Work Text:
Much to your displeasure, the gloomy weather outside looked as though it wasn’t going to let up anytime soon.
You enjoyed the arid conditions of Jasper, Nevada for the express reasons of the ease of your mobility. While you would always have your uncomfortable moments, you at least took comfort in the fact that they were lesser now that you lived in such a warm, dry environment.
That was, until it began to rain.
And it kept on raining.
And it persisted for almost a week now.
The humidity caused a constant ache within you, spreading all over your body. At first you thought you could tolerate it— power through until the weather started to clear and you could feel more like yourself again. But days passed, and the throbbing pain only got worse.
You sat carefully upon the couch within the Autobot base, trying to find any position that would at least somewhat alleviate your discomfort— unsuccessfully, might you add. The kids were all out at school and the Autobots were out on their rounds scouting for energon, so there was little you could find entertainment in in no one’s company.
Well, except for Ratchet, of course.
You had opted to stay behind on most Autobot missions, so you had grown fond of the grumpy old bot. While there were some days that you felt he wanted nothing to do with you— or any of the humans, for that matter— you could tell from his soft eyes and stifled smile the very next moment he laid his optics on you that he never really meant any harm from his outbursts. He had seen plenty of pain in his life, and you knew more than anyone that sometimes you can let your pain get the better of you.
Thus why you sit quietly up on the couch upon the catwalk, sucking air in through your teeth as you shift in your seat— trying to get into a more comfortable position but immediately regretting the decision. You can hear the soft sound of Ratchet shift in his spot before the main computer module as well, and as you raise your head to see if he was looking at you, you inadvertently end up instantly locking eyes with him.
Nervously, you chuckle and turn your gaze away. “Oops,” you mumble, hoping the medic brushes it off as easily as you were trying to in that moment.
However, the doctor is not so easily swayed. “Is something the matter?” His aged voice echoes throughout the otherwise silent base.
“Hm? Oh, nothing, Ratchet,” you did your best to act as nonchalantly as possible. “We just looked at each other at the same— ack—“ you cut yourself off as another stinging pain decides to run through you— aimed at your leg, this time. Near instantly, you can hear the sound of heavy footsteps make their way closer towards you, only further evidenced by the little quakes in the earth that quickly fall in time with them. You look up from the offending pained spot to lock eyes with Ratchet once more— faceplate right up against the balcony with optical ridges furrowed in concern.
“Is it happening again?”
The Autobots were indeed aware of your condition— varying levels of their understanding of it aside. It would’ve been unfair to them to not explain it to them. But as the medic of the group, Ratchet always seemed to pay closer attention than most whenever you expressed your discomfort. You always tried to brush it off, you knew they had much bigger things to worry about than a simple human condition, why did you have to impose upon them trivial issues like that? But Ratchet always paid close attention, and soon came to learn more about your condition than anyone on the base.
First, you opened your mouth to argue. But under the gentle blue light of his optics— optics which gazed down at you with a softness you never thought you would see from the mech— you slowly closed your mouth and slumped in your seat in defeat. “…yeah,” was all you could muster up to say.
Darkness casts itself over you for just a moment, and you barely have time to process your quickly changing surroundings as you’re lifted from your seat. Ratchet had reached over the yellow railings of the catwalk and scooped you up into a hand, pulling you closer towards him. “You should have told me sooner. I can’t believe you were in such pain for so long without saying anything about it.” His tone almost sounded like he was scolding you, but in your experience in speaking with him, you know that slight frustration was just his way of showing he truly cared.
You chuckle lightly to yourself, leaning into the well-formed crooks of his palm. Natural warmth emitted itself from the metal beneath you, and already you could feel your joints alleviating themselves from their previously tight, icky feeling. “Sorry,” You shrug, and Ratchet only offers a scoff. Slowly, you’re pulled further into his frame, and you have no choice but to spread your arms wide against the mech’s chassis. Warmth surrounds you at all sides, and you melt into this unorthodox embrace. His idly running engine rumbles against you in the best way.
“You’re sure this is okay?” You ask, “I know you’re busy. I don’t want to get in the way while you work…”
“I have two servos for a reason,” Ratchet’s voice grumbles above you as he starts back towards his work station. “And no team member will ever be below top working condition, as long as I have anything to say about it.”