Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After the battle with Scourge, everything begins to blend in. There was no decepticons in need to fight with, the autobots were in a phase where they didn’t know what to do. Mirage was no better, he was bored and restless like when he was in the parking structure before Noah. He had nearly lost his life, his first human friend had fixed him up and did a touch up with his paint. Back to his prominent silver and blue colour, sure he could have stayed looking like a rubix cube but he felt the need to be back in his appearance. He was bored waiting in the garage doing the same routine over and over and over again.

So repetitive…

The young autobot desired to go fast, to do something reckless but obviously he can’t because of strict orders.

…

Sun spilled into Noah’s room, the soft orange light pestering his eyes open. It was quiet, nothing bothering him besides the fact he left his curtain open.

‘What day is it?’ Noah thinks to himself as he sleepily rolls out of bed, he trudges over to the calendar. The floor boards creaking under his weight, he grabs the calendar and pulls the flap up staring at the date. Large red sharpie, ‘FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: KRIS’

“Ah it’s Kris’s first day back to school,” Noah yawns as he goes back to bed, face planting into the mattress about to go back to sleep. His eyes begun to flutter close before they snapped open with realisation of what the calendar truly said.

“KRIS WAKE UP!” He yelled, leaping into action, stripping his sleep wear to dress more decently. Clothes flying across the room, he was tugging up a pair of jeans as he scurried off to Kris’s room, banging upon the door like the house was on fire. “BRO WAKE UP YOU HAVE SCHOOL TODAY! GET DRESSED NOW!”

He was not happy with himself, he forgot to set the stupid alarm clock. It was a quarter pass 8 am, an hour later already. Oh God his mother was going to kill him, he promised to drop Kris off at school. He ran back to his bedroom to throw a quick shirt on, he was wrestling his belt on as he rushed around the house getting ready. Kris finally came out of his bedroom, his backpack dragging along the ground and his sneakers squeaked with each step. He was groggy and tired, his older brother was running around like a headless chicken.

Kris sleepily grumbled under his breath as he decided to just go downstairs to where Mirage was, the autobot could just take them instead of walking as they usually did. Mirage was not in vehicle mode rather he was just lounging around, legs sprawled out and searching the radio waves for fun to see who he could mess with since no one could ever track him down. He always managed to get juicy details this way, his optics drifted over lazily as he heard the door jiggling. He knew that Breanna was at work already so he didn’t bother going into his alt mode.

He was cooped up in the garage all the time since no one really liked driving around besides Noah, he wanted to sneak out but Noah had begged him not to since he didn’t need his mother thinking someone stole the nice Porsche that got the nice paint job.

His eyes twinkled when he spotted Kris coming down the stairs.

“Hey man aren’t you going to walk to school or is Noah going to finally use me,” Mirage questioned not really caring how the question had sounded. Kris answered the question rather quickly, “We are running late so we need you to drive us to my school.”

“No problem Tails,” He chuckled as he began to transform into his sleeker look, the rims of the car glinting in the light as his body started to get stuck, his leg wouldn’t contract into place. Noah was rushing down the stairs, a messy tie and he was almost stumbling down. He noticed that Mirage was trying to transform, “Hey pal let me help you out since we are in a hurry.”

Mirage was technically missing a few parts so he does struggle time to time to transform specifically his leg.

“Don’t worry I got this Noah,” The autobot muttered as he tried doing it himself, he grew frustrated as the metal practically grind against each other. An irritating sound filled the air that sounded like a fork scraping against a plate but so much louder. Noah and Kris winced at the sound.

“Mirage just let me help you out.” Noah argued as he tried going over to his friend with the intention of helping him out, it was difficult since Mirage was still denying the help till Noah snapped, “Mirage just let me help you! Fucking hell man why do you have to be so stubborn.”

The last part was muttered under his breath but the autobot heard. His optics narrowing but he pretended to not hear his friend’s remark. He allowed him to pop the parts into place.

Kris could practically sense a tension since Mirage was being a bit too quiet, usually he was overly chatty. There was a reason behind the silence, Mirage could sense his friend wasn’t in a good mood so he kept his lips sealed till Kris got to school so the kid wouldn’t have to be stuck with bickering and fighting.

He began to feel incapable of transforming, he felt insecure he had to have someone help him out on something so simple, something he SHOULD be able to do.

…

The silence had been short lived and ruined, it was hard to tell who started talking since it began to just all blend together.

“Mirage I’m not in the mood for this crap, we are going to Reek and getting more parts.” Noah snapped at Mirage. Kris was fed up with this, it was childish and idiotic.

“What do you even know about cybertronian anatomy Noah?” Mirage sneered as he began to drive faster, his spark glowing with anger. He felt himself getting worked up over this stupid argument. “I have been inside of you and practically patching you up ever since Scourge! I need to replace a few parts otherwise you won’t be able to do jack shit.”

“Oh so that makes you an expert now?”

“Well I know enough to navigate around now!”

Kris was trying not to lose his shit listening to the two argue about something that wasn’t this serious. The radio glowed a bit as a result of his spark flaring, the young boy tried to just continue staring out the window but he couldn’t handle it anymore and snapped, “Will you two just shut up! You two are being massive idiots, shouldn’t you two be like i dunno best friends? Friends don’t argue about something so trivial.”

Mirage went quiet, he never had argued like this with any of his fellow Cybertronians. No matter how pissed off he could get. Noah has argued like this with his friends before but he knew what he and Mirage had was different. It felt special unlike his friendship with Reek whom he had known for almost years.

“Jesus Christ you guys went from saving the world to this,” Kris grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Can’t you just two… act like adults or something. Talk it out and pull y’all selves together.”

Mirage slowed down once he was in the school zone around the elementary school, Noah and Kris began rushing out. He felt a guilty about the whole argument, Kris was right. They had to be more open yet Mirage was acting like he was a young sparkling, immature and childish. Scared to say how he truly feels, ashamed of being weak because he was supposed to be this powerful warrior that he assumes Noah has all pictured that Cybertronians were.

Mirage wasn’t like Optimus, serious and strong not needing help with something simple as transforming.

Mirage wasn’t like Arcee or like Bumblebee or anyone else who are these warriors with barely any physical flaws.

He didn’t feel like some tough warrior, he felt like he was faulty. Not worthy in the eyes of his comrades and Primus.

…

Noah and Kris entered the attendance office of the school, neither of them speaking up about the argument. It wasn’t till Noah grabbed a slip and started to writing that Kris eventually broke the silence.

“Noah, you and Mirage seriously gotta do something, you two argue so much. Go on a like a road trip or something man,” Kris suggested as he didn’t want to see his older brother and his friend fight like this again. Noah pursed his lips together as he knew his younger brother was right. His hand faltering as he was signing a tardy slip for Kris. He murmured softly, “I know, I’ll work something out with him. I don’t like fighting like that either… especially with him. He’s just so… stubborn and he does these things that are so stupid and immature. I wish he could be more honest with me.”

“Well have you brought this up with him? He can’t read your mind,” Kris questioned, grabbing the paper once Noah was finished signing. Noah rubbed his face, before shaking his head and letting out a deep exhale, “No, I guess I am no better for not bringing this up. I will pick you up after school. Behave man.”

He rustled Kris’s hair before leaving the building, Mirage was sitting in the parking lot in his alt mode. Relaxed, not even with the engine on, just sitting in complete silence. It wasn’t till Noah got in that they both tried to speak both at once.

“Noah man I am sorry what happened back there.”

“Look Mirage I am sorry.”

They stopped once they realised they both had things to say to each other, trying to figure out who should talk first. Ultimately Mirage began first, “I just felt like what happened back in the garage and on the way here was a dick move on my end. I just…”

Mirage didn’t know how to continue, his words getting caught in his throat. He wasn’t used to this type of thing, he was usually ordered back into line but Noah didn’t want to have authority similar to Optimus. Mirage felt like Noah just wanted to be equals with him. It was weird, made him feel some funny way. Noah patiently waited till he sighed.

His hands ran along the warm leather of the steering wheel, his fingers running along the stitches as he replied, “Well Mirage i am also sorry for snapping at you. I was stressed and overwhelmed, I shouldn’t taken that out on you.”

“Sorry for pushing you over the edge.”

“Just Mirage, I know you aren’t used to y’know a human looking after you but I want to help you out. I can’t do that if you are being stubborn,” Noah chuckled as he lightly tapped the wheel, Mirage always felt everything. He would never say that to Noah though, his engine began to purr as he began to drive back to the garage slowly and quietly.

Noah took a note of Mirage keeping silent, this was too quiet. It was uncomfortable.

“You got something on your mind Mirage?”

“Hm not really, it’s stupid.” Mirage muttered as he snapped out his thoughts, the type of thoughts that would have to be tortured out. Noah narrowed his eyes and responded, “Well if it is so stupid you should just say it. Y’know i won’t judge.”

Mirage felt embarrassed and he quickly scanned the Internet for any weird facts or gossip. He then blurted out, “Selena died recently.”

“Who?”

“Y’know the music writer and singer. She died.” Mirage spoke as he knew that Noah would just find this outrageous and drop the conversation of what was really on Mirage’s mind. “Damn, how she die man?”

“Murder.”

…

Mirage had purposely drove Noah around for at least an hour because he didn’t want to go back into the cramped garage. He had been itching for a ride around the city, Noah didn’t mind too much as he had work off. They talked about random things till somehow the conversation of California came up.

“Man I heard from Bee that it was the best place he has ever been on earth.” Mirage chatted as he brought Noah to the warehouse, the same one he had revealed himself. He transformed into his cybertronian form, pacing and moving his hands as he talked. Stretching his legs out and getting any pent up energy out by enjoying himself.

“Huh, would you ever wanna go there?” Noah asked as he followed behind practically getting his steps in before Mirage picked him up. Giving Noah a piggy back ride by placing him on his shoulder

He liked the closeness, Noah was chill about it since he just got to sit and relax.

“I don’t know, I mean like it would be cool but I doubt Optimus would let me,” Mirage chuckled, pondering about what that state would be like. Optimus would definitely not allowing him to travel far away from the group, he could disobey orders but this was something he felt unsure about. Noah cocked his head with a confused smile, he replied, “Since when did you listen to Optimus?”

There was a pause before Mirage admitted, “I am not really used to be away from the group and I don’t really want to go by myself exactly. It would be boring.”

An idea popped into Noah’s mind remembering the conversation he had with Kris earlier in the morning.

A road trip.

“Well man you know I am right here. Guess I am just chopped liver,” Noah joked seeing if Mirage would catch on. It was almost immediate because the autobot seemed to perk up and smile, his optics glowing brightly. “You suggesting what I think you are suggesting?”

“Well I gotta give the credit to Kris since he told me that we need to straighten our shit out. Call it team bonding time.” Noah answered, he got a random thought. How well did he actually know Mirage, he felt bad because that sounded a bit depressing since Mirage seemed to memorise every single detail about him that he would give. The autobot hummed in agreement about Kris’s statement, “Yeah we should get it together before we end up like Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Nielsen.”

“Mirage sometimes I wonder what the hell is going in your mind every time you spout random stuff like that.”

Chapter Text

Mirage was parked in the alleyway next to the fire escape, chatting with Noah as he packed up clothes, toiletries and other necessities into a duffle bag. Occasionally bumping into his dresser, grunting in pain as the sharp corner made contact with his hip.

“So I did some calculations for our trip, driving to California will take around two days the most being three days unless you want to ask Stratosphere for a lift,” Noah joked knowing how much Mirage complained on the flight to Peru, every bump and jolt making the autobot complain. The cybertronian wasted no time in denying, “I would rather walk there than fly on him, he’s meant for only emergencies. This is purely a bros trip between me and you.”

Mirage could hear his friend chuckle before laughing loudly at how quick he had shot down the idea of flying on Stratosphere again. He didn’t really want someone third wheeling on this trip to be honest, this was going to be a strictly a ‘bros’ trip only, not bros and the old fart lord of the skies cybertronian.

Noah continued packing, pondering on how he would bring this up to his mother that he would be gone for a week or more. This was going to be at least a week and a half trip across the country. Besides being overseas, he hasn’t been to other states before. Most of his military experiences he was almost near New Jersey but otherwise this was going to be interesting. Hours inside of Mirage across the country.

He was trying to think and schedule the days out, like necessary stops. He was finished packing, tossing the bag next to his door and sat on his bed and grabbed a state map. He assumed that it would most likely be a bit outdated but he need at least a mental image of where he was going through. He popped a cap off a sharpie, drawing a line following road routes that messily led him from Brooklyn all the way to Los Angeles, he had to go to Kris’s bedroom for a ruler to calculate how many miles. The red ink almost bleeding through completely, after examining how far the travel was going to be he knew that he had to run stuff by Mirage to figure out if he could make it in the trip.

“Yo Mirage!” He calls out as he goes to the fire escape with the messy map, he had done some calculations and he feels like the overall trip was insanity. He quietly muttered under his breath, “Miercoles…”

“What’s going on?” Mirage chirped as he heard those muttered words, he got a bit anxious that they wouldn’t be able to the trip from how Noah was reacting. The autobot was already planning everything of the stuff they could do. He surfed the internet a bit and saw some interesting places in Los Angeles that he got himself all hyped up about while Noah was packing.

The Watts towers

Hollywood sign for sure

South Los Angeles

The list goes on, he wanted to learn more about human culture, most of the places Mirage wanted to go see had historical importance. Places that also tied up with Noah’s identity, him being an Puerto rican man who lives in a predominantly Black and Latino community, he wanted to learn about African American culture and Latin culture for him. If he could one day he would want to go traveling around the world with his human friend, even if it meant going on Stratosphere.

“So I did some calculations for this trip and I want to run this by you to see if you are still up for it. Just driving to Los Angeles and back is about 5,560 miles. Would you be fine with-”

“Yes! More time for us during the trip,” Mirage cut Noah off enthusiastically as he did not care how far he would have to drive for this trip. Noah just had a smile pull at his lips at how fast Mirage responded to his question with the way he did. Well the trip was going to be decently long.

…

It was late afternoon Kris brought home, Noah also decided to surprise his mother by taking Mirage to her workplace.

Breanna looked exhausted after school and her shift at work, despite Noah getting a really well paying she still worked to make sure she didn’t have to lean on Noah too much for money.

“Gracias hijo,” She mumbled as she sat in the passenger seat of the car, she always wondered how Noah got a hold of this car but she assumed with his job he had either been gifted it or bought it, she didn’t fully believe him when he told her that he “founded a busted up Porsche at a dump and he was determined to fix it”. She constantly made the joke that he was driving around in a 50 year old rich man car, she knew that his dream car was a 1980 Chevy Monte Carlo in the colour red and all the sudden he changed his mind after a single day.

Mirage remained on his best behaviour since Noah didn’t want his mother find out that he was buddy buddy with extraterrestrial life just yet. She would probably have a heart attack if Noah didn’t prepare her.

“So ma, I am going out for a week and a half with a friend,” Noah began as he was wondering when he should finally show Mirage to her since he has been keeping his friend hidden for her for almost half a year. She looked over and asked, “Are you going with Reek?”

“No I am going with Mirage.”

“Hm, when I am going to meet this mystery guy? All I have just heard about him from both you and Kris, I need to make sure my boys aren’t hanging out with a bad influence,” She chuckled, raising an eyebrow. She had heard countless things about Mirage but never formally met him before, she had a suspicion that there was a reason why she hadn’t met him yet. She has heard someone and Noah talking on the fire escape a few times, the way they talk she doesn’t think they are just friends so she assumed that Noah was scared to come out of the closet to her. Noah got nervous and promptly answered gripping the wheel tightly, Mirage felt that, “Oh um… what about after the trip?”

“That sounds nice, Noah I want to say that you know I love you and you can tell me anything, I won’t judge you,” Breanna told her son as she placed her hand on his shoulder giving him the look a mother would give to show that she wouldn’t love him any less if he was dating someone the same gender as him. Noah was about to open his mouth before he realised what she was implicating, “Ma, it’s not like that. We are just… work friends.”

If Mirage could talk in this moment he would say the same thing he said on the fire escape.

But Mirage heard Breanna’s words and understood the implication, he accidentally let a laugh out. Breanna and Noah jumped at the sound of the radio buzzing to life with a static laugh, before music played on the radio as a cover up. Mirage had to bite his glossa to prevent any more laughs or giggles because he could practically feel Noah’s embarrassment from the way he shifted in the seat.

“I think you need to fix the radio,” Breanna murmured as she turned off the radio that was blaring Elton John’s, The Fox. Noah glared at the radio and knew that he needed to have a little talk with Mirage but for the time being he agreed with his mother.

The drive home was as peaceful as you expected it, there was a bit of small talk and Noah was just explaining where he was going with Mirage. Breanna just gave him a warning of the cops when traveling across the country, they may be somewhat chill in New York but she heard stories of what’s happening in other states. Noah reassured her as much as possible as Mirage also took notes, he needed to ensure Noah’s safety as a silent unknown promise to Breanna.

….

Once it was nightfall, Breanna was sleeping and Kris had been tucked in, Noah went down to the basement to further talk to Mirage about their plans. He had a map, a notepad, and a trusty marker.

“Yo Mirage, let’s write down where we are going to. I got pamphlets from my mother since she has an sister up in Los Angeles, we can stay there to sleep.” Noah sat at his work bench, clearing out the area before lying the map flat. Mirage groaned from his radio and muttered, “Why can’t we just wing it? You’re acting like we are planning for some battle. It’s a road trip, let’s just follow the flow man.”

Noah shot a glare over before taking off his chancla and tossing it at the Porsche with scary precision (learned how to do it from his mother), Mirage immediately transformed when the chancla hit the hood.

“Seriously man?” He pouted, crawling over then laid out on his stomach propping his chin on his hands, his optics focusing on Noah as he swiveled around in the chair to face the autobot. He had that look like he was so tired of his friend but at the same time there was amusement sparkling in his amber eyes.

“You act too impulsively, vas a ser mi muerte.” Noah he rolled his eyes with the lop sided grin. He took the cap off the marker and waved the end at Mirage’s face. The autobot just stared back at Noah, feeling like he should mess around with his friend for throwing a slipper at him.

“Well Noah DIAZ,” Mirage enunciated. “What is our little battle plan to the city of angels?”

“Beats me man, you got any places you want to see in particular? I am assuming the Hollywood sign is one of them?” Noah teased feeling like Mirage would want to go see all the tourist traps of the area.

“Well of course, I am also thinking about South Los Angeles and the Watts Tower.” Noah wrote every place down, stopping once he got the places Mirage listed out.

They talked about all the stuff they could do which wasn’t too long before Noah got another idea.

“We are traveling across the country, why not make some stops in a few towns? You got any spots that we should look out for?” Noah chuckled as he realised how boring their views list looked. Mirage thought about it, Bumblebee always talking about drive in movie theatres. Hell, Mirage wanted to try that out. “Drive in theatres? Never been to one.”

Noah wrote that down before pausing. “You haven’t been to a drive in?”

“Nope.”

“I feel like this is more shocking than you being able to make holoforms of me.”

…

When everything was planned out, Noah left to go to sleep. Mirage could not power down for the life of him. He was excited and thrilled that first thing in the morning they would leave for their trip. He was fantasizing all the stuff and possible moments they would share together. Watching a movie, driving with Noah for hours on end having plenty of bonding time. It made his spark feel all tingly inside.

He couldn’t power down what so ever, the excitement inside made it nearly impossible. He could only imagine how nice the trip would be, even though he couldn’t experience the things that humans could, he could at least still experience the emotions and feelings that he hopes he can share with Noah, his friend.

Meanwhile Noah was upstairs in his bedroom getting ready to get some rest before the long journey ahead, he had told Kris and his mother earlier about the trip and how he would be gone up to a week and a half. Luckily everyone could manage without him for that time period. He was also feeling the same way as Mirage, he had those nervous jitters, the good nervous jitters. He hadn’t gone on a road trip in years that wasn’t Peru.

He knew that Mirage would probably be a bit of a pain in the ass during this trip but something made that seem more enticing and fun, a good way to create a strong bond. Hopefully an unbreakable one.

Chapter Text

Getting up early wasn’t hard this time since Mirage was outside in the alleyway and he woke up Noah pretty easily by honking the horn loudly and repeatedly like the building was on fire before shouting loud enough to practically wake up the rest of the state of New York, “WAKE UP NOAH!”

He couldn’t hold the excitement back in his voice as he was way too pumped and hyped. It was barely 5 in the morning. The sun hadn’t even risen above the horizon and Noah barely got 6 hours of sleep. He quickly got out of bed to open his window to hush the loud autobot.

“Chill man! You going to wake up the whole block if you don’t shut up,” Noah hissed groggily, he was awaking up for sure but this was insanity. Mirage urged with a smile plastered over his stupid face, “Come on let’s beat the morning traffic.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah give me a few minutes. A veces me pregunto por qué te aguanto.” Noah left the window sill disappearing into his bedroom to get ready since he wasn’t going anywhere in just boxers and a full bladder. Maybe 15 minutes later, the sky was slowly beginning to change colours. Noah finally trudged out with his duffle bag and a folded blanket, he had a bit of toothpaste on the corner of his mouth. Mirage wanted to wipe it but he felt like Noah would rather be told that than be touched, he looked cranky. “Hey man you got toothpaste on your face.”

“Oh thanks, Raj,” Noah murmured as he wiped his mouth with his hoodie sleeve a few times to make sure nothing was on his face. He was about to walk over to the fire escape ladder but Mirage beat him to it by reaching up and grabbing his human companion, this startled Noah as he squeaked and in a hushed whisper, “What are you doing man?!”

Mirage began to transform into his alt form, carefully putting Noah in the driver seat and taking the duffle bag into the passenger seat.

“Well I can’t have you accidentally have a spill down the fire escape ladder, y’know how much I hate party fouls,” Mirage answered in a soft voice as he wanted Noah to be relaxed the whole drive. “Do you have everything man? Wallet, toiletries, phone, bag?”

Noah started checking everything down, he had everything for the trip Mirage had done a scan of the map that was probably a bit outdated but otherwise there was no need for keeping lists or maps, no papers to keep track of when Mirage had all the information stored in his mind. He patted the dashboard then chuckled, “Lets get going man. Get this show on the road.”

The engine revved and if it wasn’t for the little self control Mirage had, he would have done donuts in excitement. He was ready to just step on the gas and speed off but he didn’t need to cause any accidents.

…

It has barely been an hour and Mirage started murmuring to himself that he didn’t fully think of how long this trip was going to take. He knew the estimated time but he did not take the time to realise what he was putting himself through

“Mirage, you know you could just take the highway instead of the back roads? At this rate, we will arrive in California in a month,” Noah chuckled as he opened his eye noticing how they were still driving in back roads and alleyways. “Well uh…”

“Take a left, I’ll help you out Raj.”

Mirage could feel Noah pat the dashboard lightly as if soothing the bot for not knowing the streets of New York too well since he wasn’t really allowed to do much for almost a few years being cooped up in a parking structure since he had to lay low not to mention the maps he had scanned were outdated so the streets changed a bit. It was perfect that Noah had the patience for this and he was had just assumed that Mirage was not really allowed to wander around that often.

“So Mirage, next when we get back I think it is essential that we drive around the city so you know where to go if I’m not around.”

“Thanks man, I don’t know what to do without you.”

“Probably get lost.”

“Oh shush.”

…

It was way too quiet, Mirage felt uncomfortable by the silence that was between them, he was used to just talking whenever he was with Noah. Maybe some questions wouldn’t hurt. He did find it weird that he constantly asked Noah of human things so why not vice versa?

“Sooo Noah, I know I ask you a lot of questions about you and your species but is there any questions you have about me or something? Just curious y’know and I am fine with anything,” Mirage threw out there, hoping Noah would take the bait of asking some questions no matter how weird they could be. Noah was caught of guard since he was just staring out the window, watching the cars around them pass by. He was just calmly counting the amount of cars to pass time and examining the different models.

“Oh uh, I don’t know, I mean like…” Noah did have so many questions before but now he was completely blanking out on the questions he has ever thought of previously. His brows furrowed trying to think of anything. Mirage added on, “I will be an open book, ask anything.”

“Um, how were you born?” Noah blurted out, he was curious of how Mirage came to be. Did someone make him? Did someone birth him? “Oh that’s easy, I was technically spat out from a planet who used to be a dude name Primus. So like I was given birth I guess in human terms.”

“Oh, wait are all Cybertronians given birth by planets? Wait you were birthed from a man?” Noah questioned on, that was weird for him to think that a planet gave birth to Mirage not to mention a man. He was getting more questions than answers from this conversation. The road ahead of them showed signs of the morning traffic of people going to work, more time for this weird conversation.

“Well technically yes and no, Primus… wait now you are confusing me,” Mirage laughed, his voice crackling slightly into static. “Okay in easy terms, Cybertronians don’t really have biological gender. We get to choose unlike you funny little humans. Primus gave us all life though to answer the part about the planets.”

Noah just snorted and rolled his eyes, running his hand along the dashboard again before patting it. Mirage smiled to himself before his friend stopped and asked, “Okay, I got a question that is a more concerning but do Cybertronians date?”

“Yeah, of course we have relationships that are romantic, that is one thing we have in common with you humans.”

Noah sat there, his first reaction was disgust because his first thought was, ‘Are Cybertronians all just incestuous?’

Mirage had his sensors on so he could see that Noah’s nose wrinkled up. He got confused on why Noah found it weird or gross, he asked, “Why are you making that face? You humans date and marry all the time.”

“Well Raj, we don’t marry or date our family, you told me that all Cybertronians were given birth by the same being and yet you date. Do you not see how wrong that is?” Noah stated as he tried to not laugh at how absurd this whole situation was. Mirage realised the whole mix up that was happening so he began to laugh and clarify, “Okay that does sound weird but we don’t have the same deoxyribonucleic like humans. We are not related to each other in any way. I mean some are born together and they just take on sibling roles but we are not committing incest.”

“What the hell is deoxyribonucleic?” Noah began to laugh to feeling a lot better after the clarification. “Y’know deoxyribonucleic.”

“No I don’t know of deoxyribonucleic pendejo.”

“Shit, uh. I don’t know how to translate it properly from cybertronic. I think you guys call it DNA for short.” Mirage weaved through some of the cars on the highway while trying not to laugh more than he was. This whole conversation was wild since he never thought that someone would assume all Cybertronians were related because their shared creator Primus made them all. Well the more he thought about it on human terms, everyone was technically related. It was weird to think about it in that perspective.

“Mirage if you ever say deoxyribonucleic instead of DNA I think I will walk to California,” Noah shook with laughter, wiping the tears that collected from the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard. “You wouldn’t dare leaving this roguish bot behind, it would be too boring without my witty charm and it’s also not my fault, I rarely interacted with humans, how was I supposed to remember you call it DNA for short?”

“Totally Mirage.”

…

It was a long drive and they were finally out of the state of New York. Mirage and Noah had a duo picture right next to the sign that said ‘Come back Soon to New York.’ Noah wanted to take photos for this whole trip which Mirage hadn’t thought about, he didn’t know how to feel at first but once he got the reasoning, his spark shone brighter in his chest. They also took another photo by a sign that said, ‘Welcome to Pennsylvania!’

‘Humans are funny. They want to carry their memories because they can’t remember it that well later,’ Mirage thought to himself, he saw the photos after Noah took it. Sure Mirage was in his alt mode but it was still him and Noah in the photos. Noah leaning against the hood in one of the photos and the other one Mirage was in his usual form since the road was empty as hell and no cameras around aside for Noah’s Polaroid.

Probably a hour later Mirage was parked outside of a gas station in a small town named Bedford, bored out of his mind waiting for Noah who needed to ‘go take a leak’ and get something to eat. Humans are peculiar, they needed so many different things. Transformers didn’t really have to excrete bile from themselves like humans or need to constantly eat.

Mirage popped a piece of raw energon into his system from a small compartment from where he keeps some of it for some cases. Noah finally exited the gas station with a plastic bag with an image of a cartoon bison, he entered inside of the Porsche a beat didn’t miss when Mirage buzzed through the radio sounding quite whiny, “Why did you take so long? I practically aged so much like you humans.”

“Ay dios mío, I was barely in there for 10 minutes, you need to be patient,” Noah snorted as he set the bag in the passenger seat. The plastic bag making crinkling noises before Noah shifted around to buckle himself up. Mirage was suspiciously quiet before he then argued.

“Noah I am so patient. I don’t know what you mean.” Noah turned to face the radio with a teasing smirk and his eye brow raised before he hummed, in a way that was infuriating because it was teasing manner, “Yeah you are the most patient being. 10 minutes is such a long time.”

“Noah don’t mock me.”

“I’m not, I don’t know what you are talking about now,” Noah chuckled doing the same thing Mirage did. “You are mocking me! I can tell you little liar!”

It was hard to not laugh at how ridiculous this was going to be.

“Mirage waiting 10 minutes and complaining is not patience. Patience is like you waiting a few hours when I am at work.”

“That is practically torture, I am left all by myself in the dusty garage… with the spiders.” The Porsche shuddered at the thought of the spiders that crawled in the dark corners of the garage he was stuck staying in while Noah was at work or Kris being at school. There was a few times where he was tempted to transform and try to introduce himself to Breanna but he knew that she would probably scream and call the police. He has to wait for Noah to introduce him to her.

“Wait I am patient though Noah,” Mirage interjected as he began to pull out of the parking lot of the gas station, Noah shook his head and responded, “Totally man, you are super patient.”

“Okay Noah I am being serious this time. I have been waiting like what? Half a year for you to introduce you to your mom? I could have easily done it but I am waiting for you,” Mirage spoke, sounding proud of himself of keeping the promise of waiting for Noah. Noah paused and smiled. “Okay I will give credit where it is due, you know how to be a bit patient. Don’t worry after this trip you can officially meet my mother. Gotta do it slow because she will freak out.”

“I am just hoping she doesn’t threaten me with a broken pipe,” The autobot quipped, Noah didn’t get the joke right away but when he did he groaned exasperatedly, “Ay dios Mirage, I met an alien for the first time who kidnapped me and dragged me to some random warehouse. That shit was terrifying. Plus I apologised for threatening you with a pipe a few weeks after I repaired you.”

“Y’know it hurt me so much to think you would have ruined this bot,” Mirage pouted jokingly, he wanted to press every single button of Noah. Noah couldn’t take him serious. Just after that conversation it was quiet and they were back on the road, leaving the small town.

“Hey Noah, you know I’d wait for you right?”

“Huh? What do you mean Raj?” Noah spoke as he was confused where this was coming from, he knew it related to their earlier conversation. Mirage continued, “I know I can be a bit impatient, but I’d wait for you.”

Mirage felt his spark burn up a bit as he felt like maybe the way he was saying this wasn’t coming out the way he intended.

“I’d wait for you too Raj,” Noah replied, his lips curling up into a soft smile, it felt sweet how Mirage would wait for him. Noah would do the same.

“How long would you wait?”

“I’d wait for a million years,” Noah chuckled as he patted the dashboard like usual to show his affection for his friend. Mirage loved it a little too much than he would like to admit.

Chapter Text

It was early morning and the first official day of traveling since they left the house. Noah had been getting a lot of photos from each state they passed through, he brought a new album book that he had gotten at some random shop in one of the states they passed through and was sliding the different photos into the sleeves. Photos with different state signs or pictures with statues. Mirage was driving through a long stretch of land where there was not a single house in sight for miles beyond miles. It was just plain and nothing was exciting, Mirage had been expecting excitement or at least some type of fun so he began to whine, “Noah you are being too quiet and it’s boring driving in silence.”

“Well then turn on the radio,” Noah responded as he was writing on note cards tiny entries with notes about each picture. “But that’s not fun and all I can find is country music.”

“What’s wrong with country music?”

“It’s boring! All of it sounds the same! It all sounds like a bunch of men whining about women, beer, or something about the countryside! Plus nothing beats listening to you,” The autobot answered, his voice turning into static and crackling. He continued to drive through the country side, outside were large wind turbines and large tall green grass swaying in the wind looking like water almost. He then threw out the suggestion, “What about we stop in the nearest town and do something together then? Would that satiate your boredom?”

“Finally something that isn’t us stopping just to take photos or only stopping because you need to eat, what do you have in mind?” Mirage exclaimed exasperatedly before driving down a dirt road, dirt and dust flying up behind them. Noah shrugged and mumbled, “Dunno, depends what’s out in the town. Hey can you pull over in a few minutes, I need to take a leak and stretch my legs. You can transform out and wander around since we are out in the middle of nowhere.”

“YES!” Mirage cheered as he swerved, startling and tossing Noah in the back a bit. He grunted and smacked the leather seats. “Mirage chill out! You killin’ me back here by tossing me around like that.”

…

Mirage transformed into his cybertronian mode, he laid onto the floor with a loud thud as Noah walked at least a few yards away to go to the bathroom. Mirage watched his companion go behind the pole of a wind turbine, he couldn’t see his companion anymore. The sun was almost a quarter way up in the sky and he ran his digits through the grass, it was a lot different from New York. It was calm and quiet. The sky was clear, not a single cloud in sight. Oklahoma was a nice state, Mirage was expecting some type of war zone because of the stories he heard from the others since they had accidentally went through this state during tornado season.

Mirage was expecting scars in the ground from the fierce storms, chaos and destruction. In the corner of his optics he sensed motion that wasn’t just the grass moving, he rolled over and crawled over. He then spotted a few animals scurrying around, it was groundhogs. The autobot had the impulsive thought of wanting to catch one, he tried sneaking up slowly but as soon as he did that the little critters obviously spotted him and ran off. He huffed and continued to do this, he lost track of time and was moving further away from the road he made it out to a dusty clearing where there was a crap ton of the groundhogs running away from the massive autobot. The tunnels would crack under him and made him face plant hard.

