Chapter Text
After running into Raoul in a dangerous situation for a second time in New York, Tracks had given him a number that routed to his communication system. It was a shame the humans didn't carry their phones with them, but it was better than nothing.
What had been originally intended for emergency use only, quickly became a 'shoot the breeze' line. However, Tracks couldn't help the trepidation he felt every time before he answered.
"Raoul!" Tracks stood up, ready to roll out if needed, "Is there an emergency?"
The human laughed. "No emergencies, just wondering what's good."
Tracks was at ease again. A social call. "'What's good'? Don't even get me started! Preceptor brought back a disease that gave us all rust like common Earth cars. Even though he cured it, my armor's finish was still ruined. Do you know how long it takes for a complete repaint? Weeks! And Sunstreaker has been so busy with everyone else, I only just got my hood redecorated. I swear that slagger put me on the bottom of his priority list on purpose."
"Hey! You know you could have called me right?" Raoul said, sounding offended. "I bet Mr. Witwicky would have let us set up shop at his place or you could have brought me back to your base."
Tracks grumbled. He had considered asking. He knew Raoul was good with paint. "I didn't want you to see me like that."
"Tracks," Raoul drew a deep breath and sighed, "you're more than just a sweet ride to me. I don't care what you look like."
"It's more than that, I am not… pleasant to be around during bodywork."
"Didn't stop me the first time. Next time someone puts you on the bottom of their list, let me know; you're at the top of mine, okay?"
"Okay." Tracks said flatly, knowing that if he argued the human would never drop it. "Is that all you called for?"
"Actually, I have a little favor to ask of you," Raoul took the silence as an indication to continue, "I met a girl and I was hoping to take her out on a date."
"Congratulations?"
"Couldyoubemycarforthenight?" He rushed through the question, turning the sentence into a single long word. "Please."
Tracks considered his answer. "As long as there are no Decepticon attacks, I don't see why not. When?"
"Tomorrow night."
"Technically I am supposed to be on patrol tomorrow night…" Tracks let the human hang for a second, "I could get someone to cover for me though."
"Great! I kinda already told her I have a set of wheels," Raoul said.
"On one condition!"
"Name it."
"No food in my interior." Tracks had voiced his opinion of organic food before, so Raoul should already know this, but it didn't hurt to reiterate.
"Done! And one more thing, could you not talk or turn into a robot while she is around?" Tracks made a grumpy noise that had Raoul trying to explain better. "It's not you, I am just worried that robot aliens might be too heavy of a topic for a first date."
After some deliberation, Tracks agreed to pretend to be a normal, quiet car for the duration of the date. He tried not to take it personally, he knew his presence might distract from Raoul's wooing.
Raoul was sincerely thankful and Tracks loved feeling needed, even if it was just for his aesthetically pleasing alt form.
Times and locations were decided on and they hung up the call. It was a date.
______
"Bumblebee!" Tracks shouted and changed course accordingly. "You were just the mech I was looking for."
"I am?" The smaller bot looked around as if there might be someone else named Bumblebee nearby.
"Yes, I just received word from poor Raoul that he is in need of some assistance tomorrow night and I was wondering if you would be able to take my shift?"
"Eh, I don't know Tracks... I was looking forward to my time off."
"Oh, come on Bumblebee, you know how it is. Don't tell me you aren't Spike's first choice for transportation?"
"I am-"
"Tryin' to get out of work, Tracks?" Blaster asked, faceplates twisted into a smirk.
"Well, yes and no. Raoul called- he needs a ride tomorrow night." Tracks crossed his arms.
"Have room for one more? It's been awhile since I had a night out in New York." Blaster mimicked some human dance moves for emphasis.
"My sincerest apologies Blaster, but I do believe it's a date."
Tracks expected maybe some laughter or jokes at his expense for being a third wheel in the metaphorical and literal sense, however, he was met with stunned silence. Bumblebee's derma were parted and his optic ridges were raised. Blaster kept it off his face, but his field betrayed him.
"What?" Tracks said haughtily. "Bumblebee takes Spike and Carly on dates all the time. So much so that his alt mode might as well be a taxi!"
"Hey!" Bee exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.
"And what will you be doing?" Blaster said slowly.
Tracks sighed. "Unfortunately, just looking pretty. I know it's a waste of my scintillating personality and intellect, however, he expressed concern that I might be too overwhelming for a first date."
Blaster's expression changed to concern. "Are ya sure this is a good idea?"
"Hey Tracks, I got you tomorrow. You owe me though!" Bumblebee transformed into his alt and sped off.
Tracks yelled his thanks and then replied to Blaster. "Raoul has done so much to help us, the least I can do is help impress this girl of his."
"You aren't going to like to hear this, but I've known ya for a long time, you're a bit of a possessive mech." Blaster laid a servo on one of his shoulder tires.
