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A flurry of snow greeted them on the other side of the groundbridge, the only warning for the harsh snow squall they'll experience later. Said snow was practically imperceptible for them, although the wind that carried it seemed to cut effortlessly through the gaps of plating.
Or at least, Breakdown was assuming so, based on his cohort of Grounder Vehicons and a Knockout, all who seemed startled by the temperature change and shuddered whenever the wind blew.
Breakdown himself was fine, upgrading his frame to strengthen it also gave him great insulation, hence why he was sent on this mission in the first place.
On that thought.
'You know, Knocks,' Breakdown smirked as he slide his arm around Knockout's pauldrons, slightly shocked at how cold the other already felt but didn't let it show on his faceplates, 'You can turn back right now, 'bridges still open, no bot will judge 'ya.'
Knockout hummed, leaning his helm back against Breakdown's arm in a sly manner to steal some of the warmth from his frame, 'A bit of bad weather isn't enough to dissuade me, Darling. Besides, you said this was only a short mission, I can managed.'
He was about to argue back, convince his partner that he didn't need him to join for the fourth mission in a row. However, he noticed a Vehicon holding their servo up, not dissimilar to Human younglings in "school" asking a question.
'Sorry, H4RR9, no bot assigned can abandon post.' They put their servo down and all five of them seemed to slump. No sooner than later, the groundbridge shut.
He turned back to Knockout, or he would have if the mech hadn't wandered in front of the group with scanner in servo.
Quickly catching up to him and plucking the scanner from his servo, Breakdown tutted 'Nah, my mission, my scanner.' Holding the scanner higher when the other tried to reach it.
Relishing in the pout Knockout gave him, before the smaller sighed dramatically 'Fine, if that's how you want to do this.' Stepping back and crossing his arms as he took in the barren surroundings.
A spare moment of silence passed between them, which Knockout swiftly broke.
'Although, I must warn you that they may have dropped us in the wrong area.' Knockout said as he looked around where they'd been placed.
'How'd you know?' Breakdown asked as he looked at the scanner, as if it'll give him the answers.
'Well, first of all, there's nothing here-' Knockout emphasised his point by throwing his arms out to the empty field. Seeing his partner's usual dramatics brought a smile to his faceplate.
'And, the scanner didn't pick up any signal- no energon or nothing.'
Breakdown hummed, realising the opportunity he had, 'Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Soundwave warned me they wouldn't be able to 'bridge us closer due to the terrain, so we gotta get there ourselves.'
Knockout's audials twitched lower, although Breakdown wasn't sure if that was from the news or just the wind messing with them, and his partner's optics looked into his own trying to figure out if he was serious or not.
'Drive?'
Breakdown shook his head, barely holding back a smile as he saw the despair in his partner's optics.
'Listen, I'm sure there's somebot still at the groundbridge terminal, just a comm and you can be back on ship no hassle.' Breakdown whispered closer to Knockout's audial, he didn't want to upset the Vehicons again.
Surprisingly, instead of running back like he normally would, his partner turned his "nose" up and began walking…in a direction.
'Heh, wrong way Knocks.' Breakdown pointed in, almost, the opposite way. In response to which, Knockout turned back and began heading the right way.
Breakdown couldn't help but roll his optic at his partner's antics,before turned his focus back on the squad of Vehicons he's been sent with.
'Listen up!' All of their attention snapped to him, 'This is a fairly simple mission: all we need to do is investigate an area ,which high command believed could be made into a new mine. It's about two hundred and fifty miles North-East from our current position. Understood?'
He got a mix of nods, from the ones he's worked with before, and salutes, from the few he hasn't. He glanced back over to Knockout, who's still within sight -thank Primus-, before he gave the Vehicons a hand signal and began following along.
In a shocking twist, they managed to overtake Knockout ,despite his small head start , fairly quickly. Leaving him meandering at the back of the group. The sight made Breakdown feel bad for his partner, however that sympathy didn't last since he asked to join this mission before checking the details.
It's his own fault at the end of the cycle. At least this might dissuade him from trying to join every one of Breakdown's mission.
His team were starting to get antsy.
