dens_tf_den | Nexus, Blackout's Kingdom and the Black Dog, Jetfire's Choice

Jetfire: *starting to reboot. Once he's a bit more aware of his surroundings, he notices that he's sitting in a very comfortable chair... and then the events of the previous night begin to come back to him, and also flashes of the three hour long CGI sci-fi video he'd been watching. Chuckles softly and looks around for his fellow movie-watcher*

Blackout: *sitting on her favorite bolder and leaning comfortably back against the wall as she reads a paperback novel that looks nearly microscopic in her fingers*

Jetfire: *sits up a bit, watching the femme* What're ye readin', Blackout?

Blackout: *doesn't look up, though Scorponok chitters on her shoulder* A human novel from a series that's actually mildly interesting.

Jetfire: *sitting up more, before he's moving to try and get out of the recliner* What series?

Blackout: 'Ides of War' by Dotty O'Flaharty. *reaches out a big hand in offer of assistance* Try sitting the chair up first.

Jetfire: *does so, grumbling about it good-naturedly*

Blackout: *looks up from her book once he's on his feet, her optics twinkling* Did you have a good rest, old man?

Jetfire: Aye, I did... Thank ye kindleh fer not puttin' me out.

Blackout: *snort* Why should I do that?

Jetfire: *absent shrug, leans on his cane as he walks over to get a better look at the book*

Blackout: Those small pigment marks are letters in the most common human language.

Jetfire: *Frowning as he looks at the marks* Slaggin' tiny things, aren't they?

Blackout: *side glance* Your magnification doesn't work?

Jetfire: Slaggin' things're worthless...

Blackout: *frowns and puts the book away in a storage compartment, then puts an arm around the old bot's waist and pulls him down to sit on her lap so she can scan his optics*

Jetfire: *optics could be in better shape, but as he's stated, the focus mechanisms for his optics are all but worthless due to disuse and age*

Blackout: *frowns, then makes a soft sound and kisses him on the forehead* You've still got a lot of mileage in you yet, old man.

Jetfire: *Snorts and nods*

Blackout: *chuckles and then smiles down at him before making an irritated sound and answering her comm* //What do you want, Skyfire?//

Skyfire: *worried* //Blackout, is Jetfire there? Starscream is quite worried about him.//

Blackout: //Yes. I have him.// *arms go around the old Seeker possessively* //And you can tell Starscream that I'm keeping him.//

Jetfire: *Grumbling and telling his twin to bugger off*

Skyfire: //... Very well...// *Sounds a bit put-off*

Blackout: //Permanently.//

Skyfire: //...// *Relaying this to his mate*

Starscream: *protesting angrily, but can't talk to Blackout because she's blocked most Starscreams*

Skyfire: //Blackout, can we discuss this matter in person?//

Blackout: //What is there to discuss? He's mine.//

Skyfire: //He was ours first.//

Blackout: //Well he isn't now. And I'm in no mood for Starscream whining.//

Skyfire: *soft sigh*

Jetfire: //Aw, bugger off, Skyfire. 'M a grown mech fer pity's sake.//

Skyfire: *reminding his twin about how much Starscream has cared for him*

Jetfire: *Scowling a bit and tightening the grip on his cane a bit more*

Blackout: *engine getting a bit growly*

Jetfire: *Grousing and cursing at his twin*

Blackout: //Fine. But not her.//

Skyfire: //She's his trine leader, Blackout.//

Blackout: *actual growl over the commlink as she drops her optics to Jetfire to see what he says*

Jetfire: *Grumbling lessens, small nod* Aye... She is... *Likes the younger femme, and will behave if she's around*

Blackout: //Whatever. I'll be at the Black Dog in fifteen cycles.//

Skyfire: //Understood. Skyfire out.//

Blackout: *irritated grumbling as she gets to her feet with Jetfire still in her arms. And then she PINpoints to the pub, sets him down, and orders an extra large Cybertron Sunset before heading for the far corner booth*

Jetfire: *moves to follow her, calling his twin all manner of rude names*

Blackout: *indicates that she wants him to go into the booth first and to slide over by the wall*

Jetfire: *Soft snort, will do so, still calling his twin names*

Blackout: *sits next to him, blocking the way into and out of that side of the booth as she puts her elbows on the table and lets Scorponok dive into her drink* What do you want, old man?

