Study

Loco the Exclaimer

X.x.X.x.X

"Hey, Chett! Chett, where are you?"

Ratchet gave an annoyed grunt and glanced up from the book he'd been reading. Sure enough, after only a moment, Wreck-Gar appeared at the entrance to the older bot's room, a grin spread across his face, calling out his slightly annoying nickname for the medic.

"There you are!" The trash-bot said cheerfully, trotting up to Ratchet.

The older bot sighed. "What is it, Wreck-Gar?"

"I just wanted to see what you were up to." Wreck-Gar said, apparently oblivious to the other Autobot's irritation.

"Just studying." Ratchet said, trying to keep reading. Which, of course, was soon to prove impossible.

"Studying what?" Wreck-Gar asked curiously, coming up behind Ratchet's chair to peer over the older bot's shoulder.

"Earth." Came the one-word answer.

"What about it?"

"Culture."

"Earth culture?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Irritated, Ratchet glanced over his shoulder at the energetic bot. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Wreck-Gar became thoughtful, seeming to consider. "Do you?"

"No."

The younger bot's thoughtful expression disappeared, replaced by another huge grin. "Then nope!"

He walked around in front of the chair and sat cross-legged on the floor, looking up at the medic. Ratchet, in turn, glanced down at him past the book.

"Why are you still here?" He asked, one optic ridge raised.

"Because I want to be with you!" Wreck-Gar stated cheerfully. Sighing, Ratchet went back to reading, figuring that the younger bot's presence couldn't hurt anything. Besides, if he was in here, then he wasn't out with Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Sari destroying someone's house.

Silence overtook the medic's room for a few minutes, allowing Ratchet to continue reading but causing Wreck-Gar to become bored. Trying to find something to do, the trash bot began to hum.

Ratchet looked up from his book, slightly annoyed. "Stop please."

"Oh! Sorry." Wreck-Gar said, looking apologetic for a brief moment before grinning once more.

"Are you done yet?" He asked, looking hopeful.

"No."

"Oh." The garbage bot began to drum his fingers on the floor, looking around the room with curiosity. Ratchet let out a quiet groan and tried in vain to ignore the sound.

"Stop." He said, causing Wreck-Gar to become still and snap to attention.

"Okay." The younger bot replied, leaning back. The room became quiet once more, but the silence was not to last.

"Are you done now?" Wreck-Gar asked again.

"Why do you want me to be done?" Ratchet asked, not looking up from his book.

"So you'll spend some time with me."

"You see this book?" Ratchet said with a small grin, holding up the object in question. Wreck-Gar nodded. Ratchet gestured at the table behind Wreck-Gar. "I'll be done when this book is on that table."

Wreck-Gar turned his head to examine the table. "And you promise to spend some time with me then?"

Ratchet chuckled. "Yes."

"And we can watch a movie?"

"Sure."

Wreck-Gar then stood up, took the book from Ratchet's hands, and set it on the table. "There! Now you're done."

Ratchet took a moment to stare at the younger bot, his hands still up from holding the book. He then burst into rarely-heard laughter.

"What?" Wreck-Gar asked, looking confused. "What's so funny?"

Smiling, Ratchet stood and shook his head, setting a hand on Wreck-Gar's shoulder. "It's nothing. Now what movie did you want to see?"

And so it was that two hours later found them sitting side by side in the living room, Wreck-Gar leaning on Ratchet's shoulder, Ratchet giving Wreck-Gar a kiss on the head. He might be an irritating bot at times, but he was his irritating bot, and that was all that mattered.

After all, the books would still be there tomorrow.