Chapter Text
Barricade lapped at Prowl’s helm gently, the twin Polyhexians had left the two to their own devices once they had ensured that neither of the dragon’s would go for each other's throats. Being this close allowed for them to converse through their fields as it naturally came to them.
::Prowl.:: The large dragon pinned Prowl down with his larger helm, not wanting to let the other leave his side for a single klik. Entwining their tails together while he rumbled in a low deep purr.
::I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Any of you.:: Prowl relished in the close contact of his brother, ::Do you know of any of the others? What happened to them?::
Somberly shaking his head, he released a heavy vent, ::I was the last one left. I had to watch all of you get taken away and couldn’t do anything about keeping track of where you all went. I tried Prowl, I really did. I failed you all.::
Prowl lifted his head, forcing Barricade to raise his own, meeting his red optics. ::You did not. You absolutely did not fail us. There was nothing you could possibly do that wouldn’t have ended in those mechs taking your life. It would have always ended poorly for you no matter what you did. I’m very happy to see you alive and here with me.:: Snorting, Prowl flared out his armor for a moment before nudging Barricade’s head with his snout. ::You’re here, that’s what matters. Ultimately I must say I am a bit relieved that two made it out somewhat okay. We can only hope the others got lucky or did not suffer in their fates.::
Nodding, Barricade Rolled over onto his side with a low grunt, his optics dimming, ::Are you sure we aren’t going to suffer here too? They’re probably just like everyone else.:: His barbed tail scraped against the ground with a sharp noise as it swayed side to side while he spoke. ::They just want credits. The others didn’t care for us, just our uses.:: Without lifting his large helm, his optics brightened up to meet Prowl’s. ::What do you think they’re gonna do, eat us? Or just breed us?::
::I can’t say for certain if they would or wouldn’t go through with any of that. I’ve been watching, waiting but have seen nothing. Unless they do it away from me, which they can very well do. They’ve hid their true intentions. I’ve been wary despite hearing them say the opposite.:: Prowl looked at the closed door. It had remained shut for the past several joor after he had been left alone with his brother. He had no idea what was happening just beyond its threshold, nor a clue what was brewing in the processors of the two Polyhexians. Another sharp scrape from a barbed tail brought his attention back to Barricade.
::Do they know?::
::About?:: Prowl asked in confusion.
::What do you think? I’m talking about the petro-rats crawling in the walls:: Barricade spoke with a low growl that carried no heat behind it. ::That were aren’t just some stupid pet.::
::No.:: Prowl narrowed his optics, ::But I believe Jazz, the silver one, is definitely catching on or has his suspicions about it. He is much more thorough than the prior mechs were. I have been taken around to several of their medics for their pets. No one has looked deep enough to find out. I believe that it is only a matter of time at this point.::
::No one has figured it out yet. If they do, don’t get caught. They’ll try to cut you open, find out how we work. Try and use it to escape, maybe then we can finally make our true home. We’ll find the rest of our clutch mates.:: Barricade entwined their tails again, meshing their fields together. Sharing his comfort and feeble spark of hope.
They remained in silence for a while. Relishing in the mere comfort of each other's frames and fields. Barricade broke it after nearly dozing off against Prowl. He pushed himself onto his belly, allowing him to nudge Prowl’s side, ::Well are you going to show? I can smell it, the moment I came into this room. They haven’t come in for a while. I’ll keep you safe. You know that.::
With one more quick glance of the door, Prowl pushed himself up. Padding over to the furthest corner in relation to the door. It had been packed with a few of the blankets and pillows he had been provided with by Jazz. He sat by the pile, waiting for Barricade to haul himself up and join him. As Barricade did, Prowl carefully moved onto the pile of blankets and used his snout to dig under the uppermost blanket, Pulling it up and off to the side. Revealing a single silver egg resting on a pillow and half wrapped in another blanket. He only kept the blanket off for a few more kliks, letting Barricade look over it cautiously before returning the blanket to its original position. Hiding it from view once more.
::They managed to miss it? How’d they miss you having it? It’s a bit concerning considering how close I’ve been watched over. If they didn’t, it is more concerning that they haven’t taken it to fill themselves with credits.:: Barricade settled beside the small makeshift nest, ::How many have you lost before here?::
::None. It’s the reason why I was sold off. I didn’t make a good breeder for them.:: Prowl spoke with distaste. He remained sitting up, his optics unfocused as he looked at his nest, ::I never successfully took after any of their attempts, up until this last one that is. They believed me barren and sold me off. They thought they would get more credits through me that way. Unfortunately for them, they weren’t that thorough during that last check.::
::Huh. What are you going to do? I don’t think you can hide it forever. It’s easy now, but when it sprouts legs and a mouth? What then?::
Lowering his head, the smaller dragon released a deep vent, his trust for these mechs wasn’t anywhere near high enough to trust them with his own creation. But he had no other options, would he risk his creation’s safety or stew in the fear that instead his creation would be taken from him. He didn’t know if the temptation of high credits for a newling would change their views. Would he become greed driven like every other mech who owned him prior and subject him back to those wretched breeding attempts. Prowl grunts and shakes his head, ridding himself the loop of growing worse possibilities. He ignored the concerned glances from his brother. ::I have no choice but to hope for the best when it happens.::
Barricade nudged Prowl with the side of his tail, crooning softly. ::You won’t lose it. Not while I’m around. No matter what it takes.:: The glint in the red optics told Prowl that his brother truly meant his words. ::I don’t want you going through the pain of having a clutch taken, trust me. You’ve already been through enough.:: He growled lowly.
::They took one from you didn’t they?:: Pushing down his own thought train for the moment, Prowl narrowed his optics as he looked over Barricade’s frame. Taking in his brother’s plating hugging his tensed frame while he averted optic contacts with the slow upset sway of his tail. ::Barricade?::
::It’s not like it matters anymore. What can we do about it? Nothing. They’re gone. Have been for a while.:: Barricade heaved himself back up into a seated position.
::I’m sorry.::
::Don’t be. If I wanted to survive I had to learn to just deal with it.:: Barricade said somberly. The sound of approaching pedsteps from outside the door pulled their attention to it. He began stretching out his front legs with a soft noise as the door slid open and revealed the gold faced twin standing in the doorway. A bowl held in each servo as Ricochet entered through the threshold. He placed both bowls several steps away from the dragon observant dragons. Ricochet remained kneeled down, looking over the two dragons with his helm cocked slightly.
Barricade snorted and rose to his full height, his tail swaying slowly. ::Watch this:: Was the last thing he said as he left the range of his brother’s field to approach the still kneeling mech. Like this Barricade easily towered over Ricochet. He lowered his head until he stood with his snout inches away from the equally gold face and stared into the red visor.
Lowering his head further, the large dragon butted against Ricochet’s chest. Knocking the red visored mech over onto his aft. His plating flared for a moment as he snorted with his amusement and returned to his previous position besides Prowl. Watching Ricochet huff and puff while he righted himself, pointing a finger at Barricade.
“Aft.”