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Your arms and legs were littered with darkening bruises that were just as painful to the touch as your strained and aching muscles. You closed your eyes, exhausted, resting your head against the cool metal chassis of the Autobot that was carrying you.
"You’re safe now, it's over." His voice, with an unexpected accent, was soothing to your ears after the recent chaos.
You nodded slightly, although you knew he couldn’t see it. "Did they- Are the Decepticons gone then?"
"For now, yes." The Autobot’s tone was grim, and slightly on edge. “They’ll come back.”
Opening your eyes again, you tilted your head back to look up at him. "Surely not here though, they’ve taken all the energy away from us already… But thank you for saving me... What's your name?"
"Red Alert." He glanced down at you and an expression of concern came over his faceplate. Gently he lowered you down to the ground, depositing you carefully on your feet. A moment later the large frame of the ‘bot had been replaced by a car, its lights already flashing and a door open. A familiar voice spoke from somewhere within it. "You need medical attention - I will take you to the hospital myself."
Gratefully, your body feeling like it was made of lead, you practically collapsed into the back seat. The world seemed to spin around you for a moment before your vision began narrowing, the static in your ears growing louder as everything seemed to grow distant, fading away... Red Alert was saying something, but you couldn't make out the words as you slipped into darkness.
Months had passed since then. The Autobot had stayed as they’d taken you into the hospital, and he’d come back to make sure that you had recovered well. Then, after that, you had just kept spending time together. As the weeks passed and the two of you grew closer, you found yourself struggling with another, new emotion. As much as you tried to refuse to think about it, or wondered why you could even feel this way, you could no longer deny it to yourself.
---
The sunset was a beautiful blaze of colors that turned the dark expanse of the ocean into a shining mirror of red and gold. Ribbons of cloud streaked along the horizon, contrasting against the pale, powder-blue sky. It was summer, and the warm breeze was pleasant against the bare skin of your arms. Gazing out across the water, you couldn’t help but yawn. It had been a long day, and this was the first peaceful moment you’d had.
"Do you need to recharge?" Red Alert had noticed the movement, and he looked down at you.
You shook your head, smiling. "A little, but it's fine. I'd rather be here."
For a moment it looked as though he were about to say something more, but he simply looked at you for a moment longer before turning back to the sunset. The sun, burning bright and gold, had just met the sea as it continued its slow journey down beneath the waves. The light softened and dimmed as the disc of the sun sank and at last disappeared in a flash of green.
"It's beautiful," you spoke softly. "Thanks for bringing me out here." Part of you wanted to take a risk and lean against him - he was sitting close enough that you could have, and the gesture might not have held the same significance for him - but you didn't dare.
"No need to thank me, I'm- happy to." He paused. "Something is bothering you, what's wrong?"
Your eyebrows rose for a brief moment before you evened out your expression. You hadn't realized your thoughts had been showing so clearly on your face. "I don't know, just... Red, I have a question for you."
He nodded, his blue optics meeting your eyes.
The shadow of a frown passed across your forehead as you considered your words carefully. "Why do you keep spending time with me? I mean, I'm a human."
His mouth tilted down at one corner. "Why do you ask that? Do you not enjoy-"
You interrupted quickly. "No, Red, I love getting to spend time with you, I just-" you gestured vaguely with one hand.
Very carefully, almost tentatively, he placed one digit under your chin. The metal was cool against your skin, and your heart jumped.
"You mean," he spoke quietly, "why I want to see you ."
You blinked. "Well- yes." The feeling of his touch still lingered for a moment after he drew his servo away, and you found yourself missing it.
For a long minute Red simply stared out at the sky that was fading to a dark blue, the first stars of the evening beginning to glitter overhead. When he finally spoke he sounded somewhat strained. "I don’t know, but... I trust you."
Your breath caught in your throat, and getting to your feet, you placed a hand on his arm. "I'm glad."
Just as gently as always, he picked you up, raising his servo so you were on a level with his faceplate. There was something else, something he wanted to say, but couldn't.
Feeling a sudden rush of boldness, you leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the smooth metal.
He didn't need to breathe, but all the same he drew in a small, sharp intake of air. "You..."
"I...?" You asked, genuinely unsure as to what he meant.
Delicately he brushed a digit over your cheek, paused, then touched it to your lips for just a moment, his optics fixed on you. "You know I can't be for you what another human would."
You nodded, heart racing in your chest. "I know." You did, and you didn't care.
With a long ex-vent, Red's whole frame seemed to relax, like some long-held tension had just been released. He watched, fascinated, as you turned your head to press a gentle kiss to the digit that had just brushed against your lips a moment ago.
Night fell with a peaceful hush, the waves whispering along the shore below. Silver moonlight bathed the earth with its soft glow as you drifted off to sleep during the drive back to the city, lulled by the warmth and the purring of the engine, feeling more safe and happy than you had in a long time. Red's high-beams flicked on as he sped down the deserted highway, almost like he was smiling.