fanfiction: Love Shared Is Multiplied
Title: Love Shared Is Multiplied
Universe: loosely G1 cartoon.
Rating: R.
Pairing: Bluestreak/Sideswipe leading to Bluestreak/Sideswipe/Sunstreaker. References to Sideswipe/Sunstreaker and each with others.
Author's Notes: Because Focus of the Sun got Bluestreak talking, we have this, a prequel, which was an entry for the First Times challenge at Mecha Erotica in January. I didn't like Bluestreak very much, but since that request Rusty made for Christmas, he has really won me over. ( What to Live for.) It's easy to see why the 'Cons had to target the neutrals first: with steady patience and unstinting love, they would only prolong the war. As always, if you recognize it from canon, it's not mine. 2600 words.
-:-radio transmission-:-
"You haven't been yourself today you haven't made one joke or talked about anything fun what's wrong Sideswipe?" Bluestreak asked after registering that Sideswipe made only monosyllabic answers to everything he said as they traveled. This was one of those rare occasions when both of them had the entire day free, not meaning twenty-four hours in a row, which was fairly common, going from noon to noon every few days was nice in its own right, but an entire day, midnight to midnight, so they could go out and enjoy the sunlight on their plating. They planned to make this one special, going down to the ocean away from everyone. Bluestreak was his normal talkative self, but even before they got on the freeway he knew something was not right with Sideswipe.
Sideswipe was quiet for a few minutes. Bluestreak fought to keep his vocalizer still, wanting to be patient and wait on Sideswipe to fill the silence and answer his question. They turned off the paved road onto a park ranger access track. As soon as they rounded a bend in the little gravel road and were out of view of the meager traffic, they transformed. Sideswipe stood still, an odd look on his face, pained and thoughtful, directed toward the rocks under his feet. Bluestreak stood near him but did not touch him, waiting to hear his answer. He was nearly bursting with more questions, needing to say something, to hear a vocalizer and not just the lapping waves on the rocks, when Sideswipe finally answered. "It's Sunstreaker, Blue." He glanced at Bluestreak then away.
Bluestreak took that as encouragement and held his hand out to Sideswipe, stroking the plating of his forearm with his fingertips. He stepped closer, halving the distance between them. "Sunstreaker's often wrong it's just part of his nature to be contrary and argumentative. If he said something mean I'm sure he didn't intend to hurt your feelings not really he just wanted a rise out of you. You can tell me about it you know I won't tell anyone else. This is our day we can do anything you want to do while we're away from the Ark I don't have to be back until midnight so we can even watch the sunset over the ocean and spend time under the stars together. Don't let Sunstreaker drag you down he'd want you to enjoy your day off." He smiled brightly at Sideswipe and trailed his fingers down to the fighter's larger hand, entwining their fingers and pulling Sideswipe's hand toward him.
Sideswipe met Bluestreak's optics and squeezed the fingers holding his, slowly turning to fully face Bluestreak. He found Bluestreak's free right hand with his left and stepped into his lover, bowing his head slightly to let their helmets touch. The pale morning sunlight washed over them, warming their chilled dermal plating. Bluestreak allowed his engine to turn over, generating a little extra heat in the cool morning air while he tried to be patient and give Sideswipe time to respond. He massaged Sideswipe's rough hands with his thumbs, slow circles with little pressure.
"Please talk to me," he said when he could not be patient any longer, "you know that if you don't talk to me then I have to talk. I would rather listen and I want to hear what you have to say tell me what your brother's done to get you down."
Slowly, a smile formed on Sideswipe's lip components. It was uncomfortable, but it was there. It affected Bluestreak as Sideswipe's private smiles always did; he had to cycle his cooling system faster. Sideswipe straightened then, and turned his face to the sun, optics off. He shook his head in the human gesture of negation, smile relaxing as he made up his mind to explain. "It's not anything he's done or said. Sunstreaker is-" he stopped and looked back at Bluestreak. His smile turned sad, "He's lonely. And he's been lonely long enough that he's depressed. Blaster was just a flash in a firefight, Blue, and probably couldn't have held Sunny's attention if he wanted to. Not that being dumped by Blaster helped him not be lonely, you know. And he was in recharge when we left and he'll be on duty when we get back, so he won't have anybody to talk to today who'll actually listen to him. He's probably up by now and playing Grand Theft Auto. By himself. Mostly bored and lonely."
Bluestreak let go of Sideswipe's hands and hugged him. "He's depressed so you're depressed and feeling guilty for leaving him by himself. He's part of you I know that so why don't you invite him here with us? I bet if you radioed the Ark Seaspray would patch you through to your room on the comm." Looking up into Sideswipe's optics, he was rewarded with a true smile.
