#092 - Surprised
As the companion to "Confused," this takes place a couple days after.
Surprised
“Inferno…”
The ant in question glanced up from the security monitor, burning gaze settling on the pale face of his partner. Waspinator was fidgeting nervously, fingers twisting through the too-long sleeves of his hooded sweatshirt. It was the first time he’d spoken directly to Inferno since the confrontation and he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say…
But he knew exactly how he wanted to say it.
“What is it?” Inferno queried, attention -for once- focused entirely on Waspinator. He could feel the importance of whatever it was that the smaller man wanted to say; feel how on edge he was. And that was enough for him to drag himself away from the monitor; he really didn’t want to have to chase down his skittish partner later.
“Wazzpinator…” He paused; shaking his head, frustration hanging heavy in the air. This was bad; he couldn’t even start out properly. He had thought it all out earlier, practiced getting the pronouns right; this was important! Taking a deep breath, he tried again. “I’m sorry.” This was better…He was forcing himself; it was so difficult to talk properly. But it was better…It was right…“I…was trying not to be so annoying…Know Inferno doezzn’t like to…listen to all the talking…Thought it would…especially annoy Inferno when…” He paused again, blushing delicately and taking a little bit of a break from making the words come out right.
“Didn’t know it would be more annoying.” He continued, biting his lip, “And…I--”
“Stop.” The word came out on a low growl and Waspinator fell silent, mouth still open. Inferno didn’t want to hear any more; it was far too painful. He could feel how much Waspinator was struggling; the frustration, the agony of forcing words out in a manner he wasn’t accustomed to. And it hurt. He didn’t want to listen to it; it wasn’t right. It wasn’t Waspinator.
The one word had a lot of power. Their bond had even more. Anything else Waspinator had planned to say had fled his mind on command and, anyway, the wash of emotion from Inferno would have been enough to stun him to silence even if he could remember everything else.
Guilt.
He hadn’t ever expected Inferno to ever feel guilty for anything. The ant was all bravado and self-confidence, though Waspinator knew it wasn’t real. Inferno was as vulnerable as any one under all the arrogance and pride and big words. But…to let that show, no matter how unintentional…
It was surprising, to say the least.
“Just…Stop.” Inferno huffed, arms folding. He didn’t know what to say, either, and it annoyed him to no end to know that Waspinator could feel his distress over the situation. But he was just so sick of the smaller bug denying who and what he was…First with his assertions that he quit being a Predacon and now this…this…mockery of proper speech; this trying to force himself to be something he wasn’t. Perfect. Normal.
If Waspinator wasn’t being himself -Inferno felt disgusted at the realization- he wasn’t being any one Inferno really wanted anything to do with. It didn’t matter how much “better” he was when he was silent or spoke properly; it only mattered that, when he tried to change himself, he wasn’t the individual Inferno had bonded with.
Being with this quiet, thoughtful stranger that Waspinator was becoming was almost as maddening as being alone.
Waspinator looked down at his hands; at his bare feet. He wanted to touch Inferno; to be held and told it was okay. But it wasn’t okay; neither of them was used to sharing so many emotions and Inferno wasn’t like that, anyway. It was fanciful thinking. They were both struggling with it and neither of them seemed to know what to do; it seemed more often than not as if this had all been a huge mistake.
Inferno felt the doubt and froze in a moment of panic; what would he do if…? No; Waspinator wouldn’t go anywhere. They were bonded and, mistake or no, they were stuck with one another now. He wouldn’t leave and Inferno wouldn’t be alone…The relief he felt was almost tangible; and again Waspinator was left feeling surprised.
He, for once, made the first move; closing the distance between them and curling against Inferno, who stiffened at the first moment of contact, then relaxed into the embrace. He was indulgent enough to allow Waspinator to twine slender fingers through his hair; to allow the fussing that he told himself was more for Waspinator’s comfort than his own, though he knew this was far from the truth.
This was harder for Inferno, who wasn’t accustomed to feeling much beyond anger and the heady thrill of burning things. Waspinator was well aware of this; of the confusion brought on by their shared emotions and the fact that it was probably making Inferno crazier than he already was.
So he tried and failed and tried again to make it easier for his partner, and found himself constantly surprised by the way Inferno reacted to things.
