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Ratchet couldn't remember the last time he took a break. His spark thrummed with exhaustion and his processor was overheating with more information it could take. The medic did not rest, medics didn't rest, they kept going for others. Who knows when something would happen if he rested, if he powered down for even a nano click. Someone could get hurt, and he would not be there. He wouldn't be able to help them. No. He had to stay awake, even as his optics burned and his movements became lethargic.
The night was quiet at the base, the kids had gone home hours ago and the four other mech’s were recharging soundly after a day of activities. Saturday was a day that everybody liked, the kids didn't have to spend most of their hours at school (or ‘prison’ as miko calls it). Which means that they get to hang around the base for most of the day, much to Arcee, bulkhead and bumblebee’s joy.
Ratchet cursed as he dropped yet another tablet from where he was organising them, ignoring the way that his servo’s shook as he picked it back up again and placed it next to the others.
“Ratchet”
The medic flinched harshly at hearing optimus’ voice, finding the edge of his workspace table to steady him as he turned around to see the other mech. He was leaning against the doorframe, one servo placed on the side, his digits wrapped around the edge of the doorframe.
“Optimus, don't you know it's rude to sneak up on other mech” The medic snapped, placing a hand over his rapidly whirling spark, willing it to slow down after the late night fright. Optimus however, not concerned with what was polite or rude, hummed thoughtfully.
“What are you doing up so late?” The silence that carried throughout the air engulfed the medic and he found himself quickly responding with “working”. Before turning back to what he was doing before. What was he doing before? Something to do with the tablets, was he cleaning them? Yeah, better to have clean tablets than dirty ones.
“Ratchet, old friend, when was the last time you went to recharge?” Optimus’ steps echoed loudly round the makeshift office, making Ratchet tense as he felt a servo rest upon his shoulder.
“That is not important right now” Ratchet tried to shake off the servo, trying to continue on with his task at hand. What was the task again? Something to do with- well anyway it was something.
“Ratchet” the medic ignored him, instead going off to shuffle through the vials that survived the crash. “Ratchet you need to recharge” Optimus tried again, moving over to where Ratchet stood. Moving to the right of him and gently placing his servo on top of the medics and forcing him to put down the vial that he held.
“Optimus” ratchet snapped and he could hear the low, cut off grumble that erupted from his friend.
“I do not need to rest, I need to work” he turned away for the second time that night “I simply have too much to do, so if you will please, leave me alone.” Now, what was he doing again? His processor glitched and he found himself having a hard time remembering what he was doing before. Something to do with work, yes, he was sure that it was something to do with work.
A high pitched whine interrupted his thought process and he was pulled back to memories of cybertron.
“Ratchet, put me down! He deserved what I did to him, that piece of scrap metal-“
Ratchet sighed tiredly as he held Orion by the scruff of his metal. The fidgety mech had fought violently all the way up to the top of the archive tower. Originally, Ratchet had called Alpha Trion but the mech had been too preoccupied with a more important matter, Ratchet couldn’t remember the details.
Orion had found one of the non frequencies of the archives hovering around Ratchet. The mech had ignored it for a while, engaging in polite conversation before the other got a little too comfortable with the medic. The mech had barely moved his servos’ up Ratchet's arm before Orion had attacked.
This wasn’t the first time a similar incident like this had happened and Ratchet had quickly learnt what to do. The other mech however was not so forgiving, screaming insults and verbal assaults all the way until he climbed the staircase to exit the archives.
Ratchet had kept a servo on Orion throughout the whole incident, feeling the vibrations of his growls shake his smaller frame. His pupils slit and his denta bared in a warning.
“You cannot just attack anyone who isn’t friendly, Orion, it’s wrong!” Ratchet had placed Orion in his office, the mech grumbling under his breath as he paced the room.
Ratchet had stared after him for a while before collapsing in his chair with an exhausted groan.
Orion paused in his pacing to look over at the older mech, his optical ridges pulling together to form a frown.