"I am not! I have given rides to Raoul and his friends plenty of times. And with you!"
(Blaster's optics dimmed for a second, probably doing the math of how three humans fit in a two seat vehicle.)
"You have never brought him back here." Blaster held up a closed fist with one digit pointed out.
"It's a military base, not a playground!"
"You've never invited him to any of the public events we've participated in." He stuck another digit out.
"The Decepticons show up to every one! It's not safe!"
"You don't let anyone else take missions near New York, unless someone has to go with ya." Blaster's third and final digit of judgement was raised.
"I like the city... It's better than the Primus forsaken wasteland out here..." Tracks saw his reasoning was not convincing Blaster. He irritatingly looked troubled. "I am not possessive of Raoul; he is my friend and I merely try to look out for him."
"Alright, Tracks. Remember I am also your friend and I'm trying to look out for you. Just don't want to see ya hurt." Blaster turned and started walking away.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Tracks bristled.
"It means don't do anything stupid!"
______
Raoul was waiting for him on the curb, one hand resting on a cocked hip and the other running through his dark hair which was down for once. Tracks would never get tired of seeing him light up when he arrived.
"Long time no see, Tracks," he said with an unbridled smile. "And see? I don't know what you were talking about on the phone, your paint is flawless." Raoul patted the roof of his alt mode.
And now it is slightly smudged. "It's good to see you too Raoul. Now, get in. You don't want to be late."
Pressing the release button for the flush door handle with his thumb, he carefully opened and closed it as he sat down. "Thanks again for agreeing to this."
"You're welcome." Thank you for fixing me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for risking your fragile life to help us when it wasn't your problem. Please don't do it again.
Raoul gave him the address and Tracks pulled into traffic. He felt the boy fidgeting with his seat belt and tapping a foot on the floor. The same person who took on Megatron single handedly with a paint can was nervous over a human girl?
"Straighten up, Raoul, I can feel you slouching." He felt the human in his driver's seat adjust his posture. "Don't be so nervous, potential romantic partners like self-assurance. I know you have it in you."
The human sighed. "Taking dating advice from a robot; this is truly a new low."
"Look here, I may not be as young as Bumblebee, but I am definitely younger than Ratchet or Optimus. This mech has still got it."
"Hey, I wasn't taking a shot at your age! I just figured that since you're robots you wouldn't...?"
"Have deep and meaningful relationships?" Tracks finished.
"It sounds silly when you put it that way." Raoul thought for a moment. "Are you and Blaster...?"
"No."
"Anyone else?"
"None of your concern."
"C'mon, you usually love talking about yourself!" Raoul said playfully, bumping the dashboard.
"I do believe we have arrived at the address you gave me."
Raoul seemed put out by the diversion, but promptly dropped the subject and left to retrieve his date. He opened the passenger door for her and Tracks was expecting an introduction when she sat down without a word from either of them. That's when it hit him what he had signed up for. Obviously you wouldn't introduce your date to your totally normal, non sentient Corvette.
Tracks barely had time to recover from the realization when Raoul began to manipulate his pedals and steering for the first time ever. Normal Corvettes also did not drive themselves. It was going to be a long night.
______
They are parked furthest from the screen and Tracks was pleased Raoul remembered his preferences without a reminder (parking next to other vehicles and cart corrals were a no-go due to the hazard to his paint). He almost said something, but stopped himself. Tonight he was just a ride.
Tracks tilted his rearview mirror towards the driver's seat. The movement caught Raoul's eye and he smiled. Tracks had explained before that the mirror was not an equivalent to optics, but it was useful for signalling to his passenger.
"Let's go get snacks before it starts," he said, turning the faux key in the ignition.
She agreed, and they exited. Raoul carefully closed the driver's door while the passenger side was slammed shut. A placating hand touched his fender and Tracks begrudgingly forgave the offense.
As they wandered off towards the food stand, Tracks scanned the area- no 'cons detected. He settled into his spot. Already some of the other moviegoers were pointing at him, telling their friends to check him out.
His alt's sensors looked for his charge and found him at a bench, keeping his promise of no food inside him. Unlike cons and even some of the bots, he had grown accustomed to (select) organics in his seats, but the organic food... He held back a shiver.
The sky continued to darken and the mingling humans slowly returned to their cars. As the music began and the actor's names flashed on the screen, Tracks noticed his own human approaching. And the hitchhiker.
"Did you lock us out?" Her hand tugged on the handle. "The keys are still in the ignition!"
Raoul tested the driver's side door with no resistance. "No... you must have just pressed the lock when you got out." He got in and reached across the console to unlock the door from the inside, the mirror tracking his movement. Before she sat down, Raoul quickly straightened the mirror, looking mildly panicked.
