Cover Me | By : Huronoryu Category: S through Z > Transformers (Movie Only) > Transformers (Movie Only) Views: 71978 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 9 |
Disclaimer: I do not own the Transformers movie, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Cover Me
By Black Dragon Queen
Authors Note: This chapter was so HARD for me to write. These two are so complicated to me that I REALLY hope this chapter makes some sort of sense. Please enjoy.
PAIRINGS REVEALED THUS FAR: Wheeljack x Ratchet, Inferno x Red Alert, Sunstreaker X Sideswipe, Past Prowl x Jazz
Font Index: “Speaking”, ‘Thinking’, “-Radio Transmissions-”, “Cybertronion” “:Link:”
Chapter Fifty-One: Heart to Spark
Will was rather confused when Ironhide had yanked him away and carried him off to his own personal hanger. The large truck had said nothing as they left the other mechs and humans behind, no matter how much Will tried to extract some sort of an explanation of what was wrong with the infuriated gunner. Ironhide never even made any sort of an inkling that he even registered Will’s presence as he absently set the man down on a free boxcar shoved in a corner while he sat down on one opposite…until he got up and began the pacing.
Will stared up at Ironhide as the large mech began wandering around the hanger muttering. He could instantly tell that the large mech was irritated but Will was a little unsure as to why. Usually Ironhide had a rather dry sense of humor and for him to react this strongly to something as silly as a new paint job, well Will figured there had to be something more to it than that. Will watched him pace back and forth for a few more moments before he spoke up.
“Are you okay?” he finally asked. Ironhide glanced up at him for a moment before he began pacing again. Will shook his head as he watched the irritated Autobot.
With a soft sigh Ironhide finally stopped walking around and finally sat back down on an extra boxcar. “I’m sorry Will,” Ironhide muttered. “It’s just that I’m a little upset.”
Will raised an eyebrow as he stared at the large Autobot. “I can see that,” he murmured as the mech slump down slightly at his words. Ironhide began scrapping at the pink paint absently as the two sat there in silence. “Is this about Barricade?” Will tired almost apprehensively, worried that it more than likely was.
Ironhide jerked up in surprise before he looked back down at the peeling paint on his arm, scratching off another section. “No, not really,” the large mech finally said softly.
Will was now rather puzzled. “It’s not?” he asked a bit surprised. “Then what is it?”
The mech sighed. “I don’t know,” Ironhide admitted softly.
Will tilted his head as he sat there watching Ironhide pick at the bright pink. “You don’t know?” he repeated after a moment of silence.
Ironhide was quiet for a while before he finally sighed and left off with the paint. “I don’t know,” he said again more firmly. “I just… I got upset. That’s all.”
Will wondered where this was going but nodded regardless as he tried to encourage the agitated ‘Bot. “Okay,” he said quietly. “Upset about what?”
Ironhide glanced over at Will for a few moments, stubbornly remaining quiet before he finally sighed again. “I’m sorry Will,” he said softly. “It’s nothing. I’m fine now.”
Will frowned as he studied the Autobot before him. “No offense ‘Hide, but that’s bull.”
Ironhide looked up a bit surprised at the tone of the ranger’s voice and just a little bit confused. “‘Bull’?”
Will shook his head. “You’re lying,” he clarified for the confused gunner.
Ironhide sat straight up, instantly on the defense. “I am not,” he argued offended.
“Yes, you are,” Will countered just as firmly. “Now tell me the truth, please.”
Ironhide grimace as he leaned back against the wall and resumed picking at the paint again. “What do you want me to say?” Ironhide tried to ask him nonchalantly. He failed miserably however and Will was not fooled for a second.
“Tell me why you’re so clearly pissed off,” Will huffed. “You’re not acting like your normal self and frankly it has me worried. Are- Are you mad at me or something?” this last sentence was asked in a hesitant tone, clearly apprehensive at what the answer was going to be. He didn’t need to worry though.
