Hello friends! This is possibly the last chapter of this story, I'm afraid :( unless you guys want to PM me suggestions of what you would like to see happen next? Or leave it in a review?

Thank you so much for reading the story, and I hope you enjoyed it!

"And what exactly drove you to do it?"

Tailgate began fidgeting with his hands in lap, unwilling to meet Rung's piercing gaze. "Uh... I dunno. I guess I just- yeah, I dunno."

The orange psychiatrist observed him carefully. "I see."

The gaze bore into Tailgate, and the minibot's fidgeting increased. "Okay, well.. I guess I was feeling kinda insecure 'cause Cyclonus was staring at Drift's aft, and I just wanted to remind him that I was the one he was fragging, and I- are you taking notes?!"

Rung glanced up from his datapad, stylus held midair. "Yes. I need to keep a record of our meeting. I promise you this will be strictly confidential."

"Oh. Um... Okay."

"So, you felt envious when Cyclonus' attention was focused on Drift?" Rung nudged the minibot back to the point.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he- I just- I know that Drift is good-looking, and lots of mechs want him, so I guess when Cyclonus was looking at him... I would understand if he wanted someone other than me."

"I see. And what did Cyclonus say when you confronted him?"

"He.. He said he wasn't attracted to Drift, but.. Um.. I don't know, I guess I just.."

"Felt insecure." Rung suggested.

With a bob of the head, Tailgate gave him a self-deprecating smile. "Yeah. Exactly."

Rung made another note on his datapad.

...

"And what exactly caused you to think it to be a good idea?"

Cyclonus scowled at the psychiatrist. "Nothing. I was overcharged."

"So Tailgate initiated the whole thing?"

"Tailgate was not at entirely at fault." Cyclonus grumbled.

"Explain?"

With an annoyed huff, Cyclonus glared around Rung's office. "I upset him. I should not have."

"You are referring to your interest in Drift."

A snarl ripped out of the big flier's chassis. "I was not interested-" he broke off with a frustrated sigh. "Yes, that is what I'm talking about. It was a mistake, and Tailgate was being oversensitive."

"Mhm. Cyclonus, how would you describe Tailgate?"

Cyclonus paused, considering the question carefully. "Small. Delicate - both physically and mentally. Over-emotional."

...

"-Emotionally constipated." Tailgate said firmly, nodding his head. "He thinks emotions make you weak."

A small smile crossed Rung's face. "I'm not sure that's entirely true. Cyclonus believes in honour, as you know. It's not emotions that he thinks are weak, it's showing them."

"Yeah, I know." Tailgate sighed. "I just... Whenever I used to envision myself in love with anyone, I thought... Well, I pictured settling down with someone, having sparklings, and being able to say 'I love you' without being, y'know.. ignored."

"Yes, I understand." Rung smiled, making a note of the fact Tailgate had said 'love', "Perhaps you should share your feelings with Cyclonus. He may not know how you feel about this."

"No.. He'd think I'm stupid."

...

"Would you think of Tailgate as an insecure mech?"

Cyclonus blinked in surprise. "Insecure? Why would he be insecure?"

"From what I have gathered from speaking with him, he does not have much self-confidence."

"Yes."

Rung waited a moment, but Cyclonus didn't elaborate further. The smaller bot nodded slowly. "So you have noticed?"

"Of course." Cyclonus frowned, "It's hard to miss. I can barely glance around without him thinking I am going to jump someone else."

"This frustrates you." Rung observed, making a note in his datapad.

"It frustrates me that I have to explain to him every single day that I am not going to leave him. If I did not want to be with him, I would not be."

A small humming noise began in Rung's chassis. "Tailgate may need some more reassurance than you simply being present. Perhaps you should talk to him, and share your feelings. Listening to each other is a big part of communication, and communication is vital in relationships." When Cyclonus rolled his ruby optics, Rung frowned disapprovingly. "Tailgate is afraid to share his thoughts with you."

Cyclonus stiffened so suddenly it looked painful. "What?"

"He fears you would think he was stupid." Rung raised an optic ridge. "Would you?"

"I- no, of course not." Cyclonus protested. "I wouldn't say it to his faceplates, anyway. What is it that he thinks I would think was stupid?"

"Confidential, I'm afraid. You'd have to speak to him."

Cyclonus huffed irritably. "You said yourself that he would be afraid to talk to me."

"I said no such thing. I said he was afraid you would think he was stupid."

...

"-so I thought if I was brave and interfaced with him in the bar, he would realise that he liked me more than anyone else."

"Tailgate, I'm sure that Cyclonus' feelings are not influenced too heavily by where you interface with him."

