I can figure out the point of anything [OPEN]

[flashdrive]

WHO: Rewind and You!
WHERE: Liege Maximo's altar
WHEN: A day after Chromedome's death/body has gone missing
WHAT: One half waits for the other.
WARNINGS: N/A

It'd been twenty-four hours since Chromedome's death.

And the feeling was still numb--Rewind kept trying to process it, to make sense of it. But all that he could do was continue on, almost on autopilot. It was like his brain wouldn't do anything other than what was necessary. He was angry, at a great number of people. Angry at Chromedome for not keeping his promise, angry at Prowl for instigating him. Angry at Tarn for killing him in such a way.

Rewinds warnings were far too ironic. He'd always told Chromedome that injecting could kill you. He just didn't mean it quite so literally. When he saw it over the feed, he could feel his spark sink like a rock. It sank into a rut that it couldn't escape from, and despite knowing that Chromedome would eventually come back...

It didn't make the pain of losing him go away.

He sat by the alter in Liege Maximo's temple, where Chromedome would eventually appear, as he'd learned on the Link. All of those who died would appear there, in their respective temples. As he sat, he fiddled with something he found in the junkpile. A tiny cassette, nothing too out of the ordinary. But something about it had Rewind quite interested.

Fiddling with it.

[ooc: feel free to sit with him or bug Rewind on this! He'll be here until Chromedome comes back.]

Comments

[rungout]

The entire thing was a mess.

It did nothing to ease Rung's worries about Tarn in the least, and he truly hoped that the police force actually did something about the other now.

But that was for them to be concerned about.

The therapist made his way to the temple where he had a feeling Rewind would be, locating the other near the alter after doing a sweep of the temple with his sensors. He paused several feet away, spark aching a bit for the other bot, before he slowly made his way over and sank down to sit beside the smaller being.

No words just yet. Just..what Rung would be a comforting presence.

[flashdrive]

Rung's presence was unsurprising. The bot always had an uncanny ability to always be where someone like him was needed. A constant bystander, but almost never an active participant. That was what his research had told him, and it was no different here.

So when Rung walks up, he doesn't flinch, or even look up. Obviously, if he had a problem with the Autobot's presence, he'd have said something. But for now...--actually, it was probably obvious that he enjoyed his company-- he let him sit there.

"They come back to their altars. I learned that."

It was all he could think to say.

[rungout]

"That's true, yes," Rung murmured softly in response, glancing at the other but not attempting to touch or anything of that nature just yet.

Give it time.

"Are you going to wait here the entire time?"

There's nothing scolding or anything of that nature in his tone as he asks it, Rung resting his hands on the ground beside himself as he leans forward just a touch to try and see Rewind's face. He's merely asking because he wants to know if he's going to need to bring the other Energon until Chromedome returns.

Because that's just how Rung is.

[angleofscience]

It wasn't often he walked by the room in Liege's temple where everybody aligned to him had woken up after the first group of them that had woken up in the junk pile had appeared. But he did it this time, intending to get a look at the fractal in the deeper corridors, and even if Rewind was small, it was still impossible to miss him.

"Rewind. Waiting for Chromedome?" It seemed the most obvious option, given what glyph Rewind carried and where he was. Walking slowly up to the altar and the minibot, Jetfire considered the scene quietly. It was obvious Chromedome meant a lot to Rewind, even just from this angle.

[raceme]

[Blurr was sure where the small bot was going to be for the next days and he thanked Vectors Prime and his glyph for his ability to never get lost anywhere. Liege's fortress was designed in a way that sure didn't help his claustrophobia.

Yet, he came to check on Rewind to make sure the bot was not going to pass out at any moment from exhaustion. Blurr brought half a dozen of energon cubes with him. He didn't say anything as he walked close to Rewind and sat next to him, putting the cubes on the floor. He remained silent, something unnatural for him, just sitting by the alter with his knees close to his chest.]

[flashdrive]

"That's the plan."

He had to. Someone had to be there to find Chromedome when he came back. To help him. ACTUALLY help him, that is. Not whatever manipulated him to do this in the first place. His finger flips around the cassette idly, as if it's just something for his hands to do, before turning to Rung.

"Should I be angry at him?"

[flashdrive]

After being addressed, Rewind slowly turns his head. He didn't seem surprised by the sudden visitor, but then again, maybe he was just too numb to really act surprised in the first place. His gaze tilts up, to Jetfire's face, his fingers idly twirling the cassette in his hands.

"Hit the nail on the head with that one. He's got to come back. Any day now..."

[rungout]

Rung met the others gaze, a thoughtful look flickering over his face.

"It would be understandable if you were, given the circumstances. He has a rather large knack for pushing the limits a little too much," the therapist said after a moment. His gaze shifted to the item that Rewind was playing with but he didn't ask.

If the other wanted to tell him he would.

"But, at the same time, it's understandable to not be as well."

[flashdrive]

[It was a long hike, but thanks to his previous trip with Ironhide, he'd mapped out the maze that encompassed Liege's fortress rather well. It was just a long hike. There he sat, staring at the altar, practically lost in his own thoughts as he twirled that cassette in his hands, his other resting on his knee.

When Blurr sits down, he doesn't even register it. And if he does, he sure doesn't show it.

"Did you know him?"

[raceme]

Blurr nodded.

"We talked before and he's part of the Police Force. I talk to everyone who gets in." He tried really hard to control his voice so he didn't talk so fast.

"He owns me a drink too."

[thxforthememories]

He'd seen the reaction, briefly. Before reporting to the other BPs, before following them...

He didn't want to come to this place. Not again. But the Autobot had come to see him, sat with him, helped him and listened. He couldn't just leave him here. There wasn't anything else he could do.