"You don't mind?" Sideswipe asked.
"You share a spark with him so he is half of you and you already know I love you." Bluestreak paused to kiss Sideswipe's cheek. He continued, tone as serious as he was capable of being, "Love shared is multiplied."
-X-X-X-
It took Sunstreaker less than ninety minutes to drive out to meet them. Sideswipe didn't think the day could get any better than spending it with his closest friends. But Bluestreak meant what he said, treating Sunstreaker as he treated Sideswipe, friendly and open as they climbed around the rocks and the cliff. He overlooked tone and language when Sunstreaker spoke, responding to the core of anything he said. They stayed out of the cold water after figuring out that it was colder than the spring air; they enjoyed the openness of the area and not having to be in auto-mode so far from the Ark. Sideswipe was sure Bluestreak was making progress with Sunny: he even won an open smile from him when he found a sea-creature that had the same golden hue as Sunstreaker and made a long-winded joke about Sideswipe and the creature being 'switched at birth'. "...This has to be your actual twin Sunstreaker Sideswipe's an impostor!"
At ten-thirty Sunstreaker growled. "Slag! I've got to go. Stupid fragging comm duty."
As he started to pick his way in the direction of the first flat piece of ground, Bluestreak surprised both twins by giving Sunstreaker an enthusiastic hug. "Be careful driving back now and don't be down any more because we love you and you don't have to be alone if you don't want to be."
The affection surprised Sunstreaker. He returned the hug, casting a questioning look to Sideswipe. Sideswipe almost laughed when Bluestreak planted a good-bye kiss on his brother's lips before letting him go. Sunstreaker overcame his shock quickly and muttered something unintelligible before high-tailing it away from there.
"I think you scared him," Sideswipe said, walking up beside Bluestreak, who looked a little hurt. He draped one arm casually across Bluestreak's shoulders. "I'm the only one who's ever told him I love him."
Bluestreak turned into him, hurt expression fleeting, changing to the content look Sideswipe was used to seeing when they were alone. He wrapped his arms around Sideswipe's waist, still watching the direction of Sunstreaker's departure. "That's too bad everyone should be told they're loved he'll just have to get used to it. Wait did you mean to say that you are the only one who's ever told him you love him ever?"
Sideswipe nodded. Bluestreak continued, "Primus it's not like he's a stone I know he's been in relationships what happened? Has he just been that unlucky in choosing companions?" Bluestreak looked up at him.
The only answer Sideswipe could give: "He's been pursued by everyone, all his life, so he just waits for whomever he's interested in to approach him. Sometimes they do; sometimes they don't. But by the time they find the manifolds to talk to him, they want one thing from him. Or, worse: they're so used to the image they have of him that they run away as soon as he shows that he's a real person, not just the beautiful-terrible fighting machine."
Bluestreak kissed Sideswipe, pressing their bodies together, optics powered down. Breaking the kiss to lead Sideswipe toward the only boulder big enough to allow the two of them to sit together in the sun, he said, "You told me you two have entertained and sustained each other but I didn't understand before. You've been lovers as well as brothers and closer than anyone who isn't spark-bonded right?"
Sideswipe nodded, pulled along by Bluestreak's words as well as the tug of his hand. He doubted he wanted to know where Bluestreak was going with this line of thought. Three partners in his life had known about that aspect of his relationship with Sunstreaker and two of them left him soon after learning about it. The other one had not been the least bit concerned, understanding that the mech she loved really only possessed half of his own spark. She stayed with him; they talked about spark-bonding before she was destroyed in battle. Sideswipe let that memory go and answered the mech before him. "Yes."
"Well my beautiful-terrible fighting machine you can't let me come between you and Sunstreaker and make him lonely and depressed. When he's depressed you're sad because he's part of you and I love you and don't want any part of you to be unhappy." They reached the place Bluestreak wanted to be. He turned around to catch hold of Sideswipe, again wrapping his arms around Sideswipe's waist. The warrior's arms automatically wrapped his shoulders and he rested his head on Sideswipe's shoulder. "Invite him to be with us Sideswipe don't leave him out of what we do together he needs us," he said quietly. "He needs you and you need him and I well I may not need you but I want you and I love you and I know my life is better with you in it."
