Air Raid and Slingshot VI
C.M.D: I've got a number of stories to write still, and the hardest part is picking which ones will be exclusive to the artbook I'm in the works of only, and which ones can be thrown up here. This one I decided definitely needed to be here, as it's the final chapter for these two and the rest of the chapters are already up on 'Ears and Tails' anyhow. In either case, I hope everyone enjoys!
Title: Air Raid and Slingshot VI
Rating: M
Warning: Incest and physical violence
The front door slammed shut violently as a mech came storming inside, disappearing into the basement in a matter of astroseconds. Poking his helm out of the kitchen, Silverbolt was ready to scold his brother for the noise when music started blaring up from downstairs shortly after; leading the autodog to gave in with a simple sigh. What was there to say anyhow?
After all, this had been routine since Air Raid had disappeared...
xXx
Fireflight patted down his apron, as he headed out of the house, skipping down the path to the mailbox at the end of the street. It was with chipper delight that he noticed the little red, plastic flag was turned down. Wondering what mail he had received today, the shih tzu quickly rounded on the mailbox, opening it up and drawing out the single letter that sat inside.
The youngling recognized the familiar scrawl scripting out his name on the face of the envelope at once, ripping it open excitedly despite the lack of return address. Fireflight paused though when he saw only another envelope nestled inside -this one with 'Slingshot' written on its front. Pulling the second letter out carefully, the shih tzu turned toward his brother's house; padding down the quiet suburban street merrily.
xXx
It wasn't enough.
Slingshot sat, fists clenched loosely as he glowered at the destroyed sandbag; its leather sides ripped and shredded, spilling mounds of its sandy guts all over the concrete floor. Snorting in disgust, the shih tzu spat to the side as the CD came to an end, letting everything fade into ringing silence. This was barely enough -nothing he seemed to do orn in and orn out could curb his anger.
And he hated it.
Hated that knotted ball of rage that roiled in his fuel tanks, burning in the space behind his optics, making him restless and directionless. "Slag you...," he cursed quietly, cupping his servos behind his helm as he hunched over, "Slag you to the pits, 'Raid..."
The door at the top of the stairs opened up behind him, a set of pedes moving down the creaking steps. Growling lowly, Slingshot lifted his helm. "I'm busy! Get the frag lost!," he shouted over his shoulder plating. His guest stopped on the bottom step, but did not leave.
"I have a letter for you, Slingshot," came Fireflight's kind voice, "I'm sorry that I bothered you. Did you want me to leave it in your room?"
The grey mech looked over his shoulder plating bewildered, quickly getting to his pedes and facing his younger brother. "U-um... sorry," he mumbled in apology, playing with the sports tape around his knuckles.
Fireflight smiled brightly, shaking his helm. "It's okay. I know you miss Air Raid. I miss him too, but I know he's okay."
Slingshot scowled a little at the comment, shuffling uncomfortably on his pedes. "You always say that...," he grumbled low.
The youngling's smile only brightened more. "I know."
Venting softly, Slingshot glanced to the side, wiping at his olfactory sensor quickly. "You said you had a letter for me?"
The smaller autodog pulled a neatly folded envelope out of his apron pocket, jumping lightly onto the floor and skipping towards his brother with the letter extended. Staring down at the youngling quietly, Slingshot took it from Fireflight's servos as he came to a stop, staring uncertainly at the plain looking envelope with his name on it.
"You should read it," the younger mech said. Blue optics turned down to him. "I think it's really important," Fireflight continued in innocent seriousness. "You shouldn't put it off for long."
Slingshot didn't have a response for that.
"...isn't it almost four? Shouldn't Breakdown be on his way home by now?"
At the other's reminder, the youngling perked up, cupping a cheekplate in surprise. "Oh, you're right! I need to get back home!" Quickly, Fireflight hugged Slingshot, twirling away and starting his dash up the stairs shortly after. "Bye bye Slingshot! Remember to read the letter! I love you!"
The grey mech waited until the door slammed shut upstairs before crossing the basement and sitting in the one corner with a work bench. Scratching an ear irritably, he debated whether or not to rip the letter to pieces or read it. He ended up opening it a few moments later. Unfolding the pages slowly, Slingshot grasped them between both servos as he squinted at the neat hand-writing in the dim light.
When he felt ready, he began to follow the path of black words...
'Hello, Slingshot.
I'd like to say I know you but I regretfully do not. I know your name, I know what you look like and I know you mean everything to someone called Air Raid. Unfortunately, he's your brother and I believe that is why he felt it necessary to leave.
