Author's note: A little writing experiment to see the reaction to this subject. Rating's for language, violence, and of course, sex. So if you're not old enough or offended by sexual content, don't read this, because it's explicit. It takes place in an AU of the movieverse with ample amounts of G1 thrown in, because you have to give props to the classics. This may be continued or expanded into a longer fanfic if the reaction is favorable. So please read and review, criticize, or flame at your discretion.

Also you'll find this piece rather long, mainly because I'm not so equipped at writing PWP. I do need some semblance of plot to make it work, no matter now tentative or how obvious it is that the sole purpose of said plot is to force two characters together. What was supposed to be a little smut, turned into a fifty page plus monster. That being said there is no yaoi or yuri, just M/F, TF x OC smut. There is a slight nod in it to the fanfic Grease Monkeys by Chaitea16, since her wonderful piece did influence this.

If you have ideas or want to discuss the story, feel free to swing by my account on DA (I'm xwidespreadpanicx there) and leave a comment or note. The poor OC I've taken for a victim in this little venture belongs to StormDracona and I of course don't own and will never own the Transformers.

-Wide Spread Panic

Thrill of The Hunt

Though he'd never admit it, the rec room was fairly tolerable. The expansive hangar had been retrofitted to handle multiple Cybertronians moving about in the natural forms or alt modes. And it was refreshing to be able to stretch out without the paranoid little organics having hysterics about satellite surveillance and espionage. Along the entire length of one bland gray wall ran a wide metal scaffolding that the humans had arranged into their own makeshift rec area safe up high from heavy mech feet. The rest of the hangar had been taken over by Hoist and Grapple, the two mechs eagerly setting up Energon dispensers in one corner and tables and benches sized for any type of Cybertronian.

The rec room was largely deserted at the moment, a fact Mirage was quite thankful for. Some cycles he could barely tolerate the noisy uncouth rabble that made up the majority of the Autobot's ranks. He did have some company like it or not though. His icy optics flickered over his two companions at he latched onto what Hound was saying.

"Let me get this straight…. They congratulated him on being so oblivious as to mowing down another organic?" Mirage asked, his tone more than a little incredulous as he shifted the Energon cube in his large hands.

"Scout's honor," Hound said, fighting against the urge to smirk at the disgusted look on the blue mech's faceplates. "Lennox and Epps were going on about how many 'points' it was."

Trailbreaker shook his head slowly. "How can humans hunt anythin' at all? Ain't like they have claws or fangs," he drawled as Hound laughed.

"They use those weapons of theirs, right?" The green mech chided, bobbing his head good-naturedly.

"Well of course," Mirage groused, huffing darkly in distaste. "But then, there is hardly any prey of consequence here. Minimally intelligent organic detritus, the lot of them." He muttered the last bit as two soldiers walked past their position laughing loudly.

"You used to hunt," Hound said suddenly, only the barest hint of a question in the words.

Mirage straightened slightly, eyeing his two erstwhile drinking companions. "I hunted Turbo-foxes. Supremely clever prey," he said, frowning at his empty cube.

Trailbreaker pushed another full cube toward the blue mech, eliciting a soft rumble. "Couldn't find nothing worth hunting here?" He asked innocently enough and the other glared.

"You are hardly a hunter. You wouldn't understand the thrill of the chase, the joys of the conflict, the-"

"Chasing small unintelligent animals down and blasting them to the Pit and back," Hound broke in, grinning fiercely at the dirty look from the sophisticate. With a whirring sigh of gears, he stood up and shifted his tired joints, winking an optic at Mirage just to irritate him further. "Happy hunting."

As Mirage seethed, Trailbreaker nodded faintly. "It hardly seems fair."

"You have to hunt to understand the hunt," he hissed moodily, putting serious consideration into chucking the cube at the bigger mech. With a little huff, he steepled his fingers and peered at Trailbreaker. The other instantly began to shift uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "Perhaps a wager?" He asked, the trappings of some mischief unwinding in his processor as he smiled thinly.

Shoulders hunched in a supremely ineffective attempt to appear smaller, the big mech still managed to look furtive. "I'm sure Smokescreen would be more than happy to gamble with you," he muttered, glancing around warily and seeking escape from the other mech without causing offense.

Mirage chuckled, lips quirking at the corners ever so slightly, a shark scenting blood in the water. "But of course," he purred, tapping a finger on the tabletop. "However, you are the one I wish to… gamble with."

"I don't gamble," Trailbreaker muttered gruffly, standing and turning away.

Mirage gave a slow theatric sigh and slouched back in his seat. "Well, if you are too afraid…"

Trailbreaker froze, his optic band flickering slightly in disbelief as he turned to stare at the other mech. "What was that?" He growled, voice dipping into a rough growl of warning. The large mech's systems revved crankily as he eyed the smaller mech. As good-natured and joking as the big mech was, he did have limits.

And Mirage knew just which buttons to push to get the results he wanted. He made an expansive gesture, smiling as Trailbreaker sat back down. "Prove to me anyone can be a hunter," he said, optics locking on the other's optic band as it brightened.

"Ain't no turbo-foxes here and you know it," Trailbreaker muttered uncomfortably.

"I was thinking of something more challenging," he replied, reclining again and enjoying drawing it out. The suspicious look on the bigger mech's face-plates was just too delicious.

"Like what?"

"Like a human."

"Fraggit, Mirage," he growled, bristling. "I'm not hurting no human."

"No, not hunting and offlining," Mirage quickly interjected, a hand raised in a placating gesture. "You have to hunt and get…. A token from a human."

"A token," he echoed dubiously, optics roaming over to the small group of humans talking out of hearing range. "Such as?"

Mirage was silent, processor humming with activity on what he knew of humans. He bit back a soft huff as he settled on a target. "A kiss."

"What's a kiss?"

"They do it with their mouth-components. They press their mouth to another human's mouth to show affection as part of a ritualistic greeting," Mirage explained, amused by the baffled expression on the other's face. The first time he'd seen the two younger human charges of Bumblebee 'kissing' he'd been sure they'd been trying to rip each other's face off. Bumblebee had explained that the gesture was harmless and only indicated a desire to mate. The two were rarely ever seen together now, though. Sam kept to Bumblebee, while Mikaela had allied herself with Ratchet.

Trailbreaker's strong face shifted into a frown as he absorbed what he'd been told. "All I have to do is get a kiss?" He asked finally, sounding skeptical and Mirage tried not to gloat.

"From a human femme," he added gleefully as the much bigger mech huffed to himself.

"And I get what for doing this? What's in it for me?" He spread his hands palm down on the table in front of him, vents sighing softly with curiosity despite his stoic expression.

"Besides bragging rights?" Mirage asked, humming as he saw the mech's head shake slightly in negation. "I've put some thought into the quandary of your power input," he said, smiling as Trailbreaker went absolutely still.

A low rumble escaped his chest, rising in a soft whine as he leaned forward. "You're no engineer," he muttered dismissively, but he wasn't making any motion to move. It was well known that his force-field ate up more than his fair share of Energon, a fact that the big mech was very ashamed of. Though he never said a word about it, he rarely ever went on missions when Energon was scarce, hating the idea of claiming more than his fair share.

Mirage tipped his head, rubbing a fingertip against his helm idly. "Quite, but I was not always a… spy either," he replied, hesitating only slightly. He didn't particularly like thinking of himself as a spy, but one did what one must when their very livelihood was at stake. He waited watching the bigger mech fidget as he debated.

"I get a kiss… and you help me with my Energon consumption?" He asked slowly as though trying the words out and tasting them on his glossa. A way away from his secret shame at his own needs? He felt a shiver ripple his armor as he toyed with the thought, wondering how Mirage had found out. He never spoke of it with anyone.

"You have my word," Mirage replied, inclining his head regally and Trailbreaker felt a thrill go through him. The blue mech slid out of his seat, smiling thinly and all business. "We have an accord?"

"Yeah," he said finally as he pressed his large hands to the table to keep them from trembling and because he knew Mirage wouldn't humor the human tradition of shaking hands with him. He watched the other leave, his vents huffing to cool himself down. "Hey! What's in this for you?" He called out and Mirage smiled his tight-lipped smile.

"Amusement."

The only thing to do now, he decided was to find a female. He hummed softly as he considered his options. He'd had limited dealings with the human soldiers inhabiting the base, but he'd only met three females so far.