The minibot glanced down at his hands. "I'm not sure... It wouldn't be the first time someone has been with me for just the interfacing, you know? A lot of mechs seem to have something of a minibot fetish..." Tailgate shuddered slightly at some past memory.

"You've had bad experiences?"

"Yeah." Tailgate breathed. "I'd rather not talk about it, to be honest."

"Of course." Rung nodded, respecting the minibot's wishes. After checking his chronometer, the orange mech sighed and stood. "I'm afraid this marks the end of our session."

"Oh." Tailgate stood, trying hard not to look relieved. "Okay."

Walking together to the door of Rung's office, the psychiatrist spoke again. "I implore you to talk to Cyclonus. Otherwise, he will not know how you feel. He's not psychic."

The minibot nodded, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Right, okay. Um.. See you next time then?" He waved as he left Rung's office and began walking down the corridors. The likelihood of Cyclonus being in their quarters was high, so that's where Tailgate headed.

When he arrived into their room, the large purple flier was reading a datapad on his berth. He glanced up when Tailgate entered the room and raised a single optic ridge. "What did Rung say?"

"He, um.. He said that we should talk to each other about our feelings." Tailgate looked down quickly. "I mean, I totally understand if you don't want to, it's just that Rung said-"

"I know." Cyclonus rumbled. "Sit down."

Tailgate nodded and pulled himself up onto the berth beside his roommate. Smiling nervously behind his mask, he crossed his legs and waited for Cyclonus to speak first. When the large flier said nothing, Tailgate began fidgeting. "Umm... So, feelings?"

"Yes. Rung told me you were rather insecure."

A little sigh escaped the minibot as he leaned back on the berth. "Um... Oh. Well.. I suppose I can be, but I don't mean to be."

"I realise that. But I cannot keep telling you day after day that I'm not going to leave you."

"But you were planning to leave!" Tailgate cried, sitting up straight. "How did you expect me to feel when you were actually talking to me everyday about leaving! And now you expect me to just-"

"Calm down." Cyclonus rumbled irritably, scowling at the little mech. "I realise that-"

"And then Drift! I mean, I understand that I- that other mechs are more attractive, and.. I know I'm small, and it's probably frustrating 'cause you can't be as rough with me as you'd like, but-"

"Tailgate.." Cyclonus half-covered his face. "Shut up. If I wanted someone else, you would not be on my berth right now."

"But.. Drift-"

"For frag's sake." Cyclonus snarled angrily, glaring. "Drift is a jumped-up idiotic fanatic who follows Rodimus everywhere blindly. If you think I am even a little bit interested in him, you have a very low opinion of me."

Optics widened behind Tailgate's visor, and he shook his helm madly. "No! No, I don't!"

"Whatever. Go to your own berth, Tailgate." Moodily, Cyclonus turned away from the minibot on his berth.

"No, wait! Cyclooonus!" Tailgate wailed, leaping to his feet and jumping on the jets back. "Please! I have a super high opinion of you! Love me..?"

Cyclonus had to bite his glossa to stop himself from chuckling at the idiotic antics of the minibot on his back. "Tailgate, get off me." The larger mech barely kept himself from rolling his optics. He reached behind him and pulled Tailgate down onto his lap. "Other than your self-esteem issues, is there anything else you wished to talk to me about?"

"Um.." Tailgate frowned at his hands. "Why are you with me?"

Cyclonus paused in surprise. "What?" He watched the minibot bury his face in his knees. With a small frown, he thought about the question. "I am with you because... I like you."

"Just like?" Tailgate asked, sounding disappointed. "It's mainly the interfacing, right?"

A surprised look crossed Cyclonus' face, before it morphed into annoyance. "The interfacing is good, but that is not the only reason we are 'together', and you should know that. If I wanted to be with someone just for the interfacing I could with, Primus forbid, Whirl or someone." An irritated growl rumbled in Cyclonus' chassis as Tailgate refused to meet his gaze. "Tailgate, look at me."

Reluctantly,the minibot raised his helm. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes!" The large mech said frustratedly. "It would be dishonourable to lie, would it not?"

"Yeah..." Tailgate curled in on himself anxiously, glancing up at Cyclonus out of the corner of his optics. "I guess so.."

"You are tired." The flier observed, laying his hand on the minibot's helm. Tailgate nodded slowly. "Would you like to hear another song in Old Cybertronian?"

Tailgate looked at his roommate in surprise. "Yes, please."

If there was one thing Tailgate loved, it was falling asleep to the sound of Cyclonus' voice.