Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandoms:
Characters:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 6 of The World Is Not Enough (Tales from Autobot Spec Ops)
Stats:
Published:
2018-03-08
Words:
310
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
6
Kudos:
116
Bookmarks:
17
Hits:
910

We That Are Young

Summary:

A short ficlet with a revealing glimpse into Prowl's files. (This popped into my head after LL12 and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it.)

Notes:

Doesn't EXACTLY contain spoilers for LL12, but it does take on a different significance once you've read that issue. Originally published on Tumblr as - and this IS a spoiler - "And Then There Were Three".

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

A photograph, tucked in a secret compartment deep in Prowl’s files, inaccessible to the rest of the world.  It isn’t labelled, because it doesn’t need to be.  Only one person will ever see it, and he’s not about to forget his own Special Operations squad.

Getaway is in the middle of the shot, one arm around Atomizer, the other around Skids; the escapologist’s optics are crinkled at the corners, and his forehead is resting against Skids’s cheek, practically nuzzling.  Skid’s optics are closed in bliss.  Behind them, Mirage has his arms draped over Skids’s shoulders and his chin resting on the top of Getaway’s helm, a playful jibe from a mech who likes to boast about his impressive height.

Ore and Shock in the background, Shock’s elbow propped on Ore’s shoulder, Ore rolling his optics affectionately.  Gloriously mustachioed Dominus Ambus draped over the table, half out of frame but posing with the same languid showiness he might display if he were sitting for his portrait; his fingers are linked with Skids’s.  Bumblebee is sprawled across Dominus’s middle as if he’s a pillow.  One of Atomizer’s hands is laced between his horns.

Jazz is in the very back, one arm wrapped warmly around Mirage, the other giving Skids turbofox ears.  And there, in the far corner - no one could mistake the stiff pose and the bright red chevron, even if most people wouldn’t recognise the faint, shy smile on the mech’s face.

Prowl didn’t want to be in the photo, but no sooner had he voiced his intention to bow out than the cries of come on, Boss, please! and c’mon, Prowler, what’s the worst that could happen? started, and he found himself caving shamefully quickly.  And so, there he is - sleeker curves and less in-built weaponry, of course, but then, he’s younger.

They are, all of them, so terribly young.

Notes:

"We that are young /
Shall never see so much, nor live so long."

- Shakespeare, King Lear