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Ironhide looked across the room, past the reunion of mechs and femmes, until he saw her, deep in conversation with her commander. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but judging by the body language, he was sure she was chewing Elita out for acting recklessly. After Alpha Trion had gifted the femmes with new headquarters, Elita and Optimus had agreed to tell all the Autobots assembled what had happened to them. Ironhide was sure that it wasn't the full truth, but it had made for a good story. Mech and femme alike had treated the whole thing like an epic love story, but Ironhide had been around long far too long to be fooled by a well told tale. And he suspected that Chromia saw the whole thing the same way. Elita had acted like a love-sick sparklet, and even though everything had turned out well, it could have gone horribly wrong. Watching the two femmes talk, it was obvious that Chromia was giving Elita an audioful, and honestly, Ironhide wouldn't fault her. He knew he'd be having the same talk with Optimus when they returned to Earth.
As the two femmes spoke in hushed tones Ironhide had to suppress a chuckle. Elita was managing to look both haughty and cowed at the same time, which was quite the feat when faced with her second's tightly controlled anger. Chromia was never one to mince words or sweeten things, and he was sure that she was not making an exception in this situation. Ironhide watched the whole exchange from a distance, but he was only seeing Chromia. She was still beautiful beyond words, still radiating the quiet power that had attracted him in the first place. More than anything, he wanted to hold her close, to be with her just as they had been before the war tore them apart. But he knew that wasn't going to happen. He still loved her with all of his being, but for him, it had only been a few stellars since they'd parted; a few short stellars that were like the blink of an optic. Barely any time at all. But for Chromia, it had been over a hundred thousand vorns; a lifetime apart. He was sure that she had thought him dead, that she had moved on. So he kept his distance. He decided then that when she was done, he would greet her like an old colleague, like a friend from another life. There was no point dredging up old memories.
Her conversation ended and he tried to play it cool, but he found himself drawn to her, like she had strung a lasso over him and was pulling him to her. Without even thinking he found himself taking a few steps, getting closer until finally, she looked over. And it was like something electric passed between them. He was shocked, his whole system went numb and he was lost in her optics. She seemed to freeze and for a moment she looked completely indecisive. It was obviously one thing to speak on the battlefield, but this was something else entirely. With a soft smile, Elita elbowed Chromia in the side and gave her a gentle nudge forward. In a moment, she was in his arms. He didn't remember either of them moving, but it didn't matter. She was there and he was drinking in her presence in like his life depended on it. For a long time they stood like that, just holding each other and not saying a word. But too soon the real world intruded on them.
"We should head back to Earth," Optimus said. "You could come back with us, Elita. We could use you and your troops there."
"No, we're needed here," she replied, a hint of sadness tingeing her voice. "But once the war is over we can be together again. Do you really have to leave right away though? We have some breathing room before Shockwave remobilizes and I know that I would like to catch up."
"Yes, I think that we can spare an orn," Optimus replied, looking at his troops, all speaking in hushed tones to the femmes. "Yes, I think we all have quite a bit of catching up to do."
Slowly the couples spread out and away from the control room, leaving Ironhide and Chromia alone together. After a moment she pulled away and took his hand, leading him away.
"Come on," she said softly. "We need to talk. Alone."
He put his arm around her shoulder and allowed himself to be led. They made their way back to her quarters, still clinging to each other like two first time lovers.
"You did real good out there today, Chromia," he said softly. "I'd almost forgotten how good we work together."
"Yeah, it was … nice, fighting side by side, taking out Decepticons again," she replied. "You're still as good as you ever were."
He inclined his head slightly to look at her as they walked. During the battle she had been a true warrior, burning with righteous anger as she faced off against Starscream, as she turned his smug laughter into pleads for mercy. But now, it was as if something was eating at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine Ironhide. I'm just so glad to see you again," she said. That note of worry was still in her voice, though it was obvious she was trying to hide it.
He stopped walking and took her arms gently, turning her to face him. He smiled, then leaned in and placed his forehead against hers. She melted into his touch and sighed in contentment.
"I kept expecting to find out that this was a malfunction, that you weren't really here," she said softly.
"I really am here, darlin'," he replied, holding her close, ignoring the fact that they were still in the hall.
"I knew that you were still alive," she whispered. "The others – I think they gave up on the Ark, but I knew you were alive. I don't know how, but I did."
"Chromia, I was so worried when I saw what'd happened to Cybertron," he said as he tightened his arms around her. "I knew you were alive too, but lookin' at what – lookin' at all this, I just – How did you all survive all these vorns?"
She pulled back and placed her fingers gently over his lips.
"Shhh," she said. "I don't want to talk about that."
