Universe: G1 AU
Characters: Streetwise, Hot Spot, Groove, First Aid, Blades
Notes: part of the same universe as the four previous ones. Happens after "Walk on lonely roads'.

If the assault hadn't been enough to chase Streetwise away from Polyhex, the Decepticon sympathizer Straxus raising to power had been. Definitely.
Streetwise was alone again. Polyhex, the city he had lived in for those three vorns, was his past, swallowed by purges and mass executions. Not everyone had an old boss who passed credits and information to keep him alive. So he read the news on his data pad, while on trains, while he moved across the planet. First Altihex, then Vos. But even his closest frame kins had started hating on their ground bound cousins, and their neutrality was just a well placed facade. So off he was again.

He sat in the train that would bring him to Tyger Pax, his optics dimming slowly. The seat was so uncomfortable and rigid, his doorwings pressing painfully against it.
Bots all sat around him in silence, a couple of burly, overly bright warbuilds being the only exception. That red devil snickering and trying to trip anyone on the way in or out. Streetwise frowned, just happy they entered after him, or he'd probably lose it. And he didn't think that golden one would be still, seeing how he glared fiercely at anyone reacting. Servos already clenched.
Hopefully they'd leave before him. Or get down at another stop. Luck after all did owe Streetwise something.

The train started slowing down again while he still watched the two mechs with hope that they would get down. But they didn't move, as only two bots entered. One was a white and golden mech, a grin that was definitely too happy on his face as he tripped over the devil's pede and just giggled. Bless him, he liked risking to fall. After him though, a familiar face stepped inside, jumping the prankster's leg completely and almost immediately locking optics with him.
"Frag." Streetwise muttered softly. Hot Spot, if he remembered right, went right to him and sat on the seat in front of his own. Followed by his bud, of course.

"Mech! Didn't I meet you in Polyhex?" he asked, and the Praxian frowned, his doorwings twitching.
"Probably." he muttered softly 'I meet a lot of bots. "
He looked back down at his data pad. Maybe the mech would get the hint.

" Where are you going? "
Of course he didn't. Streetwise just wanted to tell him to go frag himself, but he did not know this mech. He had only seen him that night.
His doorwings couldn't stop from quivering slightly.

"Tyger Pax." he said quietly. His gaze fixed on his data pad still, counting down seconds. They seemed hours.

"Cool! We're going there too! Have been in Perihex, but the place's getting messy too." the mech said joyfully "you have an apartment already?"

No, he didn't. Prowl usually rented him one. But the mech had been very brief last time they spoke. He said something about being still spied on.
Streetwise would have to find a job soon. He didn't want to depend on that mech.
"I do." he lied though "if you have credits, you find it quickly enough. '

The two exchanged a look, then the happier one, like Streetwise had immediately labeled him, grinned.
" Well we work hard! So it won't be a problem. Thanks mech! " he basically squeaked.
Streetwise only nodded. He buried himself back in his data pad.

Half an hour later all got down, Streetwise, Hot Spot, his chatty buddy and even the two warbuilds.
Luck really hated him. This was personal now.
" I'm Groove by the way!" the white and golden mech said as they got down and the other two shouldered past them, 'we can meet around, Tyger Pax is small.'
Streetwise didn't want to say his name but knew not saying it would be even weirder. And they were definitely insistent.
"Streetwise." he muttered softly "I think I will be busy. But we'll see. Now I really need to go."
He couldn't resist much longer. He didn't wait for an answer, just disappearing in the crowd.

- - -

"Naw lad, this is the only apartment I've left." the old green mech said while showing him around "a lot of bots fled, like you. You'll have a few roommates, immigrants like you. They are nice and don't really care who comes in. And the rent is ridiculously low because you are so many."
Streetwise nodded. Anything would do as long as he got to stay there with a low rent.
" Thank you Kup. " he said offering him his servo" it's just what I was looking for. '

The Praxian got his few things placed on the nightstand and the lone empty shelf just over his berth. The only berthroom had an impressive number of five berths.
"Welcome back to the academy, Street." he muttered to himself, sitting on his hard mattress. He was lucky enough to have experience with spartan life.
He had just settled sleepily on his berth, wanting to take a quick nap before going to look for a job, when his doorwings twitched. Someone was opening the door. He sighed standing up. Better introducing himself to his now roommates. Weird guys, not even wanting to meet him with the landlord. As he stepped in the room though, he froze.
'Groove? " he asked quietly in shock. This was a persecution! The white and golden idiot from the train turned and blinked, before giving him the biggest grin Streetwise had ever seen. How he didn't break his jaw piece was a wonder.
' Oh then it was that Streetwise! " he chirped running over and just pulling him in a crushing hug. Streetwise tried to move away in time, but the mech was quick.
Now he was pinned.
Just great.
' Our landlord mentioned the name, but you know, it could have been someone else! You don't know how many Tailgates I met in my life! " he almost chirped like a seekerling. Streetwise wriggled, finally managing to get away from the crushing hug.
" Give it a rest okay? " he hissed while trying to vent regularly again.
Groove now looked like a kicked puppy.
" Sorry, sorry! ' he exclaimed "I just am excited! I'm sure we'll get along just fine!"

