another night at General Medbay
It's been a good couple of days at the Autobot medbay. For a certain definition of good, anyway. Starscream was gone, Ratchet wasn't bonded to him anymore and their lives were beginning to look like they could get back to something normal. The sun was bright outside, there were bids chirping brightly, Lockdown was getting better and she knew
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I might be able to manage a nap... naps are pretty short, and almost non-existent if our world's Ratchet is any example, you know he's claimed to be napping while standing up and doing repairs once before? Ironhide didn't really buy it, and I wouldn't blame him, but since he only had the one leg he couldn't wrestle Ratchet onto a berth like he kept threatening to do, though he kept saying he'd call Trailbreaker to do it but I think 'Breaker is a little too shy to do that. Ironhide could get away with it since they'd known each other a long time but I don't think Trailbreaker would quite know what to do with himself if he was bolting Ratchet down to a berth - might feel kind of weird about it, right?
*A small chuckle works free at the thought of great big Trailbreaker impossibly flustered by pinning the medic down in a somewhat... suggestive manner, with Ironhide overseeing. His attention is drawn away by the door locking behind them, wondering briefly, and aloud, if that was to keep people out or to keep Ratchet in.*
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Hearing noise in the room, he comes out of recharge and catches the end of Bluestreak's statement. He grumbles tiredly from the berth where he lay.
Ain't no one bolting me down to no berth. If you try, I'll reformat you into a hair dryer and give you to Sari for her birthday.
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He pauses. Him Bluestreak am here. He am going to stay with us for while. You Ratchet mind if him sleep in here tonight?
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*Meeps at the threat, as tired as it was, and ducks behind the bigger mech to shield himself from the medic's notice*
I didn't say anything about doing it to you, Ratchet, I was saying that the Ratchet from our world, mine and Swoop's, Ironhide sometimes threatens to bolt him down, and... and... he only does it 'cause he cares about him, but you seem pretty comfortable, there's really no reason to bolt you down anyway... aheheh... *trails off nervously*
I can just... I can stay somewhere else if I'm going to bother you, I don't want to keep you awake at all so I can just... I should go.
*Courage failing him, he turns for the door.... only to remember it's locked when it doesn't open. Aha. It's a chicken-trap.*
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Processor finally booting up, he recognizes Swoop and Bluestreak. Grimacing, he turns to Swoop.
I feel like warmed over slag. What did you expect? I ain't frolicking through a field of flowers over here.
He turns to Bluestreak, expression softening and smiling a little.
Sure, kid. You can stay with me. It's no bother. Although, I'm not the best of company at the moment.
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Me have to check on him Lockdown and her Slipstream now. Lockdown am doing fine and her Slipstream not changed. Me can take care of it.
Without any other words, Swoop breezes out of the room via the back door, which he also locks. Ratchet needed rest right now, not fretting about patients he couldn't do anything for. It would be much better for him and Bluestreak to talk for a while.
He does take a moment to send a data burst over the comm links to Bluestreak containing the lock codes for the doors, though. It wouldn't be fair to keep the sniper locked in with Ratchet all the time after all. And they would have to let the medic out within the next day or two anyway.
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*He stores the codes away in his memory, or hopes he stores them away, his files have been a getting little glitchy and fragmented the longer he goes without recharge. Trying to be quiet, he paces across to the medic's berth, leaning down to offer a ginger hug to the medic, nuzzling against his cheek*
Hey Ratchet... Are you okay...? Swoop told me what happened...
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He waves an arm weakly.
Eh, I'll be fine, kid. It's just gonna take me a while. Kinda feel like I've been ran through a compactor.
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Doesn't sound very fun...
*Releasing his loose hold on the mech, he plunks himself onto the berth next to his, sighing as he tucks his legs up and tries to make himself comfortable on his side, watching the medic closely.*
Do you need anything? Are you hungry? I can get you a cube or two - or Swoop gave me this wafer thing, I'm not sure what it is but he was eating them so I guess it's a snack, kind of like a cookie, maybe, but less like a goodie, though an Energon goodie might be okay, would you want a goodie, Ratchet? I could probably find one for you...