He nudged his Energon cube around with a finger as he thought. He'd have to choose his prey carefully.

"It's a simple recon," Jazz said, moving fluidly around the too-small conference room with his unnatural grace. The saboteur's strong black hands flitted and danced when he spoke, as though pulling the words from thin air. "The energy signature is pretteh' old, jus' merits investigatin' to be sure."

Prowl's helm bowed slightly over his data pads as he scooted one aside with a thick finger. "We can hardly send the humans alone if we're wrong, though," he said thoughtfully as the other hummed. "I want two mechs accompanying them as a precaution."

"Hide'll go," Jazz drawled, cocking a hip against the table to bump it lightly and earning an irritated huff from Prowl. He winked behind his visor just to further aggravate his fellow officer, chuckling as Prowl's optics narrowed crankily. "He likes to keep Lennox in sight. Bit overprotective, ya askin' me."

Prowl resisted the urge to roll his optics. "And Ratchet doesn't hover over Mikaela like Bumblebee does Sam?"

Jazz's smirk turned sly as he tipped his head. "Makes ya wonder what they up to," he purred as Prowl stiffened.

"Sometimes I regret Ratchet bringing you back," Prowl hissed without much heat as the door panels on his back stiffened aggressively.

"You jus' bitchy cause ya don't get none," Jazz said, shifting out of reach of the irate SIC. "Ratchet even gettin' some now."

Prowl bristled, optics icy. "That's disgusting. Not to mention anatomically impossible"

One of Jazz's shoulders lifted in a shrug, his expression impish. "You know they interface like we interface? Equipment ain't so different," Jazz crooned as he leaned back against Prowl's desk, unable to drop the subject and amused by the slight tic starting at the corner of one of his friend's optics.

"We are not having this conversation!" Prowl snarled, armor panels bristling slightly as he leveled a datapad at Jazz. "Don't you have something better to do, you Pit-spawned irritant?"

Jazz only laughed, winking again. "Narrow-minded, baby." The saboteur grinned broadly as he hesitated by the door. "Go get laid and then we talk about it again."

The datapad smashed against the door just shy of Jazz's head, the saboteur's laughter ringing in Prowl's audios.

The black and white mech's amusement died though as he spotted Mirage lounging against the opposite wall. The blue mech stepped forward, a flat emotionless smile on his faceplates as he approached.

"Jazz, a breem of your time if you would?"

"'Sup, Rage," he asked, emphasizing the nickname he knew the spy disliked.

"I have a joint venture if you're interested," he said, hiding a small wince of distaste.

"That so?" Jazz started down the hall, unsurprised the spy followed him.

"A little social experiment," Mirage said cautiously as he fell into step beside the other mech. "I have a need to isolate Trailbreaker with a female."

A low amused rumble escaped the saboteur's lips. "What you up to?"

"I just need the most closed-off, wary human female on base to be paired with Trailbreaker."

Jazz slowed, frowning as if he had a bad taste on his glossa. "You want to stick a hostile femme with Breaker?"

"I betted him he could not acquire a… kiss from a human female."

Jazz snorted softly. "Why's that?"

Mirage's hands spread slightly. "I find myself.. bored," he admitted almost sullenly and Jazz raised an optic ridge.

"An' that merits you screwin' with Breaker?" He asked slowly, optics unreadable behind his visor.

"It would be entertaining," the spy offered hesitantly, wary of the sudden ire from the rougher mech.

"I hope he gets that kiss jus' to spite you," he muttered and Mirage straightened.

"Then you will help?"

"Oh, I'll help," he rumbled softly, CPU pulling up the personnel files and sorting them.

Lennox moved down the ranks, eyeing the thick folder in his hands. There were only seven people selected to go investigate and none of them had been picked by him. He felt his aggravation at the Autobot's going behind his back and composing not only his team, but his plan of attack and then calmly giving it to him and not seeing why it bothered him.

Jazz's expression was serene as he watched Lennox, flip through the folder again, frowning nonstop. "I haven't even worked with some of these people before," the Captain muttered, looking crossly up at the Autobot.

"You'll have 'Hide and 'Breaker accompanyin' too. For security purposes," Jazz said, beaming as though alien babysitters made everything better.

"You could have at least consulted me," he managed, fighting the urge to snarl at the alien.

Jazz shifted with a soft whirr of gears, blessedly unconcerned. "I could have," he agreed, smirking. "We'll try an' remember next time," he joked, watching the human shake his head in irritation.

Lennox sighed heavily, fingers tightening on the folder nearly bending it in half. "Fine," he muttered, turning to go round up his pre-selected team and see what he had to work with.

Normally he had no problems whatsoever working with the Autobots and normally they were kind enough to include him and few of the higher ranking officers in their planning. He had an odd fleeting sense of betrayal before he squared his shoulders. At least Epps was on the roster, he knew he could trust and or not be tempted to strangle him.

April resisted the urge to fidget as she watched Captain Lennox make his slow deliberate way down the line. She'd never actually worked with the man, but she'd heard his reputation. He was one of the survivors of the famed battle in Mission City and highly respected throughout the ranks.

How exactly she'd qualified to be on the same team as him was beyond her. She was only a soldier, specializing in communications and one of a group led by Maggie who were working to fully crack the Cybertronian language since the Autobots didn't seem too keen on just giving the information to the humans. And while she did work with the group, the extent of her Cybertronian vocabulary was limited to an assortment of profanity that both sets of twins were more than willing to spout.

She shifted her pack on her shoulder, glancing at the other five lined up. Only seven of them in all, so whatever they'd been summoned for was hopefully not too dangerous.

"Alright people, listen up," Lennox boomed, his deep voice commanding. "You've been chosen for a recon operation in Tunisia. We're checking out an area we've been having reports of Decepticon activity in. The reports are pretty old, so we're not really expecting to see any of the enemy."

"Why don't they just send one of their scouts?" Epps asked from down the line, the question followed by muttered agreement.

"I don't know, I wasn't consulted," Lennox growled, eyes narrowing warningly as Epps smirked. "I want all of you ready to move out at 0400. Stragglers will be put on cleanup duty with the twins."

April shuddered, wondering which twins he was talking about as she headed to the rec room with a packet of mission information. What she knew of Tunisia was pretty much limited to the fact that it was in Africa. She wandered into the human section of the rec room and flopped at a table flipping through the packet.

Northern Africa.. not too far from the Sahara… She frowned at the maps skeptically. What could the Decepticons want in the middle of the desert anyway? She propped her cheek on her fist as she scooted the pages around on the table with the index finger of her free hand.

"Hello, there."

Her head snapped up at the deep voice and she blinked up at an unfamiliar Autobot moving from his table to the bench closest to the raised human area. It had been arranged so humans and the mechs could sit and talk face to face if they wanted. He was almost all black and she felt a ping of familiarity before she realized that no, he wasn't Ironhide.

"Hi," she replied, seeing her reflection in the blue visor that covered his optics. The only one of them she'd met with a visor was Jazz, but then there was so many of them and more arriving everyday drawn by the summons from Optimus Prime.

"Studyin'?" He asked innocently enough, head tipping slightly to one side as his visor brightened.

"Maps," she answered still wary of his friendliness. She'd learned the hard way her first day that friendly alien didn't necessarily equal good. She still avoided Sideswipe at all costs, especially when he was in the vicinity of his pissy gold twin.

She shifted under the alien's gaze, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. Didn't he have anything better to do? She reached up to push her glasses further up her nose and his head followed the gesture. She felt her face burning. Oh, for Christ's sakes, she wasn't that interesting! She stood up quickly, shuffling her papers together. "I have to go," she mumbled, feeling silly.

He rumbled, still staring and she wondered if she had something on her face. "Nice meetin' you," he replied finally, his alien face unreadable.

The flight out in a modified troop carrier, suited to hauling alien mecha was largely uneventful, the two mechs hunkering down in their alt modes in a corner and going into recharge. The humans strapped in against the walls, making small talk to disguise their nervousness.

Once dropped, the group headed out through the largely bleak and featureless desert heading to where they would make their base camp.