The groundhogs made screaming and screeching noise. Running away and going into the tunnels as a massive alien chased after them.

Meanwhile Noah finished taking a piss and he tucked himself in, zipping his pants up and turning around the corner. He realised Mirage wasn’t lying down where he last saw him, rather he was now at least a quarter of a mile away scrambling around on his hands and knees trying to grab one of the animals. Dust was flying up like crazy and what he assumed to be cybertronic swear words being thrown around.

“The hell is he doing?” Noah chuckled before running over, his hair whipping around from the gusts of wind. Once he caught up and saw the dozens of ground hogs running away from Mirage, he couldn’t help but laugh, “Raj why are you terrorising the poor hogs?”

“I just want to grab one!” Mirage grumbled as he swiped his hand and finally got his hands on a tiny fuzzy creature. “Gotcha!”

Noah walked over, waving his hand to break up some of the dust and dirt that flew up from Mirage moving around rapidly. The poor groundhog screamed and tried biting Mirage with no success of getting free. “Raj I don’t think the little guy wants to be held.”

“But look at it!”

“Yeah I can see,” Noah mused as he grabbed the camera that hung from his neck, he snapped a picture of Mirage holding the tiny creature. The flash stunned both Mirage and the groundhog, Mirage accidentally dropped the critter that quickly ran away down into one of the many tunnels that hadn’t been destroyed from the autobot. “You made me drop it!”

“Raj, we weren’t going to keep the guy. Where would we even keep it?” Noah chuckled as he felt Mirage grab him, practically scooping him up similar to how he had held the groundhog. “Why not! I was going to name it before you made me drop it. I was going to name it Dino.”

Noah just shook his head and patted Mirage’s helm, he could never take his friend seriously in these times.

“Mirage, please never change.”

Those words had an effect on the autobot, his dermas curled into a smile making his metal cheeks squish his optics up a bit. His spark was burning brighter and his vents let out a big gust of warm air causing dust to fly up again.

“Mirage you are getting dirt and dust all over my clothes!”

…

It was afternoon when they finally drove into a small town, it was pretty empty and boring looking. Mirage grumbled, “You wanna see what the next town has to offer. This place absolutely blows…”

Noah spotted something out in the distance when driving around the town, a small drive in theatres with a few movie posters. One of them was perfect for an inside joke for when they first met back at the warehouse.

“I see something we can do but we have to wait till sun down.”

“What! What are we supposed to do till then?” Mirage complained, this only amused Noah. “Raj you are acting like it’s the end of the world. The sun will set in like 3 hours, we can always just hang out and chill. You probably need another break too since you have been driving for practically hours at a time.”

His hand again rubs the dashboard, at this point Mirage starts to get warm from this and practically changes his mind of finding this place boring. He is now looking somewhere empty where they can’t be bothered.

“Okay lemme look for somewhere that we can hang out,” Mirage mumbled, his voice cracking a bit as he just needed to transform now. His spark felt jittery because the affectionate rubs were making him feeling someway. Soon enough they were in some abandoned warehouse, Mirage was careful to not toss Noah out when he transformed. Noah put his duffle bag on the floor and stretched, letting out a soft groan as his back popped and cracked.

“Primus it’s weird when your body make those noises. I always get scared thinking you broke something,” The autobot chuckled as he paced stirring around the dust that sat in the building. Noah shook his head with a grin peeking out. “Raj you say that yet you toss me around in the back.”

“Okay but that’s different because I know not to toss you too much or too hard!” Mirage attempted to defend himself but it was funny how he would mess around and rough house Noah while driving. It felt different when Noah was doing something, Mirage feels like he can’t control the results of whatever happens to Noah.

Mirage poked Noah suddenly when his companion had his back turned, this startled Noah so he whipped around noticing how Mirage was looking in the opposite direction acting like he did nothing. “What was that for?”

“What was what for?”

“You poked me!” Noah stated as he wasn’t angry but he was confused and slightly amused.

“I didn’t touch you. I don’t know what you are talking about. I think you hit your hard back in Peru or somethin’.” Mirage was such a shitty liar because he was struggling not to smirk and laugh. Noah took this as just a little bit of friendly batter so he poked his friend back. Mirage poked him back, starting a back and forth laughing with poking. Mirage only poked Noah so he could just have an accuse to be closer with his friend.

The poking war ended when Mirage sat down and practically pulled Noah close into a hug. Noah hugged him back and muttered, “You are weird y’know?”

“Heh just for you,” Mirage mumbled as he was careful to not accidentally squeeze Noah when hugging him, he wanted to stay close like this forever. He was trying to think of accuses so he suddenly blurted out, “Hey remember when I make projections?”

“Mirage how could I forget? Your name literally means illusion,” Noah snorted as he pulled away slightly, he was still on top of the autobot though. He was going to soon get off since Mirage is literally made out of metal and isn’t the most comfortable to be on top of for long periods of time without some type of cushion. “Well would you want to see something cool?”

“Sure, go ahead man.”

Mirage took the invitation to create a projection that covered almost the entire room, he had remembered the constellations that he would see at night back on Cybertron. The sky being so clear that he could see the galaxies and nebulas, swirls of colours decorating those skies. The room was filled with those breath taking sights.

Noah didn’t know what to expect but it was clear that he was taken aback by this sight, his eyes trailing across staring at the plenty of stars. He heard from friends who had went camping or live in the country describe what star gazing looked like. They would be so jealous that he was the first human to see the uncharted skies. “Wow Mirage, I knew you could make projections but this… this is extraordinary and beautiful.”

Mirage was scanning him, he liked how Noah’s eyes squinted up when he beamed. It was obvious that he couldn’t contain his wonder and joy at the sight of the stars. Mirage took a note that he would do this projection more often just to see Noah barely concealing his delight.

“I would question where you found out that I wanted to see the stars,” Noah joked since he never told almost anyone besides a handful of friends but never around Mirage. Hell Mirage didn’t know this but he decided to just respond with, “Well I just had a feeling you would like this. This is what my home planet’s sky looks like. You couldn’t walk anywhere without admiring the sky, even during the daytime you can see planets and the moons.”

“Do you miss it?” Noah asked as he finally tore his eyes from the illusions to look at Mirage. The autobot paused, sure he missed the old Cybertron before the war but now he doesn’t feel the same way as before… he loved earth and he also loved something else but he wasn’t going to admit it to himself or anyone. He admitted quietly as his optics met Noah’s amber eyes, “I mean I kinda do but not enough to go back really.”

“I am assuming because of the war?” Noah questioned as he knew a bit about the war, not enough to know what was fully going on. He knows bits and pieces about the war through meetings he had with Optimus Prime when Mirage was in stasis. Mirage nodded and looked away feeling guilty, old him before meeting Noah would think that these thoughts were absurd. A betrayal to his home planet but all the good times on Cybertron before the war was starting to become a distant memory. It’s been so many cycles since Mirage felt comfortable and safe like how he feels with Noah in the moment.

Even if Cybertron were to go back to how it was, so many things would be different, all of his old friends are long gone dead. Sure he had his team but that is all he has if he goes back, he can’t bring Noah with him.

“Well if it makes you feel any better or worse, I don’t really want you to leave if you got the chance. You got me all attached and shit,” Noah chuckled, Mirage couldn’t tell if that was a joke or not. Joke or not, he was taking it to heart because he was also too attached to the man who rebuild him instead of just leaving him for dead. “I don’t think I will ever take you for granted or ever thank you enough. It would hard for me to leave you…”

Mirage’s spark once more and again begin to burn brighter

…

Dark sky littered with stars here and there nothing like the illusions Mirage made, the air crisp as Noah drove Mirage to the theatres.

“Noah why can’t a scan my surroundings, for all I know you could be driving me towards a cliff,” Mirage murmured quietly as he wanted to see his surroundings but he was determined to follow Noah’s request of not peeking. Noah was taking control for the night, he wanted Mirage to not know what film they were watching. He was trying not to laugh to himself as he pulled up to the booth where a man was passing out snacks and tickets in exchange for cash. “Mirage this is going to sound crazy but deactivate your hearing.”

“What?!”

“Mirage please, I want this to be a surprise!” Noah laughed as he knew that Mirage would hate him for this but this was just more playful banter. “Fine. I swear if this is bad I will make sure to give you a fate worse than Kris losing his games.”

Mirage reluctantly turned off almost every single sensor of his, he could only just feel. He could feel the warmth from Noah, one hand on the wheel and the other just rubbing the dashboard as a silent comforter for the bot. This was a lot of trust to put in someone but Mirage had given his life for Noah so he had to trust Noah wouldn’t hurt him in any way.

He could feel his tires touch grass and dirt before he was put in park. He turned his sensors after a few minutes of having them disabled. They were at a movies, Mirage would have squealed in joy if he wasn’t so mindful that his voice box would hit a frequency that would cause Noah pain or discomfort not to mention making unwanted attention. He had told Noah multiple times in the past that he wanted to watch a movie in theatres instead of watching it on a small boxy television that would be rolled out on a cart into the cramped garage. They weren’t able in the past because of Optimus being on their ass.

“What movie did you choose?” Mirage questioned as he turned off his headlights, he was pumped. Instead of a direct answer Noah chuckled, “You’ll see.”

Mirage didn’t put too much thought into it as he just excitedly watched other cars and people pull into the theatres. He had to hold onto everything as he saw the projected screen come to life. He then became grumpy when he saw the title card.

E.T

“Noah, I am going to kick your ass the minute we are in a private area,” Mirage grumbled as Noah knew how much he had a distaste for this creature all because the one time Noah asked Mirage if he was like E.T. “C’mon Mirage, it’s perfect.”

“It’s so rude and racist, I don’t look anything like E.T,” Mirage whined before Noah just sighed and stated, “I did not say you looked like E.T. Plus what do you got against E.T? Just because you don’t look like him what if there is another alien out there that looks like him? That would make you the racist one here.”

“Touche Noah touche.”

“When was the last time you even watched this movie,” Noah asked as he reclined the chair getting comfortable as he watched the movie. Mirage went quiet, feeling embarrassed as he mumbled, “I never watched it before.”

When Noah heard that he was bewildered, Mirage hated a film that he never seen before.

“Well now we have to watch it,” Noah chuckled as he patted the dashboard, Mirage was going to continue belly aching about the film but he stayed quiet to watch it.

The funny thing is while he was watching the film, he found it good and a relatable film. E.T being taken in by humans, taken care of by newly made friends. He slowly began to adore the film especially the cinematic aspects.

The movie ended after 2 hours, they were towards the back of the field so they were some of the people to leave the theatres. Noah climbed into the back and laid down, it was 10 pm and he was sleepy after watching the film.

“So what did you think of the movie?” Noah asked as he rested his head on his duffle bag, Mirage wanted to say that he loved the film but he had too much pride to admit it so he instead just answered with, “It was alright, wouldn’t watch it again.”

Noah smiled a bit, he murmured, “Liar.”

His eyes began to flutter close, he was soon fast asleep in the back. Mirage noticed this. He slowly drove out and darkened the windows, it was maybe a 20 minutes when he looked back at his friend. His tan freckled arms having goosebumps and he turned a bit, the brink of stirring because he was cold. Mirage parked himself before carefully moving a few parts around to grab the blanket that was in the front and quietly tucked Noah in. He began to drive again, avoiding pot holes and driving slower than he usually does. He wanted to make sure to not disturb his friend.

He began to put the inside cabin of himself at a temperature he assumed Noah would like, 70 degrees so it wasn’t too hot or cold but perfect where the blanket he had was keeping him warm at least.

He drove in silence as he would occasionally look Noah to sleep inside. He felt warmth spreading through out his frame and spark every time he looked back at Noah, the calm expression that made him feel jittery.

Chapter Text

Noah was dreaming, flashbacks of when he was a child. The memories before Kris was born.

Noah was in the backseat of the car, his father in the front seat. He was imaging a man doing parkour over the cars and objects he watched out the window as the car drove. They were going to the dentist, Noah hated the dentist.

His father, Joel Diaz looked back at his son in the rear view mirror. He grinned and asked, “You ready to get your teeth checked?”

Noah immediately shook his head before beginning to cry and sob how he didn’t want to go to the dentist, hell he was terrified of the dentist. The loud squealing noises of the drills, the floss digging into the fleshy pink gums, the bright lights shining down while the strangers tried to calm him but the masks and glasses only made it scarier. It was stressful and distressing for Noah every single time, he did better with his father rather than his mother. Joel had promised his child that if he did good that they could go get paletas from the cart a few blocks away from their apartment.

“Hey pollito, think about the paleta cart. Tell me what flavour you wanted again?” His father asked, switching the topic to distract his now crying son. He cursed inwardly at himself for bringing it up. Noah began to sniffle and managed to get out which flavour he wanted, “Mango.”

“Yum, I am thinking about getting coconut. What do you think mami wants?” Joel asked as he smiled, he noticed how easy it was to switch Noah’s mood and focus. “Mami always gets the fresa paleta. Don’t you notice she always gets that one?”

“Aw I always forget.”

“How could you forget? She loves fresas,” Noah giggles as he tugs on the seat belt that hugged him close, his lips pulled into a wide smile showing his slightly crooked teeth. Joel shushes him putting his finger over his lips, “Don’t tell her I forgot.”

Joel never forgets his wife’s favourite flavour of paleta, that is something he has burnt into memory. Forgetting something as simple would be a sign that he didn’t care. He loved his family dearly.

They pulled up in the parking lot of the dentist, the building seeming to be daunting and it seemed to leer at Noah, fueling the fears of unknown and the lack of control. Joel got out first before going to the back to unbuckle his son. He hoisted Noah up in his arms, Noah buried his face into his father’s neck, tears prickling up in his eyes when he murmured, “Papi, will you be there to hold my hand?”

“Of course pollito.”

…

Breanna was in the kitchen, reading bills trying to keep herself composed. Noah was happily eating his paleta listening to the music on the radio. He did a lot better at the dentist than the past couple of times. He was glad his father held his hand the whole time, telling him stories about Puerto Rico.

Joel was talking to Breanna, rubbing her arms before pulling her into a hug. Noah never knew why his parents did this once a month, his mother’s broken English filling the air before she went back to just her native tongue to speak. Noah could understand her completely but he never understood what unpaid bills were. The six year old didn’t understood the stress of staying on top of bills. He just knew it must be something bad because how his mother looked so stressed and how she would sometimes cry into Joel’s arms babbling how she was a bad mother for not being able to find a job easily.

…

Maybe a few months later, Noah was playing with stones when his mother came into the house to loudly squeal and tackle his father announcing loudly how she finally got a job. They both seem so happy in the moment.

Noah was then smothered in kisses by his mother, he was laughing and trying to push his mother away while she called him her lucky charm in Spanish over and over again.

“Mami I can’t breathe! You are suffocating me!” Noah giggled as he tried pushing his mother away again but she just trapped him in a tight hug before jumping around and swinging him around. Pressing kisses along his freckles cheeks, forehead, nose, and curls. Breanna was getting the case of cuteness aggression because she began to mumble, “I can’t help it when I have you as my lucky charm!”

“Mami!” Noah giggled as Joel came behind to sandwich his son between his wife making Noah complain and laugh more. “Papi not you too! I can’t move, you are both squishing me!”

“You are mami’s lucky charm, we gotta make sure to squeeze out more good luck!”

“I don’t have any more luck to give if you keep squishing me!” Noah managed out as his words were muffled against his mother’s shirt. Once he was let free, his mother wrapped her arms around his father’s neck. They shared a kiss which made Noah turn away in disgust and he stuck his tongue out. Finding kissing icky as majority of young children did. He went to his room, crashing on his bed as he heard his mother talk to his father on how she could finally contribute to bills.

…

Noah was 9, he was excitedly drawing on the back of an envelope. His mother was expecting, he was hoping for a little brother who could play with him for years. His heart couldn’t handle it when she announced this, they were finally getting into a finical stable situation. They were comfortable for once. He was playing in his room with a Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker toys, his door opened which paused him. He looked over and saw his father walk on over, kneeling down to be eye level with his son.

“Hey pollito I am going on a small work trip. I am going to need you to behave and help mami while I am gone, okay?” Joel ruffled his son’s curly hair, Noah swatted his father’s hand and he pouted, “Can I come?”

“I am sorry bud, it’s only a few days though. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Promise?”

“I promise pollito.”

End of Flashback and dream.

Noah was startled awake when Mirage hit a road bump at a speed that scrapped the underside of his bumper. It let out an unpleasant screech, the sound that felt like nails on a chalk board to Noah. He opened his eyes, heavy from sleep. His eye bags dark as usual, he sits up and muttered, “Seriously man? Why you going so fast? Why didn’t you slow down man?”

“I didn’t think that they would apply to me since you humans seem to need instructions for everything.” Mirage grumbled as he would have rolled his eyes if he wasn’t in his alt form. He never understood the signs along the roads, there wasn’t any cops in sight as far as he scanned. Noah furrowed his brows before asking, “Raj…”

“Yeah man?

“Have you ever been following the road signs?”

“Nah, I’m an alien they don’t apply to me,” Mirage responded casually not seeing how idiotic his actions have been. He was constantly either speeding or driving under the limit. He was driving around constantly like he was in some action movie. “Mirage! The rules of the road apply to everyone, plus if we get pulled over I am the one who gets in trouble!”

“But you know that i can just lose em before we could ever get caught. I would never let the popos get ya,” Mirage cooed as he slowed down a bit into a leisure speed, swerving side to side like how one would sway their hips. Noah groaned and rubbed his face, tugging at his dark curls before murmuring something under his breath. “What did you say?”

“Pull over Mirage.” Noah didn’t seem to be in the mood to mess around, he was frustrated. He seemed to wake up in a horrible mood, Mirage felt guilty and felt like it was his fault so he didn’t argue or throw in any quips. He pulled up next to a building where there didn’t seem to be anyone, he parked towards a more secluded spot.

“Mirage. I understand that you could get us out of trouble but I don’t like risking it plus you are an easily identifiable car. It’s not like we are driving a typical car. You are an expensive Porsche,” Noah began as he ran his hands through his hair, tugging on the curls. Mirage although didn’t like following human rules, he would do it. Do it for Noah. “The rules are here for a reason. It’s to prevent people from getting hurt and it keeps order Mirage. If you need help understanding what the signs mean I can help you. Okay?”

Mirage listened, his spark burning up a bit when Noah offered the help of learning what the signs meant. Some of them were self explanatory but some had writing that he didn’t entirely understand. He was scared though.

“Mirage? Did you hear me?”

“Yes Noah, I copy. I’ll do a better, I’ll follow the road signs,” Mirage responded, the seat belt that Noah clicked on began to tighten ever so slightly as if the autobot was hugging him. Noah had a lopsided smile when this happened. “Raj are you hugging me?”

“Maybe.” A hand rubbed over the seat before patting it, this was giving Mirage the metaphorical butterflies humans like Noah described one time when describing the feeling of love. The seat belt got tighter and Noah patted it more before chuckling, “C’mon let’s get going. What state are we even in?”

“I took a break while you were sleeping since I got tired and needed a nap. I think last time i checked we are in New Mexico. Why is it even called it that? From what I heard from Wheeljack, Mexico is the best. Nothing could beat it.” Mirage chuckled, voice becoming all static-y from sleepiness himself. “Mirage… are you tired?”

“No. I am perfectly fine,” Mirage answered, he was ready to pull out of the parking lot before Noah stated, “Mirage. Stay in the parking lot, we are going to take a nap.”

“What?! I don’t need a nap, we can make it to California before 4.”

“Mirage this isn’t for debate, C’mon bud. There’s no rush, let’s just relax and if you are so stubborn we can talk instead of taking a nap.” Noah unbuckled himself and laid back down in the backseat, feeling all comfortable in the back. Mirage wanted to belly ache and complain but he just let out a big huff and grumbled in Cybertronic. Noah didn’t care if his friend was talking shit under his breath, he knew that he had the cybertronian wrapped around tightly to his finger. It was almost humorous to him how easy it was to convince Mirage into a lot of things except asking for help, that always seemed to be difficult.

It was quiet inside of Mirage, he really didn’t like upsetting Noah. He didn’t want to admit how much of a massive pushover he began to become, Prime didn’t even have this type of power over him. He was known as a bot that tend to not listen, move at his own speed. A rascal in nature yet here he was, a practically overgrown lap dog to Noah listening to him to a tee.

“So Noah, what do you want to talk about?”

“You can’t stand silence can you?”

“Nope.”

…

Spending 2 hours talking about random things really made something so simple feel special. It started on the topic of how they were enjoying the trip, then it slowly went on with odd twists. They were now on the topic of Mirage.

“So Mirage, what were you like before the whole war? Seriously you talk about being an open book but I have never heard you mention once if you missed anything you used to do. Like hell if i was on a different planet i think i would miss the food and music from here, earth.” Noah chuckled as he ran his fingers along the stitching on the leather seats, Mirage had to keep his voice still as he chuckled nervously, “You really want to know about that? I was so much different back then.”

“Come on, you are constantly in my business and you know me almost like the back of your palm. I am curious.” Noah responded, his eyes looking up at the radio. The autobot hesitated before he finally spilled, “I used to be what you consider a noble.”

“Like rich?”

“Mhm, I used to be on the top. I had enough money that it would make everyone on earth seem poor.” Mirage went on, he still remembers really well of the amount of wealth he used to have. He was the rich bot, the one that lived without a single worry. Back then he was ignorant of the Cybertronians below him, it didn’t affect him so he didn’t put any mind to it. Now looking back, he is disgusted by himself for the way he used to act towards other Cybertronians in worse situations. Sure he wasn’t like the others who did despicable things to the lower classes but he just stood there, turning a blind eye to all of it. “Do you miss being wealthy?”

“Primus, no I do not miss it at all. I mean it was nice having all the money but it doesn’t beat talking with you.”

“You are so damn corny,” Noah laughed as he slapped the seat lightly with the back of his hand. He stared up at the ceiling of the car with a smile, wide upon his face. He had more questions since Cybertronian culture is vastly different from just human culture entirely.

“Well Noah, I think that me joining this war is worth it since it lead me to you,” Mirage spoke, his spark getting all jittery. Noah paused to think if that was Mirage flirting or just messing around. They are friends. It would be weird for an alien to be even doing that, Noah chalked it up to just playful banter and joking around. Tugging on the leg for all he knew.

“Okay so since you were rich, what did you do?”

“Normal stuff similar to what you humans do, go to parties mingle and mess around. It’s not different in that sense, I didn’t part take on some of the other stuff that other elites did.” Mirage answered, he began to think about the more shady side of his fellow elites. He added on quietly feeling disgusted by the other elites, “The others would just taunt the lower classes and exploit them…”

Guilt began to chew at the bot’s spark, he knew all of the bad stuff happened yet he just stood there back then. Self loathing was beginning to flood his senses as he felt like he had a part in causing this whole civil war. It was a dark turn so Mirage decided to just change the topic, they were focusing on him and he didn’t want Noah to be scared by his past or see him differently so he wanted to shift the focus to Noah.

“So Noah, what did you use to do before you tried stealing me? I know you were a soldier but what is that like,” Mirage asked, Noah didn’t really have a solid opinion about his time in the military. All that time he usually got yelled at and was given a crude name sign because of an incident. “The military wasn’t anything special, just usually got screamed at by my drill sergeant. Imagine Prime but meaner and in your face.”

“Primus, I would be hate that if Prime did that to me. Oh I heard that when you are in the military you get cool name signs, what was yours?” Mirage asked excitedly, he always pictured Noah being some bad ass in the military with an equally cool name. He was thinking of all the different cool name signs. “Eh my name sign was Pene…”

“Like the pasta?” Mirage was confused why Noah was called that out of everything. Noah grimaced as he shook his head, “No, that’s penne. Pene as in the Spanish word…”

Mirage had difficulty to understand Spanish since he had crash landed in America and learned English more than anything, he knew a sprinkle of Spanish because of Noah and some of the neighborhoods he would pass by in New York. But he put two and two together, he let out a soft chuckle and he felt embarrassed for Noah.

“That has to suck, I thought you would have a more bad ass name sign.”

“Yeah, usually name signs are given from incidents. Usually embarrassing moments. Some are just straight up insults. I don’t understand who thought that call signs were all bad ass.”

“How did you get your name sign then?”

Short Flashback scene

Noah was scurrying around and cursing under his breath as he was trying to hurry up and fix the generator before his drill sergeant found out that he broke one of the panels. He had snuck off to just drink but in a drunken state he accidentally crashed into the control panel on the wall. The generator was for heating the water, he didn’t feel like having his coworkers be pissed off and report him to the drill sergeant what he had done. Young and stupid.

He was midway fixing one of the panel when one of his comrades spotted him. Luckily Noah had thrown away the bottle since he would get in deep shit if anyone found out his dirty habit. He couldn’t lose this job if anyone found out that he was an alcoholic.

“Private Diaz, what are you doing back here? No one is allowed back here.”

In a panic Noah shouted a response but since he was drunk he started speaking in Spanglish, “Uh I was just, tu me conoces. I was just playing with my pene.”

“You were what?!” His comrade echoed before laughing his ass off, Noah did not know what to respond with but out of everything, his drunk ass decided to pick that as an excuse. He could only grimace in embarrassment wanting the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

It bit him in the ass because his comrade did not keep his mouth shut, rather he told everyone on base earning Noah the nickname, Pene.

End of Flashback

Mirage sat there quietly.

“Mirage you can laugh, I was stupid back then,” Noah stated as he knew the autobot was practically dying to laugh but didn’t out of respect. The moment Mirage was given the okay he burst out laughing, the whole car shook from the force from his laughter. Noah just smiled and rolled his eyes, it was embarrassing but it was a long time ago. “Noah out of everything to cover up drinking, you chose that excuse? Primus, I would just quit right then and there.”

“Yeah yeah, get it out. I was stupid and my drunk self would have rather died before ever admitting that I had a drinking problem.” Noah chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. After Mirage began to calm down he felt Noah’s phone buzz in the cup holder. “Hey man someone is calling you.”

Noah raised an eyebrow, he sat up and grabbed the phone in the cup holder. It was his mother, he pressed the accept button. Mirage knew to be quiet during the calls, Noah put the phone on speaker thinking nothing too important would come up in the call.

“Hola mami.”

“Hola pollito, how’s your trip with Mirage going so far? Are you two boys having fun and staying out of trouble?” His mother was just checking up on which Noah expected since no one has really gone out on a trip since the incident. “We are doing good mami. How’s everything going over there without me?”

The chat went on when Mirage felt like it wouldn’t hurt to just say something. It wasn’t like Breanna could see him so he just randomly spoke up instead of being quiet.

“Hi Miss Diaz!”

Noah looked immediately pale and he gripped the phone tightly when his mother asked, “Oh is that Mirage? Noah let me talk to him, I want to get to know the man who you and Kris are always talking about.”

“Oh so Noah brings me up to you?”

“Oh Noah and Kris constantly talk about you. I was beginning to worry why they won’t let me see you, don’t need my sons being around a bad influence. So tell me about yourself,” Breanna chuckled over the phone, Mirage felt a bit giddy of finally being to interact with Noah’s mother. Noah on the other hand felt like an embarrassed kid whose secret was found out by their parents, he wasn’t expecting his day to go like this. He had to soon buckle up since Mirage began to drive out of the parking lot while chatting with Noah’s mother.

They seemed to hit it off really well and Breanna had asked, “So how did you and my son meet?”

“Oh he tried to steal me,” Mirage chuckled before he realised he had slipped up badly and Noah’s eyes practically popped out of his skull. Mirage was doing a horrible job of trying to backtrack so he joked, “Really charming guy stealing me from a parking lot. Breath taking and stealing my breath and spark and stuff.”

Breanna went silent before laughing, in her mind she thought now that her suspicions were finally confirmed. She had no issue with her son being with a man as long as he is happy.

“Well keep my son happy, I will get going and leave you the two alone. Bye Mirage, bye Noah!”

After the phone hung up, the drive was deathly silent. Noah’s cheeks were burning from embarrassment, he thought the story of how he got his name sign was humiliating but this took the cake. He knew that when he gets home, he is going to get an earful by his mother and he will have to explain again how Mirage and him were just friends. He will have to let her see Mirage too which isn’t going to be fun since he feels now forced into it. Mirage on the other hand felt like he was in deep shit for not following one of the rules and boundaries Noah set up a while ago about not butting into calls to prevent this.

“Well um… I am sorry for that.”

“Mirage, one of these days I am going to put spiders in you on purpose,” Noah grumbled, he wasn’t pissed off but he was not happy with Mirage. Mirage took this as a hint to just shut up and drive.

…

They were finally in Arizona, it felt like legit hell on earth. Noah was sweating his ass off, it was just pure dry heat and Mirage’s air conditioning wasn’t doing it.

“God Mirage I think we need to pull over and take a rest. I am roasting back here,” Noah stated as he wiped the sweat off his head with the hem of his shirt. Mirage was also dying a bit because the bugs kept on hitting his windshield and the grill. He felt grossed out when an especially juicy one splatted all over his hood. “Agreed, can you wipe the bugs off of me.”

“Of course Raj,” Noah muttered as Mirage looked around for anywhere where they could stop and just collect themselves. Soon enough they pulled up into a small town, Mirage parked near a diner under a car port. Noah got out with a dirty sock since they didn’t really have anything else to wipe the bug guts and juices. Mirage was a bit grossed out but he rather had that versus bug guts all over him. Once finished Noah got back into the car and left the door open.

“Heh Noah, I know your brother and mother now, when will I met the rest of your family,” Mirage asked being completely lightheartedly, he could feel Noah change into lighter summer clothing as the sweaty shirt was thrown to the floor of the car. He could see his friend too, practically could count the freckles on his back like they were stars. Mirage loves Noah’s freckles. Noah answered the bot’s question while putting a tight fitting tank top on, “Well Mirage the rest of my family is in Puerto Rico or they don’t know I exist. So I doubt you would be meeting the rest of my family.”

“Well then we can both meet the family that don’t know your existence,” Mirage chuckled not knowing the truth behind Noah’s paternal side of the family. “No Raj I would rather not talk to them.”

Mirage tried thinking of why Noah didn’t want to meet more of his family. He wasn’t minding his business, rather he continued to pry and be nosy, “How come?”

“They wouldn’t exactly accept me, they would probably hate me for ruining their lives,” Noah answered hoping for Mirage to just drop it. “Well how can you just assume that they would hate you?”

“Mirage, you wouldn’t understand. This stuff happened before I was even born.”

“Primus, seriously?” Mirage was stunned and didn’t know how to even comprehending how that could have happened, he knew that Breanna was an immigrant so he assumed maybe it was that side of the family. “Is it your mother’s side of the family?”

“No. I know my mother’s side of the family, they sometimes visit once in awhile. It’s my father’s side of the family that doesn’t know about my existence,” Noah sighed as he knew that Mirage was going to open some old wounds that he had tried closing them off for years on end but he knew that his friend was bound to find out one way or the other, whether it be through him or his mother. Kris doesn’t know too much about it since he wasn’t even born yet when the incident happened.

“Oh…” Mirage muttered, he really wanted to push more since Noah never speaks about his father. Mirage wasn’t stupid and he had his questions in the past but he had a feeling like it was a wound that he shouldn’t be poking around yet he wanted to ask. Noah noticed how quiet his friend was being so he stated, “I am assuming you want to ask more questions.”

“Yes I do.”

“Go ahead Mirage, I would rather you get it from me versus you making assumptions.”

Mirage was a bit nervous but after he sighed, he began to just ask the number one question that ate away at him, the curiosity that was practically killing him, “Well I have never heard you once ever bring up your father or even acknowledge him. Do you guys have a strained relationship or something?”

“More on the lines of something, we used to be close.” Noah began to just stare at the ceiling of the car and occasionally looking out the open car door, to look at anything. He felt his heart ache as he was finally opening up, letting Mirage see the more vulnerable side. The soft pulpy feelings that he had kept bottled up for years since the incident, the feelings he had tried to forget about but they always seem to come back from the dark. Mirage continued as he noticed that Noah’s bottom lip was twitching ever so slightly, “What happened between you and your old man?”

“He went on a work trip.”

Flashback to the incident

Noah was happily bouncing on his feet, twirling the cord of the phone as he listened to his father talk about what the South was like. His father was leaving out certain parts like the racism because he didn’t want his son to know about the more grittier states too much.

“Your mother’s cousin makes a mean chicken fried steak. I may have to get the recipe for you pollito.” Joel announced with a bit of amusement in his voice. “I can’t wait, I’ll be leaving soon and I should be able to see you tomorrow. I recon I will be home by the time you wake up.”

Noah was happy and he was supposed to keep something a secret but he blurted out, “Mami told me that the baby in her belly is a boy!”

He could hear his father’s breath hitch over the phone, Noah fidgeted around and stated after realising that he wasn’t supposed to tell his father that, “Don’t tell mami that i told you. She said she wanted to keep it a secret till you got back.”

Joel laughed at that little tid bit.

“Don’t worry I’ll act like I am surprised if you get her to name your little brother takes my middle name, Kristopher.” Joel whispered, Noah nodded as if his father could see him. Breanna came into the room holding a basket of laundry, she noticed Noah on the phone.

“Pollito are you talking to papi? Tell him if he doesn’t hurry up soon that I will make him eat caldo de pollo during the hottest months,” Breanna quipped with a half serious tone.

