Title: Underfoot
Author: Darkfireblade aka Hellsfirescythe
For: 28 Perceptors "On His Knees"
Fandom: Transformers G1
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Perceptor, Spike
Summary: Stumbling around the Ark was always a cautious ordeal because of their human guests, but it just got more troublesome.
Notes/Warnings: none really, um, some fluff?

"If your strength permits it, would you procure a laser-cutter for my uses?"

Spike tore his gaze away from the strange mechanism that was the shrink-o-matic (Perceptor's name for it was neither as easy to pronounce or remember) to locate the scientist's sought for tool. A few seconds of huffing, puffing, and strained muscles later, the laser-cutter was hefted against Perceptor's red feet with a loud clang.

A pleased beam rewarded Spike's actions and the Autobot scientist easily picked up the object that had taken Spike a considerable amount of effort. "Why thank you, Spike," said Perceptor as he returned to his tinkering. Spike collapsed onto the floor with a tired sigh and watched as sparks flew from whatever the red and blue mech was working on.

"I can't help but inquire why you choose to spend your day observing me in my lab, I thought you came for help on your schoolwork," asked Perceptor, his voice even more tinny than usual as it echoed through the heavy work mask that covered his face.

"Well, I did want some help," confessed Spike with a laugh. "But watching you Autobots fixing up all these cool gadgets is just fascinating. I mean, come on, you guys are light-years ahead of us an any sort of technology. I might as well try to learn something." That was part of the truth. What Spike didn't say was that any sort of homework explanation that Perceptor tried to come up with just ended with the scientist rambling and left Spike with a major brain overload.

Another shower of sparks escaped from the lab counter-top, landing with a hiss on the Ark floor and narrowly missing Spike by a couple meters.

"Yowch!"

At Spike's sudden exclamation, Perceptor immediately jerked around to check on his watcher. Spike scrambled away as large feet lumbered towards him. Seeing Spike so close to being crushed under him, Perceptor stumbled backwards towards the lab computer, hands flailing. A beam of light engulfed Spike's vision and everything went black.

He came to a few seconds later, flat on his back.

"Spike! Spike Witwicky! Where are you? Answer me!" cried Perceptor, his voice highly agitated. The sound of metal shuffling against metal strained Spike's ears.

Groggily, Spike pushed himself up to see Perceptor crouched on all fours. The scientist's optics level with the ground as he slowly crawled around.

Further away, the lab door opened, admitting a perplexed Wheeljack.

"I saw ya crawling around through the window and wondered what you were doing on your hands and knees. Lost something Perceptor?"

"Not something, Wheeljack. Someone."

"Someone?"

Perceptor pushed himself up onto his knees and let out a loud expellation of air through his filters. "Spike Witwicky had availed himself to my presence earlier today and had up to now, been assisting me in my labs. But due to some rather sudden and unfortunate circumstances..."

"What, Percepter?"

The scientist shook his head with a wry smile. "Wheeljack, I think I shrunk the human."

For the next hour or so, Spike watched incredulously as what had began as Wheeljack and Perceptor frantically crawling around in search of him grow into a small search party consisting of the aforementioned two mechs as well as Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, and even Optimus Prime. Spike's attempts at catching their attention with his small yells had been unsuccessful; perhaps if he were closer...but if he tried to get any closer to that mayhem, there was more of a chance of him getting crushed than anything. So Spike just stayed put in the shrink-o-matic, waiting albeit impatiently.

As the hour passed to an end, a tingling sensation ran through his body.

"Spike!"

"Thank Primus, Spike, you had us worried."

"Yah doin' alright there fella?"

"Glad ta see you jivin' back with us, Spike."

Faces filled with relief to barely stifled amusement filled Spike's vision as he was lifted bodily from the ground by Optimus's large hand. Perceptor came into sight next, his optics dimmed in abashment. Spike signaled Prime to move over to the scientist and clambered on top of Perceptor's shoulder, giving the red light cannon on Perceptor's shoulder a reassuring pat.

"Don't worry about it Perceptor, that was way more interesting than homework anyways," chirped Spike from his perch.

Perceptor's head swung around to regard Spike sheepishly. Laughter bubbled out from the other mechs and Spike grinned. Slowly, Perceptor's embarrassed expression changed and he returned a smile back toward Spike's direction.