They've been walking for vorns now, the scanner made no indication that they were any closer to some untapped Energon mine, despite the reports saying he should have came across it some time ago.
Worst of all, the already overcast sky was turning dark, with the wind starting to hit all the more harder and they were losing visibility with the snow flakes growing bigger- so much so that Breakdown could see them clearly.
He wasn't worried for himself, although the cold was starting to seep through his plating. No, his concern went to the Vehicons who were beginning to shivering- causing the most grating sound as plating rubbed against protoform in a desperate attempt to stay warmth.
It made him want to purge his fuel tanks.
Thankfully, Knockout seemed to be holding up better, just trying to cover his vents with his doors and curling into himself slightly, although he seemed to still be lagging at the back of the group.
[Breakdown → Soundwave: Do you read me?]
He sent the comm quickly, his own servo was clenching as doubt began to flood his spark. There was no way he fragged up this mission right?
Breakdown couldn't afford another failure- not after MECH or that gauntlet thing he failed to get.
No he followed what was in the reports exactly-how could he have gotten that wrong?!- His team's optics stabbing into his back plating, they were blaming him for all this! They gonna-
There was a crunch sound, either from the snow that was steadily building up under their pedes or something in his servo.
[Soundwave → Breakdown: Message=Received]
His exvent came out as a plume of smoke, Breakdown had started to worry the weather would interfere with the signal.
[Breakdown → Soundwave: Could you check our position? We might have gotten a bit lost trying to find this energon deposit]
Despite him being sure the mistake was on the Bridge team, he couldn't say as much to high command, yet.
The sky was still getting darker at an alarming rate, turning on his high beams barely helped with the snow obstructing the light, making it so he could just see a few feet in front of him.
Despite that, he saw the others behind him turn on their head lights as well.
Unfortunately for him, Soundwave hadn't answered back yet.
Breakdown'a attention was stolen from his comm-unit by a few hurried crunches -this time he knew it was from the snow- as Knockout reached his side.
'What's happening Breaky?' Knockout huffed and his vox clicked as he spoke, 'My paint's getting destroyed out here, never mind the risk of a rust infection.'
Breakdown couldn't bring himself to look at his partner, as he was trying to navigate through the icy wasteland, 'They, uhhh- I think they might have dropped us the wrong place.'
He could clearly imagine it; Knockout expression, a smug "I told you so" smirk mixed with annoyance at the incompetence of the bridge control team and at the state of his paint job. It's not what Breakdown needed to see right now.
Yet, he looked down anyway- and was face to face with something entirely different.
Something alien and entirely unnatural for his partner. Something brittle and tired, optics flickering and he seemed to sway slightly whenever the wind blew, threatening to knock him off his pedes at a moment's notice.
'Oh scrap, Knockout you ain't looking to hot.' He tried to chuckle, but it came of flat. Not that his partner seemed to notice, Knockout kept recycling his optics trying to stay focused on him.
Throwing a glance over his shoulder showed that most of his Vehicons were in a similar, if not worst state.
The closest one, the only one he could actually see, had snow and frost sticking to their frame. Whilst the others were barely keeping up, the only sign of them he could make out being the light from their headlights.
How had he failed to noticed?
[Breakdown→Soundwave: Do you read me?! I need to know our position now!]
They were now stood as more snow hammered down, all the Vehicons had caught up at this point- now sporting patches of ice on their frames. Everybot's optics were on him, expecting him to lead or help them.
Whilst Breakdown didn't know what to do, it seems his lines gone dead so they're on their own.The fact made his spark squirm, as he racked his processor for anything that could help them.
He played with the idea of sending an emergency signal, something the Nemesis should still receive despite the poor signal. The only thing holding him back was the dread of failing yet another mission, high command were already looking at him as if he was nothing but walking scrap metal.
Plus, he'd then have to justify going back empty handed to Lord Megatron himself.
A sickening crunch of metal sounded out, pulling Breakdown from his processor as he watched the others trying to help their fallen comrade but struggling, limbs locking up due to the cold.
They parted when Breakdown crouched to check on the poor bot, his own vox clicking as he tried to speak.