Surprised
“Inferno…”
The ant in question glanced up from the security monitor, burning gaze settling on the pale face of his partner. Waspinator was fidgeting nervously, fingers twisting through the too-long sleeves of his hooded sweatshirt. It was the first time he’d spoken directly to Inferno since the confrontation and he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say…
But he knew exactly how he wanted to say it.
“What is it?” Inferno queried, attention -for once- focused entirely on Waspinator. He could feel the importance of whatever it was that the smaller man wanted to say; feel how on edge he was. And that was enough for him to drag himself away from the monitor; he really didn’t want to have to chase down his skittish partner later.
“Wazzpinator…” He paused; shaking his head, frustration hanging heavy in the air. This was bad; he couldn’t even start out properly. He had thought it all out earlier, practiced getting the pronouns right; this was important! Taking a deep breath, he tried again. “I’m sorry.” This was better…He was forcing himself; it was so difficult to talk properly. But it was better…It was right…“I…was trying not to be so annoying…Know Inferno doezzn’t like to…listen to all the talking…Thought it would…especially annoy Inferno when…” He paused again, blushing delicately and taking a little bit of a break from making the words come out right.
“Didn’t know it would be more annoying.” He continued, biting his lip, “And…I--”
“Stop.” The word came out on a low growl and Waspinator fell silent, mouth still open. Inferno didn’t want to hear any more; it was far too painful. He could feel how much Waspinator was struggling; the frustration, the agony of forcing words out in a manner he wasn’t accustomed to. And it hurt. He didn’t want to listen to it; it wasn’t right. It wasn’t Waspinator.
The one word had a lot of power. Their bond had even more. Anything else Waspinator had planned to say had fled his mind on command and, anyway, the wash of emotion from Inferno would have been enough to stun him to silence even if he could remember everything else.
Guilt.
He hadn’t ever expected Inferno to ever feel guilty for anything. The ant was all bravado and self-confidence, though Waspinator knew it wasn’t real. Inferno was as vulnerable as any one under all the arrogance and pride and big words. But…to let that show, no matter how unintentional…
It was surprising, to say the least.
“Just…Stop.” Inferno huffed, arms folding. He didn’t know what to say, either, and it annoyed him to no end to know that Waspinator could feel his distress over the situation. But he was just so sick of the smaller bug denying who and what he was…First with his assertions that he quit being a Predacon and now this…this…mockery of proper speech; this trying to force himself to be something he wasn’t. Perfect. Normal.
If Waspinator wasn’t being himself -Inferno felt disgusted at the realization- he wasn’t being any one Inferno really wanted anything to do with. It didn’t matter how much “better” he was when he was silent or spoke properly; it only mattered that, when he tried to change himself, he wasn’t the individual Inferno had bonded with.
Being with this quiet, thoughtful stranger that Waspinator was becoming was almost as maddening as being alone.
Waspinator looked down at his hands; at his bare feet. He wanted to touch Inferno; to be held and told it was okay. But it wasn’t okay; neither of them was used to sharing so many emotions and Inferno wasn’t like that, anyway. It was fanciful thinking. They were both struggling with it and neither of them seemed to know what to do; it seemed more often than not as if this had all been a huge mistake.
Inferno felt the doubt and froze in a moment of panic; what would he do if…? No; Waspinator wouldn’t go anywhere. They were bonded and, mistake or no, they were stuck with one another now. He wouldn’t leave and Inferno wouldn’t be alone…The relief he felt was almost tangible; and again Waspinator was left feeling surprised.
He, for once, made the first move; closing the distance between them and curling against Inferno, who stiffened at the first moment of contact, then relaxed into the embrace. He was indulgent enough to allow Waspinator to twine slender fingers through his hair; to allow the fussing that he told himself was more for Waspinator’s comfort than his own, though he knew this was far from the truth.
This was harder for Inferno, who wasn’t accustomed to feeling much beyond anger and the heady thrill of burning things. Waspinator was well aware of this; of the confusion brought on by their shared emotions and the fact that it was probably making Inferno crazier than he already was.
So he tried and failed and tried again to make it easier for his partner, and found himself constantly surprised by the way Inferno reacted to things.