The storm (Sideswipe)

Ch 4. Bickering

—    CASIPHIA BLYTHE —

"Are you hungry? We can pull over?" Sideswipe offered. I hadn't eaten since last night, and I wasn't hungry, either. "Where are we going?" I asked instead. "North," he replied. I pinned him a glare. "North? Do you think I am a mind reader?" I snapped. Sideswipe gave me a flat look in return. I already figured we had more in common than I first believed. Just as cocky, just as bold, and just as cheeky. If he hadn't kidnapped me, I might have liked bickering with him.

"Pity," he replied, nostrils flaring. I gave him a middle finger and got one in return. I bit back a smile and stared out of the window, watching other cars pass by. Most drivers took in Sideswipe's alt-mode. Some even take pictures. Perhaps one of these photos would come online, and someone would recognize me. I had been all over the news. Sideswipe is the best kidnapper on the side and the worst kidnapper on the other.

I rubbed my face. I slept awfully. Sleeping in a car isn't optimal, and I was still absolutely wrecked. Sideswipe had to be tired, too. God knows for how many hours he had been driving. Perhaps Cybertronians didn't need that much rest. I cut a glance in his direction. Completely lost in his world. "Can't we make a stop?" He exhaled in what I guessed irritation. "Again? Seriously? How many times do you need to use the restroom."

"I'm just sick of driving all day, and besides, you've been driving for hours, too." He cocked a brow. "So you care now?" I shrugged. "I'd be a pity if I die because you're tired." He snorted at that and glanced at the signs— taking the upcoming exit. He came to a stop in a parking lot. Completely deserted. I removed my seatbelt, but the door wouldn't open. "You said you were sick of driving, so I stopped." I slowly turned my head and made him feel the intensity of anger. Sideswipe picked at his nails. "You forgot I kicked your ass last time?" He smirked. "No."

"Let. Me. Out," Sideswipe smirked. That was it. I lunged for him. Sideswipe body — holoform — vanished, and I slammed into the door. A groan was ripped from my throat. The radio crackled on. "Not making that mistake twice, sweetheart." The seat belt wrapped around my body and throat, pulling me back in the chair.

I writhed and screamed at him to no avail. "I'm going to murder you in your sleep!" I hissed, kicking against his dash. Sideswipe engine rumbled. "You know, all you had to do was say please," he purred. I glared at the radio. "Say it, and I'll let you go." This was a stupid game of his. To get under my skin, and I hated it even more than it was working.

I stared out of the windshield and studied the empty buildings ahead. "Not much luck finding help there," Sideswipe added. I kicked again. "I will never be your fucking friend," I sneered. "I like a good challenge, don't worry." The seatbelt cut into my skin. "I am very tempted to wet your seat." A silence fell. "You know what, let me do just that–" One moment, I was tied up in his alt-mode; the next, I found myself hovering in the air.

Sideswipe had transformed in the blink of an eye and was now glaring at me. He was tall but not much higher than a three-story building. "If you do that–" I cut him off. "Then what Sideswipe? Going to kill me? You didn't have the balls to pull the trigger before." Hot steam swirled from his nostrils, and his system rumbled in what I guessed was anger. "Put me down, asshole."

"You have a lot of nerve talking to a 30 ft tall mech holding you in the air." My eyes narrowed. "Put me down, and I'll consider sparing your balls from ending up in your throat." His door wings shifted. "Do people actually love you?" I notched my chin. "Do people love you? A mech so puffed up in his self-importance," I spat. "By consideration, I think I am tempted to drop you," he snapped. "Be my guest." We glared at each other for an extended heartbeat longer.

"If you wanted a friend, you choose the wrong person."

Sideswipe finally lowered me and put me back on the ground. I etched around his feet towards the road. He quietly followed, staying a healthy distance away. "We are wasting time," he countered. I ignored him and studied both sides of the road.

I was so tired. All I wanted was to curl up, sleep, and forget about this mess. Not there was such a thing possible now. I wouldn't admit to Sideswipe how exhausted I was – and hungry. I refused to eat the last time he stopped at a gas station. The sandwiches weren't that good and my stomach already ached. I wrapped my arms around myself and sighed.

