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?"

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"More than I thought might happen," Megatron allowed with a faint grin, tapping a finger against his cube and engaged his vocaliser to reply before he stalled, pausing when Orion shifted his foot.

"Hm." There might have been a slight shift in his seat at that suddenly changed vibration, and his optics brightened a touch as well as he chuckled.

"No, not really. But it's easier if I'm in the right frame of mind... however much I might... need it, at points, without that reference certain gestures or intents gets translated into control, which can leave me annoyed." Shrugging, Megatron took a swallow of his drink - a small one, even when the cube was already small, but only idiots and foolish protoforms downed plain kalisians in one go.

"That seeming contradiction left me rather... confused," Megatron said, reluctantly admitting it, "in the beginning. My first dom pointed out, several times and in different ways, that needing it or not, it wasn't all I was, and the rest of me..." trailing off, Megatron grinned sharply again.

The rest of him was hardly complacent about taking orders or accepting what seemed like control.

Orion blinked at the unexpected confession, humming into his cube in thought.

"I suppose that makes sense. I am glad you told me - knowing that should hopefully help me avoid making any major breeches of...emotional etiquette."

Pleased, he shifted his foot a little more; slowly allowing the ridged tread of the bottom of his heel to catch on the angled edge of Megatron's armor with muted little clicks.

-Then he paused and blinked past Megatron's shoulder, helm tilting before his audials twitched back in embarrassment. He looked away, returning to his cube.

"Hm." He might have said more, he might have said nothing, but Orion basically tapping the ridged heel against his panel was... well, it was distracting.

Though Orion then apparently catching sight of something and looking away had Megatron raise an optic ridge. He didn't turn around, because that would be way too obvious, at least to start with, but tilted his helm.

"See something?" he grinned faintly, hoping that maybe someone had been doing something that Orion was simply embarrassed to see because it turned him on.

"Hm. Maybe." Orion frowned, audials twitching as he glanced over Megatron's shoulder again. Unfortunately for them both, the divided attention caused his motions with his heel to slow to a stop.

"Megatron. I...do not wish to judge anyone or make assumptions. But I've been watching the pair in the back corner for a while now."

He bit his lip, armor pricking up as he sat higher in his seat, reacting to something across the room.

"...But I really don't think what is going on over there is. What this place was intended for."

A severe understatement, if the low rumbling growl starting up in the base of his engine was any clue.

"Hm, which?" Now that Orion had said something like that, he couldn't just reassure him without looking, now could he? So he turned around, optics sweeping the area behind them...

"Oh. Those two. Hm..." frowning, Megatron twitched his helm in a shrug, "some people are into very... hard-core things, Orion. It's not my preference, especially not showing off on a day not put space to it, but I don't think there's anything wrong."

Of course, he'd often wondered about those two, especially as the white and red mech had sometimes frankly seemed... lit high on something. But he was never sure, and there was never nothing that could be spotted as "bad" going on.

"...It bothers me."

Orion said it quietly, hunching down at the table; optics leaving the scene over Megatron's shoulder less frequently each time he glanced their way. It was obviously killing Orion's mood; motions of his foot stilling completely, forgotten.

"Not the scene itself, not really," he added quickly, giving Megatron a quick frown.

"If people want to...er. Pretend they are being coerced, then that is their business. But this?"

The huge dark mech - obviously the dom - seemed to be holding something over his smaller, scruffier 'partner's' head - both literally and figuratively. Orion was no expert of the club 'scene', but everything in the smaller mech's body language all but screamed reluctance and discomfort. And the grip the huge bruiser had on the white mech's arm looked...well. Abusive.

The wary looks of the few closer to the pair that noticed them only fueled Orion's worry. Especially since everyone seemed to be of the same mindset - not my business.

"That seems all too real."

Megatron had somewhat forgotten the delightful, vibrating pressure himself, if only because what Orion was proposing was serious. On the other hand...

"Sometimes it does. I'm not sure you need to feel uncomfortable, Orion..." trailing off, Megatron's frown deepened and his gaze narrowed sharply. Was he missing something?