'Hey- Hey can you hear me? I need you to give some sort of sign!'
The poor thing just laid there, bio-lights flickered dangerously indicating unstable spark pulse? Frag he can't remember.
'Doc what does-' The words died on his glossa, Knockout wasn't even looking him, or anything probably.
The bot's optics were dim and dumbly looking at the ground,he's already been like that for a while, but how did Breakdown miss the frost that was also encroaching on Knockout's frame.
'Change of plan!' Breakdown announced over the wind, hauling up the unconscious Vehicon, 'We're abandoning the mission for now, we need to find shelter and contact the Nemsis for recovery. As of now our focus is solely on shelter!'
They have no response but started walking with a renewed fervour for the new mission.
Breakdown scooped Knockout up as well when he failed to join the group. Carrying the pair of frozen bots allowing for the cold to seep through his plating, but he refused to let anybot die like this, especially not Knockout.
This time, the Vehicons lead, he was, very, slightly weighed down with the two bots but he also wanted to make sure that none of the Vehicons would get lost by falling behind, or freezing up as well.
The squad were basically huddled as they walked, blocking some of the snow but very little. All together, their progress through was slow.
Internally, Breakdown wanted to curse or be more angry at the situation, but the cold was getting to him now and his processor was lagging. A warning about his frame's temperature has popped up.
Finally, a Vehicon pointed in a direction- towards a rocky area, they all trudged towards it in hopes there may be a cave they could wait in for the weather to calm or regain contact with the Nemesis.
Once reaching the area, they all separated, he wasn't sure where the Vehicons had gone but Breakdown was walking by a wall hoping to find an opening.
There were vague lights surrounding him, from the other's headlights, he was relieved they were still near enough that he could locate them if need be.
Unfortunately, he hasn't found anything so far and his plating was starting to shudder.
Still, he kept walking and searching, running purely on programming before a Vehicon was at his side, he hadn't noticed them due to the bot standing in his blind side.
The poor thing tried to speak, however all that came from their vox was a garbled mess of static. Seeing that didn't work, they just held some part of his plating and began pulling him along.
And, well, Breakdown let himself be pulled, it wasn't like he was achieving much on his own.
They hadn't realised how relentless Earth's weather could be, sure they faced storms and hurricanes but that had been from the safety of the ship, one that was built to withstand Autobot artillery.
Off ship, the most they'd experience was rain and the only danger that posed was to Knockout's finish.
Thinking of his partner, he glanced at the bot he had slung over his shoulder. Knockout hadn't so much as moved a piston since Breakdown picked him up, and that brought such an overwhelming sense of wrongness.
He wasn't meant to be still, even in recharge Breakdown would get startled by the bot suddenly twitching from built up charge in his limbs. Nevermind the amount of times he's woken up to Knockout in the strangest positions after moving around all cycle during recharge.
Seeing him so still was…disconcerting to say the least.
The Vehicon lead him to a cave, inside he could see the other three Vehicons were huddled together again and the one that led him was quick to rejoin.
The sight was bittersweet, then they looked at him- his plating crawled for a kilk before he recalled he was carrying one of them.
'Here, uh, be careful with 'em.' Breakdown lowered the bot towards them, trying his hardest not to cringe after noticing how their limbs barely moved.
Still though, the others happily took their comrade into their weird cuddle pile to try and warm them up.
But,
'It's not gonna work, is it Knocks?' Breakdown mumbled into Knockout's audial, after sitting by the opposite wall with his partner now against his chassis, 'Their internals are frozen, they'd need more than other cold bots to even warm them.'
The wind howled outside, Breakdown tried to ignore it, instead focusing on his partner's servo. Simply moving digits, while stiff they could still move, unlike the unlucky Vehicon.
The snow kept building up outside, even though Breakdown logically knew it could never trap them in here, the thought still made his spark squirm.
'And that's when you sent the emergency signal?' Screamer drawled, rolling his optics as he stared the larger bot down.
'I-ah, yes,' Breakdown sighed internally and cringed at the stutter, 'They- the team, I didn't think-'
'Evidently.'
'I didn't think,' Tightening his fist and trying to ignore the seeker, 'Anybot there would have survived if we tried to continue.'
