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Spike and Carly were sitting around the other autobots as they all had a relaxing evening in the lounge of the arc. The lounge was always busy around this time of night. It was a calm Saturday evening. A gentle break after the night of the bots all got rowdy over an intense game of galactic bingo. Spike watched ironhide and warpath have a shouting match over who won one of the rounds. Although no matter how rowdy and chaotic it might have been, he and Carly had a fun time playing bingo with the bots. But now that the chaos settled down, he sat around a table of him,Carly, kup,bumblebee,and cliffjumper. And relatively anyone who just stopped to hear one of kups stories. Kup was telling old tales to them all as they stared at him in delight, listening to the old autobot’s war tales.
Kup was full of expressions and used his hands a lot to talk, making the story more interesting to listen to and you heard him go on and go throughout the night. Wondering how the hell did his voice box not give out.
“You should have seen the face of those blasted decepticons when me and sideswipe blew up their cannon, it was priceless. Ahh I just know Old bucket had an earful for ol’ blitz and astrotrain when they turned back to base.” kup laughed out and hit the table, then taking in a big puff of his cigar and blowing it out. “Ah, good times.” the old autobot explained as he leaned back into his chair.
“You sure got a lot of stories don't ya old timer?” cliffjumper said as he leaned into a bumblebee from his seat. “Maybe a little too much, huh?” he whispered into bees audio receptors.
Bee laughed and shushed him. Turning back to look at kup.
“So, you got any other cool stories for us kup?!” Bee said, starting to slowly rocking his seat back and forth in anticipation.
“Of course I do! What kind do you wanna hear?” Kup said as he dashed his cigar in his cigar tray.
They all stared at each other, all trying to decide what to ask kup to tell next.
“Oh! I got one!” Carly perked up from where she was sitting next to spike. “You got any love tales, kup? Any special romances you witnessed in your time?” She asked as she leaned in closely, as if she was hoping to get an answer.
Kup chuckled as he took another long drag of his cigar and puffed it out.
“How the hell does this old man not have any malfunctions with all the smoking he does? '' Cliffjumper thought as he took a sip of his energon and put his head to rest against his servo.
“Love tales? My, My, now that's a rare request. Mhh with my age you witness tones of love throughout the years.” Kup said as he leaned close to the table. Everyone else leaned in. 'Yall see hound and mirage over there?’ He whispered.
All of them slowly looked over their shoulders to spot the tracker chatting to the blue and whiite special ops officer, Miage was curled up to him with a warm and genuine smile on their faceplates, Soaking up every word that hound said. They all looked away and back at kup. “Yeah, what about em?” cliftjumper said with a huff.
“Heh heh, well I got to witness them get together,” Kup said as he leaned back.
All of them stared at kup. There was no way this was true right? Despite being the sociable mech he is, hound kept his personal relationship details with mirage, outta others audios. He’d get a few “why are you even with someone like mirage” every now and then and he usually just shrugged it off. “Meeting mirage was fate” as he called it. And as far as mirage , most bots aboard the arc don't know much about them other than the fact that mirage was a lord of the towers in northern iacon and that they were a bot on board that very few liked as company. Rumor has it, is that the couple met before the war, although when asked the most you'll get outta hound is a laugh and maybe a yes, and mirage would rather ignore talking about their past with others. So to hear that kup witnessed the odd couple of the tracker and intel officer get together, now that was something to hear.
As someone who loves a good love story, and some gossip, Carly eagerly leaned in. “I must say they are such a cute couple! I need to know how they got together!” she said as she clapped her hands together, then putting her chin in her hands and used her elbows to support her head.
“Yeha they are kinda an odd pair- so how did they get together?” Spike said as he took a sip of his glass coke bottle.
“Well they had kinda a weird meet up. Now let's see- From what I can remember hound tellin me. Hound and his folks worked at the towers as grounds keepers. They tended to the towers' infinus garders, the turbo foxes that roamed the property, as well as keeping guard for anyone coming into the gardens uninvited. And when they met, mirage wasn't a lord at the time. Back in my younger days, I was on a short military leave when I was working as a personal guard for a mech that was visiting the towers at the time. Some fancy engex brewer named sucustron, a real uptight fellow, but could whip up a good brew if I could say so myself.``kup chuckled.
“Anyway- Sucustron was going to speak with the head of the towers for that day. Apparently the young bachelor was gonna strike a deal with the lord to supply engex for a sparkday, that spark day actually ended up being mirage’s.” kup said as he took a drag from his cigar.