The convoy began to slow, the monstrous GMC Topkick and the Dodge Ram looking curiously out of place beside the two matte colored Humvees. Dust and sand swirled in copper clouds as the vehicles came to a stop, the sun baking down on them. The area they'd chosen was shadowed to the east by a rock outcropping, the land otherwise largely flat and consisting of small dead-looking shrubs and sandy earth. To the north was a field of tall, dry grass that was still under the African sun.

Under the watchful optics of both of the camouflaged trucks, the humans were piling from their own vehicles and moving about to set up their camp and a perimeter.

Satisfied, Ironhide settled down on his shocks with a gruff rumble, engine falling silent. "This is some ugly-aft land," he grumbled aloud to his companion.

"I kind of like it. It's got a kind of wild untamed beauty," Trailbreaker offered as he kept track of his human amid the others. She looked out of place amid the males as she went about securing a tent. As he watched her, he realized he'd seen her before and he revved as he decided she was the map-human.

Ironhide made a noncommittal sound as he sunbathed, rumbling as his armor heated pleasantly. "Sun's baking yer processor," the older mech said as he slipped into a partial recharge so he could rest and still keep a sensor out for trouble.

Trailbreaker sighed, attention turning back to the humans. Map-female was fiddling with some primitive communications gear now, aided by another male. With a fluid shift, he unfolded into his natural form, sitting in the sand. None of the humans took any heed of his movement, but Lennox who glanced over, frowned, and resumed his work.

Emboldened he slipped into the tall grass, pleased that it would come over his head if her crouched and circled around to better observe the humans and more specifically, Map-female. He wanted to know why she'd been so uncommunicative when they'd met. He was pretty sure he hadn't done anything that should have offended her. Besides, he needed a kiss and thanks to this little mission, she was his only choice.

"And I dub thee camp," Epps laughed as he pulled a beer from the small cooler tucked inside their equipment tent and popped the lid off. "Shit, its hot."

"Egypt was hotter," Lennox said as he moved around his friend to help himself to a beer. They wouldn't actually move out to the spot of the activity until morning, so there wasn't much harm in relaxing. Besides, the two Autobots would both know a Decepticon was en route much sooner than they would. Glancing over at Ironhide, he frowned. All he saw was one big-ass black truck… where was the other one? He looked around and about choked on his Miller.

"What the hell is he doing?" Lennox asked, garnering the attention of the rest of the group.

Epps craned his neck, raising an eyebrow at the huge black shape moving in the tall grass. "No frickin' idea."

"Anyone wanna go insult his superior alien intellect and tell him we can all see his shiny ass?" April asked the group at large as the object of their combined attention hunkered down closer to the earth. She raised a hand to shield her eyes as the sun baked the group. She'd known it was going to be hot, they all had. Still, it was hotter than she'd have imagined and she could feel sweat beading on her forehead to drip down her nose and pool between her breasts and in the small of her back as she watched the alien. "Maybe the sun fried him," she finally suggested, earning a snicker from Epps.

"Hey, you wanna beer?" One of the other soldiers jeered, waving a bottle at the not-so-hidden alien truck.

Trailbreaker rose up slightly, managing to look sheepish as a five-year old caught plotting mischief. He knew he wasn't built for stealth, but the fact that he'd blown his cover that quickly was just shaming. He huffed softly through his vents as he moved closer, wondering if it might be time to change tactics. What he needed to do, he decided, was to figure out how to isolate his prey from the rest of the pack. Or was it flock? He wondered as he eyed the humans. "Hey, there," he rumbled, holding up a hand palm out to the gathered humans as they watched him curiously.

"Listening for hoof beats?" Lennox asked as he lounged back against the cooler, nudging Epps with his foot.

The large mech's visor band dimmed for a moment, before brightening. "Yes?" He finally ventured, as the males chuckled in amusement at him. The female only raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're… who again? Man, you guys have some weird-ass names," Epps said. His slim hands delving into one of the pockets on his flak vest to pull out a pair of sunglasses.

"Trailbreaker," he replied, shifting to sit at the outer edge of their little ring. The humans seemed friendly enough, exchanging greetings with him. His prey was named April, he learned. He decided to try and study her up close, since his attempts at surveillance had obviously failed miserably. He quickly learned that staring at her for expanded periods of time set her to fidgeting and eyeing him. He had the feeling that any kind of scans he tried to perform would be met with similar behavior or hostility.

Still, he couldn't help but glance her over. Humans were bipedal like Cybertronians and by a curious twist of Primus' will, they two species were startlingly similar. It would never cease to amaze him, he thought as his optics roamed the female. She was shorter than the males, with the brown mane on top of her head longer than the males and drawn back into a tight cord that hung down her back. A pair of round glasses perched precariously on the end of her nose as she drank with the men, her skin slick with sweat.

When she smiled at something one of the males said, he tipped his head. When she wasn't frowning at him, she was actually… cute. Like a tiny femme, he thought in amusement.

She gasped, stifling an undignified girly yelp as the huge black Dodge Ram loomed behind her, the gleaming grill distorting and reflecting her gaping figure back at her. How the hell had something that damn big snuck up on her? Again! She eyed him, taking silent note of the thick layer of mud and sand grit on him and she wondered if he'd gone to find a mud puddle and rolled in it. It'd rained long and hard the night before, the sideways rain hammering the tents, but all traces of it but what was dried on his armor had been obliterated by the scorching sun. She took a deep breath, feeling her pulse rabbiting. "Can I help you?" She managed, not quite keeping the hostile growl out of her voice. "I have work to do," she added when she didn't get a response.

The big alien truck rumbled, engine revving as it rolled backwards about a foot and lowered itself onto its shocks, obviously not going anywhere. Her eyes narrowed as he fell silent, for all appearance perfectly content.

She turned her back on him, feeling grouchy at him and at herself for letting him bother her. Her breath heaved out of her as the whirring hum and chime of metal on metal sounded behind her and a large shadow fell over her, blocking her light. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, before turning and craning her head back to stare up at him. Over twenty-feet of dirty alien mech peered owlishly down at her.

"You're a little stressed, babe," he noted, head tipping and a low warbling purr escaping him as he crouched and his fingers reached to brush her braid off her shoulders.

She shifted back just out of reach, mildly bemused by his pet name for her. She didn't take it personally, the way of speaking he'd picked up had included the need to give people little affectionate tags was all. "Got a lot to do," she explained, some of her ire draining away.

Trailbreaker let his hand fall back to his side, watching her small frame as she turned back to her work. Mirage had been right when he'd said the hunt was a thrill in of itself, but there was a frustration in it too. He wasn't sure how to approach her and any time he tried to make contact, she skittered away all nerves and fluster. He'd hoped constant exposure would wear her down, but if anything she was becoming more shy of him.

"I don't mean to scare ya," he finally said and he watched her shoulders rise and tense, before relaxing. His head tipped curiously as she sighed.

"I know that," she said with a forced smile. Her palms ran nervously up and down her arms, before she seemed to realize what she was doing and stopped.

"I didn't make the best of impressions," he offered as he sat down, his head canting towards her.

April blinked, momentarily sideswiped as she balked up at him. Talking with him was just so… normal. As if it was normal to sit in the middle of the brush talking about feelings with a giant alien robotic life form, she amended.

"It wasn't you," she admitted with a small sigh. "Once bitten twice shy, you know." She chuckled softly as his head tilted to the other side. "Sideswipe got me. My first day too."

He rumbled at that. "Ratchet said he was back to bein' an unholy terror as soon as his brother arrived," he said smiling hesitantly down at her.

"He convinced me that Ironhide's name was Pit-Fragger," she whisper, eyes glancing to where the older mech was arguing with Lennox and others in heated tones. "I walked right up to him and said, 'Hi, Pit-Fragger.'"

Trailbreaker made a sympathetic sound. "No wonder he's so hostile to ya, I was wonderin' what you did, babe."

"He is scary beyond all reason, you guys know that right?" She leaned forward, eyes crinkling in amusement. It was kind of fun to talk to him, he seemed earnest and happy enough to chat. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend he was just some guy and not a giant alien mech.

He laughed out loud, a booming sound that drew looks from the others and she ducked her head flushing. "Shh!"

"He ain't that scary," Trailbreaker said, smirking lopsidedly as he reached out to pat her shoulder. He was pleased when she only looked surprised, but didn't jerk away. In time, they could be friends, he thought.

She was smiling, despite her attempts to hide from the older mech's glower in their direction. "Yeah, you just say that cause he can't stomp you."

