Chapter Text
Their first meeting wasn’t exactly… Conventional.
In fact, it was nothing like normal, it was quite traumatic. But that was alright. That didn’t matter now… But he remembered it like it was yesterday.
Oh how long had he been running? Long enough for that stupid side cramp to feel like a hot knife twisting its way into his side. He was panting, gasping for air with a hand over his mouth to disguise it, hide it, from the reason he was running.
He hadn’t meant to get lost in the city. He hadn’t meant to go to the city at all. But…
Ah. He hadn’t quite processed it all yet. The ruddy haired teen ducked into an alleyway, behind an old dumpster, squeezed his eyes shut and willed his breathing to still.
His once bright orange and white jacket was stained by dirt and muck, and it was in the best condition of anything on his body. His khaki cargo pants were torn in three different places, his shirt in tatters. His mom had meant to repair them.
He heard a whistle coming from outside the alley. Everything came to a screeching halt.
“You in here, little boy? Think you can hide from us?”
Two distinct other laughters sounded behind his own. The leader, the man he had pissed off, was a man of darker complexion. Not black, more of an arab feel. He had long hair tied back, a gray streak running through the side. There were the two others, two brutish women of the latina type. Their hair was short, chopped, and they were considerably younger.
“I— I said I was sorry! Jeez, if bumping into you is a major offense I feel bad for yo— ACK!”
He was snatched up by the collar, one of the latina woman, who wore a ratted old uniform for some restaurant that went out of business long ago. She growled and he yelped.
This made her grin.
“A lively little culo,” she sneered at the others.
Blades pawed at her hands and squirmed but she was considerably more built, as opposed to his beanpole frame. Whimpers fell from his throat as the fear of death dawned in his head.
The man spoke.
“You’re not going to die, boy, not if you do as I say.”
He approached, tipped up his chin with the tip of his blade.
Blades was not inclined with many things.
And yet, he wasn’t called Blades for nothing.
In a last ditch effort to escape, he grabbed the blade with his hand and ripped it from the man. He jabbed it into the stomach of the woman holding him, she threw him back into the wall.
He scrambled, and something was almost familiar about this right? The truth is I had no ideas while writing, and I’m listening to rap. Meta moment over.
“Get away from me,” he yelled with a wobble in his voice.
The three weren’t laughing any more. Now he really was going to die. All for running into the guy. Talk about Drama Queen.
However, as the others surrounded him, practically cornering him, he couldn’t help but perk up at the sound of unfamiliar feet on the broken sidewalk and nearing the corner; who on Earth was running towards them and why were they in such urgency? Were they coming to save him, or watch him die?
He almost didn’t have time to spiral as he watched a flash of yellow and black run down the alley he was in, gripping onto his aviator jacket by the sleeve and making him freeze once more in place. Oh God, was he going to kill him too? Who the hell was this person?! He couldn’t say he wasn’t grateful for someone else showing up but he sure as hell wasn’t happy to see yet another person rough house him. He hadn’t even gotten time to breathe before the other barked orders at him.
“Get ready to run, ok?” the mysterious figure started, looking back at him with such seriousness in his eyes that it almost made him shiver. However, he could see a sort of softness, a kindness in his eyes trying to convince him of something. Was he really here to try and help? “Run and don’t look back, it’s gonna get messy.”
As his breathing sped up he heard another person enter the alley, following the person who he believed was trying to save him. He was much older, probably in his late forties judging the by the look he held. He didn’t even have time to speak up before the other started shouting down the alley as well. God, these people were loud!
"Hey! What the fuck do you thing you're doing with that kid? Get the fuck out of here,” the older yelled, making the poor boy’s blood run cold. This situation was less than optimal, he knew there was going to be a fight, he was already nearly frozen in place by just the others showing up.
Before he could even process what was happening he was grabbed by the collar of his jacket and told, or rather pulled, to run away. As his eyes focussed he saw another kid around his own age, this time with a darker red hair tied back by a bandana, and he had a hold of him like it was the end and he was running from death’s grip itself, he supposed they actually were.
“Welp, I guess you’re part of the crew; protocol dictates that when Ratchet rushes in to save somebody, they’re part of the family,” the redhead said breathlessly as they ran; Blades looking at him worriedly. Who the hell was Ratchet?! As he glanced back he noticed the other following them, but the older man seemed to stay. Was he Ratchet? Was the other kid who grabbed him Ratchet? Was the person talking to him Ratchet?! He didn’t know what to think-
“Who the hell are you people?!”
As they came to a stop a few blocks away he almost lost his balance, leaning against the wall of a building he managed to finally take the others in. The first was a boy around the same age as him with darker complexion, his hair in short twists that were slightly combed back; he couldn’t see the bottom of his face, it was covered with a neck gaiter that looked just a little too tight for him.
The other looked a little younger, his red hair (bordering ginger, as much as the other wouldn’t like to admit it) making his pale complexion stand out more. Despite looking younger he was taller than the first by a few inches and stood proud, while the other seemed wholeheartedly concerned.
“Oh, right,” the first started, looking a little awkward as he stayed away from Blades, who was starting to panic quite heavily. “Don’t panic, we’re here to help. We live close by and y’know… Don’t really want anyone dying so we decided to… Drop in? I’m Bee, by the way!”
Blades stayed quiet as he looked him over, this… Bee seemed trustworthy at least, even if he was a little awkward. The other, however, didn’t seem amused at the fact he was here to begin with; an arrogant air around him, he held his head high as if he hadn’t just ran into a life or death situation.
“You ok?” Bee asked softly, a slightly comforting air about him. “You took quite a scare back there, I wouldn’t blame you if you were shook up.”
“Uhm, yeah, I’m… I’m fine, nothing to worry about!” Blades said quickly, trying to regain some of his fleeting dignity. “I’m alive I guess… Uhm, what’s his name?” he asked, gesturing to the taller next to Bee.
“Oh! That’s Sideswipe, don’t mind him, he’s just a little cranky we had to leave base at all today.” Bee explained, earning quite an annoyed, yet struggled gasp from the taller. He could tell the offence was feigned. “And the guy that saved you was my dad, Ratchet!”
Ah, so that’s who Ratchet is.
“We’re sorry we dropped in on you like that-” Before Bee could utter another word the older man, now named Ratchet, stumbled towards them, running as fast as he could. “They had backup, we need to get back to base! Bee, bring your new friend with you!”
“Friend?!”
And that’s how he got adopted by some of the scariest people he had ever met.