“You’re tired, recharge”
Ratchet looked over at the younger mech, raising an optical ridge in retaliation “you’re not looking so great yourself”.
Despite the condescending tone, it was true. It had been a few months since Orion had come to mingle with the other autobots down in the archives and it had taken a toll on the young mech. Growing up in the wilds had kept his active base coding running inside his processor and he found it hard enough to speak the advanced cybertronian language, let alone interact with others.
Orion had run himself ragged these past weeks, absorbing every tablet he could read and decipher, trying to learn new information and how the world he once knew nothing about, works.
The mech growled defensively “I’m fine!”
Ratchet hummed smugly “then I guess I’m fine too” he smiled.
He could tell Orion was staring at him, even with his optics shut and he smiled softly. Knowing Orion’s emotions through his fluctuating EMfeild was a comforting feeling and Ratchet wondered why not all autobots communicated through their EMfeilds instead of keeping them close to themselves.
Small tentative steps echoed round the office and Ratchet found himself opening up his optic to a small chirrup to his left. Ratchet looked up to see Orion, his servos by his side, his optics reflective.
The medic hummed knowingly and crossed his arms with a clang.
“I thought you said you were fine”
What he did not expect was the long, tired whine that followed. Almost similar to a sound a young sparkling made. It made Ratchet stop and with careful consideration (that wasn’t much) he opened his servos and the other mech climbed over the side of the chair with a happy chirp.
Although being almost the same age, Orion’s time in the wilds made him malnourished and small. Bearing a thinner frame and sharper joints. It did however make for situations such as this. Being someone Orion trusts enough to let them protect him whilst he was recharging was an honour Ratchet was quick to earn.
Ratchet smiled as Orion rested his helm on Ratchet's chest plate. A shuddering exhale of vents and a small chirp from the smaller mech made Ratchet smile tiredly. The comfort of Orion underneath his servos calmed the medic. It would be alright if he rested for a while wouldn’t it? Yes, he agreed, it would be alright.
Ratchet blinked as suddenly the walls of his office back on cybertron moulded into his makeshift one on earth, a rattling helm moved over his shoulder and Ratchet felt himself leaning back into the larger mech.
“Ratchet, you need to recharge or else you’ll run yourself ragged” Optimus’ frame was warm against Ratchet’s own and the medic felt himself relax slightly against the other.
“But-but what about-“ and Ratchet suppressed a shiver as he felt Optimus purr gently against him, a soothing wave emitting from his EMfeild.
“Everyone’s safe and sound, nobody’s going to get hurt over a few hours of recharge” the medic felt strong, firm hands wrap around his own.
“Please Ratchet, I heavily dislike it when you do not take care of yourself” Optimus’ voice was deep, it cut through his audial like a knife and Ratchet found himself humming.
“Yes, yes alright I’ll recharge'' Ratchet had half a mind to push Optimus off, to ignore the nagging feeling in his spark, to accept the comfort he receives from others. Instead he finds himself leaning backward toward Optimus, the acceptance of his state only bring a fresh wave of reminders across his processor about how former his last recharge was.
“Come on then” Optimus urged and Ratchet felt himself being pulled along through the base by strong servos’. His processor not taking much in besides the warm plating in front of him and the kind words whispered in his audial.
The medic was quietly lead where Optimus was taking him. Having been placed on a recharge slab that was not his own he quietly looked around. The room was bigger than his, but not by much, a few swords were placed by the recharge slab and he found himself distantly connecting them to Optimus when he was pulled down by a large servo.
He was warm, much warmer than Ratchet and his engine let out a deep rumbling purr that settled something in the medic that he didn’t know was there.
Ratchet found himself leaning closer to Optimus, the stress leaving his body as another wave of calm washed over him through Optimus’ EMfeild. Ratchet was grateful that he had Optimus there for him, otherwise he would have collapsed from primus knows what a long time ago.
It was the one of few times in Ratchets life where he thought, yes, it is okay to rest.