~~Medical Mismatch~~
By Ayngel
Continuity: G1
Rating: M
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Hook/First Aid
Content Advice: Cyber medical procedures, mech attraction, sexual themes, angst, mild violence, a non con 'advance' in chapter 5 but only resulting in a kiss! Still rated M as precaution.
Disclaimer: Transformers don't belong to me :(
Summary:
First of five ficlets around the theme of 'Five Firsts,' Written for the TF_Rare_Pairing November Five Firsts challenge. First Aid accepts an internship at Kaon General Hospital with Hook, the best surgeon on Cybertron at the time.
Notes:
The usual premise with my Protectobot stories that they weren't created in Earth late in Season 2, but are a collection of mechs with histories who knew each other previously (Like the Combaticons). This is set during the build-up to the war.
Chapter 1: First Day at Work
Kaon Central Hospital buzzed with activity, a grim testament to the bomb which had exploded in the Blocks District only breems before. But the team surrounding the unconscious grounder in Operating Room Four worked with quiet and tense efficiency. The renowned surgeon, genius of precision repairs, who was bent over the hole in his chest would have tolerated nothing less.
"Excuse me, sir." The paramedic sounded nervous. "The new intern is here."
Hook did not look up from the tangle of mangled circuitry in the gaping wound. "Hardly the best timing!" he snapped. "Still, I could do with some help. What was his name again?"
"First Aid, sir."
The surgeon raised his head to see a small compact red and white mech poised in the doorway. A cute looking, annoyingly handsome mech, with an air of calm efficiency and 'goodliness.'
From Iacon, Hook now recalled. He sighed. He knew this 'type.' The mech was already profoundly irritating. He would probably not last a cycle.
Hook returned his attention to the wound. "It might be a good idea if instead of just standing there you got yourself over here!" he snapped. "There's a mech here bleeding to death. If you hadn't noticed."
A few flickers crossed the faces of the assistants around him. But they remained focused on their various tasks. Hook glowered sternly at the paramedic. "And you should be in ER!"
"Sir!" the paramedic retreated, but not without throwing a wink at the red and white one. "Good luck!" he mouthed, before transforming into a two wheeler and zooming out of the room.
He, too, wondered how long this one would be here. A bit longer than his predecessor, he hoped. This mech was was cute.
...
"Hold this!" Hook ordered. "Now, pass me a number three scalpel. Yes - that one. At least you appear to know your instruments. That is an improvement on most of the morons I get in here."
First Aid wondered if Hook was always like this, or whether the famous medico-technician was simply under pressure from the 'situation.'
No, he concluded. He'd had enough warnings before he took this job on. Hot Spot had told him Hook could be crankier even than Ratchet, more than making up for the latter's gruffness with moody arrogance and sarcasm. The fact that he'd done his first intern with Ratchet was probably the only reason First Aid was coping now.
That, and the fact that Hook was truly amazing. In every way, so far, he was living up to his reputation.
First Aid watched the long black fingers deftly divide wires and leaking conduits with a speed and precision he would not have previously thought possible. He didn't care how obnoxious Hook got if he could teach him, First Aid, to operate like this!
A filament of smoke rose as damaged wiring and nodes were severed and thrown into a dish held by the silent assistant at his side. "Conduit clamps!" Hook barked. First Aid already had them in his hand. Hook took them crisply, offering no thanks.
As the energon leakage slowed, First Aid ran his optics up and down the patient. The mech had been blasted apart, the damage profuse; everywhere jagged metal edges and ripped circuitry glared. First Aid would not have thought, if asked previously, that the mech would have 'made it.' He marveled at Hook's amazing confidence in his own abilities. He wondered how many times he had done this, how many times per cycle he had to do it.
"Do they know who let off the bomb?" he asked.
"Of course not!" Hook said, as though it were a truly stupid question. "But it hardly takes a genius to guess, does it? Dissidents. Supporters of the rebel regime." He stopped for a moment and looked up, his red optics glowing. "It may be helpful, however, if you confined yourself to fixing the results of the unrest, rather than pondering the politics."
He returned to the conduits. First Aid passed more clamps, but he'd been distracted. That was the first time he'd gotten a proper look up close! And Hook's face - as notorious for its angular handsomeness as the medic's abilities - also more than lived up to expectations.
Tingles went through First Aid. He couldn't stop them. All right - he'd vowed that there would be none of 'that.' This was a strictly professional appointment. But Hook's appearance - in addition to his 'charisma' - would add a certain 'something' to the internship.
And he intended to 'ponder the politics' plenty. Doing that was the key to averting the conflict, and sorrowful carnage such as this - which, after all, was what he was really about.
...
The operation was over, the drones wiping the mech down. The beige and white para had appeared in the doorway. "Take him to Ward 253 if you would, Groove!" Hook said. "Monitor vital signs, core functioning and self repair. Anything happens, Hoist can deal with it. Bring the next two from ER!"
"Sir!" The para busied himself connecting up the patient to the portable life support. Dials flickered and beeping sounds came from the machines.
Hook was looking at First Aid, as though properly noticing him for the first time. There was the slightest hint in his optics that he liked what he saw. His look softened, just a smidgeon. "You actually did quite well," he said. "I'm impressed. Perhaps for once they sent an intern of some use after all."
Over Hook's shoulder, the beige and white one raised an optic ridge, and gave First Aid a 'thumbs up.' Then he had transformed and was towing the unconscious mech out of the room.
"Well don't hang around there! We have work to do!" Hook was striding towards the sterilizer.
Smiling to himself, First Aid followed.
