The Start of Something Interesting...

[lastonepercent]

The day was calm, with no recent Decepticon attacks, and none suspected to be incoming for some time.  The cons were too busy licking their wounds from the last battle, one that the Autobots had decidedly come out ahead on.  The celebrations had gone on long into the night and the recreation room was already a mess.

Thus, it was the perfect chance for a lone Autobot to slip casually outside.

Mirage had no shift currently scheduled, so he was free to spend his time as he pleased.  He certainly made no move to hide his departure, greeting his comrades in the halls on the way out, but the box in his hands remained unopened despite any passing curiosity.  It was quietly shifted into subspace before long, and  the former noble shifted into alt mode just as smoothly when he reached the doors.  Despite the completely inappropriate earthen race car mode, the mech had little trouble self-adjusting before driving off into the forest covering the mountain, for business unknown...

Comments

[lastonepercent]

::I think I've had enough conversations with him lately to last me for a while, thank you.:: Mirage huffed.

Despite the unpleasantness of the location, it didn't take too long for the Decepticons to approach the main battle area. Mirage was forced to break away lest he get shot by one of his own allies shooting toward the 'cons. It would make his movements more obvious, but there was little help for it.

As soon as the shooting started, he transformed and booked it, leaving twin trails of stirred up sand as he raced for the Autobot forces, pinging Jazz with a encoded alert.

[cliffjumper]

Cliffjumper, not privy to the ping as he was, had been aiming at the approaching group of cons Jazz had somehow apparently known would be there, but the distortion out of the corner of his vision made him jerk his gun in that direction - and then got yanked at the last moment, the shot going wild upwards through the water.

::WHAT THE FRAG, Jazz?!:: sputtering over the comm and not caring if it was overheard, Cliffjumper was all ready to yell more when he got turned back to face the Decepticons again.

::That was our goal, CJ. Focus on those targets instead.::

Their...

But how?!

[lastonepercent]

::Really, Cliffjumper? Really?:: Mirage huffed, breaking the comm silence as he swerved to preemptively avoid a shot that thankfully never came. He grumbled in annoyance - who or what else could he have been, really? The 'distortion' zoomed closer, neatly avoiding the belated shots of the few who noticed the odd shape in the water.

::Thank you, Jazz:: he pinged the other mech in relief, greatful for his observant catch.

[cliffjumper]

Even scowling at Mirage calling him out couldn't do anything to disguise his blush, and wasn't that embarrassing? Growling, Cliffjumper whirled back on the group of Decepticreeps closest to them.

::Yeah, well, we're right outside the Decepticreeps' fraggin' base, I think some paranoia's warranted!::

Because who knows what sort of defenses they might have come up with, not satisfied to just use the ocean as a deterrent and security system?

Jazz just grinned dryly and pinged to Optimus that their objective was reached and safe. It was, perhaps, time to retreat before the 'Cons decided to retaliate in force to get their prize back.

8V

[lastonepercent]

::Invisible, Decepticon defenses?:: Mirage snarked back, though already he wad only half as irritated as he actually made himself sound. Really, he was too glad to be free, and it was too fun to be able rag on Cliffjumper again.

...even of he was shot at within his first few moments of said freedom. Hurmph.

He quickly drew up alongside the main Autobot group, remaining invisible even within the protective area. And thanks to Jazz, he didn't get shot again again.

HUFF

[cliffjumper]

::Yeah!:: Cliffjumper snaps, not about to admit he probably-definitely overreacted and listened to his paranoia and twitchy trigger finger again over the most obvious conclusion.

Partly because some part of him is convinced the 'Cons could've come up with something - perhaps tied to the ship itself - even if they can't make something like Mirage's invisibility to any greater degree.

Part of it is just that he's embarrassed and frustrated. Especially as he almost ended up shooting the mech they'd come here to rescue and the very same one he's spent a fragging week being tank-churningly worried and guilty over.