“What?” Ironhide shouted in surprise. “Primus no! If anything, I’m pissed off at the twins.”
“For the crocodiles?” Will replied. “Now I’ll admit that it was a bit nerve wracking but-”
“Damn it Will!” Ironhide suddenly burst out in an irritated huff. “You could have been killed!”
Will stared at the large mech in a state of stunned astonishment at the sudden shout as Ironhide once again stood and began pacing around the hanger, muttering under his breath. It took Will a few moments to finally compose himself to form a response. “Is that what this is about?” Will demanded. “Me?” Ironhide said nothing but he did duck his head as he continued pacing. Will sputtered for a few moments before he finally found his voice. “’Hide, I’m fine, Epps is fine, nothing happened-”
“But it could have!” Ironhide erupted angrily before he began pacing again. “And I had no idea! It wasn’t until that ‘Con sounded off that I even knew that there was a problem! I can’t believe that I didn’t know! That I didn’t realize! Anything could have happened to you!”
Will stared at the large mech in disbelief. “Ironhide, I can take care of myself!” he growled. “It’s not your responsibility-”
“But it should be!” Ironhide shouted, cutting the ranger off. They stared at one another in shock for a tense moment before Ironhide grimaced and began walking once more, muttering.
Will just gaped for a moment longer before his brain finally kicked in and he jumped to his feet. “WHAT?” he bellowed, outraged. “What do you mean my welfare should be your responsibility?”
“Slag it Will, that wasn’t what I meant,” Ironhide tired to begin.
“It may not be but it’s what you said!” Will argued, angrily glaring at the mech. “If it isn’t what you meant than what did you mean?” he demanded to know. He narrowed his eyes as he felt himself cross his arms and just waited for Ironhide to say something- anything.
Ironhide never once slowed down his pacing but he did every now and again glance over at Will to see if the man was still glaring at him. “I’m not cut out for this emotional crap,” the large gunner muttered in Cybertronion under his breath, more to himself then to the small human in the hanger.
Will raised an eyebrow at the soft clicks and whirls of the Autobots’ home language, but there was no way that he was going to allow the gunner to get away with it. “Uh huh, in English if you don’t mind.”
Ironhide glanced at him once again before he finally sighed and halted his steps. “I don’t really know how to say this,” he grumbled a bit embarrassed and frustrated at the whole ordeal.
“Start with why you think taking care of me should be your responsibility,” Will told him sternly and he waited.
“Slag it,” Ironhide said in Cybertronion again. “I just don’t like the idea of you in danger, okay?” he finally admitted with a small wave of his hands. “There, happy now?”
Will just continued to stare at the walking Top Kick before he let loose a heavy sigh. “You knew I was in the military when we met. I’m an Army Ranger; I’ll always be placed in dangerous situations whenever my country needs me-”
“But this isn’t for your country this time,” Ironhide immediately countered. “This time you’re in danger because of us and I don’t like it!” He turned away from the small man standing on the boxcar muttering again. “I don’t like it at all…”
Will bowed his head as the anger began draining out of him. Now he was beginning to understand a little bit where the ‘Bot was headed. “Ironhide,” Will sighed. “It’s fine. When we were told about this Sector Thirteen, Epps and I knew that we were going to be put in harms way again… the crocodiles certainly surprised us but-” he shrugged.
Perhaps it was not the best thing to say however as Ironhide began growling. “Slagging Lambos,” Ironhide muttered, unknowingly adopting Barricade’s nickname for them. “What in the Matrix were they thinking, bringing in those dangerous creatures?”
Will gave a small chuckle. “Not so dangerous since one of them is now in teeny tiny pieces.”
Ironhide glanced back at Will again and gave a small, satisfied smirk. “He is, isn’t he?”
