Shout It Out.

A week finally passed. If there were any Decepticons around, they didn't bother attacking the Lennox's home or Ironhide and I for that matter.
I worked on my aim endlessly. I was getting pretty good, even if I do say so my self. I could hit the bullseye about eighteen out of twenty times.
We had went to the beach again yesterday. That one drunk guy brought his friends over this time and they grabbed my holoform in places I'd rather not be touched. I begged Ironhide to let me deck atleast one of them. Ironhide let me deck one of them. I think I broke their nose. Ironhide scared away the rest of them when he had picked one of them up and held him above his head.
Ironhide never let me out his grip on my waist for the rest of the day.

We were waiting on Will, who was currently saying bye to his wife and daughter. Using my holoform, I hugged Sarah and kissed Annabelle on the head before deactivating it.
'How far is it to the base again?' I asked Ironhide through the COM link.
'It's 'bout eighty miles from here. And remember you can't just go-' Ironhide said before I cut him off.
'-Transforming, unless it's alright for now. 'cause some of them would freak out. I know. You've told me like a billion times already, 'Hide. Jeez, ya'd think I was hard of hearing or something,' I said laughing. He grunted and hit my with his door, also almost knocking over Will.
“Alright you two love birds, quit your flirtin'. We got a long way ahead of us,' Will said patting our sides.
I groaned and my voice came over my speakers, “We aren't flirting for your information.”
“Then what are you doing?” He said grinning.
Good question. “Joking around. Well atleast I am. I don't know about 'Hide here, I don't even think he has a sense of humor at all.”
Will laughed and climbed into Ironhide's cab, “You're probably right there, Jack.”
Ironhide grunted.
“Oh ease up 'Hide. We're just joking around,” I said, nudging him with my door.

About ten minutes into the drive, Ironhide opened up the COM link again, 'What did he mean by 'love birds'?'
I gave a short giggle, 'Well, you have access to the internet don't ya? Search it and you'll get your answer.'
I thought back to earlier and the day before. I could feel warm air blow through the air vents inside my Alt. Mode, equivalent to a blush.
I actually liked being there with his arm around me, it felt so right. I sighed. I told myself I wouldn't think about him, but yet here I was. I guess it's more than crush after all.

Ironhide's POV
I searched 'love birds' on the internet. It took me to a dictionary link.
'Lovebirds: n. A small variety of parrot which shows great affection for its mate; Lover(slang).'
“Hey Ironhide, can you turn the heat down? It's getting a bit hot in here,” Will asked me.
I cooled the air in my cab then asked, “Why did you call me and Jackii lovebirds?”
Will laughed, “You two were acting like a couple. They way you two were nudging each other with your doors and the way you were holding her yesterday at the beach. I know you like her 'Hide. There's no denying it.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, pretending like I didn't have a clue.
“You know. I see the way you look at her and the way you looked at those kids at the beach. I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual too,” he said, patting the dash, grinning. “She smiles every time she's around you and she doesn't seem to mind you putting your arm around her.”
“She's happy person in general, of course she's going to be smiling all the time. That's the way she is,” I said, trying to avoid thoughts that were making their way into my head.
“Whatever, 'Hide. You know it's true. Just you wait and you'll notice too.”
I already have, Will, I already have.
I felt the COM link open, “You two in there gossiping?”She laughed that sweet sound. “No really, I know you two were talking. What were you two talking about?”
“I..we..eh,” I sighed, no use in avoiding it. “We were talking about you and me if you must know.”
A short pause. “Oh. And what about us?”

Jackii's POV

“Will was saying that we acted like a couple too much to not be,” 'Hide told me.
I felt my spark skip. So we can't see what's going on, but everyone else can? How pathetic is that?
“What do you think about it?” he asked.
“Well, I really don't know. We haven't known each other that long but yet...yet I feel...attached to you more and more each day the longer we're with each other.” I confessed.
I knew the awkward pause was here. A thought surfaced in my head, 'He doesn't like me. I'm just a stupid little, lovestruck teen.'
I heard several clicks as if he didn't know what to say.
“It's alright if you don't feel that way back, all you gotta do is tell me to go away and never talk to you again. That's all it'll take to get rid of me,” I said, disturbing the silence.
“That's...that's not it. I'm just at a loss of words. When we get to the base, I want to talk to you, if you don't mind,” he replied, the sound of relief in his voice.
I sighed gratefully, “Alrighty.”
I clicked off the link. Damn teenage hormones. I grinned to myself, there was a chance that he felt the same about me. Thank the Lord!

At the NEST base entrance, we were greeted by NEST officials who were making sure we weren't Decepticons.
As Will climbed out of Ironhide, we were called over the intercoms to hangar one.
I followed behind Ironhide, and yes, even snuck a glance at his aft, to the hangar, where we were met by Optimus and Ratchet. They began to transform into their bipedal forms and Ironhide and I followed suit.
I smiled at them, which they returned.
Optimus gave us greeting hugs, “It's good to see you two again. How are you fairing with your new lifestyle, Jackii?”
I shrugged, “Pretty good I guess. I've even worked on my combat skills. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.”
“That's good. There's not much to do around here, but I'm sure you'll find something. Just be careful about the humans, they have a tendency to want to gawk a little, so you watch where you step,” Optimus told us, shaking his head with a small smile.
Ironhide and I grinned.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about, 'Hide?” I asked turning to him.
“Not here, follow me.” I did as he told me since he apparently knew where he was going for now.
He took me over to a target range, which was empty at the moment.
I leaned against the wall, with a small smile on my face. I watched Ironhide facial expressions change from amused to happy to confused. Expressions that you would hardly ever see on him if you didn't know him.
He sighed, “The feeling is mutual, Jackii, it's just I don't know how to go about this. I mean technically in Cybertronian years, you're about the age of a sparkling.”
Even though this a serious conversation I could help myself. I put on an expression of fake anger, “Is that a short joke?”
He chuckled and shook his head.
“Okay, but technically I was human first. Fifteen is almost an adult, and the face that my birthday is soon, just makes is closer. So technically I could be counted as an almost grown 'bot,” I told him.
He seemed to be thinking about what I'd said before nodding.
“So?”
“So what?” he asked.
“Well are we or aren't we?”
He knew what I was talking about know, “I guess we are if you want us to be.”
I smiled and hugged him, him returning the affection.
My spark seem to flutter when we let go of each other.