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The drive back down the towards the city left Heavy Iron feeling lighter than he had felt in days since he and Black Hook's last call. But also tired. The long days of nonstop driving and work, plus his trek to go see the pirate on top of a mountain had finally caught up to him. But it did not negate the lightness he now traveled with as he made his way back towards Mowtown.
For what seemed like the hundredth time since he got to the city he looked at the address and additional directions Black Hook had given him as he made his way towards the port. The directions were a tad confusing, with all the shipment containers being moved around and large storage units around every other corner, Heavy Iron wasn't too sure which garage was the correct one.
He gave a small grunt of annoyance before spotting a worker and slowly rolling up to him. The rev of his engine was the worker's only warning that Heavy Iron was behind him and in need of assistance. The human jumped before turning to look at the semi in confusion before realization dawned on him that what he was looking at was a cardbot.
"Oh! Hello, did you… need something? … Sir?" The human fidgeted for a moment, unsure what to do or say here. Heavy Iron couldn't help but realize he was in much the same boat.
"I require directions."
Without further fanfare, Heavy Iron displayed the garage number and address he was given on his windshield for the human to read. The human jumped again before leaning in a tad closer to read what was displayed to him. A look of recognition crossed his face before turning to look in some vague direction.
"Ah, you're one of the Captain's friends. His garage is over on the east end of the port. More out of the way and less noisy over there, y'know?" The human pointed as he spoke. "Should be just down that strip and to the immediate right. Can't miss it. Though I should let you know he's not here now."
"I'm aware."
Not needing anything else from the human, Heavy Iron revved his engine again and started rolling on past the worker who simply gave a shrug and went about his way as Heavy Iron continued towards the garage.
Just as the human had said, the garage appeared just to his right. The number on the front looked correct so once he was close enough Heavy Iron transformed and went to input the code that Black Hook had given him and made his way into the pirate's abode.
Heavy Iron took a look around the area, noting that from in here the sounds of the crews working in the port were significantly muffled as if great effort were put in to block out the noises of the outside world. For all intents and purposes the garage looked cozy. Lived in. Like it truly belonged to Black Hook.
Not for the first time since he'd met the pirate did Heavy Iron realize the stark difference between he and the captain. While he himself left all his shuttles and sleeping quarters simple and bare of all signs of life, Black Hook freely decorated his spaces to his spark's content. There were nick-knacks and random oddities that Black Hook had clearly found at random around the city or near the port adorned near the windows and on shelves that lined the walls, a clearly hastily made table and set of chairs sat near the entrance. A small generator still sat in the center as if Black Hook hadn't finished eating prior to heading to work.
At the far end of the garage there was cornered off section with tall shelves with tarps draped over them made to be privacy walls, and just behind them Heavy Iron found a berth with another makeshift night side table placed next to it. The berth looked decently sized, made to fit Black Hook comfortably as well as anyone else who may crawl into berth with him. The semi approached it cautiously and pressed down on it. It was soft, padded with something he couldn't name. Across the side there were plush… somethings. They looked like they could be pillows but they were malformed now due to Black Hook having slept on them. A thin blanket of sorts rested neatly folded at the end of the berth.
Again, the whole thing looked cozy. Perfectly curated for Black Hook's tastes. Just not Heavy Iron's.
With a tired huff, which carried an edge of amused endearment that the semi chose to ignore for now, Heavy Iron reached across the bed and grabbed a few of the pillows and the blanket and tossed them onto the nearest shelf-wall. Once enough room was cleared for him he crawled his way onto the large berth. The soft padding on it made him take longer to adjust than he cared to admit, but once he found the perfect spot laying on his front a content sigh made its way out of him.
It wasn't uncomfortable he supposed, just annoying. But it would have to do. After a few more moments of silence, save for the far off muffled sounds of machinery at work, Heavy Iron finally drifted off to sleep.
The semi wasn't sure for how long he lay there on the berth before the sound of the garage door rolling open caught his attention and woke him instantly. He went stiff for a moment before he heard the sound of familiar footsteps. He knew the familiar rhythm and cant of that walk anywhere and so off lined his optics again and let himself relax back into the berth, but he didn't go back to sleep.