"Hey, stick with me, babe. No one gonna step on ya, cause I got the big guns." The armor panels on one of his forearms pulled back to reveal his cannons as he winked behind his optic band at her.

"Damn… we should blow something up."

He chuckled as his armor shifted back. "My kind of femme," he said grinning shamelessly.

They divided up into two groups to check out the two sites of alleged Decepticon activity. Ironhide, Lennox, Epps, and two other men in one group and Trailbreaker took April and the two remaining humans.

Trailbreaker kept a sensor on the Humvee tailing him as he crossed the sand. He could see why Ironhide had been griping earlier about this place, he decided. The sand and grit picked up in the tread of his wheels was getting everywhere and it was downright uncomfortable. His engine snarled softly as he fought down the urge to transform and try to shake it out of his joints.

The sun was high overhead, baking the simple dirt road under his tires and baking his black metal skin to almost unbearable temperatures. His internal cooling systems were on max to try and keep up. Panting through his vents, he bounced down the road.

On the bright side, the area they were checking out was near a rock face, so with any luck he could hunker down in the shade while the humans took rock and dirt samples to look for Cybertronian energy signatures. And maybe, just maybe, he could find some water to wash the grime off in. What he wouldn't give for a hot oil bath…

He was pulled from his reverie by the sudden loud shriek of an aircraft passing by far too low and far too fast. He slammed on his brakes, transforming as the disguised Decepticon opened fire on the Humvee, the explosion blowing it tumbling.

The whole world went spinning in a nightmare kaleidoscope of noise and fragmented images. She was thrown and tossed like a ragdoll against her safety belt, her head rolling even as the Humvee somersaulted. Sky. Ground. Blood. Sky.

Someone was screaming and she thought it might just be her. Her breath left her lungs as the Humvee landed heavily on its side, wobbling there, before tipping upside down and finally coming to a rest with the sound of metal giving way and glass crunching.

Her head lolled as her overwhelmed mind struggled to calm. Her head turned slightly, the tiny movement painful and she realized with a sinking feeling that no one else was moving.

She made herself look in the back and wished she hadn't. The initial explosion had hit the rear right side and partially melted the that part of the Humvee, the man, Michaels she recalled, that had been sitting back there had been cooked alive.

Her stomach lurched, fighting the urge to retch as she turned her attention to the driver, Caruthers. He still wasn't moving and he wasn't going to move, she thought as she examined the angle his neck was bent at. She reached weakly for the release on her seat belt, dark wet blood, seeping into her line of sight as her head ached.

She grunted as the seatbelt came loose, bracing her feet and an arm against whatever she could reach to keep from falling on her face on the roof. A small pained moan bubbled from her lips as she tasted the coppery tang of blood and carefully shifted herself down free. The windshield had cracked and she had to shoot it twice and kick it once hard to break the safety glass out so she could crawl out. Her side ached as she looked around disoriented.

She screamed as something exploded overhead and a heavy shape slammed into the ground hard enough to throw her on her ass. She hissed through her teeth as the shape thrashed in a disjointed mess, before straightening into the form of a Decepticon Seeker. Her heart clenched as she recognized the angular demonic shape from mission briefings.

It hissed out a shrill stream of what sounded like profanity to her as she held still with her heart thumping. Its back was luckily to her, its attention wholly focused on the seething black form of- Trailbreaker?

She blinked incredulously as his lips peeled back from his dental plating in a feral snarl. He lunged with surprising speed for a being of his size and slammed into the Seeker. The two snarling and roaring in rage as they struggled. She forced herself onto all fours, head spinning as she looked around.

Her gun… Her gun… where the hell was it? She scrambled, rolling on all fours in a panic as she looked for her dropped rifle, spotting it about three feet away. She heard the shrill scream of the Deception's engines as he came swooping back around, sand exploding up in a tidal wave coming towards her as he opened fire.

She dove for her weapon, cursing as a black shape barreled at her from the corner of her eye.

"Down!"

Fingers scrabbling for her gun, she managed a startled curse as Trailbreaker's massive form lunged and all-but fell on her. The wind was knocked from her lungs as she landed on her face, coughing and spitting her hair out of her mouth as small rocks and brush cut into her hands and knees. The mech crouched on all fours over her, vicious obscenities spilling from him in a steady stream.

Dirt blossomed up around them as the seeker strafed them with fire, the blasts pinging against the Autobot's armor as he shielded her. "Fraggin' Pit," he hissed as she looked up in shock. His face was inches from hers and tipped up slightly. She could see his optics behind his visor band as they focused and narrowed in on the Seeker. The high noon sun made every complex plate and seam on his face stand out and gleamed on the thick cables in his neck.

He twisted in a graceful arch that was far too quick for a being of his size, one arm outstretched and cannon whirring as that arm reformatted itself into the biggest damn gun she'd ever seen. The boom as he returned fire deafened her as she turned her face into his chest, the metal warm and humming under her fingers.

"Get to cover," he snarled and she felt his fingers gently give her an encouraging push.

She had a disorienting moment to wander what cover, before she spotted the rock outcropping and made a mad dash for it. Behind her, the two Cybertronians clashed. She felt cowardly hiding in the shadows while they fought and her fingers tightened on her rifle.

It was heavy and sun-warm in her hands and most importantly, loaded with high-yield flash burn sabot rounds. While she couldn't do more than superficial damage to Cybertronian armor with it, she could utterly piss the Seeker off.

I'm gonna die… I'm gonna die… She braced the rifle on a rock, stretching out behind it and tucking the butt of the gun up against her shoulder, knowing the recoil was going to hurt like a bitch.

The Seeker managed to get a hold on Trailbreaker, bracing one of its clawed feet in his chest and kicking him off of him. As the Autobot slammed into the ground and skidded a yard on his back, the Seeker stalked him, optics narrowed.

"You shouldn't have come here," the Decepticon growled, claws long enough to disembowel a mech flexing.

"I wouldn't have to be here if you weren't here," Trailbreaker grunted, struggling to get up. His armor was battered and dented and he could feel the cool drip of Energon trickling between his armor plates from somewhere. He quietly activated his force-field, fully intending to try and fry the Seeker when he got close enough.

Skywarp smiled revealing his sharp dental plates. "Oh well." The Seeker suddenly stopped, irritation flickering over his pinched features as he slapped at his leg, his lips peeling back in a snarl. "One of your little human bugs survived…" His head turned, only to jerk to the side as he took a hit to the helm. "Pit-spawned filth!"

Trailbreaker growled as the Seeker turned his back on him to look for April. He grunted as he came to his feet and used the distraction to charge the Seeker. Skywarp snarled as the two went tumbling with the Autobot's cannon humming to full power.

The look that crossed the Seeker's faceplates would have been hilarious in a different situation. Skywarp shrieked as he blasted him in the chest, sharp red-hot bits of armor shrapnel slicing into Trailbreaker's own hide as the Seeker shoved him away, systems sputtering.

It wasn't a death-blow, but it had been close and he could see the panic in the Seeker's jewel-red optics, before it turned tail and fled. Trailbreaker sat down heavily, panting. He watched as April came running from her haven, his long braid flying as she came to him. His head bowed slightly as he assessed the damage, relieved that most of it his own systems could repair.

He switched on his internal comm. to contact Ironhide and relay what had happened. He'd just finished when he felt April laid her hand on his leg. He glanced down into her worried eyes and marshaled a smile.

"We need to move," Trailbreaker said softly, watching her stare at the Humvee. "I radioed Ironhide… they want us to meet up with them." He moved slowly down the hill, systems whining and snarling softly. "Fraggit," he groaned sorely as he shuddered. He was covered in dirt and Energon, the fluid making a sticky mess in his internals that would congeal and be Pit to remove.

Feeling like a puppy, only reaching about as high as his ankles, she trailed after him as he headed for the river. "Wait, they're the other way," she protested tiredly, wondering if his processor had been damaged and besides that, she didn't want to be anywhere near that river. She could see the sunbathing forms of alligators lounging in and around the water.

"I'm sore and I've got shit in places it shouldn't be," he growled, sounding annoyed. "I'm washing it off."

She blinked. "Won't you rust? Wait- don't we need to hurry back to the others?" She demanded, earning only a little huff from the mech.

"I ain't gonna rust," he groused as he proceeded to stomp into the river.

She went rigid as the alligators bolted away from the much larger shape. "We don't have time for this!" She yelled as he ignored her to wade deeper into the river. Her shoulders rose and then fell in exasperation as she realized she would just have to wait until after he had his bath.

"You sure you won't rust?" She asked from her position on the bank, her eyes scanning continuously to make sure the fleeing alligators weren't heading her way. The lizards hadn't been all that happy about the huge mech invading their river and most of them had gathered on the far bank, jaws gaping as they hissed.

The big mech glanced over a shoulder, managing to look bemused as he waded into the river and his whole massive frame shuddered with a sigh.

"Nah, no rust," he purred, sinking into deeper water up to his neck and crooning to himself in relief as the fast-moving water cleaned the grime off his armor. "Care to join me?" He asked lazily, rolling his head on his shoulders.

She laughed, smiling despite herself as she finally let her guard down. It was impossible to be on edge around him, especially when it was abundantly clear that he wasn't bothered by her and he'd saved her ass already. "I'm not going in there."

His optic band dimmed and flickered as he laughed gruffly. "I done scared the lizards off," he teased and she felt her face unexpectedly heat.

"I'll get washed off," she muttered sheepishly as he only laughed harder. She eyed the rushing water.

"You think I'd let you get washed away? Trust me," he said, shifting to stretch out an arm, his huge fingers half-curled and beckoning.

She stared at him, feeling suddenly self-conscious in her dirty, stained camo. She wouldn't mind a bath though, she decided with a little unconscious squirm at the sand that had gotten into everything. She had sand in places sand had no damn reason being.

"You better not let me drown," she grumbled, shrugging out of her flak vest and tugging her shirt off over her head. She paused holding her shirt as she realized he was staring and her face flamed. Oh, hell. He wasn't even human and she was getting embarrassed. She huffed, debating taking off her pants or not. Cussing herself, she kicked off her shoes and stripped down to her underwear and glared challengingly up at him. He was an alien, she chided herself. He probably wouldn't give a damn if she stripped naked and ran around screaming and flailing.

The mech only rumbled and trilled softly, fingers crooking in invitation. "I won't bite," he soothed, his staring far too intense for her liking. Swallowing her pride, she climbed into his outstretched hand, hissing softly as the startlingly warm water rushed up to meet her.

She found herself wrapping her arms around one of his fingers as the current tried to dislodge her. It was like someone physically shoving her and she shot him a wary look as he shifted her closer to his chest, his thumb splayed against her back between her shoulder blades. She took a slow breath, trying to calm down as the warm water soothed her aches. Trusting him with her safety was easier than she would have imagined possible as he purred above her, the rough sound deep and lulling.

"That a girl," he muttered and she couldn't even muster the strength to be indignant as a finger passed lightly over her somewhere between a pet and a caress.

"You keep that up and I'm shoving a rock up your tailpipe," she huffed gruffly and the big mech rumbled laughing at her. She scowled and leaned back against his fingers, enjoying the impromptu bath despite herself. The water was very warm and soothing to her tired muscles and she could almost forget that she'd nearly died. Almost.

Trailbreaker rumbled, glancing down at April as she tensed back up. Such a brave little thing, he thought. He'd told her to hide and she'd tried to help him instead. Brave and loyal, he decided remember the tears she'd wiped away thinking he wasn't looking.

With a small sigh, he headed back towards the bank with her cradled to his chest. He felt her small hands grip his fingers as she looked around warily.

"Thanks for the assist back there," he said as he stepped out of the water, his armor warming a little.

"You saved my ass first," she reminded him as she craned her head back to look at him.

"You could have run, though. I would have understood."

"I couldn't have," she said, sighing heavily. "I did want to run, but I couldn't just leave you."

He rumbled wonderingly and ran a fingertip down her back, watching her stiffen and look up at him. "You're a brave heart," he said quietly, watching her flush.

"No, I'm not."

He stared at her mouth, feeling his systems heat up as she blinked at him expectantly. Her lips were just parted, her soft startled exhalation warm on his face as he tugged her up against his armor, feeling her soft body almost mold itself to him as she sprawled on his chest. This was what he had wanted-a kiss, but something had perceptibly shifted between them. Something new and fledgling forming between trust and friendship, alien and curious.

He was suddenly even more nervous as he splayed his fingers against her back to steady her, unconsciously marveling at her warm soft skin. She was so damn small against him as leaned his face towards hers cautiously.

She jerked back startled and he rumbled reprimandingly as he leaned forward again. His lips brushing gently over hers, testing. His metal skin was warm and oddly malleable. When she didn't immediately try to pull away again, he leaned closer his frame warm where it touched her and humming with barely controlled power. As strange as the sensation was, it was also oddly comforting even if she didn't know what to make of her guardian's behavior.

Even if deep down she did know what to make of it, but the idea was still too raw to really bode thinking closely on. She almost reached for him as he pulled back, systems revving excitedly as he huffed trying to cool himself down.

"Did I do it right?" He ventured worriedly when she didn't move. He watched her throat as she swallowed, noting her elevated pulse and breathing and more importantly, the chemical trigger of her pheromones. Mirage had said kissing was to show a willingness to mate and she was showing signs of arousal, but she wasn't moving at all and her face was flushed.

Her mouth opened and she stuttered softly, flustered and hesitant as he moved to give her some space. She could only gape wonderingly at Trailbreaker- where had that kiss come from? Her fingers went shakily to her lips as he rumbled and watched her in silence.

She was silent, too stunned to speak as he carefully set her down, his fingers lingering on her shoulder. She tugged her camo back on in a fluster as he fell forward into his alt mode and the big truck nosed up against her hip as she pulled on her flak vest. She jumped slightly as his passenger side door opened invitingly and she took a deep breath before climbing inside.

She couldn't help but feel that something big had changed.

"And you got your kiss?"

Trailbreaker lifted one shoulder slightly. "I kissed her."

"I see… then you won our wager," Mirage's voice grew thoughtful.

April froze as a feeling of betrayal lanced through her. She pressed her back to the wall as anger built and she took off back down the hall, her face burning. Everything he'd said and did had been to win a stupid bet?

Trailbreaker spread his hands slightly, looking at Mirage. "I wanted to… thank you."

The spy blinked his optics slowly. "For?" He prompted watching the big mech shift.

"I wouldn't have ever spoke to her if not for our bet," he said softly, as he toyed with a cube of Energon. "I… think I love her."

Mirage sniffed slightly, his expression incredulous. "Love?"

Trailbreaker laughed softly, smiling. "Yeah, I do. I love her."

"But she's… human," Mirage said with a frown. "You can't love a human… Yes, they are rather cute and all, but as pets maybe. Not… peers."

The black Autobot huffed and shook his head. "Sometimes it doesn't matter."

Mirage shook his head, unable or unwilling to understand as the other mech stood up. "I'm going to tell her.. I need to."

Mirage's mouth opened and then closed. As Trailbreaker walked off, he found himself following out of a morbid sort of curiosity. Trailbreaker had obviously lost his mind.

He found her in the rec room sitting alone in a corner. He felt a giddy sort of elation bubbling away in his processor as he crouched down to look into the human area. "April?"

Her eyes narrowed to his surprise and she didn't say a word, only stared. "I wanted to talk to you," he tried as he shifted closer. Her hands were white-knuckled on the table. "About that kiss?"

"It obviously didn't mean anything to you!" She snapped suddenly as she shoved away from the table. Her face flushed with shame and anger. "You used me to win a bet!"

The much larger Autobot cringed back, startled by her rage and frustration. "It wasn't like that," he tried and she pointed furiously up at him, betrayal on her face.

"It was exactly like that! You used me!" She seethed, angry tears pricking her eyes.

A low growling moan escaped him as he shook his head. "Maybe at first, but I meant it when I kissed you. I did it cause I wanted to," the words came out in a gruff rush, his armor bristling slightly.

"I don't want to talk about this," she said suddenly, taking a step back and then another. She looked lost and hurt as she glanced disgustedly up at him. "I don't want to talk to you."

Trailbreaker stared as it felt like the ground had shifted underneath him. "April.." He growled reaching for her but she shrugged out from under his hand still retreating.

"Just… leave me alone," she said, her voice tiny and lost.

