At the base, Ironhide was watching Sideswipe closely. Sideswipe knew it, but he didn't say anything to the weapons specialist.

A month later, Sideswipe snapped. "Will you stop watching me every microsecond?!" Sideswipe yelled. Ironhide said nothing.

"It's getting fragging annoying! I'm avoiding you to not get sent to the brig! You're always watching me, missions, training! Just stop already!" Sideswipe hollered.

"I do that to keep you alive!" Ironhide yelled back. "Huh?" Sideswipe asked. "I push everyone in training to keep them alive! I follow you around to try and keep you alive! I don't want Sunstreaker to lose his only family left and I don't want to lose you either!" Ironhide admitted.

With that said, the weapons specialist stormed off. For 3 weeks, Sideswipe and Ironhide avoided each other, until one day.

Ironhide was coming back from a mission and he was filthy and tired. "I'll go wash off real quick and then go to sleep for a bit." Ironhide stated. "You need it, Ironhide." Prowl stated.

Ironhide walked in the wash racks and stopped dead in his tracks. Sideswipe's holoform was naked, and trying to wash his back, but couldn't reach.

"Uhhh....." Ironhide trailed off. Sideswipe shrieked and looked at Ironhide, blushing. "What's wrong with you? We're both mechs and we look the same down there." Ironhide reassured.

"It's not that..." Sideswipe started. "Then what is it?" Ironhide asked, curiously. "I just started my heat cycle." Sideswipe blushed.

Ironhide just hummed in response. "Hey, Ironhide? I'm sorry." Sideswipe apologized. "What for?" Ironhide asked. "Constantly arguing with you and yelling at you." Sideswipe replied.

"It's my fault to be honest. And, my heat cycle is coming soon. Trust me, it can be a good thing and a bad thing." Ironhide stated. "How so?" Sideswipe asked.

Ironhide activated his holoform and stepped into the shower stall with Sideswipe, the warm water hitting his scarred body. Sideswipe internally blushed harder than before.

"Allow me to explain. The good thing about heat cycles is that you can often find your sparkmate and then you can suffice your urges. The bad thing is that you just wanna frag everyone or a certain someone." Ironhide explained.

Sideswipe looked at Ironhide, eyeing his scarred body. Ironhide noticed. "Like what you see?" Ironhide asked. "Yes." Sideswipe replied. The young mech got turned on.

"If you want me to, I can help you with your urges. That is, if you want me to." Ironhide offered. "Oh, shut up and just frag me already!" Sideswipe exclaimed.

"As you wish. Hope you know, that I'm taking control." Ironhide stated. He kissed Sideswipe passionately, slipping his tongue in his mouth.

Sideswipe moaned in the kiss, battling for control and dominance. When they parted, both mechs were in their heat cycles. "Ironhide.." Sideswipe started.

"Shut it." Ironhide growled. He pulled Sideswipe into another passionate kiss, a bit more fierce. Ironhide then started thrusting on Sideswipe, gentle at first.

Sideswipe was moaning in excitement and pleasure. "Harder and faster." Sideswipe panted. Ironhide did so. Then they both came. Sideswipe had something flash into his mind.

While Ironhide was washing himself off, Sideswipe decided to ask. "Hey Ironhide?" Sideswipe asked. "Yes, Sideswipe?" Ironhide asked. "Will you be my sparkmate?" Sideswipe asked.

"Of course I will." Ironhide accepted. They then kissed again. When they activated their bipedal forms, they spark-bonded.

"I love you, Ironhide."
"I love you too, Sideswipe."

*Requested by tfp-fanfiction