"On the other hand, you aren't necessarily wrong, but getting proof for your discomfort won't be the simplest thing."

Of course, maybe he could just walk up and ask, but the dom would hardly admit to anything, and then there was nothing to do unless you could get the sub to speak out... and that could be easier said than done.

So to speak.

From across the room, he couldn't hear the sounds or feel the flex of their fields through the cacophony of the club's lights and music- but he could still see the white mech's mouth open in a weak cry, silenced by a rough tug.

"No. It won't."

Fingers curling heavily against the tabletop, Orion sat up from his hunch, optics locked at the scene across the room. Whatever restraint Orion had held over his field was quickly vanishing as if it never was, rare righteous ire blanketing every facet.

Almost exactly like the previous time, when confronting Maul.

"But unlike everyone else over there, I am going to at least ask."

He stood up abruptly, moving to intercept the pair.

Ah.

Optics flickering briefy at the sudden blooming of that powerful field in all its glory, Megatron grinned dryly and got up as well, following half a step behind and pulled to his full height.

That, in addition to Orion's field basically bowling people over, gave Orion a clear path up to the pair, where the huge, black mech barely flickered a glowing glance sideways at the (comparatively) small mech.

"Yes?"

Field or not, Turmoil was hardly impressed

When he finally reached the pair, Orion was grateful for Megatron's presence at his back, in case the mech got violent. If it wasn't for his own simmering righteous anger, the huge mech would have been beyond his confidence to even attempt dealing with.

His field could only get him so far. But it was the right thing to do.

He gave the smaller off-white mech a glance, trying to read his field, but was unsurprised to find that the interruption had caused him to shut down, if it had ever been on display at all. The mech didn't meet his optics, and his tense posture in the huge mech's lap did little to soothe his fears.

"You'll have to excuse the interruption, but I find myself concerned, even from across the room. Your 'play' seems to crossing a number of boundary lines that are alarming."

And knowingly breaking the etiquette rule, but really not giving a frag, he turned to address the sub without giving the hulking mech a proper chance to respond.

"...Are you alright?"

It was only through firm control Megatron managed to not bury his faceplate in a palm and groan. Orion, no. Optics narrowing, Megatron considered the two in front of them, shifting his stance wider and giving a narrow, sharp smile when the large black mech glanced to him.

The mech recognised him, that much was clear. Perhaps it was just as well that Orion wasn't secure enough to have wanted to try some sort of play here, today, otherwise this would have been more... complicated. As it was, he was pretty sure the mech wouldn't attempt a violent confrontation.

Turmoil just chuckled as the silence wore on and his sub stayed, of course silent.

"Compared to your incredibly rude flaunting of normal politeness in these circles, my sub knows not to respond unless allowed to. And I see no reason to give that permission to respond to a newbie who clearly has no manners." There was dark amusement in Turmoil's words, but also an underlying threat.

Megatron resisted rolling his optics.

::Orion, back down. There's a chance we can find out what's really going on, if anything is, but you're never going to get any honest proof like this.::

Orion huffed, immediately finding his own issues with the mech in question only aggravated. Everything about Tormoil, from his tone to his field grated the smaller mech the wrong way.

The silence from the sub was disheartening- but not entirely unexpected. Even if a part of Orion had hoped the poor mech would make it simple by speaking up, it was clear that the fear and conditioning was too much for him.

If he was Megatron's size, he'd probably be tempted to punch the mech in the jaw.

"Be that as it may, your 'flaunting' is stretching the bounds of polite behavior as well. I was under the impression that tonight was not a night for such...displays."

Orion buzzed an irritated burst of static over the commline; a messy sigh he dare not voice in front of the angry dom. ::And what exactly do you suggest?::

Megatron just snorted faintly over the comm, soft amusement even if he was also somewhat understanding.

::Offer me up,:: the pause was infinitesimal and didn't allow Orion any chance to protest, ::you apologise to the overgrown cog and then you offer an apology to the sub via me. There might be a way I can get the sub to say something.::

It was probably just as well that Orion wasn't as big as Megatron then, even if Megatron would have been both amused, impressed and exasperated if Orion did do that.

"And it's your job to police us? Somebody who hasn't even been here before, and further is as new as if you were sparked mere moments ago!" the amusement was slowly bleeding away for actual annoyance, and after that... probably anger, "I suggest you apologise."

Orion tilted his helm, confused by the anger and incresingly certain of the mech's guilt.

"Police you in general? Of course not. Worry about a fellow mech--?"

Orion jerked, vocalizer skipping as he spoke out-loud. He didn't get to finish, the comm-conversation happening in a flash.

::Offer you- what? Not even going to happen!::

It was all he could do not to spin in place and gape at Megatron, horrified.

"Which isn't any of your business. I'm not breaking any rules, you see," Turmoil rumbled with a sharp smirk edging his optics and field both, especially when Orion jerked, completely misinterpreting it.

No, there was nothing going "on" tonight, but on the other hand he wasn't quite flouting any rules or policies, as he wasn't being quite "extreme" enough to warrant being tossed out.

Just kept an optic on.

And Turmoil rather relished that, pushing the allowed boundaries.

::Orion...:: He wasn't going to sigh, and he wasn't going to grin either. Megatron was somewhat sure of at least part of Orion's flabbergasted outrage.

::He isn't going to ask we interface in public, or anything of the sort; not tonight. Just specify a publically suitable apology and the worst that will happen would probably be kissing.::

Well, probably. There was a few other things that would be allowed as well, but Megatron had his own ways of influencing a decision - even if that might put Turmoil's awareness squarely on him

Hah. Let him come, if so.

He could see some of the logic in it.

But logic did little to assuage his sudden flare of possessiveness, field going prickly and jagged and probably giving Turmoil all sorts of wrong conclusions.

::And? How is that- How will that help anything?::

He was reaching now; stalling. Even if the comm-conversation only took a sparkbeat.

Turmoil was definitely smirking now, even with his visor and mask, and leaned forward, apparently pretty certain he had Orion cowed. Megatron just snorted faintly even as he himself concentrated on Orion... though on a far less obvious level.

::Binominal transfer. If it works, that would give the sub a non-detectable way to confirm or deny your worries, Orion.:: Since that was the reason for this whole incident, and the only way he could see that Orion might get an answer that would be actionable upon.

Because Turmoil would hardly say anything, and his submissive wouldn't - especially not with his dominant right there.

::Bino-oh. Oh.::

Orion had to avoid making a face at the idea of transferring data with a stranger like that - but it was a really good idea. If the sub cooperated...it would be perfect.

If.

And, of course, there was the little fact that he would be kissing Megatron in the process. The possessive heat curled in his frame and field, but- But Megatron was willing and offering, and it might be the best way to get out of this mess of his own making while actually helping that sub.

Scrap it all to the pit.

The smirk rankled, and it was only with a supreme force of will that Orion tampered down his field, as though in surrender.

::You better be right about this.:: Orion sighed, crossing his arms in prickly resignation.

"...very well. I apologize for my presumptuousness." You overbuilt coglicker.

"For the slight to you submissive, I- offer my own to apologize in my stead, in a... Publicly acceptable manner."

Ah, what he wanted to do was to walk up to Orion and kneel against him, but that wouldn't at the moment fit in, so instead Megatron pushed out his field in a pulse against Orion's as it retreated.

Turmoil on his hand flared his field wider in smug superiority, his submissive twitching briefly and then freezing.

Megatron frowned slightly, feeling heavy intent in Turmoil's 'swelling', and straightened up, arms crossed over his chestplates and met the mech's visor with a deliberate, nearly vicious glare.

There was an infinitesimal pause and then Turmoil huffed a chuckle, but he only reluctantly looked away from Megatron to focus on Orion.

"... Accepted," but by the faint sneer and the way he tilted his helm was anything to go by, he was only accepting because it was in public, "and the apology towards my submissive is accepted as well. Since the offense was verbal..." Turmoil chuckled as if that had been clever and then gestured to the white and red mech in his lap.

"Stand." The snap was nearly a whipcrack, and the sub got off in a well-practiced slide.

