"THATS REALLY SWEET, big brother. Too bad you've served your PURPOSE."

Knockout leaned against the cold metal wall of the medbay, arms crossed, datapad forgotten on the nearby table. Y/n was seated where she had been left earlier, crutches resting beside her, one arm propped under her chin to support the weight of her head, elbow hooked over the edge of the berth. She hadn't moved much in the past hour. Her brown eyes, unreadable as always.

Breakdown had headed out on an Energon retrieval mission and, lucky him, Knockout was left babysitting.

"Well," Knockout drawled, flashing a forced grin, "since it's just the two of us again, I thought I'd try something radical—small talk."

Y/n didn't respond.

Knockout clicked his digits on the table beside him, then tilted his helm curiously. "You always this quiet, or am I just special?"

Y/n let out a sound—soft, vague. A ghost of a giggle, but it didn't reach her face. She looked like she was imitating the idea of laughter more than feeling it.

"'Giggle,'" she echoed aloud, the word dry, robotic.

Knockout blinked slowly. "...Okay then."

Still, he wasn't one to be deterred. He stepped a little closer, keeping his tone light. "You've got to admit, it's a little odd. You don't ask questions, you don't scream or cry. You don't even flinch when Megatron is in the room. Are you... just fearless, or—?"

"Desensitized." Her voice cut in quietly.

He tilted his head. "Oh? To what?"

She gave a slow shrug. "Everything."

That made Knockout pause. His optics flickered slightly, studying her. "That's... surprisingly honest."

"Was it?" she asked, glancing at him. There was a faint curve to her mouth—just a twitch at the corners.

Knockout leaned in a little, intrigued. "Alright then. Tell me this: what were you really doing out there during that skirmish? The asteroid, the fighting—you just happened to be wandering the forest?"

"Coincidence is a funny thing."

He sighed dramatically. "You speak in riddles, you know that?"

Y/n's head tilted with an audible pop from her loose neck joint. "You're fun to annoy."

Knockout smirked, placing a hand over his spark. "Flattery? Now I know you're hiding something."

She didn't reply. Just stared. Again.

Knockout rubbed his faceplate with a groan, pacing. "Why couldn't I have gotten one of those docile humans? The ones who cry and beg and stay in one place?"

"Because I'm not docile."

He stopped, giving her a long, amused look.

"...I noticed."

They fell into silence again—her unmoving, him fidgeting. The only sound was the hum of the Nemesis' systems around them.

Finally, Knockout folded his arms with a snort. "Y'know, if you weren't so creepy, I think I'd like you."

Y/n looked at him slowly.

Then said, "You still might."

Knockout blinked. He wasn't sure if she was joking, flirting, or just being... Y/n.

Either way, it sent a weird little chill down his backstrut.

"...I'm gonna go sanitize my tools."

Breakdown returned to the Nemesis in one piece, hauling a crate of refined Energon on his shoulder and muttering curses under his breath. The mission had been a bust—Vehicons were useless, and he'd ended up doing most of the work himself. All he wanted now was a recharge and maybe a moment of peace.

But peace, as always, was a luxury aboard the Nemesis.

As soon as he stepped into the medbay, he froze at the sight of Knockout pacing dramatically, throwing his arms in the air.

"Oh thank Primus, you're back," Knockout groaned, gesturing wildly toward the berth behind him. "She's your problem now."

Breakdown raised a brow. "What—?"

Then he saw her.

Y/n was exactly where she had been left—sitting on the edge of the berth, crutches leaned neatly beside her, oversized sleeves slightly covering her hands. Her head was supported by one arm again, elbow planted on her knee. She didn't move. She just stared.

That same quiet, unreadable stare.

Breakdown's spark sank into his fuel tank.

"...No way."

"Yes way," Knockout sang, already halfway out the door. "I've done my tour of duty. Have fun."

And with that, the medic vanished in a blur of cherry-red armor.

Breakdown stood there awkwardly, still holding the crate. Y/n didn't say anything. She just... watched him.

He sighed and gently set the Energon down with a grunt. "You, uh... do anything while I was gone?"

Y/n blinked once. Then softly whispered:
"Breathed."

Breakdown gave her a sideways look. "...Cool."

He pulled a stool over and sat near her, trying not to feel weird under the weight of her gaze. He'd faced off against Autobots. He'd wrestled monsters. But this tiny human girl?

She was terrifying.

"You hungry or something?" he asked, glancing around.

"Not for food." she replied.

Breakdown flinched. "The hell does that mean?"

Y/n tilted her head. Her neck clicked softly.

"It's a joke."

"Oh. Right." He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "You're, uh... hard to read."

"I like you." she said suddenly.

Breakdown blinked.

"Wait—what?"

She simply nodded. "You're scared, but you're still here. I respect that."

"...Thanks?"

"You have big hands. You could probably crush a skull."

Breakdown looked absolutely baffled. "That's—uh. That's true. But... weird thing to say, kid."

She blinked slowly.

Then, softly:
"Observation: you fluster easy."

Breakdown stood up abruptly. "Okay, nope. You are way too creepy."

He turned to leave—then paused, glanced back, and sighed. "But I guess you're our creepy human now."

Y/n tilted her head again. "Affirmative."

Breakdown groaned. "Primus help me..."

Words: 855