It must have been a terrible time for all of you. He doesn't talk much about your family often, though he has a picture of you all in the living room, and another one of you alone in his berthroom. Sometimes, he writes letters, and I had assumed they were addressed to you, but birthdays and holidays would come around, and there would never be a single letter returned.
I was foolish in believing that you didn't care about Air Raid.
I apologize for that now; I am older than I was before and I finally have pieced the clues together. No doubt I am confusing you though and perhaps I have even upset you -once, Air Raid mentioned you had a quick-trigger temper when it involved those he loved- but I shall explain myself shortly.
I just want you to know that Air Raid misses you dreadfully, even if he pretends most days that it does not affect him. He didn't leave to hurt you Slingshot, but he did believe it was the best. Now though I believe it's time you knew the truth.
I've attached an address on the next sheet and a photo, so as to assure you this is not a scam or a hoax. Please come find Air Raid.
Make him happy.
Sincerely,
Your son, Skyfire.'
With shaking fingers, Slingshot ripped the other sheet forward, staring at the photo pinned to the middle of the paper. His intakes choked and his optics wavered waterly as he outlined the familiar arms, white helm and small, merry smile that graced the face of the mech he had unadmittedly ached to see for stellar cycles. His optics though looked a little dimmer, his frame a little older... and his arms were wrapped around the shoulder plating of a small, white sparkling.
Red and white. Just like his creator.
A broken sob escaped the autodog as he crumbled over in his seat, pressing the photo to his helm while he trembled.
xXx
A modest, steel-blue bungalow was situated at the end of the cul-de-sac, white shutters adorning the windows with a matching, tiny porch and a small square of lawn out front. The narrow driveway on its right led straight through to the backyard where a larger patch of grass laid; a couple potted plants lining the fence and an old single swing set sat, rusting with age. It would seem almost desolate of a sight but it was the little touches -colourful stones and wacky wall decorations- that broke up the monotony and showed a glimpse of the vibrant life of its inhabitants. Staring out through the kitchen window, Air Raid allowed a little smile, overcome with a touch of melancholy.
His life had been... interesting, to say the least. He'd skimped and scrapped for every penny, living off a pitiful diet of instant noodles and canned bolts, just to make it through his schooling while also raising the sparkling he'd had unexpectedly. So many times he thought of just giving up; putting his bornling up for adoption and returning home as though he had never left in the first place. Ultimately, his spark and his fears could never coincide with one another. What would Silverbolt say, who had given up so much of his own future to keep the family together when their own parents had thrown them to the side of the road? Or Skydive, who believed that sparklings couldn't be held at fault for the mistakes of their creators? Remembering his brothers, and how often they'd taken the place of parent and mentor to himself, gave Air Raid the courage to keep going. For the sake of his own offspring; to make his sacrifice mean something. He focused on the respect and adoration he held in the memory of his family, pushing himself forward through the worse of his despair; getting his degree and landing a job after decacycles of unforgiving tenacity. By the time his son was potty-training, he'd purchased this humble bungalow and the rest, as they said, was history.
History not so old, but so far out of reach also...
"I really should get rid of that swing," Air Raid mumbled aloud to an empty kitchen, his smile stretching even as his optics dimmed dully. He barely noticed that he was speaking; too often he'd whispered to figures that were not there, the habit forming subconsciously and becoming second-nature. "It's not like he's going to use it anymore. Skyfire is already a youngling now and almost as big as Silverbolt."
No clue how genetics worked that one out, the red mech added silently, shrugging his shoulders loosely.
"Or maybe I can donate it...?," the shih tzu mulled, shaking his helm as he turned around, glancing at the simple clock mounted on the wall across the room. It was nearly six pm; Skyfire's science club would have finished and he'd be already on his way home now. "It might be a bit too old for that now. Anyhow, gonna have to think about that later; I got dinner to finish!"
Air Raid spun about to approach the oven then, slipping a pair of mitts on as he did, only to be met with a face-full of smoke as he opened the door. "S-slag!," he coughed violently, plunging his servos blindly inside and yanking out a pan, revealing a blackened rectangular mass. Olfactory sensor wrinkling down at the ashy surface (still bubbling discoloured sludge, how rude!), the autodog quickly dropped the wreckage on top of his stove, grabbing the timer on the nearby counter.
"C'mon, I set a clock specifically so this wouldn't happen! Again!," the red mech grumbled, glaring at the little device. A couple twists here and there showed that the gizmo had stopped ticking somewhere after five kliks... and Air Raid had failed to notice due to him going off on a pointless stroll down memory lane.
