Back To You

Chapter 5: Detective

Slipchain.

Claiming it after her final mission on Cybertron, it was the first codename she used when she came to Earth, after she walked away from everything.

She wasn't one to pick names with sappy meanings, but this one held significance. It marked the end of a toxic, emotionally abusive relationship and reminded her that her past could only hurt her if she allowed it.

But right now, her past was up in her face, and she was letting him belittle her. How dare he walk back into her life after the slag she went through to get him out?

Rage quickly outweighed fear, and she stood her ground, shoving him back harshly. "You have a lot of nerve tracking me down and coming here."

"Woah, woah! Calm down!" he held his arms up in surrender, stumbling to regain his balance. "I can tell you missed me." he rolled his optics, tilting his helm at the strange accent that laced her words. "What's with the accent?" It was one he'd never heard before.

Her optics narrowed into a glare. She didn't bother to respond. He eventually took the hint and backed away.

Quickshadow started to feel overwhelmed by the multiple emotions triggered by her hormones. She was furious, confused, and just flat-out tired all at the same time, but her stoic mask didn't falter. She took a second to calm down and figure out what to do.

While she was distracted, the obsidian mech looked her up and down analytically. She looked a lot different. New wheels, spoilers, and rims: a new vehicle mode, he assumed. But something seemed off about her, and he couldn't figure out what.

Despite the icy glare she was shooting him; she radiated something akin to warmth and tenderness. It greatly unsettled him, and he made a mental note to look into it.

She felt his optics burning into her metal and caught him staring. "My optics are up here." her arms crossed over her windshield.

"My bad." he shifted his optics away, shrugging sheepishly.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, not in the mood for his antics.

"That much should be obvious," he stated, leaning against the wall. "I came here to claim what is rightfully mine." he gestured in her direction, catching a glimpse of disdain in her glare.

She was disgusted. He had no shame. He stalked her for weeks, and now here he was, trying to get her back.

She wanted to punch that stupid grin off his faceplates, but she wouldn't. Not here.

She glared at him long and hard. "Leave."

He wryly laughed. "Afraid I can't do that, sweetspark." his grin widened. "I'm one of the new superintendents."

Alarms immediately went off in her helm, and her face betrayed her anxiety. He mistook her unease for disbelief and scoffed. "What? You didn't think I'd make it?"

If things had played out differently between them, if he hadn't betrayed her, she would be ecstatic for him.

It was his life-long goal to someday be in charge of a division. Not because of some noble reason or because he thought he could be a good leader and bring change but because he wanted to prove everyone who criticized him wrong.

Quickshadow shook her helm, reprimanding herself for showing emotion. "No..I just.." she bit her glossa, realizing she almost fell into his trap. She steadied her breathing, feeling her anger flare again.

He degraded at her with a crooked smile, oddly pleased that he could still get under her skin.

"I missed you." he blurted after a few seconds of silence.