red_diode_district | Everybody learns from *somebody*

Everybody learns from somebody

Passing the doors into the library, Megatron was pleased he had gotten the schedule correct as he saw who was sitting at the desk. If it had been completely necessary due to his own schedule, he'd have come here when he could. But since he didn't have to...

Ignoring the faint itch interfacing hadn't properly gotten rid off, Megatron approached the librarian at a lazy, casual walk. It was a pity he hadn't seen any signs at all that the surprisingly fine-lined truck-alted mech had the inclination he was looking for. Things would have been a lot easier (and, really, pleasing) if he had.

As it was, since there was no one left in the current arena circuit that he trusted with what he had to hand over, perhaps he would have to avail himself of one of the clubs. It made an irritable twitch slither down the treads on his shoulders, the thought that he'd have to do that.

It was ages since he'd had to go to an open venue like that to simply get his needs properly taken care of.

And he really would have preferred the librarian. Orion Pax - it hadn't taken anything to find out the designation when to found the schedule - was witty, somehow diplomatically argumentative and didn't give in if he knew he was right or wanted to stand for his opinion, actually had some smarts to go with said use of words and Megatron wanted to know more.

More, and more personally (most of the earlier he'd simply learned over the few times he'd been in the library when the mech was, but hadn't actually approached him). So this time, he decided to actually use the librarian's assistance in what he was looking for... and perhaps get something more out of it.

"Excuse me?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He'd have protested his caught hand, maybe, but instead merely curled his fingers in Orion's grip. He had to admit, he was quite surprised at the shudder of the whole auditorium to match the offlining of the city-former, though his first assumption was something far less benign than something belonging to the performance.

When it was obvious that was all there was however, Megatron settled down again in time to actually enjoy the denouement, and while the applause echoed around them, he leaned in to Orion again, though this time he used a comm. line, if only because of the noise around them.

::Very different from merely reading. A bit heavy-handed, though, I think. The names made it rather obvious.:: There was a smile on Megatron's lips while he 'spoke'.

::I think it was supposed to be heavy-handed,:: Orion laughed, though he grinned widely at Megatron's observation. His own applause was enthusiastic, and he found the final wrap-up satisfying with a solid amount of proper historical explanation.

::I'm glad you noticed, though. I've been waiting for that to come out since the first part of the series.::

The cheering started up once more when the actormechs came out for their final curtain call, and the drone representing the citymech received applause as vigorous as the main characters (well deserved, in Orion's opinion.)

::I found it quite satisfying; a good end to the trilogy. So. What's your final verdict?::

::And yet, how many in the audience do you think caught onto it?:: Megatron asked, voice dry as he gave a perfunctorily but certainly sincere applause for the actors and the performance over all.

::Impressive, perhaps a bit heavy on the drama without letting the other themes through fully, though I'm guessing that was the directior's choice...:: Pausing, Megatron tilted his helm at the stage and gestured vaguely at the whole auditorium. ::Good choice of venue and involving the metro-titan added to the atmosphere... and to the drama, again. Certainly entertaining, and while it takes more to sort through compared to reading the script, I liked it.::

Even if he would have chosen to do it differently, but then, he had been and was still, very interested in the other themes beyond the immediate interpersonal drama the director had chosen to blow up to play out the history on, putting aside some of the finer points, perhaps.

::I heard them gasping, so I'd say not as many as there should have been,:: Orion allowed with a shrug. The crowds were already moving to depart, which did little for the noise level. He kept to their comms, squeezing Megatron's hand with a grin.

::But then again, I doubt many are in the habit of analyzing literary tropes or even bothering to look up the history such things are based off of before hand, unlike some people.::

Some people like Megatron, apparently. The realization only made Orion grin more widely; he should know better by now than to underestimate the gladiator. Of course he would have done his research.