Sideswipe blocked the moonlight as he hovered over me. "Done being stubborn?" I still ignored him. I wanted to go home. People assumed the worst. That I was kidnapped, raped, and killed – my body discarded in a ditch. Instead, I was bickering with an alien about what to eat and where to stop. It could've been worse; I had to admit that. I slowly turned and looked up. His pale blue optics shimmered like stars in the darkness. "I am done driving. I'd rather sleep on the curb than drive one minute longer." His mouth kicked up at one corner, but I wasn't inclined to bicker and take this new challenge.

I turned and sat down against a lamppost, holding his stare. "You're willing to risk getting sick?" he asked flatly. "Let me find a motel," he offered. A peace offering, but also an opportunity. Sideswipe's optics flashed, and he bared his sharp, pointed teeth — gleaming menacingly in the dimly lit parking lot. I didn't yield. "We can make a deal..." I said, looking at my nails.

Sideswipe knelt on one knee. "Which is?" He taunted. His optics focused on predatory alertness. "Get me a poke bowl, and I won't be a bother for the rest of the night." His doors shifted. "Can't it be the next forty-eight hours?" I snorted and surveyed his fist, leaning on the ground for balance and the slightest hint of a blade hidden within it. He had the same blade on the other side.

Sideswipe noted my shift in attention and couldn't help himself but show it off. The blade on his right arm slipped into place. Lethal and beautiful. The metal was adorned with symbols and carefully crafted. It was shinier than the rest of his frame. Despite my curiosity, I rolled my eyes. "Not even remotely curious?"

"No."

His blade slipped back into his arm. "Let's find a place for you to recharge." Before I could protest, he picked me up and transformed around me. The seatbelt wrapped around me, but not as tight as it had been before.

I barely paid attention to where Sideswipe was going. He stopped twenty minutes later. Before he could say anything, I slid out of the car and grabbed my back. His holoform sprinted after me. "I don't need a babysitter," I snapped. He ignored my statement and walked by my side.

I slept longer than I probably should've. The moment Sideswipe got us a room, I collapsed on the bed. Unbothered to change my clothing or acknowledge his existence. I could've sworn to have felt him tug me in, removing my shoes and raising the blanket over my body.

When I awoke, I caught him leaning against the window, shirtless. His black pants were low-slung, and his hair was still damp. I took a moment to take in the generous curves of his muscled body. It was unfair for a robotic alien to look this good in human form. His entire backside rippled with muscles. I didn't know if the scars were just for show or a projection of what hid beneath his armor.

Sideswipe looked over a shoulder, casually and amused. He threw me a cocky but lazy grin. "Enjoy the view, sweetheart?" A colorful string of curses slipped from my lips as I shifted into a sitting position. Sideswipe's low chuckle cut through the following silence.

His chest was equally impressive. The V disappeared in his pants from his broad shoulders to his chest and abdomen. "You saw me half naked..." I looked at my nails. "Unfortunately for you, I fucked guys with better looks than yours." He snorted. "Why do I feel like it's all bluff?" He curled a finger around my chin, forcing my head up. "Do you see me smile?" I snipped back. Sideswipe surveyed every detail of my face. "Insulting." His hand retreated. "Like I said, you're puffed up in your importance."

"You said you wouldn't be a bother."

"I said..." I corrected, sitting up on my knees. "That if you gave me food, I wouldn't be a bother for the rest of the night. You never gave me food, so this promise doesn't exist." He seemed already tempted to grab my throat and squeeze the life out of me. I flashed a vicious grin, daring him to do it.

Sideswipe's eyes darkened as he stepped back, his lips curling in a sneer. I slid off the bed and might have aimed for his bare feet when I got up. The warning glare said enough. "Put a shirt on while you're at it, Sideswipe. Or stare in a mirror all day if you enjoy looking at yourself so much. As long as you don't bother me."

I flicked him off like he was nothing but a housefly and knew it made him see red. "Bitch!" He snarled. I threw him a smug look over my shoulder. "Asshole." His nostrils flared before I strolled into the bathroom.