Joel’s Point of View, 5 hours after the call

Joel was driving down the dark streets in the old pick up truck, he was listening to music on the radio while drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. A picture of Breanna and Noah on his dashboard, he had a wrapped gift on the seat next to him. Blue wrapping paper with a sticker on it stating in cursive, To Pollito From Papi.

He was ready to come home to reunite with his wife and now two sons. He has his whole life on track, he was gotten everything he wanted in life, even if his family didn’t approve of him moving the the US with Breanna. He turned onto an empty dirt road, dust flying up behind him. Driving at the speed limit and following all the rules of the road, yet he spotted red and blue lights behind him. He was confused yet he slowed down and parked on the side of the road, leaning over to grab his registration and driver’s license. He placed the items on the passenger seat, placing his hands on the wheel making sure he was following the usual rules of a traffic stop. He looked in the side mirror, he frowned when he saw the cops walking out of the car slowly with their hands on their holsters as if he was some type of threat.

End of Joel’s point of view

Noah was beginning to get upset, it has been four days since he last heard from his father. Breanna was also a bit worried since she hasn’t heard from her husband in days, she was worried that maybe his car broke down on the way to the apartment. She was pacing trying to figure out what to do, she knew she had to keep calm for the sake of her son.

Noah has never bolted to the door so fast in his life when he heard heavy knocking, he didn’t care that his father should have the keys to the house. He unlocked the door and swung it open ready to tackle his father in a hug but… it wasn’t Joel standing in the door way. Rather it was his mother’s cousin, she looked like she had been crying for days on end. She was holding a newspaper and Breanna jogged on over, confused why her husband wasn’t there but she put two and two together when she saw her cousin’s gloomy position.

Noah was sent off to his room but he could hear his mother wailing from across the apartment, hiccuped sobs and a loud thud of Breanna’s knees on the floor. She couldn’t keep her distraught contained, the pain in her voice.

End of Flashback

Mirage was quiet listening to the whole story of what happened to Noah’s father, his heart ached for him. He could hear Noah’s voice crack as he finally lifted the heavy burden of trauma off his chest after years of keeping it bottled, Noah didn’t realise that he was crying till he went to rub his face. The hot tears that ran down his cheeks, his chest slowly dipping down as he exhaled.

He could practically still hear the sobs of his mother on that day, the slow but eventual crumble when they began to get behind on bills and how finding out about Kris’s condition made it worse. Noah no longer felt like someone’s lucky charm, he felt like bad luck had followed him, not at least when Mirage showed up and when Noah fixed his friend back to perfect health.

“Mirage, my father’s family hates me because my father is dead. If I haven’t been born my father would still be around.” Noah stated as he wiped the tears from his face, in former times he would keep his guilt to himself but he finally said it to someone. Reek even hasn’t ever heard Noah open up how much he feels like he’s the reason his father was dead.

Breanna and Joel moved to the US for a better life for him, Noah felt like if he was never conceived his father would still be alive.

“Noah it’s not your fault, you couldn’t have controlled what happened…” Mirage murmured as he ached to hold his friend close, to take away the pain and self hatred that ate away from Noah. Noah’s teary amber eyes fluttered close as he took a deep breath to gain composure.

Mirage was thinking quietly to himself promising that he will never let Noah go through this pain ever again as long as he is around.

Chapter Text

It was maybe 6 in the morning maybe 7, the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon as Mirage continued to drive down the road, he was excited for the day since they should be getting close to the state line of California. Mirage and Noah spent a lot of time in Arizona doing random shit and obviously the conversation about Noah’s whole parental situation.

Mirage thought majority of the humans on earth were chill besides the government but that story planted a seed of distaste and hatred to some of the humans that lived on this earth. How could they murder one of their own so senselessly? Where were their humanity? Sure Cybertronians were similar but Mirage felt more affected hearing that story since it affected Noah. To know that his human companion was carrying such burden, pain, and grief for years just made him want to hunt down the cops that had no hesitation to shoot one of their own people all because of the colour of their skin.

Mirage was in deep thought but he stopped by a sign that stated, Welcome to the Golden State, California! Golden poppies on the corners. Mirage transformed a bit to poke Noah, nudge him awake.

“Noah…”

No response.

“Noah wake up.”

“Eh Raj it’s too early,” Noah groaned softly as he rolled over trying to get away from his friend’s persistent nudging. Mirage mocked Noah a bit before revving his engine loudly startling Noah completely awake. Jumping high enough where he could have practically reached the stars. “Fucking hell Raj, what’s so important that you gotta wake me up this early?”

“We are in Cali-forn-i-a!” Mirage whooped as his frame shook a bit, Noah just grinned and shook his head. He leaned forward towards the dashboard patting it. “That’s a good job Raj, knew you could make the drive.”

Mirage paused a bit as he felt Noah rub the dashboard after rubbing it, the bot felt his spark burn brighter and he felt jittery. Noah’s eyes half lidded eyes and messy hair, the orange tank top that did little to leaving anything up for the imagination made Mirage feel some way that he didn’t entirely understand. It felt weird though, those metaphorical butterflies.

“Well the road is empty, do you want to take a photo in your big boy form,” Noah chuckled as he fixed his hair a bit. Grabbing the camera and getting out of the car, stretching his legs out as Mirage carefully transformed while storing Noah’s items so they wouldn’t drop to the floor.

Mirage squatted down and smiled as he got close to Noah, his head almost resting on top his friend’s. He took the camera from Noah which startled him a bit but relaxed and smiled. The photo was taken with a flash and click. Mirage looked down at Noah after giving the camera back.

Something just didn’t feel right with how he felt towards Noah. He didn’t know what it was though, he just chalked it up to them being really good friends.

“Let’s get this show on the road, only a few more hours and we will be in Los Angeles.” Noah chuckled as he glanced up, backing up since Mirage was extremely close unknowingly. Noah swears that Mirage doesn’t understand the concept of personal space, practically on top of him at all times. The silver and blue autobot hooted before quickly transforming back into his alt form, his Porsche form gleaming in the sun, engine revving as if he would make Noah eat his dust.

Noah hopped in and Mirage began to blasting the radio, a familiar tune playing, ‘Fantasy’ by Mariah Carey. This definitely more than a sweet fantasy.

…

They were driving into the towns, more people and Mirage was pumped. He noticed how he finally blended in really well because there were other expensive looking cars. Some looked insane and Mirage was a bit jealous, he liked the look of some of the cars. But he snapped out of it because no car was better than him.

“Mirage, so what do you want to start off with? We are finally in California,” Noah spoke up as he ran his hands on the wheel, faking driving since he kept on seeing a lot of police either chilling or patrolling around. He squeezed the wheel occasionally feeling slightly stressed by the sight of them. “Why don’t you check your notebook full of the places?”

Mirage noticed this and began to actively avoid the police without drawing any attention. Noah rummaged through his duffle bag and grabbed the notebook full of the written addresses. He could feel the seat belt tighten slightly, he smiled a bit when he realised what his friend was doing for him. Although he didn’t say anything out loud, his actions spoke louder when he lightly rubbed the seat belt.

“I found something that we can easily both do and see, find a shop so I can buy a map,” Noah spoke up and he looked around for somewhere where he could purchase a map of the city instead of just driving around trying to find everything mindlessly.

Once Noah bought a map, he began giving instructions, Mirage was admiring everything about the city. There was so much art around him, sure New York had graffiti art but usually it was just people signing or the art he wanted to admire was covered up by someone’s name tag which kinda pissed him off. Thank god for a red light because he got a view of the most beautiful mural he has ever seen, someone was working on it too.

“I wish Cybertron had this,” Mirage commented, Noah looked up from the map and hummed in confusion, tilting his head. “You humans are just so… fascinating in a good way. But on Cybertron we have art but we don’t have the art that you humans have.”

“Huh, you learn something knew every day. At least I know you are going to love the place I am taking you to go see, trust me you are going to love it,” Noah chuckled.

Mirage indeed loved the place they were at, Noah had taken him to the great wall of Los Angeles. The one of the biggest mural in the world. Mirage was taken aback and he drove extremely slow to just analysis every small detail.

“What do you think of it Mirage?” Noah whispered as he looked at the mural too, he loved it and felt almost connect with the art too. Mirage was starstruck by the art piece, he managed to get out, “It’s beautiful.”

Mirage knew that every art piece had a meaning behind it, he was practically burning it into his memory of every single stroke. They spent almost 30 minutes going down the 6 blocks that the wall stretched on with the mural.

“Raj, if you could would you paint a mural if you went back to Cybertron if the war wasn’t y’know,” Noah asked as they finally finished the mural, Mirage immediately answered, “Yes I would.”

“What would you draw?”

Mirage’s sensors were on Noah, he would draw his friend so he could never forget him and earth. He wants Noah to be burnt into his memory, he didn’t want to lose the memory of him.

“I don’t know what I would want to draw,” Mirage answered. He examined Noah’s face, almost counting every single freckle on his face and examining even the smallest specks of colour in his eyes. He quipped as he turned on a street, “Maybe I could draw you and your constellation of what’s on your face.”

“My freckles?” Noah chuckled and cocked his head, he found that endearing. His hands squeezing the wheel gently, he didn’t think anyone would ever want to draw him let alone Mirage. The silver and blue bot confirmed, “Yeah, they remind me of stars. Can’t help but count them sometimes.”

Noah used one of his hands to trace his skin lightly, smiling. No one has ever compared his freckles to stars or constellations or ever counting them at all. He didn’t realise how truly observant Mirage was of him.

Mirage saw another mural, it was a man in outer space reaching for beyond the stars. He ex-vented quietly, “I really love you humans. I wish Optimus could see you guys like how me and Bee do.”

“How do you view us?” Noah asked as he noticed the same mural, the swirls of purples and blues with the bright white stars. People around snapping pictures of it or selfies with it. “Optimus just sees humans as violent and destructive, destroying everything that didn’t fit your picture. He forgets about the ones who create… or fix things.”

Noah’s lips curled up, he patted the dashboard lightly. He felt flattered when Mirage added the last part, he felt like Mirage was referring to Noah fixing him after the battle with Scourge.

They travel around all over Los Angeles. Spending hours talking to each other and admiring the views. The end of the day was getting near, they stopped in a more private area where they could watch the sunset together. Mirage was transformed into his cybertronian form, leaning back on his arms while his optics were focusing on the glittering ocean.

“Mirage, what type of art did you have on Cybertron?” Noah asked as he broke the silence, he was in a similar position next to Mirage. He wiggled his feet every once in a while, occasionally picking at the grass. Mirage thought about what type of art he saw, he saw a lot since he was elite but it was different from human art. He scratched his helm similar to how Noah would sometimes do whenever he was thinking. “Well we had holoforms, statues, and… oldest art form we have to my knowledge is probably writing. I’ll be honest you may want to ask Optimus about that since he is older than me.”

Noah notice the helm scratching, his mouth twitched as he chuckled, “Your head itchy? Or am I rubbing off on you?”

Mirage made a face, confused what Noah meant till he realised what he was doing. He began to laugh softly, rolling his optics before playfully pushing Noah. Mirage forgets how much stronger he is compared to Noah because he absolutely shoved Noah hard making his friend grunt and fall back onto the dirt.

“Dios mio! Mirage you pendejo!” Noah laughed before playfully swatting the mech.

…

They were on the road again, trying to find Noah’s aunt’s house. They drove through some rich areas before reaching more of a middle to lower class street, Mirage could tell but he saw kids running around playing in the warm night. Running in their yards while their parents sat on the porch. Mirage stuck out like a sore thumb because when Noah “parked” and got out of the car, the neighbours and kids on the block seemed to be watching them. Noah slung his bag over his shoulder and walked up the steps of the house.

Mirage was left outside when Noah walked into the house.

Maybe a hour passed and Noah came back outside to grab something that he forgot most likely but he immediately sat in the driver’s seat. His hands trembling slightly and he leaned his head back letting out deep breaths as if he was trying to calm himself down.

“Noah, you good man? You seem shaken up,” Mirage spoke softly, Noah buckled up and the bot got the hint so he tightened it slightly. He wanted to ease Noah so he slowly pulled out of the driveway, he drove slowly around the blocks making sure to remember how to get back to the house.

Noah was quiet the whole time but he finally managed out, “I just had a conversation with my aunt and she just said something… and I don’t know why it had such a big effect on me. I am so used to hearing it but it just… I wish that it could just…”

Noah couldn’t seem to find the words to explain how he was feeling, he was trapped in his mind. Those vulnerable pulpy feelings begin to show again, presenting out to Mirage.

“What did she say?” Mirage murmured as he slowly turned a block, he cruised as Noah answered, “She told me that I looked like him. Like my father and she showed me pictures of him back when he was alive.”

Mirage was curious but he wasn’t going to press on the topic.

“Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?”

“Just keep on doing what you are doing,” Noah breathed as he began to relax after a few minutes, he found comfort in how Mirage was driving slowly and hugging him with the seat belt. He spoke with his friend quietly, making sure to not hit any pot holes or cause any problems. He didn’t want to cause any more distress for Noah.

Noah must have noticed because when he was taking deep breathes in and out, he smiled a bit while lightly rubbing his thumb along the seat belt that held him in that safe and comforting embrace.

Mirage would be there for Noah forever, there to comfort him when Noah is reduced to a mess of his emotions, there to help Noah up when he falls, there to protect Noah even if it meant to give up his life again.

…

The warm sun began to shine in the car, Noah was softly snoring in the driver’s seat. His head resting against the window, still buckled up and the seat belt still tightly hugging him close. He had fallen asleep inside of Mirage, obviously the autobot couldn’t transfer him into the house without revealing himself or waking up his friend so he decided to just go into a short state of stasis while still holding his friend.

The mourning doves were cooing quietly outside, it was a perfect state of undisturbed peace. It was disturbed by someone knocking on the window of the car, Noah woke up first and looked out the window to see his aunt standing out there confused on why he had fallen asleep in his car in the driveway instead of just going inside and sleeping in a bed like a normal person. To be honest no normal person was friends with an robotic alien.

Noah quickly rolled down the window and his aunt questioned softly, “Mi hijo, did you sleep in your car?”

Noah was half awake and he looked at the seat belt that was still hugging him close.

“Yeah it seems so, I must have rested my eyes and fell asleep instead of coming inside to sleep in the guest room,” Noah answered, partially lying since he had no idea when he fell asleep last night. The last thing he remembered was that Mirage played a radio station that played soft calming jazz music and telling him about one of his other cybertronian friend’s named himself after the music genre.

“Aye Noah, you could have caught the cold. I’ll go make some coffee and breakfast,” His aunt sighed as she looked him over and waited. Noah waved his hand with a weak smile, “Give me a moment, I’ll come inside in a few minutes.”

Luckily he didn’t have to convince her, he rolled up the window and when the coast was clear a certain someone whispered softly in a sleepy tone, “Good morning Noah.”

“Morning Raj’, noticed that you let me sleep instead of waking me up.”

“You looked so peaceful sleeping,” Mirage chuckled softly as his systems were fully online and he no longer sound sleepy from being in stasis for at least 8 to 9 hours. The seat belt tighten a bit before relaxing, Mirage had to fight the urge to protest when Noah unbuckled himself. “I’ll be back outside when I go eat and freshen up a bit.”

He patted the dashboard and left the inside of Mirage to go inside of the house. The autobot had to just deal with sitting outside for how ever long his friend takes. An hour and a half passed before Noah came out with his aunt fussing over his curls. She was fussing over him not drying them properly and she walked him with a small towel.

He got into the car laughing, “Te amo Tia!”

His aunt huffed loudly before going back inside, Mirage could tell that Noah took a shower and actually cleaned himself up. Mirage got the hint to begin driving, they were on the road and he asked, “What was all of that about?”

“Oh my Tia has been jealous of my hair and tells me every time I need to take better care of them.”

“Well do you?”

“Nope,” Noah chuckles, he was luckily blessed by his genetics that his hair was extremely healthy despite him practically neglecting the hell out of them. Mirage snickered and began to rev his engine a bit, “So where to first?”

“Let’s start with Watts Tower then we can go down to South Los Angeles and find something to do down there,” Noah answered, he settled his hands on the wheel. Rubbing the leather softly before he added on, “Thank you Raj’.”

“For what?”

“For last night, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from you for how you helped me out last night,” Noah went on, reminiscing on how Mirage had taken care of him when he was in shambles. He felt slightly embarrassed for his emotions getting the better of him and breaking down in front of his friend like how he did, he wasn’t used to doing it in front of others. The seat belt tightened ever so slightly, a reminder of last night. “Your welcome Noah, we gotta be there for each other. Home Team.”

Noah smiled and chuckled, “Right, home team.”

…

Noah felt bad that Mirage couldn’t experience being a tourist like the normal person, he was taking pictures of everything for his friend. He also bought a few souvenirs like the typical tourist, he didn’t really like buying this type of stuff but he was getting stuff that he thinks that Mirage would like for memorabilia. Some decoration for the bland garage that he was constantly cooped up in.

He paid for the last few items for his mother and brother before leaving the small gift shop, he was walking out in deep thought not really paying attention to what was going on around him.

“Hey sir,” A woman broke him out of his thoughts, she looked around in her mid-twenties. Having smudged black mascara around her eyes and choppy hair to her shoulders. Noah turned to face her and he frowned a bit in confusion. She held his wallet out, “You forgot this at the counter.”

“Oh shit, thanks,” Noah chuckled sheepishly as he grabbed his wallet from her. She gave him an awkward smile before leaving. Noah caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her arm, it looked similar to the autobot sigil marking with a angry bee next to it. He shrugged it off as if he may have just probably didn’t see it correctly.

He left the area past the walls with the beautiful swirling mosaics, he walked outside to the parking lot where Mirage was sitting patiently and obediently in his car form. He opened the door and entered.

“Hey Raj, got you a few items from a shop,” Noah informed as Mirage’s engine purred, “Aw you spoil me too much Noah.”

Mirage pulled out of the parking lot, driving mindlessly around feeling giddy that he had gotten gifts.

“What did you get for me?” Mirage asked, his spark burning up a bit. He was trying to think of what he could do to return the favour. “Something for the garage because i think you need something new to stare at that isn’t a cobweb or tools.”

“That would be nice, I do need some new material.” Mirage chuckled softly, he turns the corner of the street and had to slam on the breaks to nearly avoid hitting some random driver, Noah nearly got whiplash from the sudden breaking. Teens in an expensive sports car.

“I swear these shitheads are such bad drivers,” Noah grumbled as he rolled his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck. Mirage muttered something in cybertronic angrily as he saw the teens flipped him off as if he was in the wrong. Mirage drove in the opposite direction heading to their next stop with Noah giving him directions.

…

Spending the whole day traveling around was finally getting to Noah, he wanted to relax and chill now. A break from being a tourist, he also got a bit hungry so he told Mirage to pick a random place for him to eat.

Mirage chose some sandwich shop, there was a lot of people outside chatting and mingling. He parked near the front so Noah didn’t have to walk far back.

“Mirage, I am trusting you that this is a good place otherwise I won’t be killing the spiders for you anymore,” Noah joked as he peaked at the sandwich shop, looking at the food that people were looking. It all looked promising. He exited out of Mirage and went inside, the occasional groupies came over and posed on top of Mirage. He was tempted to honk at them as he felt weird when they sat on top of his hood. It wasn’t long for one idiot to claim that he owned the silver and blue Porsche.

“Yo girls, you dig my ride? She’s a beauty right?” Some wannabe rapper spoke up, he looked like a delinquent in Mirage’s eyes. He felt uncomfortable when the stranger walked the hood, the girls sitting on top of him flocked around the guy. Mirage was so tempted to do something as he was stuck listening to the guy brag about him.

‘I am no ‘she’ and i most certainly don’t belong to you,’ Mirage thought to himself, he was seconds away from flipping his shit when the guy talked about how himself in a way that Mirage felt digusted as the groupies were practically giggling questions and tracing the metal of the hood.

Noah got a pulled pork and macaroni sandwich, he exited the building to see some random guy sitting on top of Mirage with girls flocked around him. He scowled and walked up to hear the guy claim that the Porsche belong to him. He was tempted to shout for all of them to get off of Mirage like a total karen but instead he pushed through the crowd that began to accumulate around.

“Hey man, this your car?” Noah asked, sounding a bit passive aggressive as he put on a fake smile trying to come off as friendly. The guy turned from looking at the girls to look at Noah. The guy put on a cocky smirk. “Yeah, this beauty is mine. She’s a gorgeous car right?”

“Uh huh,” Noah hummed sarcastically as his eyes narrowed, he walked closer to the guy and chuckled, “Funny thing, last time I checked this was my car.”

He pulled the keys from his pocket, clicking it. Mirage let his engine roar loudly to scar the girls off of him, the guy turned bright red and stammered, “You got a really nice car man.”

“Thanks, now get off of him,” Noah snapped as he walked over and got inside of Mirage. The guy ran off before Mirage left the parking lot, he was maybe a few blocks away when Noah grumbled, “Like hell he would ever own you.”

Mirage’s discomfort from earlier evaporated and he hummed in agreement, he hated when the stranger tried claiming ownership over him but something clicked in him when Noah said that Mirage was his. Mirage felt his spark burn up a bit. He quietly joked, “Didn’t think you were the jealous type.”

Noah was calmed down and he just rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t get jealous, just felt weird seeing someone claim you as theirs,” Noah responded, he grabbed his sandwich that he put in the cup holder as Mirage drove off to a empty parking lot. Noah got comfortable and began to eat quietly, maybe 5 minutes passed and he asked, “Mirage, I have been curious for awhile but how did the war even start?”

Mirage would have tensed up if he was in his cybertronian form, instead the car just shuttered a bit. He thought back on when the war started and how. He tried to find the words to explain how the war had started when the leader of Cybertron was a false prime, a prime killer.

“It started all because of an old leader had a hunger for power and total control. He stole the cogs from newborn Cybertronians,” Mirage explained a bit, he now was thinking about how cruel and inhumane the past leader of Cybertron was like. He never met the guy and he remembered how everyone used to think the guy was some hero, in reality he was a monster. Disfiguring his own people in order to create a lower class, Mirage had been lucky to be alive before Sentinel came into power, born into a rich family. “What’s a cog?”

“A cog is what gives every cybertronian the ability to transform and use weapons like my blaster and me being able to transform into a car,” Mirage answered to the best of his capability, if Ratchet was around the silver and blue bot would get an talk about the uses of their organs. Noah hummed softly and nodded, he finished up the sandwich. He looked ahead looking at the glittering lights of the city of Los Angeles, Mirage did the same.

He spotted a very big and popular sign that Los Angeles was known for.

“Hey Noah, tomorrow let’s go to the Hollywood sign, that would be the perfect place to get a picture.”

Chapter Text

Majority of the day was spent finishing the rest of the visit list before finally Mirage and Noah had to find out the hard way that the hill leading up to the Hollywood sign was steep as shit and not fun to climb up. They went on the side where less people could see and Mirage had a surprise before the began the climb.

“Mirage, out of everything I didn’t know that you can use your illusion feature to make you appear smaller. It feels weird seeing you so… short,” Noah muttered as for the first time Mirage was the same height as him but if he were to touch his friend, his hand would go inside of the illusion and just touch Mirage’s leg. “It’s cool right? Still trying to figure how I can make a human version of a holoform but for right now I’ll just use my cloak.”

Mirage skipped around, Noah could still feel the weight of Mirage shake the ground. He smiled and they continued the climb up the hill.

“Hey Raj, how you enjoying the trip so far?” Noah asked, cocking his head to the side. A small bead of sweat forming on his forehead from the leg work out he was getting. The bot immediately responded, “Love it man! I think this was something long due.”

Mirage seemed distracted since he didn’t even face to look at Noah. Noah was about to ask something but he felt an itchy feeling that someone was watching the two, he glanced around discreetly before shrugging the feeling off.

Two hours later they finally made it to the sign, mostly in silence admiring the view that they were getting of Los Angeles. It was late after noon, the sky a hazy orange and the wind picking up a bit. Noah got his camera out, he looked over at Mirage who seemed in trance of the city lights beginning to turn on.

“Hey Raj, we taking this photo or not?” Noah broke the silence, his hands gripping the camera tightly. Mirage seemed to be in deep thought, his fist clenching and relaxing it a bit before he immediately brightened up and clapped his hands together, “Okay lets take this photo!”

Noah frowned a bit.

‘That’s odd…’

Noah was snapped out of his thoughts when he was scooped up in Mirage’s actual arms the illusion wore off and the photo was taken when Noah actually laughed. Two photos were taken, both were of the two friends laughing and smiling.

Noah laid out on the grass Mirage joined him.

“Noah…” Mirage began to speak up, the reason he was in deep thought earlier was because he realised something. He wanted to speak up about it but when Noah turned to face him, he felt himself freeze up. His glossa getting caught and his processor blanking out on anything coherent to say to Noah. There was so many words that could describe his feelings but one thing was holding him back. Fear.

“Yeah Raj?” Noah questioned, he waited patiently for his friend to say what he wanted to say. Mirage was just there, stuck in his feelings, feelings he shouldn’t be having towards Noah. The autobot couldn’t say anything, he aborted his plan and just decided to talk about something that wasn’t related to his situation, “What do we got planned for tomorrow?”

Noah was going to pull his notepad out when he noticed something in the orange sky, streaks of brights lights. He pauses and stares at it.

“Raj’ what’s that?”

Mirage didn’t know what Noah was saying right away since he was busy staring at the human before him, he broke his optics away to follow Noah’s gaze.

‘Huh, it’s a cybertronian…’ Mirage thought to himself as he was trying to scan who it was but his sight can only see so far, it appeared that it may land luckily in just a dirt plot. That was a few miles away.

“Well Mirage do you know what it is?” Noah asked as he sat up to get a better view since it was coming in hot and it was coming down fast. Mirage answered, “It’s a cybertronian… I doubt it’s a Decepticon or an enemy. I’ll radio it to Optimus later.”

Mirage assumed that it wasn’t a threat since no Decepticon has tracked them down to earth yet besides the two that attacked Bumblebee a few years back. He relaxed and softly brought Noah to lay back down. Noah didn’t seem assured but he reluctantly laid back down with his friend. He began to close his eyes, just practically melting into the grass and savoring the peaceful moment. Mirage occasionally glanced over to look at him, his spark getting all tingly and funny feeling.

…

The sun finally dipped below the horizon, Noah felt something nudging him. He let out a soft mumbled groan before rolling away from the touch. Mirage softly chuckled as he continued to gently nudge Noah, running his metallic digit through the dark curly hair.

“Noah come on, wake up, let’s get back to your Tia’s house.” Mirage wanted to get Noah somewhere better to sleep that wasn’t outside next to the Hollywood sign. Noah finally opened his eye to see his friend leaning over him, a soft smile with his head cocked to the side. That was something he didn’t mind waking up to. He mumbled, “Yeah we should start heading there.”

He pushed himself up and he could feel Mirage’s optics follow him.

“Are we going to start walking or you going to continue staring at me like that man?” Noah chuckled as he felt a bit self conscious with how much Mirage was staring, he thought to himself, ‘Do I have something on my face? Why is he staring so much?’

“Oh I am getting up, just making sure you don’t go any… bugs or anything,” Mirage lied without thinking, he was staring because how much he admired his friend.

Biggest lie he ever tried convincing himself, he didn’t know why he was just pushing feelings he didn’t understand that well to the side. He was getting up to his feet, about to start walking with Noah.

War.

Something Mirage is all to familiar with.

The noises, smells, sights, and the injuries.

The memories that had just cemented themselves deep in Mirage’s processor. He always hated the loud noises of explosions. He is thinking of this because what is happening feels like it is all happening in slow motion.

War

Something Noah is not all familiar with, unless you count what happened in Peru.

The unknown scents, sounds, visuals, and the gnarly wounds.

Those are all stories to him, hearing from his old upper in command, he was never deployed to see the war. He was grateful to end up like the veterans who were wrecked horribly by all the horrific memories, the ones plagued by the war post traumatic stress disorder. He would have thought of this but what was currently happening felt like it went by so fast that he didn’t get the time to even yelp or cry out in pain.

The loud sound of explosion, the heat the blasted him, dirt flying like how Noah was flung by the force of the blast. He was launched a few feet and landed funky on his arm and back. He let out a pained grunt as he was stuck in a daze, Mirage was also stunned and something lunged at him. The autobot put his arms up to protect himself, he was tackled by what to look like a massive black and silver cat bigger than Noah by a long shot. It looked similar to Cheetor.

He was in shock. Nothing made sense, he was numb to any pain he was in currently, it was only by the second fire that he finally snapped back into reality that was filled in by danger and chaos.

“Mirage!” Noah yelled as he got up, cradling his arm subconsciously as he began to back away from the two battling Cybertronians. He stood no chance, he was a human. He wasn’t made from metal, no he was soft and squish-able. He realised he had to start running.

“Shit shit shit shit!” Noah shouted as he began to run down the hill as Mirage was trying to get the other cybertronian off of him. The snapping with the fangs glistening in the moonlight, the oil like drool frothing and dripping from the bot’s mouth.

“Primus where did your ugly ass come from!?” Mirage yelped as he fell down the hill tumbling down, Noah was running for his life feeling like he was in some fucked up Indiana Jones movie but instead of a boulder was two fighting Cybertronians tumbling down the hill. One of the shots from the blasters hit the Hollywood sign that was damaged from the first blast.

Mirage would have made a stupid joke about how it was true in movies that the more popular the place is, the more likely it would get distracted or he would have jokingly yelled out, “NO NOT THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN!”

He was too worried about the overgrown metallic feline was going to maul his face off. He rambled with each time drool and slobber fell on his face, “Ew Ew Ew Ew Ew Ew Ew!”

He just knew that his paint job was ruined again but that was an easy fix, losing digits would be harder. He quickly noticed the Decepticon sigil on the chest, he cursed to himself as he finally landed on flat land. Mirage grumbled under strain, his hands around the muzzle trying to get it off of him, he kept his digits away, “Get off me!”

Noah was panting trying to catch his breath, he was maybe a few feet away. His lungs burning and sweat running down his brow.

“Noah get out of here! I got this under control” Mirage yelled as he caught a glimpse of his friend, the last thing he needed was Noah to get hurt. Mirage though indeed didn’t have it under control, the metallic claws raked at his chest and he groaned in pain as his sensors were telling him about the damage was being done. He grumbled as he was wrestling the Decepticon off of him, “Who the hell are you?”

He wasn’t expecting an answer but he got on.

“Ravage.”

The voice sounded static-y, rough and unfriendly, malice dripping. The bright red optics piercing through.

“Well Meow-meow McNiff, where I come from on earth, mauling someone’s face off isn’t ideal way to introduce yourself.” Mirage finally bucked the Decepticon off of him. Noah brought out the blaster into its full form back onto his wrist, he usually kept in collapsed made it look like just some random accessories that everyone praised, not knowing it was a weapon.

Mirage always admired that about Noah, how he was willing to fight. It was admirable but it was a weakness, Noah was a cybertronian. He couldn’t sustain hits, Scourge knew that too back then.

Flashback back to the battle of Scourge on the bridge

Mirage was down, getting his shit rocked by Scourge, he was panicking and trying to think of how to distract the Terrorcon from noticing Elena and Noah. Of course he made eye contact with Noah through a grate, he tries to tell Noah and Elena, “Hurry and get to the key.”

That was a mistake.

It gave away his friends positions.

Mirage never realised that much till that moment of how much he truly cared about Noah. His first human friend, the first one he has ever interacted. He remembered teasing Bee for getting attached to Charlie, but now he understood that feeling. The feeling of fearing for their life when another bot posed a threat.

Scourge could read it all over the autobot hence why instead of reaching for Elena he grabbed Noah first. It didn’t help that Noah was unbelievably stupidly brave, he was ready to be killed if it meant saving the world to let his brother live to see another day.

Out of flashback

Mirage felt that same feeling again, it was stronger this time. He hopped up to his feet and create illusions of himself so he could get an upper hand in the fight but then he practically cursed at himself when Ravage did the exact same.

Illusion based Cybertronians were rare, it’s like finding a needle in a mountain full of hay. Mirage has not met a single bot that can do what he can do, this was the worst time to find someone similar to him.

5 holograms of Ravage circled around the fake and real Mirage(s). Noah himself began to pointing the blaster trying to distinguished which hologram to shoot at. Everything went still, a pin could drop and be heard. No one moved yet till finally Noah was the one to make a move first. He shot at who he thought was the original Ravage, the blast dissipated the hologram. Mirage tackled another one while the holograms fought at each other, Noah was then began to be chased down by one of the Ravages.

The original Cybertronians and gotten rid of each other’s holograms. The real Ravage was chasing down Noah, Mirage grabbed Ravage by the tail right in time before the Decepticon could slash at Noah. Swinging him and body slamming him into the ground, Noah stumbled from the force that shook the ground, he turned around to see Mirage struggling to keep up against the other Cybertronian.

Noah tried pointing the blaster at Ravage but he knew that it would be useless because he would hit Mirage too.

“Mirage try to get him still, I can shoot him,” Noah yelled out over the clashing and screeching of metal, Mirage heard this but did not try to do this. He felt like he had to do this himself, he couldn’t transform his blaster not at least in the time he needed to. He was struggling too much, like an act of god Ravage paused for a moment getting a transmission from his all powerful leader.

He snarled in Mirage’s face before running off, this stunned Mirage and Noah. They both looked at each other, Noah was panting and he needed a breather. He knew that once the adrenaline and shock wore off that he was in for a world of pain and soreness.

