Chapter Text
It had been a few cycles since the whole… Synth-en event… During those days.. Ratchet had been in the med-bay recovering, despite his grumbling about being on “bed rest”. Occasionally, the others would visit, whether that was to offer Ratchet energon or if they just wanted to keep him company.
Thankfully it made things somewhat less bland in the med-bay..
~
Today was like any other. Ratchet was laying in the medical berth with a data pad in his hand as he was going over it. He shifted, somewhat uncomfortable.. His damaged plating was starting to bother him again.
It was never much.. It just itched a little. Which annoyed him.. A lot.. However all he could do was ignore it.
Ratchet skimmed over the same line a few times before realizing, something he only did when he was clearly bored.
Much to his relief that boredom wouldn’t last much longer.
The sound of the med-bay doors opening with a soft whoosh, stirred Ratchet from his thoughts as he set the data pad down and turned to look at whoever came in..
Bumblebee stood there with Raf perched on his shoulder. Ratchet’s scowl from his earlier annoyance quickly melted.. He always did have a soft spot for the young scout and the strangely talented child.
“Heya Ratchet! Feeling any better?” Raf asked.
“I suppose..” Ratchet replied vaguely.
Bumblebee walked over and sat down on the ground in front of Ratchet’s berth. He let out a long beep.
“I’m fine Bee…” Ratchet said with a small huff.
Bumblebee gave him a questioning look, which Ratchet rolled his optics in response to.
“Has Optimus or the others gotten back yet?” Raf asked, shifting on Bumblebee’s shoulder with a thoughtful look.
“No. Have they really been gone that long?” Ratchet tilted his helm slightly.
“A few hours by now..” Raf responded. “Me and Bumblebee will go try to see if they will respond to their com-links..”
Ratchet simply waved them off as they left.. Instead, he just stared at the wall for a moment before deciding to get some rest.
~
The sound of the med-bay doors opening again, awoke Ratchet from recharge and he turned to meet Optimus’ gaze.. With a bit of a struggle, Ratchet lifted himself up so that he was sitting rather than lying down.
“Guessing you just got back?” Ratchet remarked.
Optimus’ smile was light. Something even Ratchet rarely got to see.
Yet whenever he did smile, it made Ratchet’s spark beat faster, a feeling he never quite got used to despite the fact they were Conjunxes..
“Don’t give me that look, you sap..” Ratchet grumbled half-heartedly.
“I do not know what you mean, my dearest Ratchet.” Optimus teased lightly.
Ratchet rolled his optics but clearly wasn’t actually upset with him.
“Yes you do.” Ratchet felt his faceplate get slightly warmer. They always did whenever Optimus called him that..
“Perhaps I do.. However I simply came to see how my beloved medic is doing..”
Ratchet grumbled quietly.. Optimus walked over and sat beside the medical berth and carefully took hold of Ratchet’s servos in his.
“I’m fine.. Just really restless..” Ratchet replied.
Optimus studied him for a moment.. Trying to see if he was lying.. However he only found the honest truth. Which pleased him.
“I see..”
Ratchet raised an optic ridge at him.
“Weren’t you restless when you were sick?”
Optimus frowned at that.
“Fair.. I was very restless. I suppose you have a point..”
Ratchet grinned. “Course I do.”
“Have you refueled today?” Optimus tilted his head, studying Ratchet for a moment before tracing a digit along the seams of Ratchet’s servo.
“Arcee and Jack brought me some earlier..”
Ratchet glanced down at his servo, turning it over to intertwine his digits with Optimus’
“For someone so composed.. You can be quite clingy..”
Optimus let out a small laugh at that.
“Perhaps..”
Ratchet gave him a deadpan stare. “Oh I know you are..”
Ratchet’s stare quickly turned into a grin.
“A clingy sap is what you are-”
Ratchet stiffened when Optimus pressed a light kiss to the side of his faceplate. Ratchet’s face turned a darker gray than the rest of his faceplate.
“See.. You're just proving my point..”
Ratchet huffed half-heartedly..