"Ah, frag off!," Air Raid bit irritably, chucking the broken timer into his kitchen sink. Grabbing a knife and tongs, he set to work carving away at the shrivelled husk of a casserole, grumbling the whole while. He'd been super methodical the entire recipe so as not to mess up like usual- no way in the pit was he going to just trash it; there had to be some part of it still edible! As he dug out a less-burned-out square from the centre of the casserole, there came the sound of the front door opening and a set of pedes entering the house; hurriedly, Air Raid threw the salvaged meal on a platter, picking it up and heading for the doorway.
"Hey, pupper," he called excitedly, a bright grin on his face as he rounded the corner into the living room, "I made us a casserole for dinner! And I swear it's mostly edible this ti-"
Words faltered as blue optics locked onto a narrowed pair behind a translucent visor.
"S-slingshot...?"
The choked whisper was like a gunshot in the sudden silence; at its utterance, Slingshot sprung forward, a snarl slipping past his lip components. Air Raid stumbled backwards in response, dropping the platter in the process, though it hardly was a deterrent for the smaller shih tzu as he stomped through the mess.
"W-wait-!," the red mech tried to say, but the hem of his shirt was snatched by those clawing servos; his brother using it as leverage to pull the older autodog forward to meet his flying fist. Any protest that may have followed was swapped for half-formed grunts and hisses of pain as Air Raid was punched consecutively four more times. In mild panic, he flailed, wrenching himself free long enough to escape Slingshot's barrage... at least, until the grey mech tackled him into the kitchen table, the both of them flopping to the floor where the assault continued.
One solid helm-slam to the floor and Air Raid stopped struggling all together. Even as two more punches and a kick pummeled his backside, the red autodog forced himself to hold still, ignoring his rattling vents and the energon trickling into his open mouth.
There was another pause in the violence.
"Fight back," came the low hiss.
It took him a long klik before he could get a reply out of swollen lip components. "N-no."
Air Raid groaned weakly as he was rolled over roughly; one servo grabbing him by the neck, the other curling into a tight fist beside Slingshot's helm as he straddled the autodog beneath him.
"I said GET UP!," the grey mech shouted, fangs bared in rage.
He felt the subtle tug in the corner of his mouth before the taller shih tzu could stop it- and found his servos jumping weakly to his throat as Slingshot began to choke him in response.
"Don't laugh at me!," Slingshot bellowed, pressing down harder as his anger spiked, "YOU DON'T GET TO LAUGH AT ME!"
A short gurgle slipped out of Air Raid, the corners of his visual pixels scattering and darkening as his intakes struggled to suck in fresh air. He was having a tough time focusing on his brother's image at this point, his frame twitching sporadically in distress, and still he did not shove the grey mech away. How could he?
"-RUN AWAY! FOR THIRTEEN YEARS! THIRTEEN FRAGGING YEARS, YOU FRAGGER!," the volatile shih tzu was screaming, oral fluid flying out of his mouth with every shouted word. "I FRAGGING HATE Y-"
Consciousness was fading now.
Blackness swept upwards, folding over the red autodog and dragging him under; the sound of his name called in distress echoing on the edges of conscious right before he fell into the void.
xXx
"-om! MOM!"
Servos were shaking him roughly, a soft vocalizer sobbing uncontrollably. Intakes caught as they cycled fully again, in what seemed to have been centuries; the older autodog jerkily rolling over and purging on the floor. The acrid burn in his throat grated against the already sore sensors, but it was the throbbing along his face and torso that really made Air Raid groan.
"Mom!," came the shout a second time, "Mom, you're alive!"
White arms wrapped around the red mech's shoulders, squeezing him tight in a crushing hug. "S-Skyfire!," Air Raid yelped weakly, vents coughing in panic at the familiar tension, "P-please, need a-air..."
Reluctantly, the youngling pulled away, showcasing his tear-streaked face to his carrier. "M-mom," Skyfire hiccuped, his expression of relief crumpling into despair, "I c-came in an-and y-you were- A-and h-he was- I-i'm s-sorry, I-i-i sh-shouldn't-"
His processor was slowly absorbing this new information, sluggishly refilling the gaps of what had happened between making dinner and now; and with it, a wheezing panic started to seize at Air Raid's spark. "S-Skyfire," he interrupted the stuttering autodog, clutching at one of his son's servos, "Skyfire, w-where is he? Where is Slingshot?!"
