Work Text:
Rung vented air through his systems, feeling the pressure of work begin to mount up. He had just finished his seventy-third therapy session in as many hours. Just thinking about all the reports he would have to write from the notes he had taken was hurting his processor. Still, this was the work that he was destined for, and he was determined to keep up.
When he had joined the Lost Light, Rung had to force people to come and see him if he felt that they were suffering mentally. Now, there were queues out the door. He wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the trust he had earned but he sometimes wondered how long he could last as the only therapist without cracking.
Rung took off his glasses to rub his tired optics only to be interrupted by a quiet knock on the door. Instead of waiting for him to invite you in, you opened the door and came in anyway, smiling sweetly.
“Hey handsome,” You greeted, making him blush.
“(Y/N)!” Rung said, somewhat flustered. “Did we have a meeting today?”
“A meeting?” You repeated, smirking at how professional he still sounded when talking to you, even though the two of you had been dating for over three months now. “No, I just heard about how many impromptu therapy sessions you’d gotten yourself into and wanted to check that you were doing okay. How are you feeling?”
Rung wanted to answer that he was fine and that he still had plenty of work to do but lying didn’t seem like a healthy way to maintain your relationship. “Honestly? I think it is going to be a long night with all the paperwork I have to do. You shouldn’t wait up for me, my dear. I’m afraid this is going to take a few cycles.”
He put his glasses on as if resigning himself to work and opened his desk draw to retrieve a data-pad.
“Hey,” You said calmly, “I’m no Cybertronian, so I can’t say for sure, but don’t you think you might be overworking yourself, just a bit? Don’t you think you need a little break to reset? A little R&R could do you some good.”
“Don’t worry about me Darling, I’m sure I can manage,” Rung replied with a tired smile.
“I know you and I do worry. I know you say you’ll be fine, but you won’t stop working till you’re finished and by then a hundred more bots will be knocking on your door for an appointment, and you won’t have the heart to turn them away. Come home with me, at least for a little while. Work will still be here when you get back.”
Rung looked longingly at you standing in the doorway, feeling guilty about the possibility of leaving either you alone or his work unfinished. He would have stayed to complete his work as you had said if it hadn’t been for you coming over and holding his hand, kissing the back of it gently.
“Please.”
“Well... I suppose a little break wouldn’t hurt,” Rung said somewhat reluctantly, before walking hand in hand with you to your hab-suite. He supposed eventually, the two of you might move in together, but the matter hadn’t been discussed yet.
In your tiny hab-suite, Rung found it more comfortable to use his holoform. He allowed you to lead him over to the sofa where he sat down trying to relax. Sensing his tension brought on by the thought of his work, you considered what might make him feel more comfortable. Picking up your book from the table, you sat next to Rung and began reading aloud, hoping that the literature from your planet might soothe him.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
Slowly, as you read on, Rung let himself relax, listening to your soothing voice and the tale it told. It was no secret that Rung had always dreamed of having a relationship with one who might value literature as much as he did and wish to share it, but up until now, he did not know that Earth held such beautiful words; he had been under the impression that Earth only created those comic books that seemed so popular among the crew.
Before he knew it, Rung was enchanted by the story of Pride and Prejudice. He lay against your side with your arm wrapped comfortably around his neck while you read on. Very soon, you were several chapters in and Rung had temporarily forgotten all his worries.
It was a relief that you had found a way to soothe him, as he had started making rather awful buzzing sounds when he was overworked, like a computer that was about to crash. You weren’t entirely sure whether he knew it was happening, but now that he was resting, you hadn’t heard anything out of the ordinary. You hoped that if you got further into the book, Rung might fall into recharge; by the dark circles under his eyes, he looked like he needed it. At least you had gotten him away from work; for now, that was enough.