Title: Accidents in the Medbay
Genre: Romance
Pairings: RatchetxMikaela; OptimusxSam
Warnings: MechxHuman relationships; MechxHuman kiss (one); Holo!RatchetxMikaela kissing; Cussing; mentioned Yaoi.
Summary: Mikaela is working with Ratchet, learning to repair the autobots. A little mishap with a few tools in the medbay leads to a scolding and… a confession?
Rating: T for kissing, language, and mention of Yaoi.
(RxM)
Mikaela yelped as she nicked herself with the cutting tool she was using. Her hands were covered in scrapes and nicks just like the new one, along with oil. She rolled her eyes and put the cutter down, grabbing a clean-ish cloth, instead. As she wiped her hands on the cloth, applying pressure to her newest cut, Mikaela eyed the miniature replica of Ironhide's canon that she was working on. Ratchet had set her to practicing her repair work on the copy.
About two weeks after Mission City, Mikaela had asked Bumblebee if he could set up a time to talk with Optimus and Ratchet for her. He did, and two days later the teenage girl had been met outside her high school by Optimus in his alt form. She got in and he had driven her to the Outlook, where she had talked with Optimus and Ratchet about learning to help Ratchet in the medbay. After two hours, they had decided that she could try, and the very next day she had gone to the base after school.
After three years, Mikaela had learned quite a bit. She couldn't bring a bot from the brink of death, but she could do minor repairs, and even keep them alive long enough for Ratchet to get to them. Mikaela giggled at her rather ominous sounding thought. Three years spent with Ratchet for hours on end every day had taught her exactly how Ratchet behaved, and she had to admit, he was scary when pissed off. He would frequently get a bot online and functioning, and when they were no longer in danger, he would throw wrenches at them for getting hurt in the first place.
Everyone on Base knew of Ratchet's wrenches, and feared them, along with his caustic remarks when they got hurt. After getting to know him, Mikaela had learned how to tell when he was serious, or when it was his sarcastic sense of humor showing up. She always got a kick out of his rather different sense of humor, especially when it was directed at Ironhide. That bot was just a walking target for the Medic.
Bending over the canon again, Mikaela started replacing frayed, broken, or burnt wires with new ones. She used a pair of sharp wire cutters to cut them when needed, but it wasn't often. Half an hour later, Ratchet walked into the medbay, and Mikaela glanced up before looking back to her work. "How'd the meeting go?" She asked. Ratchet had gone to speak with Optimus and a few human officials about supplies needed for the autobots' medbay.
Ratchet gave a snort as he walked over to look at the girl's work. "Like always. Military personnel wanting to know why we need every nut and bolt, Optimus being a peace keeper, and Ironhide 'showing off' his canons every six point seven five seconds." He replied. Mikaela laughed. "Sounds like 'Hide!" She agreed, switching the wire cutters for gloves, mask, and a small blowtorch.
As she welded the wires in place, Mikaela heard Ratchet turn and walk to his own work table. When Ratchet didn't have patients- which wasn't often, as both sets of autobot twins were on Base- Ratchet had various projects that he liked to work on. The last wire was welded into place, and Mikaela turned off the blowtorch and flipped up her visor, running her gloved hand across her forehead. Working with the torch always left her sweaty and overheated, no matter how little time she had it on for.
She set the torch down and took of the mask/visor and gloves, and relaxed for a few minutes. She'd been bent over that canon for the better part of three hours, and her back hurt. She stood up and walked around the table she was standing on. Ratchet always had her working on a table built for the autobots; something about not getting squished should some clumsy glitch-headed aft come speeding into the medbay. For a caustic old bot, Ratchet sure was a softie.
Mikaela snorted at the thought. She knew that if Ratchet had heard that thought, human or not, she would have found a wrench flying for her head the second her thought was finished. Sam didn't know how she could 'risk live and limb working with that crotchety old bot', but to Mikaela, it was part of the fun. What her ex-boyfriend took as 'old man grumpiness', as he put it, Mikaela knew to be Ratchet's sarcastic humor.
Yes, Sam was Mikaela's ex. About four months after Egypt, Sam and Mikaela had both come to the conclusion that they were better off as friends, and parted amicably. That's not to say it wasn't awkward. It was for the first two months, but now they were good friends, and they were both relieved. They both hated the thought of not being friends, and to be able to work through the awkwardness was a relief for both teens.
Glancing over to the yellow medic, Mikaela admired how gracefully his hands moved over whatever it was he was building. Yeah… lit also helped with the awkwardness that she and Sam had crushes on two certain unattainable bots… crushes that had deepened over time. Sighing wistfully, Mikaela strode back over to the human sized table and the replica canon on it.
