outer_divide | [Video]

[Wing finds himself clinging to the red and white armor, cradling the helm against his shoulder. ]

No. Drift. No. You didn't get me killed. I had the honor of fighting beside you in combat and I have nothing but pride from that.

[He had seen how much it took for Drift to admit his mistake to the Circle, to bear Dai Atlas's stubbornness and wrath. That was nothing that deserved the label of guilt.]

I am glad to see you, too. So much.

I just wish the circumstances were better.

[There's that pathetic, sad sound again. Yeah, Wing was of course, way too forgiving. He always had been. To have tolerated his ungrateful Decepticon self for that long... and have paid the ultimate price and still accept it with such grace. Okay Drift, pull yourself together. You're in a titanium-plated glass case of emotion, here.]

Nnngggffffffhh-

[Okay maybe just a little more hugging and being a pathetic puddle. Right then. Okay. He lifts his head and tackles the next question, trying not to sound really super lame.]

Where are we?

[The sound found an echo in Wing's vocalizer, and his arms tightened around Drift again, wishing he could offer better comfort. ]

[He would hold Drift for as long as the other needed. He'd starved for contact: he needed it almost as much.]

[One hand strokes over the red spaulder of Drift's shoulder, fingers exploring the contours, learning them.]

We don't know the name. But we've all been stolen from our homes, our lives. And thus far we have no way home.

[Nothing can make the bad news hurt any less. He wishes he could offer more than a hug.]

But you're here... and I'm here. There are others?

Time and dimensional displacement...?

[He sounds damn absurd as he tries to analyze this with a still tearful voice. And honestly he can't really remember the last time someone hugged him. Well. Okay he can, and that was Wing and many, many years ago. It's far better than he cares to admit.

But this is getting into the realm of not hugging anymore. Embarrassed, he reluctantly pulls away. No need to look like a needy invalid in front of Wing. He shuffles awkwardly, trying to recover some of his dignity after that outburst.]

Mmm... maybe. But at least we're not alone? I'm sure we can figure something out.

[Rodimus will come for him. Maybe. And then he could take Wing back with him? Would that work? He's no physics expert...]

We are the only Cybertronians. There are others. From 'Earth'.

[He's never heard of it himself.]

That's what we've decided. [A smile: the 'we' is definitely involving a lot of others. When he'd arrived, he'd thought he was dead.]

[He lets go of Drift very reluctantly, his hands lingering over the strange armor.]

What we've figured is that we were somehow supposed to be weapons in a war over long ago. And the ship crashed, and we were forgotten.

Oh! Earth! I've been to Earth. So they're humans?

[He grins. Yes I know some of these words! But he's pretty wary of most humans.]

Weapons?

[He looks mildly offended.]

But... you mean I've been in there all along? Oh... oh no!

What if they found the Knights of Cybertron without me!

[And here comes your heaping helping of crazy right on schedule.]

You have?

[Oh. Of course, Drift has lived without him, gone beyond the narrow circle of Crystal City. Wing fights a pang of envy. ] Yes, humans and some who call themselves mutants.

As near as we can figure, yes. We were intended to be pawns in their war.

[Imagine how Wing feels about the idea: to be used to fight a war against a people he's never met.]

...the Knights of Cybertron? [Dai Atlas's obsession and now Drift's? ]

Oh yes. After I joined the Autobots we-

[Right. There's so much ground to cover. Wing doesn't know anything about what happened after. He winces.]

That's... hm. [Not unfamiliar to him, but to think of someone using Wing like that makes him bristle.]

Yes. That's where we were- the ship I was on previous to coming here. We were searching for them.

[LET HIM TELL YOU ABOUT HIS THEORIES, WING.]

[Wing laughs, partly to release the tension of his own discomfort, and he reaches out to squeeze Drift's arm.] It sounds like we have a great deal to catch up on.

[And he wants to hear all of it, every detail, as much as Drift wants to tell him.]

You, the Autobots, looking for the Knights of Cybertron? [He's...not sure how he feels about that. ]

[Every bit of contact brings back old memories to mix into the slurry of thoughts running through his head already. He's half-tempted by another hug, but he refrains, smiling in his shy, awkward way.]

