Pit Stop

The Cave

Notes:

This was originally going to be the last chapter, but I ended up wanting to have this scene in the middle so I wrote a chapter in between the two!

Sorry, I was slow to update I was really focused on my other Transformers x Danny crossover "Haunting the Nemesis" and it has taken over my life over the last two months! I've barely managed to write anything other than it. But here we have this! Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long to write!

TW: Blood/description of injury, and mention of past experimentation (very brief, non-graphic)

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Smokescreen drove through the barren desert, his wheels kicking up a cloud of dust behind him. Smokescreen couldn't help glancing down at the human curled up inside him every few minutes, checking on Danny's ragged breathing and the dark stains slowly seeping into his seats.

He couldn't just drive aimlessly forever. After what felt like hours, his headlights caught the outline of a rocky cliffside in the distance. As Smokescreen got closer he spotted a cave nestled within the formations, just big enough to offer them some cover while he figured out what to do. Smokescreen pulled up to the cave's entrance, slowly rolling to a stop before turning off his engine.

Smokescreen was cautious as he spoke, keeping his voice low. "Hey, kid. We're here." The human had fallen asleep quite early on in their drive.

Danny stirred but didn't wake. Smokescreen frowned, unsure of how fragile humans were, especially after all that blood loss. "Uh, Danny?" He raised his voice slightly, "Hey, you awake?" He really hoped that the human would wake up. He needed to wake up. Smokescreen wouldn't know what to do if the kid didn't.

As Smokey panicked the kid's eyes flickered up with a groan of pain, Danny blinked up at the dashboard, his body stiff as he tried to move. "Wha—?" Danny's eyes widened as the confusion settled in, but he seemed more disoriented than afraid.

"We found a place to stop for the night... You wanna get out and stretch or something?" Smokescreen asked, feeling awkward as he spoke, he had no idea what to say in this situation. He watched as Danny winced but nodded, his pale blood-coated hands grabbing the door handle, missing the first time. Smokescreen sighed and opened to door for the kid.

As soon as Danny climbed out, Smokescreen transformed, his towering frame unfolding with a mechanical whirr. He had to duck down to not hit his helm on the cave ceiling. He was ready for Danny to freak out. After all, he'd just turned from a car into a giant robot—definitely not a normal human experience. The last human who had seen him in his robot form freaked out and took a picture of him and Bee which luckily Raph managed to erase.

But Danny only stood there, swaying slightly, his pale blue eyes squinting up at him in pain. "Huh," was all he said, giving Smokescreen a once-over before leaning against a boulder and collapsing down against the floor.

"You're, uh... you're not scared?" Smokescreen asked, genuinely surprised.

Danny huffed, grimacing as he pulled the tattered remains of his shirt aside to inspect his wounds. "Nah, giant transforming cars barely make the top ten weirdest things I've seen," he muttered, ripping a piece of fabric from his shirt and pressing it against his side, it seemed as though the bleeding was already stopping and everything else left on him was starting to become dried flakes. Only the biggest wound on his torso which looked like a pretty nasty burn was still sluggishly dripping blood.

Smokescreen stared partially dumbfounded, partially horrified at the injuries. "You've got a really strange life, huh?"

"You have no idea," Danny mumbled, his breath hitching in pain as he tied the makeshift bandage tighter around his torso. His hands shook slightly, but he kept his expression neutral Like he was trying not to let Smokescreen see how much pain he was in.