Chapter Text
It had all started with a small act of rebellion, a slight detour from his assigned duties that shouldn’t have drawn the attention of his fellow Autobots—let alone the Prime— as long as he didn’t do anything too stupid. It wasn’t the first time Mirage had grown bored in the middle of his tasks and decided to look for an escape; back on Cybertron, he had been an expert at breaking rules or finding ways around orders. Old habits died hard, it seemed. Still, doing it on Earth was even more exciting.
Just a couple of friendly races with the organic locals, he was gathering important information about those creatures or whatever. After all, it seemed they would be sticking around for quite a while.
As much as Mirage tried to come up with a good excuse for continuing to participate in those illegal races through the dangerous areas of Brooklyn, he had nothing solid. He did it simply for the pleasure of stepping away from his daily patrols and feeling that delicious rush of adrenaline flooding his circuits.
It obviously had nothing to do with a certain human who tended to wander through the crowd at most of the races he took part in.
He had gone to great lengths to remain unnoticed while competing, but of course, his choice of alternate mode made it impossible for humans not to feel an endless curiosity about who was driving such an exclusive car. His voice sounded properly muffled through the tinted windows when he answered their questions— there was no need to roll them down, thank you very much.
Until one day, he saw him.
He wasn’t a racer (deep down, Mirage was grateful for that; he wouldn’t want something as delicate as him getting involved in something so dangerous), but he often came with a group to watch the chases and, every now and then, place a few bets just for fun.
The human had curly hair and sun-kissed skin. He caught Mirage’s attention the moment he heard him laughing out loud at some stupid remark he’d thrown in the middle of taunting the other racers. He seemed to be the only one in the crowd with a decent sense of humor.
Even before knowing Mirage’s true potential, that man had put twenty dollars on him winning the five-lap street circuit. He was the only one who believed in him during his first appearance—maybe he was a little drunk, because no sane person would waste money on a rookie racer, no matter how pretty his Porsche was.
Still, Mirage won that night, leaving the organics far behind, choking on his dust. He never said it out loud, but that victory was dedicated to the human who had believed in him.
From then on, he couldn’t get him out of his head. Every night he slipped past Optimus’s radar and raced through the city, he searched for him in his rearview mirrors among the crowd. There were nights he couldn’t find him, and winning on those days didn’t feel nearly as satisfying.
When he did show up, it was a delight for his tired optics—years of boredom and indifference finally overshadowed by the presence of a creature that wasn’t even his species. He could hear him shouting from the crowd, thrilled.
“Porsche, you’d better win!”
Mirage would gladly answer with a roar of engines, more motivated than ever.
That beauty would be his downfall. He could almost understand Bee’s obsession with his human ex-girlfriend. Almost.
He’d been sneaking out like this for a little over two months now—how had humans not suspected something strange about him yet? He didn’t know. Maybe it was the charm of nightlife around here; everyone could keep their secrets without fear of judgment. He was grateful no one had insisted on “dragging him out” of his car. People drew their own conclusions, but that didn’t stop him from chatting with several of them.
Who would’ve thought humans could be so entertaining, more so than many Cybertronians he knew? He barely had to try in conversations.
"Come on, man, spit it out already."
The man in front of him rolled his eyes while chewing on his candy. Mirage kept pushing.
"What was it you wanted to tell me so badly? Don’t tell me the cops are close again."
Reek simply looked at the car with amusement and tapped the hood lightly with a finger. They were alone now, away from the others, as if the human didn’t want anyone else overhearing.
"A buddy of mine wants to meet you, man." Straight to the point.
Before Mirage could respond, Reek hurried on. "I know what you’re gonna say, that you don’t like showing your identity or whatever, you damn mobster... but think about it. There’s a party nearby."
The Cybertronian wanted to refuse the invitation, like he had so many times before, but he remembered seeing Reek with that human several times in the past—if not always.
"I’m listening, bro… Who is it? Are they attractive?"
He tried to sound casual, even though his engine was already warming up at the thought of meeting that human face to face. And most importantly, that he would want to meet him too. Not as some underground racer to bet his last bills on, but as a person.
As a person.
Reek lowered his gaze and laughed like Mirage had just told him the best joke.
"Oh yeah. You won’t be disappointed."
Mirage noticed how Reek avoided clarifying his friend’s gender, as if whether they were a man or a woman might somehow affect his decision to accept.
Sometimes, he couldn’t understand Earth’s customs.
Eventually, the day of the damn party arrived. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone to one, not since the good old days on Cybertron, when he’d enjoyed all the engex and mechanisms he wanted, before everything turned chaotic and his servos were stained with energon. The fun hadn’t lasted long enough, in his opinion.
He shook the image from his mind and focused on what mattered: looking presentable for the night. He was Mirage, the undisputed king of holograms. He could manage well enough not to mess it up in front of humans. The time he’d spent among them should be enough to copy their behavior and avoid suspicion.
There was no need to tell the others. He was sure it would only be a one-time thing.
At last, Earth was about to get interesting.
—
He never imagined there would be so many people.
Naturally extroverted, crowds didn’t bother him. Blending in and acting like he always did would be easy, especially since most humans were too busy with their own business to notice him. The real problem was finding who he was looking for in that small apartment.
He didn’t know exactly who Reek wanted to introduce him to. The man hadn’t even had the decency to tell him their name.
But he knew who he was hoping to find.
He just had to focus and look for that head of curly hair.
His holoform didn’t need to breathe; it was entirely superficial, after all. Still, the air he pretended to inhale caught in his throat from the nerves, and he muttered under his breath. He was acting like a sparkling.
The place wasn’t much —kind of cramped, if you asked him— but it certainly made searching easier. Mirage had no trouble weaving past couples talking or dancing in the center of the room, feeling more than a few lingering stares on him.
He quickly recalled the words Arcee had thrown at him the first time they practiced their human holoforms together.
“You’re going to draw a lot of attention like that.” It hadn’t sounded like a scolding, more like an amused observation. He vaguely remembered Optimus, wearing the appearance of an older, grumpy human, sighing and muttering, "He always does."
Maybe dark blue hair wasn’t as common as he’d thought, but nothing his backward-worn cap couldn’t hide. He had to admit he’d stolen a few style ideas from the humans who frequented the races. Who could blame him? If he could be cool in every form, he would be.
He didn’t have to search long before spotting a familiar silhouette leaning near a window. He’d recognize the curve of that back anywhere.
His human looked especially good tonight, truth be told. Not that he ever didn’t— but those jeans hugged him in all the right places, and Mirage was weak. It had never crossed his mind that he’d feel such a powerful attraction to extraterrestrial anatomy. He chalked it up to the fact that Cybertronian builds weren’t that different from human ones —They were—
The human soon felt the persistent stare and turned in his direction. Mirage might not know much about Earth, but he immediately knew it was his cue to approach.
"Hey…"
He leaned against the wall beside him, eagerly waiting for a greeting in return. He wouldn’t lie, he’d missed his voice.
Contrary to his hopes, the man stayed silent for several seconds. Seconds that felt eternal, sending a vibration through his real body parked outside. He worried he’d ruined everything by approaching so bluntly. Did Earthlings follow a different protocol when meeting someone?
His concerns faded when he saw him lift his glass to take a sip of the cheap alcohol being served, smiling casually without even looking at him.
"Hey, man… Do I know you?"
Mirage had to suppress a laugh. Of course he didn’t, it probably looked like he’d been lurking in the shadows the whole time. "Call me Raj. Though I know you’ve got another name for me when I race."
He enjoyed the shift in that pretty face, from curiosity to disbelief.
"I’m the one who drives that old car…"
"The Porsche."
The human rolled his eyes, amused, as if Mirage’s attempt at modesty were endearing. "I should’ve guessed. I knew I’d heard your voice somewhere before" His posture shifted from indifferent to shy—subtle enough that Mirage had to double-check to notice.
Before he could continue, the human cut in. "By the way, I’m Noah. I’m guessing Reek told you, right?"
Mirage noticed how Noah actively avoided looking at him for too long. Was there something wrong with his choice of facial features? Anxiety rippled through his artificial body, but he was being spoken to. He had to answer.
He cleared his throat softly, putting on his most convincing relaxed facade. "He just said a friend of his wanted to meet me. I figured that was you."
Noah lifted his head, amusement written all over his face.
