Nestled inside the silver box was a small youngling. Even though Ironhide wasn't a medic, he knew that a youngling shouldn't be so small. The paint of the tiny mech was caked in dried Energon to the point that Ironhide knew he'd been beaten and each time never had his wounds cleaned. Ironhide couldn't even tell what colour the youngling was.
::Ironhide to Quicksnap::
::Ironhide? Why the frag are you callin' me now?:: Quicksnap
::I need you to come to my housing unit. Now. I have something I want to show you:: Ironhide
::Fine. I'm on my way. Quicksnap out::
The comm-link line shut and Ironhide went back to looking at the fragile youngling curled up in a box. He went to touch the tiny frame, but instead stood to find a clean cloth. Once he found one he sat down again before pulling the box close. He covered his servo with the blanket and gently slipped his servo in behind the youngling and ever so carefully pullled the tiny bot into the cloth. Once that was finished he picked up the bundle and placed it in the crook of his arm. The little one finally stirred and his optics flickered to life.
Ironhide had read somewhere that a sparkling's optics take on the colour of their guardian and a bond forms. The colour of them when they didn't have a gardian was usually a gold, so when pure white optics met his he could help but gape.
The white optics widened at the sight of Ironhide and he struggled to get free. "Easy. Easy, little one. I ain't gonna hurt ya," Ironhide cooed. The struggling died down enough that Ironhide could get a better hold on the young thing again. "I could never hurt ya." He grabbed another cloth before wetting it and gently wiping some of the Energon away from the youngling's face. He chirped in displeasure. Ironhide laughed but stopped when the white optics looked at him in confusion. He went back to simply washing the youngling. "You're blue. An' silver," Ironhide mumbled to himself. He moved the cloth and rubbed the armour of the youngling's chest. "Oh. An' red. Colourful lil fella, ain't ya?" The youngling jump badly when the chime sounded to let Ironhide know someone was at the door. He rubbed circles on the youngling's back.
"Hide? Open the door! You wanted me here," Quicksnap shouted. Ironhide padded over to the door and opened it.
"Shut you're mouth plates, Snap. You're scarin' him," Ironhide snapped. He moved his arm enough to show Quicksnap the youngling that was still trembling against Ironhide's chassis. Delight and suprise filled Quicksnap's optics as he inspected the tiny mech who'd snapped his white optics closed before Snap could see the colour of them.
"Amazing. He's so small. And damaged. We should take him to see a medic. I heard there was one nearby here that's really good. I'll even pay," Quicksnap offered. Ironhide nodded. "Where'd ya find him?"
"Some mechs just left him outside," Ironhide replied. He didn't feel like repeating what those mechs had said anytime soon.
"It's gettin' late. We should get goin' if we wanna get him seen," Quicksnap said. Ironhide left the housing unit with Snap shutting and locking the door behind them.
Ironhide was so focused on the shaking form in his arms as they walked, that he didn't notice that they'd arrived at the Medical center until he recieved a tap on the shoulder. Ironhide glanced at the slightly taller silver mech before walking inside.
The first room of the Med center was an office with a small pink and red femme sitting at the desk. The rows of data-pads behind were organized by name. The walls had charts and there was a small metal flower on the femme's desk. Nothing seemed out of place which Ironhide took to be a good sign.
"May I help you?" The femme brightly asked. Quicksnap stepped forward and explained that he had a youngling that needed medical attention. The femme gave a kind smile to both mechs as she stood before leaving the room and returning in a few moments. "The head medic Ratchet will be with you momentarily." She took her seat back at the desk and Quicksnap took one of the chairs that lined the wall nearby.
"Sit down Ironhide," Quicksnap called. Ironhide complied. He felt the metal of the youngling's helm. He smiled and the youngling tried to copy Ironhide and earned a soft chuckle for Quicksnap. "He really seems to like you, Hide. I think you should keep him."
"Really? Never thought you of all bots would want me to have a sparkling," Ironhide joked. The young femme stood again, this time slowly walking over.
"May I see the youngling? Please?" She asked softly. Ironhide pulled the blanket down enough to reveal the youngling's helm to the femme. A smile bloomed on her faceplates. "Thank you." She hurried back to her seat and went back to work, glancing up from time to time. The door that led to where the medics made repairs slid open and the femme shot to her pedes.
The medic that stepped out was coloured with the normal medic design complete with the crosses on both shoulders. For Ironhide, it was almost like looking in a mirror for how close their frames were similar in design. "Next," the medic called. The femme handed him a data-pad that was in a pile marked empty.
"Ratchet, this is Ironhide and Quicksnap. Ironhide has the injured youngling, sir," the femme introduced them. The medic, Ratchet, nodded.
"I need the youngling. Ironhide, you can come with me. But only you," Ratchet said. Ironhide stood and followed Ratchet, the medic actually held the door open for the red mech. "What's the youngling's name?"
"Don't know."
"Age?"
"Don't know. I found him when he was abandoned in a box outside my house. His parents just dumped him," Ironhide said. Ratchet took the youngling from Ironhide. Once the youngling exchanged servos, he began to panic. Ironhide rubbed circles on the back armour of the youngling and he started to settle. He was layed down and Ratchet took a fresh cloth out and put a cleaning agent on it. He rubbed away the Energon and grime before tossing the cloth to the counter. He picked up a scanner before waving it slowly over the youngling's trembling frame.
"He's... two and a half vorns old. Not a youngling at all, but a sparkling," Ratchet mumbled. He tried to coax the sparkling to open his optics, only for him to move his helm away.
"Here, let me," Ironhide said and Ratchet moved away. "Sparklet, open your optics for me." The sparkling did as Ironhide asked which earned a slight growl from Ratchet.
"He's not even bonded to his own creators yet. He'll be more trusting when he has a bond with a guardian then," Ratchet hissed. His optics met Ironhide's. "He seems to like you."
"I am the worst possible mech for the job! Trust me, you're dooming the thing to a horrible life," Ironhide stopped objecting when the sparkling reached out two tiny servos. "I can't say no to you, Sparklet."
Ratchet finished the repairs in silence, once or twice waiting for the sparkling to stop wailing, then wrapped him up in a blanket and handing him over to Ironhide. "He needs this," he held up a small tablet, "put in low-grade Energon whenever he gets hungry. Trust me, he'll let ya know when he's hungry. Oh, I found an engraving on his spark chamber in the scan."
"What did it say?"
"Optimus," Ratchet replied. Ironhide nodded, thanked the medic, and left after quickly filling out a few forms. "White optics... I've never seen that colour in a sparkling's optics before." Ratchet mumbled. He shook his helm as he jotted down what he'd seen.
Quicksnap was nearly hovering over Ironhide's shoulder as they walked back to Ironhide's. "Could... Could you back off? You're gonna scare him," Ironhide snapped. The silver mech dropped back a little but his optics remained on the tired white ones staring back. The sparkling hadn't shifted or made any sound since they'd left Ratchet's office. Irohide readjusted his grip on the sparkling before glaring over his shoulder. "Why is everybot starin' at him?"
"His optics... That's all. He's so quiet. Sparkling's aren't normally like this," Quicksnap replied. He gave Ironhide a bit more room. "Ironhide, I don't think you'll be that bad of a guardian. You'll protect him. I know that. He's in safe servos." He paused talking as Ironhide punched in the code and the door slid open for them to enter. As they did, Quicksnap couldn't help but add, "Although your housing unit needs work." He stepped back to avoid Ironhide's swing that never connected since the sparkling's sudden wail stopped Ironhide from following through.
"Easy, Optimus. It's alright," Ironhide cooed. The tiny blue helm rubbed against his metal as the sparkling tried to keep the mechs from fighting.
"Optimus?"
"Yeah. That's his name," Ironhide informed. Quicksnap gave a smile and nod as little Optimus was pushed into his servos for Ironhide to retrieve a couple of Energon cubes. "Wanna stay for a bit?"
"Nah. It's gettin' late. I'm heading back to the bar to close up 'fore headin' home. Good luck with Optimus," Quicksnap replied as Ironhide took Optimus back into his arms.
"See ya," Ironhide said. With a wave, Quicksnap left. Ironhide glanced down at the tired sparkling he was holding. He reached his spark out and gently Optimus' grabbed onto his. The feeling of the mingling fields in a way that only guardians and their charges were capable of was refreshing, sweet, and innocent all at the same time. A content feeling trickled over the new bond as the sparkling's optics dimmed before shutting off in recharge. Ironhide put the cube down on the table and heading to his room. That had been his destination before he'd heard those mechs talking. The tired feeling returned in a harsh wave. He realized that tonight Optimus would have to spend the night in Ironhide's berth since the red mech didn't own a crib. Tomorrow he'd have to get one. He wasn't planning on giving Optimus up.
