TC and the Freeze

Part 4

It was so strange for him to wake up slowly, systems still sluggish in post overload bliss, not in some Protectobot cuddle pile but curled up against some mech he hardly knew with a wing over his face. It was a new experience just crossing wires with anyone outside the gesalt but never in his most far-fetched fantasies had he ever hooked up with a Decepticon let alone one of the seeker elite.

Why had he done something so stupid?

First Aid wasn't a stranger to regret but normally there were so many other things to dwell on, to do. Now effectively trapped by the sleeping seeker's broad wing there was nothing to do but dwell on it.

Why had he let the seeker seduce him like that?

Thundercracker was obviously starved for attention if a simple physical exam could ignite such a passionate arousal and First Aid had taken advantage of it, keeping his touches more friendly than professional.

Primus, what if they had damaged something during the interface?

The medic had nearly broke something during the overload and he hadn't been damaged to begin with unlike the seeker. Even when a few cursory scans proved that the seeker was still in proper functioning perimeters he still couldn't get over it.

Then on top of all that were the faction issues and mech was there a pit load of faction issues to consider. He had crossed wires with a Decepticon. At the least he was an enemy sympathizer but if one looked at the whole situation, then he had rendered aid to the enemy or at least tried to and that was more than enough for part of the crew to brand him a traitor…and his brothers. He hadn't even considered what his fall from grace would mean for his brothers who were still sleeping off the effects of the processor-blowing overload.

If given the opportunity, would he do it again?

The answer, unfortunately, was an unequivocal yes. Starved for attention, damaged in a way the medic still had yet to diagnose, Thundercracker had nearly blown his processor. If the jet was given a chance in full working order…First Aid shivered at the sinfully delightful thought.

The hitch and whir of systems coming out of recharge had the medic flinch, his battle mask locking into place automatically. It was taking too long for the seeker to come out of recharge. Sure he wasn't expecting the snap online used when there was a battle to fight but it was like the seeker was triple checking each process before moving onto the next system. Right on the edge of awareness it looked as if Thundercracker wouldn't be able to finish the start up on his own; that the medic had damaged something so important that he would have to force the seeker to boot up just so he could finish diagnosing the seeker.

Thundercracker's optics flickered on as he gave a self satisfied hmm, probably voicing the same feelings of bliss that First Aid had already processed. When the seeker finally paid attention to his optical feed, he seemed surprised to find First Aid lying next to him.

"Hi," First Aid was nervous. If he had somehow managed to blow the seeker's short-term memories then this was going to be leagues worse than an awkward morning after.

"What are you still doing here?" The gruff question wasn't the worst thing he had expected the seeker to say but it was one of the worst. Still First Aid flinched as if he'd been struck.

Thundercracker either didn't care enough for an answer or felt somewhat abashed at making the protectobot flinch because he let the question drop. Instead he got up with only minor creaks and moved out of First Aid's line of sight and towards the exit. The Autobot followed him just in time to see him pull an energon cube from the scrap heap. He downed it like a cube of low grade, needing the energy but not needing the taste.

"May I finish examining you?" That didn't sound awkward or painfully polite. No matter the situation between them, First Aid couldn't leave the seeker alone in a cave damaged.

"No need," Thundercracker pushed past First Aid lying down once more in his side cave with his wings against the ground.

"No need? Something is forcing you into an endless recharge cycle and you don't think there's a need to diagnose the problem." The medic said incredulous that any mech could be so blasé about problems with their systems.

"No need because I already know what it is. Few solars ago went into my Freeze cycle. It's just a thing my frame type goes through."

"So what was that…with me?" It came out quieter than he meant it. First Aid wouldn't have been surprised if the seeker ignored the question.

"You've got great hands." The crass remark was apparently too much even for the Decepticon because he sat up and continued. "Look, I hope I didn't say anything to give you the wrong idea. This…was only supposed to be a one-time thing. We're on different sides of an epic war and I'm not interested in a relationship, especially one with that much baggage. That's not to say it wasn't fun because it was, it was the best interface I've had in ages but that's it, just fun. You understand that, right?"

"Yeah, I understand." He also didn't look at the jet or raise his voice above a whisper.

"If it bugs you that much, we can cuddle a bit until you need to go. Or you can come back for seconds if you like. I'll be here for a while, only a few solars into a metacycle if you want to have fun again."

"No, no, that's okay. I should get back to base." He stumbled over his words almost as much as he stumbled over his own peds getting out of that blasted cave. What had he been thinking?

*Scene Change*

First Aid wasn't expecting anyone to be waiting for him when he rolled up to the front of the Ark. All of his brothers were puttering around their communal room, waiting for him to return and sadly the ambulance wasn't on more familiar terms with the rest of the crew.

He nervously transformed in front of the SIC wondering why Prowl was looking at him like that, waiting for him.

