knowhere | [private to Drift]

[Megatron sure figures it out faster than Drift does. The swordmech's thought process is a cascade of expressions that pass over his face, ending in something akin to abject horror.]

Aaaaaaaaaahaha^hahahaaaa SO I do. Have the wrong room. Fancy that!

I'll just, uh, be going then. [There's a flurry of hands before they both clutch the datapad in front of his face, as if the sheer force of his will might grow it to a size that could hide him from this embarrassing faux pas, blue optics shifting color slightly as the peer over the edge.] Terribly sorry. Have a good evening~!

[And then he pivots on a heel and steps towards the door opposite, finger hovering over the chime, resisting the urge to whang himself in the head with that datapad.]

...Yes. Fancy that.

[ oh Drift's horror is great. it's been a while since Megatron has had something to actually laugh at. which he is. yes, that's a thing he's doing right now - a deep sound that's going to vibrate through the corridor.

he doesn't stop Drift from continuing on, but his optics do catch that datapad. it looks pretty familiar... one of the knicks on the side.

but nah. coincidence.

with Drift gone he just moves back into his room. to write more, of course. ]

[Wing's heard some commotion in the hallway. It's not like he hasn't been listening for Drift's arrival or anything. But that sounded like...laughing?

Well, that was always a good sign, though it didn't sound like Drift's laugh. Then again, he's only heard Drift's kind of nervous laugh before.

He opens the door, just as the laugh echoes in the hallway, but there's Drift, clutching a datapad and looking a little confused.]

Is everything all right? I thought I heard...something (?)

[Drift is still trying to get his expression under control when the door opens. But thank Primus it's Wing this time! Whom he looks rather ecstatic to see. (And embarrassed. But nevermind that part.)]

Yes, now. Everything's fine now. [The datapad falls from view as Drift swings his arms nervously.] May I come in?

[Before anyone else pokes their head out into the hallway to investigate the noise?]

Now?

[So it wasn't fine before? Hmmmm. Suspicious jet is suspicious.]

Of course you can come in. I invited you, silly!

[Well yes it was dicey for about two minutes there. Drift might prefer another sword to the chest over Megatron exclaiming he's on a 'hot date' to the entire building. And seriously is this even a date for that matter? He has NO idea. If it is, he is not nearly nervous enough.]

I just...didn't know you lived across the hall from Megatron. That's all.

[Drift needs to quietly assassinate the storm of thoughts that bit of info riles up in his processor. POSITIVE THOUGHTS! Instead, he moves inside, looking around the room.]

[The date himself is feeling relatively room temperature, but he is certainly not averse to being warmed up.]

It was a surprise to me, but he is a quiet neighbor. [He gets the official Crystal City Seal of Good Neighborliness from Wing, which is another mark in the former warlord's favor, as far as Wing's concerned. It's hard to view the 'guy across the hall' as a mass murdering genocide, after all. ]

[Wing's settled on hiding the convertor for now, on the table with a cloth over it. Humans called it a table cloth, so surely that's what it was for--a cloth to hide things on tables. He is getting the hang of this. So there's a large blue and yellow flower patterned....lump on the main table. Smooth.]

Did you bring the jello?

[This may go down in history as the best or worst pick up line ever.]

Edited 2014-09-05 13:10 (UTC)

[Well it's only just started right? It could get warmer. Hotter, maybe? ~~Steamier, p-please?~~]

Except when he's laughing. [Shifty, squinty eyes at the door.] Do you...see him often?

[But wait, maybe they shouldn't be talking about Megatron. Doubtful that's the reason Drift was invited here. He does cast an optic at the odd mound of blue and yellow flowered Something on the table.]

[~~Or the best pick-up line.~~] Oh. Yes! Er. We need to make it first. But I just need a dish to put it in. [Because HEY, doing it in the palm of your hand makes a mess!]

[Wing is definitely interested in warming, yes. Perhaps, in fact, with some newly fabricated energon in both their systems.]

It's a laugh I wouldn't have imagined the Megatron of the early war to have, yes.

[He shrugs.] No, we've never spoken. He keeps to himself.

Hm. Maybe I should be more welcoming as a neighbor? [Welcome wagon giftbasket?]

You know how to make this, then? [SO IMPRESSED, Drift you are a connoisseur of these strange human foods.] Yes, of course, this way.

[Fuel is good! And not just because it enables energetic activities. ]

It's good to hear, yeah. I'm happy that he's come around finally. [Drift can console himself with that. At least he made the large mech laugh--who often looks surprisingly old and tired in the less guarded moments--even if it was at Drift's own expense.] More welcoming? Er, like how?

[Naw he doesn't sound alarmed at that!]

Of course! It's right here-- [On the label. No, shhh, don't ruin that great impression.] --in the kitchen right?

He does seem quite...different than the mech I remembered from the holovids.

[Which had been, he admits, probably heavily edited by Zeta and Sentinel to cast the worst possible light on the miner-turned-revolutionary. Still, he was a surprise.]

Oh, I don't know. Go for a walk? Bring over some breakfast? [That's what human food is called, right?]

[He nods, following Drift into the kitchen, pulling one of the bowls out and offering--hoping it's big enough.]

Will you let me smell it? I am curious.

[Because strawberries! ]

I suppose it goes without saying that he's been through a lot. But something happened back on Cybertron. I don't know the details but it really seemed to strike home. Something Bumblebee said or did... [A sheepish but warm smile.] Rather reminds me of what you did for me really...