He listened as his partner walked through the garage back towards the small room he lay in. For a moment Black Hook stopped just at the threshold of the room and a small amused chuckle came from him. Heavy Iron was almost tempted to let his optics online just to catch the pirate unawares but was stopped by the sound of Black Hook approaching the berth, but never getting on. Instead he felt a hand gently brush again the side of his helm and up his finial, before the lightest zap-kiss was placed to his temple.
Before he could even react, Black Hook had already made his way back towards the entrance. For a moment Heavy Iron thought he would leave again but instead he heard the sounds of something being moved along the shelves. The hum of something being charged didn't go unnoticed and this time he did let his optics come online.
A soft light emanated from beyond the shelved walls of the make-ship room. Black Hook's shadow moved slowly and deliberately across the garage wall as he did whatever evening ritual he had once he was home from his job. From the berth Heavy Iron could hear the way the pirate stretched and popped struts back into place, the tired sigh that came from him as stretched limbs and waited for the battery packs to fully charged. Once more Heavy Iron was struck by how domestic the pirate had let himself become since being sealed in the metal breath. The Black Hook he knew when they first met wouldn't be like this.
But then again, he supposed he himself had changed too.
In his younger years he would have bristled at the thought of letting his guard down near the pirate or any of the other cardbots he now knew. He would have lashed out at the mere hint of Black Hook approaching his sleeping form. And now. Now he just lay there, letting the pirate move freely as he lay practically prone. Useless and dead to the world as he continued to feign trying to sleep.
Heavy Iron let his optics offline as a sigh escaped him. He was letting himself get soft.
He wasn't sure how long he laid there for, the sound of his vents being the only accompanying sound to Black Hook's pacing and the hum of batteries charging as he mulled over the position he found himself in now. Heavy Iron was only drawn out of his thoughts when he heard the pirate approaching again. The sounds of electricity were gone now as well. Confusion ebbed at the back of his processor and he let his optics online faintly, just enough to watch as the pirate approached and leave what looked to be a car battery of sorts on the night stand next to him before turning, seemingly ready to walk back out toward his table.
Before he could make it far however, the pirate was stopped in his tracks by the sound of Heavy Iron shifting in the berth.
"Hook?"
The captain turned to look at him in slight surprise before his expression relaxed as he fully turned to face the semi. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake ya."
Heavy Iron shook his head as much as the padded berth would allow. "Was already awake before you came in."
"Hmm." Black Hook approached slowly. The more he moved the more Heavy Iron could see the exhaustion emanating from him. "Rest. You look like you need it."
"So do you." Before Black Hook could protest, Heavy Iron reached a hand out toward the pirate invitingly. "Come here."
"It's four in the afternoon, love."
"Don't care. Come here."
Black Hook gave a small huff before placing his hand in Heavy Iron's and letting the semi pull him down onto the berth. Once he was on, their arms wrapped around each other as much as their laying frames would allow. It was a little clunky and took them a bit to properly adjust but once they were comfortable Heavy Iron could feel the way that Black Hook melted into his hold, the days' stress finally melting away as he pressed himself as close as he could to the semi in front of him.
One of Heavy Iron's hands gently rubbed against the pirate's side before he spoke. "Cold?"
"Mmm. Only a little." Black Hook's optic off-lined as he leaned into the touch. "You run hot though, I'm sure I be warmed in no time."
Heavy Iron couldn't say he disagreed. But before he could say anything else on the matter Black Hook spoke up again.
"Will we be talking of what 'as transpired between us?"
Heavy Iron's soothing motions stopped for a fraction of a second then continued so as not to annoy the pirate. "I …don't know. We're not very good at talking without starting a fight."
A disgruntled sound came from Black Hook but he wasn't arguing back just yet. "I suppose that's true. But I would like to talk at some point. Preferably before you up and disappear yourself again." The only response he got back from the semi was a pensive hum. "At least pretend to consider it."
"I will." But he wasn't sure how truthful he was being. "Try to sleep."
