Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a reconnaissance trip. Simple and clean, in and out.
You’d been directed to a scrap heap with reports of Autobot activity, your job being to confirm or deny these supposed meetings. Weaving in and out of the piles of metal and rust was easy for a mech of your size- your significantly small stature being the reason why you were recruited for this specific job, in fact- and your on-site report had steadily become dry with boredom.
With every circuit you made around the scrapyard, you became more convinced that this tip was a red herring. You could almost hear the sharp, grating laughter of your fellow ‘cons back at base, teasing you for your gullible nature.
You weren’t gullible, you’d defend, you were just following orders, but your words would fall on deaf audials.
With a little frustrated grunt, you rounded another mound of discarded electronics and broken materials to bump right into a very solid and very not-there-previously bright-green and metal foot.
You beeped in shock, transforming as you stumbled away from the object you’d collided with.
You heard the distinct metallic creak of another mech moving, and it sent a slice of fear through your spark as your optics shot up to see what- or rather who- you’d bumped into.
His optics, squinted slightly through confusion, were blue.
Frag.
“Well, what do we have ‘ere?” He drawled, doubling over to gaze back at you, casting a shadow over your trembling self. You’d always hated that feeling, having everybody tower over you, and in this situation, it brought more ice-cold fear than indignation. You began to scrabble away, pedes scraping against the cracked concrete ground, but the Autobot plucked you from the ground with ease despite how you scratched and fought against his clutches.
“Ain’t you the littlest ‘con I’ve ever seen,” he all but cooed, which made you lash out at him even more, “what’s a sweet thing like you doin’ in a place like this?
He didn’t even need to use his whole servo to hold you down, his lack of effort to contain you was almost insulting. You pressed your fear down and let your anger take over instead as you snapped back,
“Do not patronise me, Autobot.” You hissed with all the venom you could muster.
“Oho, you’re a spicy one.” He chuckled, raising a brow at you.
You smouldered under his optics, sending him a glare that would probably kill a bot your size.
Despite trying to let your anger do all the talking, you couldn’t stop the shaking that ran through your systems, or the dampness around your optics, and it was getting harder and harder to kick against his servos as both your energy and hope waned.
The green mech’s disposition changed suddenly, and you could hear the soft undertone of concern underneath his accent, “hey, I’m not gonna hurt ya, okay?”
You scoffed, seeing through the act immediately, “why would I trust you? I don’t even know your name.”
“That’s easy enough then,” he replied, and to your confusion, his sincerity didn’t seem to waver, “I’m Crosshairs. You?”
Of course, you didn’t reply. However, you’d stopped struggling, now just choosing to glare at the random flecks and imperfections in his paint job.
He sighed, the movement of it jostling you a little bit and startling you from the staring competition you’d been having with his chest plates.
He spoke softly, “Look, I’m gonna have to take you with me.”
“You’re taking me prisoner?” You squeaked, the realization kickstarting you into struggling against his hold once again.
“No, nothing like that, you don’t- ow, quick kicking will you?” He barked out that last comment with enough force for you to freeze in place.
Regret washed over Crosshairs’ features when he spoke again, “I meant to say that I’m not taking you prisoner. But you’re here for a reason, and my fellow ‘Autobots’ are gonna have some questions. We’ll be nice, promise.”
“Sounds good with you, sweet thing?”
You grumbled, once again not meeting his optics. “I don’t exactly get a choice…”
That seemed enough for him, and he tucked the servo holding you closer to his body as he began stepping over the scrap mounds and away to whatever secret base he was going to interrogate you in.
Fantastic.