This was a fic that bit me and refused to leave. See what goes on in my deranged mind.
Red Alert stared at the screens, not paying any attention to the random images. He should be, but tonight his mind was filled with other images. Such as a certain fire truck for one.
The paranoid security director groaned as he banged his head on the table. He had been in love with the easy, laid-back mech since he had first set eyes on him, but had refused to allow it to interfere with his daily job. He had to be literally dragged out of the security booth in order to get any Energon or recharge. And Inferno always seemed to be the one doing the dragging.
Unfortunately, even though Inferno could tell whether a fire was about to begin, or even catch some rather subtle things, he seemed to miss any hints about Red Alert liking him. So busy working, the security director never knew when he slipped into recharge mode.
Inferno glared at the door, ready to pull Red Alert out by his tail pipe if needed. Grimly he tapped in a code, and blinked in surprise as the door slid open.
Red Alert always locked it when he either a) didn't wish to be disturbed, or b) didn't trust anyone to keep it up. Inferno strode in, squinting for a sight of the Security director.
When he finally did find him, Inferno had to grin. Red Alert lay half on the desk, his face smoothed out, open, and oh so trusting in his recharge. Inferno stared, feeling guilty pleasure well up. After all, Red Alert would not appreciate his staring but he was just so cute when he was sleeping.
Red Alert murmured something softly, and shifted position. Inferno realized that sleeping in a chair was probably not the most comfortable place. Still, If he managed to keep the director sleepy enough to guide him down to a proper bedroom, and into a real recharge bunk… "Red Alert, wake up!"
The other bot mumbled a sleepy protest, arms covering his audio receptors. Inferno shook his head. He didn't think that Red Alert would be this hard to wake up. "C'mon Red, you need to get to your recharge booth."
As Inferno talked, he placed a hand on Red Alert's shoulder. The mech shot up strait in his chair, yelping in surprise. Inferno couldn't help backing up a few steps at the unexpected reaction. While he knew that he was one of the few that Red Alert allowed to be touched by, he didn't realize how bad Red Alert had to strangle down natural reactions to being touched by. "I'm up! I'm up! Sorry!" Red Alert snapped, and blinked. "Oh, Inferno. What are you doing here?"
"I was going to drag you off to force you to recharge, but it looks like you were already doing the job." Inferno lied, skating around the fact that he had watched Red Alert recharge for the past few minutes. No need for the paranoid security director to know. "Now, why don't you finish that in your proper berth!"
Red Alert stared at him blankly for a few moments more. Inferno began wondering if he caused the other bot to crash, before Red Alert asked, "What time is it?"
Inferno glanced at the clock on the wall behind Red Alert. "It's around ten at night. Why?"
"Aw crud. I was asleep for three hours." He glared at the table, muttering something about a decepticon plot.
Inferno huffed impatiently, and snapped, "No decepticons, just you not recharging. Now come on!"
Red Alert allowed himself to be pulled out of the room, only stopping to lock it. Down the hallway…past a couple of chattering Mechs… until he was in front of his own room. "Now, do I haveta stay until I see you in your recharge booth or will you actually get in their?" Inferno asked in a slightly frustrated voice.
It was a completely rhetorical question. Everyone knew that as of yet, the security director had never, ever allowed anyone into his room. However, today was apparently Inferno's lucky day because Red Alert mumbled, "You can come in if you want."