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First Aid was doing her daily morning routine, checking the computers and catching up with her teammates.
Suddenly, an alarming noise from outside caught her attention.
"Does anyone hear that? It sounds like a human is hurt."
"Go check it out, First Aid. Call us if you need back up." Hot Spot said.
First Aid gave a nod and headed outside of the Protectobot base. The sun was barely rising, clouds blocking the daylight that was scarcely able to seep through. Aid checked the immediate area, trying to locate the source of the wailing.
"Owww." There it was again. That poor, wounded human. Where were they? First Aid could hear the cries clearly, but there was no sign of one anywhere.
"Hello? Can you hear me? I'm here to help you, can you tell me where you are?" Another groan, this time coming from one of the bushes nearby the base. First Aid cautiously made her way towards the source of the mysterious cry.
What she thought she would see was an injured human. She wasn't expecting to see a Decepticon. Especially not Vortex, of all mechs. In his hand, he held a tiny human, poking at it with his way too sharp claws.
They locked optics. First Aid carefully made her way towards the pair, servos raised in a yielding manner. "Vortex, please put the human down. They're soft and fragile, they can't handle being treated so roughly."
There was a sinister glint in Vortex's optics that made First Aid shudder. He once again poked the human, the cries now even louder than it had been before.
"Vortex-"
"Alright, Aid, I'll stop. Under one condition." Though she couldn't see it, she could tell he was smirking underneath his faceplate.
"And what's that?" First Aid inquired.
"Go on a date with me!"
He couldn't be serious. Was he crazy!? Well, yes, he was. But a date? Now? During a war? "Please just let the human go before I have to call back-up."
Another poke. Another pained wail.
"Alright, fine! Please just let him go!"
Vortex whooped. "Victory is mine!" He let the human out of his grasp, and they both watched as he scrambled to escape, yelling something about "calling the authorities." First Aid yelled out a quick apology, though the human was already too far gone to hear it.
Before First Aid could make a run for it or call for help, Vortex quickly swooped her into his arms and transformed, trapping her inside. It was cramped and uncomfortable.
"Don't even think about calling your team either, it wouldn't end well."
First Aid let out a sigh. She knew Vortex well enough to know he wouldn't hurt her, but he would hurt her team, so she might as well go along with it. It's just one date, and it was all just a game to him anyway. Surely her team wouldn't mind if she was MIA for a few hours.
"So, you like jazz? Like the music? Not your Autobot friend."
"Sure." First Aid was completely checked out, just hoping to get this over with. Vortex continued to try chatting to her, but she refused to reply with anything more than short, apathetic answers.
After a few hours of Vortex assaulting her audials with unbearably awkward small talk, they arrived on an unmarked island lush with tropical flora and wildlife. First Aid had to admit, it was beautiful. She had only seen such places in human magazines.
Vortex transformed as he landed, gently setting Aid down. He reached to grab her servo, but she quickly pulled it away. Disappointment was written all over his face.
"You can at least try to enjoy yourself." Vortex commented.
"You brought me here unwillingly. I want to go home."
Vortex scoffed as he roughly grabbed her servo, too quick for Aid to react, and too tight for her to wriggle it free. He led her through the thick underbrush, down to a clearing that revealed a magnificent waterfall, a large body of water, and gorgeous flowers. Out of the corner of her optics, she spotted a display resembling a picnic. Vortex put his servo on her lower back, proceeding towards the set-up together.
First Aid and Vortex both sat, Aid refusing to meet his gaze. He poured them both a glass of high-grade energon and set her glass near her.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you do all of this? This whole display, this place, everything." Interrogating the interrogator, how the tables have turned.
"I know you like Earth culture, for whatever reason, and I like you."
"You can't be serious." The high-grade was tempting her.
"Oh but I am, I did this all for you, I set this up for you," he explained. "Don't you like it?"
"I would like to go home."
"Loosen up a little, will ya? Enjoy yourself. Your negativity is souring our date." Vortex reached for her glass of energon and pushed it towards her, and she reluctantly took a sip.
Small talk came a bit easier this time around, and Aid found herself able to, as much as she didn't want to admit it, enjoy his company. Hours passed by as Vortex rambled to her about anything and everything. The sun was beginning to set as they laid down next to each other, enjoying the scenery around them.
"Could you imagine it, Aid?" The helicopter began, "Running away from all this, the war. We could live our own lives. Together. We wouldn't have to worry about anything. We could be so happy."
"You know we can't do that."
"And why not?" He frowned.
"I have my duties, I have a team, you have a team," She explained, "We can't just abandon that. They need us." She paused. "You don't actually love me, Vortex. You don't know what love even is."
Vortex didn't reply, choosing instead to contemplate her words. "Show me, then. Don't you see I'm trying?"
"You're insane." He couldn't really think kidnapping counted as love, Aid thought. "How do I know you aren't using me?"
Vortex paused and diverted his attention back to the scenery. "Look, Aid, the sun's setting." She looked with him, the conversation replaying in her mind. It was beautiful. Red and orange hues mixed with the lush green surroundings and reflected on the water. It was something straight out of a human movie.
"There's nothing like this back on Cybertron. I guess it's pretty amazing." Vortex remarked.
Aid didn't realize it, but she was smiling.
"Well, guess I better take you home." He quickly stood, disappointment latent in his voice.
The ride home was silent.
Vortex dropped her off a few blocks away from the Protectobot base. As Aid prepared to head home, Vortex once again reached for her servo. She let him take it this time.
"I love you."
"I know."
After a lot of questioning about her whereabouts from her team, she laid in her berth, replaying the events that had happened prior. He couldn't have been serious, could he? About running away, about loving her, it all seemed so crazy. Yet his disappointment towards the end seemed so genuine.
She couldn't help but feel disappointed, too.