Will rolled his eyes as he sat back down, allowing his feet to dangle over the edge of the boxcar. He gave Ironhide a long searching look. “Ironhide,” he began again. “You know as well as I do that I’ll probably be placed in harms way just for knowing about your kind. This new sector after not only you but us as well, not to mention Starscream still on the loose-”
“Primus, don’t remind me,” ‘Hide grumbled as he once again took a seat on the opposite boxcar. “There’s so much to worry about now! Not only do we still have to figure out when we’re going to have Jazz’s funeral, a hard subject in and of its self considering how he died, but we also have to prepare for any and all Decepticon activity… another thing I’m not happy about.”
Will shook his head but said nothing on that subject, for fear of bringing up Barricade and his presence on the base. “So…” he prompted instead. “Care to tell me the rest of it?”
Ironhide jerked in surprise as he glanced over at the man. “The rest of what?” he tried to ask innocently.
Will wasn’t buying the act however and he just glared, though not as harshly as he had earlier during their conversations. “The rest of why you suddenly feel the need to protect me,” he clarified.
“It’s not exactly sudden,” Ironhide muttered to himself and Will frowned as he caught the small whisper that was clearly not meant for him to hear.
“What do you mean?” he asked surprised. “Why is this not sudden? It was certainly a surprise to me.”
Ironhide huffed again as he once again began pacing. “Why couldn’t this have been Ratchet’s problem or something? He’s always been better at this emotional crap.”
Will tried to resist a smirk at the small grumble, but at the same time he became more than just a little bit curious. Clearly there was something that was weighing heavily on the Autobots mind, or rather central processor. “’Hide…” Will began slowly. “Just what is it that has you so upset?” Ironhide began grumbling again as he turned his head away from the small human and now Will was intrigued. “’Hide?”
The large gunner let out a small sigh as he finally turned back to Will. “It doesn’t matter,” he said softly.
Will really became interested hearing that. “What?” he asked again. “What is it?”
“No, it doesn’t matter. It’s stupid anyways. I don’t know what the hell I’ve been thinking…”
“Thinking what?” Will prodded gently. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
Ironhide said nothing as he growled and turned a bit away from Will. “It doesn’t matter.”
Now Will was starting to get angry. “Well obviously it does matter if it has you this upset.”
“I’m not upset!” ‘Hide instantly countered and Will gave Ironhide a rather disbelieving look. “I’m not,” he repeated sulkily. Will just continued to stare at him and Ironhide deflated slightly. “Will, it’s nothing you can help with.”
Will gave him a rather disbelieving stare. “Try me,” he offered.
“That’s what I’m afraid off,” ‘Hide grumbled. Will just continued to wait patiently. “It’s nothing,” he tried again.
“Ironhide, I will get this out of you one way or the other. Just see if I don’t.”
Ironhide frowned again, staring at the man for a long moment. “It doesn’t mater, its nothing.” He said again firmly.
“‘Nothing’ wouldn’t have you this agitated.”
“Lennox, don’t push me,” Ironhide growled.
Will jerked back a little at the sudden angry tone and began feeling a bit guilty for needling the ‘Bot so much. He quickly shook his head as he told himself that if it had to do with him, he should have a right to know. “’Hide…”
“Slag it all,” Ironhide snapped as he stood once again and ended up pacing yet again. “Will, it shouldn’t be your concern-”
“Which is code for it should be my concern,” Will countered as he too stood back up, trying to match Ironhide’s impossible height.
“It’s stupid,” ‘Hide said at last.
Will rolled his eyes. “Stubborn Autobot,” he grumbled. “Will you please just tell me!”
“Will,” Ironhide pleaded. Pleaded! Will couldn’t believe it. Ironhide was never someone he would have ever associated with actual begging, yet here was this die-hard, seasoned warrior doing just that! And to him of all people! Will suddenly knew that he just had to let it go and opened his mouth to convey just that when Ironhide suddenly let out a huge sigh and collapsed once again onto his “chair”. “Primus, this is hard…” the mech muttered.
