log > how are these two so darn cute?

[electrowhipit]

It had been an admittedly strange situation they had all been in - shopping mall, zombies, black outs - it was like a horror film gone wrong.

No one had any explanation for their sudden appearance in the mall, nor did anyone have an explanation for their sudden disappearance from the mall. Just as no one had an explanation for the blue Chevrolet Volt currently parked outside of B.A.B.E.L. headquarters.

For his own part, Jolt was doing what Autobots did best (aside from kicking Decepticon skidplate), and that was hiding in plain sight. Asphalt and sunshine, he decided, were preferable to zombie-laden carpet and the near-darkness of a mall without power. He just didn't like having to wait while Naomi was inside - no doubt trying to explain where the frag she'd been all this time. Jolt'd had a similar problem relaying his whereabouts to - of all mechs - Ratchet. (No doubt the medic thought he was glitched for insisting he'd been fighting off zombies all this time.) But, after much instance, and pleading for Optimus' permission, Jolt was allowed to stay with Naomi for the time being.

The Autobot sighed inwardly. He was still waiting, and he still hated it.

Comments

[kittykinesis.livejournal.com]

Had it not been for Naomi's track record of being (almost) entirely truthful, it might have taken hours to convince her supervisor that she hadn't been kidnapped (not exactly, anyway), she'd just been spirited away to a mall to fight off a zombie horde. Tanizaki, Fujiko, and the chief had all been frantic over her disappearance-- the latter two because losing a Level Six esper was a tremendous blow and they were both fond of her, and the latter because he still maintained hope that he'd have a bride soon enough. She was now eighteen, after all, a fine marriageable age, and she'd once been so eager to please.

And right now, she was just as eager to end the conversation after the fifth round of explanations. The director had accepted her story, with some sleepy mention about how it took forever to get zombie gunk out of clothes, and now the esper was making her way outside with Tanizaki hot on her heels.

"I really am fine, Supervisor, so--"

"I refuse to believe it, Naomi! Surely you fell victim to some dirty-handed rogue, who's just waiting to get his hands on you again! As your supervisor and the one responsible for you, I won't leave your side for even a minute, in order to protect you!"

Out of six years of respect drilled into her, Naomi held her tongue, lengthening her strides and peering into the parking lot for a glimpse of the blue she'd become so familiar with. At the moment, there was only one male whose company she was willing to seek out, and it certainly wasn't the one still ranting loudly behind her.

[kittykinesis.livejournal.com]

Something was... off. Concrete wasn't supposed to be this soft, it was dark, and hadn't she just been watching Jolt sleep? Yet, none of the above was what she could remember, and she found herself curled up when she finally opened both eyes.

Fighting back a yawn and failing, Naomi gave her head a shake and looked down at the blanket she'd been lying on. Just how-- when had he-- how had her gotten her inside?

"I was more tired than I thought," she mumbled wearily, yawning again and shifting to check out the dashboard and see which one of them was the later riser.

[kittykinesis.livejournal.com]

It had been nearly a week since Jolt had arrived, and Naomi was just slightly afraid of how easily he'd settled in, as if the electricity-wielding Autobot had always been a part of her life, as if the Volt had always been stationed nearby.

Was it really a good idea to get this attached to him? He couldn't stay forever-- he had a war and a side that needed him.

It was too beautiful a day to remain unsettled, though, and the esper perked up as she lugged a bucket of soapy water towards the parking lot.

Bathtime was imminent.

[kittykinesis.livejournal.com]

More time had passed since her first encounter with Decepticons and, subsequently, the humans and Autobots of NEST. Since then, NEST and B.A.B.E.L. had worked together when certain situations arose, and the espers continued to do their missions as usual.

And then the mission that had nearly cost Naomi her life. She'd survived, of course, but at the cost of losing the man she'd tried so hard to save. Every night after she'd regained consciousness, save for the first one spent with Jolt, she'd had vivid nightmares and woken up in a panic, forced to relive every minute of the mission.

Physically, she was doing better-- she was still a little weak on her feet, but she'd been freed from the bandages and her injuries were mostly healed. But coming to grips with the Normal's death hadn't been easy. She wasn't even sure if she had done that yet. All Naomi knew was that she didn't want to cry anymore. So she'd taken to flying, after every mission, after every college class. She still faithfully kept Jolt clean, and did her best to keep up a cheerful front in his presence, but today was another day that she'd gone away from B.A.B.E.L.

Reminiscent of the first day girl and car had been together here, Naomi found herself once again at the riverbank. Save for the cars driving on the bridge overhead, it was peaceful. Quiet. No fretting from her supervisor, no questions about her health or well-being, it was just a place for her to think.

And if her thoughts would just stop straying to the same thing, it would have been a lot nicer.

[kittykinesis.livejournal.com]

Somehow, Naomi made it through the night with only faintly painful recollections (and not any that she made mention of). Her time with Jolt had helped tremendously with the restoration of her usual good humor and bright smile, despite her occasional lapse. And then came the time to return home.

There was no end to The Children's joy at seeing their older friend seemingly back to normal-- and no end to Tanizaki's wailing that his precious subordinate had been abducted by the lovingly christened "devil car", complete with demands that the rule-breaker never go near her again until Naomi had very neatly settled that argument by having him psychokinetically bond with the closest wall.

When that silenced him for only five seconds before he began to babble about how he'd cried into a body pillow of her during her absence, his very frazzled and highly annoyed charge decided that enough was enough.

Hence why she was now settled outside with a guide to all of the bars in Tokyo.