Bonecrusher:

*Bonecrusher is, at the moment, sitting outside of the Ark's main entrance with a few cubes on hand, making a very poor attempt at pretending to watch the barrier for any signs of... trouble.  In reality, he's just taking a very, very  long moment to get some fresh air and avoid anywhere where those demented weevil might be hiding*

Mirage:

*Mirage, after extensively canvassing the entire area for both the sake of solitude and for the sake of security, makes a second approach. He is capable of politeness regarding his invisibility generator, as it so happens, and so he turns it off and approaches normally, without any attempts at stealth. After this extensive time 'undercover,' he feels distinctly exposed without it on, but it's tremendously rude to conduct conversations whilst stealthed, and so there is no help for it.*

Bonecrusher:

*Looking up as Mirage approaches, Bonecrusher has the decency to at least tip his cube in greeting before downing the sucker, dropping the empty cube to the side*  HEY, RACE CAR.  *this is Bonecrusher's nonchalant face!*

Mirage:

Bonecrusher. *Mirage's voice is soft, and just as neutral as his expression.*

Bonecrusher:

... *He looks at the Autobot for a minute, then sighs and picks up two cubes, holding one out to Mirage while already starting on the other*  LEMME GUESS, Y'WANNA ASK YER QUESTIONS, HUH.

Mirage:

*Mirage politely holds up his hand, declining the cube.* Just one, as it so happens.

Bonecrusher:

*Putting the cube back, Bonecrusher keeps his optics on Mirage and takes another gulp*  GO AHEAD, THEN.

Mirage:

*Mirage doesn't blink or waver, his expression not so much 'studiously neutral' as 'completely blank.'* Did you let them kill themselves afterwards?

Bonecrusher:

......*He doesn't quite choke  on his drink, but his expression is definitely a bit surprised.*  WHAT KINDA QUESTION IS THAT? *sighs*  ....IF THEY LIVED THROUGH IT, YES.  WASN'T ALWAYS MY CHOICE.  A LOT OF 'EM GOT DROPPED OFF NEARBY 'BOT CAMPS FER A WARNIN', AN' I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF THEM LASTIN' VERY LONG.

Mirage:

I see. *Mirage's expression doesn't change, or even flicker. Neither does his tone of voice.* My thanks for the information.

Bonecrusher:

WHY?

Mirage:

What do you mean?

Bonecrusher:

WHY THAT  QUESTION, OF ALL TH' THINGS Y'COULD ASK?  *Still looking levelly at the race car, Bonecrusher puts his cube on the ground beside him, shifting to look less informal and more genuinely curious*

Mirage:

Because I wanted to know. The rest is fairly obvious, or so I would think. *Mirage is still expressionless and toneless, optics tracking Bonecrusher's movement neutrally.*

Bonecrusher:

*Bonecrusher's face shifts into a frown, and he looks the other over analytically* .....LOOK.  I DON'T REMEMBER EVERY SLAGGER I GOT MY HANDS ON.  'M GONNA ASSUME I DIDN'T RUN INTO YOU, BUT IF I DID, Y'BETTER FRAGGIN' TELL ME.

Mirage:

*That actually gets a smile out of Mirage, though it's humorless.* You didn't.

Bonecrusher:

THEN WHAT TH' SLAG IS YER PROBLEM?  SHOULDN'T Y'BE LIKE WARPATH, ALL RIGHTEOUS AN' PISSED AT ME, OR SOMETHIN'?

Mirage:

What purpose would that serve? *Apparently the effort of that lipquirk is too much for Mirage right now, because it lapses into blankness after only a second or two.* I simply wanted to know.

Bonecrusher:

'S NOT A NORMAL QUESTION FER AN AUTOBOT T'ASK.  *Mirage's expression is actually starting to grate on Bonecrusher's nerves*  WHY WOULD Y'WANNA KNOW THAT, OF ALL THINGS?

Mirage:

Because I found it important; why else would I? *You mean the lack thereof? One can't imagine why...*

Bonecrusher:

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT T'YOU?  *Oh, Bonecrusher can imagine, but he holds all questions and comments about it for later*

Mirage:

*Mirage shrugs, a bare minimalist movement.* It simply is. Now, if you'll excuse me.

Bonecrusher:

NOT REALLY GONNA EXCUSE YA, RACE CAR.  *He shifts again, but this time it's to get more within grabbing range of the other - not that it's very noticable at all.  Actually, no, you know what, pay no attention his moving, Mirage, he's just grabbing a cube!*  YER OBVIOUSLY HIDIN' SOMETHIN' FROM ME.  *dryly*  I SPENT A GOOD LONG WHILE LEARNIN' T'READ TH' SIGNS.

