Title: You're Just Like Him
Rating: T
Genre: Friendship/Hurt/Comfort
Pairing: Arcee/Smokescreen, mentioned Arcee/Cliffjumper and Arcee/Tailgate
Universe: Prime
Warnings: Mentions of past death.

Songs of Inspiration:
"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" by Skrillex
"Amsterdam" by Imagine Dragons

Summary: After Cliffjumper, she vowed never to open up to anyone again. She had lost too much already and refused to have her spark ripped to shreds a third time. It was too painful to bear. But then, she met him.

Author's Note: I just realized that I ship this hardcore, like no one's business hardcore. God damn you, Tumblr. It's just so wonderful. I've been in kind of a funk for a while now, thanks to a huge paper I had to write for the English final, but this helped get the juices flowing again. So hopefully, you'll see some new stuff. This also may or may not be apart of a series of one-shots. I might put them all together or keep them separate, I don't know yet. Anyways, enjoy.

At first, she didn't know why she didn't like him. He was a good mech. He had his flaws, but so did she. So, she had no room to talk. He was impatient and impulsive, and he didn't seem to have that filter between his processor and his mouth. But, he was also sweet and respectable and always put others before himself. Then, she finally realized why she didn't like him.

He was just like him.

Every time she looked at him, she saw both of them. They acted so alike, and every time she looked into his bright azure optics, coolant pooled in her own. Whenever he talked to her, her audio sensors burned. Whenever he touched her, her body shivered. Whenever she was near him, her spark clenched in sorrow and grief.

This was why she continued to push him away.

He brought back memories of her best friends; her first love and his twin.

After Tailgate, she had a hard time looking at him. The two looked so alike, except in color. They even acted alike. It took her a long time to become comfortable around Cliffjumper, but when she was finally able to open her spark to someone once again, she was greeted with the same love Tailgate had showered her with.

But then, he left her, too.

After Cliffjumper, she vowed never to open up to anyone again. She had lost too much already and refused to have her spark ripped to shreds a third time. It was too painful to bear. But then, she met him.

Every minute she spent around him, she found herself breaking her promise. She wanted so badly to open herself up to him, but just couldn't do it. She had been hurt too much.

She knew that he cared for her, in that sense, she may never know, and wanted to be close to him, have him close to her, but... she just couldn't do it.

She hadn't realized that her musings made her silent as she sat off to the side of the main room. She only came out of her mind when a servo touched her shoulder and shivers trailed done her spinal struts. She didn't need to turn around to see who it was. She already knew.

"What's on your mind, 'Cee?"

Perhaps they were all more alike than she had previously thought.

She brushed his servo off, turning her helm away.

"It's nothing."

"Now we both know that that isn't true."

She turned her helm to look at him, coolant prickling in the corners of her optics as his gazed upon her. They were silent for a moment, until she felt him sit down next to her, his servos moving completely away from her. He was respecting her personal space.

Silence.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at him, then shook her head.

"Really, it's nothing."

She heard him sigh.

"Okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

She snapped her head up to see him smiling softly, his optics dimmed slightly. The coolant pooled in her optics, but her face was still. She turned away again. She hated crying. She hated crying in front of others even more. It was always seen as a sign of weakness, but when he placed his servo on her cheek and turned her helm towards his.

"We can go somewhere else if you want. Whatever makes you comfortable."

She quickly nodded her head and stood. He let her lead the way as they walked towards her private quarters towards the back of the base. He kept up with her, matching her pace and even her footsteps.

They stopped once she reached her room and entered. She sat on her berth as he stood next to the end. She looked at him, and he looked back, as if silently asking if it was okay.

"It's okay. You can sit."

He smiled, then took a seat next to her on the berth. They sat in silence, before he spoke up.

"You don't have to talk if you don't want to. If you're not ready to talk, that's okay. I can wait."

Finally, coolant ran down her cheeks. She was unable to keep them at bay any longer, and she let out a quick sob, hoping he didn't hear. Unfortunately, he did, and he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close.

"It's okay, just let it out. That's the first step, right?"

She let him hold her. After a moment, she finally gave in and closed her optics, letting her arms wrap around his shoulders.

He was so much like him, like them. He knew when something was wrong with her, that she needed her space, that she didn't like to be pressured into talking of her personal life; they were all so alike. The emotions she had kept bottled up this entire time finally overflowed, and she let them run down her cheeks in tears.

He rubbed her back to sooth her and she grew silent, tired. She had had a long day. She pulled away slowly, and she let her go. She laid down on her berth and let herself relax into the pillows. He patted her back, then had stood up to leave. She grabbed his servo, and he turned to look back at her.

"Don't go. Not... not yet."

He smiled again, before laying down next to her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."