…

“Mirage, that was not just nothing back there. Do you know the guy or something?” Noah asked as he had parked Mirage in a parking lot next to a pharmacy. He was cleaning his wounds and changing into his spare clothes, he had to pick out small pieces of shrapnel from his thigh. Wincing and his breath quickening, he knew that after this sucker is taken down he had to actually go to the hospital to get better treatment.

“I don’t know, scrap back on Cybertron there was a lot of Decepticons.” Mirage murmured through his radio, he was really digging deep. He doesn’t remember coming across a single illusion type Cybertronians, he definitely would have remembered. Ravage did look familiar though, it’s hard to look back on thousands years of memories. Noah noticed the silence, he sighed and knew he wanted to ask more questions but knew this would be unanswered if Mirage didn’t fully know either.

“Scrap Noah, i feel like i should know who that guy is but I don’t know. He looks familiar,” Mirage groaned frustrated with himself, he wanted to pace in his usual form or just drive around but he knew Noah had to fix himself.

‘Why do humans have to be so fragile?’ Mirage thought to himself, not blaming Noah for his injuries but this added to the stress that was slowly bottling up in the young autobot. This added onto a small growing fear that Mirage was gaining the more he got more attached to just the race of humans. The fear started small but now it was only getting worse.

It started with the battle of Scourge and then it only grew more, it grew like the sickening human cancer. Mirage feared for Noah’s safety constantly, if only Noah was like him, made from metal and could easily and quickly repaired instead of waiting for god knows how long for him to heal.

“Mirage! Earth to Mirage!” Mirage was snapped from his thoughts from the sound of Noah shouting at him. “Yeah? Sorry man i was just… thinking of something.”

“That’s dangerous but Mirage earlier, i was trying to help you. Why didn’t you allowed me to help out?” Noah joked before going serious, the autobot heard that first part and pouted, “Rude much.”

“Mirage, why didn’t you let me help you?”

“Noah you know words hurt, why is me thinking of something dangerous?”

Noah noticed that Mirage was only focusing on the joke instead of answering the question. Suspicion growing that there maybe an issue. He questioned firmly, “Mirage, why didn’t you let me help you?”

If the autobot could sweat he would have been sweating profusely because he was actively avoiding that question, he didn’t want to be honest and come off as weak to Noah on for why he didn’t accept the help from his friend during battle.

“Mirage-”

“I heard you the first time, it’s um,” Mirage began trying to find some bullshit excuse to give to his friend, he was digging deep till he finally lied, “I just thought I had it under control plus it was not a big issue at the time.”

“Mirage you got your ass handed to you practically on a silver platter, you most certainly did not have it under control. That was the worst ass whooping that i witnessed,” Noah responded not believing Mirage’s answer for a second. He finished patching himself up and he wiggled his shirt down trying to avoiding the horrible patch work. He was a mechanic not a doctor so it looked horrible even Mirage knew that.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t ask or accepted when i offered help,” Noah grumbled under his breath. Mirage paused and he felt horrible inside it reminded of some old memories of when he first joined the whole civil war back on Cybertron. The old memories that he constantly tried to bury and ignore for the sake of what he thought helped others.

Chapter Text

The fields of war was something the autobot wasn’t expecting. He was one of the former elites who was practically pampered constantly not needing to life a finger unless he wanted to. He was born practically seen as a god. Just like any other Cybertronian who was born with a cog in their chest.

He was in a banquet halls sipping on liquid energon as he listened to his other elite friends brag about their latest trips whether it be visiting other cities within Iacon or scouting for any new places where they did stuff with energon like the human equivalent of restaurants. Visiting the cities to attend the parties of leaders, it was all the same thing. Nothing ever changed which some loved but Mirage was tired of it all.

He was bored listening to his quote unquote friends bragging constantly or talking down upon about the miners being too slow, he scanned around the room trying to find something more interesting before his optics landed on a hologram of the news that was flickering to life, he got excited thinking it was an update about the Matrix of Leadership. Some of the other elites also gathered around to listen to whatever Sentinel Prime had to say.

It wasn’t a message from Sentinel but rather it was a memory clips from his right hand femme, he felt horrified when he heard and watched about what Sentinel did. Taking the cogs from newborn transformers. His fingers grazed over where his cog lie, he was some of the lucky who were born with their cogs still in their chest. Everyone thought that being born without a cog was the effect of not having the matrix of leadership anymore but it was the effect of Sentinel’s greed for power.

He knew that this was only the beginning of something bad that was going to happen. The dominoes effect that was starting small and everyone only found out about it when the effects were noticeable

He really wished that he was wrong but when he witnessed the false prime’s death, he knew that war was going to be waged. Over two best friends of how they wanted to rule over Iacon. One wanted to rule with peace while the other wanted to rule with vengeance of killing all now former elites and anyone who gets in the way. It was terrifying way to rule and Mirage was rooting for the one who wanted to keep peace.

Mirage was mesmerised by the new Prime, his other elite friends were either panicking or trying to keep calm. Everyone knew that their way of life were over, they no longer had power over the cogless miners once they all got the piece of them were missing that was stolen from them and hidden. Mirage had a feeling that deep down that when this war began, he had to join Optimus Prime. He was mesmerised by the leadership, morals and kindness.

Optimus could have killed Megaton when he had the chance, yet he spared them all to prove that he was better than Sentinel.

He recognised the two bots too, he remembered the Iacon 5000 he noticed while racing that those were once the two miners that worked together to make themselves know to the higher classes, he found it inspiring while his friends found it ridiculous calling the lower classes nobodies failing at trying to be something. He also remembered how they used to look close but now they look separated by what they wanted in life.

If he ever got a friend like that, he would never want to let them go. He didn’t want to end up like them. Hating each other and fighting on opposite sides of a war.

…

“I want to join the war,” Mirage stated firmly as he had waited in a line of his fellow Cybertronians who also wanted to join the war as to help to prevent the amount of injuries from the last battle against the decepticons. He stuck out like a sore thumb though, everyone could recognised him as a former elite and everyone else who was joining the war were the former cogless bots who wanted to make changes as well. Everyone knew that the former elites didn’t want anything to do with this war, most of them tried keeping their way of life instead of helping out. Very few joined the war and even if they did, some were all useless because they tried bullying their way to high ranks. The scout bot who was looking for recruits narrowed his optic and raised his optical ridge before chuckling, “You pulling on my bipedalism cord to make a fool out of us? We are fighting a war not looking for charity handouts.”

“Yes I want to join the war, I don’t care where I start. I don’t care if you send me to the front lines or make me learn how to be a combat medic, I want to help.” Mirage reassured as he felt slightly offended that the assumption was made that he was just there to taunt the warriors who were injured or offlined. He was dead set on helping in this civil war, he wanted to talk with his idol one day when he proved his worth and most importantly he wanted to redeem himself.

Mirage had always seen his former elite “friends” treat the lower classes horribly, he remembered that one of his “friends” even killed one of the miners and acted like there was nothing wrong with it. Mirage had an issue with it but the thing is… he stayed silent. He feared that if he spoke up against his own class that they would turn against him. He was afraid so he did nothing but stand back away from the chaos, he tried to ignore what was happening.

He wanted to redeem himself more than anything so before joining, he practiced fighting with random statues in the untouched parts of the city

“Well if you are so dead set on this, sign here and we will send you off to the nearest training camp, we can’t have anyone dragging us down,” The scout bot spoke, sounding mildly offensive as if this whole entire war didn’t start because of the classism. Mirage didn’t take it to heart though, he knew that him being a former elite meant that he couldn’t just get the respect of the people who were once below him, he had to work for it. He would work for every ounce of respect, he had to redeem his old ways.

…

Training proved to be difficult, everyone seemed to hate him and treat him horribly. Team fighting training always had him on the front practically as a Cybertronian body shield. They made fun of him behind his back when they thought he wasn’t listening. He was trained to be a spy because of his special ability, illusions. But after he got too good at his job he hoped they would accept them, instead they talked more. He heard by one of his comrades that he thought they were getting along, he heard them talk about with his skill set that he must be a traitor siding with the Decepticons.

After a stellar cycle he was sent off to the fields where it proved to be even more difficult. He felt lost since he witnessed many bots on both sides fall.

He was sitting in his quarters, taking a deep breath trying to ignore the memories of witnessing one of his missions gone wrong. His hands trembling, he felt the urge to do something but he didn’t know what it was. He felt this emotional distress that made him feel miserable.

Mirage had infiltrated a Decepticon base, it was all going right till it wasn’t. His processor was replaying the memory, torturing him and taunting him. He felt so useless and defenseless.

The one time he was stuck on the front lines of the battle. He was trapped under rubble, trying to get freed when a Decepticon helped him out under the pretense that he was on their side. He was rescued out and he almost felt safe for a moment till they realised the true sigil on his chest, they had a look of betrayal on their face but it was wiped off when Mirage was blasted back from the force of the shot that obliterated before his optics killing the bot in front of him. He felt like the world went still, his processor felt like it stopped because he couldn’t move or speak. He could see the rage of war going on around him.

He snapped out of his trance when an explosion went off near him, he scrambled off his aft and ran back to the nearest legion that were fighting against the decepticons. He was stumbling and he was trying to not panic from seeing so many of his own comrades fall down and the enemy.

He helped regardless, blasts going around and yelling.

He ducked down behind some fallen rubble to gather some thought when he heard a comrade that often made fun of him.

“Scrap help!”

Mirage knew regardless that even if he saved his comrade they would still view him as a traitor, he still got up and went over to help. He was too late though, he stumbled back when a Decepticon was on top of his comrade, ripping the bot to bits with it’s fangs. Mirage felt someone drag him away from the battlefield, his comrade out on the field was reaching out weakly before finally being offlined.

…

Mirage was staring at his feet, he was sitting on top of a supply crate. Anyone who had vision could tell that he was deeply troubled and traumatised by what he had witnessed. He kept thinking about the look on his comrades face when they reached out for him in desperation, he let out shaky exhales and he was rubbing his knees trying to calm down but he couldn’t. He did the Cybertronian equivalent of crying, cooling lubricant leaking from space between his optics and his chest overheating from the distress. His soft cries becoming static as he tried to comfort himself, of course this attracted some attention.

He could not care less when he heard some of his allies mutter stuff, some of them finally feeling like he has gone through enough to be accepted.

If only he could have helped him sooner.

After a while he goes to medical bay to get a check up to make sure he doesn’t have any injuries. He is sitting in an area surrounded with injured soldiers from the battle that raged not to far away from base. He sat down in the middle of the mess of injured bots and medics rushed around shouting at each other for different tools and parts.

“Why are you crying?” Some old bot asked, his voice sounding gruff and his gaze judging. Mirage didn’t realise he still had tears on his face from earlier, he hurriedly wiped them away before answering, “I tried to save someone on the field but i couldn’t make it in time. If i had more time or help-”

“You would never see me like that on a battlefield, you have to be extremely weak and powerless to need help during battle. I dragged myself all the way here and here you are crying about not making it in time to save a fallen brother in arms. I don’t know why i am surprised though because from what i have heard and what i can see currently, you are a former elite,” The bot spat in Mirage’s face, the younger bot flinched and backed up. That was not something he was expecting. Everyone kept hanging that over his head, no matter how much he tried, no mattered how much he changed, he was still the same old bot he was so many years ago. Nothing could change their minds, once an elite. Always an elite.

“You don’t even belong here, you are only fighting a war for some respect and a title, you are just trying to have people under you again.” The other bot continued as he prodded Mirage’s chest roughly, he would have said more if a medic bot didn’t intervene, the other bot was rushed off. Mirage sat their quietly letting it all sink in more, those words planted a seed of self hatred in him, the sprouts beginning to wrap around his spark and the thorns almost threatening to snuff out the spark.

When a medic finally checked up on Mirage, he felt himself almost clam up. He kept his answers short and simple, instead of trying to be all buddy and buddy because what was the point. No matter hard he tried everything was going to stay the same, they all hated him.

Everyone’s words practically swirled around in his mind like a mantra of hatred that fed the seed of self hatred. If everyone around him hated him, maybe he just join in and hate himself. It was truly pathetic of how much he tried.

‘I don’t know why i am surprised though.’

‘You have to be extremely weak and powerless to need help during battle.’

‘You pulling on my bipedalism cord to make a fool out of us? We are fighting a war not looking for charity handouts.’

After cycles passed Mirage had worked his aft off but he kept his distance from everyone, he stopped tried making friends with his comrades. He gave up on trying to change how everyone viewed him, some of the autobots soon started forgetting why they hated him so much over time and just thought he was a recluse. While other’s hated him silently.

He was sitting in the clearing, sitting on some rocks he was picking at the energon rations he was given, he exhaled, the vents letting out a blast of air that made the dirt around him fly up.

“Primus I was out in the fields and you know what it’s like out there. Intense but luckily i got my buddies who have my back. Am I right?”

Mirage’s spark did a factory reset on him as he tossed the rations up in the sky, he looked over at who just appeared out of seemingly thin air. Was he really in such deep thought he didn’t notice another Autobot sit next to him.

It was a bright yellow Autobot, a short one.

“Oh where’s my manners? I am B-127 but you can call me Bee!” The yellow Autobot chirped as he grinned, Mirage was stunned he blinked a few times before finally responding, “Oh I am Mirage.”

“I can’t wait for Orion to meet you, you are my new friend Mirage,” Bee chuckled as he slapped Mirage’s back, Mirage didn’t expect for someone to just walk up and just told him that they were friends. This rambunctious guy didn’t even know him. “Sooo Mirage, tell me more about yourself.”

“Really?” Mirage questioned, his optics squinting. Mirage didn’t know where to start, he was so used to everyone assuming that he was just a traitor or nothing but an elite. Bee scooted closer and got all excited to listen to whatever Mirage had to say.

A little while later

“You can create illusions? Scrap that’s cool.” Bee laughed as he was messing around with the projector on Mirage’s shoulder, Mirage cocked his head to the side confused why was this happening but he was denying it felt nice to be seen more than just a former elite.

Mirage felt like he should recognised this guy though.

“Bee who’s this?” A deep voice came up, Mirage turned around in sync with Bee. The last person he was expecting was his idol, one of the reasons he joined the autobots. He dropped his plate, it shattered on the floor as he made eye contact with THE Optimus Prime. Then it hit Mirage like a truck, pun intended but Bee was literally Optimus Prime’s right hand man. The autobot always seen by Optimus Prime’s side. Loyal to the end unlike Megatron.

“Oh Orion this is Mirage, he’s my new friend. We definitely should take him to one of our missions, he has illusion based powers.” Bee chirped as he smacked Mirage back. Mirage finally gain his voice as he did a meek little wave and squeaked out, “Hi.”

Optimus Prime smiled a bit, he didn’t seem like what everyone talked about. He didn’t seem scary serious like some leader that will punish someone for doing something wrong. Mirage was excited inside but trying to keep a chill exterior on the outside to not look absolutely insane.

Mirage finally got up to his feet and stuck his hand out. He got the courage to finally talk a bit more than just saying ‘hi.’

“Hello Optimus I am just in awe, i heard so much about you and i saw everything go down. And I believe you should have won that race.”

Optimus frowned confused on what Mirage was talking about, he wasn’t in any races recently. Mirage got scared that he had offended Optimus so he shifted the conversation with nervous ramblings about random life stuff. Bee found this amusing and asked, “Optimus i think you are his idol or something, can he join us please?”

Mirage took that his cue to shut up and pray that his idol would consider him on his closer team. He felt like his whole life was finally turning around for the best and-

“Mirage why did you join this war?”

Mirage blinked confused but he explained, “I joined because I saw how everything went down that day, the day you became a prime.”

“Is that all?” This was the side that everyone talked about well at least the ones that met Optimus, he was so serious leader to the point it was intimidating. Mirage felt like his top answer wasn’t good enough.

“Well I also- I used to be an elite, i never agreed with how the miners were treated differently. I was afraid of doing anything back then in fear of my own class hating me but now that we have no difference I want to fix my past mistakes. I also just saw you as some figure i wanted to become, i saw how you spared your best- ex best friend and how you spared him despite him betraying you. Out of everyone I thought that maybe you would consider giving me a second chance. To let me show everyone that i am more than my past.” Mirage spoke, getting quieter and quieter, smaller and smaller under Optimus gaze. This was intimidating to explain his reasons for joining a war.

Optimus’s gaze softened, he placed his hand on Mirage’s shoulder. Squeezing it gently.

“I heard how everyone talked about you. I sent Bee to test how you would act. You are nothing like how the other’s described.”

Mirage brightened up, he finally felt some of that burden lift off his shoulders but some still stuck on him, closely where it was still a nagging thought.

“Mirage you are joining us now!” Bee shouted excitedly and Mirage smiled even more.

…

Mirage watched as Optimus was injured and Rachet was fixing his pal up.

“Primus Orion, you need to be more careful. I swear you almost got yourself killed what were you thinking taking on that many decepticons.” Rachet muttered as he used other parts from fallen decepticons to fix Optimus Prime.

Mirage never seen this before because very few medics were allowed to do this and very few autobots were allowed this. He noticed that the more that Optimus got the new abilities he got from the fallen Cybertronians and he also seemed to get a lot more taller because Rachet kept on adding more and more.

Mirage wondered if the decepticons did the same thing.

Chapter Text

Mirage watched as Noah paced inside of the abandoned building.

“Mirage what are we going to do? We can’t go back to my tia’s house. I don’t want to lead that thing to her and risk getting people hurt.” Noah ran his fingers through his hair, Mirage wanted to sooth the stress that he could see his friend was going through.

Mirage also wanted to answer the question his friend asked about why he didn’t ask for help, that old bot really messed him up all these years. He rarely asked for help and it was harder when it was Noah the one offering.

“Well we should get the gang down here, Mirage do you think you could do that?” Noah asked as he turned to face the autobot that was kneeling before him staring down. Noah felt his hands suddenly got clammy and he felt like it was hard to swallow with how his friend was looking at him. Mirage considered it before he answered, “Do you really think they could get here in time? This will have to be a me thing to do.”

“An us thing to do, Mirage I am right here and we are doing this together. Home team remember?” Noah corrected, he felt nervous now that Mirage was going to do this by himself. He didn’t want to see his friend hurt again. Having to rebuild Mirage was already hard enough but having to do it again would be heartbreaking for Noah to do again. With this time there was no back up so Mirage could actually die.

Flashback to towards the beginning of Noah repairing Mirage

“I got this okay, I got this,” Noah spoke as he struggled to not cry, he knew his friend depended on him for this. He was getting frustrated because one of the wires wouldn’t work and he was afraid he had sent Reed to get the wrong one. He got out from under of what remained from Mirage. He felt frustrated and upset, he wanted yell or scream. He just wanted his friend back, he felt like it was his fault that Mirage got hurt.

“Pollito are you in here?” Breanna called out softly as she peeped her head into Reed’s garage, she had a container with dinner for her eldest since Noah has not been home all day since dawn. She saw Noah sitting against the broken car frame, his face buried in his hands. Her face softened as she walked up, she squatted down and ran her fingers through her son’s hair. “Noah, you can take a break you know? It’s alright.”

“It’s not mami, I just…” Noah paused, he couldn’t tell his mother that he was repairing an alien who happened to be his now Best friend. Mirage deserved that title for risking his life for Noah. It was so STUPID why did Mirage put himself between Scourge and Noah, he got hit so many times that Noah felt like that it was all his fault for getting caught by the Terrorcon. Breanna could see that her son was troubled but she didn’t know what to do to help, she knew that he was hiding something from her, she didn’t push to hard. “Is it some friend problems, the car or work?”

Noah swallowed trying to think, he had so much on his plate to worry about, he had an interview soon that he should be worrying about but Mirage took up so much space up in his mind. He feels like a terrible son and brother.

“I am worried about a friend,” Noah answered, he was going to be honest this time to his mother but he was going to leave out some details about the whole aliens. Breanna sat next to her son and took his hands, massaging them as she asked, “What happened?”

“My friend got into a bad accident during our trip to Peru, I don’t think he will pull through Mami and it’s all my fault that he’s in his condition,” Noah began as tears began to stream down his face at the thought of losing his best friend, he was scared that Mirage wasn’t going to come back. Breanna squeezed her son’s hands, she knew that Noah was hurting but this was a lot more than she expected. “Oh Noah, come here.”

She wasn’t used to seeing her son like this, this was the first time since his father’s death that he was crying like this. She hugged her son close, Noah buried his face into his mother’s neck sobbing and hiccuping.

Meanwhile Mirage was drifting in and out of unconsciousness, he heard everything and could fill in some gaps by himself. He heard Noah crying which was new but he knew that he is going to pull through even if it meant forcing himself to move with broken parts.

End of Flashback

Noah was staring right into optics of his friend’s, he didn’t know why but something just didn’t feel the same. Something felt different if Mirage got hurt this time like how he got hurt back in Peru.

“Mirage, we are home team, it is not you team or me team, we are doing this together.” Noah stated firmly as Mirage blinked, the autobot exhaled letting a big gust of wind blowing up the dust on the ground. Mirage answered, “Yes, we are doing this together.”

He didn’t sound so sure about it. That was because he was debating on putting Noah somewhere safe where Ravage couldn’t get him. He would rather storm the front lines with no weapons into direct fire of the enemy than let Noah get hurt, he knew that he couldn’t let his friend get hurt. It would kill him to see Noah injured more than he is.

…

The metal scraping against the concrete screeching loudly with sparks flying everywhere, Ravage growled as the communication device is faulty. It finally flickered to life as Megatron was on the other side finally picking the call up.

“Ravage tell me you have good news,” Megatron spoke, his voice sounding like he was hacked off. Something must have happened to have him sound so livid. His jaundice eyes glared down at his warrior. Ravage’s metal tongue glided over his teeth as he answered, “I have found an autobot. The enemy may have set Earth as their base.”

“That is good, I assumed you haven’t exterminated the autobot yet? I need to make sure that Earth is the base and not just one loner crash landing there.” Megatron questioned, his eyes narrowing. He had a hunch that Ravage was an idiot and killed the autobot but he was surprised to hear, “No sir. The autobot proved to be a worthy opponent and he seemed to be… getting associated with the vermin on this planet called humans. The humans are fragile and weak, they also scream when in pain, loudly. They can’t heal themselves ”

Megatron snorted as he knew that if this was true, Noah was in for a heap of danger along with Mirage.

“Well if he seems to be close with this human don’t be afraid to use it against him. We need to end this war and I am only hoping this autobot has information about Optimus’s location.”

The hologram call ended, Ravage let out a static cackle as he left the dark area he was camping out at. Passing by broken machinery he had taken bites out of to increase his size.

The whole time he was tracking down Mirage and Noah, his thoughts were full of malice intentions of wanting to break the human to get information. He could only imagine what the inside of a human looks like again and if Mirage knew what the innards of a human looked like. Ravage got a glimpse after he had landed in the ocean and ran into a beach goer, if only the beach goer wasn’t there they wouldn’t have experience the pain of being a human size cat scratcher. It was the wrong place, wrong time for them.

Ravage found that the humans are squishy and full of crimson red liquid the spews so much and so easily like a fountain.

Noah was on top of his list of the next thing he wanted to sink his claws or fangs into, like the poor beach goer.

…

“Okay so how are we going to take this guy down?” Noah questioned and paced around, Mirage was trying to think as well. His illusions would be useless in this situation since Ravage could also do illusions. They were stumped till a photo fell out of Noah’s back pocket, it fluttered to the floor. Noah noticed and grabbed it, it was a picture of him and Mirage at the Hollywood sign. His lips curled up into a smile then he realised something.

He got the hand held blaster from his jacket pocket letting it grow on him.

“Mirage can you look over here?” Noah called out pointing the blaster at Mirage’s face, Mirage did so and proceeded to get flashed by the blasters bright light stunning him. His optics readjusted and he frowned. “Now what was that for?”

“Do you think Ravage has the same reaction as you? We can stun him a few times that way you can lay hits on him.” Noah suggested as he grinned wider at his little genius idea. Mirage considered it, it works for most Cybertronians being blasted with bright lights suddenly, sure if repeated too much it could potentially become predictable and useless but it was an opportunity. “Okay this is a perfect starting point we have something now that he doesn’t know. You got the blaster i gave you and I have my headlights.”

Mirage turned the lights on his chest and shoulders, they were indeed bright together and would do a perfect job at stunning Ravage hopefully long enough to sway the battle.

They continued talking about the game plans till Noah was getting very visibly tired, his eyes being droopy and yawning occasionally since they had done a lot in the day and the battle was insanely draining.

“Noah, you are tired and I need to recharge, we can’t stay here but I can transform find somewhere safe for us to sleep. There’s no arguing with me on this,” Mirage stated as he reached his hand out to Noah, wanting to pull him close. Noah noticed the outreached hand, he took it and nodded. “Yeah, we can’t fight this guy without some rest.”

Mirage transformed into the car with a bit of struggle but managed after Noah helped push his leg into place. He climbed inside of Mirage’s backseats, laying on top and muttering, “Thanks Raj’.”

“It’s nothing Noah,” Mirage responded, his voice becoming soft as he began to drive away from the empty building they were hiding in. Mirage drove around Los Angeles till he found this empty alleyway that no one has touched for god knows how long. He puts on his invisibility cloaking mode on appearing as some beat up van covered in graffiti with the tires missing.

Mirage couldn’t power down that easily, he was listening to his surroundings trying not to get jumpy when he heard rats scurrying around or the occasional city life sounds. For all he knew Ravage could be around the corner. Mirage knew that Decepticons were not stupid, Ravage could have sensed that Noah was valuable to him. That only stressed the autobot out thinking that Noah could get hurt because of their bond.

He also needed to get down to the true feelings he felt towards Noah, he was confused and annoyed because he didn’t understand how he could care about Noah so much as if they were the same species. Mirage is a cybertronian and Noah is human, it is simple as that, right?

But no, Mirage has only felt the way he feels about Noah with one Cybertronian on Cybertron at least a few thousand cycles ago. A random cybertronian civilian just walking around helping and volunteering in the medic bay area. It was just one of those afar crushes nothing special. But what Mirage had with Noah was a lot more special.

Noah was a lot more than afar crush, it was too much for Mirage to handle. Mirage tried to think when this whole swirl of feelings came from but it was simple. Their first introduction, Noah getting in and feeling the wheel up. Mirage remembered feeling stunned and he has never been touched by a human like that. Being sat on and have random humans slap Mirage did nothing but Noah was different, those calloused hands that have seen years of hard work made Mirage began to fall slowly.

Everything started slow but it snowballed more and more over the time they have been friends. Mirage looked in the rear view mirror at his sleeping friend, the soft features of Noah being all relaxed, dreaming maybe. Mirage didn’t dream but if he could, he wants Noah to be in there.

‘Fuck what did i get myself into,’ Mirage thought to himself, it was obvious to him now. Best friends don’t think of each other romantically, picking up slang yes but not craving more touch. ‘I am so screwed.’

Morning came faster after Mirage powered down and went into stasis, he decided to play a few memories on his processor trying to mimic human dreams.

A flashback of a week before Kris went to school

Noah was tinkering away with computer that had Reek dropped off, the new house that he had moved his family into had a garage. The garage was hot and muggy, sweat was dripping down his back and chest. His shirt sticking to his body. Mirage had woke up from his short stasis or what humans call naps maybe a few minutes ago. He was laid out in his Cybertronian form, leisurely and moving his feet and wiggling his equivalent of toes. His optics drifted around lazily till he spotted Noah.

‘Hot damn,’ Mirage thought to himself, ‘Why is Noah all wet?’

He rolled over till he was on his hands and knees, crawling over quietly till he was practically on top of his friend like some clingy lap dog.

“Why are you all wet?” Mirage asked, Noah did not hear the autobot move around because he was so focused on the computer that he let out a yell and accidentally dropped his tools with a loud clattering noises. He turned around in his chair and chuckled, “Jesus man, trying to give me a heart attack? How can you be so massive and made from metal yet be so quiet?”

“It’s a part of a skill set that i have, i can be stealthy and sneaky when i want to. Why are you all wet?” Mirage answered before he asked his question again, he was all up and personal with Noah.

‘Raj remind me to teach you about personal space,’ Noah thought to himself with a smile, he looked down on himself. He was indeed soaked through with sweat, he felt gross and sticky. “I am sweating Mirage.”

“What is sweat?” Mirage of course didn’t understand the concept of sweat, Cybertronians didn’t do that they just cooled themselves down with the fans inside of their chest or they get out of the warm area. Noah chuckled, “When i or humans i guess, when we get hot. Our bodies sweat and we cool off. Me being all wet is just my body telling me that I am hot.”

“When i get hot i just do this,” Mirage responded as he turned on the fans in his chest, cold air escaped his vent hitting Noah. It was relief and Noah closed his eyes, letting out a soft hum, “Mm.”

Mirage noticed how Noah looked happy so he continued. “Does that feel good?”

“It feels amazing Raj’ can you just keep on doing that?” Noah groaned softly as he just relaxed and felt his body being cooled down by his friend. Mirage continued and scanned the computer Noah was working on. “Noah what is Reek giving you these days, that looks like absolute crap.”

Noah’s body shook as he couldn’t hold back his laughter, lowering and pressing his forehead against Mirage’s chest. His wheeze and funky laugh.

“What’s so funny Noah?”

“You saying crap and how you are right that this busted up computer is crap,” Noah chuckled as he leaned back, he pushed the sweaty curls out of his face. “I think you have been around me for too long because you saying ‘crap’ is new. I am way too used to hearing you say scrap or Primus.”

“Yeah what can i say i have been around you for a few months, cramped up in this garage,” Mirage chuckled as he mused Noah’s hair a bit. His hand drifted down to Noah’s chest, his fingers grazing over where Noah’s heart lie. Mirage’s fingers stopped when he felt slight movement. “What’s this?”

Noah raised an eyebrow as he looked at where his friend’s finger stopped at.

“It’s my chest,” Noah answered as he didn’t know what Mirage was getting at. “I know that is your chest but I feel something, beating you know?”

“Oh you are feeling my heart beat,” Noah chuckled softly as he looked up at Mirage’s optics to see they were staring at his chest. “You don’t got that don’t you?”

“I have something similar but you can’t feel it that easily as yours I guess,” Mirage responded as he finally looked into Noah’s eyes. “It’s my spark, I am assuming you saw it once while repairing me.”

“Yeah, it was something bright and blue almost white.” Noah confirmed, “So it pulsates and beat like mine?”

Mirage paused and nodded, his chest shifting. Metal clinking together before his chest opened up to show the bright shining spark in his chest. It glowed brightly, almost blinding Noah till his eyes finally adjusted slightly, sure enough it pulsed but it was different, it didn’t move but it seemed to get lighter and darker. It would probably beat like a heart if it wasn’t some shining bright light.

Noah didn’t know but this was a very vulnerable position for Mirage, the spark was very sensitive and was fragile. Noah could easily hurt Mirage if he wanted to but he didn’t just like Mirage knew.

This was the slow first start of Mirage getting vulnerable with Noah.

End of flashback

Mirage booted out of his stasis to the feeling of Noah stirring, it was the movement that made him assumed Noah was awake. Noah stretched and Mirage whispered softly, “Morning, how did you sleep?”

“I slept pretty good, good morning.” Noah responded, his voice sounding tired and drowsy. Sitting up to stretch more, his back popping and cracking. He lazily opened his eyes, trying to shake off the sleep. He almost forgot about Ravage till he felt the soreness in his body, his mood soured and he muttered, “Fuck why the hell did our vacation have to be ruined by what are they called again?”

“Decepticons.”

“Yeah why the fuck do the decepticons have to ruin our trip?” Noah groaned as he buried his face into his hands, sick and tired of the shit he is put through. First the terrorcons and now the decepticons. Mirage chuckled and he agreed, “Yeah they are glitches to deal with. Let me find somewhere so you can eat. I may not have to eat anything but you do.”

“Thanks Raj’ I know i could always depend on you,” Noah replied with his mood lightening up, Mirage felt his spark burn brighter.

He knows he shouldn’t feel this way about Noah, but Mirage couldn’t help it after he realised how much he feels about Noah. A little too much.

Chapter Text

Mirage was driving around trying to find a good place and a good place that would be open at 9 am since everything seem to open at 10 am for some frustrating reason. The sidewalks having signs out to different restaurants and cafes but none of them felt right.

“Mirage I swear it’s like you are trying to find some place to eat instead of me, I told you I am not picky. I can just go into a gas station and get like some crappy pre-made ham and cheese sandwich. You are acting like I need the best of the best,” Noah chuckled as Mirage shot down the suggestion of another gas station and small shop, he wanted to find a nice breakfast shop that would mean something to Noah. With a menu that would fit Noah, he was going up and down every single street. For a bot who lacks patience he was being extremely patient finding the perfect place.

He stopped when he saw the perfect place, it wasn’t the prettiest on the outside but he saw somethings that he knew that Noah would like. He pulled up into a parking spot that was practically front row, feeling proud of himself of not only finding the perfect place but finding parking that wasn’t far away from the place.

“Hm maybe I am going a little crazy but I think I see a Puerto Rican flag in the window. Were you trying to find me something special like this to make me like you more?” Noah chuckled and lightly teased, Mirage had a processor fry and sheepishly admitted, “Maybe…”

“Some times I Wonder how i could get such a perfect best friend.” Noah smiled and got out of the car, going inside the small shop, it was a small family owned Puerto Rican breakfast shop. He knew it was good the minute he saw the little old abuelita behind the counter and how the shop smelled like his childhood when his tias and mother would make him traditional Puerto Rican dishes from the home country.