Mirage:

*Mirage is not so easily fooled as all that, and /does/ pay attention to the movement - but Bonecrusher is just retrieving a cube.* I imagine that you did. *Still totally, blankly neutral, as though putting emotion into his voice at all is too much effort.*

Bonecrusher:

SO TALK T'ME.  'M BEIN' HONEST AN' UPFRONT WITH YOU, 'S ONLY POLITE T'DO TH' SAME IN RETURN.  *That's right, Mirage, nothing else here, just don't turn to walk away and all you'll have to put up with is Bonecrusher drinking!*

Mirage:

I am. I would have enjoyed that luxury; do you find that sufficient explanation?

Bonecrusher:

.....*That cues another analytical glance-over*  WHO GOT AHOLD OF YOU?

Mirage:

Bombshell, of course. I did tell you. *That actually gets a reaction of mild surprise.*

Bonecrusher:

*Did he?  ....Ooh yeah, that's right!  But still.*  HE DID A BIGGER NUMBER ON YA THAN I SUSPECTED.  NEVER KNEW MUCH 'BOUT TH' INSECTICONS AN' WHAT THEY DID, JUS' RANDOM RUMORS.  FIGURED HE USED A SPY LIKE YOU FER INFILTRATIN', BUT.  *He locks optics with Mirage, lowering his cube*  HE WAS A BIT MORE'N PROFESSIONAL 'BOUT IT, HUH.

Mirage:

*cracks another smile, but it doesn't reach his optics* He was... perfectly professional. Still, who would not want to kill themselves after an entire vorn with that mech, regardless of circumstance?

Bonecrusher:

WELL, IF HE WAS PERFECTLY PROFESSIONAL, I DOUBT Y'D BE DOIN' SO MUCH T'CONCEAL ALL YER PERSONAL OPINIONS.  DO I GOTTA GET Y'DRUNK T'GET YOU T'TALK T'ME?

Mirage:

Conceal my personal opinions? Hardly. I detest the mech beyond speaking; it's no secret. *tilts his head to the side, still again that blank mask*

Bonecrusher:

DON'T LOOK LIKE Y'DO.  ACTUALLY, T'BE HONEST, Y'KINDA REMIND ME OF THIS ONE 'BOT I LET GO NEAR A FLEDGLIN' AUTOBOT CAMP.  *His voice is idle, but his optics are on Mirage's face*  HE KINDA HAD THAT LOOK ON HIS FACE WHEN HE PULLED HIS SPARK OUTTA HIS CHEST.

Mirage:

And yet mine remains. Your point?

Bonecrusher:

M'POINT IS THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT, Y'LOOK LIKE SLAG.  WHAT, PRECISELY, IS YER PROBLEM?

Mirage:

I haven't one in particular. Are you quite finished?

Bonecrusher:

...*Bonecrusher sighs and shifts again, looking slightly uncomfortable, but not for any particular reason*  'S WORRYIN', MIRAGE.

Mirage:

You've no reason to be concerned. I certainly am not suicidal at the moment. I simply wanted to know if they had the option. *still that frozen, miles-deep blankness*

Bonecrusher:

IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE ON SOME OF TH' SHIPS.  AN' OF COURSE I'VE GOT EVERY REASON T'BE CONCERNED.  Y'LOOK LIKE SOMEONE I GOT MY HANDS ON, AN' I NEVER PLAYED NICE.

Mirage:

No. I wouldn't think you did.

Bonecrusher:

DO Y'UNDERSTAND WHY 'M WORRIED, THEN?  I HAVE TH' FEELIN' THAT BOMBSHELL WAS AT LEAST CAREFUL ENOUGH WITH YOU, SINCE YER IN ONE OPERATIN' PIECE, BUT THAT USUALLY MAKES THINGS WORSE.

Mirage:

I appreciate your concern, and I imagine you understand why I don't care to discuss it with you.

Bonecrusher:

I DO.  BUT TH' THING IS, MIRAGE -- .... FRAGGIN' HELL.  *He sighs and reaches up and rubs his face*  ALRIGHT.  LOOK.  Y'MIGHT NOT THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING, BUT 'M PRETTY SURE I CAN UNDERSTAND YER POSITION BETTER THAN MOST OF TH' SLAGGERS ON BASE.  MEDICS RUN SCANS T'FIND PROCESSOR GLITCHES, 'BOTS WILL GIVE Y'PITY LOOKS AN' PROMISE REVENGE THAT THEY'LL NEVER GO THROUGH WITH, AN' MOST 'CONS WILL TELL YA THEY'D BE GLAD T'REPLACE YER OLD ISSUES WITH NEW ONES.  I OBVIOUSLY AIN'T GONNA DO ANY OF THAT.

