the thick panel piece over his torso from his semi-reclined position. He ran a hand over it, tracing its shape with his fingers. His mind wandered through several of thoughts almost all at once... he thought about his fathers and their relationship, the constant sadness that permeated his surviving parent's optics, the day he was shot through the gut trying to protect Springer, his failure to capture Drift's spark, and how his spark fluttered for Springer two times now... These thoughts and more mingled and intersected in his mind, leaving him feeling confused and uneasy.

Heavy footsteps caught his attention, and Blurr looked towards the doorway to see Springer standing there.

"I heard what sounded like a crash… you okay?" asked Springer as he entered the darkened deck area and made his way over to Blurr.

"Oh yeah, fine," replied Blurr, trying to not sound as flustered as he actually felt. He shifted his body to sit up properly on the couch.

"You left a pretty good dent in the wall at the base of the stairs. Are you sure you're okay?" Springer sat down beside Blurr turned at an angle towards him.

Springer's close proximity sent Blurr's spark into overdrive, causing it to pulse excitedly in its chamber. Now he knew, without a shadow of doubt, the fluttering from the before hadn't been any fluke. "Sorry, I dented the wall," Blurr replied with a forced smile.

"I'm not worried about the wall. I'm worried about you," replied Springer with a little laugh.

Blurr stared at Springer's face in the darkened room. His beautiful deep blue optics lit the rest of his face just enough to give it a soft glow. Blurr's spark pounded so hard it felt like it might burst right out of his chest. He fought the swirling flood of emotions his spark let loose, doing his best to appear calm. "Shouldn't you be on the bridge?" asked Blurr.

"I was just covering for Kup for a breem. He wanted to grab something from his quarters to read through," replied Springer.

"I see," Blurr replied in a quieted tone.

Staring into that handsome face, Blurr found himself entranced, and he finally gave into his spark's unyielding desire to be close to Springer. On impulse, he leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Springer's chest and hugged himself against the broad frame. Strong arms encircled his smaller shape, and they sat for a long moment locked in an embrace. Springer felt warm and comforting; he even smelled nice up close.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why the hug?" asked Springer in a soft tone.

Pushing back just enough to see, Blurr looked up into Springer's face and a simple plan quickly formulated in his mind: kiss and run.

Blurr reached up to cup the beautiful visage in both his hands and slid his thumbs down the smooth cheeks slowly. Springer looked a little mystified by the move, but he didn't pull away at all. Blurr's spark swelled in his chest, causing a momentary rush of confidence in which he tossed his fears aside. He tipped his head up and initiated a kiss.

Lips met and molded together. He was thrilled when Springer kissed back, sliding their lips together in slow sensual motions. Warmth spread over his whole frame, sending a tingle rippling over his dermal plating. Springer carefully suckled at Blurr's lower lip as he mouthed back at the upper one. The long, soft-mouthed kiss eventually drew to a close, and Blurr leaned back feeling dazed. He stared at Springer, whose expression perfectly reflected the one his fathers used to give each other. Renewed fear of losing someone he might truly love gripped his spark painfully. He couldn't do this… he couldn't allow himself to fall that much in love. His deep-seated fear propelled him to follow through on part two of his plan… run.

Blurr pushed away from Springer and jumped to his feet. He gave Springer a regretful-looking smile before taking off in a mad dash. The look of complete confusion and shock that had taken over Springer's face burned itself into his processor as he raced once again through the hallways. It was too scary... being shot and almost dying seemed like a nothing compared to even the slimmest possibility of loving with all his spark and losing that love to death.

x.X.x

Over the next few cycles Blurr easily eluded Springer. The distinct sound of the larger mech's footsteps gave him plenty of warning to affect an escape. Still, he couldn't run forever from what he had done. No matter how he tried to distance himself from Springer, it didn't help him escape his spark's conflicting desire and fear or the barrage of thoughts that felt like they were crushing his processor.

Looking over at Blaster, Blurr wondered if he might have some helpful advice. They had been sitting quietly together on monitoring duty for a while, so he decided to break the silence with a question.

"Blaster, do you think I'm shallow?" asked Blurr.

"Ah… I'm not sure how I should answer that," replied Blaster, eying him warily.

Blurr mustered his most serious look. "You can be honest."