“Hola, buenos dias!” Noah called out, announcing his presence to the old lady and her family behind the counter. They all got excited at the sight of the first customer of the day. Treating Noah like he was family, the abuelita chiding him for not eating enough and looking too skinny. Giving him a bigger portion.

…

Noah took such a long time inside and came out with a massive soup contained full of his breakfast and a coffee. He sat down inside of the car and chuckled, “God Mirage, you definitely chose the best place so far. They were the sweetest people, they would have-”

Noah stopped because he sometimes forget that people would be terrified of Mirage, Mirage caught it too and he felt awkward being reminded that he kinda isn’t invited to Earth.

“I’m glad you enjoy it, lemme find a place where you can eat,” Mirage replied as he began to drive around till he found an empty parking lot behind some buildings, “You can use my rear spoiler to set your food down.”

“Alright? This a special occasion or something?” Noah joked with a half smile, he got out and went to the back. Setting his food and drink on Mirage’s rear spoiler, he hopped on top as Mirage asked, “So Noah what did you get?”

“Crema de maiz y cafe con crema,” Noah responded as he popped the lid off the cup to his crema de maiz, he took a big inhale. It was the simple traditional meal that he loved so much, he remembered his mother making a lot of crema de maiz and he would complain when he was little but it seemed like now he was practically begging for it constantly. Mirage wasn’t the best on his Spanish but he could fill in the spaces with how similar it sounded to English. Noah took in a mouth full and practically melted at how good it was, he could tell that it was homemade and not the processed crap that could never compare. He loved how much butter was in it.

It was a nice peaceful, Noah was eating his breakfast and sipping on his coffee. Mirage was silent and he was itching to have a conversation, Noah knew that his friend was a little too quiet.

“Raj’ is there something on your mind?” Noah questioned as he set his hand down, he keeps on forgetting the back of the car was the equivalent of Mirage’s ass so the autobot almost revved his engine from embarrassment. He blurted out in a way that made Noah suspicious, “No! Of course not. I am just sitting in my thoughts y’know. Letting you eat n stuff.”

“¡Embuste!” Noah laughed as he rolled his eyes, Mirage definitely didn’t know what that meant but by Noah’s tone it sounded like he probably said bullshit or something. “Raj’ you never think quietly, you are always telling me what’s on your mind. Trust me Mirage, your boy knows you way too well.”

‘Primus, Noah if you only knew how I felt,’ Mirage thought to himself knowing that he did hide some stuff from Noah, there was something else on his mind and it was the question that Noah asked yesterday.

“I am thinking about yesterday,” Mirage began, Noah frowned and wondered what part of yesterday the autobot could be thinking about. There was so many things that went down yesterday so it wasn’t the easiest figuring out what. “I am sorry I was avoiding your question about the whole… help situation.”

Noah didn’t know why his friend was apologising, he had originally assumed that yesterday Mirage was being all cocky and over confident. Taking a bigger bite than he could swallow.

“Well Raj’ you don’t gotta apologise I mean I was being an ass for trying to pressure you for an answer, I should be the one apologising. I don’t deserve your reasoning for what you do and all, it’s just I feel like maybe…” Noah responded as he wished that Mirage wasn’t in his car form, he wanted to talk to his face. He gripped his cup a bit trying to find the words to maybe comfort his friend because he was barely realising how pushy he may have been coming off as the previous day. Mirage continued, “It’s alright, I think I just wasn’t ready. I do have an answer but I sometimes feel like if I be honest, I am afraid you won’t see me… I just…”

‘Fuck why do words have to be so difficult?’ Mirage thought to himself, he felt like he couldn’t stop stumbling over his words and it was embarrassing. Why is it so hard to just open up? Mirage knew that Noah was always saying that they should tackle things together. Home team.

“I just feel like if I tell you the truth, I am afraid you’ll think differently of me.” Mirage managed out, Noah listened to this and for some reason interpreted it as two ways but he knew that one of them didn’t make any sense for the situation. He was going to go for the neutral one because it would be a bit weird to assume his friend swung in certain ways. Noah set his cup down, letting out a large exhale before giving his friend a, “Raj’ whatever you tell me, I will still be by your side. C’mon remember what we say, home team.”

“I was afraid that if I asked for your help that you would view me as weak,” Mirage let out getting the heavy burden off his mind, now all he could do is wait to see how Noah would treat him when he displayed the most vulnerable side of himself. He might as well be offering his spark for Noah to hold and take care of, Noah could easily hurt Mirage if he wanted to. It was a leap of faith for Mirage.

“Mirage,” Noah began his voice softening, “You are one of the bravest people I know, I don’t know that many people who would have risked their life like how you did. You would never be weak if you asked for help from me.”

Mirage could finally release the breath he had been holding for way too long, he finally felt like he could breathe. When he did it just all came crashing down, the one person he trusted could finally see him. Not the mask he constantly put up. Noah could feel the car under him shake and tremble.

“Mirage hey it’s okay,” Noah reassured as he found out that Cybertronians could cry because he heard noises that sounded similar to what he assumed to be Mirage crying. It was confirmed when the autobot began to ramble and hiccup similar to a human, “I just- I was scared and I didn’t want you view me differently. I just constantly feel like I need to be perfect to you and everyone.”

“Mirage we all got our flaws and trust me, I am not perfect either. It’s only right if we accept each other’s flaws,” Noah responded as he turned around and rubbed the hood, he assumed that he was rubbing Mirage’s back hopefully. The autobot didn’t realise till now how much he was truly bottling his emotions, he knew that if Noah took a peak under the car he would see the puddle of cybertronian tears. It didn’t help that Noah was using Mirage’s name instead of one of the silly nicknames or the shortened version of his name. “Mirage just let it all out, it’s okay I am here.”

Noah grabbed his stuff and wasted no time to get inside of Mirage, he set his trash on the passenger seat and the cup of now lukewarm coffee in the cup holder.

Note to anyone, when a cybertronian lets out a loud cry, it’s loud enough for a whole neighborhood to hear. Noah winced at the volume of how Mirage cried, he sat through it rubbing the dashboard and muttering words of encouragement and it started blurring into a territory of where Mirage was getting confused on if Noah saw him more than a friend.

“It’s okay, you are not going to lose me by crying or asking for help. Just let it all out, remember we are home team. I will help you get through this and I just want you to be happy and comfortable. You aren’t alone,” Noah whispered softly, Mirage could only imagine that if he was in his cybertronian form that he would want to hold Noah close. Have his helm pressed against the human’s forehead or to hold his hand, he craved to be closer, so much closer.

He could no longer hear the old bot’s voices or the degrading comments, all he could hear is Noah’s comforting words. Soon he finally calmed down allowing the silence to consume the two, for once he didn’t mind this silence. Mirage’s spark burned so much brighter than it ever has.

There was a period where neither of them wanted to speak up, it was till Mirage murmured, “I think there is only one bad thing about this whole situation.”

“What is it?”

“I have been wanting to crack a joke but I was crying so much that i forgot what I was going to say,” Mirage began to laugh a bit, Noah couldn’t take his friend seriously to the point he busted out into chuckles. Pressing his forehead against the wheel as he shook his head. “You are such a goofball Raj’, you and that stupid humour.”

“Oh but don’t you love my charming and stupid humour?” Mirage joked as he felt free to be himself fully. He got flustered when Noah responded, “Raj’ I love you flaws and all, even your stupid humour.”

‘Primus I wished you meant that romantically so badly,’ Mirage whined in his thoughts as his spark felt unimaginably hot. His thoughts were disturbed by the feeling of someone watching them, Noah got the same feeling as Mirage.

“I think I was enjoying our moment a little too much that I kinda forgot that Ravage existed,” Noah chuckled forcefully before he groaned in frustration because he didn’t want to spend his time fighting a Decepticon. Mirage responded, “Why did you have to remind me?”

Mirage revved his engine a bit.

“You ready to kick this asshole’s ass back to Cybertron, home team?” Mirage mused, Noah smiled and answered, “Nothing sounds better to do it with you. Home team.”

Noah grabbed onto the safety handles as Mirage did some donuts in the empty parking lot, his engine revving so long that it sounded like the roar that most women associated that the driver was compensating for something by owning a loud car. Noah didn’t care because it was Mirage and he made a silent promise that he would accept his friend’s flaws and perfections.

The car took off driving around.

…

“God we have been driving for such a long time, when is this Hairless Meowgatron,” Mirage grumble as the thrill of earlier wore off, Noah was also a bit bummed because the donuts did pump him up a lot. He was looking around and yet he couldn’t see Ravage any where. Noah mumbled, “For someone so big and menacing I assumed he would have attacked already.”

“He’s probably waiting for us to let our guard down, he’s such a wuss.” Mirage turned onto a more empty road, it was getting a bit boring so maybe a small conversation wouldn’t hurt too much. “When I joined the war, I dealt with a lot of hate in my sector. No one liked me.”

Noah frowned and looked at the radio where Mirage’s voice was coming from.

“Really? I assumed that you would be… well how come?” Noah was confused because Mirage wasn’t really hate-able unless you couldn’t tolerate the jokes and the sass. Noah despite being terrified of Mirage when they first met, Mirage was like-able. Funny and had a certain charm Noah has never encountered by anyone even his own species. Mirage clicked and chuckled, “Well I am a former elite. In their eyes they thought that I was only there to rise the ranks and have power over them.”

Mirage was a lot of things to Noah, being power hungry wasn’t one of those things.

“I’ll be honest, I almost considered dropping out from the war and finding somewhere else to work. I am glad I didn’t though because I think I have found my whole world, in a small package size.”

“Oh that’s sweet of- HEY! I am not short you are just massive!” Noah began finding that Mirage called him was sweet, a little romantic sounding but sweet just to realise that Mirage called him short. Mirage began to laugh to the point the car frame trembled and swerving on the road a bit. “Well going back to me being out in war and seeing a lot of stuff. I watched a comrade that was mean to me die right in front of me, I should have hated them but seeing them hurt shook me.”

Noah quieted down to listen to the rest of what Mirage needed to say.

“Where I am going with this is that, I am afraid of asking for help but I think I am more scared of losing you.” Mirage turned again on a road that led to an area that was a bit filthy and there was not that many people in the area. Noah didn’t like the road too much because it was a little too empty and quiet for his liking. “Noah, my ma didn’t raise a quitter, it will be hard to get rid of me.”

Mirage smiled to himself knowing that Noah couldn’t see it. He just kept on falling deeper and deeper into the hole he was digging.

“I am glad that I can have you on my side instead of the government who wants to treat me like some lab rat.”

“You would be a massive overgrown lab rat.”

“Hey!” Mirage laughed at the comment of being a big lab rat. Noah opened his mouth to say something else but it hit them both way harder than expected.

Noah’s world went black.

Flashback

Noah was sitting at his work bench eating a paleta watching his little brother mess around with the massive mixed match coloured Cybertronian.

“Noah, when are we going to introduce Mirage to ma?” Kris asked as he turned to look at his older brother, Noah frowned and raised an eyebrow. “Kris, she would freak out if she found out that my best friend is a robot alien from outer space.”

“I think we gotta warm her up to the idea first then. I mean she loves the movie E.T,” Kris pouted, Mirage shot Kris a glare. He hated being compared to the little alien in the basket, Noah noticed that look and he laughed, “Raj’ you seriously need to relax, you are acting like we are calling you ugly when we compare you to E.T.”

“Find a different alien to compare me to then!” Mirage huffed as he crossed his arms, Noah had a crooked grin as he licked the paleta in his hand. He was really trying to think of an alien that he could compare Mirage too that isn’t ugly. He shrugged and chuckled, “I can’t think of an alien that is as good looking as you.”

“See exactly no one can compare to this face,” Mirage responded as he pointed to his face before joking? “Just like I can’t find a single human that can compare to my boy.”

There was a bit of a back and forth banter between Noah and Mirage that sounded like borderline flirting. Kris was just awkwardly sitting there, sometimes he can never tell when his brother means this stuff or if he is joking with Mirage.

End of flashback

Chapter Text

The world felt like it went still, nothing made sense. Noah looked around confused of where he was, he put his hands on Mirage’s wheel. Mirage was speeding down the street like their lives depended on it while an old Lincoln car, it looked like one of those cars that Noah would see in Brooklyn filled with a small family. It didn’t look so threatening till he finally processed that Mirage was shouting.

“Noah are you okay!” The autobot was freaking out because they got t-boned, hard. Noah had whacked his head extremely hard on the door and had passed out. He was confused and dazed because he had woke up. Noah finally managed out, “Yes I am fine.”

Mirage was freaking out, he was going 80 in a 40 zone, they would be in a world of trouble if a police saw the little speed chase. The car behind them was Ravage because he transformed back into his cybertronian form. The asphalt cracked and broke under the weight of Ravage. The malice intent in the Decepticon’s optics made Mirage feel uncomfortable and nervous for Noah’s safety.

“Primus I hate tri-form Cybertronians,” Mirage muttered as he did a sharp turn causing Noah to almost hit his head again but luckily Noah got ready for any more sharp turns. He asked in a frantic tone, “What?!”

“El Dangerflouf has 3 different forms,” Mirage muttered as he was avoiding Ravage’s claws, Mirage was fast but he didn’t know if he was fast enough because Ravage was covering way too much ground. “Noah I am heading to the building from last night, when I tell you get ready to be swung around and run while I distract Ravage.”

Noah would have protested but he was in pain, his head was absolutely pounding and he felt dazed.

Mirage swung into the empty building from yesterday, the tire marks being left behind and pulling up dust. Mirage transformed while carrying Noah in his arms, maneuvering around quickly to put him down and to grab Ravage. Mirage slammed into the ground grabbing the neck avoiding the snapping jaws but he wasn’t able to protect himself off from the claws.

Noah got far enough away to get a breather, his head was spinning like his world was placed on a spin top. He turned around to see Mirage wrestle the Decepticon, his chest getting slashed at. Wincing in pain as wires were snapped. Noah then remembered their plan from the night before

“Raj’ use your head lights!” He shouted, his voice echoing. The autobot immediately turned his head lights on and it momentarily blinded Ravage letting Mirage buck him off and toss him into a concrete pillar. The pillar cracked the floor above was beginning to fall down, Mirage was then blinded by the dust going up and struggled to see Ravage. Losing contact.

When the dust settled Ravage was no where to be seen, Mirage scanned around and cursed as he knew that Ravage wouldn’t just leave a fight so soon.

He was invisible.

Mirage was spinning and turning around getting ready for attack, Noah on the other hand felt like something was off. He began to walk towards Mirage slowly as he felt like he was being stalked.

“Mirage.” Noah began as he activated the blaster, his friend turned around noticing the look of paranoia. Mirage looked closer noticing the formation of massive paw prints disturbing the dust trailing slowly towards Noah. “Noah.”

Mirage never said it enough but he found Noah’s eyes beautiful, they are so full of life and wonder. Now they were full of fear and understanding. No words had to be traded as Noah ducked before the blast could hit him. Ravage had to dive out of the away to miss the hit but not without doing something.

Everything felt like it was going in slow motion because Noah was slashed at by Ravage’s claws, the noise that exited his mouth wasn’t pretty. The sound of grueling agony, Noah scrambled away quick enough for Mirage to snatch him up, transforming around the man he was deeply infatuated like the battle armor. Noah opened his eyes to almost be blinded, Mirage’s most vulnerable spot, the spark.

The pain in his back was unbearable and he could feel his shirt get wet from his blood. The chamber secured Noah so he wasn’t flung around but he could occasionally get glimpses of what was happening on the outside, Mirage seemed to be pissed and putting his all into the fight with Ravage. The sound of blasting and metal clashing against metal in the most irritating way that sounded like nails on a chalk board.

…

Noah didn’t know who retreated first but Mirage transformed into a car and sped off with Noah in the backseat.

“Noah are you okay!? You are… you are leaking every where from your back!” Mirage stated worried, he was scared because he had told himself that he wasn’t going to let Noah get hurt in this whole mess. Yet here was Noah on his stomach, his shirt almost ripped to shreds in the back.

“It’s alright Raj’ I just need to rest, I’ll be back in no time,” Noah huffed as he tried not to make a sound as he reached around to touch the large gashes in his back. His fingers coming back stained and covered in the pure crimson. Noah wheezed, he couldn’t speak normally from the world of pain he was experiencing, tears welling up in his eyes. “Raj’ do you still have the first aid kit? You are going to have to patch me up.”

Mirage was quiet from how much he was internally panicking, Ravage had told him something that truly terrified him down to the core.

“Raj?”

“Yes I can patch you up, I kept the first aid still along with your camera,” Mirage blurted out, he was trying to think how to tell Noah or if he should just hide Noah from the whole thing. Mirage silently fussed in his mind trying to think but he was running on fear and something similar to human adrenaline, ‘I need to tell him but Primus…’

The drive was painstaking and Mirage found a new alleyway that looked even worse than the last one but it was a lot more hidden. He transformed gently cradling Noah, making sure to avoid jostling him or touching the wounds before setting him down on a close dumpster. Noah was the luckiest man alive, the slash marks managed to nearly miss his spine by an inch. He would have been paralyzed horribly but when he ducked he went sideways missing the spine. Three massive claw marks that were oozing the sticky hot blood, Noah was grabbing the fabric of his pants as Mirage hooked a single digit under the shirt. Carefully tugging it up only scrapping against the cuts once.

“What do I do?” Mirage asked as he wanted to cry, it was his fault for losing sight on Ravage. He should have been more careful and maybe Noah being injured wouldn’t have happened. “I can disinfect it, i just need you to wipe my back and tell me if it looks like I need stitches.”

Noah took a deep breath, opening the first aid kit. The bottle of disinfectant sloshed around, he was ready for a world of pain. He popped the cap off, he proceeded to squirt it on the open cuts the best he could, hissing in pain.

“Okay tell me what to do now,” Mirage spoke as he looked at the cuts, he didn’t know if they needed stitches, he never gotten stitches before. “I think I will wrap one of your fingers with the cotton pads.”

Noah turned around and looked at how Mirage was on his knees and hands leaning towards him. Mirage was a lot closer than expected. The cybertronian placed his hand on Noah’s chest gingerly as if Noah was made out of glass. Mirage could feel the erratic rhythm of Noah’s heartbeat, the way it raced. ‘He’s alive. It’s okay Mirage pull yourself together, Noah needs me.’

Noah placed his hand on Mirage’s, it was quiet. Sure they had to hurry up before Ravage hunts them down again but Mirage never wanted this moment to end, he wanted Noah close now. He wanted to do what humans do in the movies whenever they finished a battle.

“I am going to start wrapping your finger,” Noah stated as his free hand brought the cotton pads to Mirage’s pointer digit. Wrapping it firmly before turning around, bracing himself for however painful it was going to be.

Mirage stared at the wounds, the bleeding had slowed down but it now looked like Noah shitted blood all over the trash bin that he was sitting on top of.

Noah winced and groaned quietly in pain as Mirage cleaned up the blood.

“Noah how bad does it hurt?” The autobot asked quietly, Noah was questioning how close his friend was because it sounded like he was close enough to be talking right in his ear. “Well it hurts but I know I’ll leave. Probably leave scars.”

“Scars?” Mirage knew what scars where, he didn’t have to ask but he knew that for Noah they would most likely be massive. Mirage knew that the freckles were going to be most likely destroyed. “Will your freckles come back?”

Noah frowned at this question but regardless he answered, “No, I doubt it.”

“Oh.”

“You sounded disappointed,” Noah commented as he smiled a bit. Mirage stopped momentarily before cleaning around the edges of the wounds.

“Well I do like your freckles, I like counting them. Your little star markings.” Noah was feeling flattered by the compliment, it got him smiling a little too much. He joked lightheartedly, “If I didn’t know any better Raj’ I would ask if you are in love with me.”

Mirage’s optics almost popped out as he knew he had to cover up his tracks.

“Oh that’s silly man, we are best friends. Y’know friends compliment each other and be each other’s hype men.” Mirage excused, hell he didn’t even think it sounded believable. Noah could tell that was a load of bullshit but he kept quiet about this.

“Well I still got more freckles on me,” Noah continued as he shrugged, Mirage pulled his hand away after finishing. He scanned the injury before murmuring, “I can’t tell how to say if you need stitches or not. I think the bleeding stopped.”

“I will get it checked out once we take down Ravage,” Noah stated as he realised he needs clothing because he can’t walk around Los Angeles shirtless and with bloody pants. “Shit… I need a shirt and a fresh pair of pants. I can’t walk around like this.”

He turned around to face Mirage, leaning back on his elbows. Mirage sure would not have minded see Noah walk around shirtless but have other’s see was where he wasn’t sure about. He liked having this private viewing of the man who just makes him feel all giddy internally. Noah definitely saw that Mirage was obviously staring, he could have said something about it but he didn’t because now he was questioning something about himself.

…

Noah snuck into his tia’s house, changing and tossing some of the less important guest room. He felt bad for not spending time with his Tia more during this visit but he knew he couldn’t stay too long in fear that Ravage would hurt his family.

Mirage was maybe a few blocks away, he was on the look out for the Decepticon. His processor was busy thinking about what Ravage told him that made him retreat. Those threats towards Noah for information truly terrified Mirage to the core, the thought of Ravage killing Noah.

It was a bitter pill to swallow but Mirage was considering breaking the promise of the concept of ‘home team’ to keep Noah safe.

“Hey Knuckles is Sonic with you?” The built in walkie talkie crackled to life. Kris’s voice came in through. Mirage answered, “No he’s busy right now. What do you need Tails?”

“Um our mom is mad that Noah isn’t picking up his phone-”

“Mirage put Noah on the walkie talkie,” Breanna’s voice cut in sharply, she sounded so happy… Mirage knew that he was probably going to be stuck listening to an earful of Noah getting scolded at. He tried to think of an excuse so he blurted out, “He’s currently taking a shower, you know we were busy all day and stuff.”

“Okay and? I need to remind him to get the keys back from Reek, when he gets back.”

“I can relay the message, he’s all tired and stuff,” Mirage replied as he wanted to just end the conversation but Breanna sounded like she wanted to strangle Noah. Reek had a little problem of going inside of the Diaz apartment and being a bit loud disturbing Breanna’s sleep. Breanna sighed before changed her tone, “So how’s the trip so far? What did you guys do today?”

“Oh we went to a Puerto Rican breakfast shop this morning, then we drove around a bit nothing too much,” Mirage answered leaving it big crucial details like Noah getting injured the amount he did. “That doesn’t sound too tiring.”

True it didn’t. Mirage wished he didn’t say what he did next because he just put Noah in a world of embarrassment when he gets back home.

“Yeah he gets pretty tired riding me around,” Mirage said casually before realising how wrong it sounded on a human perspective. Kris knew what Mirage meant but poor Breanna didn’t know that Mirage could turn into a car.

“Oh my! Oh Mirage um…” Breanna stated trying to figure out where to go from there because she was not expecting to hear that. She didn’t really wanna know that her son was getting freaky with his friend like that. Mirage realised and he didn’t know where to back track from there so he immediately powered the walkie talkie off leaving Kris and Breanna hanging on the other side.

‘Noah is going to kill me..’ Mirage thought to himself as he felt the worst because out of any way to describe what Noah and him were doing all day so far. He sounded way too casual too like he had nothing to hide. ‘SHIT SHIT SHIT!’

Back to Noah, he was walking quickly on the sidewalk heading back to Mirage. He was in deep thought, ‘Does Mirage like me or am I going insane? No i am going insane we aren’t even the same species. He’s also probably straight like me.’

Noah stopped for a second to question if he himself was straight or if he viewed Mirage of a little bit more than just a friend.

“Fuck Noah pull yourself together, Raj’ is not your type. You like your own species and women,” He told himself as he tried to convince himself but he didn’t sound too sure of all of his statements. ‘Okay when I get back home, I will either like him as a friend or I ask him how he feels about me.’

Noah shoved his hands into his pockets walking a bit faster trying to not overthink everything now, sure Mirage did stare a lot but he was probably just counting the freckles on Noah’s face platonic-ally. Hell who does that platonic-ally, that sounds hella romantic if anything.

Mirage was in view of Noah, the silver porsche sitting on the road where Noah left him. He got into the driver’s seat, he couldn’t sit back as much as he wanted to without putting pressure on the wounds on his back.

“Any news Raj’?” Noah asked as he buckled up, Mirage coughed and responded, “Um no nothing of importance at this moment.”

Noah frowned because it sounded like Mirage was hiding something but there were more pressing matters and he would of said something if it was Ravage.

“Alright… well let’s get going,” He spoke as he slid his hand on the wheel, Mirage wanted to shiver as he felt that. The drive was quiet as Mirage when back into the busier parts of Los Angeles, Ravage seemed to stay out of sight which made the autobot paranoid.

Noah was Mirage’s weakness, Ravage made sure that he knew this to Mirage. Mirage couldn’t get what Ravage said out of his processor, the threat of Noah being ripped to shreds if they went somewhere secluded.

Ravage wanted Mirage’s sole focus on just Noah when he sunk his fangs deep into the chest. Puncturing lungs and letting him die a slow painful death. Mirage has been through war and the threat of the one he loved being hurt and or killed made him want to storm the fronts of a war all over again to protect Noah.

The thought of Noah not being around made Mirage started to speed up a bit as if he was pacing faster.

“Hey Raj’ slow down,” Noah warned, his voice snapped Mirage from his own prison of his mind and thoughts. The autobot realised he was almost 20 miles over the speed limit, he slowed down before coming to a full stop because of traffic.

“Well this is great,” Noah murmured as he tried to look to see what was causing traffic, his question was answered when police cars drove by along with ambulances. “Fuck there is probably an accident.”

Mirage didn’t make a comment on it but the seat belt that was on Noah tightened a bit, Noah noticed almost immediately. He placed his hand on the seat belt, rubbing his hand along the fabric.

“Noah…”

“Yes Raj’?” Noah answered as he rubbed his thumb along the threads. Mirage knew that Noah would be pissed off about what he was going to say next but it was for the sake of keeping him safe. “I don’t want you to help me with Ravage.”

“Ha ha ha, nice joke Raj’ you are not fighting him alone,” Noah state with a sarcastic laugh, his thumb stilling as he began to glare at the radio. He was not going to let Mirage fight alone.

“Noah I am not joking, I am going to find somewhere safe for you and I am going to take him down myself and by myself,” Mirage confirmed firmly not leaving room for Noah to try to argue. Noah was many things but he was not a quitter, he was stubborn as a mule. He began to argue, “No you aren’t!”

“Yes I am! The minute we are out of this traffic I am going to find somewhere safe for you and I am going to find Ravage,” Mirage shouted, the radio crackled from his anger.

“And then what? You think I will stay put and let you run straight to danger? You would be stupid to think I will just stay put and let you do something reckless,” Noah snapped as his hand gripping on tightly to the seat belt. Mirage repeated, “No you aren’t!”

“Why? Don’t give me the excuse that you don’t want to see me hurt because guess what I got hurt but I am back up.” Noah yelled as he gestured to himself. Mirage finally got it off his chassis as responded, “I don’t think you can walk off death! Ravage threatened to hurt you and kill you! I won’t be able to live with myself if you got hurt more, I don’t think I want to live in a world where i couldn’t prevent your death. I care too much about you to let you walk into danger so you are going to stay in-”

“And you think I want to live with the fact I let you practically run straight into danger? It was torture rebuilding you because Optimus, Arcee, Bumblebee, and even Wheeljack told me that there was a chance you wouldn’t come back. I let you fight Scourge alone on that bridge and it was my fault you nearly got killed. I don’t want this time to be the time you actually die. I can’t lose you,” Noah shouted as tears weld up in his eyes at the thought of actually losing Mirage, slamming his palm against the dashboard. Mirage was quiet, he felt himself tear up. They were stuck at a crossroads, neither wanted the other to be hurt. There was one difference though.

Mirage wanted to fight alone while Noah wanted to fight together.

Solo or Home team?

Chapter Text

Flashback

Noah was sprawled out on the floor doing his homework, his handwriting messy like usual and the letters threatening to fall under the lines. He hated this so much, his face scrunched up in a scowl.

“I don’t wanna do my homework,” He grumbled as he slammed his pencil down, sitting up before turning around. Crossing his arms, he wanted to tear the paper into shreds yet he didn’t. He left his bedroom to find his mother sitting in the living room, hand on her swollen belly. She wouldn’t be the best to ask for help from, she wouldn’t understand his homework that well not to mention she doesn’t look the happiest. Who wouldn’t after losing the love of her life?

Noah could see the numbness in his mother, she wasn’t the same woman. All of her joy and upbeat personality was just now this emotionless void. Nothing was there behind her eyes.

“Mami?” Noah murmured softly as he climbed onto the couch, Breanna looked down at her son. It hurt her to look at Noah, he looked like Joel. Despite Noah being nine years old, he was slowly becoming the care taker of his mother whenever she was dealing with the rougher parts of her depression. He sat directly next to her, he wanted her to do anything to just prove that she was still there.

The woman who ruffled his hair or shout his full name when he got into mischief.

He felt alone, he felt like he was doing everything solo. He hated doing things without others, his father always told him, ‘When times are rough, don’t let someone go through it alone. You have to be a team, even when you are failing and falling apart you need a team to fall back onto. Like in baseball, you aren’t playing solo, you are playing with your home team.’

Noah knew that he had to support his mother, he ran off to the kitchen and he didn’t know how to cook so he did a crack of making just a plain sandwich, he knows when his mother was upset that she usually snacked. He didn’t know that it was stress eating but he saw that she looked a little bit happy afterwards.

Breanna was sitting on the couch and she lifted her head up when she heard a plate shatter in the kitchen. She immediately got up and rushed over to see her son on the counter.

“Lo siento mami, I was trying to make you a sandwich and I couldn’t reach the plates,” Noah began to ramble, there was probably to most messiest sandwich of all time on the cutting board. Ham sticking out so much that it would have fallen out, cheese with some of it still having plastic bits, mayo spilling out looking rather chunky globs instead of a smooth glaze. Noah looked down at the ceramic shards on the floor that used to be a dinner plate.

“I’ll clean it up,” Breanna sighed as she was then stopped by her son shouting, “No I can do it. You can sit back down and rest.”

“Noah you-”

“It’s okay I broke it anyways,” Noah stated as he bolted out of the room and came back in with a broom and a dust pan. Breanna smiled a bit, even when it hurt to look at her son, she knew that she wasn’t going through all of this alone.

She still had pieces of her husband with her even when he was far away.

End of Flashback

Noah was silent, looking out the window with arms crossed over his chest. He was upset with Mirage and now the car ride was painfully silent. It was awkward though because the seat belt was still on, fastened tightly. It was like being in a hug with someone that you were trying to actively be angry at.

Mirage was also aware how this was but he remembered the stories that Optimus talked about back when him and Megatron used to be friends. He didn’t want that happening between him and Noah where they are no longer together. He remembered seeing the whole argument before Megatron killed Optimus over their disagreement.

Mirage likes Noah too much to let him go, even if Optimus tried to separating the two or something. Now he was trying to find the words to just break the silence, he could change his mind but he didn’t want to have Noah getting hurt again. “Noah?”

“I don’t want to talk with you Mirage,” Noah grumbled as he tried to give the cold shoulder but it was hard with a seat belt that was on tight. Mirage didn’t know where to go from there so he decided to do what he does best, be an annoying shithead, “But you are talking with me right now.”

“Mirage I- wait,” Noah began but stopped himself as he knew what Mirage was doing. He was stupid at times but he wasn’t that stupid to realise that Mirage was trying to get him to talk by being annoying. “Noah I just want to make sure we are still friends.”

Noah was taken aback by that statement, he was angry but at Mirage but not enough to not be friends with him.

“We are still friends Mirage, I am angry with you but its expected for us to have fights every once in a while.” Noah spoke before continuing, “We just have to work this out. Probably right now that way we still remember the points of our arguments and explain ourselves in a more calmer state instead of shouting and yelling. Shouting and yelling gets nothing done, it just makes us immature. Also loosen up the seat belt, you act like I am going to fly through the windshield any minute plus you are nearly suffocating me.”

“Oops sorry,” Mirage chuckled when he heard the last part because Noah loosened up enough to smile a bit, the seat belt loosened. They were slowly inching in the traffic, the accident looked horrible. There was so many cars in flames and it seemed like there was barely survivors. There had to be more than six cars.

“Holy shit, what the hell happened?” Noah exclaimed as he tried to look but he could only see slivers of the accident. It was backing the highway up horribly, bumper to bumper. Mirage was curious too so he patiently waited for the lines of cars to move forward. It was maybe 30 minutes till they were close enough to see the destruction. The tossed over cars up in flames with large slash marks, Mirage tuned in and let Noah listen to the police radios.

‘So far all of the witnesses claimed to seeing nothing and even cars that swerved to miss it has damage. We don’t know the cause. We are going to need more ambulances.”

“Shit, do you think that it is Ravage’s doing? I thought he was only targeting us,” Noah asked Mirage, the autobot didn’t even need to answer it. It was clear that Ravage wanted to draw both of them out, it seemed like the witnesses who did saw something were severely injured and practically at death’s doorstep. They got to the front and were let off to drive on the near empty highway. Mirage murmured with a new growing fear in him, “Noah I don’t think you’ll be safe anywhere. If Ravage is fine with attacking innocent people on broad daylight, what is stopping him from just going into whatever building I stick you in?”

What is stopping Ravage from just picking Noah off?