“I was just walking around the towers, and boy is it easy to get lost in that blinding white maze. Hurt my optics more than that one time I got flashed right in the optics with motormasters headlights. I was only a guard so I only explored when sucustron was walking with that one tour bot. It was a boring walk with just white walls and glass. Well at least the view of the gardens were pretty from the height. Anyway, I step out to catch a smoke break in the gardens, don't tell the lords I smoked in there, And who do I see sitting by the pond when they were supposed to be in their room getting ready for their big night? Pretty, ol’, mirage. They were sitting there talking to none other than, hound. Now I was kinda surprised to see the two together, because city folk don't like getting their paint and sevos dirty- so I was wondering what in primus was one of the towers residents doing just sitting in the garden. And if I recall back in those days, miage had a lighter paint job, more light blue and gold accents. Where Hound was darker green. Now for any regular bot, this might have seemed like just two bots talking or we would just look away and shrug it off. But something about those city or tower folk, the sight of them together, talking to each other in a formal manner, well that would have probably sent them into an ongoing disgust rampage.” kup said, tapping his cigar against his tray.
“Wait why so?” Spike asked as he put his coke down.
“Well, it's like, let's just say it's like as if some random farmer just walked up to the queen of england and asked for her hand in marriage on cybertron. Especially in northern iacon. Because mirage is from the household of the towers-and it's looked down upon to be talking to a common mech, let alone someone who works for their household.” Bumblebee said, sadness in his tone.
Looked down upon? Really? Spike turned around to still see Mirage and Hound chatting next to each other, happy. To think that's frowned upon in the place mirage was born and raised.
“That's awful, hound is such a nice guy to” Carly said and she slightly ground.
“Yeah, city mechs are the worst” Cliftjumper said and he folded his arms together with a huff.
“Yeah, but anyway. They were talking away. Chatting about primus knows what, But I think at that moment it was the happiest I've ever seen Mirage before they became lord of the towers.” Kup said and he shuffled in his seat.
“Now at the time I just shrugged it off two mechs talking ? what could be the issue. I sure as hell wasn't gonna step in and say something because I was just a visitor really. So I walked back in the towers to learn I had to stay the night there, as the guard for sucustron, as he was attending mirages sparkday party. Now let me tell you, I wasted no time getting ready to chug a few drinks myself back in those days- But I was still on the job. The party was as formal as you could get for the tower lords. All these mechs and femmes spotting their best paint jobs, jewels and silks draped across them as they walked into the tower ballroom. It was beautiful alright, but it didn't really feel like a sparkday party, more like a gathering of wealth if you had to ask me. After all, the night went on and yet no one knew where mirage was the whole night. None of the guards, nor mirage’s siblings. Not even their own sire knew where they were, but it's not like he cared, he brushed the party ment for mirage as an excuse to converse with more business men and higher ups.” Kup stated, a bitter sting to his words as he took a drag of his cigar, glancing his way at mirage.
“That's so sad, to be ignored by your own father and have the love of your life looked down upon” carly said as she saddened even more,leaning into spike as he put a arm around her shoulder.She realized that this love story was so unfair, unlike most she heard while visiting the autobot base. She loved hearing about all the different autobot romances,their relationships, how they got together and sometimes she would even hear about relationships from the decepticons. But she didn't imagine mirage and hounds to be so sad.
Spike also got sad, slouching in his chair a bit. How could kup speak so fondly of them getting together- when all this sounds like the universe is trying to rip them apart. Even cliffjumper looked to the side to glance at mirages.
“Hey now don't get all sudden, I haven't gotten to the best part yet!” Kup said. “Anyway, So I stepped outside for a quick smoke break- and where did I find the young soon to be lord? Sitting near the pond,again, all wrapped up in the finest of iacons silks and gold, sitting next to the garden boy, hound. Now I must say that was the most dressed up I've seen mirage ever. They were sitting next to each other, so I snuck around to listen in. But don't tell mirage that, they will flip out. But all I heard was a peaceful tune start up. See now it's rare for a working bot to play an instrument with such ease,considering it takes time to learn to play guitar, time not many working class are blessed with, but to see hound play an old cybertronian guitar was something to behold. But to find out that hound can sing? Now that was something I never thought I would hear nor see!” Kup said as he let out a short “Ha!” as he hit the table.
They all stared at him. Hound ? SINGING?
“What no way?!” Bumblebee said as he turned to the hound who was suddenly sitting all alone drinking his mix.
“Oh yes! Ain't that right hound?!” Kup yelled as he ushered a hand for hound to come over.
Hound looked at the table confused, Mirage left to go refill their own drink leaving him alone. So what was all the ruckus going on that was making Kup call him over? He stood up with his drink and walked over, hoping mirage wouldn't mind too much in changing tables. He sent a quick comm link to mirage to notify them that he moved position and is now with Spike and the others.