"So how was the injured vulture you found?" Prowl asked still watching the trainee medic critically.

It was then that he realized that his brothers had lied to explain his absence. It wasn't the first time they had collectively lied but it was the first time they had lied to any of the command staff. But what else was there to say. They certainly couldn't have told Prowl that First Aid was late because he was fixing and then interfacing an enemy seeker. And now he had no choice but to continue the lie.

"He's fine, I hope. I couldn't help him so I had to give him to one of the park rangers." First Aid had never felt so transparent before and it was a wonder the twins ever got away with anything. Prowl watched him for longer, obviously suspicious but he had no proof of wrongdoing.

"You're dismissed. Hot Spot has already filed your report." Prowl finally said when it was clear that the ambulance wouldn't crack.

First Aid left as quickly as he could without looking guilty which he was certain that he failed at.

Why did he feel so bad about the situation with Thundercracker?

Because the seeker hadn't told him that his condition was already diagnosed? He hoped that wasn't it. Thundercracker was a Decepticon and Decepticons deceived in order to get what they wanted. In this case he'd gotten a wing message and an interface, probably a normal afternoon for him.

Was it the interface?

It had been intense, had nearly blown his processor and had blacked out him and his brothers. Thundercracker had said it would just be that one time when he had approached him, seduced him, and he had let himself be seduced.

Maybe that was it. Maybe he wanted to be seduced. Maybe he wanted an intimate relationship with someone, to be seduced by someone. If that was the case than he was in for a long rough road. His brothers, while supportive, would always be there when he had his imaginary partner interfaced. Most mechs would be intimidated by the fact instead of seeing it as a challenge like the seeker had. Would anyone just be able to accept then. Then there was the age consideration, aside from the aerialbots the crew of the Ark was at least a million times older then him. Last but never least there was Ratchet, who still treated him like he was newly assembled. Frag, his first introduction to Sideswipe had nearly led one of their best front liners being turned into a toaster for casually flirting.

"First Aid," Hot Spot said quite suddenly. It was then that he realized he was already at their quarters. For a moment the medic just stood there, wondering what he should do. His gesalt surrounded him with their warmth and love. The barriers he had constructed around his emotions dissolved and his worries, smothered by the positive emotions of his brothers, suddenly didn't seem so bad. Still it didn't hurt to fall into the cuddle pile with the rest of the protectobots.

*Scene Change*

Miles of sea disappeared beneath the blue jet as he approached the tower that broke the surface of the water. Thundercracker had tired to drop back into recharge when the Autobot had left but it hadn't worked. Sure he had managed to initiate a cycle but it had completed in a click saying he was fully charged. Just sitting in a cave wasn't helping either. He didn't feel like interfacing but he did feel restless. He almost felt like building something but that was ridiculous since the seeker had never been constructive.

As soon as he landed he sent a query ping to Starscream. If anyone could tell him what was happening to him it would be the scientist and SIC. A location ping came back from the lab and the blue seeker immediately set off.

"Hey beautiful, heard you were on leave. What happened, did you miss the best face you've ever had?" Drag Strip tried to put a hand around the jet only to find himself face first in the bulkhead.

"Go frag yourself," Thundercracker said in dismissal.

"TC, you're back. I've missed you so much." Skywarp was a lot harder to ignore mostly because hew as the same size and shoving the blue jet against the wall.

"I'm not in the mood," he said shoving the other jet off and continued walking to Starscream's lab.

"But you're back and Screamer said when you were back we could interface and I haven't seen you in ages." Skywarp whined behind him.

"I'm in the mood," he heard Drag Strip say effectively halting Skywarp's pursuit.

"So what brings you back so soon? Did the solar converter break?" Starscream asked as soon as the door opened.

"Something's wrong, I can't recharge but I'm not in the mood to interface either." Thundercracker answered hopping onto the exam berth without being asked.

"Hm, the supplements I gave you were supposed to speed things up, but not by this much." Starscream said more to himself as he plugged the blue jet into the diagnosis machine, immediately pulling up the self-repair logs.

"So what is it?" Thundercracker asked when the scientist didn't press any buttons, simply starred at the screen. The other jet looked up at him, looked back at the screen, then his face shifted from blank to annoyed incredulity.

"Who the pit goes out of Heat and then gets sparked?"

THE END

A/N: Yes, I'm thinking of a sequel to this. No, I don't know when that'll be. Why, because I have a few chapters worked out in my mind but I don't like posting things until I'm already done with at least one draft so that I know I'll finish it. I've got like two inches of papers of uncompleted fanfics and I think there's more then enough uncompleted and never going to be completed fics on the webs without adding my own. So the logical thing to do would be to put an author alert on me so that when it comes out you'll know. The title will be "Seekers and Nesting Habits."

Happy Holidays.