TF: Not For Sale

[wildernesstales]

Rating: PG
Series: G1
Summary: Red Alert wonders why Inferno rescued him all those years ago.
Warnings: Allusions to prostitution
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I’ve forgotten…
Authors Notes: For the tf_speedwriting  Wednesday prompt 3 – Not for Sale.  And no Loreal comments, please.  And yay for another unoriginal title?
Feedback makes friends.  Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.  
 

Red Alert sighed.  And not for the first time.  Ever since Inferno had rescued him (not that he wasn’t grateful), he’d wondered exactly why the mech had done it.

Red Alert stood on the corner, waiting.  He knew the drill.  If he waited there long enough, a mech would come along and invite him to a room somewhere.  Whether it was a hotel room or the mech’s own quarters, Red Alert wasn’t fussy.  He just needed the credits to get energon and survive another day.

He didn’t pay much attention to the red mech walking down the other side of the street.  He’d seen the glance the mech had shot him.  Most mechs reacted like that, showing open disgust on their faces.  Except the mechs he did business with of course.

He looked up at the approaching footsteps, forcing a smile onto his faceplates as he recognised a regular customer.
“Ah, my favorite mech.” He stepped forward as the other drew closer, reaching up to place a hand on the mech’s chestplate.
“Just the mech I wanted to see.  I’ve got a room booked.” With a nod, Red Alert accompanied the mech down the street, unaware of the red mech’s gaze following him.

The next day, he resumed his position, new scratches visible on his armor.  He’d tried to buff them out, but without the credits for proper supplies, they would stay there.  Concentrating on one of the scratches on his arm, he didn’t register the footsteps approaching.
“Hey.” He looked up to see the red mech from the previous day.
“Hi… have you got a room or do you want to go back to your quarters?”
“I… I don’t want that.”
“Oh.” Red Alert sounded disappointed.  Out of all his customers, this mech was actually someone he found attractive, and that always made his job easier.
“I charge more for public performances, because of the risk of getting caught.  The fines can be quite hefty you know.”
“I didn’t.  But I don’t want that.”
“Well if you’re not here for that, what do you want?”
“I want to take you away from this all.”

“Hey Red, brought ya some energon.” Since he’d allowed Inferno to lead him away from that corner and into a new life, Inferno had always looked after him.  Even after they’d joined the Autobots and Red Alert had quickly been promoted to an officer, far above Inferno’s search and rescue station.
“Why do you do this Inferno?”
“Do what Red?” Handing the energon cube to Red Alert, Inferno sat down.
“Do what you’ve done for me?  Why?”
“Because you’re worth it.”
“But I’m not.” It was a long-standing argument between them both.
“I don’t see why you just don’t send me back there.”
“Back where?”
“Back to the corner where you found me.”
“Wouldn’t ever do that Red.” Standing up, Inferno crossed to Red Alert’s chair, pulling the smaller mech up out of it and into a hug.
“Love ya too much ta let ya go Red."