Sideswipe could not believe he heard that right. "You mean like when we hang out or play games or just go driving, right?" That had to be what Bluestreak meant, and he knew it would help. He smiled against Bluestreak's cheek. "Thank you! That should do him a lot of good-"
Bluestreak spoke over him, engine beginning to purr again, "Yes but," he playfully kissed a seam he knew was sensitive in Sideswipe's neck. "I mean more than that Sides," he mouthed along the place where Sideswipe's helmet met his neck. "-you're a tactile bot and that means he is too so being lonely for him isn't just about company," he rubbed the small of Sideswipe's back with his hands, working skilled fingers under the edge of his armor. "-it's about physicality and intimacy." Bluestreak ghosted his lips over Sideswipe's jawline as his fingertips graced the sensors they were seeking, finally eliciting the response he wanted: the Lamborghini's engine turned over with a lurch.
Sideswipe made an appreciative sound, returning the caresses to Bluestreak's helm and the top edge of his door-wings. "Are you sure, Blue? Oh-" he stopped forming words. Bluestreak kissed him soundly.
-X-X-X-
It was early evening when they drove back to the base. Mirage's recommendation of the locale was true and the uninterrupted hours in the sun were a welcome novelty. The temperature of the area dropped quickly when the sun set and they wished they had brought some energon to top up before the chilly drive back.
Watching Bluestreak's sun-kissed face as his winglets were petted and his systems approached overload was a joy Sideswipe could not get enough of. He reviewed some images in his CPU and shuddered on his suspension as they sat at a traffic light in a small town. Bluestreak kept up his usual chatter over their encrypted radio. Most of what he said was inane, just observations of passersby or the terrain. Sideswipe did not mind: his world was coming together as never before because of Bluestreak. He had found a lover who could not only deal with his bond to his brother but was willing and eager to accept Sunstreaker as part of their relationship. He let the words wash over him.
-:-Love shared is multiplied,-:- Bluestreak was saying, commenting on a political billboard they passed. Sideswipe thought it was the shortest complete sentence Bluestreak ever said in his hearing. He seemed to enjoy saying it, and had described it as the guiding premise of his family, his city, his lost culture. -:-The humans don't see it and most Autobots don't either but I know it Sideswipe I do. Love shared is multiplied and we can share ours with Sunstreaker and make up for the time yours for each other has suffered.-:-
-X-X-X-
Twenty-four hours after Bluestreak reported for patrol that midnight, the Lamborghinis' own shared shift ended and they made their way to their quarters via the washrack and the galley.
The light was on - they could see it dimly under the edge of the door - and they heard music coming from inside. Sunstreaker flashed his twin a dark look. "What the frag?"
Sideswipe processed a tick then smiled slowly. "I bet I know-" he said but did not finish the thought, punching in the key code.
The door opened and Bluestreak stirred from one of the chairs in front of their entertainments, the television and game console. The lights were dim and Bluestreak had done something to make them flicker charmingly. The screen was blank but the DVD player was running, playing a CD of stirring music Sideswipe had never heard before. Bluestreak stood up as they walked in. He had taken some pains with his finish while they were out on patrol, so the flickering light played on it making him sparkle.
Sunstreaker thought better of being there. He stopped just inside the room. "Primus' aft, Bro', he's being all romantic at you. Blue, give me the code for your room and I'll go crash there." He looked from Bluestreak's hopeful expression to his brother's stupid moon-struck grin and stayed in precisely the right place to prevent the door from cycling closed. "You two are just too slagging much."
Bluestreak had other plans. "Oh I don't think you need that code this is your room if three's a crowd then I'm the one who should go," he said as he covered the few steps toward them. He met Sideswipe first with a hug and a kiss that promised more. Then he took Sideswipe's hand but stepped away from him, holding his other hand out to Sunstreaker. "Come in out of the cold Sunstreaker you are welcome with us."
Sunstreaker scowled, but stepped fully into the room.
At least a groon and a few field flares apiece later, Sunstreaker asked them what possessed them to draw him to them.
Sideswipe lifted his head from where he rested against Bluestreak's abdomen. "Say again, 'Bro?" he asked muzzily, and sought Sunstreaker's right hand with his own left. They rested their clasped hands on Bluestreak's still-shaking winglet.
Bluestreak's vocalizer was raspy, needing his internal repair system to condition it. The twins had tag-teamed him into overcharge, finding out that if Sunstreaker held him from behind and stroked all over his door-wings while Sideswipe kissed him and attended to his front transformation mechanisms his processors fritzed and he was unable to form words just an expectant, joyful keening. He turned his head slightly as he lay back against the broad yellow chest to answer tranquilly, "Love shared is multiplied."
-:-As of 04DEC2008, let me send you to Company Gladly Kept as the most timely sequel to this one, which then leads to What Moves the Sun.