Hardhead was tired.
It was hard not to be.
His systems pinged diligently with notifications, repeatedly telling him of his stressed arm joints and the dent in his spinal strut.
But he ignored it and sat back down.
Iacon's library was generally somewhat rebuilt, having returned from the dead and reassumed his position as their leader Optimus had taken advantage of the Decepticons absence to rebuild various recreational facilities.
A library being one of the first.
Hardhead couldn't say he was that interested in it.
It was not his style, not one bit.
Especially when there was a war to fight, but he was outnumbered in this respect as many Autobots welcomed another place of respite where they could blindly pretend nothing was wrong.
However, Kup had informed him it also contained records of previous battles held against the Decepticons at Nova Cronum and that was more up the soldier's alley, especially as he was not part of the operation there, all he knew was that there was quite an explosion.
However, Hardheads little trip to the library was disturbed when the Dinobots had entered.
Spurred on by spite at an offhand remark Perceptor had made about their lacking intelligence the group had barged in, determined to rub it into the scientist's faceplates by… destroying the place?
He guessed what they had intended to do was to read and learn a thing or two just to prove their point but they were big and clumsy. The library was not entirely designed for their sort - though why would it be? No one expected them to actually come here - and the rows of datapads were not far enough apart to accommodate their bulk and pretty soon shelves fell like dominos and the information became scattered.
Swoop had been sat on one shelf but it suddenly falling over startled him into flight and that meant he got all of a micrometre into the air before bonking his cranial chamber on the ceiling and dropping onto Snarl.
Snarl, along with Swoop, had actually managed to be vaguely decent but with Swoop falling onto his back the Stegosaurus whirled round and knocked, even more, things over including, well, the worst thing to knock down at this point.
Hardhead had watched as the triceratops tripped backwards as Snarls tail hit his rear leg and soon fire streamed from his maw.
It was then a struggle to stop the place from being burnt to cinders and even more information lost.
Throughout all of it, Grimlock remained stubborn, clinging onto a few random datapads in his small arms refusing to move and arguing with everyone despite the budding chaos behind him.
Sludge stared vacantly, having knocked over several more shelves before getting his bulk wedged in a doorway.
Kup who had also been in the library, muttering about some inaccuracies, had thankfully been there to help corral them out of the place.
It wasn't the way Hardhead would've done it, and he was vocal about it, but Kup outranked him and Hardhead was nothing but a loyal soldier and despite a few words, curbed his stubbornness to enact his superior officer's plan.
And that was why he was dented and sore and why Muffler, the librarian, was near sobbing in a corner as the shelves were put upright again, just bent and missing a few datapads, and a good portion of the library now smelt like burnt metal and looked as bad as it smelt.
Hardhead was about to return to his datapad after he'd been told to 'quit helping' by Hot Spot, especially after he shouted at Groove.
Wasn't his fault they were doing it all wrong.
No skin off his nose.
At least that's what the humans say.
By now the library had filled up a bit more, people drawn by the sound of the general calamity and then realising the library was still running had begun to settle in.
Blaster was being generally annoying as per usual as he sat with his pede's up on the table bobbing his head silently to some music as he idly scanned a datapad. He may have had the decency to put his music on silent but Hardhead KNEW he was listening to it and therefore was irritated.
Ultra Magnus had quietly come in, even if his size made him hard to miss, and was sat with Kup along with Perceptor who HAD slipped in quietly.
Outback was also being annoying and lounging about with a datapad about Earth and still probably going by his ridiculous "Rafferty's rules", just infuriating, it was another word for being insubordinate as far as Hardhead was concerned and-
The entrance to the library made a soft thump as it swung open to reveal the next catastrophe.
The Ex-Prime Hot Rod, Springer, Arcee and Blurr.
"Wow the only time a place like this could be interesting and we missed it!" Hot Rod haphazardly kicked away at a burnt patch of the floor.
"What? And you'd help?" Springer snorted at him.
Hardhead watched with thinned lip plates as Hot Rod puffed up and immediately began snapping back at Springer.
He knew coming to the library was a bad idea, was that a draught? He should leave.
Just as quickly as the squabbling began the trio were now back to perusing the shelves.
Springer was looking at the top rows while Hot Rod… Hardhead sighed internally, Hot Rod was damn near orbiting Arcee no doubt trying his horrendous luck with her.
Arcee had completely phased him out.
Springer had already figured out she wasn't interested but Hot Rod, Hot Rod still felt like he had luck.
He hadn't figured out his frame was nowhere near slender enough for her tastes or the implications of said statement.
Then again he'd always been like that.
Even as Rodimus Prime he, in-battle, referred to Galvatron and Cyclonus as "friends" then stared confused as it caused riotous laughter from the Decepticon leader.
Even Ultra Magnus stared at Rodimus in disbelief.
Was that… thumping?
The draught whizzed past again leaving a trail of blue as Hardheads optics tried valiantly to get a clear image of what just happened.
The rapid thumping increased and decreased in intensity as Blurr dipped in and out of shelves usually gravitating back towards his friends every now and then.
First Aid nearly tripped over him yet before the medic had time to drop his datapads in surprise Blurr was back on him.
"SorryFirstAiddidn'tseeyoutherewellIdidbutyouknowwhatImeanright?Ithappensheydon'tdropyourdatapadstherefriend-o!"
