Poisoned Rose (Heatwave x Quickshadow)

4. The Rift

Rose finally woke up as the group made their way through the double doors of the firehouse's main entrance. They were immediately greeted by Chase, whose sharp optics had picked up the small pink frame in Heatwave's arms instantly and had a bombardment of questions for them. Quickshadow left Heatwave to answer his teammate's queries and took Rose to the bunker, putting the squirming sparkling down. Rose sat down on the lift and observed with wide optics, Quickshadow keeping a watchful eye on the small being as she walked past to check the Energon storage for fuel that Rose could use.

The small femme immediately followed Quickshadow's lead and crawled across the floor after her, her tiny servos making slight tapping sounds as she scooted after her adopted mother. Rose's lower lip component jutted out as soon as she lost Quickshadow to the darkness of the Energon stores, and she sniffled a little when the white femme didn't emerge from the small storage room for a while.

Rose gave up waiting for Quickshadow and made her way towards the couch, captivated by the creamsicle-colored rotary lounging there. She grabbed the edge of the left cushion and heaved herself up with all of her might, flipping over and landing with a small, high-pitched oomph on the worn red material. She shook her petite helm to clear it and sneezed a few times at the cloud of dust that had risen from the old fabric at the impact of her landing. Rose stumbled her way over to Blades, clambering up his chassis and poking his relaxed features several times. When this failed to wake him up, her lower lip jutted out again and she bounced agitatedly on his chassis until she felt him stir beneath her. His sunny yellow optics lazily drew themselves open as he stretched his arms over his head, sitting up abruptly. Rose gave a shocked squeak as she found herself tumbling towards the ground, beginning to regret bothering the helicopter bot in the first place.

Suddenly she was being cradled firmly in a pair of slender arms, and she tilted her helm up to find Quickshadow's soft blue optics meeting hers. "Oh, do be careful, Blades. We wouldn't want our newest addition getting hurt on her first day, now, would we?" She asked, tickling Rose under her chin just to hear the adorable giggle that emerged from the sparkling's intakes.

Blades's now fully open optics landed on the laughing shape occupying Quickshadow's arms, and he squealed in joy when he realized what it was.

"Awwwwwwww!!!! She's so cuuuttee!!! Where did she come from?!?! Is she...yours?" The rotary asked, springing off the couch and blinking innocently up at Quickshadow as he allowed Rose to squeeze his digits curiously.
           
"What—no! What—why does everyone keep thinking that?" The femme sighed, more to herself than to Blades. He shot her a confused glance before shyly asking,
           
"Can I hold her?"
           
Quickshadow smiled and nodded, passing Rose into Blades's arms. She burbled happily and nibbled on his digits, kicking her legs joyfully as she shifted in his grasp. The heli's optics sparkled with delight as he cooed playfully at her, wiggling his digits just out of her grasp teasingly. She reached for them, and huffed angrily when the rotary only moved them away again.  She shot him the most disapproving glance something as cute as she was could muster as Blades avoided her servos once again, Quickshadow stifling a few giggles in the corner.

"I wouldn't tease her too much, Blades. She can get rather...Heatwave-like when she's angry." The femme smiled, holding her arms out for Rose again. Blades reluctantly transferred the sparkling into Quickshadow's outstretched servos, waving to her as she and her caretaker disappeared into the next room.