Tracks may have agreed to be quiet, but no one said he couldn't have a little fun. As she sat down and leaned back, she found the seat back was not where she left it. She fell backwards with a yelp.
"Shit! I'm sorry-" They fumbled with the lever to right the seat again. "Uh, it does that sometimes. Should've warned you."
"It's fine."
Raoul glanced at the mirror again, eyebrows quirked. That was enough fun for one night, Tracks relented. Perhaps he could squeeze in a quick recharge and not tempt himself.
As the movie wore on, Tracks shut down parts of his processor, his visual feeds, exterior sensors, solely relying on audio and sensory feedback from inside his cabin to alert him of any danger. Technically, the interior sensory feedback was redundant, but Raoul's thumb was absently running along his steering wheel and he was loath to shut it off even as distracting to recharge as it may be.
Raoul's other hand was currently occupied holding the girl's on his console. They seemed to be focused on the film, only occasionally talking about a plot point or related topic. Or at least Raoul was. Her responses were mostly noises of agreement or giggles. How dull.
Tracks was very close to unconsciousness when he felt their weight shift in his seats as they leaned in closer together.The hands left the console, settling on each other instead. Raoul's hand disappeared from the steering wheel, but appeared on the stick shift moments later, continuing the soft touches.
Wet noises filled the cabin, drowning out the long forgotten film. Tracks noted increased body temperature from both humans, which caused the windows to fog slightly.
At first, he felt mildly embarrassed to bear witness to their public display of affection. He didn't need his interior visuals to figure out what they were doing. The more he thought about it though, he figured they should be the ones embarrassed for making out, it was his body and they were the visitors! Raoul was definitely getting teased later.
Or now.
Tracks directed his rearview mirror to face Raoul. He had no way of knowing if the human noticed it or not without a physical reaction. Shame, he thought the reminder might have killed the mood. Raoul must not have noticed, because he pressed closer to her and doubled his efforts on the stick shift. His hand gripped it firmly, stroking rhythmically, thumb sweeping across the top on occasion.
Raoul broke away from her for a moment. "You're gorgeous."
Tracks squashed his feelings, switching off any interior feedback and turning back on his exterior senses. If these idiots weren't going to be aware of their surroundings, then he would have to do it for them.
The movie came to a close not long after and as soon as it did Tracks received requests from his clutch and steering wheel that it was time to go. He allowed his driver to maneuver them out of the parking spot and back onto the road.
Tracks had thought the date was over, but when they pulled into a secluded area instead of joining the main road, he realized he was wrong.
They exited the vehicle, but instead of walking away together, Raoul wrapped around to her side, picked her up, and placed her on Tracks' hood. Settling in between her legs, they picked up where they left off at the drive in.
Oh. This again. He blinked his hideaway headlights in protest.
The Autobot considered shifting from first to neutral and rolling backwards. Thankfully humans are soft, so he wasn't worried about scratches, but there would definitely be smudges. He didn't even know this girl.
Raoul's hands come down on his hood, palms flat and fingers spread on either side of the girl. Tracks was glad Raoul had left his engine running- it covered the surprised noise he'd made. Ah well. Their canoodling hadn't been terribly repulsive last time. He was trapped in the lie now and they couldn't take too long. After all, his engine was still on!
The girl's weight shifted from being partially supported by the floor to fully on his hood. Her entire back and head were making contact. What was going on? Tracks tried to focus, but his alt mode's sensors were different from his optics. He had perfect spatial awareness and could navigate the human's road guides and sign without issue, but his hood? It was like trying to see his own nasal ridge- blurry.
Raoul's knees pressed closer to his bumper. It wasn't until there were some incriminating sounds that he pieced it together. They were interfacing! On top of him! He absolutely had some choice words to convey to Raoul how he felt about that. Tracks didn't mind being used as a ride, but as a berth?
Raoul threw his weight against the vehicle in a steady rhythm, rocking him backwards on his axles. Tracks applied the parking brake to stop the slight strain on his alt's transmission. He would have to mention that too. Stationary, unmanned vehicles should always have the parking brake applied, even on flat surfaces.
Indignation and a twinge of jealousy ran through his frame. Even when Raoul's other friends were around, Tracks still felt like he had his full attention. Being ignored like this hurt.
Tracks was just registering how warm (and sweaty!) his human's hands were becoming on either side of his Autobot emblem when they moved. One moved down and disappeared somewhere on the girl, while the other slid up to the hood scoop. Additional weight was added to his hood as Raoul leaned forward. Deft fingers curled into the opening, gripping the edge firmly.
Tracks felt Raoul's face hovering over him, hot exhales washing over the metal. He denied the sudden spark in his circuitry.
"Fuck, you feel so good."
Tracks' engine almost stalled from the unexpected vocalization from Raoul. He didn't have long to dwell on it though as Raoul's thrusts quickened and his grip on his hood tightened. The girl, Tracks had almost forgotten she was there, moaned airily.