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He shakes his helm, not really feeling up to consuming anything. His energy levels were still at about 70% so he wasn't worried about running out anytime soon. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to consume anything even with his energy levels at 20%.
No thanks. I don't feel much like refueling. Don't feel much like doing anything right now...
Sighing, he curls up as much as he can on his berth without hurting himself too much. The parts that weren't still in pain felt empty and incomplete. He wondered idly to himself if he'd ever feel whole again.
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*He frowns a little at the medic's obvious distress, and hops off the berth just to push it over until it touched the berth Ratchet was on before climbing up again. Tugging gently, he tries to coax the medic into a hug, nestling up against his side with a small purr*
Sometimes it helps to have someone near... I know it helps me sleep, and puts my spark at ease... maybe it'll help you feel better, if only a little...?
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He allows the other mech to pull him into a hug, resisting only for a moment. After so long of holding everything in, the dam breaks and he clings to the grey mech. Optical fluid flows down his faceplates and he sobs, burying his helm against the Datsun's chestplates.
I... I don't know if I can do this. I feel like part of me is dead. I-I'll never be whole again.
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*Drawing the mech snugly into his arms, he tucks the white helm beneath his chin, petting soothingly down his neck and back. He croons, winding a leg loosely around Ratchet's calves, tucking the medic as snugly against his frame as he can and letting him cry.*
As I understand it, and as I've seen, Ratchets are tough ole fraggers. *He strokes gently over his helm, nuzzling the top with his cheek* They're a little grumpy, and set in their ways at times, and far, far too stubborn to let a Starscream be their undoing. From what I've seen, Ratchets would stay alive, and thrive, just to spite the ugly old jet...
But Ratchets also have lots of friends that he can call on whenever he needs them... friends that will try their best to make him whole again, or as close as possible... friends that would willingly give up their own sparks if it would make their Ratchet better and happy again... because their sparks are as good as dead if their Ratchet has to cry...
*He eases a hand beneath the medic's chin and tilts his face upward, gently stroking the tears away with his thumb*
It helps to cry... to purge the spark of the sadness and stress... but no one ever wants to make their Ratchet cry... Not ever... Because we love our Ratchets...
*Presses a small kiss to the end of his nose*
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He's slightly flabbergasted at the grey mech's words. Surely not all the mechs that shared his designation were the same. The tears continued to flow from his optics as he thought of all the stupid decisions he had made in the past... especially recently.
He is startled out of his thoughts when Bluestreak kisses his nose, his faceplates heating up and optics cutting to the side at the affectionate gesture.
I-I'm sure none of the other mechs that share my designation have made stupid choices like I did. You're w-wrong about it being him that is causing my undoing... It's me. I'm the cause of my own grief. I should be dead, but I'm still here and it feels wrong.
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Ratchet, if you knew, or I could remember, half of the things that my Ratchet, plus my Wheeljack, have done in their days that they've told me about under the influence of high-grade... If you want to talk about stupid choices, an exploding engineer is the one to talk to, right...?
*He sighs and cranes his neck slightly to catch the medic's gaze again, bumping their chevrons together*
I was always told that a bond is only created out of love. You didn't love Starscream... and I seriously doubt he loved you... but there's so many people that do love you, Ratchet... Love you like a brother, like a father, like... like...
*Sighing, he kisses his forehead, trails his lips down a red cheek guard to kiss his chin, nuzzling softly at the plating around his mouth. Affirmation of love... of worth... they could both use that right now... Ratchet moreso than he...*
You're important, Ratchet... to so many people... It'll get better... I promise... One day you'll be whole again...
*He ghosts a kiss over the gray lips before tilting his chin up, leaning down to kiss the medic's neck and throat*
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He almost scoffs when the other mech starts speaking of bonds and love.
No, I didn't love him. Nor did he love me. He seduced me and used me. The bond was an unexpected and unwanted side effect of my stupidity for letting him take advantage of me.
He makes a small confused noise as the grey mech kisses his plating again, his vents hitching.
B-Bluestreak? What are you d-doing?
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