He let his hand fall away as she all-but fled him. It felt like his very spark was ripping apart. Leave me alone… Her words hurt and it hurt even more to realize he'd hurt her first.

He heard a soft rumble behind him, but couldn't make himself turn to look as Mirage slowly approached. "Was that my fault?" For the first time, the spy sounded uncertain and worried.

Trailbreaker's spark seized painfully in its chamber as his head bowed forward. "It was my fault," he said softly, staring at his big hands.

"I'll get Wheeljack and Perceptor to help me… with the energy consumption," Mirage offered, feeling self-loathing well up inside him. The big mech looked dazed as he stared at nothing in particular.

"It doesn't matter," the black truck whispered, voice empty.

Mirage hated himself as the other turned away and walked off, shoulders slumped. This was his fault. For the first time in his long existence, he was disgusted with himself. He no longer felt quite so superior to the other Autobots. He felt like scum.

He had to fix this.

The lab often reflected the mood of its inhabitants and since those inhabitants were Wheeljack and Perceptor, it was in a state of organized chaos. One side, obviously claimed by the eccentric engineer had a sealed off blast-proof experimental chamber tucked into a corner. Half-completed experiments lay in various states on every available surface, several datapads were piled haphazardly on the floor by what once had been a desk, but was currently being devoured by a mountain of parts and chemical beakers. A rainbow of oil gleamed seeping out from under the desk, blending in fairly well with the bright splatters of Energon on the floor.

The other side of the room was the polar opposite, organized with an anal-retentive zeal. Little labels attached to the walls and shelves declaring what every item was. Here, the finished machines gleamed cheerfully and everything was rabidly well taken care of.

Mirage stepped further into the lab, warily looking around and hissing as Wheeljack and Perceptor stepped out of a back office arguing.

"I'm not saying it won't explode, but it might not explode," Wheeljack growled, holding a beaker of something high over his head and far out of Perceptor's reach.

The smaller scientist was visibly seething. "I keep telling you that not only will it combust, but it will be substantial! I just cleaned my equipment back up!"

Wheeljack paused, seeing Mirage and rumbled curiously. "Need something?" He shifted the beaker to his other side as Perceptor snatched at it.

"Yes," Mirage said. "I need a way to make a mech human sized."

Wheeljack blinked slowly, vocal indicators winking blue as he looked from Perceptor to Mirage. He set the beaker down and the scientist instantly snatched it up, shooting the bigger mech a mistrustful look. "You want what?"

Mirage gestured faintly at Perceptor. "I know he can do it. He uses mass displacement to shift the size of components to facilitate the ease of working on them."

"Yes," Perceptor agreed, slightly baffled and more than a little wary of the sudden shift in the spy. "But for simple components. The risks of using it to modify the size of a mech would be too dangerous." He glanced at the engineer for support, but Wheeljack looked thoughtful and Perceptor fought back a groan.

"It could be done, I suppose," the engineer mused, tapping a finger against his battle mask.

"I would be indebted to you both," the spy offered softly as the two other exchanged a look.

"I'll do it," Wheeljack said finally as Perceptor groaned. "It might have defensive functions in some use."

Stifling a scream, she backed away instinctively to put the low counter between them as she gaped at him. He was about seven or eight feet tall now, still towering over her, but oddly human sized. How? She gaped as he moved slowly stalking her around the counter and she found herself backing up slowly.

"It's mass displacement," he said suddenly, voice low and preoccupied as he followed her unconscious retreat. "I agreed to test it for Wheeljack and Perceptor."

"Wow," she managed mentally chiding herself as her hip bumped into a chair and she was forced to a stop.

He kept approaching though, his steps slow and cautious like she was a wild horse that might spook at too sudden a move. She swallowed and could feel her heart in her throat. "C'mere, babe." The words came out a feral growl that sent every feminine inch of her body snapping to attention. He wasn't even human, but his voice was all male and he acted all male- it was suddenly overwhelming her.

He rumbled darkly as she didn't move and deliberately closed the distance between them with a languid motion. Her head craned back to stare at him, seeing herself reflected in the blue glow of his optic band. He was so close she could feel the heat coming off him and hear the subtle hum of his internal systems. She realized dimly that he'd waxed his armor, the usually fairly dirty metal gleamed black as oil in the low lights.

"Trailbreaker," she said, voice faltering as she didn't know what to say. Her mind was racing with thoughts as to what he wanted. Was he still mad? Had he changed size just to yell at her?

She stilled as his hand moved, large fingers moving to gingerly touch some of the wild strands of hair loosed from her braid. She didn't dare move as his fingers almost reverently coiled several strands around a finger and he leaned his face close. She quivered as his vents huffed and scented with a sigh, face so near hers.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered softly and her eyes closed with a shiver at how husky his voice was.

She could smell him, she realized belatedly. Not the pungent reek of oil or the sharp bite of metal like she would have imagined, but an earthier spicy scent that she couldn't place. She was resisting the urge to take a deeper breath when his head turned and his mouth covered hers.

This time she wasn't taken as much by surprise, but the suddenness of his lips on hers sent an electric shiver up her spine. One of his large hands carefully cupped the side of her face as his warm mouth moved slowly over hers. His dental plates nipping curiously at her bottom lip and the feel of his glossa swiping over the not-quite bite marks as though to soothe them sent a thrill through her.

Shuddering, she felt dazed as he pulled back a few inches to nose her jaw. "I'm not human," he mumbled, the words almost apologetic as his other hand moved to her shoulder, a warm weight. There were hidden depths to his words and a silent question that she wasn't sure of the answer to just yet.

"I know," she said slowly. Hesitant and fleeting, she touched his cheek before her courage could run out.

He was like a big alien puppy, she thought bemusedly as Trailbreaker followed her around. When he wasn't on shift, the big mech trailed along behind her in his smaller human-size. He wouldn't bother her when other humans or mechs were around and she was distinctly grateful for that. She wasn't sure how any of them would react to their unusual friendship.

His behavior wasn't too different from the way Bumblebee fussed over Sam though, she thought. The smaller yellow mech was constantly touching and rumbling at his two charges in what could only be classified as possessiveness, but then again Bee didn't kiss either of them. It had calmed her nerves somewhat though to realize it was a cultural thing. The mechs had no qualms whatsoever about touching others to show affection. She'd even seen Ironhide pat Lennox on the head once to the soldier's mortification; and she'd seen Ratchet worrying over Mikaela as well.

She'd decided that they just lacked any kind of concept of personal space whatsoever and the idea made her less wary and more tolerant of Trailbreaker's possessive behavior. Even though he toed the line at times.

Such as when he'd let himself into her quarters even though the door had been locked and had been sitting on her berth in his smaller size waiting for her when she'd come out of her bathroom. He'd been utterly unapologetic in the face of her flustered protests and had set her down in front of him and insisted on brushing her hair out for her.

She shook her head slightly, remembering how gentle his large hands could be.

April squeaked sleepily, stifling a giggle as she tried to start the movie with the remote. It would have been a lot easier if someone wasn't… helping.

Trailbreaker's warm mouth brushed the delicate arch of her neck, his dental plating teasing the soft flesh as his glossa trailed to the hollow of her throat. She sighed softly as he suckled lightly at her skin with a deep rumbling purr. He shifted, pushing her further into the couch with his head, huffing as she giggled.

He was almost sprawled on top of her now and she ran her hands lightly over his helm knowing it pleased him to be touched. The big overly affectionate mech groaned softly and huffed at her shirt, vents blowing warm air down her collar.

"I thought you wanted to watch a movie," she chided lightly, bemused as his attention shifted to her breasts, nuzzling through her clothes.

Trailbreaker nuzzled firmly against her, scenting and taking a secret delight in rubbing off his scent and traces of his particular energy signature on her. He was glad her sense of smell was too weak to pick up his scent on her, because he was sure she would be mad if she knew that was what he was doing. It was a pity though that humans couldn't sense a Cybertronians energy field, though all the Autobots on base would be well aware of his claim on her. His interface was uncomfortable behind his restrictive codpiece, but he shifted and grumbled and tried to ignore it.