"That’s kind of presumptuous…" he said, eyeing him with a half-smile Mirage found dangerously charming. "But you’re not wrong. I wanted to meet our mystery on wheels." Is that what they called him? They could’ve been more creative, Mirage thought, as his holoform instinctively moved closer to Noah. He found it funny that even like this —tall and lanky as a human— he was still taller than him.
"I thought you’d be more… old."
Mirage chuckled softly, shifting his shoulder against the wall and deliberately brushing Noah’s in the process, trying to look calm while his systems buzzed on high alert.
"Well… disappointed?"
"Not at all."
For the first time since they’d met, Noah held his gaze. Mirage had a fleeting moment to admire the hazel color of his eyes—he bet they’d look green under the right light. Had those freckles always been there? Like thousands of tiny stars carefully painted across his cheeks.
Mirage swallowed out of habit, as if that might help him focus.
"I just didn’t expect it."
There it was.
That simple phrase twisted something in his core and snapped him out of his haze. Because Mirage knew, with uncomfortable certainty, that he would never be what that human expected.
Noah took a small sip of his drink, seemingly unaware of the internal conflict unfolding beside him.
"Do you come to parties like this often, or did you just decide to crawl out of hiding tonight?" he asked with a small smile. Mirage was grateful Noah felt comfortable enough to joke with him—that was always a good sign.
He hesitated for a fraction of a second." Just tonight… I needed a break, you know. Work, routines. Stuff like that." he hoped his poor attempt at sounding like a busy human would be enough. Looking human enough would have to do.
It seemed to work, because Noah nodded in understanding.
"I get it. I don’t go out as much as I used to. Had to sneak out tonight…" he laughed to himself. "My little brother doesn’t like me staying out late. He’s afraid something might happen. I waited until he fell asleep."
Mirage smiled unconsciously, imagining the scene. He didn’t know much about organic families, but he’d heard enough to grasp how much Noah loved his little brother.
"I'll destroy anyone who tries to harm you. Your brother can rest easy."
" …What?"
It took several seconds for Mirage to realize he’d said that out loud. His artificial body heated up, like it was running at maximum capacity. He could only imagine how his Cybertronian body outside was handling it.... probably already scaring someone by flickering its lights.
As always, he covered his mistake with a loud laugh.
"I’m just saying! I wouldn’t let anything happen to my favorite fan."
Noah raised an eyebrow, clearly doubting that a lanky guy like him could protect anyone, but he didn’t comment. He tossed his plastic cup aside and glanced at Mirage’s empty hands.
"You don’t drink? I’ll grab you something. Wait here."
Mirage quickly grabbed his arm, grateful his holoform could be solid when needed.
"I’ll go, Noah. Don’t worry."
Noah shrugged and returned to his spot by the window, though something in his expression made Mirage uneasy. There was no way Noah suspected anything— he’d made sure everything was perfect.
If he only had one night, he’d make the most of it.
—
He didn’t know how much time had passed; his internal chronometer didn’t function in holoform, but the sky growing lighter was a clear sign.
Most people were sprawled on the floor or asleep on makeshift surfaces. Even Reek had ended up sharing a couch with two strangers. Noah and Mirage laughed at the sight.
Noah —the human sitting beside him on the apartment floor, drinking straight from a bottle of something with a strange name, face flushed and laughing at every stupid thing Mirage said— yes, it was exactly as Mirage had imagined.
His inability to eat or drink organic substances hadn’t discouraged him. Watching his friend slowly get drunk from the front row was more than enough. He’d learned a lot about Noah and his family in just a few hours.
Older brother. Ex-soldier. Looking for steady work to support his family. A noble cause.
"Well, now I get why you don’t come watch my races as often," Mirage nudged him playfully, making Noah roll his eyes.
"I don’t have money to bet anymore. It was fun at first—especially since you always won," he laughed, running a hand through his dark hair. "But… Kris is getting worse, man. I’ve gotta try harder."
He turned to look at him, his gaze unreadable.
"You probably won’t see me around there much…"
Mirage’s human expression must have looked as bad as it felt, because Noah laughed and lightly punched his cheek. "Don’t miss me too much. I’m sure there are plenty of fans willing to bet everything on you."
His hand didn’t move away—instead, it settled on Mirage’s leg.
"You really are that good."
Mirage went suddenly speechless, which was rare for him. The soft brush of fingers against his leg made him pull away as if burned.
Noah looked worried for a moment. Even with alcohol guiding his actions, he knew to keep his distance."Well, it was fun, Raj…” With some effort, he stood up and dusted off his pants clumsily. "But I’ve gotta go. My mom leaves for work around this time, and I need to check on Kris."
Mirage was at his side in an instant. The thought that this might be the last time he’d see Noah for a long while unsettled him more than it should have. His lips moved before he could think.
"Do you want a ride…? I mean it—it’s no trouble."
The human, a little dazed from the alcohol, let out a soft laugh and looked down, trying to hide the color rising in his face. Mirage pretended not to notice. "Man, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the inside of your car, even if I wanted to."
Mirage —looking like an excited young man who’d just received his first yes from a crush— grabbed his hand and practically dragged him to his Cybertronian body parked nearby, while Noah struggled to keep up.
Having a human inside him was… revealing, if he had to choose a word.
Driving himself was easier. It was the primary function of his holoforms, after all—to help them blend into human society. Noah, however, did not help with that. He was a very curious passenger.
His soft hands —untouched by hard labor, judging by their smoothness—were everywhere they could reach: the seat, the glove compartment, even the window beside him.
"I never thought I’d be inside a real Porsche. Look at this beauty…"
Mirage stifled a sigh and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His real body remained connected to his holoform; his sensors never shut off, and right now he could feel those restless fingers playing over him.
"Oh yeah… good choice, huh? Won plenty of races with it," he cleared his throat to suppress the small growl he nearly let out when Noah brushed against the handbrake.
"It’s amazing… even cooler on the inside." Satisfied with his exploration, Noah ran his fingertips across the dashboard, right over the Autobot insignia, admiring it like a flashy decoration.
"We’re almost there, man. You can drop me off here."
Mirage lifted his gaze to the worn-down apartment buildings. Once he parked, it was easy to store the coordinates.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds, as if waiting for the other to make a move.
Come on. You’re a powerful Cybertronian warrior, an Autobot soldier. Saying goodbye shouldn’t be this hard. He reminded himself he’d already done what he set out to do—and that this wouldn’t happen again. Still, he couldn’t speak, as if his processor refused to let Noah go.
That human was his downfall.
Noah, far from being discouraged by the silence, touched his leg again—this time closer to his thigh—casually enough that Mirage hated how his engine revved in response. "Thanks for the ride, Raj… I’ll have to pay you back someday, huh?"
He smiled. Mirage almost wished he could take a picture to recreate those features later with his holograms. He quickly shoved the thought away.
"I didn’t say it earlier, but… you’ve got really pretty eyes. Brother to brother." He laughed. Mirage remained stunned. "Well… goodbye, man. It was good finally meeting you."
Noah’s hand lingered longer than socially acceptable. Mirage knew it, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. It felt warm against his eternally cold structure. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what it would feel like to kiss something so soft and warm as a human.
Like Noah, to be exact.
His gaze drifted down to those soft, rosy lips almost without permission. Noah must have noticed, because Mirage felt himself shift slightly in his direction, a subtle movement betrayed by the sensors in his seat.
"That didn’t sound very brotherly, honestly," He murmured. Mirage’s entire system overheated. They were so close their noses brushed, and he could feel Noah’s breath on him. Beneath them, his body emitted a low sound—something like a contented purr.
If this was going to be their last time together, maybe he could—
"Sonic… are you there?"
The sleepy voice of a child pulled them apart instantly. Noah looked like he might faint as he pulled a small device from his pocket. Mirage couldn’t quite identify it. A communicator? It seemed archaic, even by human standards.
"I’m here… sorry, Tails. I had to take care of something early. I’m on my way—wait for me."
He put the radio away with a sigh and opened the car door. As he stepped out, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and shrugged, giving Mirage one last look— accompanied by that easy smile he still hadn't gotten used to.
"Duty calls. But you know where to find me if you ever want to cash in that ride." then he walked toward the apartment complex and climbed the stairs to what Mirage assumed was his floor.
Several minutes passed before Mirage reacted.
He stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror—those bright blue eyes that had caught Noah’s attention. He smiled, holding his human form for just one second longer before his holoform glitched and disappeared completely. The Porsche sat empty, tinted windows intact as always.
He was tired.
But it had been worth it.