Mirage:

All for the best, as I need none of that. Nor do I particularly need to discuss the matter at all. *Well, at least Mirage's face is showing a bit more life in it, though that life is mostly 'defensive irritation.'*

Bonecrusher:

HAVE YOU?  EVER?  'COS IT SURE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT.

Mirage:

I have, as necessary. Are you quite done?

Bonecrusher:

THEN IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM TELLIN' ME.

Mirage:

And it wouldn't be, if it were necessary for you to know, which it isn't.

Bonecrusher:

'S NOT NECCESSARY FER PEOPLE T'KNOW 'BOUT WHAT I DID IN TH' WAR, BUT I DON'T KEEP IT FROM MY FRIENDS IN ANY CASE.

Mirage:

Nor do you keep it from Warpath and the entire Internet, apparently. *dryly*

Bonecrusher:

EH, I KINDA CONSIDER WARPATH A FRIEND.  AN' 'S TH' INTERNET.  'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION T'WHAT'S GOIN' ON IN OUR CORNER.  TH' SLAG, MIRAGE?  WHAT D'YOU THINK 'M GONNA DO WITH YER PERSONAL PROBLEMS?  SERIOUSLY.

Mirage:

Despite the intimacies we did share, I'd consider relating the unnecessary details considerably /more/ intimate. Particularly given this recent development, you understand.

Bonecrusher:

RECENT.  *He gives Mirage a very, very  bland look*  MIRAGE, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A SECRET OF MINE.  SLAG, 'M PRETTY SURE Y'COULD LOOK UP M'LOGS THROUGH TH' NEMESIS WITHOUT HITTIN' ANY SAFEGUARDS.  AND IT'S THE PAST.  I'M NOT GOING TO START UP AGAIN, MUCH LESS ON YOU OR ANYONE I'M ON GOOD TERMS WITH ON BASE.

Mirage:

Recent to my knowledge, that is. A failure on my part, not to have been aware. Very reassuring, but I find the irony rather insurmountable.

Bonecrusher:

WHAT IRONY.

Mirage:

You don't see any in my speaking to you about this in particular?

Bonecrusher:

NO, I DON'T.  IF ANYTHING, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO TALK TO ME THAN OTHERS.

Mirage:

Mm. Well, I see sufficient irony to fill the Ark, and so I think I shall decline. I do appreciate your concern. *is that a distancing manuver? Yes, yes it is.*

Bonecrusher:

I THINK YOU'RE JUST SCARED.  *flatly, and don't think he doesn't see you moving away*

Mirage:

Of him or of you? Of him - that's no secret. Of you? No, though I can't deny seeing you in a somewhat different light.

Bonecrusher:

WHAT DID YOU THINK I WAS BEFORE YOU KNEW THIS, SOME DRUNKEN VETRAN WITH A SLOW PROCESSOR?  PRIMUS, MIRAGE.  I AM EXACTLY  THE SAME AS ALL THE OTHER TIMES YOU'VE SEEN ME ON BASE.

Mirage:

As I said, I'd thought you infantry. That's my error; I should be more thorough in my dealings.

Bonecrusher:

SO WHAT.  WHERE'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME NOW AND ME A FEW WEEKS AGO?

Mirage:

*a few seconds' worth of smile* Absolutely nothing. I wouldn't care to discuss this matter with you in any case. If you'll excuse me? *distancing manuver number /two./*

Bonecrusher:

*frowns*  I DON'T REMEMBER EXCUSING YOU.

Mirage:

Then I beg your forgiveness for the rudeness. I've a patrol to finish. *yep, he's trying to leave*

Bonecrusher:

*growls and actually shifts a bit towards Mirage, but stops himself with a grimace, falling back into a (now faked) relaxed pose*  ....RIGHT.  PATROL.  I'LL BE HERE.  *and the intonation on "here" implies not only the physical spot but actually being around,  because he's seen all this before, you know, and it never ends well.*

Mirage:

*and that shift sends Mirage sliding back a few steps, out of range - it's not anywhere near as subtle, but if Bonecrusher /had/ decided to go for him, even with his minescoop, he'd've been out of range* I appreciate the concern. *and off he goes, not /quite/ a run*

Bonecrusher:

*he's watching Mirage run  off - well, close enough to that for him - and ugh.  Autobots.*