So I know I’ve spoken about Drift’s fear of losing Wing coming true, but I haven’t spoken how that shows in their relationship (or even before).
I like to imagine Wing being subtle in his advances toward Drift at first, both because he wants to see if Drift is interested before being obvious, and to allow Drift time to adjust in the City. Eventually, after they become closer, Wing starts laying on the flirting thick, and gets frustrated when Drift refuses to acknowledge him, or is just oblivious.
However, Drift knows about Wing flirting with him, about his obvious interest, since he first started (after all Drift didn’t survive this long in war without being observant). He wants to reciprocate Wing’s feelings, but he’s scared that if he does, he will somehow lose Wing, since in his mind that’s an inevitable scenario. If he keeps Wing at a distance, when Wing is taken from him, the pain would be less (he’s lying to himself, Drift’s feelings only grow stronger the more he suppresses them).
Or, when they finally get together, Drift refuses to leave Wing’s side for the first few weeks. Everywhere Wing goes, Drift would follow. When Wing crosses a room, two blue optics would be tracking his every move. In the night, Drift stays awake longer than Wing, looking at him and observing their berthroom for threats and dangers.
Ever since they got together, Drift has been terrified that his fears would come true. That if Wing is out of his eyesight, then Drift won’t see him again. Sure, not letting Wing out of his sight might be a little obsessive, but in his mind, it’s the only way to keep Wing safe. Wing doesn’t mind, in fact he enjoys the attention, he just wishes that it was for a different reason rather than this warranted fear that Wing wishes he could take away.
Because Drift also doesn’t know many of the City’s citizens, he becomes wary whenever they approach Wing. Years in the Decepticons with always watching his back for potential threats, or potential betrayers, had made him incredibly paranoid, that even mecha who he knows are 100% innocent set off alarms. It gets worse when they get together, Drift unwillingly thinking that every bot that approaches Wing is a threat, and he refuses to let harm come to Wing from them now that he finally has him.
This habit does get erased when Drift spent more time with the City’s inhabitants (and Wing’s reassurances and help), but sometimes, when he’s in a bad mood, he might snap at others for getting too close to Wing. It makes him feel awful, and no one ever really blames him, but each time it happens it just brings back that fear that he thought he had healed from.
I'm imagining Drift clinging onto Wing like this
The exact position the Knights see whenever driftwing go out in public, claws and all.
He’s like those horses that get too overprotective of their owners (but if horses could growl and cling lol). Posturing and huffing at everyone and everything (horses are also wary of a lot of things so that’s similar too).