He looked at her deeply then leaned in a placed a soft kiss on her lips. Her optics widened in surprise at the strange gesture, and she pulled away slightly.
"What was that?" she asked.
"The humans call it a kiss," he said nervously.
"A 'kiss'," she said slowly, her mouth forming the alien word carefully. "I think I like it."
She leaned into him and pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, running his fingers up her back as he slowly remembered all her most sensitive areas. She pressed further into him and she ran her hand over his crest, thrilling his systems into arousal. He opened his mouth slightly and ran his glossa over her lips, and he felt her inhale sharply before she pulled away.
"I'm sorry Chromia, I'm bein' too bold," he apologized.
"No," she said breathily. "No you're not. But we need to get into a room."
She took his hand and practically dragged him into her quarters.
As soon as the door shut behind them, she was in his arms again, running her hands over him, exploring his new, Earth altered form. He hadn't been with anyone since they'd crashed on Earth and after two stellars of chastity, his body was demanding the attention she gave. He shivered as she discovered his grill and his bumper. Delicately, she ran her fingers over the seam of his windshield and he gasped and arched into her touch as he felt his knees weaken beneath him.
He buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and began to trail feather-light kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Chromia gasped as Ironhide ran his glossa over a highly energized cable. He nipped at the lines and cords and chuckled slightly as she let out a startled gasp followed by a lengthy, almost feral moan.
"I never thought of doing that," Chromia breathed.
"I've just learned all sorts of surprises," he whispered.
"Oh really?" she said with a grin. "Well you'll just have to teach me everything."
She pulled away and took his hand, guiding them both to her berth. It was only intended for one, but she solved that problem quickly. With a gentle shove, she pushed Ironhide down, then she straddled his hips and gazed down at him, with a look of amusement in her optics.
"I'd almost forgotten how well we fit together," she said.
He opened his mouth to respond, but was silenced by another kiss. This time, she opened her mouth slightly and ran her glossa over his lips tentatively. He took her invitation and deepened the kiss as his hands moved slowly over her frame, awakening her systems and setting her Spark on fire. She broke off with a gasp as he ran his fingers under the edge of her armour. She leaned into him, then pulled away suddenly. Ironhide's protest turned to a deep throated groan as she slowly moved down his body, trailing feather light kisses across his chest and grill until she came to his interface port. His hips rose off the berth as she coaxed the cover plate to move aside.
"Primus!" Ironhide gasped as her glossa trailed the edges of the plate. "Yer a fast learner!"
A wicked grin spread across Chromia's face. "You have no idea," she said as the coverplate slid aside with a soft click.
Ironhide fell back to the berth with a cry as Chromia pulled out his interface cable and began to play with the end as she moved back up his body. He gasped and writhed under her as she continued to play his body, running gentle fingers and lips and glossa over every seam, every joint. Her hands ghosted over him, sending delicious tingles through every node they met.
His fuel pump pounded and the room began to crackle with the sound of static and their overworked cooling systems. With a deft twist of her wrist, Chromia plugged Ironhide's cable into her port, and her cable into his. He arched and cried out as he felt everything that was Chromia enter him. He moved within her, brushing her Spark with a ghostly touch causing her to flare brightly – he was blinded by her brilliance. His Spark began to pulse in time with hers, and his body roared for her touch. Blue sparks began to dance over their bodies as they moved. Coolant began to form as their systems tried desperately to pull heat away from their overcharged bodies. Messages began to flash in their vision, warning that shut down was imminent if they didn't stop. But all the counsel was ignored as a warm glow of pleasure filled them, and suddenly she went over the edge, taking him with her. For the briefest of moment, there was silence, then their voices cried out as one and the room seemed to explode with the noise of them overloading in perfect harmony.
x-x-x
Ironhide came back online slowly. Chromia still lay in his arms, her body melding to his perfectly, like they had been made just for each other. He squeezed her gently and kissed the top of her helm with a feather light touch. She tilted her head up towards him slightly and a small smile pulled at her lips.
"That feels nice," she said as she opened her optics and gazed into his. "You really need to thank the earthlings for teaching you about 'kiss-ing'." She stumbled a bit over the unfamiliar alien word.
Ironhide smiled at her lovingly and looked at her for a long time, taking in every part of her face. Then, with one finger, he gently tilted her chin up and kissed her lips. When they broke off, she laid her head against his chest and hugged him tightly.
"I wish you didn't have to go," she whispered.
"And I wish you could come, but that ain't gonna happen," he said with a sigh. "But we've got time before we've got to get back to our duties."
He held her close as they lay on the berth, and for a time, he allowed himself to believe that she was all there was. No war, no Optimus and Elita, no Earth, no Decepticons. There was only her.