Will debated whether or not he should say anything but if he did, what would he say? He thought for a moment before he finally just decided to see what would come out along with ‘Hide. “Ironhide,” he began. “Whatever it is that you so obviously don’t want to tell me…” he paused as he tried to gather his thoughts. “If it’s upsetting you up this much, then perhaps you don’t have to say anything. If you want to tell me later on then that’s okay…”
Ironhide lifted his head and Will immediately felt a shiver shoot down his spine as those dark blue optics found and focused in on him. Ironhide’s gaze never wavered and Will suppressed the urge to fidget, which was insane because Will was never one to fidget. If Will could lay low under cover and not move an inch for over four hours, then there should be no reason for him to be feeling this agitated, but he was.
Ironhide sighed and finally turned away, refusing to look at Will directly and it was almost as if strings had been cut. Will’s tense body suddenly went lax. Will felt his shoulders slump and the knot in the small of his back suddenly ease, allowing for him to breath normally again, something he hadn’t even known had been held, in the anticipation of what Ironhide’s next words would be. ‘What the hell was that?’ Will wondered quickly before he fixed his gaze back at the slouching Autobot. Ironhide looked almost more miserable than Will had even thought possible. Just what the hell had him in such a slump?
“Do you want me to leave?”
“What?” Ironhide’s head jerked upward, and Will cringed at the shocked stare that the ‘Bot was giving him. Will wasn’t sure where that question had come from either. He didn’t want to leave, but if his presence was making Ironhide this upset, then perhaps it was something he should be considering more carefully.
“I mean is that what this is about? You don’t want me around when Sector Thirteen attacks, right?” Will held his breath for a long moment as he waited for the larger gunner to reply, with each moment passing by multiplying a thousand times over in Will’s head as he waited to hear Ironhide’s response.
Ironhide himself was having difficulty trying to come up with an answer to the impossible question that Will had placed before him. ‘On the one hand, Will would be safe and out of harms way if I send him away,’ Ironhide reasoned to himself. ‘On the other hand, he’d be gone…’ He peeked at Will again and was surprised when Will glanced away almost immediately, a look of nerve wracking apprehension on his face. Ironhide suddenly felt incredibly guilty and incredibly freaked out at the same time.
“Will,” Ironhide began slowly, trying to make the human understand him. “You have to know that I wasn’t going to say anything about this. In fact it was something I swore I would take to my very end but now…” A pink shoulder lifted in a semblance of a shrug.
Will was totally lost here. It seemed that this was a huge issue for Ironhide but at the same time, Will had absolutely no idea what it was that the Autobot was trying to get across to him. He knew that this had to be big but for the life of him he just could not figure it out. “’Hide… its okay…”
“Will…” he began slowly. “I- Primus this is hard.”
“Just go slowly and I’m sure-”
“I like you,” Ironhide suddenly blurted.
Will blinked a bit taken aback at the rapid-fire statement. “Well I like you to but-”
“No,” Ironhide grumbled as he stood once again before he plopped back down, clearly unsure what to do with himself if the constant yo-yoing was anything to go by.
Will stared at Ironhide more than a little confused. “No what?” he asked completely at a loss at what it was that the rather bright gunner was contradicting.
“No, I don’t like you,” Ironhide tried again, searching the web desperately to try and find a ‘how too’ guide for what he wanted to say.
“You don’t?” Will shouted completely gob smacked.
“What?” Ironhide jerked himself out of his uplink and stared at Will in shock. He quickly replayed what he said and nearly smacked himself in the forehead. “No!”
“WHAT?” Will bellowed again. “What the hell?”
“NO! Wait! I mean I do!”
Will snorted and glared at the large Autobot. “Well which is it? You either do or you don’t!”
“No! I mean I do like you but I don’t just like you.” Ironhide scrambled to put his words together to try and avoid yet another round of confusing word play. “Oh Primus, I’m doomed.”
“ENGLISH, you multilingual walking computer!”
Ironhide glared. “Who are you calling a nerd-bot?”