A sly looking smile crossed Blaster's lips. "Honest, huh?" He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "When I first met you, I might have thought that, but not now."

"So… you don't think I am?" asked Blurr.

"Look, you are pretty, and you know it. But looks don't define who you are; you've proven that you are a capable fighter and a slagging good scout. There's more to you than what's on the surface. I'd say you've grown quite a bit since I first met you." Blaster smiled brightly at Blurr, clearly pleased with the answer he gave.

"But I chased after Drift based on his looks… that's shallow," replied Blurr.

Blaster furrowed his brow at him, visibly perplexed by what he said. "I'm not sure what you are getting at Blurr… but from the outside, I'd say your interest in Drift had more to do with protecting yourself than anything else. I mean, come on, like you didn't see how him and Percy were totally meant for each other... meant for big love."

"Big love?" repeated Blurr.

"Yeah, you know, true spark love. When a sparks call out to each other," explained Blaster.

"Oh, that." Blurr shifted in his seat slightly at the mention of true love and sparks.

Blaster sat forward in his seat and narrowed his optics on, Blurr who frowned at him in return. Suddenly Blaster's optics brightened with realization. "Blurr… do you love someone? Like big love someone?"

"No…" Blurr looked away and tried to focus on the monitors, suddenly regretting his choice to start the conversation.

"I think you do… I bet I now who, too," said Blaster. He gave Blurr a playful jab in the arm. "I'll bet it's a certain green and gold triple changer."

His optics flared and he quickly turned to glare at Blaster. "Shut up! You don't know anything!" But that was a lie. Blaster couldn't have been more right.

Blaster held up his hands in a defensive posture. "Whoa, chill out. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Is it… that obvious?" asked Blurr as he sunk down in his seat.

Blaster laughed a little. "It's easier to see from the outside sometimes. Has anything… happened yet?" he asked tentatively while smiling.

"No! I… don't even know if he feels the same way…" Blurr trailed off, deciding that he didn't want to share about the whole kiss and run incident.

"Not that you really want my advice, but if it were me I'd just tell him, especially if your spark is dancing for him. You can't let that kind of love slip by." Blaster reached out to lightly pat Blurr's shoulder.

He remained quiet, and simply smiled back at Blaster as he gave a nod of agreement. It sounded simple, but he couldn't shake the fear of giving his spark away.

x.X.x

The track was huge to Blurr's sparkling optics. He watched his famous father come in second at the close of the race.

"Come on, let's go congratulate your father!" Blurr was hoisted into the air and held against his other father's chest. They made their way down a series of stairs to the track area.

"Let them through! They're Aero's family!" Blurr heard someone yell.

The gate opened, and they proceeded out onto the track. His father lowered him down onto its surface, which felt rough under his peds. The moment the arms holding him let go, Blurr took off running, mimicking his famous father. He didn't get far, though. He was scooped up into athletic arms and came face to face with the second place winner. Blurr stared into the familiar face and grinned.

"Congrats!" said his other father as he strode over.

"Thanks..." Blurr watched them intently. They always stood so close and stole small kisses, even in front of others.

"Too bad on the second place there, Aero... but that's the price of family I suppose. Your glory days are behind you," said the racer who took first.

"My glory days have just started," his father replied with a bright smile.

"By bonding you'll never be perfectly calibrated again, no matter what upgrades you get... so how is that 'just starting'?" asked the other racer in a snide voice.

His father smiled in response and draped the arm not holding Blurr up over his other father's shoulders. "No amount of trophies or titles could ever replace the most important things I have in my life."

"You are such a sap!" laughed the other racer as he walked off.

"Am I sap?" asked his father as he gazed lovingly at the other.

"Hmmm...well, if you are, then I am, too."

"Me, too!" blurted Blurr, trying to be a part of the conversation. Both his parents laughed, then smothered him with kisses.

"No matter what happens, it will have been worth it to have you two in my life," said his famous father with a huge smile.

- - + - -

Blurr awoke from his recharge feeling sad and happy all at once. He hadn't accessed such an old memory file in a very long time. His parents had really cared for one another…

You can't let that kind of love slip by. Blaster's words echoed in his processor. Could he have that kind of love with Springer? The same kind of all-consuming love his parents had for each other? Would he really let his chance slip away because of a fear of something might happen...?