Megatron eyed him and shook his helm slowly and then walked up to the mech, reaching out a hand to brush his fingers against Orion's as he passed and then stopped in front of the smaller mech.

Eyeing him, Megatron snorted faintly and then tilted his chin up.

Thankful for that little field pulse, Orion nonetheless had to again suppress his own. He wanted to envelop Megatron's own and shove back at Turmoil's, battering the other mech's down through sheer will.

Orion simply nodded stiffly at Turmoil's 'acceptance'. He wasn't a violent mech, but this situation was making him reconsider.

The touch of fingers prompted a brush in return, with a close-band comm flickering open with only a wordless glyph of caution-affection transmitting. He watched on tensely.

Not privy to Orion's little crisis of possessiveness, Megatron was more focused on the mech in front of him, and the one beyond that. Turmoil's stare was heavy and intent in a way that made him wish for the arena.

Either way, it was clear the submissive was thoroughly unwanting of what was going on, but wasn't about to use a safeword.

Of course, if Orion was correct, the sub wouldn't expect such a thing to be followed, or dare to utter it in public as well, well-trained to not force his dominant into polite observation of the rules.

If Orion was correct.

Was was obvious when he bent down at met hot - overheated, almost - slow lips with his own mouth, was that the mech was high. Despite the slowness of his response, his chassis seemed to vibrate underneath Megatron's hands and he was putting out excess heat as if he was burning energy in a race, not standing still.

It took nearly a klik before the mech seemed to pick up on the short, simple message transmitted through the careful slide of lips and tongue. He caught the mech's - Drift' hands twitching where they hung, trembling faintly, against his sides and it didn't took much to imagne what Drift had wanted to do.

But answering the question with his hands would've been revealing.

At least it seemed Turmoil wasn't inclined to put a stop to things, even when one klik crawled into another.

Hopefully Orion wouldn't explode in the meantime.

He wouldn't explode...and wasn't inclined to, not unless Turmoil tried it in Drift's place. Even Orion wouldn't be able to contain himself, in that case.

He couldn't blame the poor sub for this, when he obviously didn't want to be there. But Orion's plating was still near-vibrating with tension. Turmoil was getting far too much enjoyment out of it, and that made him want to snatch Megatron away more than anything the white mech was doing with Megatron's lips.

But he privately doubted he would be able to resist reclaiming them when this farce was over with.

The entire situation made him uncomfortable. But he waited, trusting Megatron's plan.

It wasn't ideal - not even tolerable, really, but Megatron got what... well, what Orion had wanted, which was unfortunate. That Turmoil was supplying his sub with drugs was questionable enough, but not necessarily something to sound the alarm for.

What Drift had told him in the intimate shorthand binominal transfer was, however...

Drawing back and straightening up, Megatron didn't bother to so much as glance at Turmoil as he walked back to Orion, opening up a private frequency... to one of the bodyguards which luckily were working tonight, which Ragna had told him early on in their acquaintance was involved in law enforcement and could get things rolling if there were... issues that weren't exactly crimes like a barfight or anything.

For Orion, he gave his partner and dominant a considering look and then knelt down right there in front of him when he got close enough.

Resetting his optics in surprise and glancing between the fidgeting white mech and the one suddenly at his feet, Orion curled eager fingers over the top of Megatron's helm. Field almost immediately smoothing out some at the contact, Orion didn't drop his guard entirely. Turmoil was at Megatron's back now, after all.

::...Are you alright?::

Another hand curled around Megatron's shoulder, unconsciously possessive.

::Did...he say anything?::

He would have laughed at the concern if it wasn't so endearing. Instead he let his engine rumble under Orion's touch and tilted his helm a shade, just enough for Orion to see the small grin.

::He did. You were right.:: there was a faint sigh over the comm., just a brush of static, as Megatron admitted it.

::I've contacted someone who'll do something about it, they'll probably pick him up outside. Both of us will probably be questioned to very what happened.::

Not right now, though, which was at least something.

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Did you need me to write Drift or anything? :>

Nah, I think I can do a basic thing.

kk :>

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