TF: Never a Peaceful Holiday
Rating: PG-13
Series: G1
Characters: Ratchet, Wheeljack, Jazz
Warnings: None
Summary: No holidays are peaceful. Especially the ones in the middle of a war.
Other Notes: Written for competition_fun’s Falling Snow December Challenge , where this story came a resounding last.
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.
Rumors were flying around the base, each more ludicrous than the first. Ratchet heard the first one and laughed. By the time he heard the latest rumor, he was sick of it.
“Can’t you mechs do anything aside from gossip?”
“It’s true though, Ratch’.” Jazz shifted on the berth, wanting nothing more than the routine check up to be over and done with.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Ratchet grumbled.
“I’m serious. There’s talk of a ceasefire.”
“It won’t last. Nothing lasts in this fragging war.” The war had hardly been going for a year, yet Ratchet was already tired of it. Tired of the injuries, tired of mechs deactivating under his hands. The rumor of a ceasefire for the end of vorn celebration was something he didn’t believe would happen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“It’s official!” Jazz couldn’t help the exuberant yell he let out as he heard the news. “We’re gonna have a party!” He grabbed hold of a mech that passed him, whirling him around in a strange dance before letting him go.
“Tol’ ya it was going ta happen!”
“We have a ceasefire?”
“Fer the end of vorn celebration, yeah.”
“Huh.” That surprised Ratchet. He hadn’t expected the Decepticons to agree to a ceasefire for any length of time. But, he supposed, even Decepticons wanted to celebrate the end of the vorn.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The base had been transformed in a matter of hours; decorations strung up and mechs happily talking to one another. Ratchet could hear laughter echoing down the corridor and he marvelled at it; he hadn’t heard laughter, true laughter, since the war began.
“Looking forward to it, Ratch’?” Wheeljack slapped him on the back, grinning beneath his mask.
“You know, I think I might be…”
“Jazz asked if I could rig up some fireworks, you know like we used to have?” Ratchet nodded slowly, suddenly not entirely sure he was looking forward to the celebration after all.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“How is it that we’re in a ceasefire and I’m still fixing mechs?”
“Because you’re just that good?” Wheeljack hazarded, wincing as Ratchet slapped his tools down and glared at him.
“I’m repairing mechs because someone decided that it would be a good idea to make colorful explosives.”
“Weren’t they beautiful…” Wheeljack murmured happily.
“Beautiful? They were dangerous! Do you know how many mechs I have waiting for repairs because of your ‘beautiful’ fireworks?” Wheeljack wisely didn’t say anything.
“Five mechs. Five. With a ceasefire on, I should have a chance to rest and relax, but no, I’m here fixing mechs who stood close to colorful explosions!”
“You saw them then?” Wheeljack’s optics brightened. “Weren’t they…”
“Yes, yes, they were beautiful. They were also dangerous and potentially worse than a Decepticon!”
“Oooh, now that’s an idea…”
“Wheeljack…” There was definitely a warning tone in Ratchet’s voice, backed up by the way he pointed his wrench at Wheeljack.
“I wasn’t…”
“Yes you were.”
“But…”
“No.”
“…”
“Not even then.” Ratchet shook his head, leaning down to finish his repairs on Wheeljack.
“All right, you’re done. And you can help me fix up the rest of the mechs you inadvertently damaged.”
“Happy end of vorn, Ratch’.” Wheeljack groaned as he sat up. Ratchet snorted.
“Only you, Wheeljack, only you.” Still, he smiled. “Happy end of vorn, Wheeljack.”