::I'm glad you enjoyed it despite the criticisms - the metrotitan here was a step up from the previous actor in the last performance hall. They weren't quite as good, but then again, they didn't have such a large role in the earlier parts.::

Smirking a bit, Megatron nodded. There had, indeed, been way more than there "should have" who hadn't gotten it. But even without reading up, the themed desinations ouught to have been a huge tipoff, in his opinion.

::Mmhm, well. Perhaps not. But if two thirds of the main characters follow a theme, I don't think it should take a literary critic to figure it out.:: Pausing, Megatron shrugged and then his voice went a little softer, more allowing. ::Though, I give that with the way the direction built things up, there was enough going on to keep you occupied to not think very far ahead in the story, or on the meaning of names. Too much drama going on.::

Megatron's smirk had become quite dry by the end and he snorted, amused.

::Plus, cheaper and safer to involve the local metrotitan than either have to rig the auditorium to shake in the way she managed without any effort, or forego that effect... And miss out on the drama of it.::

::Yes, cheaper, but the titan was no untried actor.::

Orion just shrugged again, unrepentant and amused.

::Most people don't bother with analyzing these things. And I agree, the writers seem to have gone to some lengths to keep the connection downplayed until the critical moment with said drama.::

The crowds were beginning to thin; Orion slowly stood, stretching now that their way out was clear.

::So. Where would you like to continue our discussion?:: He grinned, optics bright.

::True, but the potential damages for incorrectly set charges, even just cosmetic shaking, would be far more than what they're winning by having the titan as part of the cast and the show as a success since she adds to it.::

Standing up and giving a stretch - and unknowingly giving a few passing mechs a view of said flexing - Megatron shook his helm and turned Orion around towards the exit.

::Yours, perhaps? Unless you know some place nearby that might still let us have some reasonable privacy.:: Whichever could maybe let things go... somewhere. Thanks to Orion actually keeping his field extended for the greater part of the performance, Megatron's plating was feeling... tingly, and Orion's presence not just heavy, but, hm. Heady.

Orion was, for the moment at least, oblivious to any stares. His entire focus was on Megatron and their conversation; he'd even thoroughly forgotten to check and reign in on his field, which was was for once as flared as any other.

The strength of it was probably part of what was attracting those assessing stares, even with the stretching.

::Not at this point in time, no,:: Orion said after thinking for a moment, field wobbling the slightest bit at the mention of 'privacy'.

::My place it is.:: He smiled, leading them toward the door. While he made no move to reach for Megatron's hand or arm, he stayed close enough for their fields to mingle as they walked.

The only thing Megatron did, as he had indeed noticed the stares, and also noted they were split between them, was to put himself on the side of Orion that meant he was between Orion and anyone who was being... curious.

It wasn't even a fully concious thought, more the threat-assessment conclusion that aubtly pointed out that if anyone took issue, Megatron would be far more (physically) capable to dealing with it.

::Perhaps we'll find something later, especially if we're going to do more like this.:: By now they were finally out on the street, and since they were now going back to Orion's, Megatron let him keep the lead.

"Either way, it was interesting. Not something I would have done on my own." Not for lack of interest, really, but it was simpler to simply read and he usually found other things to spend his credits on.

With Orion with him, though, the credits found a more... wide-spread use. Megatron didn't mind.

"Agreed," Orion said out loud, once they emerged from the rest of the crowd. He didn't really pay much attention to Megatron's maneuvering as they walked toward his apartment; threat assessment wasn't really in his skill area just yet.

"I don't usually get out terribly much, so I don't know this area nearly as well as I should. But I'd enjoy finding the more interesting locations with such good company. I'm glad you came with me." The smaller mech gave Megatron a pleased smile, hand briefly resting on a heavily-armored arm.

"You're not so bad company yourself," Megatron said with a wink. Perhaps sometime later he would be more comfortable with walking hand-in-hand, but part of his discomfort came from tying up a hand and making it harder to use if something happened.

The rest... well, that was just Megatron and what he was comfortable with in public, which was maybe a bit silly, since he had nothing against kissing Orion openly.

