Rating: PG
Series: G1
Pairings: Soundwave/Ratchet
Summary: An unsettled patient in Ratchet’s clinic gets the best treatment and care Ratchet can provide.
Warnings: Brief mention of what would probably be termed mechpreg right near the end
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I’ve forgotten…
Authors Notes: Written for the
tf_rare_pairingprompt - Ravage/Ratchet - "ball of string" Dammit, I seem to have created another AU I want to play in. And yeah, I don’t know about the title either…
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.
Ratchet looked up as the mech entered his small clinic, trailed by a feline companion.
“Can I help you?” He asked politely, standing up to greet the larger mech.
“Ravage, unwell.” The mech answered, carefully lifting the feline up.
“All right then, follow me.” Ratchet led the mech through to his consulting room, waiting while the mech deposited Ravage on the berth. Ratchet reached out carefully to the small feline, well aware of what its teeth could do.
“Tell me a little about what’s been going on then…” He paused, realising he didn’t know the mech’s name.
“Soundwave.” The blue mech prompted, then started relating what had happened for him to be bringing Ravage into Ratchet’s clinic.
Ratchet ran a scan over Ravage while he was listening to Soundwave. The feline had tried to swipe him when he reached for him, so Ratchet was settling for passive scans at the moment.
“All right.” Ratchet nodded when Soundwave finished. “Looks like he’s got a minor infection. A quick infusion should kickstart his healing nanites and protocols.”
“Infusion.” Ratchet was sure that the masked and visored mech had paled at that.
“It’s quicker and less invasive than me plugging in and activating them myself.” He explained, letting a hand stray near Ravage and getting another swipe for it. “I don’t want to stress him out any more.”
“Agreed.” Soundwave nodded.
It was a mercifully quick job to get Ravage hooked up to an energon drip infused with magnesium to prompt his nanites into action.
“I’m afraid it will take a couple of hours.” Ratchet informed Soundwave. “You’re welcome to stay here, but you can come back later if you prefer.” Soundwave hesitated, looking torn between staying with Ravage or getting on with some of the things he needed to do.
“Go, he’ll be perfectly safe here.” Ratchet assured him with a confident smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was after Soundwave left that the problems started. Ravage, realising that Soundwave was no longer present started struggling and pulled out the drip. He wanted to go after Soundwave. Ratchet scooped him off the floor as he made his abortive escape.
“Oh no, I promised Soundwave that you would be safe here.” He chided the feline gently, carrying him back to the berth. “I know it doesn’t feel nice, but it’s better than the alternative.” Ratchet paused as Ravage growled at him.
“Yes, well I didn’t think you wanted me trawling around in your processor either. Now, just stay still and let the medicine do its work and you’ll feel better in no time.” Deftly reattaching the drip, Ratchet monitored the flow for a while before he had to see another patient.
When he returned to check on Ravage, he was dismayed to find that the feline had pulled the drip out again, even though he hadn’t moved from the berth. He realised why and how Ravage had pulled it out when the feline batted at the tube as Ratchet reattached it to a port.
“Ah ah, none of that now. This is a medical instrument, not a cat toy.” He scolded Ravage, but with a teasing tone in his voice. “Hmmmm…” He moved away from Ravage’s berth and rummaged through a drawer, coming back with a small ball of scrap cabling.
“And Wheeljack told me I should throw it away.” Ratchet murmured to himself, bending down so he was at optic level with Ravage.
“Now, if I give you this, will you play quietly and leave the drip alone?” He asked Ravage, holding the ball of cable out. Ravage’s optics lit up, and Ratchet couldn’t help but laugh.
“All right then, here you go.” He dropped the ball of cable on the berth, watching as Ravage grabbed hold of it with both front paws and proceeded to kick at it with his back paws.
“That’s one happy cat.” He smiled as he sat down at his desk to fill in a few reports.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was near the end of the day when Soundwave returned for Ravage. The feline was happily curled up on the berth, free from the drip, with his ball of cable tucked neatly under his paws.
“Ravage, no trouble?” Soundwave enquired. Ratchet shook his head.
“It’s been a delight to have him.” Ratchet smiled, getting up from his desk and leading the way to where Ravage was. The feline woke up as Soundwave entered the room, optics flashing as he stood up and stretched.
“Ravage.” Soundwave stepped forward, resting one hand on the top of Ravage’s head, and Ratchet swore that the feline purred.
“Thank you for taking care of him.” Soundwave thanked Ratchet, handing across a credit chit before scooping Ravage up in his arms. The feline protested when his ball of cable rolled across the berth. Soundwave stopped and stared, and Ratchet hurried to pick the ball up.
“Please, take it. It’s just scrap cable and he seemed to like it.” He held it out, smiling when Ravage whipped it out of his hands.
“You’re welcome.” Ratchet took a risk and patted Ravage on the head, pleased when the feline didn’t retaliate.
“Thank you.” Soundwave repeated and turned to leave. Ratchet followed him to the door before turning to complete yet more paperwork.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ratchet saw Soundwave and Ravage a few times in the months after that. However, the day Soundwave walked into his clinic without Ravage, Ratchet felt his spark skip a pulse.
“Ravage?” He asked, fearing the worst.
“Ravage, fine.” Ratchet sighed in relief at Soundwave’s answer.
“Then…” Ratchet trailed off, not exactly sure why Soundwave was there.
“Ratchet free after shift?”
“Yes, I don’t have anything planned.” Ratchet answered cautiously, beginning to see where this was heading.
“Accompany Soundwave to dinner?”
“All right.” Wheeljack was always telling him he needed to find someone, so why not take a chance with Soundwave. Even a relaxing evening would be good.
One evening led to another, and soon they were courting, Soundwave wanting to do things the traditional way. Ratchet didn’t mind; it was actually quite nice having someone take care of him. He knew there were times when he took his work home with him; memories of mechs he couldn’t help because of funds or lack of suitable treatments. Soundwave was there to reassure him that he was doing the best he could with the resources he had. And Ravage was there to slump across his lap strutlessly and provide wordless comfort.
As time passed, they got closer. It was Soundwave who first broached the subject of them moving in together. Ratchet readily agreed, looking forward to spending more time with Soundwave. And Ravage of course. As Ratchet was sleeping in the back room of his clinic, it was easier, initially, for him to move in with Soundwave and Ravage. Then they would start looking for a place that suited all three of them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I can’t believe we’re actually moving.” Ratchet said, looking at the sparse room. They’d packed up most of their belongings, and now it was just the larger items like furniture that needed moving.
“Move, required.” Soundwave stood behind Ratchet and wrapped his arms around the smaller mech, one hand coming to rest on Ratchet’s slightly distended stomach plating.
“Yeah, I know, more room.” Ratchet leant his head back against Soundwave’s shoulder, idly watching Ravage scrabble under the sofa.
“More room.” Soundwave agreed, before releasing Ratchet and moving the sofa so Ravage could get at. Ratchet laughed as Ravage batted a tattered ball of cable across the room.
Also, please remember I have an auction up
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