'So, you admit that you put not only a squad of Vehicons in danger, but also our only Medical Officer on ship.'
'I didn't do scrap! It was the 'Bridge team that sent us to the wrong area!'
'Oh, but weren't you the one to tell Soundwave that you had gotten lost trying to find the deposit.' Starscream leaned closer, trying to intimidate but it only pissed Breakdown off more.
'Check, the logs.' He spoke through his dentae and leaned to meet the Commander.
'Enough.' The room froze as Megatron spoke, even Soundwave looked up at their leader from where he had been engrossed in some sort of work.
'I've grown tired of your excuses, Breakdown.' The room shook as he stepped closer, 'And your failures.'
His plating itched, directives screaming at him to pull his hammer out and protect himself or transform and drive, not stopping till he ran out of fuel or was dead. Starscream somehow managed to slither his way out, not wanting to end up on the other side of Megatron's anger, again. Leaving Breakdown standing there defenceless and alone.
'Lord Megatron I-'
'Silence!' The Warlord hissed, 'You're performance recently has been telling. My patience only goes so far, Breakdown, and if you continue to disappoint then ,perhaps, them Humans can make better use of you.'
Breakdown stared dumbly as Megatron snarled, 'You're a disgrace to the Decepticons Cause, get out of my sight, before I dispose of you myself.'
He didn't need to be told twice, not with his spark hammering in a way it hasn't in a long time- not since he's upgraded and got free from the Stunticons.
The feeling spread to everything- vents stuttered, optics failed to focus on anything and worst of all he felt like purging his tanks.
Some of the Vehicons in the halls paused as he barrelled past, but their stares only stirred him on his rush to get to the med-bay.
How could Lord Megatron even say that? After everything he's done for the 'Cons, all the bots he's offline with his own servos, he didn't do all that for nothing did he?
Swallowing the solvent that was building up in his intake, Breakdown tried to suppress the memory of Bulkhead, of all bots, coming to his rescue. A bot that he betrayed joors ago, has tried to offline countless times and…frag he's the one that saved him.
Some part of him wanted to crawl back to the bot, admit he was wrong or some slag.
However, at the same time, his hammer itched to smash some Autobot's helm and prove himself to everybot on ship.
That itch continued to build up as he reached the Med-Bay at last, when the doors slid shut behind him, that hammer swung and dented the wall next to them.
The pair of Vehicons he convinced Knockout to train jumped out their plating, they stalled and turned to him- some medical equipment clattering to the ship floor. A sobering reminder they weren't alone in here anymore.
'I- uh- sorry…report went to scrap.' He pinched at his nasal bridge, switching back to his servo and sighing, 'How's the patients?'
The more skittish Vehicon scrambled to pick up the instruments they dropped, before disappearing to the sink. Knockout was harsh with the poor new drone, which Breakdown could understand; a mistake in the med-bay costs lives, but still he felt for 'em.
The other was more competent, she had been the test run for Breakdown's solution to the understaffed bay, and proved valuable. For that reason, Knockout explains why he painted two white lines on her wings, while the newer one sported only one.
In reality, Breakdown knows it's Knockout's method of differentiating between the pair.
'Alive, other than QT-RC998,' She gestured to a berth covered by a tarp, 'Internals had frozen and the ice expanded within components, destroying them an rendering them unsalvageable.'
His could only stare at the body, that was his fault.
'The rest are warming up, they should be functional within a human week,' Nodding along, not really processing what's being said till; 'Except for Knockout he's-'
'What's up with Knockout?' The Vehicon paused and seemed annoyed.
She walked over to Knockout's berth, he had a tarp but nothing else unlike the Vehicons who had a spark monitor at least, 'He's still freezing, for some reason his temperature isn't increasing on its own.'
Joining on the other side of the berth, 'So something internals messed up?'
'I believe so but I don't know how to fix that.'
Breakdown thought for moment, 'Have you tried using warming pads for now?'
Her wings flicked and admitted in a smaller voice, 'We haven't yet.'
'Why not?'
'None were prepared.'
'Ah'
There was the chorus on spark monitors in the background, and the Vehicon in front of him seemed to physically crumbled.
'I'll go check on them now, Sir!' She announced and left immediately after, Breakdown watched her escape into a storage room before turning back to Knockout.
With the privacy, or as private as an almost full med-bay can get, Breakdown laid his servo on the centre of Knocout's chassis. The cold stung all the more now that he was warm again, but that didn't matter as he could feel the buzz of a living spark.
'You know how to make a bot worry,' Moving to hold his partner's servo, 'I dunno if I can help with this, y'know, if there's something broke in you…Would we even have the to fix that?'
The patch felt all the more heavier in that moment.
'Probably not, dumb question I know.' There probably wasn't much the team here could do, but warm Knocks up.
That'd be difficult with the thin med grade tarps, although he knows Knockout has a thicker on in their berth room, but the idea of leaving him didn't sit right in his tanks though.
After a few kilks, the Vehicon walked back into the main recovery room.
'I've check the warming pads, they should be-' She paused realising her superiors were gone.
The other underling poked their helm into the room, noticing the silence, 'Where'd they go?'
'It's not our place to ask,' She sighed, relieved of the pressure from having her Boss present, 'We'll just allocate the warming pads to the other patients.'
Breakdown lumbered through the berth-room door, Knockout tucked safely against his chassis, still wrapped in that flimsy tarp.
The room was somewhat warm, the berth-rooms had been constructed lower in the ship so closer to the engines and what not.
Laying his bot atop the tarp, he contemplated removing the med grade tarp but decided against it; if Knocks' is cold then there's no harm with multiple layers is there?
Carefully, picked up the unconscious bot again, ready to return him to the Med-Bay yet remembered how cold the room is kept, the lack of privacy- Knockout wouldn't want other bots seeing him like this- and it's not like the Vehicons can do much to help him.
So instead, he sat on the berth with Knockout still in his arms, it's not like any bot gonna be looking for him either.
'I dunno what we're doing here Knocks,' Breakdown sighed and admitted in a low voice, they always had to be wary of Soundwave's reach on this ship, 'Everything was better when it was just us.'
When the pair of them first got stranded on this planet, it was just them and open roads or the films that Knockout would drag him to.
When their biggest worry was energon, sure they struggled some days but at least it wasn't some kind of punishment like Breakdown's sure he's going to find when he next tries to refuel.
'Don't even feel like fighting anymore,' fidgeting with his digits, a habit from before the war, 'Not since the 'bots saved me.'
For a moment, the only sound in the room was from their exvents, a horrible tension built up in Breakdown's spark till he finally spoke out.
'We should leave.' His processor lagged and he just spoke freely, something he hasn't been able to do since getting on this ship, 'High command has already given up on me, and they only tolerate you. I don't wanna have to wait for you to be in some fragging- spark ending situation to see that they don't give a scrap about you either.'
This cycle was bad enough, Breakdown looked at his partner's faceplates, a part of him wished the other was awake to hear him whilst the other part was glad that Knockout was knocked out.
Saying such stuff could get them both off lined or at least imprisoned if Soundwave caught whiff of it.
Whatever traitorous mood he was in ended suddenly, leaving him tired. He just sighed and pulled the Doc impossibly closer, resting his helm on the other's pauldron. 'Don't worry about the paint, I'll fix it when you're up.'
Breakdown woke vorns later -he hadn't even registered he fell into recharge- by something squirming against his chassis.
On instinct, he just held them against himself, till the wriggling mass squealed 'Breakdown?!'
Immediately he let go, onlining his optics and seeing Knockout shrugging off the tarps, recalling the situation, Breakdown tried to put them back on the mech.
'Wait- Knocks we gotta talk!'
'And I have to keep the tarp on?- What happened to my paint?!'
'I'll get to that- but yeah I think it's best for now, can we just talk!'
Thankfully, Knockout did stop trying to kick the tarps off, although Breakdown let him kick the medical one away, after seeing the concern in his partner's optic.
'So, what's so dire that you think I need to be kept wrapped in a tarp?' Picking at the edge as he spoke.
'Well, it's -um-' Clenching and relaxing his servos and looking at the berth as he spoke, 'The mission went wrong.'
On the edge of his vision, all he could see were red optics now focused completely on him, 'Wrong, how?'
'Bad weather conditions, you and the Vehicons froze -kind off- and one died 'cause of it.'
'Well, that explains the tarp I suppose,' Knockout hummed, but noticed the guilty expression on Breakdown's face.
'There's more, it's just-' He caught Knockout's servo, like they've seen in human films when they're giving bad news -surely this must help if humans keep doing it- 'When we got back to base, you weren't warming up on you're own. The Vehicon at Med-Bay thinks something internal might have broke so…'
The guilt was strangling him, this is his fault, he should've kept Knockout from walking through the groundbridge with him or argued against him joining more.
'Oh,' Knockout glanced down and seemed to think for a moment, 'Breaky, I never had any kind of "heating element"'
And then he laughed at Breakdown's expression of confusion, 'Wait- How can you not have one?!'
'I'm Veloctrian,' Knockout spoke in a hesitant manner but pride still slipped into his tone, he was looking at Breakdown as if expecting that to have cleared up the confusion but it only added to it.
'We're built to go faster than the speed of sound, can you imagine the excess heat from that? Our species would have exploded before the war ever reached us.'
Breakdown rolled his optics, 'That's just a shoddy excuse for bad design, the seekers can do and still have a heating element.' He regretted that as soon as it left his vox, seeing the way Knockout's optics narrowed and an audial flicked in annoyance.
'Well the seekers don't come from a planet where the sun is constantly on their exhaust pipes, do they.'
He shrunk back from the tone, it wasn't usual for Knocks to get angry at him, 'I'm sorry Knocks it's just- Like today, you know, you could've died out there.'
This time, Knockout was the one to look away, his audials hung low and he actually pulled that tarp around himself.
'Not just out there, you were still freezing on ship.'
They both fell into silence, nothing else to say to each other. Only broken when Breakdown shuffled off the berth, and began collecting an assortment of items from around their room.
Managing to peak Knockout's interest when he spotted his buffer among them, and his polish, paint-
By the time Breakdown turned back to the berth, the other bot had abandoned the tarp and was waiting patiently for him.
The sight let him push his previous, worried and traitorous thoughts away, instead focusing on his partner.
Breakdown stepped through the groundbridge, or more accurately fell through. There was steam escaping from his vents and intake, whilst warnings in his processor blurred.
He had to hobble his way through the Nemesis, leaving a trail of sand in his wake, not registering any bot around him -Not even Starscream.
A fact he would have been more thankful for at the time if he was more aware. Although, in his current condition, he wasn't even aware of where he was even going other than somewhere "cold and safe".
Cold could have been the flight deck, they always have to send a crew of Vehicons have to de-ice it before any flight drills can go off. However, he was still in the bowels of the ship so clearly he's not heading there. Besides, that was explicitly under the control of the Air Commander, so not exactly the safest area.
Thankfully, he didn't have to question long, it felt as if he'd just blinked and appeared in front of the Med-Bay. Which he ,probably, should have been more concerned about, but Breakdown didn't care.
Knockout always had the temp here set to cold 'cause, unlike humans, the Bot's don't need their frames to be running at a set temperature for things to work right. It's different for everybot, but generally the colder the better.
The doors slid open with a click, the cold air hitting his frame causing him to let out a sigh of relief.
It wasn't enough though, after how many vorns in a desert his frame won't just cool from a slight breeze. He made his way to a medical berth, the one in the corner that Knockout hardly used due to the area being annoying to get to- or something along those lines.
All he wanted to do, was lay down, maybe catch up on some recharge, whilst his frame's cooled down. Talking about cool, maybe he could snag one of the Doc's cooling pads to help.
He paused in his tracks as he caught sight of the Red Mech in question, his back was facing the door and washing surgical equipment thoroughly under solvent.
Maybe he wouldn't need to steal a cooling pad.
It was only a few weeks ago that they had their conversation, 'bout how Veloctrian frames were basically made to keep cold constantly. An idea was half baked as he already changed course towards his partner.
