pullmeoutalive | log > how are these two so darn cute?

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log > how are these two so darn cute?

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.

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Jolt was a mite distracted to notice or care that Naomi was steadily turning red, and he thought it would be best if they got out of there while they could. Deciding to forgo an explanation for the moment, he seized Naomi by the shoulders and guided her towards the door and out, where the hologram slumped against the hood of the car with a sigh.

"Sorry. They just- kept going on about drinks and companionship, and one of them asked if you were my girlfriend so I took it and ran."

"Honestly..." She rubbed her forehead, sighing just as heavily as her companion had. "I guess you did what you had to, but this might be a problem if the same thing keeps happening at every bar. Are you sure you don't want to just stay outside?"

"Hey-" If he did a wonderful job of pouting when he didn't have the facial features for it, the effect when he did was rather amazing. "They caught me off-guard. It won't happen again."

"No," Naomi agreed levelly, "it won't." Because if it did, she was going to have to resort to leading him by the hand, and she was certain Cybertronian warriors didn't appreciate being dragged around by teenage girls. Just like teenage girls didn't appreciate older women hitting on their cars--

She paused at that thought. The women couldn't have known, and it wasn't Jolt's fault that he was a lady magnet in this form... so why was she feeling annoyed?

About to dismiss it, she caught sight of the hologram's pout, making a tiny sound in the back of her throat and glancing away. "I know it won't happen again, so... you really don't have to give me that look."

The pout vanished instantly. "Sorry." He hadn't liked what had transpired in the bar any more than she had, and he would make sure that it wouldn't happen again. He knew what to expect now.

The car got a pat for his troubles (just in case the hologram lost solidity at the wrong moment), and Naomi grinned, giving him a thumbs-up. "Okay, then! We've still got more bars to hit, so let's look lively and give it our best shot!"

Jolt grinned. Always count on Naomi to never be down for long. Besides, this mission was far too important, for both the sake of her freedom and her sanity, to abandon now.

"Right." There was a click as the doors unlocked and the hologram headed to its usual spot in the driver's seat.

"How's your hologram doing?" She climbed in and buckled up, digging out her guide out. "Or your energy, I should say. You've gotten a lot better at it, but it still tires you out, doesn't it?"

Not that Jolt couldn't handle it, but she didn't want to drain him.

"I'll be fine," he replied. His hologram had shifted to its less-solid form when it got into the car, and it cast a reassuring smile at Naomi. "This is good practice for my anyway."

The Volt was once again en route, heading west.

Naomi returned the smile, burying her nose in her guide a few seconds later. She could be heard quietly muttering names and possibilities under her breath, as seriously as she turned when she was training.

Between the two of them and the candidates awaiting them, it was going to be a long night.

It was going to be a very long night, no doubt about it. But Jolt was more than willing to go along for a the ride for as long as it took.

Their next stop seemed to be less crowded, but that didn't mean it would be any less of a challenge. "Ready?" now it was his turn to ask, as his hologram once again made the transition.

"Ready!" The girl bounced out of her seat and onto the curb, turning only to wave her finger warningly (but teasingly) at her friend. "Just remember to behave yourself, okay?"

She didn't give him time to reply, already strolling in with the assumed air of a mature young woman who definitely hadn't been teasing anybody only seconds before.

For his own part, Jolt merely rolled his eyes, steeled himself, and followed her inside.

This time, he was careful to keep close to her in case any predators set their sights on him.

They did-- but Naomi was being more vigilant this time around, slipping her hand into his and giving any and all of the "predators" a sweet smile before she went off looking for her next quarry.

It went without saying that she'd long since perfected the art of smiling sweetly and still looking incredibly dangerous.

Jolt only managed to look surprised at the sudden appearance of her hand in his, but his expression quickly melted into a smile. Maybe they should have done this to begin with- and not because the women at the bar were slowly backing away in fear either.

He gave her hand a little squeeze. "Easy Naomi. You don't wanna scare them all away."

"Of course not," she replied, that smile still lingering. It softened into something a little warmer when she glanced up at him, however. "But this narrows it down a bit."

Sure enough, any ladies with ulterior motives centering around the young "foreigner" had thought better of it, leaving Naomi free to engage a few women at the bar in polite conversation with her hand still firmly tucked in Jolt's.

The Autobot decided he would maintain the integrity of his hologram from here until next week if it meant he could hold Naomi's hand. There was something about the gesture that just seemed... right, and it was a good thing he was so focused on what was going on inside the bar, or his engine would have started purring again.

He was content to let her do her talking, offering up nods and words of encouragement when it seemed like a would-be date for Tanizaki was waffling.

It was odd, Naomi decided. She'd had male friends before (and she was closest to the whole biker gang), but she'd never held hands with any of them. She didn't cling to her supervisor's hand like The Children did. She'd originally thought this would be awkward, but it felt perfectly natural to hold Jolt's hand now.

She could ponder later, though. She had other business to attend to and, with Jolt's assistance, she got two more numbers and a number of comments about what a cute couple they were.

Squeezing his hand made a nice substitution for blushing, and she nodded towards the door. Another bar down, and another step closer to victory!

Truth be told, Jolt was a little reluctant to let go, and so he paused on the sidewalk for a moment. "I think we're getting better at this." It was a conversation they could have easily had on the road, but he was stalling.

About to head for the car, she paused a split second after he did, already turning to face him. She could have easily pulled her hand free, but he wasn't the only one hesitant to let go just yet.

"It's a little fun," she admitted with a rueful smile. "I mean, I haven't forgotten what we're here for, but..."

"Yeah." Naomi hadn't finished her thought, at least not out loud, but he could easily figure out what she meant, and he had to agree. There was a brief pause in which Jolt adjusted his hold on her hand, lacing her fingers with hers. He wasn't... exactly sure what this was, or what he was doing, really, but that had never stopped him before.

Naomi glanced down at their joined hands, looking faintly surprised. Most encounters with Jolt's hand involved either sitting in it or leaning against it-- perhaps some more recent, gentler touches-- but she was coming to realize that she liked this kind of contact just as much. It wasn't done out of any ill-intent, unlike certain superiors. If anything, there was trust there. Trust on both of their parts.

Gently, carefully, she brushed her thumb against his skin, then lifted her head to meet his eyes, almost inquisitively.

She was starting to forget the "mission" at hand.

If they were supposed to be pretending to be a couple, no one would have believed that their act was indeed an act. The look that Jolt was giving her was clearly one of affection. Of contentment. Of-- he still really wasn't sure, nor did he know what to do next.

That look wasn't fair. It made her feel warmer than usual, with an odd mix of happiness and confusion intermingled in it. There was that connection again, the one she'd felt every time they locked gazes... one that seemed to be growing stronger with every passing day. One that she still couldn't understand, but wasn't entirely sure she wanted to.

"We should..." Naomi's voice was nearly a whisper, as the girl struggled to remember what they should be doing. Something... but maybe it hadn't been as important as she'd thought.

"We should-?" He echoed, matching her in volume. That's right, they were doing something, weren't they? Something... to do with where they were and... ah, he didn't care. This, whatever it was, was vastly more important- at least to him.

There was a beat, a brief moment of hesitation, and then he closed the distance between them by half a step, and took her other hand in his.

log > how are these two so darn cute?

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