Hardhead wondered if First Aid even managed to comprehend what was even going on as the datapads were shoved back in his hands and Blurr was already on the other side of the library as the medic looked around.
"Heyguyslookatthis!MobyDick!Ahumanmentioneditonce!Wehaveacopyofithere?Howneat!ShallIreadit?Anddone!" He'd found a sized-up human book and whizzed back to his friends before loudly talking about it once more kicking up an icy breeze.
It was now freezing and loud, Hardhead put down his datapads and decided that now would be the perfect time to leave he thought as he propped his head up on his hands and didn't move to do anything.
The tank huffed as Blurr went past once more, changing whatever he had picked up now with something else.
All while his motor mouth ran at top speed, it seemed to be a scientific miracle that he was still able to cycle any air through his systems with such constant chatter and movement.
The noise, however, was constant and had no indication of stopping anytime soon.
With more patience than he, others in the library had tuned Blurr out.
Somehow Hot Rod kept up with everything he said, Arcee had already split off from the group, Springer smiled as if he caught everything that Blurr said but probably hadn't. Ultra Magnus and Kup didn't even seem to notice the racer in the library, although Perceptor let out quiet annoyed hisses whenever Blurr sped past, rustling whatever Perceptor had on the table. Blaster was still in his music and Outback probably left already.
He wanted Blurr to shut up, the noise was beginning to grate on him, although after this morning everything was grinding his gears. Yet Blurr always had a penchant for babble, from general chatter to panic-fuelled babble the words went without a pause.
Panic…
There was that one time…
Hardhead shuffled awkwardly, there was that one time…
It wasn't strictly Blurr that grated on him, it was also Hardhead's own spark that gave rise to irritable thoughts. A good soldier shouldn't let himself get distracted.
Yet Blurr drew his optics away once before, he'd always watched racing when Blurr was taking part.
He'd always told himself that as a slow tank he was just enjoying the idea of racing. Not ogling his favoured racer.
Blurr hadn't been angry the last time it happened and treated it with a friendly almost oblivious passiveness.
"ButinTHISbookshecomesfromanotherplanet!Humansusedspaceforalotofweirdthingsdidn'tthey?Oh!Butthisguyispartmetaltoo!WhatifoneofUSwereparthuman!Thatwouldbefreaky!NotthatIhatehumansbutIdon'tthinkI'dwanttoreplacebitsof-"
"Blurr"
"-mewithhumanbits"
"Blurr can you- FRAGGING FRICK" Hardhead's quiet calling to Blurr, attempting to pierce the barrier of his endless stream of words snapped up in intensity as Hardhead yelped out his own replacement curses - he didn't know the human child was there and heard him curse that one time - when Blurr popped up in front of him apparently having heard him through his own talking.
It was rare to see Blurr so still but the racer was now leaning over him expectantly waiting for Hardhead to finish his reasoning for calling him over.
Hardhead was wondering if he had the gumption to do what he had done once before.
Blurr opened his mouth, about to break the silence again but it was just the invitation he needed.
Reaching up and wrapping his hands around the speedsters helm Hardhead pulled him down.
The library was silenced with a soft 'donk' noise as the clumsy motion hit their forehelms together, though it was likely the continuing motions of the duo that kept the silence as deafening as it was.
Despite the somewhat awkward pose Hardhead had interlocked his lip plates with Blurr's, his hands clamped around the racers helm, mostly through panic rather than necessity as Blurr made no motion to try escaping, he'd even put a hand to Hardhead's helm angling the tank's face plates better with his own, keeping their upside down kiss going with maximum efficiency.
It must've been the slowest Blurr had ever been as he hummed happily mid-kiss, managing an almost normal sound rather than his usual sped up whirl.
"OH YEAH! GET IT HARDHEAD!" Blaster had abandoned his music and was practically standing on the table "KISS KISS KISS" He began chanting, cheering them on.
"Tch" Ultra Magnus merely tutted at the display "In the library as well, how rude" He scolded the publicity of the display rather than the action as he picked up Perceptor who had apparently responded to the display by fainting while in the corner Hot Rod stared slack jawed and Springer made a half-assed attempt to hide his smirk.
Despite initiating it Hardhead seemed to be struggling most, frozen, unwilling to let go of the kiss.
A kiss totally meant to just shut him up.
Not another attempt to act out upon his Sparks unruly desires.
No, wait, he'd ONLY ever did it to shut him up, of course… of course…
Said unruly spark did an angry backflip when Blurr finally pulled away slightly, tapping on Hardhead's shoulder alerting him to the approaching footsteps.
The sound prompting the soldier to let go and let Blurr zip behind the shelves and back to his friends as the Librarian came around the corner.
"Aaayyy you missed it, buddy! Boring old Hardhead got it going oooooooonnnnn!" Blaster slowly got off the table.
"I don't care anymore!" The tired, stressed Muffler whined "Just keep silent in the library!" he cried before leaving to continue sulking.
Hardhead was aware he had no control over his lip plates as they remained in a wobbly attempt at a smile.
He must look such a mess, in front of a superior officer as well! The horror! His career as a soldier was surely over!
Except Kup nodded and flashed him a thumbs-up.
The squeak that left Hardhead must've been heard by all as something blue flashed behind Kup and gave him a cheeky wink before vanishing again, out the door.
"Y'all right matey? Y've gone a bit red there" Outback wondered past apparently having missed everything.