Chapter 2: Chapter 2

The Diego Diaries: I can cry. You slagger

=0=Later that night

They had toured the facility, going from the rec room to Ops Center. That was followed by the armory, various science labs and the barracks for bachelor mechs. Ratchet was prescient regarding his own quarters as they asked to see the living spaces of 'married Autobots'.

Ratchet had had a long talk with Prime the night before and a decision had been made about a generalized acknowledgment regarding relationships. That they existed would be allowed if questions arose. What those relationships constituted was going to be off limits. That there were parents among the garrison would be allowed. How the individuals became parents would be off limits.

As he stood and listened to their questions the request was made. How do married Autobots live?

He turned and led the way to his own quarters acknowledging the fact of his own bond. Ratchet didn't tell them who he was bonded with, that there was a sparkling created of that bond and all the rest. He stood in the doorway of his quarters monumentally glad that he had taken it upon himself to clean up Ironhide's slag. At least the humans would see some small part of himself in the mess that was called home. For a few short orns their place would be pristine. Then when the visitors were gone, 'Ironhide Creep' would begin and they would find themselves embedded in a pile of guns, knives and other 'essentials of life'.

Hoxley was gracious, curious and delighted with each new thing. The others were too. Thomas, a former enemy was becoming a very possible ally. He was intrigued, asked good questions and was very mannerly. Weaver and the other two Senators, one from Louisiana and another from Wyoming were civil at best.

By the time they walked to the rec room door and stood in the fading sunlight of the first day of the delegation's visit, Ratchet felt that most of the Autobot's objectives had been achieved with little loss of privacy or any sort of security breach. Any number of relevant senior Autobots got the chance to study Weaver and his allies. The visit thus far was about what he expected it to be.

At the end of their visit the delegation excused themselves and took hummers back to the base administration building for more briefings, a tour of their facility and dinner. The next day would be a tour of the base proper, an opportunity to see what Autobots could do in combat situations and a meet up with the two Aerialbots that were still here waiting for the meet and greet to pass before picking up their duties once again.

They would also meet the sparklings.

=0=Later that evening

"More to the left."

Pause.

"There?"

"Yes."

Pause.

"You did good apparently."

"Andrea Hoxley and her allies were great company today. We cemented an already good relationship with her."

"The sparkling and I hung out on the air field."

Ratchet nodded. "What first time things did you do today that I didn't get to see?"

Ironhide paused in rubbing Ratchet's peds for a moment. "I sat him on a blanket by Sky Dive and we talked while he sat in the shade playing."

"Is that all?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"Far as I know," Ironhide said shrugging slightly.

"You're probably lying to me."

"You wound me, Ratchet."

"I will if you keep doing first time things with the sparkling and don't come to get me."

Ironhide smiled. "He was singing."

Ratchet groaned. "Why?"

"Why was he singing or what?" Ironhide asked his voice contrite with his own self acknowledged guilt.

"Both!" Ratchet sat up to look at Ironhide with angry optics. "Come and get me. That was the agreement. How can I enjoy this sparkling when I'm never there when he's doing something cute or doing something for the first time? How can I see him and feel the same good feeling you have right now when I'm not there?"

"You were doing diplomacy," Ironhide said. "Did you expect me to come and get you in the middle of that when the sparkling decided to sing?"

"Yes, Ironhide. Unless I'm standing inside someone's carcass with a wrench you come and fraggin' get me. What am I going to do? Do you want me to cry? I can cry."

"Don't cry, Ratchet," Ironhide said. "I hate it when you cry."

"I will. I could. I'm missing out," Ratchet said pitifully. Then he paused. "Did that sound as pitiful to you as it did to me?"

"Yes," Ironhide said.

"Good. Get used to it, you slagger. I want to see the sparkling excel too. COME AND GET ME, IRONHIDE!"

"I will," Ironhide said soothingly.

Pause.

"What are you doing?"

"Comforting you."

"Putting your servo there is comforting?"

"Isn't it?"

Pause.

"How about there, Ratchet?"

Pause.

"You think you can do The Sexy and it'll make my boo-boos go away?"

"Yep."

"You are a slagger, Ironhide."

"You said I'm the handsomest mech you ever saw. You even made sure that the sparkling looked just like me."

"Yeah. So?" Ratchet said peevishly.

"Well, I guess it gives a mech confidence."

"And?"

"I'm just sure I can make you smile."

"Not today, you slagger. I'm just this close to war."

"Uh, I don't think you need to go that far."

"Why not? You play with the sparkling all day long. You take him everywhere and you both have all these new experiences together while I'm laboring away making peace and slag and putting dumb afts back together when they drop something on their fraggin' helms. Do you think that's fair?"

"No."

Pause.

"Your servo there isn't going to make me feel any better."

Pause.

"I mean it, Ironhide. It won't work."

Pause.

"You slagger."

[grin] "You know you can't resist me, Ratchet."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm devilishly handsome. Your words. Because you love me and I love you."

"Not enough to come get me."

"I will."

"Sure."

"I will, Ratchet."

"We'll see."

Pause.

"A little to the left."

Pause.

"Slagger."

[Grin]

=0=TBC 2011 (1) edited 1-12-2015

I am a little short tonight. Trying to put things back together is a royal pain. Take care out there and I will post more as soon as I can remember it. -Me.