“YOU!” Will shouted. “If you wanted me gone you should have just said so!”
Ironhide stared down at the small human that was headed for the ladder to climb down off the boxcar and quickly tried to find a way to get back on topic. He couldn’t let Will leave now! Not when there was so much misunderstanding between them. ‘Slag, how did it get to this chaotic mess so slagging fast?’ Without a second thought, or even much of a first one, Ironhide leaned over and plucked Will right off the side of the boxcar.
“What the hell?” Will bellowed in disbelief as he suddenly found himself dangling in midair. “Ironhide! Put me down!”
Ironhide seemed a bit surprised himself as he stared down at the steaming human in his grasp. “Er… Sorry,” he muttered as he put the man back on the boxcar.
Will just glowered up at Ironhide and the ‘Bot was suddenly swamped with a multitude of images of ruffled cats. He smirked before he was forced to “cough” to cover it up as he saved some images for later study. It was only after the fact that he realized what it was that he was doing and he sighed as he suddenly knew that he actually did have to say what had been bothering him out loud… for the first time… for Will to hear… ‘Primus this sucks.’
Will was headed back for the ladder again before Ironhide realized what the ranger was up too and he quickly moved to stop the man. “Will, please let me explain.”
Will looked as if he was going to ignore Ironhide’s request before the man halted in his steps and just stood there. Ironhide waited, nervous to see what it he was going to do. Will was tense for a long moment before he finally let out a large sigh and turned back around to Ironhide, a frown of confusion on his face. “What is it that you’re so afraid to tell me?”
Ironhide failed his name and crumbled like the proverbial wall. “Well, I don’t know how to explain it, but the closest term I could find to what I’ve been feeling on the web has been defined as ‘love’.” Will’s breath caught and his heart froze.
Ironhide had not just said that, did he? They just stared at one another in complete silence as Will’s brain finally kicked into gear and the first thought that registered was, ‘but we’re both guys.’ Will suddenly had to pause on that; Cybertronions really didn’t classify themselves as one gender or another, they just were. Which brought him to his next shocking thought. ‘We’re not even the same species!’
Will’s thoughts were whirling around his mind, just flashes of emotions that never paused to give him time to analyze the meaning behind them. What in the world was Ironhide talking about? How could he even say that? Didn’t Ironhide tell him that only Cybertronions with a Star Link could, uh, mate? MATE! ‘Oh God, I don’t even want to go there just yet.’ It was the “just yet” that nearly caused the world-wise ranger to faint dead away.
Ironhide said nothing as he watched the play of multiple expressions play over the rangers face as he absorbed the sudden revelation. Who knew just how Will was going to react to the revelation of Ironhide’s odd feelings. This was something that had never been recorded in any history files for the whole of Cybertron. Will wasn’t the only one who was struggling with the astounding revelation. On Cybertron, you either had a Link or you didn’t, that was how their world worked. For him to have all these feelings towards someone where a Link was simply impossible, was just beyond circuit frying.
All these so-called emotions were nothing like anything the gunner had ever felt. It was so bizarre however that for the longest time, Ironhide had convinced himself that perhaps he was simply regarding the small human as any Cybertronion would a sparkling. That lasted for all of maybe three days. There was no way that Will Lennox could be ever mistaken for a sparkling, though he did act a little crazy at times. In his society, he was an adult with his own family. Then they had gone to get Sarah Lennox, and Will came back alone.
That’s when Ironhide’s last wall of defense, the last excuse he used to keep those astounding feelings at bay shattered like fine glass. Will was back to being a bachelor just as he himself was, and that was so not good. On that drive back from Will’s, or rather Sarah’s farm, only one word had continually floated across Ironhide’s internal processor screen-‘slag’.
Ironhide had had no delusions about his future once the war started. He had never found his Link partner before the battling had begun and once he was in constant combat, he knew that the likelihood of him finding his intended was getting slimmer with each battle. Ironhide had been the eldest bachelor in Optimus’ first squadron, if not one of the few who was still searching. Unfortunately after the destruction of Tyger Pax, and as time wore on it became less of a rarity and more of a sad fact of life.