"It's still only four."
"Sleep."
"Pushy."
Heavy Iron gave a small grunt of acknowledgment as he buried his face closer to the pirate. Even if the other didn't sleep at least Heavy Iron had him close by, and that was enough for now as he let himself fall asleep once more.
For the second time since he got to Black Hook's garage, Heavy Iron woke-up unsure of how much time had passed since he last on-lined his optics. A small tired groan made its way out of him as he tried to stretch his arms up above his head lazily. His movements were halted when he felt the other shift against him, blocking his right arm from fully being able to stretch as he needed it to. After weeks of being on the road and sleeping at truck stops or at Edo's garage he had almost forgotten that he was sharing a berth with Black Hook.
Heavy Iron let himself enjoy the moment of the other so close to him without any further interruptions around them before he checked his chronometer and was surprised by how long he had been sleeping for. It was now three in the morning, and in another two hours he would have to head back to the dispatch station to pick up another cargo load he had scheduled for himself. He mulled over the tune up he still needed, considering whether waking up Edo would be worth it or not, before pushing those thoughts aside. He'd worry about a tune up later.
Instead he let his optics offline temporarily as he gave himself the will he needed in order to start getting out of bed.
As carefully as he could manage, Heavy Iron slipped out from under Black Hook and placed some of the pillows where he had been laying so as not to shift the pirate around too much while he made his way off the berth. Once he was standing firmly on the ground he paused just long enough to ensure that the pirate continued sleeping and made his way over to the small table he'd seen the night before.
There he found the same generator he had seen only now it was fully charged. Perhaps what Black Hook was going to fuel himself with during the evening before Heavy Iron dragged him into bed with him. He would have felt bad but had Black Hook actually been hungry he would have wrestled his way out of the berth long ago, or at the very least fueled himself on the battery he had brought over for Heavy Iron. So without thinking further on it Heavy Iron took the generator sitting on the table and brought it up to his face plate to fuel. It wasn't his favorite mode of fueling but it would do for now until he got on the road and found something else to satiate himself with.
As he let the energy from the generator course through him, Heavy Iron let his optics wander around the garage as he took in everything within the garage, allowing himself to become familiar with the surrounding for the next time he came here. If let himself become comfortable here, maybe he'd be more willing to come visit sooner.
Once the energy finally ebbed to a stop he finally set the generator back onto the table. He would have put it to charge again but he wasn't quite sure which of the many shelves around him contained the charger required for it.
He checked his chronometer again to see how much time he still had left. there was about an hour left before he reasonably had to leave, but leaving sooner probably wouldn't do anyone any harm. With a small sigh he made his way back over to the room. He didn't want to wake Black Hook, but if he left without saying anything he was certain they'd be back to where they had been prior to him returning to Mowtown.
Still the pirate looked so peaceful laying there.
Oh well.
Heavy Iron kneeled next to the berth and patted the pirate lightly on the side of the helm. Black Hook grunted in annoyance but his optic flickered online slowly regardless to eye the mech in front of him warily.
"What?" His voice was groggy as he spoke and Heavy Iron couldn't help the warmth that spread through him at seeing how relaxed Black Hook was with him. A hand came up and gingerly cupped the side of the pirate's face before he leaned in to press the crest of their helms together.
"I've got work."
"Mmm."
"I'll be back in at least two days. Will let you know if it's more."
His only response was another small hum of acknowledgement before Black Hook lazily wrapped and arm around Heavy Iron's helm, bringing him closer so they could rub their helms against each other better. "Are ye willing to call, and actually talk, while you're away."
"Yes."
"Hmm. Good." Black Hook paused for just a moment then pressed just close enough to exchange a quick zap-kiss with the semi. "Off with ya know. Don't want your being late blamed on me."
Heavy Iron gave a small nod and got up from his kneeling position before turning towards the exit and out towards the road that lead out of the port.
All things considered things had gone a lot better than he though they would. There was still no real talk, and a part of him dreaded what they would discuss on their call later, but they hadn't separated with a fight this time and that was a good enough win to him.