He pressed fingers to his lips as he remembered the kiss on the observation deck. In an instant, he knew what he wanted: as many kisses as Primus would allow him to have with Springer. True to his nature, once he decided something he felt compelled to act. Blurr hopped off his berth and exited the room. His feet quickly carried him to Springer's quarters just down the hall, and he hit the buzzer. Waiting for the door to open, he realized he had no idea what he would say. Should he apologize to Springer for running away? Explain about his fear of falling in love? Tell him how his spark went haywire when they were close?

The door swooshed open, revealing Springer on the other side. "Blurr? Is everything okay?" he asked, looking worried.

Words simply couldn't convey everything he felt; Blurr needed to take action. So he rushed forward and reached up to gently pull Springer's head down to kiss him. Warm metal lips pressed together and tentatively made massaging motions. Springer moved his large arms to wrap around his slender frame, pulling their bodies to touch. Blurr's fingers traced the edges of Springer's jaw line as he parted his lips mid-kiss invitingly. Springer's glossa pressed inside, enveloping his mouth completely. The taste and feel of the deepened kiss rendered Blurr a quivering mass of metal in Springer's arms. He slid his glossa against the one that slowly explored his mouth, and they met, entwining. Glossae parted, and Springer pulled back to break off the kiss. Blurr made a small whine of disappointment in response.

"I don't understand," said Springer in a quieted voice. Deep blue optics examined Blurr carefully.

Blurr let his hands drop down and curled them against his glassy chest as he gazed lovingly at Springer. His spark 'danced' in its chamber, while his fear lingered at the edges of his mind. "Don't understand? I kissed you, and you kissed me back," replied Blurr with a grin.

Springer sighed air from his intakes in a loud huff. "Don't be cute."

"But I'm good at it!" replied Blurr in mock protest. "I guess you want a serious answer, though."

His harsh look faded as a small smile crossed Springer's lips. "That would be nice."

Blurr considered going into detail about all the internal battles he had been struggling with over the last few cycles, but looking at Springer he knew he needed deliver a simple, direct answer. "I figured out what I want: You."

"Me?" replied Springer as his optics softened focus. "After all this time…"

"It hasn't really been that long," said Blurr as he slid his arms to wrap around the larger mech's waist.

Springer bent forward and pressed their heads together as he laughed a little. "I've been falling for you for some time now."

Primus, those optics were so gorgeous when Springer smiled. "You have?"

"Guess you never noticed that I am always near you when we get caught in battles." Springer moved a hand around to Blurr's torso and pressed it against the thick temporary plating. "This is all my fault. I was supposed to protect you, not the other way around."

In a flash, Blurr's processor flew through memory files of battles and found it was true. Springer had always been the closest to him during firefights. "Springer… I didn't notice. I'm such an aft."

Springer's fingers traced the edges of the plating as his smile faded a little. "No, you aren't."

"Yeah, I am!" Blurr frowned, as the implications of a long-standing crush sunk in, and he suddenly realized that it must have been hard to watch him flirting with Drift. "A shallow, image-obsessed aft."

Springer leaned in close and brushed his lips over Blurr's. "All that superficial preening behavior is an act, though… isn't it?"

"Yes," whispered Blurr against those warm, teasing lips.

Springer pressed in for a brief kiss. Blurr's whole frame tingled and warmed in response. Pulling back, Springer's deep blue optics shimmered at him. "So..."

"So..." replied Blurr as he tipped his head up to touch their noses together.

Large arms hugged Blurr tightly against the broad frame. "You aren't going anywhere, right?" asked Springer as he smiled brightly.

"I have no plans on running away." replied Blurr in a hushed voice. "Just promise me that you won't go anywhere either."

Springer pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I promise," he whispered.

All the record-breaking races, money, and fame never filled the emptiness Blurr had lived his life with. Everything he could ever want... it was right here. He hugged himself to Springer, who held him close. Fear still teased at his spark, but it also fluttered happily. Rewards only came when something was as stake. He knew he was laying his spark on the line, but he couldn't imagine anything more rewarding than coming in first when it came to Springer's spark.

____________

AN: Thanks to Mirage Shinkiro for being my beta on this, as well as helping me finish it when I got totally stuck on it.