Which he did now, in fact, though he merely leaned down to brush a kiss along the top of one of the finials before he straightened up.

"I know the city well enough, and have gone to some places, but you know how it is with habits and what one might be willing to try oneself." Like Orion being hesitant going spelunking and yet agreeing to it.

Orion smiled, surprised by the unexpected - but thankfully, increasingly more common - gesture, audials twitching gently at the still foreign feeling.

"Well thank you. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm a bit too dull for one who leads such an exciting life..." Orion teased back, leaning close enough to lightly clang their elbow armor together - which allowed their fields to mingle more sharply for a moment of pleasant contact-static. He beamed up at the larger mech, optics and field bright with contentment.

"I have a list of a few places I've always been meaning to visit or ideas to try out; you'll have to help me choose between them or add others to the list."

"Dull?" Chuckling, Megatron waved a hand at Orion. "Have you hear yourself when we're discussing things? Your opinions and argumentative style is hardly dull." At least when he stopped holding himself back, which he thankfully had for a good while now.

"And while it's certainly 'exciting' to fight people for a living, there are many sorts of exciting." He couldn't quite resist a wink and a smirk, before continuing. "And that sounds like a good idea. I might add some things so your list doesn't remain... dull." Another teasing smirk.

"I'm a librarian. Of course I'm usually considered dull!" Orion laughed again, shaking his head fondly.

"If you enjoy yourself, of course, I'm certainly not going to try to correct you of this odd notion that I'm somehow entertaining." He winked, leading them to turn down the last street.

Orion didn't honestly thing that lowly of himself, but he held no illusions about himself.

And he still did not really think that his field was more impressive than annoying.

"Hmmmm." Humming softly in what could have been agreement as much as disagreement, Megatron smiled and waited until they were about to actually get into the building where Orion's apartment was, having let the last stretch of road pass by quietly.

Reaching out to press the call button for the elevator, Megatron carefully didn't look down at Orion.

"Only until you say something about where the treatsies of Boltax should be sorted." Which not even the librarians themselves apparently could agree on, Megatron had noticed quite early on in his self-imposed education. He'd spent enough time at various libraries and archives that he'd gotten to listen in on some rather amusing arguments... and started some himself.

One time, for example he'd made a comment in passing to a group of two professors of some kind and a librarian, stood by listening for a breem, and then left without any of the other three individuals involved having noticed him doing so - or, indeed, probably knew that he was the one who'd uttered the comment that set them off.

They'd still been going at it half a joor later when Megatron left.

Orion's face immediately flattened out, spine going straight as he stopped cold, right before entering the elevator. His careful field control vanished completely.

"In the Compendium References," Orion snapped out automatically, right optic aperture twitching. "Excluding the treatsies on Atechnogenesis, then it belongs in the fiction section."

Dangerous territory, Megatron.

He would not laugh.

Carefully nodding, and keeping his expression straight as well, Megatron made sure to hold out an arm to keep the elevator open as he stepped inside. One part was reacting to the nearly agressive flare of Orion's field with a full threat-assessment, but since Megatron knew the situation wouldn't come to literal blows, the result of said assessment was put aside.

The rest he had to quickly yank back, tamping down his engine and simply let the sudden rush of charge flow through. His optics had gone a bit bright, however.

He would not laugh.

He would also not push Orion up against the wall, or get down on his knees in front of him.

"Of course. Fiction, though? Shouldn't those be in the religion and spirituality? Or at least philosophical arguments?" He would, however, poke this delightful little beast.

"Fiction," he said emphatically, before shivering and relaxing a tiny fraction from that automatic defense. It was his least favorite librarian politics fracture point, but he realized he was holding up both Megatron and the elevator. He stepped inside, armor twitching as he attempted to mute his own defensive flaring.

By the looks of his shoulder panels, Orion wasn't having much luck with that.

"...Or the drama section, maybe. I swear, that mech was overcharged when he wrote that one," he muttered darkly.