Hufffff to you

[lastonepercent]

::Uh huh.::

If they ever bothered to actively attempt to reverse-enginner Mirage when they caught him, perhaps. As of yet, the Autobots seemed mostly clear of a threat of that magnitude.

For now?

Mirage didn't return to visibility until their group had cleared the range of the Decepticon's shots. He didn't look too badly scuffed up - not for a bot enjoying the tender mercies of the Decepticons. But he pinged Jazz and Prime his status, mission report pending on arrival back. As for Cliffjumper...

::Well. Even if you almost shot me...thank you for coming to find me.::

[cliffjumper]

Cliffjumper grumbled to himself at Mirage's tone - he was absolutely expecting the glitch (and here he'd worried) to continue to poke at it while they slowly started to retreat back to their not-quite-submarine shuttle.

Which was definitely why Cliffjumper let out a harsh not-word that would have been an irate protest of some sort, but instead fizzled into stunned silence at the... gratitude.

Concentration lost for a moment, Cliffjumper stumbled the next step but caught his footing as the water helped as much as it hindered.

::Uh... well, er. You're welcome?:: Cliffjumper was relieved no one was likely looking at him considering what they were all trying to do and go, but he ducked his helm on reflex anyway, to hide the little flustered flare of his optics.

::Not like I'm the only one...:: Cliffjumper finally said, muttering over the comm with a shake of his helm. Even if Mirage wouldn't see that.

poor sad Jetfire

[lastonepercent]

Retreating quickly, the poor submerged shuttle was a welcome sight. If a rather sad looking one.

::Yes. But you still did.:: Laughing softly over the comm but still sincere, Mirage was silently pleased by the response. He really enjoy messing with the minibot. And even then...Mirage let out a verbal sigh, keeping the line open.

::And...I am glad you are alright. After the cave and all.::

He may have been worried for his own fate, but Mirage had not forgotten the one who had been left behind.

fftt not jetfire thoughhh 8v

[cliffjumper]

::Why wouldn't I!?:: the defensive sputter was probably far too... vehement for such a light comment it was in response to, but Cliffjumper... well, was Cliffjumper. He might accuse people of... ahem, things, but an Autobot was an Autobot.

... And Mirage was arguably a bit more than that.

::'Cause I--- uh. Er,:: trailing off, Cliffjumper blushed again and shook his helm, ::Not hard since the Decepticreeps didn't check, but, uh. Thanks?:: He wanted to say more, apologise for not having done better before the Decepticons surprised them, but he didn't want to do that here - and really, he was flustered enough already it was hard to even think of what to say in that regard.

GOOD FOR HIM THEN ;3

[lastonepercent]

::Hmm. True.::

Another laugh across the commline, soft and barely there. Mirage transformed when he reached the shuttle, and given his speed, he was able to glance back and give the minibot a cheeky grin and a nod of the helm.

::You're welcome, of course.::

HEHE

[cliffjumper]

Did the mech have to laugh at him and at the same time not sound as if he wasn't actually laughing at him, even when Cliffjumper felt that that was surely what he must be doing?

Logically, though, Cliffjumper knew Mirage wouldn't do that, which just made things more complicated because it wasn't as if he could dislike the mech over that, now was it?

He did still linger back long enough to make sure Mirage got into the shutte - and of course then got that grin and nod. Stopping briefly, Cliffjumper scowled as he shook his helm to shake away the brightened optics and then, with a muttered huff, got into the shuttle himself.

Fragging nobles.

[lastonepercent]

In the end, Mirage was rather satisfied with how things turned out.

His rescue had been an unexpected success - and the first chance he got, Mirage made sure to include a few thanks in his next rite. But before he even could, he had to deal with the post-op checkup and report- and he had a lot to report. Ratchet eventually gave him the all-clear, though he left Optimus Prime looking a lot more concerned about things than when he had arrived. Learning that Megatron was apparently aiming for divine support for his side of the war, willingly given or not, was sure to send Prime and his advisers into a flurry.

So it wasn't until almost two days later that the spy finally got some time to himself, making his way to reclaim his altar-room for some much-needed rest and meditation.

[cliffjumper]

Cliffjumper had tried to catch Mirage after he'd settled from the flustered embarrassment Mirage had got him into and before the medics could get to the spy.

Of course, he'd been unsuccessful, especially as he hadn't been willing to try and have this conversation in the shuttle. Ratchet had, obviously, descended upon Mirage the moment they'd touched down - hardly even before the engines had stopped and they'd landed properly.

So he'd tried to keep an optic out, though the cycles turned to joors turned into two fragging days. Had Mirage been injured and they hadn't realised at first? Surely repairs and debriefing after that, even if he'd been gone a week, didn't take that much time?

Apparently it did, and in the end it was sort of an accident that he found himself meeting Mirage in the corridor he had his altar room in.

Not an accident that Cliffjumper was there, as he'd been lurking outside of the room, unwilling to check at first in case he'd disturb Mirage, but when he finally did the room had been empty.

So he'd been on the way back and then there the mech was.

It was unexpected enough he just stopped, optics flickering a little, and considered not talking to Mirage at all.

[lastonepercent]

That...was unexpected.

Nearly running into the smaller mech, Mirage started slightly. Given the matching look on Cliffjumper's face, he couldn't actually tell if the red mech had been waiting for him, or was as genuinely startled as he was.

"Ah. Cliffjumper?"

Awkward pause. Might as well...

"...Did you want to come in?" He gestured toward the door of his altar room.

[cliffjumper]

Staring, it took a moment for the question to actually register and he twitched. Did he? Well, that was the point, wasn't it? Get Mirage alone so he could apologise for not having done better in the cave.

"Uh-- Yeah. If you ain't busy, I mean," Cliffjumper said, shaking his helm at the same time. At least he hadn't managed to disturb Mirage when he was already in the room?

That was something, maybe.

Now that he'd gotten here, and was looking up at the noble and Mirage had offered, Cliffjumper didn't have a clue how to say what he wanted to say. It'd come - hopefully - but he'd been thinking a lot about it but he realised he hadn't actually gotten further than deciding he needed to do it.

Not a single thought of what he'd say.

[lastonepercent]

"It is fine."

Gesturing toward the door again, Mirage led the way inside. He kept his back toward the minibot for several moments, activating the light diodes by hand and tidying the room, using the time to gather his thoughts.

Eventually seating himself on the steps by the altar, he gestured for Cliffjumper to do the same.

"So. Were you wanting to speak with me?"

It wasn't hard to suspect, what with where he'd all but run into the red mech.

[cliffjumper]

Following Mirage inside, Cliffjumper's optics were drawn to the berth and he immediately looked away. Maybe a more neutral ground than Mirage's slagging altar room would've been a better place, but insisting on that now would just be weird.

"Uh..."

Looking away from Mirage and his stupid golden optics, Cliffjumper shifted on his feet and crossed his arms over his chestplates. It was silly to basically be about as nervous about apologising for something Cliffjumper knew he probably wouldn't have been able to change, as when he apologised for messing up Mirage's ceremony and accusing him of being a spy and traitor.

"Yeah. I should've insisted we switched to comms. and I should've gotten up earlier and maybe the cave wouldn't have happened. Um. Sorry." Going from not looking at Mirage, to turning his helm towards him and then at the end dropping his optics again, Cliffjumper huffed and almost whirled around on the spot.

Saying sorry for that made him even more aware of how stupid it was to be sorry over it; he'd been in pretty slagging bad shape himself, so expecting he'd be able to act differently... yeah, stupid.

He couldn't help it though, mostly because he was used to doing what he could on battlefields or similar. It was why he rather often switched to altmode and drew Decepticon fire from others. And Mirage was a tiny bit more than "just" another Autobot.