Noah isn’t safe anywhere now…

…

“Mirage why are we here?” Noah questioned as he narrowed his eyes looking at the massive store. “Noah you need something that isn’t a camera flash. If you are coming with me to take down this fool, you need a flashlight. You said home depots had that type of stuff.”

“Fair, I’ll go grab it and maybe a snack I am fucking starving, I need some food in my system,” Noah grumbled as it was 2 pm and he hadn’t eaten lunch because the insane back up of traffic. “Use the hand device so i can keep tabs on you just in case if Ravage decides to attack you in the store.”

“You think he would go that far Raj’?” Noah questioned, raising an eyebrow as his hand settled on the car handle. Mirage wanted it where it wasn’t true but he was getting paranoid. “I think he is going to go that far Noah.”

Noah nodded and opened the door, as he turned around to leave closing the door, Mirage decided to just do something. He swung the door open and it whacked Noah right in there rear and the force made him stumble.

“Seriously man what was that for?” Noah chuckled as he tried to be pissed off, Mirage felt his spark lift up a bit as he saw the smile creep up on Noah’s face. His nose scrunching up as he closed the door.

Noah left and disappeared into the home depot, his face felt a bit warm from that little interaction.

‘That was just Raj’ being playful chill, I don’t think he even knows that slapping someone’s ass is flirty. Or does he?’ Noah thought to himself as he shoved his hands into his pockets, Mirage is just playful nothing else. Noah pushed it to the back burner since there was the bigger issue of Ravage trying to maul his ass and not in a fun way. Mirage was terrified and that was something that wasn’t the most reassuring. Mirage got his ass whooped twice.

‘Fuck for once I wish Optimus or Bumblebee was here to back us up,’ Noah thought as he went into a home depot’s long aisles on the hunt for good heavy duty flashlight. He felt his gut telling him to turn around, he got nervous that it was Ravage but he turned around to see someone who kinda looked familiar. Then he saw it a glimpse of a tattoo on a young woman’s arm, the autobot sigil marking with a angry bee next to it. It was the same woman who returned his wallet.

“Huh it’s a small world,” Noah muttered under his breath as he tried to not stare, so he turned back around and grabbed a heavy duty flashlight that looked like he could knock someone out with it. He clicked it on and almost blinded himself from how bright it was. That was a light brighter then the heaven’s lights itself.

Noah clicked the off switch before pausing, how the hell could a woman get an autobot sigil and a bee. That seemed too much like a coincidence, he wanted to question her tattoo but that would be weird for him to ask a random woman about her choice of tattoos.

He left to go check out his stuff, he was at the cashier waiting in line when Mirage quietly buzzed in.

“Sonic are you still good? Anything you know happen, any sighting of weird stuff?”

“I am still alive, also you don’t need to use my code name. It’s your private wave, i doubt bots or humans can tune into you.” Noah whisper quietly, he patted his pockets and realise that he didn’t have his wallet. “Shit.”

“What happened! Do you need back-”

“Raj’ chill, I just don’t have my wallet. Is it in you?” Noah hushed as he glanced around making sure no one was watching him because he probably looked crazy talking to a bulky wrist wear. “No it’s not in me.”

“Fuck how the fuck am i supposed to-”

“Your next sir,” The cashier called out to Noah. Noah walked up and realised he was royally fucked for multiple reasons. Where could have he left his wallet?

The man scanned the flashlight before Noah could say that he will have to return it the same lady came up and gave the cashier her items. “Sorry my friend forgot to mention I wanted to join my items too.”

Noah frowned because he was officially weirded out. The woman paid and hoisted the flashlight to Noah.

“Thank you?”

“You are welcome, noticed you panicking a bit there and helped you once with your wallet. You seem to be forgetful and misplace stuff.” The woman chuckled as she held her items which was a tool belt and a wrench.

“Yeah…” Noah was now officially suspicious, he remembered hearing Mirage talk about Bumblebee’s first human. He decided to just randomly say and see how she would react, “Nice tattoo, it’s interesting looking. Bumblebee right?”

“Yeah it-” The woman began before she froze and she looked at Noah with wide eyes.

…

Mirage was impatient, he knew that Noah wouldn’t like the suggestion of stealing the flashlight but it was the best chance for his survival. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Noah got into the car, the autobot was about to get all excited till the passenger side opened up and a woman came into Mirage.

There was something about seeing Noah with a WOMAN inside of the autobot that made Mirage fume with jealousy. He knows he shouldn’t but something clicked inside of him, if Noah wanted him to drive, he was going to give them both a crazy, wild and nearly vio-

“Mirage you are abnormally quiet, you don’t gotta hide. She knows,” Noah informed as the woman introduced herself, “Hi Mirage, I am Charlie. Charlie Watson.”

The Charlie Watson? The one bumblebee rattles on about over his radio and blasts her favourite songs like crazy.

“Mirage you getting shy or something? Charlie, Mirage is one of the chattiest Cybertronians that I have ever encountered, I don’t know why he is being so quiet.” Noah chuckled as he patted the dashboard lightly. Mirage coughed and finally stated, “Um it’s a honor to meet you Charlie, I have heard way too much about you from Bee. He constantly rambles about you like crazy.”

“Really? How is he doing?” Charlie chirped getting all excited because she missed her friend, it’s been years since she had heard from Bumblebee. It was nice hearing that he was still alive.

“Well he is doing fine right now, he helped me save the world with my Noah against some terrorcons,” Mirage responded, Charlie noticed the autobot’s choice of words. It was a little questionable but not insane to Charlie. Noah also noticed the choice of words. Mirage was still a bit jealous but not as bad, he was just hopping that the two didn’t get too comfortable with each other given that they both shared a few similarities

A short drive later, Noah gave Charlie his landline phone number since he couldn’t find his phone for the life of him like his wallet. She luckily gave him 50 bucks which was a lot but he was going to need it for food.

“So Raj’ what was that all about back there?” Noah questioned, narrowing his eyes at the radio.

“What was what?” Mirage grumbled trying to avoid the subject of his blatant jealousy and possessiveness. Noah could only let out a chuckle and roll his eyes, “I am your Noah now?”

The autobot wanted nothing but just vanish into a hole deep under ground.

“Noah that was nothing I was just um…”

“Jealous?” Noah teased as he slid his hand over the wheel, feeling the leather warm under his hands showing that he may have hit a spot in the bot. Mirage was practically melting, turning into metallic mush from the touching and teases. “Was that why you were so quiet earlier?”

“Noah I do not get jealous, I am a lot more special than Charlie to you, I am not worried at all.” Mirage grumbled, Noah found this amusing, he hummed in agreement and nodded, “Uh huh, sure. So you would be okay if I hung out with her on Friday nights?”

“No! Friday nights are our hangout times,” Mirage blurted out immediately, Noah began to laugh to the point he pressed his forehead against the warm wheel.

“Raj’ don’t worry, she’s not even my type by a long shot,” Noah chuckled, reassuring Mirage, the Porsche drove was driving around in angry circles around the same block. The autobot was now in a slightly pissy mood but he saw an opening to make an attempt with getting closer, “What is your type then?”

Noah drummed his fingers against the wheel, trying to think what his type was. He has only dated 2 people his whole life because he never really had the time to prioritize romantic relationships. He was always focused on family, bills, work, and friends. He rarely had time to settle down with anyone not to mention hang out with that much women to be catching feelings.

“Well I don’t know what my type is but Charlie just gave off younger sibling vibes like what you have with Bee.” Noah answered, he wasn’t entirely sure of himself with his whole type. He never really took the time to really admire women. The men he was around was repulsive as hell to him besides the autobots and Mirage. Mirage was different though, he was a Cybertronian. He doesn’t do any of Noah’s pet peeves or anything really. The most he does is just mildly annoy him every once in awhile and say some questionable stuff like the whole work friends incident.

Mirage on the other side was legit cursing like a sailor in his head going insane from the crush he has on Noah. Mirage wanted Noah in a cheesy romantically way to say, “You are just my type Raj’.”

Mirage felt delusional but he was dying inside at the thought that he may be stuck being seen as just a friend. The craving of wanting more, the craving of wanting a relationship. He wanted to be the one that Noah ends up with, he wanted to make Noah happy and to smother him gently to not crush him from the weight of his love literally.

…

Mirage was driving down a street till Noah slammed on the brakes. This startled the bot since it was quite sudden.

“Alright man I need food, I am going insane, my stomach is probably eyeing my other shit right now,” Noah announced loudly as he guided Mirage to a parking spot, there was an old woman pushing around a little tamale cart around. That was something he was dying to try because he remember his Tia bringing him some when he was a child and he adored the warmth and they brought him joy. The tamales in Brooklyn didn’t hit the same, the only ones he liked where the ones where he could tell that love was poured into each and every step.

Mirage was parked a few feet away and he watched Noah buy 3 tamales of different kinds. Tipping the lady quite generously before heading back over to the autobot.

“Man Raj’ I was excited to come over here to eat the tamales from where my Tia gets them,” Noah chuckled as he got into his seat, the sound of tin foil crinkling as Noah unwrapped his food. Mirage hummed softly, he asked, “You want me to find you a place to eat?”

“Nah I am fine with right here, I swear I was getting so hungry that I could eat a horse,” Noah responded as he bit into the tamale, burning his lips and mouth. Doing the dragon breathing technique while fanning his mouth. “Shit shit shit this is hot.”

Mirage began to laugh to the point the car frame shook.

“So hungry that you are willing to burn your mouth?”

“Callate!” Noah mumbled between bites of the lava hot food, Mirage found it amusing hear his best friend and crush to tell him in Spanish to shut up. He found Noah’s bilingual tongue attractive, just his voice entirely gave him shivers that shook him to the spark that burned so bright that Mirage swore that people and Cybertronians could see it from outer space.

Noah consumed the food he had bought in maybe 25 minutes, not talking to Mirage in that time since he was too hungry. The autobot didn’t mind because he was too focused on admiring the Puerto Rican man.

Mirage didn’t really like humans the way he liked Noah, sure some of them were attractive but they could never match the beauty of his dearest human. Noah on the other hand noticed the silence, usually it didn’t bother him to have a bit of silence but Mirage was a chatterbox.

“What’s on your mind now?” He asked raising an eyebrow as he wiped his mouth with his left wrist, few crumbs falling on Mirage’s seat. The autobot paused to think, sure the time wasn’t exactly ideal but it was calm to tell Noah his feelings. The feeling of yearning to be more was so painful that his spark could rip in two.

“Just admiring my view,” Mirage answered, not exactly fully telling what he was staring at, Noah looked up at the street in front of them the sun was getting close to set. The beautiful colours and the clouds making it almost made him forget the danger of the Decepticon.

“Yeah it is beautiful,” Noah commented thinking he was agreeing with Mirage’s thoughts when Mirage was really staring at Noah.

Chapter Text

Driving around and trying to get the upper hand on Ravage felt impossible, they didn’t know where to look and time was something they didn’t want to waste. Noah didn’t want to wait around long enough for Ravage to find his Tia and treat her worse than that car pile up.

“Where is this puto,” Noah grumbled as he looked around anxiously, Mirage would agree with this feeling. He felt like he was intentionally bringing Noah to his doom, why did Noah have to be so stubborn on coming along?

Ravage was no where to be seen, both visibly or the destruction. It was strangely peaceful, too peaceful. It was that uneasy feeling that Noah began to feel in his stomach next to the tamales he had eaten earlier. Mirage also noticed how uncomfortable Noah looked so he decided to lift up the mood by being his usual self.

“Hey Noah, you think Ravage will give a villain monologue when we find him?” Mirage joked lightheartedly, referring on how he had seen too many movies where the bad guy goes on a big speech before trying to kill the main character. Noah noticed the reference and his shoulders relaxed before he shook his head, his lips quivering and threatening to pull up into a smile. “Raj’ if he does that I think that is the sign that I should go buy a lotto ticket. He doesn’t give me that vibe.”

“Uh huh, wanna bet on it?”

“Okay if he doesn’t I’m going to paint you a different paint job, my choice of colour too,” Noah chuckled listening to Mirage’s terms, “If he does a lil speech, I want you to… hmm.”

The autobot didn’t know what he wanted from Noah, money was useless and he didn’t wanna force Noah doing anything he didn’t wanna do.

“I will do you a favour, it could be anything,” Noah joked and Mirage decided to accept that, “Yeah, I can’t think of anything right now but I will just want one favour in the future.”

“Praying you don’t make me do something outrageous,” Noah chuckled before the silence could come back, Mirage wasn’t finished.

“Ravage is going to make a speech on the decepticons are going to take over the world Earth,” Mirage quipped before mimicking, “We the decepticons will seize over and destroy all the autobots.”

“Take over humanity and do it terminator style,” Noah joked along, easing some of the tension that had been hanging around. Mirage began to do his best impression Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terminator voice, “I’ll be back.”

The voice that Mirage was so horrendous that it made Noah crack up, clenching his stomach in fear the tamales would come up from how hard he was laughing. Tears welling up as he asked, “Raj’ have you been practicing that line? Or did you do it on the fly?”

“On the fly, it sounds amazing right?”

“It was horrible,” Noah answered as Mirage joined in with the laughter. The moment made everything around them feel unimportant, this perfect little bubble. Noah could see the street life was bustling as everyone was off of work, bars filled with people drinking and having fun. That would a fun thing to do if Mirage, if Mirage could drink alcohol and could be around people instead of being hidden like some monster.

Mirage noticed Noah staring at the bars, he noticed the women and men having fun. He remember Optimus telling him that humans liked to interact with each other, he has seen humans be in relationships with each it was always man and woman. Even if Mirage was human, he knew that his chances with Noah was slim.

“Raj’ you know the day the government is alright with you showing your normal form I think you would like going to bars,” Noah chuckled, he could picture his friend having fun in the bars, music blaring and Mirage would be the life of the party. Dancing would be funny to watch, Noah began to think about things that were not at platonic as he thought, ‘How would dancing with Mirage be like? I could always sit on his shoulder or stand on his feet.’

“They look fun,” Mirage responded sounding almost downhearted as he continued driving down the streets of Los Angeles, while Noah was thinking of he would dance with Mirage, Mirage was silently wishing that he was a human woman. Maybe if he was just that, that maybe Noah would want him back the way he craved.

‘I want you to be the ground that I land on, I want you to be the rock I can stand on. I want you to love me like I am a woman,’ Mirage thought as he tried not to speed or crash, his feelings were too much to bear. He did not want to keep on going on like this, he was sick of being just friends. He hated it so much, he didn’t want Noah to hangout on Friday as just friends, he didn’t want Noah to do anything with him as just friends anymore.

“Hey you think Ravage would be hiding somewhere out of sight? Like how even though he is attacking, he is still trying to stay out of sight?” Noah asked suddenly because he had a train of thought that made him think outside of the box that Mirage and him were in while trying to find the Decepticon. Mirage pushed his romantical fantasies aside to focus on more important matters, it made sense for Ravage to be in hiding. He probably was staying out of sight to draw less attention. “It would make sense because if the gang was here he doesn’t want to be ganged up on.”

“I wish Arcee, Bee, and Prime were here so they could smoke Ravage’s ass, we are have to get a redo on a vacation because I didn’t want to go down here to fight a bot,” Noah murmured as he was enjoying the trip a bit but Ravage was a mood killer. Mirage felt his spark light up when he heard that Noah wanted to go on another trip with him. Maybe it could be somewhere overseas, Mirage would suck it up and ask Stratosphere for a lift to save Noah some money either way he agreed with Noah’s statement “Yeah, I know Prime would have Ravage defeat in seconds tops, y’know giving that he is a Prime.”

Noah smiled before feeling a bit curious.

“You know I don’t know much about Optimus, what’s his story? And what’s a Prime, I mean I keep on hearing how Optimus is a Prime and he’s great and all but I am kinda not a cybertronian, catch me up on him,” Noah asked, he tried his fingers along the steering wheel leather stitches. Mirage had to make sure not to jerk his steering and run off the road because he loved how much it felt, to not melt under the touch of his crush. Mirage knew a bit of what Optimus allowed him to here, his close friends like Bee even kept quiet about Megatron since it was a sore spot in their leader’s tough stern demeanor.

“Well before the whole war he used to be cogless and he had a friend. He is considered the hero of Cybertron because he ended a guy named Sentinel Prime who had a Dictatorship,” Mirage began to explain trying his best to not tell anything too revealing about Optimus since this isn’t a story that he should be telling. Hell back on Cybertron people were changing up the story to make Megatron be this scary man who used to be on Sentinel’s side or making it sound like Optimus killed Sentinel. Noah asked mid-story, “Was Sentinel a Prime too or-”

“Hey still talking Diaz,” Mirage cut in chuckling softly before continuing, “Well for the longest time Sentinel was what we all thought was a Prime, a prime was someone worthy chosen by Primus. Being a Prime meant that you were strong, trustworthy, and brave. Cybertronians look up to their Primes like they are almost like gods. Sentinel was no true Prime though, he was a murderer and he stole cogs from some of my people’s chests.”

“Was your cog stolen?” Noah asked as he felt himself lean forward, interested in this aspect of Mirage and Optimus’s past. Mirage answered, “No, I was a part of the lucky few that didn’t have their cogs stolen.”

….

The story went on for almost an hour, Noah was shocked and enraged by some parts of the Cybertronian past. He know understood a bit more of the Optimus that he viewed as some pissed off leader, Optimus had lost so much and he was broken like everyone else. No one in the autobots was alright, Noah could just tell that they all had their issues.

“Well if I went through the stuff Optimus did, I would probably come out a lot more broken. God now I feel bad for all the times I talked shit about him,” Noah murmured, Mirage hummed softly in agreement. The pain of loss, losing loved ones and the home Optimus dealt with was heavy on his shoulders, sure he had his team to help him shoulder all those burdens. Mirage thought about how it would feel to lose Noah, it wasn’t a comfortable feeling, it made him tighten the seat belt a bit. Noah also thought about what if he wasn’t able to bring back Mirage after that battle, sure they weren’t as close but now after this trip, sharing each other’s pains and some of their greatest burdens. The pain of losing Mirage was something Noah didn’t want to feel.

The line was beginning to blur of how Noah really felt about Mirage, it didn’t feel as platonic anymore.

Noah rubbed the seat belt soothingly as he brought up a question that he wished will never come true, “Raj’ how would you feel if you ever lost me?”

The autobot luckily on an empty street with no one behind him slammed on the brakes, almost giving the Puerto Rican man whiplash. Thank god for seat belts.

“Noah, I am not going to lose you ever,” Mirage answered firmly, he didn’t want to think about this anymore he feared that he would start crying in the middle of the street. Noah swallowed and nodded slightly before commenting, “Raj’ you will out live me though, would you still remember me even when I pass from natural causes?”

Mirage didn’t want to continue this conversation anymore it was too hard to think about, he started to drive again in order to not just be in the middle of the road parked. He didn’t know how long Cybertronians could live up to be, humans meanwhile didn’t have as much time.

Mirage would be apart of Noah’s whole life while Noah was only a chapter of Mirage’s life…

“Raj?”

“Yes, I would remember you for as long as my spark is lit up,” Mirage managed out, his voice sounding static-y and trembling. That was a heartbreak Mirage didn’t want to be around for.

It was silent for a moment, Mirage holding Noah tightly as they drove around. Noah spotted something ahead on the road, claw marks in the asphalt.

“Raj’ let’s get ourselves together, I think we are going to come face to face with our party foul,” Noah cleared his throat as he tried to push the feelings aside so they could focus on the more important task at hand. Mirage tried to shake those feelings off.

He didn’t like how the conversation was affecting him this badly.

If Ravage tried to hurting Noah even at all this time that it would not end pretty, Mirage wouldn’t be showing mercy. He followed the trail of claw marks till it lead them to a dirt road, construction work signs around with broken plastic littering the floor. In the distance was a construction site, a building was maybe a quarter way in the process of being finished. It was away from distractions just like how Ravage described in his threat. Mirage could hear the words ringing in his head, how Ravage planned to torture and murder Noah, the words sending what he assumed was the human equivalent of chills down the spine. That horrible feeling of unease as he was willingly taking Noah to his assumed doom.

Meanwhile Ravage was on top, invisible. Eyeing at the autobot and vermin come to his territory, he thought that he would had to kidnap Noah but here Mirage was, bringing Noah to him instead. It was stupid to do that.

Malicious thoughts filled his processor as he wanted to do nothing but to eliminate both after getting the location of the Prime’s base.

Flashback to Mirage’s promise

“Look, that thing I told you I have to go do? It’s for him and his crew,” Noah began to explain to his younger brother, he looked into Kris’s eyes remembering all the shit his little brother put him through and their first moment together. Noah holding his little brother in his arms after his mother gave birth, he knew that this may be the last time he would see his brother.

“We’re trying to stop the end of the world.” Mirage chimed in cutting Noah out of his memories and his possible last time interacting Kris. Kris’s eyes almost bugged out when the autobot just casually said that. Kris asked with worry evident in his voice, “The world’s ending?”

“No!”

“Maybe. Sixty-forty.” Mirage added on Noah’s denial, shaking his hand side to side before eyeing Noah, the first human that he has ever been able to talk to and now his little brother, next people he kinda wanted to meet is Noah’s parents. Noah shook his head and reassured Kris and grabbed him by the shoulders kneeling down to be level, “You know I’m not gonna let that happen. But that’s why I have to leave.”

Kris nodded, his face going grim before he stated, “I’ll go get my things.”

“Tough kid.” Mirage commented as he was startled by the bravery and Noah was also shocked but he shook that feeling off immediately to deny, “What? No. Whoa, whoa. Hold up. Hold up. You’re not coming.”

“Why? You need someone to watch your back.”

“It’s too dangerous, Kris. And I need you to stay here and take care of Mom.” Noah reaffirmed, he didn’t want to think about leaving his little brother and his mother behind. It was too early to join his dad but he wanted to make sure that Kris would go to college, get married and live his life out to the fullest instead of having the only home he has be destroyed by some massive being named Unicron. Kris heard the tone in his older brother’s voice, it wasn’t something he liked. “‘Cause you might not come back.”

Noah averted his eye contact, he didn’t want to admit that he may die. Mirage even looked away from the two, he could tell that the bond these two had were like the bond he had with Bumblebee.

It was painfully silent before Kris turned to the autobot, “Hey Bot!”

Mirage’s optics met Kris’s gave before he stepped forward.

“Me? ‘Sup?”

“Watch out for my brother. Okay?” Kris stated like Mirage couldn’t back out of this, Mirage found the little child’s tone funny. The autobot smiled and nodded. “You got it, little man.”

“Nah, I’m serious. If he gets hurt, I’m coming after you.” Kris spoke up, puffing up his chest to make himself look more intimidating, Noah scoffed and chuckled. Mirage was 5 times Kris’s size yet his little brother was willing to scrap with an alien robot from outer space.

“Don’t worry. I got Noah’s back. I promise.” Mirage chuckled, respecting how Kris was like Noah, not afraid to put up a fight even when the odds were stacked up against him.”

End of Flashback

That promise of keeping Noah’s back, the battle of Scourge and now this battle with Ravage. Mirage was taking this promise through anything that is thrown his way. Sure it’s been months since that promise but it was a promise that he was going to keep for all eternity.

Noah was silently preparing himself for whatever this battle brings, he was thinking about his mother and brother like back when their main worry was Unicron. He thought back on all his happiest memories with his loved ones. One memory from earlier the trip popped up.

Flashback

“Heh just for you,” Mirage mumbled as he was careful to not accidentally squeeze Noah when hugging him, he wanted to stay close like this forever. He was trying to think of accuses so he suddenly blurted out, “Hey remember when I make projections?”

“Mirage how could I forget? Your name literally means illusion,” Noah snorted as he pulled away slightly, he was still on top of the autobot though. He was going to soon get off since Mirage is literally made out of metal and isn’t the most comfortable to be on top of for long periods of time without some type of cushion. “Well would you want to see something cool?”

“Sure, go ahead man.”

Mirage took the invitation to create a projection that covered almost the entire room, he had remembered the constellations that he would see at night back on Cybertron. The sky being so clear that he could see the galaxies and nebulas, swirls of colours decorating those skies. The room was filled with those breath taking sights.

Noah didn’t know what to expect but it was clear that he was taken aback by this sight, his eyes trailing across staring at the plenty of stars. He heard from friends who had went camping or live in the country describe what star gazing looked like. They would be so jealous that he was the first human to see the uncharted skies. “Wow Mirage, I knew you could make projections but this… this is extraordinary and beautiful.”

Mirage was scanning him, he liked how Noah’s eyes squinted up when he beamed. It was obvious that he couldn’t contain his wonder and joy at the sight of the stars. Mirage took a note that he would do this projection more often just to see Noah barely concealing his delight.

“I would question where you found out that I wanted to see the stars,” Noah joked since he never told almost anyone besides a handful of friends but never around Mirage. Hell Mirage didn’t know this but he decided to just respond with, “Well I just had a feeling you would like this. This is what my home planet’s sky looks like. You couldn’t walk anywhere without admiring the sky, even during the daytime you can see planets and the moons.”

“Do you miss it?” Noah asked as he finally tore his eyes from the illusions to look at Mirage. The autobot paused, sure he missed the old Cybertron before the war but now he doesn’t feel the same way as before… he loved earth and he also loved something else but he wasn’t going to admit it to himself or anyone. He admitted quietly as his optics met Noah’s amber eyes, “I mean I kinda do but not enough to go back really.”

“I am assuming because of the war?” Noah questioned as he knew a bit about the war, not enough to know what was fully going on. He knows bits and pieces about the war through meetings he had with Optimus Prime when Mirage was in stasis. Mirage nodded and looked away feeling guilty, old him before meeting Noah would think that these thoughts were absurd. A betrayal to his home planet but all the good times on Cybertron before the war was starting to become a distant memory. It’s been so many cycles since Mirage felt comfortable and safe like how he feels with Noah in the moment.

Even if Cybertron were to go back to how it was, so many things would be different, all of his old friends are long gone dead. Sure he had his team but that is all he has if he goes back, he can’t bring Noah with him.

“Well if it makes you feel any better or worse, I don’t really want you to leave if you got the chance. You got me all attached and shit,” Noah chuckled, Mirage couldn’t tell if that was a joke or not. Joke or not, he was taking it to heart because he was also too attached to the man who rebuild him instead of just leaving him for dead. “I don’t think I will ever take you for granted or ever thank you enough. It would hard for me to leave you…”

Mirage’s spark once more and again begin to burn brighter

End of Flashback

Those words that Mirage said about getting all attached to Noah, it made Noah realise that he didn’t want to be friends with Mirage anymore. It was probably the most worst time to realise that he was in love with his friend.

Their feelings now mutual but the other didn’t know about how the other felt.

Chapter Text

Earlier before Mirage and Noah arrived at the construction site.

Ravage was communicating with Megatron via hologram call.

“Megatron, I have the autobot where I want him. I will soon grab his organic friend and after I get the information about the Prime what would you like me to do?” Ravage questioned, keeping his head bowed down. Wanting to appease his leader, almost acting like someone else. The leader of Decepticons answered with his usual cold tone, “Kill them. Less autobots to worry about and I don’t care how you deal with the organic.”

Ravage nodded and the call ended, his nails scraped against the floor creating sparks. He had to think how he was going to pick Noah off the street and lure Mirage out to this place. They were probably hiding out somewhere in public where it would be harder, Megatron was annoyed that Ravage for causing unneeded chaos. He didn’t need the organics trying to side with Optimus and fighting against the Decepticons. Interference was something that he didn’t want to deal with. That would only make it harder for his side to win this war.

Ravage wanted nothing but to make sure that Megatron saw him in the best light possible, it was an honor to work by the leader of the Decepticons. Pissing off or upsetting Megatron was something Ravage wished to not do.

He paced around the empty work site, thinking and plotting. He wanted to make sure that he leaves an impression, Megatron always makes a speech before a big fight and Ravage wanted to take some inspiration from his idol.

He leaps up on the top floor, balancing on one of the metal beams getting a good view of the sun setting. Ravage grumbles to himself softly about how he wants to tear Noah’s limbs off, make sure that Mirage watches every little bit. He wants to break Mirage down, reduce him to a mess of guilt, anguish and grief to the point he’ll admit everything about the Prime’s whereabouts just to save his pathetic little organic partner.

He found it disgusting how a Cybertronian was risking his life for a measly human, he found out that humans live short lives. They were honestly worse than the autobots to him, ruining everything around them and everything that they touch.

Ravage was deep in his thoughts till he looked over and noticed a familiar vehicle coming his way, he assumed that he would have to force Mirage to come here by kidnapping Noah. Yet here the autobot was, bringing his little friend on a silver platter. He could see that the two were talking, probably planning something. Ravage glared down and watched like a cat looking at mice, ready to pounce. His claws almost punctured the metal from the amount of force he was applying.

He jumps down as he gets ready for the battle that Mirage was bringing him.

Mirage was anxious, he didn’t like this. He doesn’t know how many times he has to think this way till he finally grows a pair like how he feels like he should.

“Noah, are you scared?” Mirage asked as he slowed down and stopped in the middle of the building, watching as Ravage came in a 8 foot radius, circling around. Noah swallowed and admitted, “Scared absloute shitless but just stick to our plan. Home team?”

If Mirage wasn’t so scared he would want to say the big L word, those special three words but instead he answered with the three words, “Yes, home team.”

Noah got out of Mirage, Mirage waited a few seconds before transforming into his Cybertronian form. Noah stood between his legs, Ravage snarled, “You brought your little organic with you after my threats, you must have a death wish.”

“Oh he wanted to join in, y’know that stupid loyalty stuff,” Mirage quipped, he was praying that his plan was going to go smoothly.

“That loyalty is going to get him killed, it’s honestly pathetic. Here I am thinking that I will have to steal him off the streets to get your attention. If you want him to live, tell me the location of Optimus Prime. Megatron wants the end the age of Primes to end, no one wants more false prophets. He is leading us to the future of-” Ravage began to rant, his eyes glowing a deep crimson red colour but Mirage blasted at him mid speech.

“Fucking hell, how does Optimus sit there and just let y’all Decepticons just rant,” Mirage chuckled as he got Ravage to shut up, interrupting the speech. He needed to rub this into Noah’s face when they survive this battle, he won the stupid bet. He needed to start thinking what he wanted Noah to do. Ravage growled and almost yelled out in frustration as he hated the interruption. There was a stand still, no one dared to make the first move.

Noah blinked and Mirage was tackled down by the Decepticon, the bot snapping it’s jaws in Mirage’s face trying to maul him. Mirage gritted his teeth as he gripped on Ravage’s neck trying to get him away to avoid his optics being damaged. Mirage managed to throw off Ravage and his hand transformed into his blaster, shooting at Ravage.

Ravage was jumping side to side before lunging towards Mirage again, the blasts all missed to the autobot’s disappointment.

Mirage transformed his hand back and he did a move that he remembered seeing on TV when Kris snuck over to make him watch wrestle mania. He ducked to grab Ravage’s waist area and he threw himself backward to perform a perfect German suplex. Noah was avoiding Ravage the best he could during this whole fight because despite the autobot fighting him, Ravage was also targeting Noah.

Ravage was slightly dazed and he was bewildered by this weird outlandish fighting style from Mirage, it was definitely nothing he has seen back on Cybertron. The humans had rubbed off on Mirage for sure.

Mirage was scrambling back up as Ravage got back to his feet, instead of swiping at Mirage again, he lunged for Noah.

Before the fight had begun and when they were just getting to the site Noah came up with a genius plan.

Flashback

“Mirage are you able to make holoforms of me right?” Noah asked for confirmation as he was thinking up of a plan. Mirage thought about it, it was really hard to make holoforms of others but it wasn’t impossible.

“Yeah how come?”

“I got a plan but you have to trust me on this.”

End of Flashback

The holoforms of Noah was destroyed and Ravage was confused when he realised that the Noah he thought he was up against was just a mere illusion.

Ravage was then began to be shot at from someone who was a few floors above him, the real Noah was high up and he was trying to figure out how to properly aim the gun without missing and hitting Mirage. The few hits were on Ravage’s lower back, not a lot of damage was done but it was enough to weaken him a bit. Mirage looked up a bit to admire what a mighty fine man Noah was for attacking a Decepticon like that, helping out when he could be prioritizing his safety.

Mirage tried to tackle Ravage but the Decepticon made multiple holoforms of himself, Mirage lost track of the real one. Noah took this as his cue to get down back to Mirage before the real Ravage got to him, keeping his hand blaster ready to shoot or flash Ravage to avoid him. Going down the first flight of stairs was nerve wrecking, he could hear Mirage shooting around and trying to find the real Ravage. Dust moving up and falling down as the battle shook the weak building

He could hear the rush of his blood in his ears, his ragged breathing from running down the stairs and the sound of his shoes hitting the concrete steps. He exited out the second floor right before Ravage busted out of the stairwell barreling towards Noah.

“Mirage!” Noah shouted before he leaped off the second floor trying to aim to land on his friend. That feeling of being weightless just for the very few moments was nerve wrecking. Putting all of his faith in Mirage to catch him and not let him fall, Mirage swung around and caught Noah before turning his back towards the Decepticon. He dropped Noah as he fell forwards from the force of Ravage.

Noah fell on his arm awkwardly and he screamed out in pain when his elbow made contact with the ground, he heard and felt the sickly crack of his bone breaking. He was scrambling away to avoid getting crushed by the two bots.

Mirage heard Noah scream and he felt his spark being practically ripped in two when he saw Noah struggle to get away.

Ravage slashed at Mirage’s chest, ripping wires causing unimaginable pain for the bot. He let out a scream that could be heard for at least a mile.