Knockout started talking, obviously noticing his "Dear's" return- it's not like Breakdown was trying to be sneaky. Unfortunately, whatever the bot was yapping about wasn't being processed by his audials until his was right behind the mech.
'Breakdown? Are you feeling alright?' Knockout, finally, turned to face him and placed his servo on his cheek- the chilled digits offered some reprieve for his sweltering frame- 'Primus Breakdown! You're- What are doing?'
The smaller mech let out a yelp as Breakdown picked him up, holding the mech's thighs, although not for long as Knockout crossed his legs around his waist -which freed his servos to support Knockout's aft with one and hold him close with the other- whilst he scrambled for something to hold.
Which happened to be Breakdown's plating.
'Breakdown,' Knockout hissed in his audial, 'this is hardly an appropriate time or place for such activities!'
Hypocritically, tightening his own hold around the bigger bot's waist. Although, to be fair, he was being balanced on a small ledge with a sink ,full of various surgical equipment, right behind him.
Breakdown huffed, smiling when he heard the familiar click of Knockout's fans turning on -making his frame all the more colder- after laying his head between Knock's pauldron and neck.
Fans clicking to a higher setting as Breakdown moved to carry him off to the berth he picked earlier, listening to the small tinks as Knockout's audials twitched and knocked lightly against his helm, out of either nervousness or excitement.
'Breakdown…' Knockout spoke in an uncharacteristically unsure tone, 'As much as I do love this, you're too hot- And I don't mean that in the usual sense, your frames-'
'I know.' Breakdown cut off his ramblings, and caused him to be silent for a moment.
'Then what are we doing?'
'Repaying the favour.' He hummed, before Knockout could question what Breakdown meant, the blue bot had reached the berth and tapped the other, 'Watch ya legs.'
The Doc did as he said, Breakdown smirked, usually it was the other way round, and uncrossed his legs. Carefully, Breakdown manoeuvred them onto the berth, he enjoyed the cold metal on his back whilst Knockout was sat up straddling his waist, letting him enjoy the cooled air from the bot's vents.
His partner was just looking down at him, optic ridges furrowed as he tried to figure out what was happening.
Suddenly, an audial twitched and sat higher as a sly smile grew on Knockout's derma, optics shone as he peered down at Breakdown.
'Are you trying to use me as a cooling pad?' Asking in faux offence, horribly hiding the amusement in his voice.
'I ain't trying, I am.' Breakdown pulled the mech down to lay with him, of course being careful with his paint.
The other just laughed, and put up no resistance as he pulled him down, only adjusting his position to be more comfortable.
'You dirty dog.' Knockout mumbled into his plating.
'Don't act like you didn't use me as a heating pad the other week.'
'Oh please, I was hypothermic at the time- not to mention that you were the one who chose to make yourself a heating pad.'
'Well now I'm hyperthermic, so help me out Doc.'
Admittedly, Breakdown was already starting to cool off but he wouldn't ruin the opportunity to cuddle his partner.
The pair fell into a comfortable silence, Breakdown felt himself falling into recharge and he was sure Knockout was too; his vents were even and deep. But then Breakdown heard him mumble:
'So, do you still think I have a bad design?'
'Huh, Knocks you know that isn't what I meant.' Breakdown groaned, not wanting to online his optics again.
'What was it you said again?' Knockout hummed loudly, 'Oh yes it was-'
'Fine fine!' Breakdown pulled Knockout up so he could look the bot in the optics, 'I was wrong, you have the best designed frame on the ship and probably the best from Velocitron. Happy?'
'Extremely,' His partner leaned in close to his audial and whispered, 'And you, my Dear, are a close second.'
The sappy declaration made Breakdown chuff.
A quick peck on his cheek to top it off, and Knockout settled back down, resting his helm on his shoulder and letting the larger bot hold him close as the smaller bot fell into charge.
He stayed awake for a few more kilks, spinning a wheel on Knockout's back, thinking of the missions he's been sent on recently. How meaningless they all suddenly seem, how everything on this ship seemed.
Save for the bot in his arms, Breakdown quietly wondered if the Autobots would actually give them a chance.