Raoul breathed shakily, movements becoming erratic. "Tracks!" The man thrust a final time before going limp.
________
Tracks was unaware for almost the entire drive to drop the girl off and back to Raoul's apartment. Neither of them said a word as the man drove. Only once Raoul's hand left the steering wheel and grabbed the door handle did Tracks panic. He had something to say to Raoul didn't he?!
"Raoul, I don't think I can do this again."
"Didn't like the show?"
Was he really going to pretend like that didn't happen?
"The show was fine," Tracks wasn't going to admit he didn't pay attention to the film playing at the theater because he was otherwise distracted, "you two should probably find somewhere else to-"
"Don't worry about it, I don't think it's going to work out between us."
Tracks huffed, excess air filtering through his interior vents. "Seems like it was 'working out' just fine."
"Y'know, I think I'm interested in someone else."
Tracks sat quietly, waiting for the ask to come. Well, he wasn't going to tote any other random humans around. Blaster was right: he may not be good at sharing.
Raoul tried again. "How about next time it's just us?
"I-I suppose?" Tracks considered breaking it then and there to Raoul that he wasn't interested in watching human films. If he really wanted to go to another drive in, perhaps they could find a show with more action...
Didn't he have something he needed to remind Raoul about? Oh yes. "Parking brakes."
"What?" Raoul paused for the second time trying to leave the vehicle.
"You need to use the parking brake when parking a car."
Raoul coughed, then chuckled softly. "I can do that. Goodnight, Tracks." His other hand lightly brushed over his dashboard as he exited and then he was gone.
_________
Tracks laid down in his berth, sitting still for a moment hoping the need would go away. Closing his optics, he tried to override his fans and flatten his ruffled plating.
Why had the organics engaging in intercourse affected him this way? The act wasn't that similar to interfacing. They only had one cable and port between the two of them and all they did was exchange sticky organic fluids.
As much as his processor tried to convince him that he should feel disgusted, his fans remained on and his plating remained parted for easy port access. This was pathetic.
Normally, if washed, touched up his paint, and polished he could usually attract the attention of another mech for a quick session. All it took was direct optic contact and a few suggestive dips of his wings. He loved watching them eye his frame, calculating if sucking up to him would be worth it. At least, that is how it went on Cybertron.
At their new Earth base, it was difficult to attract anyone's attention. Bunch of prudes, the lot of them. (Definitely not because they had already picked their favorites and he wasn't one of them). Tracks never begged. He couldn't be seen as desperate.
Like he was right now. Maybe someone would still be up and off duty...? No, he would not ruin his reputation in a moment of weakness. Self-servicing was degrading, but at least it was his secret.
Tracks withdrew his cables, slowly plugging the ends into the corresponding exposed ports. He played with some, removing them and inserting them again.
Frag he couldn't do it. The filling sensation of sliding his data cables into his ports wasn't enough without another mech there to exchange charge with. His system knew and could not be fooled.
Tracks expelled a wave of air through his vents. How was he supposed to recharge like this? Another idea came to him. It was frowned upon due to the damage it could do and he'd never hear the end of it if Rachet saw during a repair, but...
He slid one of his smaller digits into his intake to coat it with oral solvent. Removing one of the cables in his side (those ports were a heavier gauge than the ones in his arms), he slid the slicked digit in.
You feel so good
The thought hit him like a charging Decepticon. His fans stalled and his spark flared in its casing. That hadn't been meant for him, right?
His processor replayed Raoul quietly moaning his designation against his hood. Tracks twisted the digit in his port and his cooling system came roaring back to life. It felt better than it should have.
Gorgeous
Tracks imagined him gripping his wings with the same determination that he used on his hood. Condensation dripped from his frame.
My main machine
Primus forgive him. Raoul was a friend and he shouldn't be thinking of him like this in berth. (Raoul started it). It wasn't even possible. Their size difference was insurmountable, not to mention the "equipment" difference. Male humans do not even have ports. Tracks shivered. They do have intakes though.
Unplugging one of his main interface cables, he raised it to his intake. Tracks had never considered this before and felt filthy for entertaining the idea. He closed his intake around it anyway and was pleasantly surprised at the sensation. While ports were a perfect fit, he could make his intake tighter, gripping it in a way that-
I guess if no one seems to want you, that makes you mine.
Tracks cried out, his overload sparking across his frame, igniting the cables that were still buried in ports.
Eventually, his interfacing cables retracted and his cooling system shut down. Tracks vented heavily and his spark raced.
His frame tensed. Raoul hadn't been talking about movies! He had not only agreed to a 'just us' round two, but had also given somewhat suggestive advice.
He had indeed managed to do something stupid.
He'd fallen for a human.