[lastonepercent]

"...Ah."

Resetting his optics after the sudden...onslaught of words from the most unexpected of sources, Mirage could only stare for a minute in surprise. Slowly, he tilted his helm, falling back on base politeness protocols to see him through.

"Thank you? I accept?"

Shaking off the surprise, and properly processing Cliffjumper's words, Mirage shook his head.

"Really, it isn't necessary? Neither of us were of our right minds from the cold, of course. We both should have thought of using our comms."

[cliffjumper]

Ducking his helm at the acceptance, Cliffjumper's engine rumbled and he made ready to turn around, having done what he'd come here to do... though then Mirage continued and his optics brightened with a blush, his field wavering briefly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Cliffjumper said, shaking off the comment, "I was a bit more alert than you were, so maybe if I'd... actually... ya know." Waving a hand in the air, Cliffjumper grimaced and shrugged.

He knew it was extremely unlikely, but if he had then the Decepticreeps might not have found them... or even if they had, maybe they might have been able to beat them off?

Somewhere, Cliffjumper admitted than what would most likely have happened would have been that he'd probably actually been shot dead, while Mirage would still have been captured, unharmed or maybe even injured.

Maybe the best outcome had been what had happened, but... it didn't feel right even if that was true. He didn't feel like he'd done enough, for a fellow Autobot or someone he vaguely admitted was somebody he had a crush... at the least, on.

[lastonepercent]

"Try not to dwell on the 'what if's', Cliffjumper. It does little good- and we both might well have been captured or killed," he says, accidentally echoing Cliffjumper's thoughts.

Mirage splayed his hands out, shrugging. Motioning Cliffjumper toward the seats, he took his own beside the altar, pointedly casual.

"We should simply be glad to be alive and functional, and learn from the event as we can."

He managed a crooked grin.

"It's what good spies do, after all."

[cliffjumper]

Looking away, Cliffjumper huffed.

"Yeah, yeah, they said that too. I know that. Don't mean it doesn't feel like I shoulda done more," Cliffjumper said, and then finally looked back at Mirage, confusion enough so that he sat down in the indicated seat with no protest of any sort, even if he'd planned on leaving as soon as he'd done his apology.

"And I ain't a spy, ya know. Kinda have to worry what the Decepticreeps did if ya think that." Cliffjumper grinned faintly, a lopsided little thing - he wasn't really serious, because Mirage must have been joking, right?

[lastonepercent]

Mirage laughed at Cliffjumper's confusion, shaking his head.

"Of course. I was referring to myself. It is the best way I've found to deal with previous missions gone awry."

Concern and confusion were much better reactions to the suggestion than outright anger at the 'accusation'. Cliffjumper really was improving. He couldn't help but grin.

"Do try not to dwell, won't you?"

[cliffjumper]

"Yeah, you'd know wouldn't you?" Even Cliffjumper couldn't seem to decide if he meant it as derision or just a comment on Mirage's expertise. He might have a crush on the mech, but he still couldn't not dislike what he did.

Even if it made him worry, too, like this past week. Even if that hadn't had anything to do with Mirage being a spy.

"Yeah, yeah. I just wanted to..." crossing his arms and trailing off, Cliffjumper huffed and looked away, "to... uh, whatever."

He'd already explained, and trying to explain further would maybe just reveal things. That thought made him squirm in his seat and his field twitched in half-flustered reaction as he stood up.

"Guess I should go and let ya do... whatever you were gonna do."

[lastonepercent]

"I would," Mirage agreed with a nod, choosing to not take offense. It was true, after all.

Cliffjumper's continued, awkward fluttering made Mirage tilt his head, considering.

"You do not need to leave, of course."

He gestured toward the seats again, encompassing the more comfortable plush pads scattered around on the floor.

"I was simply planning to meditate for a while. You would not be interrupting anything."