Jetfire: Somethin' with a kick.

Blackout: *snorts* I mean where do you want to be.

Jetfire: *snorts as well* Where I belong. 'N that &#@$%$er can just DEAL with it.

Blackout: *leans down to kiss his helm*

Jetfire: *pleased Seeker is pleased*

Skyfire: *pauses as he sees that, arm around Starscream's waist*

Starscream: *silently watching the interaction between the two, then shutters her optics for a moment as she remembers Optimus' counsel not to feel rejected* //He is happy. Happier than I've ever seen him when he's with us.//

Skyfire: *small nod* //He is... I just wish Blackout would have spoken to us about her intentions beforehand...//

Starscream: *quietly* //I'm coming to think that isn't the Decepticon way.//

Skyfire: //I do not know... I have never been a Decepticon, nor do I pretend to be...//

Starscream: //Neither have I, but I listen to things.//

Skyfire: *Soft sigh*

Blackout: *lifts her head, notices the pair, and scowls as she pushes her drink over to Jetfire to have some. Yes, she's sharing her drink, as she usually only does with Scorponok*

Jetfire: *more pleased sounds*

Starscream: *starts toward the booth, her expression quiet and slightly sad*

Skyfire: *moves with her, quiet seriousness in his optics*

Jetfire: *offers Blackout the drink after having a few sips of it*

Blackout: *fishes out the Scorpy and has a pull at it, then drops in the portable mixer and sits up to meet the incoming bots* Alright, I'm here. You're meeting me.

Jetfire: *eyeing his twin and his twin's mate*

Skyfire: *nods* Thank you...

Blackout: *scowls at Skyfire and waits for him to say something else*

Skyfire: *Quietly* You have access to a medic in case there's something that can't be fixed by you or anyone who answers to you?

Blackout: *optic roll* One trained by the Hatchet, and a couple Hatchets as well.

Skyfire: *another nod and another sigh, feeling a bit like he is losing part of his family*

Starscream: *is silent as she seeks to catch Jetfire's optics with her own*

Jetfire: *soft snort at how sappy his twin is being, glances to Starscream*

Starscream: *lifts her browplates, her expression and optics asking if she did something to offend him*

Jetfire: *Small headshake, then he's tilting his head slightly towards Blackout, indicating that while Starscream is family, he's certain that his place is with the chopper femme*

Starscream: *brows quirk together, her head tilting slightly toward her mate as she wordlessly asks if Jetfire feels toward Blackout as she feels toward Skyfire*

Jetfire: *very soft chuckle, and a slight wink, meaning that he's not about to rat himself out*

Starscream: *mouth twitches* *quietly* We brought your things.

Jetfire: Thank ye kindleh, Starscream.

Skyfire: *getting Jetfire's belongings out of subspace and putting them where his brother can reach them easily*

Blackout: *watching* Any other questions, Autobot?

Skyfire: *as he gets the last of Jetfire's belongings out* No...

Blackout: You sure? *drinks and passes drink and Scorpy over to her friend*

Skyfire: *nods*

Jetfire: *glad to have his heated tarp* Ye aren't gonna be here 'gain t' try 'n talk me back?

Skyfire: *headshake* No. There's no point.

Starscream: But please feel free to come back and visit. First Aid might think he's allowed to relax now.

Blackout: .... *whut?*

Jetfire: *Snort*

Blackout: *looks at him quizzically, and then turns back as she realizes that Starscream has turned and is leaving*

Skyfire: *as he moves to follow his mate* Be careful...

Blackout: *snorts and has a long swig of her drink*

Jetfire: *More snort, moves to tuck his belongings away*

Blackout: *grins and orders him his own drink, then chases Scorponok around with her hand, rumbling with laughter as the tiny mech chitters at her excitedly*

Jetfire: *nods his thanks*

Blackout: *considers him quietly* Did I tell you about Skywarp?

Scorponok: *says much about Skywarp. It doesn't sound very nice*

Jetfire: *slight headtilt* I don' recall...

Blackout: Well he's the other half of Requiem's coding. *something in her voice hints he's something else, too, though something different than Jetfire is*

Jetfire: *Raised brow ridge, soft snort*

Blackout: He hasn't been around for awhile. But he's a jealous pain in the aft, so don't cross him, alright? *protective of old mech*

Jetfire: Won't start nothin' if he don'. *Firmly*

Blackout: *gives him a rough, one-armed hug*

Jetfire: *rumbles quietly and leans against her a bit*

Blackout: *quietly* You're mine, old man. As long as Scorponok will be mine, you will be too.