Skyfire looked horrified to hear that name, his usually tall creation hunching over until he looked small and frail. "H-he was hurting you... I-i yelled a-and hit him a-and he..." The youngling trailed off, his optics glancing at the patio door leading out into the backyard. It was open now, its attached screen door thrown off its rails and lying tattered in the grass. "W-wait, mom! What are you doing?!," the white shih tzu asked in alarm, bouncing to his pedes at the same time the red autodog did. "You're badly hurt and-"
His knee joints protested the rapid motion, and the vertigo was certainly doing a number on his helm, but Air Raid maintained his stance all the same, daring a few, stumbling steps toward the backyard. "I-i have to go-"
"Mom, you can't!," Skyfire interjected, stepping into the older mech's path. Even at his young age, he was nearly optic-level with the red shih tzu and had a much stockier build than his carrier's slender frame. He made a decent barricade. "Slingshot could have killed you; he's unstable!"
Spinal struts aching, Air Raid stretched to his full height, looking at his son with saddened optics. "Skyfire... pupper... y-you just don't understand," he replied softly, "I need to go after him. Move. Please."
The white autodog hesitated, and that was enough for his carrier to gently push him aside, limping out into the yard with a quickly increasing gait. "S-slingshot? Slingshot, w-where are you?," he yelled to an empty backyard. Air Raid hobbled quicker around the property, his helm twisting as much as his throat could bear for any sign of his brother.
"Slingshot? SLINGS! Come back, please! Slingshot, I-i'm not mad! Please, i-it's going to b-be okay! I-i- SLINGSHOT!"
"Mom, stop! Please," Skyfire pleaded from behind his carrier. The red mech paid him no mind, trying to hurry down the sidewalk, still calling for Slingshot in the quiet cul-de-sac. He stopped only when his pede folded underneath his shifting weight, throwing Air Raid down into the gutter and further scraping his plating in the process. "MOM!"
Shaking servos helped him up, his battered arm being draped around his son's neck. "M-mom...," the youngling spoke softly, "H-he's gone... a-and it's getting late. Let's j-just go back inside and get you patched up. I don't want you getting hurt anymore."
Air Raid opened his mouth yet no sound came out. He could already see the sky was dusky with approaching night and his isolated, little street was void of any grey mech- just the neighbours peering anxiously from their house windows and cracked open doors, confused by the ruckus that he was creating. Whichever direction Slingshot had chosen, he was probably miles away by now. The last of his strength leaving him, Air Raid fell completely against the white youngling, his view of the world sinking beneath a rising tide before his optics.
"T...t-take me ba-back...," he whimpered feebly.
"O-of course, mom," was Skyfire's sympathetic answer, his son supporting him as they hobbled back for their home.
xXx
The next couple cycles were long.
Skyfire confessed through sobs how he'd used the envelopes he sent to Fireflight to get a message to Slingshot, inviting him to come see them, in the hopes of somehow mending their strained relationship. It was a decision that the youngest autodog declared he regretted, for he blamed himself that the grey mech's reaction was immediate violence. No manner of convincing on Air Raid's part could get his son to believe that he wasn't responsible for the way his sire had reacted. It was a small miracle that he'd gotten the youngling to fall asleep at all, though it seemed Skyfire would be plagued with nightmares for the whole night.
Exhausted and sore, Air Raid shuffled numbly from his son's room, closing the door behind himself before meandering off to the kitchen. Everything was still in disarray from earlier: patches of food were dried to the floor like craft glue, shards of the platter kicked in every direction when it had been stomped on, the table on its side and bearing a crack near one edge, flecks of energon splattered across the tile... The shih tzu didn't know for how long he had stood there; only realized he was leaning against the door frame when a flicker of movement was caught in his peripheral, breaking the trance. Spark whirled quickly for a moment, his gaze snapping upwards- just to discover that it was his reflection in the dark patio door glass that he'd seen and nothing else.
"...g-gotta get this mess c-cleaned up," Air Raid mumbled to himself, glancing away quickly from his battered and bandaged image, "D-don't... don't want pupper to s-slip in it in the morning..."
The red mech moved jerkily around the kitchen, fishing out a trash bag and bit by bit, returning the room to its usual order. It was well after midnight by the time he had accomplished his task, and still, the autodog felt listless. There were no chores to do now, no son to take care of. Just him and his wounds and the hollow tick-tock of the faraway clock... A trembling servo jumped to his mouth as intakes stalled, muffling the sob that barked out as Air Raid fell against the counter. Inside his spark spun in chaotic patterns, stirring the nausea in his fuel tanks to the point that every broken gasp threatened to make him purge once more.
A sound from behind him brought the shih tzu's breakdown to an agonizing pause; one servo wiping at his optics in a panic while the other awkwardly opened a nearby cupboard and pulled out a glass. "H-hey, pupper, n-need a drink?," he forced out cheerfully, hoping that the crack in his vocalizer was smothered by the squeaking of the tap as he turned on the kitchen faucet. Smile pulling awkwardly at split lip components, Air Raid spun around to face his son, glass held out in offer.
Only it wasn't Skyfire standing across from him.
Weak with déjà vu, Air Raid almost didn't manage to place the cup on the counter; his optics locked painfully on Slingshot, looming tersely a few feet apart. He studied the shorter autodog -his sleeveless shirt and baggy track pants, all crinkled and worn, though not as disheveled as his face appeared beneath the glare he bore- noting the dirt and scuffs that covered his own visible plating, particularly his servos. So much was the same about his brother after all this time, and yet so much had changed too.
"...c-came to finish me o-off?," the red shih tzu joked darkly, unaware that he'd spoken at all until Slingshot had crossed the room and slammed him up against the cupboards.
Primus, he was sick in the helm, Air Raid bemoaned silently. Here he was being held hostage by his own shirt, those same fists mere centimeters away from the throat that they'd damaged earlier, and all he could think about was how badly he'd missed this very mech. Astroseconds passed as the older autodog remained pinned in place, optics shuttered tight as he sobbed unabashedly; no will in him to break free of his assailant and too afraid that onlining them would make this all just disappear.
"...you fragger," Slingshot snarled under his intakes, his brother's shirt pulling taut as the fists pushed him harder into the cupboards, "Bawling like a bornling after everything you've done to me..."
"I-i-i know," Air Raid choked, tasting his own tears as his mouth trembled open uncertainly, "I-i ne-never meant t-to-"
"THIRTEEN YEARS, AIR RAID!," the grey mech bellowed immediately, jerking the other autodog hard enough to make him bite his own glossa. "You ran away; you LEFT me! Not a call, not a letter- NOTHING! You just took off! And all this time, you have a CHILD!? DID I MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?!"
Finally Air Raid forced himself to look at Slingshot and his optics overflowed with tears to see the specks of coolant in his brother's own orbs. "N-no," he wheezed, trembling servos slowly reaching for the smaller shih tzu's forearms, "Y-you mean e-everything t-to me b-but I-i-i... I couldn't... Couldn't t-terminate him, S-slings, h-he was ours. Y-your life g-growing i-in me. B-but you were s-still just a-a y-youngling too..." Static swamped his vocalizer for a moment, forcing Air Raid to swallow sharply, struggling on the knot building in his neck cables. "I-i-i didn't want to destroy y-your life l-like that. I-i just... j-just needed t-to get lost f-for a l-little while... b-but you never c-came looking f-for me..."
Through his blurred vision he saw as a look of horror swept over Slingshot's face; the deep lines of rage flipping upwards as anguish began to mark itself into his brother's expression. As it did, the grey shih tzu ripped himself away from the older autodog, tugging at his ears roughly and backpedaling towards the patio door. Air Raid could only watch from where he lay crumpled on the floor, certain that if his brother fled now, this would be the last time he ever saw him.
"Y-you... you don't get to do that, Air Raid!," the other mech growled, pacing back and forth, fists jabbing at the air in sporadic bursts. "You don't get to just put this on me! You ran away without a word to ANYONE; you never told ANYONE where you were or what you were doing- Oh, wait, you did. You wrote to Fireflight, ALL THIS FRAGGING TIME! Never ME; not ONCE did you think about contacting ME! Our supposed-fragging SON had to do that!"
He spun around on the spot, a jagged finger jerking towards the red shih tzu, mouth twisting further in fury at the flinch it brought forth from his companion. "And now you're trying to BLAME ME?! Excuses, Air Raid, it's ALWAYS EXCUSES with you!," he screamed, kicking at the kitchen table and knocking it over again. "You could have just STAYED. It would have just been another stupid pregnancy in a STRING of bullslag bornlings born over that fragging year! Instead you fragging PLAYED with me like I was a slagging toy, BRAINWASHED ME and then THREW ME OUT the moment you were all grown up! I WISH YOU AND THE FRAGGING PUP HAD JUST DIED!"
It was just words. Slingshot didn't mean them. Yet they stung all the same; another gouge among the criss-crossing slashes marring his spark chamber. Numbness filling his lines, Air Raid let his helm flop to the side, the coolant beginning to dry against his cheekplates as even his sorrow grew too vast for him to process fully. "...o-of course you hate me. I-if I made you a dad at sixteen, you'd h-have hated me for taking a-away your life. Instead, I-i left s-so you'd still h-have that freedom... a-and you hate me," the older autodog mumbled apathetically. "I-i asked you, j-just once if y-you'd come f-find me b-before that... and c-clearly you never cared as much about m-me as I'd thought 'cause you never did. Could have p-picked up a public d-directory; c-called t-the operator and gotten my c-contact details..."
His lip components were moving faster now, the still-healing plating cracking and beading with fresh energon as raw emotion began to spew out of his vocalizer hoarsely. "C-could have t-tried a-anything if y-you were so desperate to see me ag-again. I-i waited f-for you, all this time, b-believing-" Air Raid choked, a servo clutching at his shirt, just above his spark. It felt as though the very orb was being crushed into oblivion, but he knew the agony was his silently long-held hope, shattering in the face of this reality. "I-i don't kn-know why you bothered to c-come here. I-i was a-already h-hurting inside w-without you... Y-your punches can't s-surpass that."
He sobbed; hot, fresh tears streaming down his face as something inside him broke. He was vastly aware of the mistakes he had made, but he'd never realized how much more worse he'd made things, waiting to see if anyone -Silverbolt, Skydive, Slingshot- anyone other than Fireflight still cared about him enough for the red mech to return home. And now that he was finally getting the attention he craved, it was only just to let him know that there was no turning back. He'd alienated himself from all that he loved and longed for.
How was he even going to make it through the next orn, or any other, after this?
Something grasped harshly at his wrist, trying to pull the shih tzu up; he flailed weakly in response, wanting to bury himself into the tile floor of his kitchen and never move again. He recognized his growled-out name through muffled ears, and yet was still alarmed when a shadow followed him to the ground, another mouth shoved roughly against his own. It only took an astrosecond before astonishment melted and a rabid desperation overcame Air Raid, his partner afflicted with the same illness. What started as a kiss became servos scrambling over dual frames, clawing through clothing, exposing untouched plating to a barrage of nips and fleeting suckles. Then pants were being ripped down his thighs, the red mech forced onto his abdomen and a leg lifted in silent command. Air Raid didn't protest; snapping back his codpiece and stifling his gurgling cry with a fist as a spike plunged deeply into his valve.
It was anguish.
Sensors flared to life at the sudden contact, the dry passage trying to douse out the resulting flames with an inadequate gush of lubricants that only stung on the grated areas further; calipers, untouched for stellar cycles, forced wide open for the mounting tempo. Every part of his interface array screamed in pain at the violent coupling, and yet, their owner didn't try to flee the assault. No, he pressed back into the contact, starting up a warbling retinue of cries and moans as he surrendered himself to his companion's deranged method of punishment, until he'd been filled once, thrice, several different times; mounting over his own cobbled peak in the end and tumbling into a sea of nothingness, with fangs buried dangerously in his neck cables.
Violated, but sated.
xXx
He onlined slowly, optical sensors contracting and expanding as they adjusted to the rays of blinding light penetrating the room he laid in. For a moment, Air Raid didn't understand where he was, but his lethargic processor slowly began to piece together clues from the items within his sight line. Dresser with over-flowing shirt drawer, a cacti plant in the window, a pockmark in the painted drywall... He was in his berthroom, he deduced, in his very own berth. Confusion settled in then, his helm beginning to ache as the swell of memories came to the fore-front of his mind. Had Slingshot really been here...? A fluttering servo moved up his neck, brushing against the fresh bandages at the same time that his valve began to throb in aggravation. Intakes cycling fast, Air Raid rolled over despite the pain, the flicker of joy snuffing out immediately at the sight of empty berth space beside him.
It seemed that his brother had truly left for good.
There was no time for tears though, the shih tzu lamented silently, pushing himself up into a sit with a low hiss. The sun was up; it was another orn. He had work to do, Skyfire to help get ready for school...
The berthroom door squeaked softly as it swung open, Air Raid glancing towards it distantly and nearly swallowing his glossa with shock. "S-slings...!," he vented, lip components twitching uncertainly. Was this a crying moment? A smiling moment?
His brother was dressed in the same clothes that he'd shown up with the night before; his servos wrapped in crisp linen as well, and optics lowered slightly in muted emotion. It was a sobering sight to behold. "...how's your throat?," the grey mech questioned flatly, still refusing to meet the other autodog's optics fully.
