TITLE: Can of Worms
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation – Off Balance
'VERSE: movie
PAIRING: Sideswipe/Scavenger
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)
FEEDBACK: Loved
SUMMARY: Things are getting more complicated, confusing... and unexpected...


The first time he stayed after the interface rush was over, Sideswipe found that his fingers were curled into Scavenger’s torso armor, the grip hard enough to almost leave marks. His energon pump was whirring and his air intakes were whistling with the need to cool his systems.

For the first time he had no longer been passive.

He had been rather… well, no, he had been very active.

And the activity had let him grab into the taller mech and try to what? Tear off armor plating? That made no sense. First of all, he wouldn’t have managed that; Scavenger was heavily shielded. He would also defend himself and most likely off-line Sideswipe for his efforts. And second, for whatever reason? The interface sockets provided were already open. He wouldn’t be able to get closer or make it more intense.

Something warm spread through him, tingling, making him gasp in surprise. It was like a soft charge and he jerked back, optics flaring. For a brief moment he felt something a lot older than him, something very grounded and serene, and it was strong. So much stronger than him.

Scavenger watched him, his own optics very bright, and Sideswipe was confused as to how evened-out his spark felt. He shivered as he flexed his fingers and echoes of the very pleasurable connection continued to flow through him.

This was new.

This was… his systems getting used to the encounters. It had been so easy to log onto the Constructicon, so familiar.

Scavenger closed the interface sockets on his slightly clawed fingers, the layer of very dense armor over the sensor node sliding shut. He reached out, slowly and almost carefully, and brushed a hand over Sideswipe’s still open mirror sockets.

The Autobot shivered again, but his shell followed the gentle nudge and closed the nodes.

Scavenger smiled. Not a smirk, just a smile. Then he stepped back and gave Sideswipe the distance he hadn’t been aware of needing. His spark calmed down, still so much less than whole, but healthier than ever. Healing.

He looked away, unable to make himself move. For the first time he was aware of how rude he had been in the past, how he had used Scavenger and simply left. Every separation had been him abruptly pulling away and running. He had never stayed. For what?

“Thanks,” he said softly.

Scavenger tilted his head, clearly surprised. “This isn’t a selfless gift, Sideswipe. You give me as much as you take.”

Not what he felt. Not what he thought was happening. Still, Sideswipe knew that sharing was among equals. Scavenger didn’t have to do it, though it was true that he got something out of it as well. Sideswipe simply felt like a needy drone, not an equal.

A black, clawed hand suddenly rested over his spark, barely touching the armor. He flinched. He hadn’t heard the Constructicon move.

“You bear a split spark. You can never feel whole, Sideswipe,” Scavenger said, voice low. “But you enjoy this as much as I do. Don’t think. Feel.”

Then he walked past the silver Autobot and left the quarters; quarters aboard the Ark Sideswipe had come back to each and every time; quarters that Scavenger wordlessly shared. Sideswipe couldn’t remember the last time when he had been alone throughout his recharge cycles or system downtimes since they had begun sharing.

It should frighten him.

Actually, it made him mentally so much stronger to feel the pulse of the other spark.

A spark that wasn’t Sunstreaker’s. A spark that was whole and not split.

This was confusing. This was unexpected.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

It didn’t stop Sideswipe from logging on again the next time, though.

And his spark relaxed and pulsed softly.