Ironhide had mostly come to terms that he would be one of the no longer rare souls without a partner to share the rest of his revolutions with and he accepted the fact that he would always be a watcher of others who had found theirs. Such as Ratchet and Wheeljack, the twins apparently, and the few other couples they had yet to contact still in the far reaches of space.
No, Ironhide had become part of the number who had never found, nor ever will find his intended. He was of the rank of the loners and ones who had lost. Such a Prowl… Such as Optimus… Ironhide quickly shook away that niggling thought and focused back on Will.
Will was of another determination all together. Will was someone Ironhide chose to love on his own; no divine intervention by Primus, no power of the stars to guide him. Will was his choice, and no one, no slagging Sector Thirteen nor malfunctioning Decepticon, was going to tell him differently. Ironhide knew himself better than anyone ever thought they knew him. Save Will. And now Ironhide awaited his answer to learn if he had lost a friend or possibly gained something more.
Will meanwhile had been in deep thought for what could have been eternity or maybe five minutes. This was so overwhelming to him. What was basically one of his best friends had just confessed to him! It was almost like Epps declaring he was swearing off meat and becoming a vegetarian; it just did not fit within the realm of the norm. Of course sitting in a large abandoned military hanger with a large alien robot could be considered out of the norm, but for Will and those few who had joined with the Autobots in their battle for the All Spark that bright, sunny day in Mission City; it amazingly enough was.
Will could not gather his thoughts well enough to fall into a well-formed line as they swirled around chaotically at the deepest emotion that the one confession from ‘Hide had instantly released. Will was too confused; too close to the situation. He needed time to think. He glanced up at Ironhide slowly and felt himself begin to chew on his lower lip nervously in an old childhood habit that apparently had not faded away completely. “Um, this is all rather sudden,” he began.
The echo of the words pierced the quiet hush of the hanger in an unexpected stab of noise and Will cringed at the rather sharp and unemotional tone of the voice that echoed back at him from the emptied walls. That had not been what he intended to convey but Ironhide was nodded rather expectantly and just perhaps a little sadly. “I completely understand,” Ironhide began as he stood. “Perhaps it would have been better had I not said anything at all-”
“No!” Will’s sudden cry was enough to halt the Autobot mid-step and Ironhide turned to look at him, unable to hide the small sparkle of hope in his optics. Will swallowed nervously. “It is surprising, and I just need some time to think.” Ironhide turned fully around but Will held up a hand, miraculously halting the larger being with that small, simple gesture. “But I need to be alone.”
Ironhide didn’t deflate completely, but the small slouch of his shoulders was clearly evident. “Oh,” he mumbled, now at a bit of a loss as to what to say now. “I understand.”
Will nodded as he walked towards the edge of the boxcar but instead of climbing down the ladder, he looked at Ironhide expectantly. ‘Hide instantly knew that while this was not a gesture of mutual feelings, it was rather Will’s way of telling him that despite the rather rollercoaster of emotions and drama, they were still friends. He held out a hand for the smaller human and gently placed him on the ground. Will smiled up at him. “You might want to take this time to do something about your rather… bright appearance,” Will chuckled slightly.
Ironhide just scowled. “Slagging ‘Con.”
“You have to admit, it certainly was brazen for him to actually go into your hanger while you were in recharge despite the fact that you could have rebooted at practically any given time,” Will called over his should as he finally walked out the door and presumably headed towards the barracks.
“More like he lacks a functioning self preservation circuit,” Ironhide muttered, “One would wonder if that ‘Con had a death wish of some kind.” The large top kick sighed as he finally turned and began searching for something to help quicken the removal of the garish paint on his person, having had enough of emotional breakthroughs to last beyond a lifetime.
~To Be Continued
While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo