Title: Firsts: Ratchet and Sideswipe
Author: Mirage Shinkiro
Rating: T
Warnings: mech/mech kissing, a.k.a. intimacy between androgynous and nonsexually reproducing but male-"pronoun'd" 'bots.
Disclaimer: Transformers is the property of Hasbro, and although I wish I could make money off the TF franchise so I could be independently wealthy, I am not. Alas, I remain poor and am just borrowing the lovely robots.
Summary: G1. Sideswipe's feelings for a certain medic have surpassed simple friendship, but unfortunately, Ratchet seems oblivious. Or at least, he had been.
A/N, explanation: This is another in a series of one shots about various couples, all of them surrounding a first kiss.
Side story to "Magic and Loss," although you don't have to read that story to read this one. Scene 1 set pre-"Magic," and scene 2 set during "Magic." Inspired by ryagelle's stories, just like "Magic and Loss" was.
Joor=roughly an hour
Firsts: Ratchet and Sideswipe
From the corner of medbay, Sideswipe watched Ratchet reattaching Sunstreaker's severed arm. He'd been operating on Sunstreaker for joors now, first with Hoist's help, then with Wheeljack's, and finally with First Aid's. Now Ratchet worked alone, the others having finished treating the rest of the wounded. Needless to say, the Decepticons' most recent addition, Bruticus, had been deeply unwelcome.
And Sunstreaker . . . Sideswipe sighed, joors of panic and worry slowly fading away to be replaced by exhaustion. Bruticus had kicked Sunstreaker into a skyscraper during the fight in Portland, only to pull him out and attempt to rend him limb-from-limb. Had Superion not tackled him, Bruticus would have killed Sunstreaker. As it was, he'd been loaded into Ratchet and hauled back to base in three separate pieces.
Sideswipe shuddered. The only thing that had kept him sane, other than Jazz staying with him during the first half of the surgery, was the fact it was Ratchet handling the operation. More than just his superior medical skills, Ratchet was someone who genuinely cared about the two of them. That fact enabled him to trust the medic.
That trust had begun with a simple observation: Ratchet treated them differently than everyone else, and not in a bad way. From Sideswipe's point of view, it seemed that except for other front-liners like Brawn and Cliffjumper, most of the Autobots considered the twins too bloodthirsty (Mirage), too rash (Prowl), a necessary evil (Prime), obnoxious (Red Alert), or generally not the kind of mech one wanted to be around. The Autobot cause needed them, but Sideswipe sometimes felt like they believed he and his twin were perverse for having been built to fight. Built as warriors . . . like 'Cons. Sideswipe slumped, wrapping his arms over his abdomen.
But that was where Ratchet was different. He treated their injuries with just as much attention and care as everyone else's. He wasn't afraid of them. He yelled at them like he did everyone else and tossed wrenches at their heads during his now-legendary fits of temper.
Of course, Sideswipe wasn't sure how to show his appreciation to Ratchet, especially in a way he would accept. So he did the only thing he knew how: he pranked him mercilessly. Even if Ratchet was threatening to turn him into a mass of human hairdryers, at least he was giving him attention.
Today, though, Ratchet wasn't yelling. It was a sign of how close Sunstreaker had come to death.
Setting down his tools and sighing, Ratchet turned and gazed at Sideswipe. It'd been vorns since Ratchet had tried to expel one of the twins when the other was hurt. As a result, the medic and he were the only two mechs left conscious in medbay.
Ratchet wandered over and sat beside Sideswipe. "Relax, you little hellion. Your brother will make a full recovery."
Sideswipe gave him a small smile but didn't uncurl from the ball he'd pulled himself into. "Thanks, Ratch."
"Hey, I'm not lying to you." Ratchet frowned. "I'd tell you if he weren't going to be fine. I've never had any use for softening the truth, even when it's ugly. I don't like giving 'bots false hope."
"I know." Sideswipe could feel his brother's stability, so he didn't doubt Ratchet at all. However, he wasn't sure he could explain what was really bothering him: the thought that if Sunstreaker died, more mechs would be relieved than anything. Would they even care if either of us died?
Ratchet paused, then slid an arm around Sideswipe's shoulders. "What's bothering my resident pain-in-the-aft?"
Shocked, Sideswipe couldn't react at first. Ratchet was showing him affection? And yet he leaned into the touch, coveting it and wishing he could hug him back. "Just . . . thanks for caring. You know, about Sunny and me."
"Of course I care!" Ratchet tightened his embrace. "Just because I have to dent in your head with wrenches all the time doesn't mean I don't care about you." He sighed again, his exhaustion evident. "Although I have to say, when you two come in here with injuries as severe as the ones Sunny had, you scare the spark out of me."
