Reference:

Montanha and Asher were both fairly competent with fishing, and while Rosie had fished a few times before, she still needed a bit of help getting her line threaded, which Montanha was happy to help her with. Pulling the line through the poll and helping her tie on the hook while Rosie put on the bait. Soon, the three of them had their lines casted and were sitting on the water’s edge as they waited for something to bite. 

“This is nice.” Montanha said with a smile, as they sat there. “Yeah, maybe we’ll get a big one and fry it up. Little salt, little lemon.” Asher added with a smile of his own as he daydreamed. Rosie furrowed her brows, “What’s a lemon?” 

“It’s one of those fruits I told you about. The one that tastes sour.” Montanha explained. “Ooohhh. Right.” 

“But yeah, I agree with Asher, I definitely want to dig into a few fish for sure. Plus, they store pretty easily for winter.” Asher nodded in agreement, “Wouldn’t hurt at all. It’s getting colder every day. It’s chilly even today. I think we got one last cold rain before it starts snowing.” 

“You’re probably right.” Montanha agreed, however, even as he said that, his brows furrowed with thought, as he fidgeted with his fishing pole. “What were you planning to do for winter, by the way? Asher flinched a bit at that question, “Well, I’m not sure. I figured I’d just go back to the base and go back to killing Creatures like I was.” 

“Oh... Right.” Montanha said, shoulders sinking a bit. Rosie looked at her father for a moment, before she elbowed him. Montanha looked at her with a raised brow, as Rosie narrowed her eyes while also using them to point at Asher. She then tilted her head towards him for emphases, as she gave her father a very pointed look, as she raised her brows.  

Montanha seemed to get the message his daughter was trying to convey, as his heart started to race a little. His nerves making his stomach flip as he looked over at his redheaded companion. Swallowing dryly, he cleared his throat, “Ahem, well, if you wanted. You could stay with us.” he finally managed to say after a few false starts. Asher’s eyes widened a bit, “What, here? I, I figured you guys would’ve been sick of me by now.” he joked awkwardly, letting out a small laugh. 

“Are you kidding? You’ve done so much for us. Ever since you got here, you’ve done so much to help me and my daughter and, well, I’d miss you, if you left.” Montanha said honestly, face becoming a bit warm. Asher smiled softly at his words, “You know, I’d miss you guys too. I, I’m glad you asked me to stay, because it’s been killing me, thinkin’ I’d have to leave you again.”  

The tips of Montanha’s ears go red as he suddenly stood up, “Great! Then it’s settled! You’re staying with us!” he shouted. Rosie cheered as she leaned over to hug him, “I’m so glad you're staying!” Asher accepted the hug as he patted her back, he then looked up at Montanha, “Thanks, for letting me stay.” 

Montanha looked down at him and for a moment, it felt like he was going to say more. However, the quick jerk of his fishing line pulled his attention away from Asher as he grabbed the poll quickly. Reeling in his line, he fought whatever was on it, before pulling in a huge walleye. Rosie let out a gasp of awe as Asher grinned, “Nice catch, big guy!” Holding up the fish, Montanha beamed with pride as he looked at them, “Alright, let's get us some dinner!” 

. . . . . . . .

Montanha found himself in the woods, a hazy fog clinging to the air like a bad omen. As he looked around the fog, confused as to where he was and how he’d got there, Asher appeared from the mist. “Asher? What are you doing here?” 

“You have feelings for me, don’t you?” he asked rather bluntly. Montanha’s face paled at that, “How, how did you-?” 

“I’ve always known, it was rather obvious really. Is that why you invited me to stay? In hopes I’d fall in love with you?” Montanha’s face turned red, as he covered his mouth, “N-no! That’s not-!”  

“That’s pathetic, Montanha. Don’t you know that love is dead? No one is gonna love you. You killed the last person that loved you.” Montanha turned away from Asher’s unsympathetic eyes as he trembled a little, “You, you said that it wasn’t my fault...” 