Jetfire: *seriously* I'll do everythin' in my power t' live up to that honor.

Blackout: *kisses him on the helm, and then lets go of him to pick up her drink* My friend.

Jetfire: *raises his drink* Aye. 'N you're my friend. *nods to her*

Blackout: *downs her drink and sets the cube so Scorponok can crawl into it, then unreels her link cord from her wrist and offers it. Yes, she's offering the faint bond of siblinghood*

Jetfire: *offers his wrist port, seriousness in his optics.*

Blackout: *plugs in and chuckles at the steady affection she can feel. Jetfire will be able to feel her respect and affection toward him, and her desire to keep and own that which she is fond of.*

Jetfire: *does indeed feel affection for Blackout, as well as a healthy amount of respect for the Decepticon. To him, Blackout is everything a Decepticon should be: Honorable, strong, smart, capable, and independant. The way a proper Decepticon should be.*

Scorponok: *chitters and waves his pinchers, and Jetfire will be able to feel clearly over the link the little bot's conviction that Blackout is the most wonderful thing in existence*

Blackout: *chuckles and scritches her symbiont, then looks inward and chooses the tiny bit of spark coding that she'll share with Jetfire to form the sibling bond*

Jetfire: *rumbly chuckle as he agrees with Scorponok and focuses on choosing part of his own spark coding to share with Blackout*

Blackout: *leaning her cheek on her free fist, her optics half shuttered as she shares that bit of code and peeks at the little bits of Jetfire thought that are easily seen. She's not probing, only browsing the most open things with the skill of one who's been linked to another for most of her life*

Jetfire: *shares his bit of code, thoughts turning to how he can best live up to the honor of being Blackout's friend*

Blackout: *puts a hand on his head to pull him over sideways and kiss him on the helm again, feeling of amusement* Dork.

Jetfire: *Soft snort, doesn't believe he is a dork, just wants to do his best to live up to expectations*

Blackout: *carefully unplugs her link cable and then reels it into her arm* You live up to expectations just by being yourself, old man.

Jetfire: *More snort, but it doesn't sound like his usual derisive one... This one's more of an affectionate snort, truth be told* *Settles to have a drink from his cube*

Blackout: *turns her head to casually watch the goings on of the bar, just feeling content and a wee bit smug as she thinks of one thought she saw while they were linked*

Jetfire: *contented engine rumble as he works on enjoying his drink*

Sheol: *comes in a few minutes later, a book that looks massive even compared to her in her hands. Looks around, spots her Warlady and Jetfire and comes over to offer the bulky, rather crude looking manuscript*

Blackout: *pleased rumble as she takes it and flips through the pages, which are made of heavy plastic film* Well done. You may go.

Sheol: *gives her gentle smile as she turns to obey* Yes, Blackout.

Jetfire: *Raised brow ridge*

Blackout: *turns toward him* You want to read a human book called 'Frankenstein'.

Jetfire: *Perks up*

Blackout: *holds out the big book, which is tied along the back with electrical wire*

Jetfire: *pleased sound as he reaches for the book* Thank ye kindleh, Blackout...

Blackout: *grins and gives it* If you want anything else to read ask Sheol. She's the one that cares about that sort of thing.

Jetfire: *nods, carefully handling the book as he moves to get comfortable so he can begin reading*

Blackout: *gentle elbow to the side* Let's go back to base so you can sit in your chair. //I don't want you stiffening up and getting stuck in a slagging booth again, old man.//

Jetfire: *snorts a bit, before nodding and moving to get up* Aye...

Blackout: *snags his cube as she stands and gets out of the booth herself. Stands tall and looks around, and no one will be able to prove that she's sticking her elbow out for Jetfire to catch hold of if he needs it. She isn't going to insult him that way. ...Nor will she leave him to fall down as he tries to get his stabilizers settled*

Jetfire: *Once he's steady on his feet, he leans on his cane a bit, the book tucked carefully and securely under one arm*

Blackout: *puts a hand on his shoulder and PINpoints them home, where Jetfire is soon settled into his recliner with his heated tarp tucked around him as he nods and snores softly over his book*

((co-written with

random_xtras))