Yes. It's been... quite an adventure. But it's great! We've seen so much. Remind me to tell you about the Spark Eater incident sometime.

[He wishes sorely that he could show Wing how far he's come. But words come hard right now. He quiets down again, never quite making eye contact.]

But. For now... what do we do?

[It's such an odd mix of elation and anxiety.]

Spark Eater? Like the...? [He can't help the fact that his optics drop to Drift's chassis, as though he needed some reassurance. Silly, what distance and worry does. ]

Now, we try to stay safe and protect the others.

Yeah. [He puffs up kind of proudly.]

Rodimus took care of that one.

[Stay safe? Protect others? He can do one of those things well, and it's not the first.]

Right. Got it. Do you uh. Have a place to stay?

[Wait! Don't invite yourself to Wing's assumed-home just because! That's rude.]

You know. So I can perhaps. Know. Where. You.

Are?

[NICE RECOVERY. Not.]

Rodimus. One of your new friends.

[He sounds almost as endearingly rash as Drift.]

[Now it's Wing's turn to look a bit sheepish. All the humans stay in the Old City but Wing is far too large. Plus the locals still, after all these months, steer away from them.]

I mostly stay here, by the ship. It's...been _{rather lonely} and it seemed that there would be no point making a home when if anything happened to me, it would just be a...problem.

[The tone sails right over Drift's socially inept head. He nods.]

I'd like for you to be able to meet everyone. The crew of the Lost Light. Everyone would love you.

[Because he loves wing, therefor, there is no reason that anyone wouldn't. He still looks a little proud.]

[.But what Wing says next bothers him.]

You... don't have a place of your own?

[And now he's sad.]

If anything happened to you, it would be a problem. My problem.

[And now huffy. Determined.]

We're going to rectify this.

[Because Drift is the foremost authority in homemaking.]

Edited (I accidentally my html) 2012-09-01 19:28 (UTC)

[Wing laughs.] I'm not sure they would, but if they are your friends, I'd want to meet them.

I've had...other priorities, honestly. First, keeping us safe. Then,

[an uncomfortable sigh as it hits him what Drift has woken into]

...trying to find more energon. [His smile wavers, one hand reaching to touch Drift, just to console himself. No. Drift wouldn't die. Not that way. He'd heard of the other's past, starving in the gutters and that would not happen again. Not while Wing could do something about it.]

I cant see how anyone wouldn't like you.

[He seems absolutely sincere about that, too. But his cheerfulness fades and he leans into the touch slightly. He gets the feeling that Wing has been through a lot here. None of it pleasant.]

Ah I... hadn't thought of that. Is there any scattered here? Or anyone who can make some kind of synthetic-

[Right. They're the only two Cybertronians here. It quickly becomes clear this isn't a place to live. This is a place to survive. And that is something Drift is good at. It pains him to think of someone like Wing, someone who is used to a place like Crystal City, safe, comfortable, all his needs met, to suffer through what he went through in the early parts of his life.

No. He frowns, blue optics narrowing.]

You don't have to worry anymore. I'll take care of us. We'll find a way. And we're going to get a place to stay, Wing. I'm sure there's got to be some kind of abandoned buildings or something.

Drift, you didn't like me. [It's said fondly, though. Drift's gruffness in Crystal City had been endearing. ]

We have a limited supply on the ship. I've been rationing it out and asking Miss Potts to seek it out in her trading missions. But it's possible there is none here.

[He's told others there's a way to make an energon converter, but it's not his area of expertise.]

[He notices the fierce look on the other's face and he squeezes the arm, gently. ] I've been managing fine, Drift. Besides, someone needs to stay by the ship and protect it from the Authorities.

I was an idiot who wouldn't know a good thing if it was shoved in my exhaust port.

[He holds up a hand. No, Wing. He's having none of this.]

Then we'll build a dwelling here. And if I refuse to be a drain on your supplies. Fortunately, searching with two can cover a lot more ground.

[DON'T YOU BACKSASS ME I'M A BIG BOT NOW.]

... Authorities?

[Wing bursts out laughing. That's...a terrible image, Drift, despite the seriousness of what Drift is saying. He forces the laugh quiet, afraid of hurting Drift's feelings. ]

No, Drift. You were never an 'idiot'. You believed strongly in what you were doing.

We can ask the scientists for help. They might be able to retroengineer something.

[He doesn't directly answer the rest, just letting his thumb glide over the armor. He's so proud of Drift, he doesn't think he could find words if he had to. He hopes the touch is enough.]

The Authorities live in the domed cities. They've attacked directly twice since we've been here, endangering the Old City as well as the ship.

[He kind of gives a bit of a sulk at being laughed at. You remember the way he used to sulk all the time, Wing? He's still got it, just a tiny bit. But it easily fades now.]

I did, but I was also pretty damn stupid about-

About a lot of things.

[Things he won't talk about right yet.]

Alright. I'm sure we can offer them some kind of incentive to help us.

[His optics dim a bit. It's been a while since anyone have him positive physical attention, even if it's just a hand on his arm.]

Great. Well. How about this, then. We'll build or find a place to stay that's not far from the ship. We can stay away from the general population, but still be close enough to help if we have to.

I mean- if you don't mind staying with me.

[He winces. Yeah. Remember that time you died because of me? But he's determined to do everything he can to gain some measure of atonement for that, too. You took care of him once, so now it's his turn.]

[He does remember the sulking and he'd admit, now, how adorable he'd thought it even then. ]

We all are, at times, Drift. You should never be embarrassed by the strength of your conviction.

[The gold optics soften--he hates seeing Drift be so hard on himself.]

[The hand stays on the arm, wanting to go further, but no. Not yet. Better to wait and see and let Drift choose for himself. ]

[He grins. What was he just saying about the power of Drift's convictions? ]

I'd like to. Very much. [That delicate dance of making Drift feel welcome but not wanting to scare him off. ] It's been...lonely. [As hard as he tries to control it, there's a slight threadiness to his voice. He has never been alone before. Not like this. He used to sneak out from the City to fly, but he always had friends to return to. Until here.]

[His optics flash as he nods.

But the way Wing says that- he's now more attuned to picking up the subtle things. After a lot of meditation and learning people.]

We're together now, right? You don't have to be lonely anymore.

[He'll shoulder every ounce of responsibility, and this one? This is hardly a problem. He straightens himself and puts on a determined frown.]

I'll take care of things now. You don't need to worry, Wing.

[Did he deepen his voice just now?]

Survival situations are kind of my specialty. As Rodimus puts it, I have.

"Street cred".

[Air quotes.]

Edited 2012-09-03 21:30 (UTC)

[Wing feels his spark pulse at Drift's words. How Drift has changed! He wants to comment on it, but worries it's just going to just reinforce the distance between them. ]

[Instead he just smiles, nodding, hoping the gesture hides the emotion on his face.]

We'll do it, together. [He'll reluctantly drop his hand from Drift's arm, the fingertips feathering down the elbow. ]

You've always been a survivor, Drift. And your Rodimus sounds like a very good friend. [He's on the verge of asking if Drift misses him, but doesn't want to sound...jealous. It's a new experience for him.]

[His hand darts forward as Wing's falls, catching him by the fingers. Just reactionary. Drift is much like a dog chasing cars. He doesn't know what to do when he actually catches one. So he squeezes, and then lets go, shifting awkwardly.]

We will. And when we figure out a way to get out, I'll take you back to the Lost Light with me.

He is. Well, he's my commander. But I write his speeches!

[Yeah, you hear that, Wing? I write speeches now. He kind of wiggles his shoulders proudly.]

Some of them. Anyways...

You two would get along great I think.

[He pauses. Maybe a little too great. Note to self: keep Rodimus away from Wing if ever they should meet.]

[Drift might not know what to do, but Wing does, letting his hand be caught for a klik, lingering in Drift's for as long as he can. Because such gestures should never be made to feel like they were unwelcome.]

I'd like that. [For more reasons than he can say. He'd resigned himself to dying here, alone, as long as it was in defense of others, but now...there's a glimmer of something like hope. It's strange--it's like their situations were reversed now. ]

Speeches? On what? [It's a side he hadn't seen much of--only the once and in the Circle's chamber, Drift had been more earnest than articulate.]

I'd love to meet this Rodimus. He seems to mean a great deal to you.

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