Archive of Our Own

Drift’s pede tapped as he sat on the bench. The breeze was cool as it brushed gently against his frame, the leaves on the trees rustling softly against his audials.

At the beginning of the cycle, Drift had sent Ratchet a comm in order to ask the medic to join him on an outing later that evening, once the medics shift had ended that was. Ratchet had happily agreed. 

It had been quite some time since their last outing together. The time that had filled that space had been far greater than Drift would have liked but knowing it would only be a few more joors until he saw his favorite medic again made it all the more worthwhile.

However as the klicks went by without any sight of the mech's familiar bulky, red and white frame and without any comm to notify Drift that he was on his way or running late, worry began to take hold.

Drift had decided then to send his own comms to Ratchet, three to be exact, hoping he would get some kind of a reply. He did not.

After a joor of nothing, anxiety flared within Drift. He knew nothing bad had happened to Ratchet, the medic could easily hold his own, but that didn't mean he still wouldn't worry. More often than not though, the medic had just gotten caught up in his work and lost track of the time. It was something Ratchet had done quite often.

With a soft sigh, Drift pushed off of the bench and stood up. The metal rings on his staff clinked together with the movement and without missing a step, he started to make his way towards Ratchet’s medibay.

____________________

When the door to the clinic opened, Drift took a deep invent as his optics scanned the small waiting room. When they landed on the secretary, sitting quietly behind their desk and looking at him in turn, they nodded towards the door to their left. Drift sighed again, a small smile playing on his lips as he made his way through the door and into the large room that was the medibay proper.

The main area was quite spacious with mediberths scattered around almost messily. Some had patients laying atop them while others were empty. To the sides of the large room were smaller rooms, walled off and separated from the main room with a door and window that could be closed by a curtain for privacy. There was however, one room at the very back that though similar, stuck out quite well. Perhaps it's because its window was usually always covered by the curtain, bright and red unlike the others that were a much softer blue and tended to be open even when a patient was within, more often than not anyways.

Seeing as he hadn’t spotted the medic in the medibay proper, that’s likely where the mech could be found. That room after all was Ratchet’s office, and it was the room that Drift made his way towards.

When the door opened and his optics landed on the familiar red and white frame, bent slightly over the desk, Drift laughed softly. Ratchet had probably thought it was the secretary coming to shoo him out and that’s why he paid the priest no mind.

“Had a feeling I’d find you here, doc.”

Ratchet’s helm slowly raised and not because he was tired, though Drift knew he was. No, it was likely because Ratchet had made the realization that he had indeed forgotten something very important.

“Slag, I missed our meeting time by,” He paused, more than likely to check his internal chronometer. “By a lot. It’s been over a joor. Why didn't you comm me?”

“I did.” Drift laughed softly as he made his way towards the medic. “Three times actually. You never replied.” Ratchet stayed seated, looking down at the stack of datapads that laid atop his desk as his servo came up to cover his face.

“Of course you did.” Ratchet’s voice was soft, laced with the same guilt that could now be felt in his field. Drift’s servo took to Ratchet’s pauldron, curling warmly around it. Ratchet leaned into the touch “I’m sorry kid. I-”

“It’s alright.” Drift’s field pulsed softly against Ratchet’s as he smiled. “I know how caught up you can become when work is involved. That’s why I’m here.”

Slowly, Ratchet’s gaze lifted to meet his own. The servo that had been covering the medics face shifted before coming to a rest atop his own, still neatly placed on the medics pauldron. Ratchet gave his servo a gentle squeeze and smiled up at the mech in return.

“We still have some time, if you’d like?” Their servos shifted together, digits curling at the edges of one another as they fell into the space between them. Ratchet finally stood.

“Are you sure? It’s going to start getting dark out soon.”

Drift smiled sweetly at him, bringing a heated blush to the medics face as he raised their servos, kissing the back of Ratchet rough knuckles.

“I am positive. You could use the fresh air, more so than you did when we first made these plans and I’d love nothing more than your company for as long as you will permit me, anyways.”

Ratchet’s gaze shifted back to the pile of datapads on his desk, uncertainty clouding his field. Drift’s servo gently squeezed Ratchet’s, pulling the medics attention back to him. Ratchet sighed and nodded, smiling softly at him.

____________________ 

They both sat down on the bench, still just as empty as it was when Drift left it to go and find Ratchet. The metal of their legs touched, as did their pauldrons when they leaned gently into one another.

Ratchet sighed and Drift hummed happily at their proximity.

The soft breeze that continued throughout caused the metal rings on Drift’s staff to gently tink as they swayed.

On the way to their chosen spot in the park, they had stopped by a street vendor and purchased a small container of round energon candies, filled with a sweet jelly. They were one of Drift’s favorites. Opening the box, Drift’s digits curled around one and he carefully raised it towards Ratchet whose helm was now resting soundly against his own.

“You know, those things are no good for you.” Ratchet’s words were gruff but in his field was a tinge of amusement as he ultimately opened his mouth and took the treat that had been offered to him.

“I know. Even if only because you won't let me forget.” Drift laughed, taking another hard candy between his digits before this time popping it into his own mouth.

As he bit down, the candy crunched between his dentae. It wasn’t too hard as to cause any issues for his dentae, but it also wasn't soft enough to melt instantly. It held nicely between the two and when the sweet jelly finally hit his glossa, busting out from the middle in a rush as the harder shell broke away, his frame shuddered softly and a sound of enjoyment left him. 

Ratchet laughed warmly and pressed a bit closer to him. Drift’s arm snarked behind the medics back and around his pauldron, tightening and pulling the medic closer.

“This is nice. I’ve missed it.” Ratchet rumbled.

“I have as well.” Drift said, sighing softly as he closed his optics. “You know, if you’d take more breaks at work, we might just be able to spend more time together.”

“Is that my incentive?” Ratchet asked, laughing once again. The sound, soft and yet no less deep reverberated throughout the priest's frame, warming him immensely as it did so. He loved Ratchet’s laugh.

“It can be if you want it to be, that is. I wouldn’t say no though, especially if it works to get you to take time for yourself once in a while. Besides, you know I’d love to have more time with you, sweetspark.”

Drift was smiling and even though his optics were still closed, he could tell Ratchet was smiling as well.

“I think it’s a pretty slagging good incentive. Might just have to give it a try and see what happens.”