She rubbed idly at one of his vents, watching his head tilt like a puppy getting his ear scratched. "The Pit with the movie," he growled, the raw vibration of his voice going straight through her. Little touches, kisses, and strokes had broken down over the week into his affectionate need to rub up against her. At first, she'd been more than a little wary, but when he'd done nothing else she'd reluctantly let him be. Whenever she started tensing up, he'd immediately stop but she couldn't help but wonder how far it could go.

It wasn't like he was human, she thought as he butted lightly against her middle with an unhappy rumble as her attention trailed off. "Puppy," she sighed teasingly as she ran her hands over his helm. He hummed at the nickname, not really minding what she called him as long as she would touch him.

"I'm going to get a shower," she said finally, pushing at his head until he reluctantly let her up. "You staying?"

He huffed loudly, resting his chin on the arm of the couch and looking so much like a big, lazy puppy she had to smile. "Yeah," he grumbled, eyeing her and rolling onto his back with a whir of hidden mechanisms. He stared at the ceiling, wiggling uncomfortably and then eyed the bathroom door, wondering if he dared to push his luck and follow her.

After a moment's deliberation, a smirk worked its way onto his lips. To Pit with it, she could throw something at him if she didn't like it. He rolled to his feet and padded over quietly, trying the door and delighting as he realized she hadn't locked it. Optic band flickering with mischief and arousal, he stripped off his outer armor and invited himself into the bathroom.

He pulled back the curtain, smiling shamelessly as she turned and yelped. "Trailbreaker!"

"The armor comes off?" She warbled, eyes widening slightly as he stepped into the stall, his frame shuddering under the hot water. She backed up, hands moving to furtively cover herself as she tried to figure out how to get to one of the towels past him.

Her thoughts skidded to a halt as he turned towards her, a choked squeak escaping her lips. Her eyes roved over his newly exposed musculature, marveling dimly at how the armor plates fit together so much like human muscle work. Their anatomy was so much like a humans' it was shocking she thought as her eyes drifted lower and she froze. Oh dear God. He had a penis and he was hung like a horse. Why the hell did they even need one of those? She thought as she twisted away, face flaming scarlet.

"Down to my protoarmor," he answered, seeming oblivious to her sudden fascination with her own feet. "Grit gets down under the main armor an' its Pit to get out," he added as he stepped close, craning his face into the shower's stream. A pleased purr escaped his lips as his optic band dimmed.

"Er…" She eyed his bulk, wondering if she could get around him. She lunged for safety as he turned and she bounced into his broad chest. He blinked down at her behind his optic band, his lips quirking slightly in amusement.

"Careful, babe," he rumbled good-naturedly.

April held stock still, mostly because a certain bit of his anatomy was showing its appreciation of the contact and was saying hello to her stomach. I will not look down… I will not look down… I will not- dammit! She gaped.

Mech-penis!

Trailbreaker's lips pursed in amusement as April turned several interesting shades of red and froze as if afraid he'd bite her head off. His optics roved lazily over her tense form, wondering not for the first time why she was so fussy about keeping so much of her skin concealed. Her sun-browned skin was turning pink under the hot water and the water beading and running in rivulets down her skin was deliciously tempting as High-grade to him. He huffed and shuddered as he picked up the heady scent of her arousal.

Looking at her, the memory of the taste and feel of her lips came unbidden to his processor followed by the sneaky urge to taste the water on her skin. Glancing at her shocked expression and rigid stance he guessed he only had minutes before she snapped out of it and took off in an indignant and mortified huff. He never would understand humans and their modesty, he thought.

She could almost see the gears turning in that metal-head of his as he stared unapologetically at her. She gasped sharply as he shifted, corralling her into a corner and leaning to block her escape. One large hand splayed almost carelessly against the shower wall to effectively cage her.

"Just what-" She stuttered, stammering into silence as he ducked his head and huffed against her bare shoulder. She could feel the hot air as droplets of water flared from his vents. His lips when they touched her collar bone were gentle, his glossa tasting her skin as a sighing rumble escaped him.

"Trust me," he muttered as his free hand moved to span her hip, almost reaching all the way around her waist. Need welled up inside him, startling in its intensity. He shifted slightly to half-crouch, half-kneel and his surprisingly soft mouth ghosted over her breasts as her nipple grew taut.

A soft moan escaped her at the barely-there contact and he backtracked, lips caressing the swell of one breast. It felt so good as she arched unconsciously asking for relief as she started to burn, her body craving his heat and refusing to acknowledge that he wasn't human. "Trailbreaker… Breaker," she sighed, hands shifting to caress his helm as his mouth closed over one breast, glossa swirling against her aching nipple as he suckled. "Please…"

A low rumbling growl answered her as his large, powerful hands slid up her thighs and over her hips uncertainly. He groaned, feeling his interface ache and throb, demanding attention. He wanted to go slow, though and explore her before he claimed her. A suppressed feral part of him snarled triumphantly at the thought, her soft mewling moans and stroking hands fueling his nerve.

"I won't hurt you," he snarled against one breast as his attention shifted hungrily to the other. His questing fingers, sliding up her inner thigh and earning a little gasp as he found her core. His thumb slid over the wet lips of her sex, before he pressed a fingertip into her slick heat. He shuddered fighting back his release as she cried out softly and ground against his finger. "Easy," he purred, more to himself than her as her nails bit into the seams of his protoarmor.

That one finger felt huge inside her as he pressed it deeper, but at the same time it wasn't enough. She felt like she burning alive, all heat and need. "Yes," she hissed sharply as his thumb stroked over her clit and rubbed eagerly at the spot at her moan. She writhed in frustration against his hand, wanting and demanding more. Her seeking mouth latching onto the thick cables of his throat earning a low whimper from him. "More," she pleaded, teeth grazing his armor as she wiggled slightly to emphasize what she wanted.

A squealing moan escaped her lips as his hand pulled away to suddenly leave her bereft and her fingers latched onto his wrist as he growled. "Need you," he groaned quietly as he mouthed her neck, hands shifting to her hips and lifting her.

Her eyes snapped open as she felt the swollen head of his cock rub against her core. Her hands scrambled and found purchase on his shoulders as she took a shuddery breath, almost coming down from her high. He was huffing loudly, drinking in the scent of her arousal as his own sharply male scent mixed with it to fill the stall.

She felt him start to stretch her and gasped at the sensation as his thick length slid home to fill her. He was bigger than she'd thought and she panted, arching her back slightly as his lips ghosted over her cheek and neck with worried sounds. She hooked her legs over his hips, feeling him shift inside her and it felt so right.

"Take me," she whimpered, pressing a soft kiss to his chest as his whole frame shuddered. His hips rocked against hers and all thought left her. He was massive inside her, but it felt better than she would have believed possible. Eyes half-shuttered, she held onto him as he started working into her with slow deep strokes that nudged her core. "Oh, God…"

Trailbreaker snarled as her fingers clenched into sensitive wiring and carefully pressed her back against the wall and started moving against her faster, burying his face against her soft throat as her tight body trembled and quivered under his. He rolled his hips frantically, pumping into her as he fought his own climax, determined to bring her over the edge with him. Feral snarls poured from his lips as he bucked into his mate.

April squealed as he picked up his pace, their bodies connecting with wet slaps and she writhed against him. She could feel the heat building inside her maddeningly as her nails scoured his armor and she whimpered in protest. "Oh, God… Breaker… please…" The words fell from her lips like a chant as he pushed her further, her entire body drawn taut as a rubber band, before she tossed her head back with a scream as she came.

Roaring, it was all Trailbreaker could do keep from being overwhelmed as her muscles tightened suddenly on him, milking him release. His dental plating gripped her shoulder carefully as she keened. He clutched his mate to him, burying himself deep as his large frame shuddered with his own climax.

She came down from her high slowly as awareness filtered back in through her haze of bliss. The fact that the shower was running out of hot water certainly helped, she thought dazedly as she wiggled. Trailbreaker was purring shakily, his big frame curved forward almost wrapped around her.

"Breaker?" She mumbled, feeling him nuzzle his face firmly into the crook of her neck with a very satisfied sound. "Cold," she complained softly, smiling faintly as he huffed and fumbled behind them for the faucet controls.

He set her down slowly, large hands steadying her as she stumbled slightly. She slipped out of the stall, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself as she tried to think of what to say to him.

He followed her out, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips that made her snort. "Don't look so damn smug," she grumbled as her own face flushed red.

