A/N: So, here it is. It's been a while, but I finally got this thing cranked out. While there are no major warnings, be forewarned that Steeljaw still comes across as kind of a creep who's taking advantage of someone for his own ends. Which, honestly, is kinda what he's already like-just that this is a different scenario.


He'd always known Steeljaw had a thing about red plating, could see his optics wander when another shiny red bot would drive by on the streets or walk pass them when he thought Sideswipe wasn't looking. But he did notice, and any bursts of jealously would fade into smugness when those yellow optics would then turn back to him, just as they always did.

Perhaps that was why he was doing this, why he hadn't laughed off the idea when Steeljaw brought it up in the first place. Growing up on the streets with Sunny, happiness was few and far between until his brother clawed them out of poverty, wowing bots with his art. Sideswipe had never been interested in crafts, preferring the tempo and beats of music, but it made Sunny happy to be adored and bask in the attention that one mech wasn't enough to give-so he'd kept his mouth shut.

And in turn, Sunny kept his closed when Sideswipe found his own happiness.

Venting slowly, Sideswipe shifted the box he'd been given under one arm and knocked on the door to the apartment. He heard a faint call from inside to come in, but Sideswipe hesitated as he made to open the door. Was he really starting to get nervous? Nerves were for when you didn't know what was happening, didn't know if you could get through it. And yet this was exactly what he'd gotten himself into, and for what? To repay all the months of bliss Steeljaw had given him?

'I just answered my own question.' Sideswipe thought wryly, but new it wasn't the mech that made him nervous-it was the request. 'Of all the things to ask, why the frag would he choose that?' It was one thing to act out a scenario like in one of those frag videos, but another to role-play a rather morbid story.

Little Bot Red was a tale that always freaked Sideswipe out when he was young, believing that he'd be gobbled up by a cyberwolf and no one would be around to save him-all because of his red plating.

'And yet it's what Steeljaw wants to set the mood too.' Sideswipe shook his helm, dislodging the thought the second it formed. Just as Sideswipe tried to stop believing that because he had a red paint job it meant he was going to be targeted, he didn't want to believe Steeljaw was anything like the cyberwolf in the story.

It was a sneaky, misleading liar, and Steeljaw was not.

Finally he pressed the keypad, and the door slid open. The windows that overlooked downtown Kaon were shuttered, leaving the room bathed in darkness that was only pierced by the dim lights which emitted from the bedroom.

The lamp on the desk illuminated enough of the room that Sideswipe could see the impatience and irritation on Steeljaw's face before it smoothed out upon Sideswipe's entry. Nerves twisted into anxiety, and he regretted taking so long to open the fragging door.

'Scrap, what if I ruined it? I can't let him dump me; he's one of the only good things in my life!' Fear replaced everything, and Sideswipe threw himself into a role he'd always been afraid of. "I'm sorry I took so long, Grandcarrier. The roads were backed up and I had to take the alleys."

Trying to pretend that even for the moment a bulky Wolficon could pass as an elderly femme was ridiculous, and not even when Steeljaw softened his voice until the 'reveal' could make it work. "Come, rest your pedes and tell me about your journey." He shuffled over on the berth and patted the spot beside him.

Sideswipe couldn't hesitate this time, even if his nerves were starting to overwhelm the fear the closer to the ending they got. He settled onto the berth, almost jumping when he felt a tail sliding around the back of his waist before reminding himself there was no tricky cyberwolves in sight. It was just him and Steeljaw.

Sideswipe held out the box, curiosity not even registering as he knew what exactly was in it. "Carrier wanted me to bring this to you. It's your sparkday after all."

"How thoughtful." Steeljaw said amused as he opened the lid. Inside was a bottle of high grade and two glasses that Sideswipe had very carefully managed not to break. "I couldn't have picked a better gift." Sideswipe wanted to roll his optics, but couldn't break character to even get that moment of levity. "Now, why don't we have a drink? You must be thirsty."

Sideswipe looked down at the glass which was handed to him. The blue energon glowed faintly in the dim light. He didn't know how concentrated this energon was, if it would get him drunk off his aft or leave him buzzing, but… 'It's his special day, I can drink to that.' He slowly drank down the rich liquid, feeling it rush past his throat and to his tank, where he could feel his nerves beginning to ebb away once more.

