Opposites

Their first encounter was not, what the humans called, "love at first sight". No. In fact it was quite the opposite. Their optics had narrowed almost as immediately as Ironhide had stepped into the med bay. Ratchet had watched him with sharp optics and Ironhide just sat himself down, waiting to be addressed.

"Are you injured?" The medic had asked and Ironhide had smirked.

"No."

"Then why are you in my med bay?" The busy medic queried, servos preoccupied with a patient on the med bay's berth. Ironhide had shrugged his shoulders in a gesture that he didn't know; but of course he was lying. "Well?" Ratchet had hissed and Ironhide chuckled.

"Cool it, doc," he cooed in a soft voice, Ratchet flinching. "I've been sent here to help. Prime wants me to get together a group."

Ironhide, then, was telling the truth. Prime had insisted a group of trained, stable mechs and medics were to be on the battlefield at all necessary times during the upcoming war. He had taken Ratchet's name down and chosen the medic wisely. He really was a wonder with his servos.

But, unfortunately, not all of his army got along. Jazz, for example, perfectly social to the other soldiers, but Ironhide and Ratchet had spent their entire free time arguing on plans, words and just the general presence of one another.

Ratchet thought Ironhide was a stubborn, rude, and purely idiotic mech with the only thought of: 'shoot now, care later'.

Ironhide had thought Ratchet was a processor nosing glitch with no personal life whatsoever. He could have bonded to his med bay for all Ironhide cared. Ratchet had punched him for that remark, and Ironhide had pointed a cannon his way in retaliation.

Optimus didn't separate them. Much to every one's shock. He let his warriors fight it out, and watched their hands scrape and scratch at the other's armour before finally, finally, Ratchet dragged the other up and Ironhide pinned him against the nearest wall, panting and cursing against Ratchet's face plates.

Ratchet had been smiling the entire time and Ironhide had drawn himself back, storming into his personal quarters - Ratchet following on his tailpipe.

Optimus supposed, that with the noises echoing through the base, that the two had made use of their words, servos and bodies for everything but fighting each other.

From then on the medic had been very protective of his weapon specialist, and Ironhide had been protective of his medic. Each time Ironhide was injured, Ratchet would take personal care of him, making sure each of his dents were waxed out and his injuries were taken care of with no hesitation. If Ratchet was hurt, Ironhide would do as Ratchet guided him to, soothing the other and he would care for the medic whenever he lost a soldier.

Their first interface was awkward. Not because of their past, or their lack of gentle attitude, but the fact that every single Autobot was watching and listening in. They could practically feel it. Optics burning through the walls, and finally Ratchet had just pushed the weapon specialist on the med bay berth and pulled at his armour.

Their first spark merge was less awkward, their were a few questions exchanged - "Are you sure you want to do this, Ratch? It's a permanant kinda thing.. you have to live with me forever." "How observant of you, thank you, 'Hide. I'm sure." - and finally Ironhide's chest plates shyly slid open for the medic to take his spark into his own, swapping lives, information, secrets and love. Bonded for eternity. A spark for a spark.

So in all fairness, it didn't have to begin with "love at first site" for Ratchet to know his spark was intended for the other, willingly or not, he would go with what his spark told him to. The good thing was, he was thankful his spark led him to Ironhide; the others would be just too boring for him.

review please?