“Raj!” Noah choked out as he forced his broken arm to straighten out to use the blaster. One of the blasts hit Ravage in the side of the face ruining his sight in one of his optics. Ravage got off of Mirage and slashed at Noah, Mirage grabbed Ravage and yanked him back but it didn’t stop the claws making contact on Noah’s stomach.

Noah stumbled back and he fell onto the floor accidentally causing the blaster to go off, it hit a major pillar, the floor above the bots collapsed as the floor was weak. Ravage got the full brunt damage, his body shielding Mirage a bit. Noah shouted worriedly as he pressed his palm against the gashes that oozed blood, “Raj!”

Mirage’s optics and processor went back online, he could hear the faint yelling of Noah. The heavy weight of Ravage and rubble on top of him made it hard to move, he forced himself up regardless.

“Noah…” Mirage called out weakly as he shoved Ravage off thinking the bot was dead, he managed to turn around to look where he heard the voice of his loved one. His optics landed on Noah’s hands, the crimson red staining the shirt and skin. His voice grew more concerned as he felt his spark break in his chest at the sight, “Noah!”

Noah smiled with tears running down his face when he saw that Mirage was still alive, he tried moving but winced at the pain.

“Noah are you okay? Shit I am so sorry I shouldn’t have brought you here, I’ll transform you and get you to the hospital as soon as possible,” Mirage choked out as he felt tears threatening to spill, he felt like he failed to protect Noah. Noah just managed to respond with a forcing himself to smile through the pain he was experiencing, “I am doing a lot better knowing you are alive, I was afraid you were a goner when the floor collapsed on you.”

Mirage got up to his hands and knees and began to crawl towards Noah, he wanted to cradle and shield Noah off from the rest of the world. He didn’t want to see Noah suffering like this all because of the Cybertronian war and mess. Noah noticed a bit of movement and he heard the raspy voice of Ravage, “How pathetic.”

Noah has never witnessed Cybertronian optics turn red like how Mirage did. The autobot swung around to see that Ravage who was barely clinging to life stand up.

“You getting worried for that organic vermin. You are not only an autobot but you are betraying your race for just merely protecting him.”

Mirage transformed his blaster and pointed it at Ravage, Ravage didn’t even seem scared. He was accepting his fate since he knew he was going to die.

“From my short time on this planet and learning about these,” Ravage began before he spat out, “Humans.”

He said that word as if it was bitter and disgusting.

“WE Cybertronians will out live thousands of them, you are saving a being that will only be in your life for a short chapter of your life. Your human won’t live forever like Cybertronians can,” Ravage rasped out, his optics brightening up a deeper shade of red. Mirage knew what Ravage was saying was true but even if Noah was a short chapter of his life. Mirage would want to be in all of Noah’s story. Mirage muttered, “So what if that’s true? I don’t want to live forever anyway.”

The hum of Mirage’s blaster powering up and Ravage just sneered his final words, “You are a disgrace to our kind by choosing him.”

The blast to the face instantly killed Ravage. The face blowing into pieces or melting onto the floor as the body collapsed. It was quiet after the loud crash of the body falling onto the floor. Noah noticed how Mirage was sitting still, his blaster transformed back to his hand. Those words affected him, Noah could see that. Wincing he used his uninjured arm to get up, limping over and carefully getting around the rubble to Mirage. He got around and carefully climbed on top of Mirage, placing his hand on the autobot’s shoulder.

“Raj?” Noah called out softly, Mirage glanced over and made eye contact with Noah, his eyes going back to blue colour.His gaze softening as he carefully scooped Noah up closer so he standing on the pelvis. “Raj’ he’s gone now and what he said, it is not true. You aren’t a disgrace, you are-”

“Noah…” Mirage interrupted, his hand going to Noah’s waist just completely engulfing his side, he weakly chuckled with a lopsided smile, “I think I want to go back home and if I could go back in time I would still save you. Fuck honour for all I care, all I care about is you.”

Noah smiled back with tears in his eyes, he loves Mirage. Not in a platonic way either.

“Now let’s get you to a hospital,” Mirage murmured as he got up and began to walk away from the construction site.

…

Thank god for the G.I.JOE for having a base in Los Angeles, Noah was currently getting surgery while Mirage sat outside of the building. A clean up crew had gone to clean up the mess of the battle that was at the site. The doctors on base almost passed out when they saw the autobot in person, they heard stories and saw footage of the mecha aliens but never in person.

Mirage was trying to think of what to say when Noah came out, this was the eye opener of a life time. Mirage may have a millions or billions of years to live on but Noah didn’t, his life was too short. Mirage can’t be waiting around all willy nilly to tell Noah how he feels.

Funny enough Noah thought this too before going into surgery. Bigger question was who was going to crack first.

The soft crackling of the walkie talkie came to life.

“Mirage? Is Noah with you?” The familiar voice came through.

“No,” Mirage murmured, contemplating whether he should tell Kris where Noah was currently before finally adding on, “Noah is in surgery right now, he broke his arm and he needs stitches on his stomach.”

“What!” Kris shouted surprised before beginning to fire questions, “What happened? Is he going to be okay? Wh-”

“Kris, I’ll tell you everything but before I tell how me and Noah got in this mess, understand that he is going to be okay. His injuries were bad but he is in good hands. I get updates every once and awhile and so far everything is going smooth,” Mirage cut off the younger Diaz, he could hear a sigh of relief on the other side. Kris was sitting in his room fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, he quietly asked, “What happened?”

“A Decepticon whooped our asses but he won’t be bothering us anymore,” Mirage grumbled, he was happy that Ravage was out of the image. That Decepticon was starting to get on his nerves. “Why are you trying to radio Noah anyways?”

“Oh I was trying to radio privately.”

“I’m famous now,” Mirage chuckled, his tone obviously joking. He was nervous it was about what he said last time anyways. Kris hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you and Noah y’know… a thing?”

Mirage frowned not understanding right away.

“What type of thing?” The bot asked as he shifted to get comfortable, his knees almost to his chest. The sky was an inky black, seeing stars that littered the sky loosely.

“You know, like… dating,” Kris whispered as if keeping a secret, Mirage tensed up in that moment. Kris noticed the hesitation and he whispered, “Not that I care about who my brother dates and all but you guys seem really happy together and you guys don’t look at each other like how normal friends do. If you are dating my brother, you break his heart and I will be coming with the bat.”

Mirage felt a weight come off his shoulders before he began to chuckle softly, he would never dream doing any harm to Noah, emotional, physical and mental. He wanted Noah to thrive and be happy as well.

“I am not dating Noah… not yet at least.” Mirage explained, he did want Noah that way though now. He was sick of waiting. Kris murmured, “Jesus Christ, Well you better bring this up with him, he can’t read your mind Mirage. Either you do it or I’ll do one for the team and tell him for you.”

“No need Kris, I’m going to do it myself,” Mirage responded, turning his head to look at the building where Noah was in.

Mirage was tired of living the lie that he likes Noah as a friend. Sick of it even, the minute they leave this place he is telling Noah.

Chapter Text

Noah should have stayed in the somewhat comfortable med bay bed’s but he felt his heart ached, maybe he had slept too much with Mirage but it felt wrong sleeping by himself. He craved the tenderness that the autobot provided, his bare feet padded against the cold tile floor. Carrying the iv drip with him, the hospital gown offering no warmth as he exited the building to be met by the cold California fall air. He looked around in the lot, it was gross on how the dirt clung to the bottom of his feet but he searched for Mirage.

The autobot was sitting against the wall, he was staring up at the now cloudy sky. He sensed movement and turned his head, there Noah was in a blue gown with an iv drip.

“Noah what are you doing out here? You should be in bed,” Mirage asked as he was going to fuss over how Noah should be inside. Noah gulped and awkwardly admitted, “I couldn’t sleep, is it okay if I sleep inside of you?”

Mirage paused, he wanted Noah to rest inside like how humans should but he felt his spark practically melt. Noah wanted to be close, Mirage wanted to argue and try to convince him that he should be in a bed. He quipped lightheartedly, “Well um we are work friends.”

“Please Raj, I am not joking,” Noah asked, almost sounding like he was begging and pleading, the autobot felt weak in the knees. Mirage transformed, the whirring and clanking of metal being heard. The scratched and busted up Porsche opening his door for Noah. Noah noticed the scratches and dents, results of the battle. “When we get home Raj’ I’ll fix you up.”

He climbed into the backseat and left the door open so he didn’t have to disconnect the iv. Mirage warmed the seats up and did his best to make sure that Noah was warm. Noah was careful not to rip his stitches as well, he got comfortable. It was really quiet, all the two could hear was the soft chirping of crickets and the occasional gust of wind

“Noah, is there anything on your mind?” Mirage asked softly, Noah lay on his back staring at the ceiling of the car. He had so much on his mind, it felt all mixed up and scrambled. He had millions of things he wanted to tell Mirage, it didn’t feel like the right time yet to confess. He wanted to be somewhere safe and where he felt secure, a military base parking lot wasn’t it. Noah lied, “No, I don’t.”

It was quiet again, that awful silence eating away at Mirage. Mirage admired the way Noah looked, he didn’t dare say that he could feel the warmth of Noah’s skin. That gown was doing barely anything for modesty in the back. Mirage felt a desperate need for more, he wanted to so much more.

“Is there anything on your mind?” Noah murmured, his fingers tracing lines on leather seats going over the stitches. Mirage felt it, it gave him shivers. He could only crave more touching, it was so embarrassing what he wanted Noah to do to him. Mirage answered almost mumbling, “Yes…”

The overwhelming sense of adoration filled his spark, maybe today was the right day to confess.

“What’s on your mind?” Noah murmured sleepily, his voice changing to a raspy and more slow, a sleepy smile tugging at his lips. Mirage could only think to himself, ‘Primus, he is so fragging cute when he is sleepy.’

Mirage wanted Noah to be fully awake and somewhere he was comfortable when he confessed.

“I am thinking about doing something when we get home, I think the stress of this trip made me realise that I am kinda home sick,” The bot chuckled, it was true. He missed Brooklyn a lot more since this trip has been mostly a massive a pain in the ass, it probably would have been better if Ravage wasn’t on their asses the whole time. Noah nodded and agreed, “Yeah i got some stuff too that i wanna do when we get back home.”

“Go to sleep man, you are fighting it,” Mirage softly cooed as he turned the radio on, surfing the waves before settling on a station that played old jazz music. Noah mumbled, “Yeah yeah, I got it Raj’. Good night… and thank you…. thank you for everything.”

Mirage wished he was in his cybertronian form, he wanted to cradle him, kiss those freckles, run his digit through those curls. He wanted to just treat Noah how lovers do. He was tired of being friends, he didn’t know how many times he has to tell himself how he feels.

…

They had to stay in California for another day to keep an eye on Noah, they got the option of flying but Mirage and Noah came to an agreement.

“Raj’, you know what we should do next time we want to go on a trip?” Noah chuckled as he relaxed in his seat. His stuff in the backseat as Mirage drove down the roads that they followed to get from home to Los Angeles, they were now taking the same roads to get back home. “What Noah?”

“Let’s just go to somewhere close, I swear this whole trip made me realise how much i don’t like traveling,” Noah stated, erupting in soft laughter following Mirage. “Yeah I think this trip was enough for the year, if anything i can take you to hunt down the little ice cream carts.”

“Perfect, we can get paletas, hang out in the basement-” Noah stated before Mirage interrupted, “Why do you call my bedroom the basement?”

“Okay fine, we will hang out in YOUR bedroom, listen to some music or watch movies while eating paletas. Better?”

“Much better.” Mirage sped up on the empty roads, the autobot was over the moon just not having to worry about anything. Driving with Noah sitting in him felt like his own slice of heaven something that didn’t stress him out or think that he had to be perfect.

Mirage was free to be him.

The sun was high in the sky and the Arizona heat was just showering down on them, Mirage could handle heat but it felt like he was in the direct unbearable heat. He wanted to make this drive back a little bit longer than the drive coming to Los Angeles.

“Noah it’s hot,” Mirage began to whinge, trying to guilt the man into letting him have a ‘break’ Noah frowned but he didn’t know what Mirage was feeling. “Alright we will stop when the next rest stop comes up.”

“Thank you Noah,” Mirage cooed, feeling giddy with himself that he easily convinced Noah into it. Noah noticed the tone, he just smiled and rolled his eyes. An hour passed and they made it out to a rest stop with an overhang, Mirage drove underneath there before transforming into his cybertronian mode, cradling Noah in his arms instead of just flinging him out. Noah hissed at the feeling of the hot metal of Mirage’s chassis touching his skin.

“Ay miercoles Mirage you are hot,” Noah grumbled, shifting a bit so his arms wouldn’t get absolutely cooked at the touch of the metal. Mirage’s optics focused sharply and he had this dumb smile on his face, you might even say that he is slightly flustered at the words that left Noah’s mouth. He knew that Noah meant temperature hot but he just decided to interpret it as attractiveness instead. His engine purred loudly as he responded, “You too.”

Noah didn’t catch on really he just looked confused. He didn’t bother asking though, maybe after a few minutes he finally was able to rest against Mirage without getting burnt by the heated metal. Arizona was hot as hell yet this felt nice sitting with Mirage, after the whole mess of a vacation the best part felt like now, there was no stress of worrying about a Decepticon coming after them. It felt almost intimate being this close with Mirage now with a new shared battle fresh on their minds.

Mirage was staring up at the sky, even though Noah couldn’t see it Mirage could still see the stars. He noticed something and he turned to ask, “Hey Noah, I know this sounds counter productive but I think we should spend the night in the desert out here.”

“What? Why?” Noah asked snapping out of his thoughts, he looked into the bright blue optics that could practically burn holes into his soul. Mirage only smiled a bit and whispered as if it was a secret meant for the two of them to hear, “Trust me, I know what I am doing Noah.”

Noah felt his lips tug into a smile, he did trust Mirage. Maybe a little too much but after all the stuff they have been through together and how they have shown their most vulnerable sides, the sides they have hidden in the dark to not seem as weak, those were displayed to each other. In some sense Noah just felt like this bond could no longer be platonic when they got back home, they were at a point in their so called friendship that it just felt wrong to be just friends.

Later that day they drove out till they reached a completely empty desert, Noah was putting a lot of faith in Mirage with this. Despite the unbearable day time heat, the night was cool. The sky was littered with stars, not a single cloud in the sky. Noah never thought the sky would look so beautiful, he could see the milky way and the Andromeda galaxy.

“Wow Mirage, is this what you were planning to show me?” Noah murmured, he was sitting on Mirage’s hood. He got off and watched as the autobot transformed into his cybertronian form.

“No, in a few minutes you will see.” Mirage responded as he sat down, leaning back to relax on his forearm pieces. His legs spread out leisurely, he looked down at Noah, love evident in his optics. Noah was about to sit on the floor but he yelped as Mirage’s hand completely engulfed his waist, being lifted up to be settled down on the autobot’s waist.

“Mirage, heads up next time. Most people don’t like when other’s pick them up like that,” Noah laughed lightly, he was looking up at the sky. Mirage’s hand let go of Noah’s waist but the touch lingered, almost wanting to keep touching him. The bot softly cooed, “Well are you most people? Most people don’t know about large aliens that transform.”

Noah felt his cheeks get warm because he knew that most people aren’t going around falling for aliens either. He nervously managed out, “Well I guess I am not most people.”

“You aren’t, you are so much better,” Mirage whispered, not caring anymore if anything that came out of his mouth as flirty. He just needed to make it obvious, tiny hints weren’t working maybe if he gets more obvious Noah will get the hint. Noah felt Mirage’s finger poke his lower back, slowly trailing upwards dragging the shirt up ever so slightly.

‘¡Por todos los santos!’ Noah thought to himself, his hands gripping onto his pants. His voice cracking and coming out as small, “How so… how so Raj’?”

When Mirage heard the stutter and heard how nervous Noah sounded he wanted to abandon mission of confessing to him. He was scared that he was making Noah feel uncomfortable, his body language just came off that he wasn’t enjoying any of this to Mirage.

“Well you fixed me up when you could have just given up on me,” Mirage spoke, removing his hand from Noah. Noah turned around to face Mirage and he responded, “Raj’ you risked your life for me, I am never going to give up on you.”

Noah proceeded to make a move on Mirage by placing his hand on the autobot’s chest, Mirage froze up a bit and his optics got a bit brighter, his spark practically glowing bright enough that Noah could see the light almost peeping out of the cracks of the metal.

“Raj’ I was going to wait till we got back home but I think I should… I…” The words were getting caught in Noah’s throat, how was he going to live with himself if Mirage didn’t feel the same way. Mirage noticed how Noah was acting, the bot felt like maybe he was going to do something risky but he need to bite the bullet otherwise they would both be dancing around and beating around the bush. Mirage was a total idiot with this since he jumped ahead hoping he was assuming right.

“Yes.”

“Huh?” Noah said snapped out of his nervousness, he didn’t even say what he wanted to get off his chest yet. Mirage nervously chuckled and tilted his head to the side before looking away, “I said yes.”

“You didn’t even know what I was going to say. I could have asked you to move out or something stupid,” Noah rambled as he just looked at the bot, Mirage questioned now concerned, “Wait are you making me move out?”

“No I was using that as an example.”

“Okay you know what on the count of three we say what we need to say,” Mirage blurted out not thinking. Noah was bewildered and his heart began to race. “Wait what?!”

“3.”

“Hold up Raj’ we are just gonna say-”

“2.”

“Raj’ are we saying it on like 1 or 0!”

“1.”

Noah was panicking and so was Mirage, this was so fucking stupid.

After Mirage said one, both man and cybertronian shouted at each other in unison. Noah’s eyes shut tightly to avoid seeing Mirage’s reaction and Mirage’s optics turning off so he didn’t have to see Noah’s reaction.

“I like you Mirage in a more than friends way!”

“I want to be more than friends with you Noah!”

There was a moment of silence, they were processing what the other said. Mirage turned his optics back on, Noah opened his eyes to look into the optics of the bot he had caught feelings for. Noah had an awkward giddy smile on his face, his face felt like it was burning. Mirage reflected as well with an equally awkward giddy smile on his face.

“So what does this make us?” Noah asked, wondering to see if Mirage was willing to take their friendship to a more romantic relationship. “Well Noah, this makes us gay.”

“Well no shit Raj’.” Noah busted out laughing, Mirage joined in and then seriously responded, “Well, what would you like to be?”

“I don’t know maybe we could y’know date.” Noah mumbled as he rubbed his neck. Mirage loved the sound of that, dating Noah sounded amazing. The bot whispered softly, “I like the sound of that. Would I call you my boyfriend then like how humans do?”

“Of course you can,” Noah giggled before continuing, “What is boyfriend equivalent in cybertronian terms?”

“I mean you could call me your Conjunx Endura but i don’t know,” Mirage answered simply as he messed with the sand with his finger writing in cybertronian, looking at Noah like the most precious thing Primus ever had to offer him. Being lovers with his best friend? That is something he liked. Noah paused, his thumb lightly caressed the metal of Mirage’s chest, the dirt and sand rubbing onto his skin. He could only chuckle lightly, “That sounds like a mouthful but I will try.”

“Well there is something easier for you to say but it is extremely… I think you call it intimate. But it’s something that I actually don’t like throwing it around since it means a lot to me,” Mirage explained, getting almost flustered. Losing his cool at the thought of being called someone’s spark mate. He continued, “Back home when you were ready to… in human terms get married, we bond our sparks metaphorically speaking. Calling each other, our spark mates. I don’t think I am ready to be called that just yet.”

Noah understood how Mirage could feel about that, it did sound really intimate and it sounded like a full commitment, something to not throw around.

“I understand Raj’, I will only call you that when we are ready for that,” Noah stated, he would never want to make Mirage his friend- no, correction boyfriend uncomfortable. Mirage let out a large extake of air, feeling all happy and giddy inside just relishing the fact that he was dating Noah. Mirage looked up at the sky and then said, “Hey look up at the sky. It’s about to start.”

Noah looked up at the sky then in less than a few seconds he saw it, one star streaked across the sky then another and another till he realised he was watching a meteor shower. He leaned back till his back was against Mirage’s chest, the autobot gently laid his hand on Noah’s stomach. The two now lovers watched the sky as the streaks of lights went across the sky, Mirage was reminded about all the times he had watched meteor showers in the past back on Cybertron. All those times he watched it by himself or with his now ex elitist friends, he never thought highly of meteor showers. Lying in the Arizona desert, Noah lying on top of him, watching those meteors trek across the starry night sky felt special and actually meaningful.

His thumb ever so tenderly caressed Noah’s stomach, his optics watching the lights in the sky.

…

Noah begin to stir, he didn’t know when he fell asleep last night but he woke up, Mirage was in stasis but in his cybertronian form which was new then again there wasn’t much room in the garage for Mirage to be sleeping how he wanted to. Noah noticed how he was being spooned, Mirage was extremely careful last night to not accidentally crush him.

Noah wiggled and shifted around till he was facing Mirage’s face, it was relaxed and his optics weren’t on.

Mirage a few minutes began to stir, his processor was telling him that something was touching his face plate. His optics powered on, he got the lovely view and this was something he didn’t mind waking up to. The sensation of Noah lightly caressing his face with a soft smile.

“Good morning Raj’.”

Chapter Text

Mirage was thinking about the old days back on Cybertron. Walking around his abode, the walls a grey and everything in the house lacked something that he could never pin point what was wrong, he had redone the walls over and over but it never felt right.

Cybertron for some reason didn’t feel like home, he lived there for millions of years. In the few years he had lived on Earth, there was something that blossomed especially when Noah had accidentally tumbled in his life.

It was calm driving through the mid west, Noah was talking about his plans when they got home. The roads of Kansas was boring, there was nothing for as far as they eye could see but large corn fields and tall grass.

“Hey Mirage, since we got probably a lot of time on our hands you wanna just play a game or something? I am getting bored as hell,” Noah chuckled, his hands running along the dash board. The autobot was happy to oblige as he was practically dying of boredom of the plantations that he has been seeing for a few hours now. “Tell me about it, this bot is tired of just seeing corn. What do you wanna do?”

Noah just looked around, there was literally nothing good to do. It wasn’t like road trips would entertain the both of them or anything.

“You just wanna ask each other random stuff?” Noah suggested with a shrug, he was hoping that Mirage would come up with something. The bot questioned — his tone growing curious, “Like anything random?”

“I guess, if it is too uncomfortable we will just tell each other,” Noah answered along with setting a rule down for the both of them. “Gotcha, should i start or do you wanna start mi amor?”

Noah opened his mouth to answer but when he heard what Mirage called him, his face flushed and he just nervously chuckled as he glanced out the window, “Buttering me up I see. I guess I’ll start then Raj’.”

Noah could just sense that Mirage was pleased with himself, probably has a shit eating grin on his face.

“So… hm,” Noah hummed looking around for a minute before asking, “What was your favourite part about our trip?”

“Last night of course,” Mirage purred, the engine getting louder with the giddy excitement that coursed through the bot’s energon. “What about you, what was your favourite part about our trip?”

Noah thought about it, there was so much he loved about the trip.

“I don’t really know, I think maybe just us sleeping close with each other. I haven’t gotten sleep like this in years, something about sleeping with you made me feel some way that I don’t really know how to explain,” Noah answered, rubbing the back of his neck. Mirage doesn’t truly understand how someone could feel safe while sleeping, when he is in stasis it is a state of feeling nothing. Not in a bad way but everything but his spark is powered off, regardless he finds that fascinating that someone could feel safe while powered down or sleeping in Noah’s case. Mirage remember going into stasis in near front lines of the battles, being stasis was his way of just not feeling anything. He didn’t feel safe nor in danger, he felt nothing.

“What is sleep like?”

Noah frowned, he thought Mirage knew what it was like giving that he goes into stasis whenever he had nothing to do or he genuinely needed rest after a long day.

“What do you mean Raj’?” Noah looked at the radio at the blue autobot sigil that appeared, Mirage hummed, “Like what is sleep like for you? Like human sleep, i think cybertronian concept of sleep and human concept of sleep is much different.”

“Huh, never thought about that,” Noah murmured, he assumed it was the same this whole time. Now he was curious. “Well I guess I can still feel… like emotions. I dream as well… Well I don’t really know how to explain, it’s just sleep to me.”

“Huh dreams, I constantly hear that term. Like oh i had a dream but what is that because i have an idea of what it is but I don’t know if my assumption is correct, can you explain a bit more on that?” Mirage questioned, Noah realised that Mirage was asking a lot more questions and technically it was his turn but he answered, “Well like it’s kinda like a mini movie that plays in your mind while you sleep. Sometimes they are bad or scary which are called nightmares and then there are other stuff. Dreams are different from someone else’s they are all unique.”

Mirage had so many questions but if he kept asking questions without letting Noah have a turn he felt like he was being rude. He was just so intrigued and curious, Noah always gets more interesting the more Mirage learns about humans.

“So Raj’ since we are talking about sleep, what is it like for you? Do you dream?” Noah asked, Mirage wanted to melt when he saw the face Noah was making. The look of curiosity.

“Well sleep to me is nothing. I just power off and power back on, i don’t get dreams. Now I am jealous, who is in your dreams?” Mirage wondered what it was like to dream.

“Well it’s usually people I know in my dreams.”

“Have I appeared in your dreams?” Mirage teased, inside he was practically praying to Primus that Noah has dreamt of him. What were they doing? Was it romantic dreams? Do humans have romantic dreams? Questions rushing through the bot’s mind like a severe flash flood. “Yeah you have appeared in my dreams a few times Raj’.”

Noah was a bit bashful thinking back on the last dream he had of Mirage, it was nothing bad. It was a slightly romantic and slightly suggestive dream, no biggie… totally.

…

It was nightfall, the sky dark and the two were now in the middle of Pennsylvania. They were underneath some bridge with Mirage transformed out, he was exhausted from driving such a long time with barely any breaks. He wanted to get home and relax in the garage with Noah.

“Raj’ we could have taken more breaks, you didn’t need to push yourself like that for me,” Noah chuckled as he climbed up on Mirage, straddling the waist of the bot. There was a light drizzle, the air was crisp — it cold enough to see Noah’s breath. Mirage just settled his hand on his lover’s lower back, tilting his head with a half smile. “Hey we gotta get you back home, as much as I love having you sleeping with me, you need a proper bed. Don’t you deny the fact that i hear you complain about back and neck pain in the mornings.”

“I’d rather deal with that versus you working yourself till exhaustion.”

“Well don’t you miss your brother and mother?” Mirage reminded, he was so glad he had a poker face because he just remembered what he accidentally told Noah’s mother and the fact Kris doesn’t know that he is now officially dating his older brother. The bot wanted to bury himself in a hole and let the earth consume his body. Noah cursed under his breath, “Shit… speaking of my brother and mother, i need to tell them about us and I need to introduce my mom to you. Properly at least since she technically has met you. Just didn’t know that my car is actually an alien. And I am dating extraterrestrial life…”

“You better not compare me to E.T when you introduce her to me.”

“Raj’ I swear you have some mad beef with the damn lil dude,” Noah laughed, the bot rolled his optics and pouted, “I can’t believe you compared me to that ugly little thing.”

“That was such a long time ago!”

“It still doesn’t change the fact you compared me to him,” Mirage whined acting like he was all upset. Noah knew that this was a little game, he decided to see how the bot would feel if he made some moves.

“Well is there any way I could apologise?” Noah cooed, his voice sounding almost breathless, his hand on the autobot’s chest moving it down to the bot’s equivalent to stomach. Mirage immediately went stiff and he began to stammer, “I guess…. I guess you could m-maybe.”

“Uh huh,” Noah teased, his lips curling up in a smug grin. Mirage got all nervous and flustered, looking away as he stated, “You really know how to get a bot all needing to check where his energon is located.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.” Mirage didn’t wanna explain what that meant, at least not for now. Noah eased up on the flirting and teasing, resting his head on his robotic boyfriend’s chest. Staring at the rain that was once a light drizzle. “Raj’ you know I find you handsome right?”

The genuine tone and the way it came out so soft made Mirage wanna squeal, his hand ran along Noah’s back.

“I find you hot as well, I know the other guys will find it weird giving that you are y’know human and… I don’t know how they will take it,” Mirage murmured, he was so focused on Noah and trying to think about Noah’s family that he didn’t take the time to think of the other autobots. Bumblebee would probably chill as hell with him dating Noah, Bumblebee didn’t give a shit about what the other’s liked. Optimus and Arcee would probably judge him, he was mostly nervous of how Optimus would react though. Something made him scared. Noah was looking at Mirage, he didn’t need the ability to read minds when he saw the expression that his boyfriend was making.

“Hey everything is going to be okay, I can be there when you break the news with them if you’d like,” Noah offered, trying to ease Mirage. The bot let out a soft mumble, his optics shining brighter, “That would be nice for you to be there, just kinda worried about what Prime would say.”

“Raj’ why does it matter what that old man thinks? He’s ready to blow a gasket because of war, you dating me is probably the last thing on his mind,” Noah chuckled as he tried to comfort Mirage.

“Well I just feel like I need to be perfect, I don’t want him to just… I don’t know I feel like this is stupid,” Mirage murmured as his optics dimmed, Noah could see a reflection between him and the autobot. They maybe be different in many ways but one thing was the same about them, worried about letting someone down. It was a shitty feeling that Noah was all to well familiar with.

“Mirage,” Noah spoke as he reached up, the metal of his lover’s face felt slightly warm. Mirage leaned into the touch, staring down and practically analyzing all the freckles across the nose and cheeks. “You don’t have to be perfect for anyone Raj’ you don’t have to be perfect and you won’t let Optimus down by dating me. He should be happy for you but our relationship will still go on along with your duties.”

Mirage just sighed softly, “What about we just put this on the back burner for now? I don’t wanna talk or worry about this for now at least.”

Noah pursed his lips, he knew that it was hard to erase years of forced habits but as long as they worked through this in the future he was fine with setting this aside.

Living in the moment sounded better anyways. He looked out from under the under pass, the rain starting to come down harder. Mirage fidgeted with this radio till he found a random channel, the radio crackled to life and Noah stared as the song Baby I love your way by Big Mountain began to play. Mirage remembered seeing way too much media where he sees a straight couple dancing together, he found it odd how there was never any same sex relationships more often in media.

“Hey Noah, would you do the honour of dancing with me,” Mirage threw out, having his stupid lopsided smile while giving Noah his best pleading puppy dog eyes. Noah giggled and asked, “How are we gonna dance? You are twice my size, you’ll probably nearly step on me.”

“Since when have I ever stepped on you?” Noah gave Mirage a look almost silently reminding of him of what happened last month, there was an incident where Noah nearly got stepped on. Mirage sheepishly chuckled, “Oh yeah… that was a one time thing and I wasn’t trying to step on you.”

Mirage suddenly had a genius idea, he stood up and carefully held Noah’s hands, Noah’s feet on top of the bot’s.

“See I got an idea, now let’s dance Noah. We gotta do romance shit,” Mirage chirped, slow steady steps that were off beat to the tempo of the song. It was awkward stiff dancing, it was obvious Mirage was trying to make it work. Noah found the gesture both cute and hilarious, he would occasionally giggle and he would follow the movements.

Swaying around together while Mirage quietly hummed to the song. Noah felt his cheeks get all warm from the slow dancing. Soon their dancing took beyond the underpass.

“Raj’ I think you are the only one I would be willing to dance in the rain with,” Noah whispered, his curls beginning to stick to his forehead. His white shirt almost becoming translucent as it got wet from the rain. Mirage responded with, “You are the only being I would do this with, not really big on dancing but with you? I think I am reconsidering it if I am dancing with you.”

Noah’s face got all flushed, his lips curved into a rather big smile.

After dancing to a few songs Mirage transformed into a car, Noah peeled off his wet shirt and pants. Mirage was watching quietly, his spark getting brighter as Noah lay down in the back seats in nothing but his boxers that were damp like his other clothes.

“You ready to be home tomorrow?” Noah asked as he stared at the ceiling of the car, he could feel the seats warm up. He knew it was his boyfriend’s doing, little silent acts that he would definitely need to get used to. “I am excited to be back, we can get back to our routine or we can make a new one.”

“I like the sound of that Raj’.”

…

Noah was fast asleep, Mirage wasn’t powered down yet. He wondered something, he was thinking about the concept of dreams again. It was fascinating, he noticed Noah’s fingers twitching every once in and awhile.

He wondered if it was even possible for Cybertronians to do such a thing.

He began to power down after knowing he should be getting some rest for the next day when they would be back home in Bushwick.

The last thing he thought about was Noah’s sleeping face all relaxed and calm.

…

Noah squinted and opened his eyes, sun was in his eyes.

“Are you awake Noah?” Mirage whispered softly, Noah groaned quietly and responded, “No I am fast asleep.”

“Oh okay sorry,” Mirage murmured as he went back to being silent, Noah’s lips tugged up into a smile. Struggling not to laugh as he waited for Mirage to figure out what he had just said, it took exactly 6 minutes and 45 seconds to realise what Noah just said. “HEY! You aren’t asleep, you are being cheeky.”

“I was beginning to wonder when you would realise what I had just said,” Noah chuckled as he sat up, stretching his arms over his head and groaning quietly. Mirage of course was ogling his boyfriend’s body, the bot thought to himself, ‘Damn why is he so hot… Holy Primus forgive me for what I want to do to him.’

Noah grabbed his duffle bag, digging in the bag for his last clean outfit. A tank top and some shorts. He begin to put his clothing off, he wondered what Mirage thought about seeing him this way. Noah just assumes that since Mirage doesn’t really visibly have… tools that maybe he doesn’t feel those type of feelings.

