DON'T COUNT MISTAKES I LOST TRACK OF THEM

[tilallisoverused]

( He's in trouble. He's Rodimus, the younger of Nova's two candidates for Prime, and he is absolutely in trouble. It's not his fault. He just happened to be somewhere where trouble results, although okay - that part isn't new.

And he knows exactly how he got here in the first place, it's the same as it always is.

Orion frowns at him every time he leaves the Primal Basilica dressed in a cloak - knowing full well that he's going to go to those places that Nova finds unlawful and unruly. Sure, the other Prime in training had attempted to stop him before, to no avail. That makes something twinge in Rodimus because he likes Orion, he really does.

Then again, most people like Orion 'Super Cop, Future Prime' Pax. Because apparently some people like having a career that's pointless once you know you'll carry the Matrix. He guesses that has to do with Orion having spent some of his life from out of Nova's influence - maybe that made you like police work.

Not that Rodimus would know what that's like - Nova snatched him up two days after he was forged, as if he knew exactly where to find him. Must be a 'wisdom of the Matrix' thing. Find your replacements before someone else does and what not. But it boiled down to the fact that he'd never really got to know or experience life outside the basilica walls and for every time Nova told him he shouldn't or couldn't go out - he did.

Which is how he ends up standing over someone he punched into a wall - thanks Galvatron and Cyclonus for teaching him that one - inadvertently starting a bar fight that he is determined to win. Rodimus is pretty sure that as a mysterious cloaked and hooded figure, he definitely looks awesome which negates the trouble.

Mostly. )

Comments

[tilallisoverused]

Then there you are.

( Still not seeing what the problem is. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He has to sit there and stare at him for a minute. Just. What. Then he leans back against the couch, covering his face with his hands and exventing the sigh he'd been holding in. ]

Rodimus, what is it exactly that you want from me?

[tilallisoverused]

( He shrugs, rolling his shoulders and pointedly not looking at Minimus. )

Uh. ( Slag, he's got to come up with something. ) Well it's not as if we're going to see each other after this. So I thought I'd stay longer.

( Rodimus is still counting on getting into stupid shit, but he's going to do it where Minimus isn't placed in any line of fire. Which means not seeing him. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus lifts his head, surprised. ]

You're saying you want to be around me?

[tilallisoverused]

Only if you're not going to arrest me.

( Rodimus turns to grin at Minimus, one hand on his hip. )

[thesurpriseinside]

... Why?

[ A serious question. It's not that he doesn't have friends or has never had friends, but he's never met any of them by arresting them.]

[tilallisoverused]

Why not? ( His grin grows wider. ) I like a challenge.

( And he feels like attempting a friendship with Minimus might be the biggest challenge of them all. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus isn't unconvinced he's crazy, but the answer does get a noise that might have been a shocked laugh. ]

Well. Stay of you like, I'm still going to sleep.

[tilallisoverused]

( VICTORY he's just going to plop himself on the couch next to him and put his feet up. )

Was that a laugh? ( Peering at him, still with that obnoxious grin. ) Are you capable of laughing?

[thesurpriseinside]

[ His couch isn't very big and it suddenly seems even less so with the both of them on there. Minimus still gives Rodimus a look. ]

Of course I laugh. Just because you haven't heard me do it doesn't mean I don't.

[tilallisoverused]

You don't seem the type.

( TINY LAWMAN POSSIBLY OVERCOMPENSATING BUT ACTUALLY LOVING HIS JOB he's not sure where the laughing comes in. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He totally isn't, but ]

We haven't really been in the most humorous situations.

[tilallisoverused]

( That gets a chuckle and a smile from Rodimus. )

Alright, I can give you that.

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus doesn't smile back so much as his expression. Relaxes. He shifts so that he can lay his helm against the back of the couch and look up at Rodimus, too tired to care how vulnerable to position is. ]

What did you mean when you said we weren't going to be seeing each other? Planning on turning over a new leaf?

[tilallisoverused]

( He shrugs, stretching out and pointedly not looking at Minimus. )

Something like that. Nova's been talking about seeing to my education personally. Well, more personally.

( Which means he'll be trying to get out of it more, since he definitely doesn't like being told what to do. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ The way Rodimus just doesn't look at him is starting to read like a tell. ]

So you will be taking your studies more seriously.

[tilallisoverused]

Don't worry, I'm still going to sneak out.

( He's not completely reformed. Or reformed at all, really - he doesn't want the responsibility that he knows comes with it. There has to be a way to have the title and do none of the work, right? )

They're all boring anyway.

( Orion enjoys them all, but Rodimus thinks that might have more to do with the fact Shockwave's teaching him rather than any interest in the subjects. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Such a frown he gets for that and Minimus pushes himself upright. ]

Rodimus, they're important. It doesn't matter if they're boring or not.

[tilallisoverused]

You're only saying that because you're not the one sitting through them. They're boring, Minimus, and pointless. ( What's this about being a mature adult? ) I don't need to know how we took over whatever random backwater planet Nova had his eye one. Just that we did and it's part of our empire.

[thesurpriseinside]

It's part of the history of our world, it's important that you're at least aware of it. And strategy is vital-

[ He's ramping up for a lecture, but luckily for Rodimus', his body isn't having any of this upright weight bearing nonsense. There's a low groan from overtaxed joints that's the only warning before Minimus' body goes limp again and he face plants right in Rodimus' lap. ]

[tilallisoverused]

( Well that's certainly not what he was expecting, and Rodimus gently nudges him to see if he'll wake up. )

Minimus?

( He's going to have to get his face out of his lap regardless, so he attempts to slide free and leave Minimus on the couch with varying degrees of success. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He'll wake up in a minute, but he still won't be able to move much. Which. Is fine because all he really wants to do is lock himself somewhere. Possibly a closet. Because he's mortified. ]

I. Apologize. I'm very sorry, I can't move.

[tilallisoverused]

Is it the armor?

( Scrap, did Ratchet make a mistake? Rodimus knows that Ratchet doesn't make mistakes but that's not the point here.

Please don't let it be the armor. )

[thesurpriseinside]

No, the armor is fine, it's... I haven't had the opportunity to recharge in a while.

[ He can move a little now, little ineffective twists to try and lift himself up. At least turn himself over. ]

It's just.. this body takes more power to move and I don't have that. At the moment. [ Can he stop explaining this now? It's embarrassing and he hates it. ]

[tilallisoverused]

( Thankfully Rodimus picks up what Minimus is attempting to do and rolls him over onto his back. Which means that he's staring straight up into Rodimus' face which might be a little bit concerned. Not that he's going to admit it. )

You're gonna have to recharge here. I can't carry you in the armor.