“Is what right?” Hound said as he pulled up a chair and sitting down between kup and spike, confusion on his face.
“There's no way you sing right? Let alone write a song and sing it to mirage?!” Cliftjumper said as he leaned across the table to shout at the tracker.
It took a while for the hound to understand, they all watched his processor work hard to figure out what everyone was talking about, Until It clicked in his head.
“Oh! Hah, I guess kup told you how I proposed to mirage to be my conjux huh?” Hound said as he scratched the back of his head with a shy smile on his face. “It was a long time ago, when me and mirage were younger. But yeah I did write a song on purpose to mirage. Pretty corny huh?” He said bashfully.
“Ohh no way! That's so romantic!” Carly squealed as she let out a sigh. “That's so sweet of you hound!” she explained.
Bumblebee laughed and so did kup ashound got flustered, obviously embarrassed by his younger selves ations.
“Oh, I agree with Carly, it was truly romantic,I think anybody would like it. '' Mirage's voice cut through the conversation, undoing their illusion and reapering. They pulled up a chair and sat next to the hound, kissing his check.
The group all laughed as the hound looked away shyly and pulled mirage closer with his arm over their shoulder.
“So lover boy, are you gonna play it or not?” Kup asked, nudging the hounds arm. “After all, you have an audience, and you and Mirage's anniversary is coming up soon, yeah? Why not go down memory lane!”
Hound looked at everyone and then mirage
“It has been a while since i've heard that sweet melody you sang to me, sweet spark” Mirage said as they learned their head on hounds shoulder and looked up at him with yellow optics.
Hound sighed and stood up. “Alright, alright, Let me get my guitar. '' He said as he left the table to go get his guitar out of his mirages shared hub suit.
-10 mins later-
Hound returned and sat down with the group. Carly started to clap in excitement. Her love story was coming full circle.
“You'll have to forgive me, I'm a bit rusty” Hound stated, tuning his guitar.
Cliffjumper let out a grunt “Just get on with it, hound!” He exclaimed and flooded his arms more harsher than usual, getting impatient.
“Alright, alright- here we go, '' the hound said and started strumming his guitar. They all sat back in their seats getting comfortable. The strumming was calm and relaxing, It seemed as if the whole lounge settled down to slowly listen to hounds tune.
“Well everyone knows, Mirage.” Hound started, looking around the table.
“Their paint job, two different colors. Their teeth stick out and their chin goes in~” Hound sang as mirage lovingly fell back onto hounds shoulder, cuddling up to his neck cabels.
“And there-” Hound looked up- looking at Carly and spike.
“Smile, passes through the towers corridor” Hound spoke out, sounding a little outta tune with the song
“Those aren't the words I heard!” Kup said as he nudged hound
“Their are children present” Hound said, going back to strumming, mirage chuckling beside him
“Their eyes are sharp like briar, And they stand in a bold-legged stance.” Hound said, slowly looking towards mirage.
“And if I weren't so ugly~” Hound sang as mirage laughed into their hands and shoving their conjux playfully.
“They’d possibly give me a chance~” Hound sang out the last part of the short song and looked at mirage.
The whole table and some bystanders who were listening in started to clap, who knew their ace tracker could sing so well. Hound put his guitar down and shyly smiled, thanking everyone for listening.
“It seems you haven't lost your touch, Darling'' Mirage said, curressing hounds face plates
“I guess not, huh” He chucked and leaned into mirage's hand, smiling sweetly.
The whole table looked at them and smiled. Carly laid her head on spikes shoulder.
“I'm so glad they worked out in the end, I can't imagine one without the other” She whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Spike laughed a bit as well, resting his head on Carly's head. “Me to Carly, me to.”
“Alright, I think it's time for me and you to get some rest now, soldier boy, '' Mirage said, starting to stand up. “It's getting late”
“You're right, my love, it is.” Hound said as he picked up his guitar and offered his arm to escort mirage outta the lounge. “Good night everyone, rest well” He said as the two walked out the lounge together, looking more in love with each other then when they walked in.
“Hounds right- Time for rest!” Kup said as he put out his cigar and stretched, his armor aching from sitting down for so long.
The rest of the table all agreed and said goodnight to each other. As the autobots all started heading to bed, Carly and Spike walked hand in hand together out the base.
“Im glad fate brought them together, do you think fate brought us together?” Carly asked outta nowhere, surprising spike for a bit.
He looked at Carly and smiled.
“I think we were made for eachother. Like how the hound says, its fate.” He smiled as they stared at the stars outside of the autobot base.
Fate. That's all It was.