There was a definitive tingle along the circuits and wires around his spark chamber, but besides that Megatron couldn't keep it in any longer, and burst out laughing at Orion's last, dark little mutter.

Something whispered gleefully about impertinence and punishment scenarios, and while he let the images run through his processor, he leaned down, hands on Orion's shoulders to press him against the wall, and kissed him.

"I still say you're wrong, by the way," Megatron murmured against Orion's lips as he drew back when the elevator announced they'd reached their floor.

The librarian sputtered at the laugh, giving Megatron a glare in the two nanoclicks he had before- surprise kiss.

He wasn't sure what to think about being pinned, systems giving a rev of interest in between his irritation and surprise. Really though, at the moment, he'd be more interested in doing the pinning...

Even so, Orion's vents and vocalizer hissed when Megatron pulled away, disagreeing with both the sudden distance between them and Megatron's stance on the treatise. He narrowed his optics.

"...And I'd say you clearly need to read that damn treatise and revise your opinion." He huffed and lead the way out of the elevator, holding the door so Megatron could follow.

There was a very shameless smirk and a wink directed at Orion as Megatron straightened up, savouring the faint vibration in his armour the rev from Orion's engine had produced.

"Oh, I have, and considering it's about a belief structure, the philosophical underpinnings thereof and a discussion of what speaks for it, I'd say you're wrong." Megatron sounded decidedly cheerful as he sauntered out of the elevator, and this might not be a dicussion of the performance they'd just seen, but it was just as entertaining - and getting to kiss Orion wasn't something he'd ever say no to.

"Hrumph. Given the nature of the- No. No. I absolutely refuse to go down this route today." Orion stopped up short before reaching his apartment door, holding up his hands. Optics going dark, he paused and counted to ten internally.

"I am having a good evening, and if I have to go into yet another argument about the entire myriad of details why that load of -grtzzk-"

He cut off his vocalizer once more with a burst of static, hands briefly clenching into fists. With obvious effort, he relaxed, hands dropping to his sides, optics reigniting with a stubborn twitch.

"-Why that particular treatise should go in one location or another, I will no longer be enjoying myself. So."

Artifically calm, Orion opened the door, graciously gesturing Megatron inside.

Megatron's expression was amused and indulgent, but he preceded Orion inside, following that gesture. Such a librarian, and it took beating down both his competitive streak as well as the parts that demanded no quarter be given to not continue the argument. Instead, as he filled up two cubes and took them to the table in the living room area, he turned the discussion slightly... lopsided.

"I'm sure you would end up enjoying yourself, as long as you're given some pointers as to how to redirect all that... fire." Pausing, Megatron glanced from his energon to Orion, waiting for the mech to sit down before he smirked over the faintly glowing liquid.

"If that's going to be off-limits, you could always punish me if I'm bad and bring it up at some other point."

In fact, Megatron was somewhat... disappointed (only a little, he was far too amused for it to be very serious), he hadn't managed to provoke Orion into maneuvering for another kiss considering he'd attempted to continue to bait him after they got off the elevator. All that heat and intensity going to waste, such a pity.

Orion followed Megatron inside with some relief, accepting the cube and flopping down on the couch beside him.

"I'd really rather not argue over such an obnoxious topic," he started, taking a sip. But before that tension could properly drain away, Orion was sputtering right back into his cube, giving Megatron an incredulous stare over the rim as he coughed.

"...O-oh?! Er... Well..."

"Why not? It's a good way to hone your argument for when someone really wants to argue their point with you." Megatron shrugged, holding up his cube but not drinking - and promptly burst out laughing at Orion's sputtering.

Taking a drink after he managed to get it back under control, he smirked.

"You should see your expression." Then he leaned sidesways and down, to whisper into Orion's audial again. "I meant it, though. If that might strike your fancy in whatever fashion." Since there were several ways of doing something like that, even just jokingly.

He took another casual sip from his cube, still leaning into Orion.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject