Title: Teddy
Author: kirin saga (AKA cheysulinight)
Rated: PG
Warning: character death, implied slash
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Prompt: Mirage / Snarl / regretSummary: They were all broken... Sequel to Regrets.
Note to my readers: My pen name will soon change to kirin saga. I would have changed it already but I wanted to warn anyone who hasn't read my profile within the last few days.

Mirage found him near the brig, wedged into the smallest space he could fit into. The spy had almost missed him; indeed, he wouldn't have even seen him if this hadn't been one of his own favorite places to hide and he hadn't been on his way to hide himself. "Snarl?"

The stegosaurus looked up from the floor, not even attempting to hide the tiny teddy bear he held as he usually would have. Mirage stared at the toy, noticing how the red bow around it's neck was ratted and torn and how one of the arms was hanging by only a few loose threads. That was odd; the Dinobots usually took surprisingly good care of their toys.

Snarl followed his gaze and seemed to shrink in on himself, gently petting the bear's head. "He broken," he said quietly, holding the bear so carefully now.

Mirage just watched.

Snarl continued petting the bear, not seeming to care if Mirage responded or not. "All broken." He sniffed. "Just like him Perceptor."

Oh. "I see."

Snarl didn't seem to hear him. "Me Snarl broke him just like broke him Perceptor."

And there it was. Mirage sighed and sat in front of the larger bot, just outside of Snarl's hiding place. This was why he himself had come down here. To get away from this. Perceptor was broken. They were all broken. But some couldn't be fixed. Like Perceptor. Like Ho-

Mirage glared hard at the floor, only half listening to Snarl's continued mumblings.

"All broken. Me Snarl broke them, broke him. Me Snarl should break too."

Mirage glanced up sharply at that, turning his glare towards the rambling Dinobot. "Don't."

Snarl paused and looked at him, still clutching the bear.

Mirage continued to glare. "Don't act like you meant to kill him. You weren't aiming for him!"

Snarl flinched. "Me Snarl hit-"

Mirage stood suddenly, and his glare intensified. "You were trying to hit that Cassette not Perceptor! Not another Autobot. You were aiming for a Decepticon!"

Snarl hugged his bear tighter. "But-"

Mirage slapped him. "Stop it! You had no idea Perceptor would shove him out of the way! You had no idea that his bondmate was a Decepticon and you had no idea Soundwave would kill-"Mirage cut himself off, looking away suddenly, holding himself in an attempt to stave off of the pain.

"No idea him Soundwave would kill him Hound too," Snarl finished for him. The Dinobot watched, calmly, as those last few threads gave away and the bear's small arm fell silently to the floor. "No idea kill him Hound." Snarl offlined his optics and took a shuddering breath. "No... no idea him Soundwave would kill... would kill him Swoop."

Mirage stared at the teddy bear's arm for a few long silent moments, before slowly bending to pick it up. He turned it over carefully in his hands, noticing how clean it was. He saw evidence of careful brushing and neat, almost invisible stitchings. The signs of a much loved treasure. So why...

"Him Perceptor gave me Snarl Teddy."

Snarl was watching him now and Mirage met his optics, silently waiting.

Snarl looked away from Mirage and down at the tiny bear in his large hands. "Him Perceptor always fix Teddy when Teddy hurt."

Mirage looked back at the small cloth arm in his hands.

Snarl gently hugged the bear. "Me Snarl thought... if Teddy hurt... him Perceptor would come back and fix him." Snarl sobbed. "And maybe he come fix Swoop too."

Mirage was watching him now, looking from the grieving Dinobot to the broken bear. "Swoop... can't be fixed, Snarl," he said softly. "Hound... Hound can't be fixed." He softly petted the small arm. "Perceptor can't fix them... can't be fixed."

Snarl was crying silently now, watching him with such a heartbroken expression that Mirage thought the three of them would all fall apart at the seams. He took a steadying breath and moved closer, holding Teddy's arm out to Snarl. "But Teddy... Teddy can be fixed."

Snarl gently took the arm, never looking away.

"Let's..." Mirage took Snarl's hand. "Let's go get Teddy fixed."