Not All Work
By Snare-chan
Pairings: Optimus Primal/Rhinox
Ratings: K+
Category(ies): Romance
Warning(s): None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: (Beast Wars Verse) Rhinox's job is never done.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beast Wars; wish I did like everybody else. They should put BW in stock, then I'd buy it all!
Rhinox's fingers expertly tapped a steady rhythm on worn-out keys, each digit long accustomed to bending, pressing, and inputting a vast amount of data at a furious pace. Their larger-than-usual thickness didn't hinder his progress, nor did they exhibit any sort of exertion in their duty, scrambling to produce the desired results that were so often required of him.
He was accustomed to little sleep, high demands, and being out of time. It showed in how he rarely paused and had outlasted the most determined and dedicated of the crew, made known by how he was the sole member to inhabit the dimly-lit room.
All except one other, it turned out, who traveled in when the majority had retired a good while ago, the night having trickled past to mid-morning. He had adapted to the near silence; the clicking, beeping, and humming of computers had been his only company in the absence of his crewmates. So when Optimas Primal entered, Rhinox was quick to take notice. He slowed down in his work, but didn't cease entirely – hands still diligently at work even as he inclined his head enough to offer an acknowledging nod. His commander returned the greeting, not looking necessarily surprised at his presence at this hour, but curious.
"Rhinox, what are you still doing here, and where's Rattrap? I thought I'd assigned him to take over your watch by now."
"You did," he confirmed, "but I sent him away. I have a lot of projects left to finish and I planned on being up past his shift, so there was no use in having us both lose sleep."
The absence of one trash-collecting spy indicated that Rattrap hadn't put up much of a fight on the subject and had returned to his quarters.
A couple of haphazard projects had been set aside in various states of completion. Most only Rhinox would recognize in their beginning states, though the ship's captain could pick out a few of the more crucial upgrades and repairs for the ship. All of them looked equally complicated and time-consuming. Rhinox wasn't asked how long he'd toiled by that point; knowing Optimus Primal, he already had an educated guess on the matter.
The other approached him, inquiring instead, "What are you working on now?"
"A base program for dictating server maintenance. Nothing too crucial, and it won't completely eliminate the need to manually sustain it, but it should increase our vessel's productivity by a whopping 10 percent, assuming I can manage to get it to do any daily tasks without our involvement," he explained as simply as he could, without stalling in his work.
That was, until his friend's right hand came to rest on top of one of his. It was surprisingly gentle, its presence narrowly felt, but it caused him to falter in his typing nonetheless. Both hands wavered for a drawn-out moment before stopping on the keys.
"Good, it sounds like a venture that can wait until later today, after you've had a break. I'd say you've earned it."
Rhinox shook his head once, recovering, then faced the other with an amused smile. "I work faster in solitude."
Optimus Primal understood what that meant, though the technician would never actually come out and say it. While Rhinox was fond of his comrades, they could get…rambunctious, especially when in one another's company. Whether it was a verbal fight or shouts of excitement, the noise could get distracting, and when matters escalated beyond words towards actions instead, intervention was sometimes in order, further slowing down any advancement in what needed to get done. Meaning, a lot was usually said and very little got completed.
Conceding to Rhinox's statement, he tried a different approach. "Now would be the best time to rest; I'll personally go and retrieve you if that makes you feel more comfortable."
He considered the suggestion, but looked unconvinced, so Optimus Primal tried to cinch the deal with, "Cheetor has been restless lately. I'm sure he'd enjoy doing some surveillance, and the others will more than likely find themselves with scouting duty soon."
Knowing he couldn't ask for a better opportunity, Rhinox sighed and nodded in acceptance of the other's proposal. He let slip a smile that belied the fact that he wasn't as despondent as he tried to appear – he really did need some sleep and he appreciated the other's thoughtfulness. His commander worried too much about all of them, so one less concern would probably do his leader good in return.
"Alright. I'd like that."
Optimus Primal's hand lingered longer than needed, and then wordlessly he took a step back to allow him to rise from his post to take his place at the controls. As they switched places, Rhinox couldn't help making something clear.
"I'm holding you to your word, you realize."
The other chuckled and began to settle in for the several cycles of work ahead of him, logging in and acquiring his personal settings as he said, "I won't forget. I promise."
At the doorway, Rhinox placed a hand against its frame and, at the last minute, threw over his shoulder, "You'd better." From him, the rumble that accompanied the tone was as good as any purr, and it was Optimus Primal's chance to be visibly off guard.
"As soon as it's quiet around here – my quarters, and no later."
He caught his friend glancing at the clock; four hours, twenty-six minutes, thirty seconds and counting. It would seem that, even when no one else was around, a lot didn't get done, either.
-Fin-