The pair walked home from the gym in silence, the only sound between them being the rush of over head traffic.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Ratchet spoke up suddenly.
Clank looked to him, neon eyes narrowed in confusion.
"This, I mean." The Lombax made a wide sweeping motion with his hand. "Relaxing. Just. . . Living. No stress. No hero work. Just peace and normality."
The small bot returned his gaze forward, the cogs of his mind working a bit harder. The calmness they'd been in for almost a month was nice. After the adventure at The Great Clock, winding down was a welcome state.
So to speak.
"Y'know what I've been thinking of?"
"What is that, Ratchet?"
"Dating."
Clank's eyes snapped back to his friends, his spirits sinking.
"Maybe. . . Go hang out, meet some babes. . . Get laid." The young Lombax flashed his companion a playful grin, winking as he swished his tail suggestively.
"What about you? I'm sure there are some single lady bots just itching for a crack at the famed secret agent Clank."
The bot gave him a forced giggle, his thoughts running at a thousand miles per hour. It would be torture to watch his friend- such an amazingly attractive young man in every sense of the word- make off with someone else, especially a woman.
"Perhaps a relationship such as that should be saved for until we are properly settled, yes?" Clank tried to reason. "I mean, that would only cause excessive stress on your part if you were partake in such a thing."
Ratchet looked down, meeting his neon eyes, and scratched at his chin.
"I guess so. . . I mean. . . That's a good point there, pal. . ."
Silently, Clank let out a sigh of relief. Things were cutting far too close.
Maybe now was the time to tell Ratchet. How he felt. What he wanted. It was bad enough that the small bot was now dreaming of the Lombax as well. Maybe telling him would get it off his conscious.
"Uhm, Ratchet?"
"Yeah pal?" He looked to his companion, smiling broadly.
"Ratchet, I have something to confess." He twisted his fingers together, nervously twidling his thumbs.
"Go on." Ratchet's smile faltered a fraction.
"The truth is, I really li-"
Just then, an explosion sounded across the way. A building gave way, slowly crumbling and falling to nothingness.
"C'mon, Clank!"
Ratchet grabbed his hand and hefted him onto his back, speeding along the walkway and pulling out his Judicator.
In that moment, Clank worried that his dear friend would never find out his feelings