"Sorry." Touched by the uncharacteristic openness, Sideswipe gazed up at the medic's pale grey face with its small frown and realized suddenly it wasn't simple appreciation he felt. He was falling in love with Ratchet. Unable to stop himself, he groaned, thinking he really could use a wrench to the helm. What was he doing falling for the CMO? Talk about unrequited love.
But even knowing he was insane, he couldn't stop his feelings.
oOoOo
Slouched at his office desk, Ratchet sighed and picked up the next datapad. The insanity seemed to never stop, and Ratchet thought if he couldn't get one slagging klik of peace he might go insane. It was bad enough that Bluestreak had gotten his spark over-charged and ended up carrying a sparkling. Now Sideswipe was getting hurt constantly, and Wheeljack was avoiding the topic of the reconstructive surgery to his face. Not to mention the usual issues like Red Alert's glitch and Prowl's touchy battle computer . . .
A knock on his door lintel drew Ratchet's attention.
Wheeljack was peering into the room, looking nervous. "Can I talk to you?"
Since Wheeljack was his oldest friend, Ratchet forced himself to relax and smile. "Sure. What's up?"
Wheeljack stepped inside and settled in the chair across from his desk. "It's about the surgery. Can we move it up?"
"Sure. Barring a Decepticon attack, we can do it tomorrow morning." Ratchet frowned. His friend's request seemed odd. "Why the sudden rush, though?"
Wheeljack turned to stare out the office window, which had one-way glass. "It's Bluestreak," he finally replied. "I think he's getting tired of waiting. He barged into my lab earlier and asked me how I really felt about him, basically."
Ratchet sighed and leaned back in his chair. As glad as he was to see Wheeljack attempt another relationship, he was worried by how insecure he felt about Bluestreak's love. "Have you considered just showing him your face? It's slaggin' obvious he's fallen for you."
"No way!" Wheeljack shook his head with obvious terror.
"Wheeljack." Ratchet glared at him. "Do you really want to be in a relationship with someone who can't accept you for who are you are? After all, you accept Blue for who he is, flaws included."
Sighing, Wheeljack crossed his arms and glared back. "I realize that. I also am not so young or naïve that I believe anyone can get past my face. And then there's the matter of what abilities I want."
Knowing what 'abilities' had to be passing through Wheeljack's mind, Ratchet laughed. "Okay, okay. I hear you. I still don't think you should hide anything about yourself from Blue, though. You need to be able to trust him, you know."
"I know." Wheeljack stared out the window again.
Ratchet followed his gaze, seeing a familiar red mech limping into the bay. "Sideswipe again? Now what has he done to himself?" He sighed. Ever since Sunstreaker had been sent on a long-range mission, Sideswipe seemed to show up in medbay almost every orn. "Okay, 'Jack. We'll begin prepping at exactly 0800 hours Earth time."
"Thanks." Wheeljack chuckled as Ratchet stood and made his way around his desk. "Oh, but I do have one unrelated question."
Ratchet paused just shy of the door, suspicious at his friend's change of mood. "What's that?"
"Just exactly when are you finally going to notice that Sides has a massive crush on you?"
"What?" Ratchet stared at him, stunned. "Don't be stupid! Sides is just pulling double duty as an idiot while Sunny is away."
Wheeljack snickered. "Sure, sure. Convenient excuse. But how does he act around you when you're working on him? Or did you notice that he won't let anyone but you fix him?"
Ratchet sputtered for a moment, then hit the door controls. "Oh, please. I'm the last mech in the base Sides would have a crush on." He barged out of the room, irritated and yet finding his spark fluttering erratically in his SHU.
So I say, he thought to himself, making his way to Sideswipe, who had climbed onto a berth. But the mere suggestion Sideswipe might be interested in me makes me feel like a slaggin' youngling. "What in the Pit did you do to yourself now?"
Sideswipe ducked his head, not meeting Ratchet's gaze. "Well, I invited Blue for a round of target practice, and I made a bet with him about how many targets we could hit with our optics offline. But I didn't realize how badly competitive the Gestation Protection program can make carriers, and Blue got a little overly zealous—"
Worried, Ratchet interrupted. "Tell me you two didn't end up in a fight! Setting aside for the moment the fact he can probably whip you in his current state, he shouldn't be fighting anyone while carrying a sparkling."
Sideswipe finally looked up and shook his head vigorously. "Slag, no! Not after watching him shoot Sunny's shoulder out." He cringed. "But we took the position of lying on our stomachs while we were shooting, and he jumped to his feet without turning back on his optics. And he was throwing a fit and managed to stomp right on my knee and—"
Groaning in exasperation, Ratchet waved off the rest of his explanation and captured Sideswipe's knee in his hands, examining it and carefully testing the cables. "Only you," he muttered.
"I-I know. Sorry." Sideswipe squirmed.
"What?" Ratchet glanced up. "Does it hurt for me to touch it?"
Sideswipe wouldn't meet his gaze again. "No. Only when I put weight on it."
'Sides has a massive crush on you.'
Ratchet hesitated, then flexed Sideswipe's leg slowly, watching the knee joint as he did. Locating the disconnected cable, he trapped Sideswipe's leg against his side with one arm, then absently brushed his fingers up his calf with the other hand. "Well, it's a minor injury."
Growing utterly still, Sideswipe watched him and didn't reply.
Is it possible? Ratchet thought, extending the necessary tool from his fingertip. But why would someone as young and handsome as Sides be interested in me? Using the tool, he reached into the joint, grabbed the cable, and snapped it back in place. He waited until he heard the faint hum of a reconnection, then extracted his finger and flexed Sideswipe's leg again. Still, if for some reason he does want to date me, I don't think I can turn him down.
Ratchet glanced up again, meeting Sideswipe's gaze, and lowered his leg with uncustomary gentleness, letting his hand slide up the smooth metal as he did. "All fixed," he said absently, distracted by the shock playing across Sideswipe's beautiful face.
"Ratch?" He reached out one hand, as though he were going to caress his cheek, then paused.
Wondering how he'd managed to overlook something so obvious, Ratchet took his hand and pressed a kiss into the palm. "Have you been letting yourself get hurt on purpose ever since Sunny left on his mission? Because if so, I want you to stop. There's a better way." He released his hand.
As though mesmerized, Sideswipe completed his original movement. He grasped Ratchet's chin in his fingers, preventing him from pulling away, and leaned in, molding their lips together. Ratchet froze, stunned, only to tremble faintly when Sideswipe gently mouthed his lips, nibbling them. He gasped, his desire breaking free of his restraints, and ran his arms around Sideswipe's shoulders, pulling him close. In response, Sideswipe encircled his waist with his arms and wrapped one leg behind his thigh, trapping their increasingly warm bodies together. Thoroughly aroused, Ratchet released all his pent-up passion, catching Sideswipe's lips with his own, slipping his glossa into his mouth, and proceeding to show him just how much he wanted him.
Gasping, Sideswipe clung to him, and when Ratchet broke the kiss and moved his lips to his throat instead, he moaned. "R-ratch! Ahhh…"
Ratchet lifted one hand to Sideswipe's helm, guiding him to tilt back his head, and began nipping and licking his way down his neck.
"Ratch!" Sideswipe pulled away, giving him an evil, impish little grin. His optics had darkened to a royal-blue hue. "Careful, now," he teased. "If you start something, I'll be sure to finish it." He slipped one hand up under Ratchet's bumper, catching a few cables in his fingers and caressing them.
"Hellion." Ratchet shivered at the touch, then guided Sideswipe to lean back his head again. "What makes you think I'd leave you in any condition to respond?" He sank his mouth onto Sideswipe's neck and sucked on his main power cable, knowing how sensitive it would be.
Sideswipe shuddered and moaned, arching his body into Ratchet's. "I-Is that a bet?"
Trying to reign in his impulses, Ratchet pulled away and smiled. "A standing one, yes. Don't tempt me into moving too fast, though. Right now, I just want to kiss you speechless."
Grinning again, Sideswipe brushed their lips together. "We'll see who ends up speechless."
"Just don't complain when you lose." Ratchet captured his lips again and reflected, briefly, that Wheeljack had been right: Sideswipe and he had been drawn together all along.
Postscript: Beta read by pl2363. Thank you!
Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing and/or faving my other "Firsts" stories. Here's the list thus far:
"Firsts: Prowl and Sideswipe"—posted
"Firsts: Wheeljack and Ratchet"—posted
"Firsts: Prowl and Jazz"—posted
"Firsts: Hot Rod and Sunstreaker"—posted
"Firsts: Mirage and Jazz"—posted
"Firsts: Optimus and Elita"—posted
"Firsts: Skyfire and Perceptor"—posted
"Firsts: Thundercracker and Skywarp"—posted
"Firsts: Ratchet and Sideswipe"—here
"Firsts: Scavenger and Fireflight"—forthcoming (yeah, you read that right)
"Firsts: Drift and Perceptor"—forthcoming
"Firsts: Prowl and Bluestreak"—forthcoming