[Drift thinks for a moment, deciding this sounds harmless enough.] I think he'd like that actually. Understandably there aren't many willing to be friendly to him.

[But watching Wing in the kitchen reminds Drift of something important, (he must be fully recovered from his wrong-door mishap)!] Oh! How is your hand?

You've all been through so much. [And so much self-inflicted. It hurt to think about.]

All I ever did for you, Drift, was treat you as a friend.

[He might have wished to do more, but time and fate had other plans.]

[He flexes his right hand, with a sheepish grin.]

All right. You can hardly tell, can you?

War wounds run deep. We're healing though, slowly, even Cybertron. [And even with as many stumbles as they've had along the way, he knows it's still progress.]

The first in a very long time. I'd...forgotten what it was like.

[He couldn't even appreciate that for what it was back then, much less more. The harsh truth of wanting more came when it was too late. But hey, second chances, yeah? He's not wasting it.]

[Drift stares at the hand, surprised, moving forward to get a closer look. 'Pleased' and 'concerned' seems to be fighting a battle for control of his features though.] Wow. Did you see a medic? Or engineer? [BETTER NOT BE PHARMA]

It's true. Many of the worst wounds of war aren't physical.

[Even Dai Atlas had had more than one, which had festered to the surface when Drift arrived.]

No one should forget what friends are like, Drift. And especially not here.

[Not if Wing has anything to say about it.]

Oh. I. Uh. This is me.

[He nods, a gesture that not only agrees but commiserates.] And beyond. It's hard to grow past all that now that it's over.

[But Wing is a great reminder that it's possible, that life outside of war can be a wonderful thing. ~~When not disrupted by Decepticon idiots that is~~.]

I don't think I could with you around. [Or Rodimus or Megatron... But Wing is special, he was the first since Gasket.]

Well of course it's you. [Duh. He reaches out to take the hand in two of his own. What is this jet even talking about.....?]

Hard, but not impossible. If one can endure war, one can survive peace.

[At least as far as Drift is concerned, Wing is confident.]

Not if I have anything to say about it. [And he will say plenty about it.]

[Wing spreads the fingers--it seems to take some concentration as he does it. ]

I mean, it's, well, not real. It's me, but not really me. [Clears that right up!]

I would think so! It seems so simple when you put it like that. Yet after 4 millions years of war, it's hard to set aside grudges. It's happening though, faster for some than others. [Megatron is an example in that, for all that most don't believe him.]

[He just grins, his spark tight and blooming in his chassis at the same time, a little overcome by the strength of Wing's conviction. He doesn't feel worthy, but if Wing says...?]

Not real--? [Refocusing with his expectations pushed a aside, Drift starts to understand. Wing's aura is present, stronger than usual even, but the EM field is near to missing, as if the hand wasn't there.] Wait...what??? That is. Odd!! How, what...?

[CRYSTAL clear communication happening right here yup.]

The truth is almost always simple to state, Drift. It's the living it out that becomes...difficult at times.

[Wing does say. And he'll say it louder and louder if necessary.]

It works well enough, so far. [As long as he doesn't lose concentration. That's a problem. Especially because he wants to concentrate on Drift right now.]

Meditation does some wonderful things. [That, and the gem, he thinks.]

So difficult.

[And maybe disrupt the neighbors in the process because Wing might have to get that loud. Drift will be so embarrassed. ~~DO IT ANYWAY~~.]

So, you're, doing that...with your gem's power? [Color him extremely impressed!] And meditation got you this far? [Teach him your secrets, Wing!]

[He can't help but manipulate the hand a little, running his thumbs over the seams of the palm, down the fingers, contacting the pressure points he knows would normally be there. The fact that that's just a little bit intimate will probably dawn on him any moment here...]

It seems to me you're doing wonderfully well with it, Drift. You just need to take the faith you put out there, [Wing will tap at Drift's chassis with his good hand.] in here.

[Another 'easier said than done' thing.]

I am. If you really need something, apparently, it gets easier.

[And right about now, the gentle, exploring touches of Drift's fingerpads against his hand are definitely in that 'need' category. Or right next to it.]

You think so? [He's hoped so. But it's different hearing it from someone else, Wing most of all.] I've had some... Well. Less than shining moments of late. Before arriving here.

[That being one of them. But there's something else meaningful in the tap of Wing's finger against his blank chestplate. Like maybe...it's the only thing that belongs there?]

Need something? [It makes him look up, realizing how close he's wandered in his inspection, his mouth opening to speak further but nothing quite makes it out. It's just, ya know, hanging out there, like they are.]

Everyone has moments that don't seem--at the time--to be their best. But those are tests that allow our best to shine brighter.

[In other words, he will swat aside any insecurity, just like he used to chuck Drift around.]

Well, I can't wield a sword without a hand, can I?

Well I won't be making the same mistake twice, that's for certain. [Too high, the price. He can see all the mistakes he made along the way, though that does nothing if he can't learn from them right? Shine brighter. He needs to not make them here.

Drift pulls back, a little insecure in other ways, a shy smile fluttering over his face.]

Of everyone, you'd find a way though. The power of faith and determination?

[And an infinity gem shard sure, but it still takes willpower to use, right?]

[Wing grins.]

Well, I did think about trying to hold a blade in my mouth, but...I think this is more practical.

[Not only because of fighting, but because he can do this: turn his palm under Drift's, his hand holding the other's.]

Action; fffffff never be sorry

Action;

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