Air Raid attempted to grin but knew it was a mockery of anything real. "I-it's... it's okay," he answered hoarsely, wincing as a touch of static entered his tone. Truthfully, the damage was pretty bad. It would take at least a week for him to recover. He wasn't going to tell the smaller shih tzu that though. A beat of silence fell between the pair and Air Raid realized belatedly that he was completely nude. He had never been ashamed of his frame yet right now it felt awkward to sit this way, open to the grey shih tzu's every inspection, and be unaware of what remained of their relationship. Shyly, a servo skittered across the sheets, searching for the starting edge of the fabric.
"'m sorry," came the despondent whisper.
The red mech's helm snapped up at the sound, coolant gathering in his optics as he took in his brother's hunched frame. Slingshot was staring at the floor entirely now, lip components pulled back in a grimace and fists shaking at his side. "I-i... I-i-i got mad, j-just like before a-and I almost...," he muttered, halting in his sentence to cycle a shaky intake. "T-then I-i-i-i..."
Air Raid couldn't stand the sight of the shorter autodog so broken. "N-no, Sl-slingshot, p-please y-you... You were r-right. A-about everything. I-i was the st-stupid one; I w-was s-scared, and c-cowardly, a-and I r-ran off wh-when I s-should have just told you a-about the pr-pregnancy," he interjected, the words barely forming out of his aching vocalizer. "B-but I d-didn't. I-i played a-a stupid ga-game, baiting you t-to come find me, li-like what w-we did b-back in the o-orphanage wh-whenever we w-were split up... I-i shouldn't have d-done that to you. That was w-wrong; I w-was wrong. I'm sorry. I'm s-so, so, so sorry. I never meant to h-hurt you like that."
Slingshot was looking at him now, optics flared brightly in alarm.
But now that he had started, the red shih tzu couldn't stop the torrent of gushing emotion. "Y-you were th-the best thing t-that ever h-happened to m-me, a-and I-i-i just left you b-behind! E-even a-after I had S-skyfire and gr-graduated, I-i... I couldn't m-make myself g-go back. I-i knew y-you'd never forgive me," Air Raid sobbed, servos covering his face as he wept anew. "A-and I didn't wa-want to h-hurt o-our son that w-way, t-to make him th-think you h-hated him when it w-was me t-that you'd d-despise. I-i told m-myself that I c-could l-live wi-without you b-but I-i mi-missed you so much! I-i don't ca-care if you hurt m-me, I-i was just s-so happy to see y-you again. I-it's the o-only thing I-i-i wi-wished for!"
The mattress dipped astroseconds before his wrists were yanked away from his face, but in comparison to last night, Air Raid was gently pressed into the sheets by Slingshot, held down by his brother's warm weight. "Ar-Ra," the grey mech vented firmly, his arms encircling his partner's frame and squeezing tight as he buried his face into the crook of the other's neck, "Ar-Ra, my Ar-Ra, I found you. Ar-Ra, Ar-Ra, Ar-Ra..."
The older autodog clung to his brother in return, sniffling with joy at his beloved sparkling nickname spoken from the other's mouth. "S-slings, Slings, I l-love you. I-i never w-want to b-be away from y-you again, Slingshot," he whimpered against the grey ear.
The soft "I love you" mumbled against his plating had his spark swelling with weeping euphoria.
The itch was tiny at first, growing in leaping increments as happiness became ecstasy, and ecstasy became lust, until Air Raid was shifting just slightly, allowing Slingshot to meld closer to his frame. He hungered to be encompassed by the shorter shih tzu, in processor, frame and spark -and judging by the way denta edged carefully along his shoulder plating and up to his ear, his brother was of similar mind. As they turned to each other for a kiss, an awkward cough sounded from the doorway- the pair shooting wide-opticed glances to the youngling outside the room.
"U-umm," Skyfire started, shifting uncomfortably on his pedes, "I-i have s-school, mom, a-and... I... A-are you o-okay?"
Air Raid grinned brilliantly; an honest one, for once. "Hey, pupper! Sorry, I didn't get a chance to introduce you yesterday. This is Slingshot, your sire. Slingshot, that's our beautiful lil' pup, Skyfire. He's a big one, just like 'Bolt, innit he?," the red shih tzu said, nuzzling the rigid autodog hovering above him.
Slingshot made an odd sound in the back of his vocalizer, a blush on his face matching the one on Skyfire's own cheekplates.
"Did you need some help getting ready for school? Oh, we can walk with you if you'd like!," Air Raid offered eagerly, beginning to sit up.
"N-no, that's o-okay!," Skyfire replied quickly, taking a step back from the door. He glanced at Slingshot, his expression still dubious, before focusing on his carrier again. "A-are you sure you'll be a-alright when I'm gone?"
The red shih tzu's smile dimmed, understanding where his son's worries were coming from. "I promise, nothing will happen. We'll have a nice dinner tonight and get to know each other. I'll get take-out too! It'll be great," he chirped. "Sounds good?"
The youngest autodog mulled it over for a klik before nodding, a timid smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. "A-alright, mom. I'll see you after class! U-uh, and you t-too, um, 'dad'?," he added in a fluster, ducking his helm politely and quickly walking out of sight.
"He's a sweet pup," Air Raid announced, turning his helm back to Slingshot as he heard the front door close shut, "He'll grow to trust you, h-he... S-slingshot?" Intakes stalling in his torso, the red shih tzu followed his brother's lurch upwards, a servo snatching at the other's wrist as he tried to pull away entirely. "S-slings, please, w-why...?," the older autodog choked out.
The grey mech shuttered his optics tightly as he stood by the berth's edge, yanking weakly against his brother's hold. Lip components pulled back sickly against clenched denta, as he replied, "...h-he hates me."
Air Raid flinched. "N-no, h-he's just was worried after the little spat we had last night. Y-your his sire! H-he-"
"No I'm not!," Slingshot snapped, his emotions spiking as he finally ripped his arm free of the other's grasp. "I'm just a mech that showed up out of nowhere and tried to kill his mom! He doesn't know me as his dad, a-and now he's sc-scared of me... H-he'll n-never tr-trust me, I-i... I fragged this up. J-just like everything else."
The red autodog lunged forward in a panic, grabbing his brother and dragging him back onto the berth as he tried to flee. He ignored the nasty curses that erupted from the smaller shih tzu, straddling Slingshot's lap to keep him further pinned. "W-what about me?," Air Raid questioned tearfully, the corners of his optics already stinging with growing coolant, "A-are you just going to l-leave me now... f-for good?"
Slingshot stilled beneath him, optics dimmed uncertainly.
"S-slings, p-please... Trust me?," the taller mech begged. "J-just stay for dinner. L-let Skyfire get to know you. H-he's just a bit scared a-after last night but if w-we explain everything to him, t-then it'll all be okay. H-he's a smart pup and I know in his spark he loves you greatly! He wants you to stay. And I-i..."
Air Raid couldn't begin to describe the knotted mess of emotions burning in his spark. So he didn't try. Panels shicked softly as they pulled out of sight, leaving spike, valve and even spark open and vulnerable to the outside air. The grey shih tzu vented erratically, hypnotized by the delicate, swirling orb of warm light.
"...I-it's yours. It always has been," the older autodog whispered, "B-but if you go, i-it'll have no reason to k-keep burning. I meant all the things I said when we were younglings, a-and I'm telling you the truth now: you are my e-everything, Slingshot. I need you here and your son needs his sire. He reached out to you first, after all."
Slingshot only stared on for several astroseconds before he reached upwards; yanking Air Raid down into a kiss as he rolled the pair of them over, servos pinning the red mech's legs to the berth as he pressed close. "I'm staying," he confirmed, lip components brushing the visible spark chamber as he spoke. Air Raid gave a quivering moan as a glossa dipped into the glowing mass, valve clutching in turn. "This i-is... Will it work?"
Slingshot slid back up his brother's frame, forehelms pressed together as his optics searched the other's face timidly. Air Raid smiled brightly at the adorable display of vulnerability, slender fingers cupping the grey shih tzu's cheekplates with tenderness. "Yes. Temper or not, this is your home," he answered, catching Slingshot's sullen pout in a spark-seizing kiss.
His brother gave into the distraction, shoving his shirt out of the way as his own chestplates slid apart; two forlorn sparks finally merging as one, as they rightfully should be.
C.M.D: You know.... I'd planned for a much HAPPIER reunion between these two but after months of sticking in the back of my head, I guess my fingers decided screw that and went in a slightly more.... aggressive... direction with these two. Honestly, not that unlike them all the same. You gotta expect a punch or two when with someone like Slingshot lol Well, that's another story completely wrapped up now! I hope you all had a good read and I'll see you next time!
Be kind; give me your mind~ REVIEW, please?