“You ready to hit the road bro?” Mirage managed out, he was feeling some ways that shouldn’t be coming up just yet. “Yeah I am ready to get back home, we are probably going to land in around noon since we should be in Pennsylvania right now. You just wanna hang out for the rest of the day when we get back home or are you tired of me?”

Mirage didn’t waste a second with his response what so ever.

“Let’s spend the rest of the day together, your mom and Kris can wait a few more hours.”

Noah began to laugh, he hopped up into the driver’s seat. While buckling up he paused. “Wait did you call me bro earlier?”

“Sorry, force of habit,” Mirage chuckled sheepishly, he even knew that people don’t usually call their romantic partners ‘bro.’ The bot began to drive once Noah was buckled up.

…

The roads leading up to New York was peaceful, Noah could see the tall buildings sitting on the horizon.

“Man Mirage, sometimes I wonder what it is like to live in the big city.” Noah commented, Mirage snapped out of his bored trance, the whole car ride was pretty quiet because Noah decided to take a nap after 30 minutes when they left the under pass. Mirage asked, “Well why don’t you try living in the big city?”

“Multiple reasons, don’t wanna leave my mom and brother is one of them. That and there isn’t many places that would allow me to get a garage as well. I don’t want you living in some random parking structure,” Noah answered as he tore his gaze away from the tall buildings. The autobot’s radio crackled into static as he joked, “You scared someone will try to steal me like how you did?”

“Nah Raj’ I already stole your spark, I am not letting anyone else steal you. You are stuck with me.”

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t want anyone else. You are all I could ever want, you are the perfect human. My boyfriend.” Mirage giggled, if he was human his cheeks would probably be all flushed and warm. The thought of Noah not letting anyone steal him and the concept of being stuck with him sounded like the perfect dream. A small little flirty comment left out of Noah, “Uh huh all mine as I am all yours.”

Mirage is used to keeping his cool but he accidentally let out a loud radio squeal similar to how bumblebee sounds like when he gets excited. Noah began to laugh at how Mirage got all bashful.

Mirage may try to act all cool and tough but under all that metallic armour and wires was the parts of him that wanted to be vulnerable.

Opening up to be that way wasn’t easy but he had a suspicion that Noah would break down those walls of years beyond years of trauma. To look beyond the mirage, the illusion that Mirage set up to protect himself.

Chapter Text

“Mirage where are we going?” Noah chuckled, his hands over his eyes per his boyfriend’s request. They were driving around almost all day, his lunch that they picked up from a small little shop sitting in the passenger seat. He knew the streets of Brooklyn like the back of his head he lost track after the countless turns. “It would defeat the whole purpose of the surprise.”

“You know I don’t like surprises Raj’.” Noah had a smile spanning across his face, tilting his head and resting it against the window. Mirage turned again onto a street before entering a building stopping in the middle of the building. It was quiet, he spoke up in a happy tone, “You can open your eyes now.”

Noah uncovered his eyes, opening them to see the place where Mirage first revealed himself. The place felt may look like abandoned building to others but to Mirage and Noah, it was just so much more special. Disregarding the parking structure, this was the birth of their friendship and the path created leading to their now relationship.

“Where you first presented your true self to me, getting all mushy on me aren’t ya,” Noah commented, grabbing his food before getting out of Mirage. The autobot quietly transformed, kneeling to be appear smaller before quipping, “Maybe next time you should take me to the parking structure where you stole me and my spark.”

The Cybertronian’s finger ran down along Noah’s back as he joked, Noah’s face flushed and he rubbed the back of his neck then looked back at Mirage.

“Yeah we should,” Noah answered. Mirage lounged leaning back on a pillar, getting comfortable as his boyfriend sat on his leg. He pulled out his pernil sandwich from the container, he began to eat it while Mirage searched the radio to find a perfect song for the moment. The bot finally found a song, his chest projecting the song ‘Man in the box’ by Alice in Chains. Noah paused while eating before commenting, “Didn’t strike you as a rock fan.”

Mirage listened to the song that he was blasting, he tilted his head and turning down of the volume of the music down before responding, “I feel like I just listen to whatever sounds good.”

Noah bit down on his sandwich to get a bite, a pickle slipping out from the other end. Luckily falling onto his pants, he was about to pick it up when Mirage asked, “Noah where do you think we would both be if we never crossed paths?”

Noah was in mid-chew when Mirage asked that question. He continued to chew and think, after swallowing and clearing his throat he stated, “Well I know that my family would have still been struggling, you are one of the main reasons why Kris gets the treatment he gets now.”

Noah remembered all the nights where Kris suffered or all the unpaid hospital bills when money was incredibly tight. He didn’t want to think where his family would have been if the autobots didn’t practically crashed into his life.

“Where would you have been Raj’?” Noah asked as he glanced up at the bot, Mirage thought about it before finally answering, “Probably back on Cybertron, fighting the war with Decepticons. Best case scenario if that was the case I would be dead. I don’t want to keep on fighting anymore. Spent more years in my life fighting than living.”

Noah could hear the despondence in Mirage’s voice, he could tell that the autobot no longer wanted to deal with war.

“Well I am glad you had to fled to earth, even if we didn’t cross paths I am glad you don’t have to deal with the war.” Mirage felt Noah’s hand on his hip, he looked down with a smile on his face. Mirage murmured as his optics gleamed a bit brighter, “Crossing paths with you was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

“You are both the best thing to happen to me and my family,” Noah responded as he leaned his body against Mirage’s side as he finished his food. The hum of the music low and quiet. The faint sounds of the city in the distance, pigeons, and the music just made this moment feel surreal. Noah finished his lunch. “Shall we get going Raj’?”

“Can we just stay like this for a little bit longer?” Mirage asked, scooping up Noah to bring him up to his chest. Noah couldn’t lie that being this close was nice and they weren’t in any rush to get back home. He rested on Mirage’s chest with his head on the bot’s shoulder. The abandon warehouse was filthy and dusty now that he could see it in daylight but for some reason he didn’t want to see this building go away, a small idea sparked but he wasn’t going to tell Mirage about it. Not yet at least.

Maybe a few minutes passed by but Noah turned his head slightly to look at Mirage, Mirage noticed this almost instantly glancing down. Usually it would have been a shy moment there but it was the moment where they leaned closer to each other. Mirage’s hand going to the back of Noah’s head as Noah had his hands cup Mirage’s face.

A kiss would have happened if it was for a certain someone blaring out a call over Mirage’s radio making the two jump away. Noah almost falling off as Mirage looked away embarrassed and kinda pissed that the moment was ruined as he hear Optimus Prime’s stoic voice over the radio waves.

“Mirage call in. Mirage are you there.”

“Yeah I am here Prime,” Mirage answered trying not to sound annoyed. Noah was staring at his own lap, his face all flushed that he almost kissed Mirage. “Mirage we need you to meet up with us on the base, there is a problem.”

Noah frowned and Mirage fell back into a semi-serious bot.

“Got it I’ll be there.”

The radio ended and Noah asked, “What do you think it’s about?”

“I don’t really know,” Mirage answered softly as he let out a big exhale, blasting air in Noah’s face messing up his curls ever so slightly. “Well let’s go see what that old man has to say before he blows a gasket.”

…

Noah and Mirage assumed that the meeting was serious because all of the autobots that they had on earth was gathered around.

Wheeljack, Arcee, Bumblebee, Stratosphere and Optimus were all standing in a circle.

Mirage transformed and placed Noah on his shoulder, he stood not to far away from Optimus.

“Mirage, we had been given intel from the humans that there has been multiple foreign entries. Cybertronians. We don’t know whether they are decepticons or our own,” Optimus informed not knowing that both Mirage and Noah had a run in with one of the entries. Noah piped in, “I am assuming that the news hasn’t gotten to you but me and Mirage had a run in. His name was Ravage if I remember correctly.”

The Prime’s optics narrowed as if trying to remember who Ravage was, he fought too many Decepticons and some days were blurs where his processor practically stored some memories on the back burner. He finally remembered whom Ravage was, he wished it wasn’t true but this made him worried.

“Are you sure it was Ravage?” Optimus asked, stepping closer to both Mirage and Noah. Mirage nodded in confirmation, his mouth pinched shut as he felt like he knew what that look meant. Bumblebee chirped before using the radio using a mix and mash of different songs to say, “We no longer- are running from the- war- it’s coming to us.”

“Wait what?!” Noah exclaimed, looking at Optimus from some sort of explanation. Hoping that maybe Bumblebee was pulling some mean prank on him. Arcee began to project a small decepticons with her illusion technology.

“Soundwave is Megatron’s most loyal and trusted subordinate and close lieutenant. Ravage worked for both of them, if Ravage is here that could only mean that the other’s are not too far behind,” Optimus explained, his voice sounding heavier as he wished what he was wrong. Noah wondered why did all of this have to happen during his lifetime, first the whole Peru mess with Unicron and then Ravage and now the potential war.

…

The car ride leaving the base was quiet, Noah was picking at the fabric of his pants.

“Raj’ do you really think that there will be a war?” Noah questioned, his eyes tearing away from the road to look at the radio. Mirage was quiet, he was in deep thought. He answered softly, “Yes, I do.”

Mirage wanted to give up when he heard earlier about the whole war coming to them, he used to thought that maybe that they were so far from Cybertron, from the war. That just maybe he no longer had to deal with it all, now it’s coming to the place he was starting to call home. He noticed how Noah seemed all melancholy, he added on, “Well I remember hearing from bumblebee who heard it from someone else that a true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him. I may not like that a war is coming our way but I will most certainly fight for you and your family.”

Noah smiled a bit, feeling the seat belt across his chest tighten a bit. He could only chuckle, “Raj’ you are really a big sap. I’d be an absolute fool if I let you fight alone. We are-”

“Home team?” Mirage said, completing Noah’s sentence. “Exactly home team.”

“So I know that you want to go home but I think we should have dinner together before I officially drop you off back home,” Mirage spoke up after a few minutes of silence. Noah wasn’t opposed to it so he shrugged. “Sounds like a plan. I choose the place though i eat though, I need to be somewhere with a view.”

…

Noah didn’t get anything fancy this time, he got just a plain slice of pizza. Him and Mirage were sitting in a park staring up at the sky in hopes they were going to star gaze. It was too cloudy and the light pollution would have prevented them to see the stars.

“So much for a view,” Noah chuckled awkwardly, he should have just stuck to the warehouse where him and Mirage were hanging out earlier. He finished the pizza relatively fast and the bot turned over to his side with his face getting close to Noah and commented, “Well I got a pretty nice view from where I am sitting.”

“Oh shut up,” Noah laughed out as his cheeks got all hot, he pushed Mirage’s face with his hand as the bot giggled with his voice getting all static-y, “What you don’t like me admiring the mighty fine man who I am dating?”

“Oh my god MIRAGE!” Noah was getting all flustered since Mirage was just being flirtatious as possible to get Noah to not feel like he messed up on their little hangout. Noah couldn’t control if it was cloudy or not. The bot was doing a good job. Noah couldn’t help but have a flustered smile sprawled across his face, rolling his eyes when Mirage spoke. “Well despite the clouds in the sky, I don’t care if I can or cannot see the stars because all I care about is if I am with you.”

“Raj’ you are a sap,” Noah chuckled as he looked into the bright blue optics, he felt like he made the best choice when stealing the car and ended up finding himself a tall alien whom was just a big sap. Mirage just scooped up Noah with no warning, at this point Noah didn’t even care since he was starting to get used to it. Frankly it was hot how Mirage could lift him up with ease. “Well I think it’s getting close to time where I should drop you off, it’s getting late and I think I have kept you from your brother and your mother long enough.”

“Yeah, Kris and my mom probably wondering why I am spending so much time with my work friend,” Noah joked, the bot just gave him a lopsided smile. “Uh huh, work friends.”

Mirage transformed carefully maneuvering Noah around till he was sitting in the driver’s seat, ready to hit the road but he waited patiently for his boyfriend to buckle up. Once he heard the click, he practically peeled off. Music to blaring off the radio.

The whole drive to Brooklyn was filled with the two singing loudly like nothing existed around them, music with Spanish was where Noah practically stole the spot light. There was a harsh swerve that made Noah grab onto the safety bars, the turn into the alleyway. The two were laughing and the seat belt across Noah’s chest tightened slightly.

“Raj’ one of these days I need to get you out on a race track, let you drive as fast as you like. You drive like you are a racer,” Noah joked, Mirage remembered of the old days on Cybertron when he used to race, those were fun when he didn’t know about Sentinel truly. The bot broke the news with a sheepish chuckle, “Well I used to join races often so you aren’t technically wrong.”

“Dios, you just get more interesting,” Noah murmured, it didn’t really surprise him too much but he would kill to see Mirage race. “Okay this is enough, you need to get into a proper bed and get some sleep.”

“Alright Raj’, you mind giving me a boost? I don’t really wanna-”

“Already ahead of you,” Mirage chuckled as he began to quietly transform, holding Noah up like presenting the heavens the man. He placed a cloaking on himself so Noah could see him but anyone else wouldn’t see the two. He gently settled him on the fire escape, his optics narrowing as he just sighed softly and happily. Noah wanted to go inside but he felt something didn’t feel right just going inside right away. He sat down on the fire escape allowing his legs to dangle off.

“Why aren’t you going inside?” Mirage softly murmured as he got close, his head nearly chest height with Noah.

“I don’t know, I just wanna sit out here with you a little longer with you,” Noah answered with a shrug, he didn’t know exactly why. This was going to be his first night not sleeping with Mirage close by. Mirage just felt his spark ache just wanting to finish what he had started at noon, he wanted to kiss Noah so badly already. This was his chance but he was freezing up like some total fool.

The two just made some small talk, talking about random shit till Noah started to get tired. His eyes getting heavy with sleep and he yawned quietly, “I think I better be going inside.”

“Okay…” Mirage mumbled, sounding almost disappointed that he hasn’t made a move yet, he wanted to kick himself for not even attempting a move. Noah looked at Mirage, this optics always got him for some reason. His heart racing in his chest as if it was going to burst through his ribs.

“Hey Raj’.”

“Yeah?” The bot answered, he got closer so Noah didn’t have to speak so loudly. Noah shifted around so his stomach as against the fire escape, Mirage was so confused till he wasn’t.

His first thoughts when it happened was that, Primus himself was on his side in making sure that what happened finally happened. It was just meant to be, all the horrible stuff that ever happened being pushed away onto the back burner because all that Mirage wanted to focus on was how Noah grabbed the helm of the autobot and pulled him close to kiss him. The autobot leaned into the kiss, his hand raising up to cup the back of Noah’s head.

Noah knew that Mirage didn’t have it in him to make the first move, he noticed how Mirage was staring at him all night and how the look of disappointment said it all. He grew the confidence to do it. Kissing Mirage felt unique, sure he kissed like two other people on the lips before but nothing compared to kissing. The warm metal lips pressed against his. Neither wanted to pull away but Mirage broke the kiss, he wasn’t breathless like how Noah was.

“Good night Raj’,” Noah whispered as his lips tugged up into a small smile, Mirage was beaming and his spark began to glow so brightly that Noah could see the glow between the cracks of the metal. “Good night Noah…”

Mirage watched his boyfriend eventually go inside. He transformed back into a car.

Noah was about to close his window when he heard Mirage peel off and shout so happily as if he won the lottery. Noah smiled as he closed the window finally, flopping down in his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a bit thinking what he had down, his hand going up till his fingers lightly traced his lips. He didn’t regret what he had done what so ever, he was definitely going to cherish the memory all night. Sleep eventually took him and his eyes fluttered shut, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Mirage on the other hand went straight to the garage, he suppressed his noises of excitement. His radio going haywire and his voice box making squealing noises. The autobot struggled so hardly to not just yell out. He pumped a fist into the air multiple times before lying back onto his back. His spark was glowing so noticeably bright. If he didn’t know any better he would be so damn sure that it would become brighter than a super nova.

He replayed the memory so many times till the point he had to acknowledge that he was going a little bit crazy from just one single kiss.

“Am I crazy for wanting him to kiss me again? Primus, Mirage pull yourself together…” He began to talk to himself, lightly smacked his helm with his hand trying not to just pester Noah for more kisses.

Could you even blame him for wanting more? It was like a drug to the autobot, just one kiss was a start to a whole new addiction.

Chapter Text

Noah began to wake up due to not closing his curtains the night before, the sun in his eyes. He let out a groggy yawn before sitting up, he was in his room this time instead of sleeping inside of Mirage. It felt odd not sleeping with the bot not so close by, then he remembered what happened last night. The kiss. He brought his hands up to his lips to just think about how he had the autobot’s lips against his the night before on the fire escape.

His heart fluttered at the thought of seeing him again, he got out of bed. His room was almost how he left it, there wasn’t his little pile of dirty clothes in the corner. He wandered around till he finally picked up some clothing from his dresser to wear for the day. He paused when he got to his bedroom door, hand hovering over the handle. The thought of telling his family that he was dating Mirage scared him because he didn’t know which was worse, him dating a man or an alien from space that transformers into a Porsche.

‘How am I going to tell them, Kris will be easier but i don’t know about Ma,” Noah thinks to himself worriedly, he opens the door to be greeted to almost complete silence. He can hear someone in the dinning room, eating cereal as he could hear a spoon lightly click against the ceramic bowl. He walks out of his room, the floorboards creaking underneath his feet as he made his way towards the noise. He found Kris, Kris mumbled between bites of his lucky charms, “Hi Noah.”

“Morning Kris,” Noah spoke as he walked on over to his little brother. Kris set his spoon down and turned around. “Noah we gotta talk.”

“What about?” Noah was confused because he was going to tell Kris about him and Mirage. Did something happen while he was gone?

“You and Mirage, you won’t forget about me right?” Kris asked, as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. As much as he loved his brother and the bot, he wanted to make sure that he wasn’t being replaced. Noah gave his younger brother a smile and shook his head, ruffling up his hair. “Nah, you have been the og pain in the ass, we have been through thick and thin before he even entered the picture. Raj’ ain’t replacing you any time soon but I do have something to tell you that has changed between us’.”

“I know.” Kris grimaced, not in a disgusted way but more as a ‘seriously bro?’ look. Noah frowned and said, “What?”

“You and Raj’ are together now right? As in dating?” Kris knew because as much as the bot and his brother have been dense, he was aware. Especially after the past check ups over the radio have been confirming his suspicions, Noah going silent and cheeks flushing didn’t help. He got up from his chair and patted his older brother’s arm because the silence was the answer. “Good luck with Ma. She is doing laundry today and she already knows as well but in a different way.”

“Wait what do you mean-” Noah was cut off by the sound of his mom screaming and Mirage trying to calm her down.

__ A few minutes before __

Breanna was carrying a laundry basket, picking up clothing from each room. She opened the door to her eldest son’s room to find him in bed, she didn’t hear him the night before. She saw the calm expression of her first baby peacefully sleeping. She picked up a few articles of clothing off his floor before leaving his room quietly, shutting it behind her. Kris was serving himself cereal when she began to head to the downstairs to the garage where the washer and dryer were. It was dark and she didn’t bother turning on the light to light up the whole area. Her slippers lightly scrapping against the floor, she made her way down the stairs before eventually arriving in the area where the washer and dryer were.

Humming some songs under her breath as she fumbled around for the light that lit up the area of the dryer and washer. Grabbing the string and pulling it down. Mirage was nearby deep asleep but it was different than his usual stasis sleep because he didn’t power himself down. He fell asleep like how humans did which was different, he began to stir when he heard his boyfriend’s mother walk down the stairs. He froze when he realised that he was still in his cybertronian form, he couldn’t transform when she was hear because it would be loud enough for her to turn and notice that a 15 foot robotic alien was sleeping in her garage.

Breanna was thinking to herself still about how her son was doing stuff with a man, she wasn’t angry or disgusted. Rather she was thinking of ways to be supportive of her son and think how to support his boyfriend. She had that feeling that Mirage was more than a friend with how her son wouldn’t let her meet him but she wanted to be there for her son.

He kept his vocal box shut to not make a single noise, sitting as still as possible. Breanna was pouring in the laundry detergent when she dropped the cap, it rolled and landed right next to Mirage’s foot.

‘Primus Noah is going to fucking kill me.’ Mirage thought to himself as he saw Breanna lay eyes on him, thank God she set the bottle of laundry detergent down because her hands flew up to her face as she screamed practical bloody murder.

“Wait Ms. Diaz please calm down I am not going to hurt you!” Mirage’s hands went up as he was startled by the loud scream, he should have known. Not all humans will act like Noah. Breanna’s screams were so loud and she grabbed her broom that was nearby, she was ready to fight the robot. He cracked a joke nervously, “Guess this is where I found out where your sons get that from. Ms. Diaz please it’s me Mirage it’s okay.”

Noah burst the garage door open, his eyes wide as he saw Mirage trying to calm his mother down. Mirage got whacked with the broom and he immediately backed up.

“Noah help me your mother is going to beat me up with the broom! I don’t really wanna pop out a dent or get a touch up with my paint again,” The bot sheepishly chuckled as he gently grabbed the broom.

“Ma! It’s okay! He’s not going to hurt you!” Noah shouted as he ran down the stairs to rush over to his panicking mother, taking the broom away from her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and calmed her down by speaking in Spanish. “Está bien mamá, está bien, ¡no va a pasar nada malo!”

“This is not okay! What is that?!” Breanna shrieked as she gestured to Mirage wildly, the bot offered a sheepish smile and wave. Noah answered her the best he could, “Ma, that is Mirage. He is the one that I have been meaning to introduce you too. He is technically from space so it makes him an alien.”

“Like E.T?” She stammered as she glanced over to the autobot who threw his head back and began cursing in his native tongue. Noah had to stifle a laugh when he explained, “He doesn’t like being compared to E.T, he thinks the little guy is ugly. He is no threat to us.”

Breanna just had an awkward look on her face as she nodded a bit.

“I know seeing him is already a lot to take in but he’s not just my friend, me and him-”

“Are together I know. I am fine with you dating men but I didn’t know you had a thing for… tall individuals like him,” Breanna began, she was ready to support her son for dating a man. She wasn’t expecting him to bring an alien back home. Noah noticed how she was more concerned with the fact he was dating an alien which he could understand because a year ago he didn’t think he’d be dating an extraterrestrial life form. Noah frowned and was confused on how both Kris and his mother knew that he was dating Mirage.

“Wait how did you know?” Noah asked as he glanced over at Mirage, the look that made the bot aware that he was in for a talk once Breanna left the room. She looked between the both of them trying to figure out how the fuck it would work between the two. “Well um… when me and Kris were trying to get a hold of you, Mirage answered instead and he told me about your activities.”

Noah frowned but luckily Kris who was entering the garage finished where his mother was too embarrassed to say out loud, “Mirage told us that you were tired after riding him all day!”

“Kris!” Breanna yelped as she turned to face her youngest. Noah immediately flushed bright red and immediately began to throw the closest thing at Mirage which was a closed box of dryer sheets. “Mirage! Seriously out of everything you could have said you say that to my mom!?”

“I didn’t realise how it sounded!” Mirage tried to explain but ended up chuckling a bit which only made Noah even more embarrassed. He turned to his mother and began to explain, “Ma, he can transform into a car. He’s the nice Porsche that I drive around in, or technically he drives us around.”

“Yeah your son stole me both physically and my spark,” Mirage chuckled. Breanna turned to Noah and questioned, “You did what?”

“MIRAGE!”

After a long time of explaining how the two met and a long scolding for stealing later, Breanna was finally more calm

“So Mirage what are your intentions with my son?” Breanna questioned, Noah in that moment wanted to disappear. He didn’t want her to start grilling his boyfriend. The autobot crossed his legs as he tilted his head to the side, answering, “Well Ms. Diaz, I owe so much to him. He did save me and repaired me, we saved the world together.”

“You what?!”

“I will be blunt with you, I don’t want to bring any harm to Noah. He means the whole to world to me.” Mirage answered as he glanced at Noah who had a smile creepy up. Breanna noticed how happy her son was, she knew despite the… odd choices that Noah has made, she wanted him to be happy. She sighed before getting a stern tone in her voice, “Well I am glad you two are happy but listen to me when I say this. You ever hurt any of my babies or you dare to break my pollito’s heart I will personally come after you! Understand?”

She took off her slipper, Mirage had enough trauma of Noah throwing a slipper at him so he raised his hands in defense as he answered, “Yes ma’am I understand, Kris will be close behind you if I ever dare to break Noah’s heart which I don’t ever on planning on. Cross my spark and hope to die.”

After hearing that she nodded with a small huff and went back upstairs because she needed some time to completely registered everything that just crashed down on her world. She was proud of her son but she also felt like he was a massive idiot for getting involved with alien wars. Kris followed after to make sure she didn’t do anything too crazy, leaving both Noah and Mirage in the garage alone. Noah remembered that he was still annoyed with Mirage so he turned his back towards the bot

“So Noah are you still mad at me?” The autobot whispered, he most certainly didn’t like the cold shoulder treatment especially when he was craving kisses since that one kiss from last night was making him want more. “Yes I am Raj’.”

The autobot pouted as he trailed up a single finger along Noah’s spine, Noah tried to stay annoyed but he felt his heart beginning to race. It wasn’t till the bot scooped him up was when he finally sighed. The bot began to press kisses on the freckled skin of Noah’s arms.

“Mirage stop that I am trying to stay angry at you!” Noah softly giggled, cracking as he felt the kisses trail up before eventually he found himself kissing the autobot. His hands going up to cup the metal.

“But that’s so much energy staying angry at a rather handsome bot like me don’t you think?” Mirage muttered between kisses, he didn’t need to breathe unlike Noah. Noah finally pushed Mirage’s face away, the breathless chuckles escaping his lips, “I swear I kiss you once and now you are going to make it my death.”

“Well that would be no fun,” Mirage murmured as his optics gazed into Noah’s hazel eyes, analysing the patterns in the iris. Noah just seemed to become more heavenly, Mirage didn’t understand the human concept of heaven but if he did believe in heaven, he wanted his heaven to look like the man he was about to kiss again. “Well I don’t know about you but I need some more kisses.”

“Get over here then Raj’.”

…

A few weeks later, Noah came out of the G.I.Joe base with a folder full of papers, swaddled up in a thick jacket and scarf to protect himself from the cold December New York winter air. The cold nipping at his nose. The snow crunching under his boots as he walked over to the familiar silver and blue Porsche. He opened the door to Mirage, sitting in his seat he was greeted with, “Noah it is cold as fuck out here, why couldn’t I chill out in the hanger? I swear this better not be a punishment for breaking the couch.”

“Raj’ I was only in there for 30 minutes, it wasn’t even a shift. I am still angry about you breaking the couch.” Noah chuckled as he began to peel off his layers so he wasn’t sweating like crazy. “What was so important that I had to drive you out on the weekend? The weekends are our date days, you aren’t getting bored now?”

“You’ll see Raj’, can you drive us to where you showed yourself to me? I got a little surprise for you and no I am not getting bored of you,” Noah spoke, struggling to not crack a smile as he set the folder down in the passenger seat. Mirage hummed softly before finding a song on the radio, he put his gear into drive and began to drive off to where his boyfriend wanted to go. Mirage could feel Noah’s thumb gently rub against the leather of the wheel. The silence between them was peaceful, Noah could only hear the radio and the soft hum of the autobot. The past couple of weeks they both learned that even if they aren’t having conversations the silence was beautiful too. Sitting in silence together and talking with each other were just signs they were comfortable with each other.

After a few minutes Mirage pulled into the abandoned building, it was filthy. Noah put his layers back on and grabbed the folder before exiting out of his boyfriend. Mirage transformed, he stood around before asking, “So tell me, why are we here?”

“Well I wanted to tell you that this place will soon private property,” Noah answered as he looked around the building, this was where his relationship started with the autobots and how they made his life so much better. Mirage’s expression turned sad, his optics dimmed slightly as he glanced around. “Oh… so we can no longer come here.”

“Do you want to know who will be the owners of this place?” Noah spoke up as he lifted the folder to hand to Mirage, the bot grabbed the folder in defeat opening it to scan the information. He paused and said, “It says hear that the owner is you…”

“Mirage, I know this is a bit early but we have been friends for almost a year and we have been dating for around 3 to 4 months now. Would you like to move in together? If you don’t want to I could always move in with Bumblebee or Optimus-” Noah began as he cut off with the sound of excited radio squealing and the sound of Mirage doing his happy tip taps. “I take that as a yes?”

“Of course! I hate sleeping in that stupid garage, I can wake up with you in the mornings now instead of waking up alone!” Mirage laughed as he immediately dropped the papers and folders to scoop up his boyfriend. Noah laughed as he began to feel the flurry of excited kisses all over his face. Those laughs got muffled when Mirage kissed Noah like it was the last day on earth, the space between their bodies becoming non-existent. The kiss was only broken because Noah pushed the bot away, he was panting and his face was flushed.

“Raj’ sometimes you gotta chill out with them kisses,” He managed a breathless titter, his hands were pressed against the autobot’s mouth. Mirage began to talk without the need of moving his mouth, “Is there an issue with showing my love for you?”

“When you are nearly suffocating me yes!” Noah rolled his eyes with his mouth tugging into a lopsided half smile. Mirage could only laugh, his optics getting brighter with the unbridled joy that began to practically spew out of him. No more waking up by himself and waiting for Noah to come downstairs. No more risk of Kris or Breanna walking in on the two making out. Noah removed his hand from Mirage’s mouth. “Can you place me down Raj’?”

“Okay.” Noah was set down on the floor where he spread his arms, turning a bit before chuckling, “I have a whole vision on how I can renovate the place so I can live here comfortably with you. I am thinking a bed over there and create a spot for you to sleep properly.”

He gestured to a far corner, Mirage didn’t know much about human living spaces apart from seeing in films but he remember what his old place used to be back on Cybertron. To have a space and share it with someone he loves made him get all happy and giddy.

“I am excited for when we renovate this place and eventually move in,” Mirage giggled as he began to circle around Noah, Noah felt his cheeks warm up. “Well Raj’ when we move in we can finally sleep together without you being in car mode, I doubt you like sleeping like that.”

“I most certainly do not.”

-Time skip to spring-

“Pssp, Noah…” Mirage gently poked the sleeping body of his boyfriend, Noah stirred and let out some sleepy grumbles. The autobot rolled his optics before scooting closer to the mattress before gently yanking off the blankets that covered his boyfriend. Noah shivered and his eyes finally fluttered open. “Aye Raj’ es fucking frío!”

“Come on I wanna take you somewhere…” Mirage whispered as he handed over some sweatpants and a shirt for Noah to wear. The makeshift bedroom was a mess full of boxes all over the place in the warehouse along with sections being covered in clear plastic sheeting for the renovations that was beginning to start. Noah groaned as he glanced at his watch to check the time. “Raj’ it’s not even 5 am yet…”

“Come on please?” Mirage pleaded and gave Noah the attempt of puppy dog eyes, Noah stared at his boyfriend for a solid minute. He groaned and snatched the clothes from the bot, “Fine I’m getting up. I swear this is too early, the sun isn’t even up yet.”

Mirage chuckled as he backed up to watch and to let his boyfriend get dressed. He watched with gleaming optics, Noah was so beautiful to him. Once Noah finally got dressed he turned to face the cybertronian that he was fully aware that he was watching.

“Okay so what did you need to wake me up this early for?” Noah mumbled as he walked over to an open box to fish out a jacket that he got that looked like Mirage’s white and blue paint. “You’ll see!”

“I don’t wanna see, I want to go back to bed Raj’!” Noah let out a forced laugh and groan as he followed Mirage who was leading him outside. The outside air was even more cold and Noah just wanted to see what Mirage wanted to show him and go back inside to sleep. To his dismay Mirage transformed and the car door swung open. He let out annoyed tired grumbles before getting in.

The drive was calm enough where Noah fell asleep with his arms crossed, he didn’t know how much time passed when he closed his eyes but when Mirage woke him up they were on top of an empty parking garage overlooking the harbor. The sky was starting to show signs of light, Noah then realised why he was dragged out of bed.

“Raj’ did you drag me out of bed to watch the sunrise?” Noah questioned as he got out of the car to watch his partner transform back into Cybertronian form. He sat down and held his arms out. “Yes I did.”

“God you are so lucky I love you otherwise I would have thrown my slipper at you,” The tired man chuckled as he climbed into Mirage’s lap. Mirage hugged Noah carefully and they both just sat there in silence, the sun slowly began to peak over the horizon, the water getting all glittery. With all they have been through, fighting Scourge and Ravage, they all meant nothing because it is in the past. Now, watching the sun rise and holding Noah, it reminded Mirage the fretting over the past was not important, what was important was living in the moment and healing from the past.

“Noah?”

“Yes Raj’?” Noah tore his gaze from the sunrise to look up at his boyfriend, Mirage was staring out at the sun before looking down. The autobot murmured, “Do you think you’d ever want to…”

His words got stuck in his vocal box, not because he was scared but more so bashful and nervous.

“Want to what?”

“In the future would you ever wanna tie the knot with me?” Mirage asked as he gave him a small smile, Noah’s face lit up a bit before he looked back at the sun rise as he answered, “Bold of you to assume that I would ever leave you to begin with, of course.”

The autobot had to contain his excitement, he really did see this relationship working out. The sun was soon fully above the radio and Noah whispered softly, “Hey Raj’ I know we say this pretty often but I love you.”

Mirage could only press his chin on top of Noah’s head as he responded quietly, “I know we do. I love you to Cybertron and back.”