Universe: G1 AU
Characters: Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Prowl, Bluestreak, Streetwise, First Aid
Notes: set a few days after Lost and Found

"So let's review."

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker shrank on their seats. The illustrious Second in Command of the Autobots stood in their sort of apartment like it was his office, them relegated to their chairs like sparklings being scolded.

-We are, technically. - Sideswipe chirped in the bond. Sunstreaker glared at his twin, not doing it only because Prowl was staring at them with a scary look in his optics.

"You two are sparklings. You used the fact we had to upgrade you in adult frames for your protection to pass yourselves as adults and go for this... This crazy trip? You have any idea of how much you risked? We talked about this!" he snapped seriously "Ratchet warned you. Ironhide warned you. You could get killed. Or worse, captured."

'Yeah yeah because we and Blue are the youngest fully upgraded younglings, you told us already.' Sunstreaker grumbled 'why is even someone like you here to get us? Why not simply send a grunt?"

Prowl frowned at him, and shrugged a doorwing.
' You are lucky I had other affairs to do in the city, or Ratchet would have come to get you." he said nonchalantly. "he was already preparing the wrenches"

Sunstreaker felt his frame shudder with terror. Prowl was scary, but Ratchet was another kind of terror.
Sideswipe's spark quivered in their bond, agreeing with the sentiment.

"Thanks! ' Sunstreaker started but he felt, more than heard, Sideswipe echo him " we wouldn't have survived that. "

' No you wouldn't have." Prowl agreed, though he looked almost amused. Well they weren't. "now, stay here. I have placed cameras around here already, and will put one in this room. If you leave, I'll go after you and let Ratchet and Ironhide join me. I will return in less than a joor."

Sunstreaker frowned, he just knew the Praxian meant it. He always did what he said, those three vorns playing with Blue taught them as much. The white and black, stiff praxian turned his back to them, starting heading towards exit.
Sunstreaker really wanted to learn how to walk like that, like nothing even remotely worried him.
The mech went to push the open button of the door, when he froze, digit still on it. The golden twin felt worry raise in his spark as the mech's composure seemed to break for a moment, his doorwings flaring from their still, neutral position on his back. A moment later he had spun to face them, a glare in his optics. Frag, he knew. They hoped he had no ixw

"Where is Bluestreak?"

- - -

Bluestreak jumped off the train, trying to keep his relatively new doorwings from knocking into someone. He had gotten his frame only a few decaorns before, he wasn't used to it especially when a lot of bots were around. Crowding him...
His lack of control didn't help stopping the shiver going up all way through his back. Praxians were claustrophobic by nature.

"Frag this." he said quietly trying to regain control. He had to do this, and didn't have all the time of the world either. Prowl would find out pretty soon. He headed out of the station, his doorwings tucked close to his frame as he kept back a shiver of terror every time anyone went too close to them. Especially big, sturdy warframes.
Tyger Pax just had to have so many military academies. It couldn't be a small center. Bluestreak just kept himself from cursing out loud, as he literally had to pin his doorwings on his back, making his way out elbowing mechs left and right as they squeezed him, four-five times bigger than him even in his new frame. He hated every single one of them. But he pushed, he hit, he was not giving in.

He wasn't a sparkling, not anymore.

Finally, the sky. He had never seen a more beautiful sky in his functioning. As bots went their own ways, he wobbled, leaning against the wall of the station.
His doorwings giving him hot twinges of protest.

'Sorry. " he mumbled. Idiotic, talking to his doorwings? Probably, but they were very angry at him. He almost smirked. This could be the only time Prowl wouldn't tell him he was being illogical.

- - -

" Doorwings are what make us Praxians. " his brother whispered softly, rubbing his little doorwings, and Blue purred leaning in his soft touch.
Prowl was so gentle with him at times.

'You must always remember that, little brother. Whatever happens, trust your doorwings, care about them more than you trust and care about anything or anyone else.' he continued and the younger praxian just leaned in his touch in bliss. He'd listen to him forever. "they'll never lie to you. And if you learn to know them, you'll be more aware of the world around you."

- - -

That memory warmed his spark more than the binary star's light ever could. The half smirk turning into a fond smile.
Prowl would definitely be pissed once he knew he was there, and why he was there. But it didn't matter, he'd ask for forgiveness later.

It was all too easy to find a Praxian in Tyger Pax. Bluestreak had prepared himself for going around in circles for hours, asking even dozens of bots around.
Instead the first mech he asked to, a light blue, antsy mech, just gave him a grin:"Ah yeah the Praxian! Look, see that street? Go down for a couple of minutes-actually probably twenty, as you are not as fast as me. Then turn right, the second house! You can't miss a frame like that, you know? Bye!"

Bluestreak watched half stunned as the mech didn't wait for his response and just bolted. Literally bolted, he only saw a small flurry mass speed past him.

'The advantage of being a half extinct frame type.' Bluestreak murmured softly before shuddering. That was one disgusting thought. His blue optics dimmed as he went that way.
The closest he got to his destination, the more his spark clenched. He wasn't even sure he was looking for the right mech, with the twins you can't ever be sure, but he had to try. And if he was wrong, meeting a framekin would be enough anyway. He had taken that decision as soon as he got that call.

- - -

"Hi Sides, hi Sunny!" Bluestreak said with an amused smirk as he sat on his berth, in his new quarters. He laughed then, when Sunstreaker glared at him with enough force that he seemed to crack the screen.

"Sunstreaker." he said with a frown that to Blue seemed more like an adorable pout. Those two idiots were going to die anyway so it didn't matter if Blue pissed Sunny off.

"Yes yes, so how did the journey go? ' he asked " hope it's fun enough to make your death at Ratchet's servos worth it.'

'Ha ha. " Sideswipe mocked, trying to play off like they didn't care. Bluestreak didn't buy it, he saw how they shivered. " anyway, yes it was worth it! The place is great, there are a lot of bots and games! We even saw a Praxian!"

That froze Bluestreak in place, even as he watched Sunstreaker smack Sides on the top of his helm. Probably they didn't mean for him to know. But he was never so glad of Sideswipe's boastful nature.

'How was this praxian?' he asked firmly, trying to use his adult voice to mimic the commanding nature Prowl had. Demanding an answer. The dubious look both gave him made him realize that no. It didn't work. He hesitated before letting his optics cycle as big as possible, knowing they'd see it clearly through the screen.

'Please...?" he almost chirped, blinking at them " there are so little left. I wanna see if I knew them."

" Blue! Ugh... Fine. He was a white praxian with red parts. Didn't look at him that well though, he was just that serious... " Sideswipe chattered away, trying to probably convince him not to go looking for him.

Bluestreak had stopped listening since he had described him. He got up, as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker continued, and just started stuffing some things in his subspace. He'd need the credits Prowl gave him for emergencies, energon because you never know, his taser no one's supposed to know about according to Jazz...

'Hey Blue stop! Blue! "

Blue turned only to turn off the data pad.

" See you in Tyger Pax. "

- - -

Bluestreak stood in front of the door, his doorwings quivering in terror, as he felt pure panic rise. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he should have just ignored what the twins said. Remained warm under the covers of Prowl's berth, playing games with Smokescreen or shooting at the range with Ironhide.
Maybe it wasn't even Streetwise.

He should go back. Prowl would be angry too. What was he even thinking, going against what he said?
Yeah he should go back.
Then why was he knocking the door? Because he was. Two sharp knocks. Then silence.
Maybe no one was home, and he'd be able to leave without feeling like a coward. He didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed as the minute stretched and the possibility became more real.

The door then creaked, and opened. No praxian stared at him, but a red and white adult. Who took one single look at him, then turned toward the shadows behind him.

"Streetwise!"

Bluestreak trembled and felt weak on his knees as that single word made him almost wobble. That was it, he had been right.
A moment later steps were heard, soft like Blue remembered, the mech always moving just like that. And the Praxian came to the door. His doorwings shooting up in shock as soon as he saw him. Bluestreak knew the mech had recognized him. Even in his new frame.

'Blue? " he asked, and his voice was a soft whisper, his optics going wide." is that you...? What happened to you? "

Before Bluestreak could even start replying the older praxian closed the distance between them, and touched his chevron, gently, like a cuddle. Like he used to do when Blue cried at night. And the younger praxian shuddered, tears starting falling from his optics. Unable to stop.

'Streetwise... " he almost warbled, pulling him in a hug, accepting the comfort desperately." you are okay... We are okay...'

And he was hugged back, in strong, safe arms. His field so welcoming, so familiar.
It felt like Praxus.
It felt like home.
Bluestreak was back home.

- - -

First Aid watched quietly as the two praxians hugged, cuddling each other. His spark melting a bit. He didn't want to disturb them, and went to turn back and go inside the house. If they needed anything, Streetwise would ask for it.

Then something moved at the corner of his view. He snapped his gaze in that point, seeing a figure approach. Another praxian. This one frowning. First Aid felt himself tense up and snuck past the cuddling praxians, to go right toward him.

'Hey leave them alone. " he said seriously, with more bravery than he truly felt. Especially as the stranger stared at him with sharp optics. First Aid was not a brave mech at all. But he didn't like whatever this mech was up for. The mech tried to go around him but Aid followed to step in front of him.

" Let me pass." he said sternly and First Aid was hit by a wave of his field, cold and angry as they now stood only a few inches from each other. It was terrifying. It felt like sharp, jagged metal.

"No. You don't get to interrupt bots just like this because you want to." the young soon-to-be medic replied sharply "what's your problem?"

"That's none of your business," the mech said sharply before glaring and flaring his doorwings. Showing markings on his wings. Military badges. High rank. "you don't want to fight me on this."

First Aid stared, terror welling up. From the little he heard from Inferno last time they had talked... The appearance, the attitude, the badges, it all matched.
Primus. It was the Praxian SiC of the Autobots. He should probably apologize and back away. Let him pass.
Certainly he shouldn't be speaking. Too bad he was.

"I don't care if you are even Primus. You are not interrupting my... Brother. He needs this. The other too. " he snapped with much more bravery than he ever felt. He waved at the two just snuggling, both Praxians relaxed and happy "aren't you a praxian too? Why do you want to hurt them?"

The commander was just staring at him coldly until he looked at the two when Aid pointed at them. His posture then slacking slightly, his field feeling less like trying to overcome First Aid.

"I do not wish any harm on them." he said quietly, so quietly Aid almost did not catch it.  "comm me when they are done."

The last thing First Aid wanted was calling this mech. But he had to.
He registered the code, then watched the commander leave. Letting himself tremble only when he couldn't see that mech anymore.

- - -

Bluestreak sat between the twins in the entirely private wagon Prowl had taken. His brother had been there once him and Streetwise had stopped snuggling and chatting, and had not looked openly angry. He had told him nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just leading him to get the twins, then back to the station.

Now, his brother just sat, his whole visual focus on the data pad he was reading. But Bluestreak knew his wings were tracking them, any movement they did.

::He's pissed, isn't he?:: Sideswipe whispered in a comm channel between them and Sunstreaker.

::Of course he is. :: Sunstreaker muttered softly ::did he strangle you, Blue? He almost strangled us. ::

::No he didn't. He said absolutely nothing. :: the Praxian murmured softly, not having expected it.

::Lucky mech. :: Sideswipe snorted, ::happy to be his favorite huh? ::

::we didn't get it even as bad as it could have been, Sides. :: Sunstreaker grumbled quietly.

::Why? :: Bluestreak asked curiously, as the bright yellow mech actually sounded relieved about it.

::Because he does not know we wanted to join the military academy there. :: Sideswipe piped in, a cheerful Squeal in his voice.

::Well now I do. :: a much deeper voice cut right through Bluestreak's snort.

The tactician was staring at them now, a small smirk on his face.

::And soon Ratchet will know as well. ::

The twins' horrified gasp and whined protest filled Bluestreak's audials. This was amusing to him, if it wasn't for a small detail...

::Aww Prowl... You are an hacker too now? ::

The mech just smirked a bit more, then turned back to his data pad. Bluestreak felt himself shudder a bit. His brother always found ways to know all about everyone.
Sometimes it creeped him out a bit, not that he could do anything about it. He just felt lucky to be his brother, and not his enemy.

The twins didn't talk to him for a while, probably noticing something in his expression. Or his shudder. But then a data pad was put in his lap. Sideswipe.

So... Was it worth it for you?

Bluestreak stared at the question. He almost felt Streetwise's warm embrace again, even just thinking about it. The happy purring of the mech who was the best caretaker he ever had.
He wrote only two words before giving it back, unable to express what he was feeling in a intelligible way.

It was.

Author's note.
This story is weird. I don't really know if I love it or I hate it. But yeah! Some fluff, some angst, some twins shenanigans. Hope you liked it!