"Groove, will you leave that poor mech some space?"

Streetwise had been so overwhelmed he hadn't heard even the door open and close. And now a red and white mech stood there, just beside Groove. His expression a soft... Smile?
"You must forgive my brother, he's very... Welcoming to newcomers." he said gently "I am First Aid, you must be Streetwise. Are you alright? '
The young praxian just nodded before sitting at one of the few chairs in the main room.
" Brother? " was the first thing that he managed to ask, when he found his voice again, the slight distance from the others managing to soothe his nerves.
The mech's smile turned almost amused as he sat, on another chair a few feet away.
"Yeah. We are sort of a... Big family."

- - -

"You got to be kidding me." Streetwise blurted out, almost choking on his drink.  The four bots who were his new roommates were just sitting around casually. The flier with a thing for moving a lot when talking was literally splayed on the microscopic couch, and was the one to respond.
"why? Ever heard of big adoptive families? Our creators are generous. ' he said with a wriggle of rotors.

Streetwise had not. He was state owned most of his life anyway.
"Then why are you even all here in this hole?' he asked confused. It made no sense if they had still alive creators.

'Because our sires are loving yeah, but Red is quite paranoid too." Hot Spot sighed from where he sat on the other side of the room. Streetwise hoped he'd stay that far for a while at least." we wanted some freedom y'know? But yeah we chose probably the worst possible moment. "

" A breaking war? Yeah, I'd say so. " Streetwise snorted. Those bots seemed around his age, but seemed all too grown kids. But probably First Aid, the red and white mech sitting and drinking his energon with a calm expression.

" Yeah but we really didn't want to go back to Iacon." Blades continued snorting "so we came here. Yeah we had to get another roommate, but we are used to have the house full."
Groove nodded almost too much, Streetwise feared he was going to tear his helm off, and grinned at the Praxian.
"Yeah! Just another bro to live with."

Ha. Okay, Streetwise could recognize a crazy bunch when he saw one. At least they seemed the kind type of crazy.
Not that he had any choice anyway.

- - -

"Bluestreak! Bluestreak where are you?"

Streetwise moved in a frenzy, his optics everywhere, desperately looking for red and gray armor in that sea of mechs. His doorwings flattened against his back as bots pressed him from every side, running in the opposite direction as him. Trying to push him along with insistent servos. Looking at him with blank white optics.
He knew they were fleeing towards safety.
But he couldn't leave Blue behind. Blue was still there, where flames enveloped buildings and towers collapsed in a cloud of dust that clogged his vents. He coughed, and went on.

"Blue! Please, do you hear me?" he shouted, his voice box twinging with fire, a bitter taste in his mouth. Soon he'd not be able to shout anymore.

"Street!" a familiar voice squealed, and relief flooded Streetwise, as he pushed through the last mechs with the strength given by hope. And he saw those gray and red doorwings as the mechling was with his back turned to him.
"Blue! Finally!" he said reaching him.
Then Blue turned. Where blue optics had been, a green visor was tinkling. A smirk instead of a relieved smile.
"Mah mech. Ya back already?"

"NO!" Streetwise shouted, jumping up and looking around, trying to punch that damned monster. Trying to get away as he scrambled, not knowing where he was but knowing that mech was still there. He was getting him.

Then someone grabbed his arms. Streetwise whined trying to free himself, desperately wriggling.
"Streetwise! Streetwise stop! It was a nightmare!"
Blue optics stared in his. Not a green visor. White and red armor, not silver slick paint.
'Hot Spot...? " he asked weakly. Trembling as he stared at him. A smile appeared on his face.

" Yeah mech. It's me. You alright now?' he asked quietly. Streetwise just nodded. He didn't want to stay so close to the mech but he didn't want to be alone either. So he remained still, letting him hold his servos.
Suddenly another mech appeared from the shadows of the still dark room he now recognized as the one he shared with his roommates.
"Here. It's warm, it'll calm your nerves." First Aid said quietly passing him a cup.  Streetwise smelled he liquid after reluctantly freeing himself from Hot Spot's grip. Warm, sweetened middle grade. He took a sip, slowly. His panic was subsiding.
Calmness swept in his processor, followed by acute, burning shame.
"I woke you all up." he said quietly, knowing from his doorwings the other two siblings were somewhere behind him.

"Don't worry about that." Groove spoke softly, and Streetwise froze when he touched his left doorwing. Before melting in the gentle rubs. The comfort no one gave him since Praxus collapsed.

"You are just another brother now." Blades added, equally gentle "We are here. '
And as the flier started rubbing his other doorwing, Hot Spot and First Aid close with their fields and warm frames, Streetwise let himself start crying.

Author's note.
Something happy for Streetwise! Finally! That poor guy.
I hope you liked this picture of the Protectorbots.