Steeljaw chuckled, swirling his oddly full glass. Had he even taken a sip yet? "What was your journey like?"

Sideswipe bit his lip as he tried to think of what to say. He absently noted Steeljaw set aside the rest of the high grade and their glasses, but thought nothing of it. "For the most part it was quite boring, but then I met a…sneaky cyberwolf. He tried to get me follow him, but I was told not to trust strangers."

"And how right you are. I'm so proud of you." Steeljaw traced his thumb over Sideswipe's cheek, and a blue tint flushed his faceplate.

Sideswipe preened under the intimate attention. Even in the midst of a role-playing game, Steeljaw still found the most opportune moments to catch Sideswipe off guard. Fear and anxiety melted away, leaving him with a bubbliness that gave him the strength to push on to the final act of the story. "What big optics you have."

Steeljaw's optics roved up and down Sideswipe's frame, his gaze intense as a strange gleam appeared. "The better to see you with, my dear."

Sideswipe ignored the niggling at the back of his processor in favor of having those strong servos on his plating, stroking and petting, bringing him to a mewling mess left charged, hot, and unsatisfied by the Wolficon's stubborn insistence they 'wait until the right moment'.

This was that moment, this had to be that moment. "What big servos you have."

Steeljaw's servos clamped around Sideswipe's shoulders as he adjusted them until he was straddling the latter and pushing Sideswipe down into the berth. "The better to touch you with, my dear." His voice had lost the softness, reverting back to its regular deep and inviting tone.

Sideswipe shivered in anticipation, ignoring the rising dread forming in his stomach as Steeljaw leaned down closer to him, his lips stretched back into a grin that had the light glinting off of them. "What big denta-" he cut himself off with a gasp once he recognized that the look in Steeljaw's optics had been hunger. 'He's gonna eat me!'

Steeljaw's nose twitched, with his optics narrowing for a moment. He released Sideswipe's shoulders and pulled back, hunger replaced by humor. "What's the matter, scared of the Big Bad Cyberwolf? We don't have to do this right now; we can wait until you're ready."

Sideswipe gritted his denta, indignation and annoyance beating back all other negative feelings. He wasn't scared, not really, and how could Steeljaw think Sideswipe wasn't ready? He wanted this, and no stupid overreaction was going to get in the way. "And let you use this as an excuse not to touch me? As if!"

Those yellow optics brightened when the sound of a panel opened, but did nothing more than trace a digit over Sideswipe's inner thigh, frustrating the red bot with being so close to his valve but knowing he had to finish that stupid sentence.

"What big teeth you have."

"All the better to eat you with, my dear." Steeljaw's voice was low, seductive and controlled, perfectly evaporating any remaining doubt Sideswipe might have had in doing this. The mech slid down Sideswipe's frame, taking the time to kiss along his chest, torso, and thigh. Sideswipe arched his back, but whined when those claws held his thighs down on the berth. "Have patience, my dear."

Sideswipe huffed, his cheeks tinting a brighter blue than before. "You're the one who's always stalling." He said petulantly.

"I wanted you to be sure," Steeljaw kissed the other thigh, leaning in further to flick his glossa in the seam between the thigh and valve. Sideswipe moaned, his optics rolling back as his servos clenched into fists, his processor starting to fog up that he missed the words which followed completely, "because once we do this, there's no backing out."

"Alright already," Sideswipe said absently, "just stop teasing me!"

Without warning, a warm mouth wrapped over Sideswipe's anterior node. The red mech cried out, arching his back as he pressed his valve higher into the mouth. His face flushed completely blue, whimpering when that glossa flickered his 'node and felt just a hint of fang graze against his mesh folds.

"This is…amazing." Sideswipe gasped. "So worth the wait!"

Steeljaw pulled back, just enough that his venting breathed warm air over the valve and sent Sideswipe into another round of delightful shudders. "Clearly if you're still coherent I need to try harder."

Sideswipe grinned cheekily. "Then show me what you got, my Big Bad Wolficon."