“You and I both know that’s a lie. You don’t deserve forgiveness, and you definitely don’t deserve me. Everything you’ve ever done was for your own selfish gain. You lost your best friend; you made a replacement. I leave the group, and you start playing hero, hoping to pick up another man to replace me. Hell, you took in the first Rosie at the beginning of the apocalypse because deep down you hate the idea of being alone. If that was the case, you should’ve just stayed at home with your family.” 

“No. No. No! No!” Montanha shouted as he clutched his head, tears stinging his eyes as he shook his head vigorously. “You are selfish.” Asher said plainly. Montanha kept shaking his head, “No I’m not!” 

“You are selfish!” Asher sneered, his voice warping into something deeper and more chillingly familiar, his form shifting as he started to look more like a reflection of Montanha, though older and shorter in stature to him. “No, I’m not.” Montanha whimpered, his voice quivering as hot tears rolled down his cheeks, he hunched over, so that the mustached man before him could loom over him despite the difference in stature. 

“Such a selfish child. You bring shame on this family! Why couldn’t you just think of how your actions affected others?! This is why nobody will ever love a freak like you!” His father growled, the shadowed features of his face sneering with a look of utter contempt.  

“SHUT UP!!” Montanha roared, lunging at his father and bringing his hands around his neck. He just needed him to. Stop. Talking. Squeezing his hand down on his windpipe with the power earned from years of resentment that had been boiling under his skin.  

But too his immediate horror, he was not met with the strangled gasps of his father. But his daughter. His large hands now wrapped firmly around the neck of his own little girl, crushing her windpipe as she looked up at him with tear-streaked eyes, a look of utter betrayal and fear in them. Montanha’s own eyes widen in shock as he quickly let go of her, and she fell to the forest floor, on her hands in knees as she struggled to catch her breath. Montanha’s hands shook as he tried and failed to approach her, apologies tumbling out of his mouth in a broken mesh, “I didn’t- I’m so sorry- Sprout I would never- Oh baby girl-” 

As Montanha failed to comfort her, Asher appeared from the fog once more. He then goes to Rosie’s side, helping her to her feet as he gave Montanha an icy look. “Look at you. Everything you touch, you ruin. You don’t deserve love. You deserve to be alone.” Asher said coldly, his words cutting like a knife, as he stood there too stunned to move. He was all but helpless as he watched Asher wrap a protective arm around his daughter and ushered her away into the surrounding fog.  

Leaving him completely and utterly alone.  

Sitting up with a strangled gasp, Montanha’s skin felt damp with sweat as he panted. His heart pounded in his chest, as the remaining adrenaline of his dream left him shaking. He forced himself to take in slow gulps of breath as he tried to settle down. 

The same dream again. How many times would he have to be tormented like this? 

Pulling his knees to his chest, he buried his face into his folded arms as the tears came unwilling to his eyes. Softly sobbing into the night. 

It was midafternoon when Rosie stood above him, as Montanha sat slumped on the couch, looking up at her with tired eyes. “Come on, dad! You’ve been laying around for days now! Let’s go fishing again or somethin’, please?”  

“Sorry hun, I’m just not feeling up for it right now. Maybe you and Asher can go? Yah don’t gotta wait on me.” Rosie’s brows knit together as her mouth becomes a hard line, “Are you ok? Are you getting sick?” 

“Yeah... Somethin’ like that. I’m just under the weather, is all.” he said as he offered her a half-baked smile. Rosie looked unconvinced as she looked down at him, but still, she nodded, “Well, ok. I’ll go ask Asher then.”  

“Go have fun, honey.” 

Rosie then left Montanha on the couch and went looking for Asher. Eventually finding him in the front yard. He was in the garden, picking some of the vegetables. “Hey, Asher! Do you wanna go fishing with me?” 

“Sure, we didn’t really catch a lot, did we?” 

“Yeah! I wanna catch a lot of fish this time!” she said with a grin. Asher chuckled, “Alright, let me just wash these veggies here, and we’ll go”  

“I’ll go grab the fishing poles!” Rosie said eagerly as she ran to go get the poles and gear they’d need. Asher took the veggies inside, and when he didn’t see Montanha around, he assumed he was already waiting outside with Rosie. Which made it confusing when he goes back outside and see’s just Rosie standing there with only two fishing poles. “Where’s your dad, Trapper?” he asked, Rosie merely shrugged, “He said he didn’t feel well.” 

“Really? Huh, I guess I didn’t notice...” 

“Yeah, well, come on. Let’s go fishing!” she said taking Asher by the arm, making Asher smile in turn “Ok! I’m coming.” 

They walk together down the stream and back to the pond, setting up their gear and sitting on the water's edge together as Asher helped Rosie thread her poll as she baited her hook. As they cast their lines Rosie sat next to Asher and seemed content as she looked out on the water. 

“It’s been cool lately, but it’s kinda warm out today, isn’t it?” Asher commented as they sat there. “Yeah, dad says it smelled like it might rain tonight or tomorrow though. Whatever that means... Can people really smell rain?” 

“They can! You’ve never smelt it?” 

“No? I thought water didn’t have a smell.” 

“It doesn’t, but what the smell basically is, is earth being kicked up from the rain.” 

“Oh. So, rain smells like dirt?” Rosie asked, nose crinkled. “More like, fresh dirt? It’s a bit hard to explain, but once you smell it, you don’t forget it.” 

Rosie seemed to consider his words, “Huh, ok. Has my dad always been able to smell the rain?” 

“He said he never used too, but once he started living outside for so long, he couldn’t miss it.” Asher explained. Rosie seemed to sit on that for a long moment, as she looked out on the water. “You know... I don’t think my dad is sick.” 

“What makes you say that, sweetie?” 

“It’s his eyes, his eyes looked sad.” she said simply, Asher seemed concerned by that. Maybe he was thinking of their friend Rosie again, something he knew he was still struggling with in terms of his grief. “He probably just needs some time to himself hun, but I’m sure he’ll be ok.” 

Rosie let out a heavy sigh as she brought her knees up to rest her head on, “I think he tries to hide the fact he’s sad and hurting from me. I wish he wouldn’t hide it from me...” she mumbled. Asher understood her frustration, nodding sympathetically, “I know, it’s complicated Rosie, but he just doesn't want you to worry. And sometimes the reason why someone isn't havin’ a good day, isn’t for you to know. Just for you to understand. Once he’s feelin’ better, maybe he’ll share his reasons with you.” 

Rosie’s face still looked thoughtful as he said that, “I guess. He has been happier though; I can tell that too. Ever since you came along, he laughs more often.” Asher smiled, “I help as much as I can. But I’m glad I'm making things livelier for you two.” 

“Yeah. I think, I think he might like you.” Rosie said carefully, looking at him. Asher furrowed his brows but continued to smile, “I should hope he likes me! We’ve only known each other for nearly twenty years.” 

“No. I mean, I think he likes you, you know, romantically?” she said as she continued to look at him, more pointedly now. “I-’ he seemed to process her words, ‘he does?” 

“Yeah, I think so. He blushes a lot when you say certain things. And he seems really happy that you like it here and that you like spending time with him. You do the same thing too, I've noticed.” Rosie added, a little bit hopeful. Asher is silent for a moment as he chewed on this information, “I don’t... I don’t know what to say to that, Trapper.” 

“Oh. Is it because you don’t like him like that?” 

“No! No. It's because I’ve liked your father for a long time.”  Rosie’s eyes go wide, “Really?” Asher sighed as he blushed, “Yeah.”  

She smiled a little as she seemed to fidget with her fishing poll for a moment, “Um, so does that mean you, uh, what’s the word? Not marry... Um, what’s the thing that you do before marriage? Dad said it once... Oh. Date! Do you wanna date my dad?” 

“That... Will have to be a conversation for me and your father to have, alright Trapper?” 

She suddenly looked away from him, “If, uh, if you guys don’t end up dating... Are you gonna leave?” she asked quietly. Asher put a hand on her shoulder, “No, kiddo. Is that something you’ve been worried about?” 

“I just don’t want you to leave. I, I like having you around, and I feel less lonely when your here. So, I would miss you if you were gone.” she admitted as she fought back a few tears. 

“Oh, Rosie. Come here, kiddo.” he said putting an arm around her as Rosie leaned on him. He holds her for a long moment as she started to sniffle and cry, letting her get it all out before speaking again, “Tell you what? Why don’t we catch a few big ones, get home, and I’ll talk to your father later, ok?’ Rosie pulled away a little to wipe her face as she nodded, “Ok.” 

“It’ll be ok, Trapper. I promise.” Rosie nodded again, leaning on him once more, just resting her head there, as she looked out on the water. 

By the time Asher and Rosie returned from the pond, the sky had become grey, as dark clouds rolled in from the west. Still, both were in good spirits as, like Asher promised, they returned with a sizable haul of fish. Making their way inside, Montanha was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. He gave the two of them a small, but friendly smile, “Hey, how was fishing?” 

“It was great! We caught a lot of fish, so can we have them for dinner?” Rosie asked, excited. “Yeah, hun, I got some stuff ready.” Montanha said. Asher smiled a bit nervously, “Sounds good, I’ll help you get dinner ready.” 

“Alright, do you wanna help too, Rosie?” 

“Um, can I go read in my room for a bit actually?” Rosie asked, Montanha was a bit surprised by this, “Oh, uh, ok sweetheart. You go have fun.” 

“Ok!” Rosie chirped, before turning to leave. Though not before giving Asher a smile and a thumbs up. Asher gave Rosie a small smile in turn as she left. He then joined Montanha in the kitchen, as he started deboning and salting the fish, “You feeling any better? Rosie mentioned you didn’t feel good.” Asher asked casually. 

Montanha smiled sheepishly at that, “Oh, did she tell you that? Uh, yeah, I was just tired today, is all. I haven't been sleeping well lately.” he carefully admitted, though not elaborating too much. Asher merely nodded, “I feel that. It was warm today, so I felt a bit sleepy for a bit. But yah know, we sat and talked about a few things while we were out.” 

Montanha raised a brow for a moment, “I mean, I suppose it’s warmer than normal...” He grabbed one of the fish Asher finished deboning, as he started cutting it into strips. They stood there in silence for a few moments, as Asher struggled to find his next words. Still, he had made a promise, so he swallowed the lump in his throat, which suddenly felt dry. “So, Rosie admitted something to me. Something that I need to talk to you about.” 

Montanha stopped cutting and placed the knife down. He swallowed thickly, before pushing a smile onto his face, “Nothing bad I hope.” he joked, forcing a small chuckle from his throat.  

“No! I mean, I don’t think it’s bad. Um, Rosie, well, she told me that you might have feelings for me?’ 

All the color left Montanha’s face as he stared at Asher, wide eyed, as the echo of his dreams suddenly started playing in his head. “How, how did you-?’ he stopped, before taking a step back from the copper haired man, ‘I, I’m dreaming again.” he mumbled to himself. 

“You’re not, I swear. Look, I know this is a lot for you to take in. But I think the biggest thing I need to admit is that, that I have feelings for you too.” Asher confessed, his face flushed. 

Montanha’s own face turned scarlet as he covered his mouth, “I, I don’t know-” his mouth felt dry as he felt himself start to panic. “You don’t have to love me. I didn’t invite you to stay ‘cause I wanted- I'm not-” he suddenly turned and headed for the door. He needed air. 

 “Montanha?! Hey, wait! I didn’t mean to make you upset!” 

Montanha didn’t stop as he ran outside, down the stairs of the porch, and into his garden. There he finally stopped as he bent over slightly, as he gasped out of breath, “I’m not- I'm not- I'm not-!” he gasped out. 

Asher came out behind him, concern etched out on his face, “Montanha, breathe, ok? Just take some deep breaths. What’s going on?” Montanha flinched as soon as Asher got close, but he managed to pull himself together enough to stop hyperventilating. Still his eyes were wide as he looked at Asher, “I can’t. I can’t love you.” 

Asher felt his heart drop like a stone. His eyes starting to water as he forced out his next question, “I um, I understand... But can I know why?”   

“Look around us Asher, we’re living in an apocalypse! Feelings are not the most important thing here. I don’t des- I just can’t give you what you want.” Montanha mumbled as he looked away. 

Asher choked up, “Ok. I understand Montanha... We can forget this ever happened. I, I’m sorry, I need to be alone for a second.” he said before turning away.  

Montanha, seeing his heart broken expression, almost open his mouth to speak. But instead, he set his jaw and looked to the ground, saying nothing as Asher walked away. When he was far enough away, Asher let out a brief sob as he walked and the sky grew darker  

Megatron didn’t bother to sit. He stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed and optics squinting. “No need to thank me,” he answered. “What is it you need?” Was that snide or forced respect?

Minimus, fidgeting and hoping it didn’t show through the armor, closed the door and worked his way to his desk. Attempting casual --and failing-- he leaned on the edge, folding and unfolding his arms. “May I pose a hypothetical question?” he asked. Perhaps if he skirted around the truth, it would make it easier to accept rejection. 

Megatron inclined his helm.

“Say a mech, an enemy-turned-friend, were to approach you with a spark-felt, earnest confession. How would you react?” Only once it left his mouth did he realize just how obvious and forward that was. Ultra Magnus would never say something like that. No, he’d be regal and valiant even in pursuing a relationship. Minimus clenched his fists but hid it by crossing his arms again. 

The silver mech shuttered his optics and exvented, slow. “Is this how you are going to confess to me, Minimus Ambus?” His optics fixed on him, searing reds that could see right through the Magnus armor. "Hiding behind a dead Autobot’s face, under his guise.” He paused. “Tell me what you want, without the hypotheticals and without the mask.”

Minimus hesitated for the demand of vulnerability. He set his jaw and scowled through the armor. “No.”

Megatron watched him with scrutinizing, keen optics. “What do you want then, Ultra Magnus?”

The ultimate fuck you. Minimus debated taking his armor off piece by piece if only to use it as a weapon against this damned mech. And yet his spark was repulsed by the thought. Voice even, he said, “Why do I need to want something other than you?”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Because that’s how Cybertronians work. We are inherently greedy, always grasping for something more than we can have. It’s in our nature.”

“We’ve been around for millenia, but you don’t think change from the ‘inherent’ natural is possible?” If anyone, Megatron should be the one to understand how a mech can change. Or had he changed at all? Minimus frowned at the thought. 

“No. We can fool ourselves, say we’ve evolved, but when it comes down to it we are aggressive, carnal metal beasts.”

Minimus exvented sharply, annoyance peaking. “I will never agree with that. If I have hope for the future --any at all-- I can’t.”

“Hope is frail.” Megatron grimaced, as if the very idea was bitter in his intake. 

“And pain is solid?” Minimus unfolded his arms, bracing his servos on the edge of his desk. “Can you live, truly live, solely focusing and enduring pain and suffering?”

The look in his optics answered, darkening reds reflecting the ugly scars of a past that would never fade. 

Minimus floundered, caught off guard by the vulnerability, the rawness of Megatron’s reaction. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

“No, you are right,” Megatron said, headed for the door. “If pain isn’t reliable, what is? Love? Pft. Love is just as flaky and figmented as hope.”

Minimus squared his shoulders, the Magnus armor doing the same. “What you make me feel, it is not flaky or frail.”