Except see him. Check on him.

He slipped into the temple, making no more noise than the shadow he claimed to be. Even the heavy footsteps were muffled. He didn't want to be noticed. Not by anyone but the one he sought out. Just in case...

And even when he did manage to find Rewind, he still didn't speak. He let his movements become less stifled, though, allowed himself to make more noise as he approached, before quietly crouching down beside him. Part of him worried he was overstepping a boundary, crossing a line. Best if he didn't say anything, until spoken to.

Though his visible optic did linger on the cassette.

[angleofscience]

Squatting down beside the altar like it was the most natural thing ever, Jetfire nodded slowly, expression sober.

"There are, indeed, enough pointers and circumstantial evidence to support that he would. I believe the First forged have said simmering to that effect as well." Pausing, Jetfire looked down at the empty slab Rewind was sitting on. "He meant a lot to you, then."

Not a question, but rather a statement, because by now it seemed obvious.

[flashdrive]

"He's frustrating. Irritating's more like it. He never listens to me, and always gets himself in trouble."

His visor seems to narrow at that, looking at the altar angrily. The twirling of the cassette stops as he grips it tight. There weren't even words for how he felt about the situation sometimes. But his shoulders drop, and he relaxes, his voice softening.

"But he's the best. I don't know what I'd do without him."

He'd carry on...but he wouldn't be the same. He thanked his stars this place was forgiving with death.

"Is it normal to be angry at him and...still feel that affection?"

[flashdrive]

"Did he lose another bet?"

There was a slight chuckle, knowing Chromedome was about as lucky in betting as walking under a ladder. It brought back memories, at least.

"He's irritating."

[flashdrive]

"He's an idiot."

Not...exactly the answer one would expect from someone waiting so diligently for him. But he didn't seem to be done just yet. "But he's all I have. Everything that's happened to me, he's been there for it. He'd do anything for me, I think."

A pause, as he looks at the cassette.

"Like I'd do for him."

[flashdrive]

He had to hand it to Kagerou, he would have had no idea the ninja was there if he hadn't crouched next to him. He probably had to thank his stars that Kagerou respected him. He wouldn't have to worry about getting on his bad side.

He hoped.

So when the ninja crouches, he keeps twirling the cassette, but figures he should address him.

"Hey, bud."

Might as well be friendly.

[thxforthememories]

"Hello..."

He wasn't sure what else to say. Or even how to respond to all of this, short of following the other BPs into the field. It smacked too much of what happened with Overlord -- the public torture, the death... His visible optic flicked in Rewind's direction.

"Would you like it... if we spoke?" he asked. He was fine with staying quiet, if that was what the Autobot wanted.

But it couldn't hurt to ask.

[flashdrive]

"He's an idiot."

Why don't you tell us how you really feel, Rewind? But his voice is calm, a little too placid for that line, as he continues to look at the altar. As if Chromedome would appear there at any moment.

"The biggest idiot I've ever known. He never listens to me. So he always gets himself into these situations. It drives me up the wall."

[angleofscience]

Really, Rewind wouldn't necessarily have had to elaborate for Jetfire to understand; while he wasn't stellar with reading emotion, he did have experience with a particularly aggravating individual. Though Chromedome would still be better than the one Jetfire had gotten said knowledge from.

"There's time to be angry later," murmured Jetfire with a tilt of his helm and dry understanding in his voice, following the movements of Rewind's hands over the cassette.

"You have what you need while waiting, or someone to bring you that, at least?" Because running yourself into the ground while diligently waiting wasn't a good idea either.

[thxforthememories]

He blinks, turning to fully face Rewind, rather than look at the altar. That is... not what he'd expected. Then again, he hadn't been entirely sure what to expect.

Or how to answer.

He almost asks why Rewind even bothers waiting, bothers talking, or trying to get the other Autobot to listen. But stops himself before the words even finish forming in his processor.

"... He's who you spoke about, earlier," he says, and it's not really a question. "When you came to look at my marking." A pause. Just to be sure. "Isn't he?"

[raceme]

"Not quite. There was a small misunderstanding when we first met and he said he would get me a drink as an apology."

Blurr smiled briefly before leaning back, looking up at the ceiling. He was silent for some more minutes.

"I hope you tear him a new one once he's back."

[flashdrive]

"That's Domey for ya. He'll settle anything with a drink or two."

...but he turns silent as well, looking at that cassette and setting it by the altar.

"I plan to. If things go my way, this'll never happen to him again."

[flashdrive]

And in turn, Rewind's gaze match's the ninjas. There's only a visor there, but anyone can see that Rewind is hurting. Beyond anything most can imagine. Then again, he'd practically lost his other half.

"Yeah, that's him." His reply was almost a sigh of defeat, like he had pretty much accepted this as a thing.

"And I love him."

[flashdrive]

"Don't worry, there's plenty more for when he actually returns."

Aggravating was a good word for it. And the worst part was, Chromedome was a good guy. He was charming, funny...everything you could want. Except this. This...unraveled all of that at times. And it brought Rewind to a screeching halt.

"I assume so...I mean, some others have brought stuff. Really, I could go without too. I'm not exactly the most active one here. I don't burn through it as fast."

[thxforthememories]

For a second, all he can do is stare. He... understands that look. Maybe more than he probably should -- the other half of himself is still alive. But they're separated, all the same. That thought, though, he keeps to himself. This isn't about him.

Though, he can't keep the look of sympathy from flashing in his own expression. That flicker of understanding.

He holds out an arm, awkwardly, hesitantly, looping it around the smaller 'bot in an approximation of an embrace. It worked for him, when others did it. Why not here?