Chapter Text
The cycles passed by in agony until he finally had enough. He sent a ping to Breakdown to meet him at the same location, it was close enough to the outskirts of Iacon that he thopught they'd be safe. He was exhausted but determined to go out again, deciding to go out when the sun had set, giving him ample cover. There had been no word on the team in Praxus, Jazz was told to stay off comms to keep their position hidden, Bumblebee wasn't sure that would help. But, he knew the muscian was good at waht he did.
Despite the warnings Optimus had given him, he was still doing this. He was far too willing to risk his own life to see Breakdown. He deemed it was worth it.
He drove fast and transformed once he was a block away, scanning the street to see it completely deserted save for one mech, one he was very happy to see. Breakdown waited by the buildings entrance, the yellow mech hurried over, smiling, and quickly wrapped his arms around his neck, bringing him close and kissing him deeply. Bliss returning.
Breakdown, holding him, returned the kiss. Bumblebee could feel him grinning with amusement at his enthusicastic embrace.
The moment passed by slowly, Bumblbee refused to pull away, teh eilnce was enough to settle his nerves. Breakdown had to be the one to finally pull away. He looked down into the yellow mechs bright blue optics and winked. "So, I figure you missed me?"
"Like you wouldn't believe..." He responded, his voice soft. He had a quick thought to tell him about the Ark, buty it not being completeled for another kilocycle, he thought that conversation could wait a bit longer. All he wanted to do was hold him in the comforting silence. He laid his helm against his chestplate and close his optics.
Breakdown chucklled and practically carried him into the partment, sitting on the floor, still holding him close. "Is this all we have planned?"
Bumblbee felt so comfortable, he had started to doze. he opened his optics. "sure thing." He looked up at him. 'We can't really go anywhere, I heard about Motormaster and his plans on taking Iacon. I'm not suppose to be out of base by myself, either."
"You little rebel." He laughed.
"Oh, shut up, Breakdown, you're one to talk." he sat up. "But, is that relly true, a Stunticon take over?"
His smile faded and he nodded. "Yeah, Motormaster grew jealous once he heard about Overlord and his two new cities. So, my commander decided to aim for the old capital."
Bumblebee went quiet, that dread coming back slowly. He didn't wantg to talk anymore about this, about the war. He leaned against him again and closed his optics. Breakdown got the message clear and he held him, smiling down at him. The sense of security in his arm has Bumblebee dozing again. The Decepticon didn't mind, he found this adorable. He kissed the top of his helm and sighed, looking out the entrence way, the dark sky covered in a haze of fog and smoke. He hadn't seen the stars in kilocycles. He looked back down at Bumblbee, worry now entering his thoughts. It was clear the Autobot was stressed, since that moment they ran into each other in this place. Mentally and emotionally stressed, the war was taking a tole on him. Him being asleep like this wasn't an effiecent way to rest, not without a recharge slab.
He let ten astrominutes pass before he started to stir him awake. "bee, hey, maybe you should go recharge properly.
Bumblebee blinked open his optics, in a sleepy daze, sitting up. "No, no, I'm fine, really."
"You can't lie to me, you've been working yorself up for a while now."
"It's impossible to rest without you with me." He muttered, feeling so tired. "It's also hard to sleep when I can't stop thinking about this conflict, killing us both, that thought won't leave me alone."
"I know, i get it, I' promise I'll do everythig I can to make sure you're safe, I'll make sure neither of us die, okay?" He gently turned his helm up to face him.
Bumblebee smiled weakly and the two leaned in for gentle kiss. It was so sweet, Bumblebee was lost.
It was abruptly stopped when a harsh voice crashed in. "You shouldn't make empty promises, Breakdown."
The two pulled away in surprise, horrified to see Motormaster and Drag Strip at the entrance.
"M-Motormaster?" Breakdown stammered.
Dread washed over bumblebee, he was holding Breakdowns servo tightly as he stared in horror at the larger Decepticon.
"You two need a more secure spot. "He gestuired to Drag Strip, who came in to tear Breakdown away from the Autobot.
Bumblebee got to his pedes and tried to pull Breakdown back to him, yet the other yellow mech threw a punch, knocking Bumblebee back. He didn't give up, he went back for another chance. That's when Motormaster reached over and grabbed the smaller mech by his helm, squeezing hard. He gripped his helm so hard, he let out a cry of pain, his left horn slightly bending from the force.
"No! It's not what it looks like!" He was trying to shove his brother off of him, while also trying to keep his cool. "get off!" But he wouldn't budge.
Motormaster dragged Bumblbee out of the apartment, he was too big to fit in there comfortably. He raised up the smaller one, his pedes just an inch off the ground. "No? What is this then." He held Bumblebee up like he was a prize to show off.
Bumblebee cried out again, clawing at the servo that held him.
'intel! Trying to find out where their base is located." There was some panic in his mostly calm voice.
"You decided to gain intel by kissing the Autobot?"
'G-gain trust, you know. He's a softy."
Bumblebee knew he was lying, at least, he hoped he was. He groaned and finally spoke up. "I'd never tell any of you where the others are, I'd rather d-die!" Dear Primus, I don't want to die!
"Really? I can make that happen, if you ask nicely." Motormaster raised his other servo and squeezed at his throat. "I could also take away your ability to say anything at all."
He continued to struggle, glaring daggers at the Decepticon.
"C'mon, that's unnecessary, he'll talk, let's just take him prisoner." Breakdown was really trying to keep it together.
"No, I believe him when he says he won't say anything of use. We've tried that before, remember, little bug?" He grinned. "The other little red Autobbot, you two were similar, but not the same frame, right?"
Bumblebee said nothing, his spark twisting at the memory, but he only continued to glare. If only looks could kill.
Motormaster continued. "Overlord tortured him until his spark gave out, and you still wouldn't talk."
He only threw out a bitter curse at him, poison in his words.
'Well, let me save you the trouble, no one else expects any confessions from you." He kept holding his helm tight, even tighter to keep him from shifting. He took his other servo and began to dig into his throat to get to the vocalizer within. Bumblebee immediately cried out, energon was already leaking. "I've done this before, messy, but I've had practice."
Breakdown tried to move toward them, Drag Strip keeping him back. Breakdown threw him off but was tackled down by his brother, the two now in a full scrap. Breakdown stumbled and cried out. "Motormaster, stop, please!" he begged, his cool demeanor gone as he watched the one he loved squirm in pain.
"You shut up, I'm not done with you, either." He continued to dig. "It's here somewhere..."
The pain was unearable, worse than what happened on the battlefield. He choked, his vocalizer fizzled and crackled as he tried to scream. Hearing his own voice deterioate was a horror he never imagined. He sent a panic beacon trhough his internal systems, hoping it would work, begging to Primus either Prowl or Red Alert were paying attention to the security systems at this time of night.
The Stunticon commander was successful, pulling his servo away to off his prize, energon covering his digits and the broken mechanism. He dropped the yellow mech, who fell in a heap, clawing at his damaged throat, becoming lost in the utter shock and pain of his wound. Motormaster looked over at Breakdown, who was staring down at Bumblebee in his own world of shock and horror. The purple and back mech grinned and threw the vocalizer at him. The smaller Stunticon, in habit, caught then dropped it, staring at the energon left on his own servos.
"Intel, my exhaust pipe." Drag Strip scoffed.
Bumblebee lost his awareness of the other mechs, panic and pain taking over his thoughts. He was going to die, just like he said he was, but he didn't think it was this soon. He wanted more time, he desperatly wanted more time. " B-" he puffed out what would have been a 'B' sound, the only thing that came out was a dull buzz. He coughed, energon spilling from his mouth. Yet, he refused to give into this.
Need more time. Need more time.
"This is too cruel, Motormaster..."
"You know I've done worse, Overlord has done worse, even Megatron, our great leader." He scoffed. "I'm not even done here."
Breakdown had enough, he kicked Drag Strip down and he went for Motormaster, wanting to bring him down despite his size. Motormaster took a hit, but it didn't seem to faze him, grinning down, amused. A few more hits, the smaller Stunticon was making progress, his commander wasn't invincible. Finally, the larger mech struck him down, weasily knocking him onto the ground. Energon ran down from his olfactory ridge where Breakdown struck him and he wiped it away. "C'mon, fighter, save your little Autobot pet!"
Bumblebee was trying to get back up, his screams of pain were only buzzing sounds as he tried to move onto his pedes, his awareness coming back to him as his optics fell on Motormaster. Anger and adrenaline seized his thoughts and he stumbled over to fight back. The energon that bled from his throat had covered his servos and the front of him, the loss of it made him dizzy, his balance not right. He raised up his arm, stinger ready and tried to fire at the bigger mech.
Motormaster turned to look at him, watching the stinger glitch and sputter out. "Too stubborn to give up." He sounded pleased and he quickly kicked him back down, then kicked him again. He then reached down to grab his helm again, raising him up. "It's a shame you're so small."
Before he contijnue anymore, Darg Strip, while holding Breakdown against the ground, spoke up at the sound of distance engines. "Motormaster, we have company!"
Motormaster frowned. "someone must of sent an emergency beason." He growled in frustration and rammed Bumblebee's head against the wall before dropping him.
He could only see stars, he was registering so much pain and errors, his optics seemed to have malfunctioned completely. He could tell he was back on the ground, but not much else. Even his audio receptors were damaged, everything was echoing.
"We can take them!" Drag Strip raised his blaster, hyped for more fighting now.
"No, I have your brother to deal with."" He grabbed Breakdown, carrying him the same way he had with Bumblebee. He really enjoyed doing this with smaller mechs.
The noises around him seemed to swirl into an endless cacophany. He was unable to fill his vents, he honestly hoped this would kill him. Maybe then there would be some actual peace. Maybe he could be happy as a ghost, seeing Breakdown whenever he wanted, being around him without a care in the world. This thought caused him to let out a delirious laugh, though it was almost impossible to hear it. Yet, another thought popped into his head as he felt others around him. If he were a ghost, he wouldn't be able to hold Breakdown, he wouldn't be seen by him either. His despiar returned and he tried to move.
"No, no, you stay still." came a garbled voice, echoing through his processor. A servo moved his helm up so he would stop choking on his own energon, something was wrapped around his throat, something soft, tightened and secured.
He felt lifted up from the ground, carried away. He wouldn't be dead from this after all, but he had the fear he would never see Breakdown again. His bliss taken away far too soon.