She picked up the cutting tool she'd used before, which looked like a small, hand-held power saw, and set to work cutting off the ragged edges of metal. Mikaela didn't mind that Sam had a crush on another male… Well, she did at first, thinking it was her fault. But Sam had talked to her, and explained that he'd always been attracted to Optimus.
Yep, little Sammy had the world's biggest crush on the gentle leader, and Mikaela couldn't fault him for it one bit. If she wasn't in love with Ratchet, she herself might have been googly eyed for the noble Prime. As it was, her googly eyed-ness was saved for Ratchet, when she was safely tucked away in bed, and away from Ratchet's scarily observant optics. Mikaela sighed again, her eyes not taking in what she was seeing.
A sharp pain in her left hand brought Mikaela out of her daydreams and she gasped. "Fuck!" She swore, quickly turning off the cutter. Ratchet was on her immediately, running scans over her body. "What happened?" He asked as he activated his holoform to take care of the girl's hand. Mikaela grimaced as she showed him her hand. "I was a frickin' glitch, and decided to dream while using the cutter." Her voice was filled with pain and derision.
As the blonde holoform took her hand in his after getting the first aid kit, Mikaela couldn't help but admire the form Ratchet had decided to use. A tall blonde man in his late twenties or early thirties with broad shoulders and well defined muscles stood before her, his blue eyes taking in the gash on her hand. His lips turned down in a frown even as he set about cleaning and stitching her hand. Black slacks and a soft yellow button down somehow actually looked good on him.
After her hand was stitched and wrapped to keep germs from it, Ratchet gave her a mild pain killer, and stood glaring at her. Mikaela shifted uncomfortable, well aware of how stupid that stunt had been. Ratchet's glare intensified. "I'm sorry!" She blurted out. "Sorry?" He growled. "You're sorry? Do you know what a glitch-headed stunt that was? You could have cut off your hand! Or severed an artery! Did you ever think about that, Ms. Banes?" He asked icily.
Mikaela winced. Ratchet rarely called her by her last name. In fact, he hadn't since after Egypt. Biting her lip, Mikaela nodded. Ratchet frowned. "Then why did you do it? Rest assured, if you are that bored with being here, you are free to go whenever you wish. I am not holding you here." He stated coldly. "I… I don't know." Mikaela whispered, eyes downcast.
Silence reigned in the medbay before Ratchet sighed. "Mikaela, look at me," His voice was much softer, gentler. Mikaela raised guilty eyes to Ratchet's holoform's, and Ratchet's gentle look nearly stole her breath. "That was dangerous, Mikaela. You could have really hurt yourself, much worse than needing a few stitches. I was… worried." He told her.
Mikaela whispered, "I'm sorry," and cradled her hand to her chest as she looked away. When Ratchet sighed and stepped closer to rest a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him again. "Promise me you will not do it again." He ordered. Mikaela nodded and stepped closer, burying her face in the crook of Ratchet's neck and hugging him about the waist.
Ratchet hesitated a moment before wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He buried his holoform's face in the brunette's hair, inhaling the scent of oil, sweat, and apples. "Do not scare me again," He whispered into her hair. "I cannot stand it when you are hurt." Mikaela's heart skipped a beat, before restarting twice as fast.
"Ratchet?" She asked curiously, pulling away slightly. The CMO's arms tightened around her shoulders before she got too far. A blush settled upon the teenager's cheeks as she kept her head tucked securely under the handsome holoform's chin. "Ratchet… I get hurt all the time. It's a hazard of my job." She whispered into his throat. He growled and tightened his grip on the girl in his arms.
"It does not mean I like it, Mikaela." He answered, his voice rumbling softly right by her ear. Mikaela shivered lightly, her blush intensifying at the knowledge that Ratchet felt it. "I absolutely hate seeing you in pain," He continued. "Why?" She asked, her heart rate increasing. "Because… I hate seeing anyone in pain." He answered. Mikaela bit her lip as she felt disappointment sink her heart into her stomach.
The nineteen year old brunette pulled away from Ratchet's holoform, giving him a brief smile tinged with the disappointment she felt. "I'm fine, Ratchet," She said. "I work with tools a lot, so getting hurt comes with the territory." She turned back to work on the canon because she couldn't face his intensely blue eyes- autobot's or holoform's.
She took three steps before a hand on her wrist stopped her. Ratchet turned her around, looking at her like he was trying to figure her out. After a minute or so, Mikaela grew uncomfortable, and tugged her hand, trying to free it from the medic's grasp. "Ratchet, I really should get back to work on that canon." She said nervously.
"You are upset." He observed. The brunette shook her head, keeping her eyes from his. "Do not lie to me, Mikaela." He ordered sternly. Mikaela grew irritated as she tried to get the stubborn bot to let her wrist go. "I'm fine, Ratchet." She snapped. "Your heart rate and blood pressure indicate otherwise." He said calmly, never once letting go of her wrist.
"I said, I'm fine! It's not like it would matter if I wasn't." She snapped, letting her irritation and disappointment color her judgment. Blue eyes gazed at Mikaela calmly from the holoform's face as Ratchet answered, "It would. And does. What has upset you, Mikaela?" Mikaela huffed in annoyance.
"You!" She snapped. Blue eyes blinked in shock, and Ratchet looked like she'd hit him. "Why?" He asked, his voice calm but his eyes filled with an emotion that was gone too fast to define it. Mikaela glared before shaking her head, her shoulders slumped. "It doesn't matter…" She muttered, looking away. Ratchet stepped closer to her. "It does to me, Mikaela." He said gently. "What have I done to anger you?"
Mikaela scoffed before looking up at Ratchet. "Why do you care?" She asked harshly. "It doesn't matter to you because-!" Mikaela's eyes widened as lips crashed down upon hers harshly. Ratchet pulled away roughly, his blue eyes glaring down at the stunned girl. "Do not," He growled quietly. "Tell me what matters to me. You do not know… how much everything concerning you matters to me."
Raising her left hand to place her fingertips to her lips- because Ratchet still had her right hand in a tight grasp-, Mikaela stared at Ratchet's holoform in shock. He remained silent, his glare fading until he was just staring at Mikaela. After a few minutes, in which Mikaela tried to restart her brain, Ratchet sighed and looked away.
"My apologies, Ms. Banes." He said quietly. "I was out of line. You have every right to leave and not come back." He released Mikaela's hand and vanished as he turned off the holoform. Ratchet's real body got up and started back towards his work table. Mikaela's brain started working again, and she called out, "Do you want me to?"
She watched as Ratchet's form stopped but didn't turn around. "Of course not, Ms. Banes." He said quietly. "Then why tell me to leave?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Ratchet spun around. "I did not tell you to leave. I said you had every right to." He replied. Mikaela rose an eyebrow at the yellow medic. "Not what it sounded like to me." She said mock sadly.
Ratchet scowled at her, and the teen held in her smirk as he stalked forward. "I do not want you to leave, femme." He growled as he bent to her eye level. "Why would I want you to go when I love you?" Mikaela's heart sped up and she barely hid her ecstatic smile. "You love me?" She asked instead.
At Ratchet's exasperated "Yes," Mikaela leaned forward and placed her lips over Ratchet's metal ones. She pulled away when she felt him stiffen, and grinned. "Good, 'cause I love you, too." When he blinked in shock, her grin got bigger, and she laughed gently. "You do?" Ratchet asked in shock. "Of course, doc." She said gently. His optics dimmed slightly, and Mikaela eyed him in concern.
When two hands spun her around suddenly and a pair of lips crashed onto hers, Mikaela gasped in shock. Ratchet immediately took advantage, and slipped his tongue into her mouth as his hands tightened on her shoulders. Mikaela brought her hands up to clutch at Ratchet's shirt as she kissed back, her eyes slipping closed.
Ratchet pulled back a little bit later to let Mikaela breathe, and his warm blue gaze roamed her face, taking in her 'just kissed thoroughly' features, and felt inordinately pleased. With wide eyes and kiss swollen lips, Mikaela panted softly as she watched the smug smile cross Ratchet's lips. Electric blue eyes met chocolate brown, and Ratchet smiled softly. "You do know," He asked quietly. "That I will never let you go? You are stuck with me."
Mikaela grinned widely at that. "It's fine by me." She answered. "Cybertronian mechs are very possessive and protective, Mikaela." He warned. The teenage girl smiled coyly. "What girl doesn't want a little possessiveness in their boyfriend? Just as long as I can continue my life the way I want, and I can still see my friends, I'm fine with it."
Ratchet smiled softly at her. "The only things I will not tolerate are you being in danger, some male flirting with you, or you flirting with someone besides myself." He told her. Mikaela giggled, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "Well, then." She stated happily. "Be as possessive as you want. If I have a problem with it, I'll just borrow a wrench!" Ratchet laughed gently before claiming her lips in a possessive kiss.
From the door of the medbay, two human males watched as the two kissed. The taller turned to the smaller of the two and gently guided him out. "There, Samuel. You don't have to worry. Everything worked out." The younger male grinned up at the taller one. "Yeah… I know, Optimus." As he snuggled into the holoform of his autobot boyfriend, Sam grinned. 'Looks like we both got our crush's attention, 'Kaela.' He thought happily.
(RxM)
A/N: My second foray into Transformers, and this time there's romance! Yay! I love OptimusxSam, and RatchetxMikaela. I also love OptimusxMikaela and RatchetxSam, weirdly enough. LOL! Hope you enjoyed, and please R&R! I might post the companion of this fic, which is Optimus and Sam's story. Let me know if ya'll want it, okay? Thanks!