He chuckled as she snatched another towel and started drying her hair. "Ya liked it just fine," he crooned as he moved around her to take the towel away and help her. "I made you scream."

Face burning she eyed him. "You about squished me up against the shower stall," she lied, snickering as his smug confidence faltered.

"Ya didn't tell me to stop," he huffed.

She glanced at the low counter where the sink was. "Okay, you were good," she admitted wondering if her face was going to stay that color.

He took that as permission and an invitation and his arms looped around her, dragging her back into his bulk. "And you're delicious," he purred, dental plates nipping at her earlobe as she squirmed.

She gave a soft squeak, feeling him stirring to life again. "Again?" She asked, surprised.

"Not human," he chided teasingly as he ground against her bottom.

"Mmm," she moaned as his hands found her breasts, kneading gently. "That may not be a bad thing."

His mouth trailed lightly down along her jaw as he purred and his hips rubbed his thick length insistently against her backside. His armor was heating up against her back as if the unsteady panting coming from his vents wasn't a dead give away that he was hot and bothered. "Again?" He asked, sounding so hopeful she laughed.

"You're a horndog!"

"I ain't… what's a horndog?" He growled hesitantly as his thumbs brushed over her nipples, making her breasts swell and ache. She laid her head back against his chest, a soft breathy moan escaping her. He was still grinding insidiously against her and she pressed back against him, earning a growl.

She was still sore from the first time, but at the same time she was eager for more. For someone so big, he was endearingly gentle and careful with her, mindful of his strength. His constant purring as he pressed up against her back certainly wasn't helping, the vibrations were making her slick.

She tightened her grip on her towel as he tried to tug it away. "Bed," she panted, finally letting him have the towel and he followed her as she backed toward the bed, his rumbling turning predatory. She scooted up onto the bed, letting her thighs fall open in invitation as she blushed at her own boldness.

Trailbreaker gave a soft huffing purr and moved to cover her, mindful of his weight. She ran her hands over his back, dipping her nails into the seams because he seemed to like it. His head turned and his mouth caught her, glossa sliding against her lips in silent question. Her lips parted for him as their tongues twined, his rough hands running up her sides, before retreating to find her wet core.

She gasped into his mouth as he rubbed his thumb against her clit with a possessive growl. His mouth left hers, trailing along her jaw and down her throat, leaving her skin molten. To her disappointment, he ignored her breasts, nosing down her stomach and flicking his glossa against her bellybutton to make her squeak. He purred as he nuzzled against one of her thighs, before lowering his head to tentatively taste her.

She squealed, arching and clutching at his helm as he snarled and his hands gripped her hips as she tried to writhe away. He gave a contented purr as he lapped at her, before smirking up at her dazed expression.

"Breaker," she moaned, pleading and he shifted back over her, pressing his mouth against his shoulder in a soft kiss as the head of his interface rubbed against her.

"You want me?" He asked teasingly, voice harsh with need.

"Breaker!" She hissed in protest, before crying out as he sheathed himself deep with a crooning growl. Her head rolled back against the pillows as he filled and stretched her.

"Pit," he groaned, dental plates gently biting into her shoulder, before he began thrusting into her. He took his time, his thrust slow and deep as he savored their joining.

April moaned, clutching him to her as she pressed kisses against his neck and chest as he moved over her. She was in heaven, his hips rocking steadily against hers. She could feel her already oversensitive body winding up again and she could only hang on as he drove her to her release, roaring.

She slumped as he pulled out, her chest heaving and her hair tangled around his limbs. "Oh God," she panted, feeling his lips brush her brow, before he slumped beside her.

A small crooning warble escaped him as he nosed her cheek, curving his massive frame closer around her. More trilling Cybertronian spilled from his lips as the huge mech cuddled up to her. She tiredly stroked his face with her fingertips, smiling as he lipped at her palm.

"I have no idea what you're saying," April said as he purred even louder. The vibrations coming off him were oddly soothing, lulling her to want to sleep and sleep was far more attractive at the moment than actually thinking about what they'd just done.

Rumbling lazily, his arms went around his mate as he rolled, gathering her to lie on his chest as he stretched out. His fingers gently smoothed her wet hair as she yawned at him, snuggling against him. "You're so beautiful. I love you," he crooned to her in Cybertronian as she huffed at him uncomprehendingly. "My darling little mate. You're a gift from Primus himself. You have so much fire..."

Her cheek pressed against his chest, listening sleepily as he mumbled nonsense sounds at her. He was warm under her, humming to himself as one hand stroked down her back in a caress.

She glanced up at his face as his visor dimmed and wondered idly if he was sleeping-recharging or whatever his kind did. She sat up on his chest, waiting for a response and smiled when he only continued to softly rumble under her.

The chance to really examine his form without the outer armor-his protoform he'd called it- was too tempting. Like his armor, it consisted to individual plates meshing together to act like muscle and sinew in a fascinatingly complex system. Thick cords made up the muscles of his neck and it seemed she could see more of the same under the muscle-like skin of his protoarmor. Like blood vessels, she wondered as she traced a seam with a fingertip and his rumbling changed pitch to deepen.

She twisted to follow the strong lines of his body down his chest to his stomach and then lower, blushing slightly. It looked vaguely like a human cock which still baffled her as she examined it. She shot another glance at his face to make sure he was still out, before she gingerly touched it. She could feel her face flaming as she noticed that while it was some sort of metal polymer like the rest of him, it was also softer and more malleable.

Almost as long as her forearm, the head was larger than the shaft and the entire length was ridged. She ran her fingers along his length and almost squeaked as his cock went erect again. She bit her bottom lip as her eyes flickered back to his face. He hadn't moved or made a sound though.

She stroked him, feeling oddly dirty for it and blushing down to her neck. He snorted through his vents, stirring and muttering sleepily at her. She glanced up at his strong face as his optic band brightened as he slowly came back online. "Mine," he huffed semi-coherently and she smiled.

"No, mine," she said as he rumbled belligerently up at her. She shifted to straddle his stomach, wiggling as his fingertips ghosted up her sides.

"That so?" He asked as his lips quirked into his lopsided grin.

She nodded tiredly and he smiled as he reached to brush her hair from her eyes. "Rest," he rumbled amusedly. Her arms wobbled slightly as she tried to stay upright.

"I'm not tired," she protested, sighing as he easily plucked her off of him and curled back around her, spooning.

"Rest."

Trailbreaker came back on slowly, his frame relaxed. He smiled as he laid a possessive hand on his mate's hip, watching her even breathing. He shifted slightly, optics roaming over her as she slept. She mumbled sleepily, snuggling deeper into the blankets, lips parted and he felt arousal jolt through him.

He kissed her throat softly, rumbling and she swatted sleepily at him. "Five more minutes."

He chuckled to himself as she rolled onto her stomach. "April," he wheedled, nipping down her hip. She squeaked, eyes opening to shoot him a bleary glare.

"Did you just bite my ass?" She growled incredulously as he snorted.

"No," he said, fingers dancing up her side as she squirmed and made a half-hearted attempt to kick him.

"Liar," she muttered, clutching a pillow to her stomach like a shield as she eyed him. "What time is it?"

Trailbreaker flopped on her carefully, resting his chin on the pillow as his fingers wiggled under it.

"Hey-Hey!" She yelped as his fingers found their goal and he huffed as she tried to wriggle away. "I'm going to be bow-legged if you don't stop!"

"It doesn't feel good?" He crooned, pinning her as she huffed at him. A soft sound escaped her as his lips nibbled at her ear.

"April," he crooned in her ear, fingers rubbing. "Stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere," she muttered, acutely aware that that was not what he meant. He shifted to look in her eyes, his optics intent behind his visor. "I want to stay… with you," she said hesitantly, as though trying out the words.

A pleased rumble escaped him as he finally let up, and laid back to stare at the ceiling. "Good… that's good," he said, lips curving.

She blinked at him as he relaxed and wondered if he'd been worried she'd leave. She touched his chest, leaning in his face and staring at him. "Breaker?"

"I love you."

Her eyes widened as her mouth made a little 'o' of surprise. Her mouth opened and shut a few times as her shaken nerves recovered. She settled back against his side, his arm curving to hold her tucked up against him. She could get used to this, she thought muzzily as she laid her head on his shoulder. She pressed her face into his side, muttering a quick, "I love you" back as he purred.