This is my last chapter, I swe—Oh wait… If the plot bunny bites me, it won't be, but I think it's my last chapter. And guess what? Haha! Red Alert is going to be touched
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"--so, that is why Inferno needs someone responsible to stay with him to make sure he doesn't accidentally crash without anyone noticing." Ratchet explained, setting down the file.
A group of blank looking commanders stared back, optics confused at the highly technical terms Ratchet had been throwing at them just clicks before. "Then who? Prime is busy, I'm busy, your medbay can't hold everyone, in fact—"
All optics turned to Red Alert who shook his head instantly. "I'm—"
"Going to accept this unless next time you crash I don't fix you." finished Ratchet.
Red Alert slumped, staring at Ratchet with disbelieving optics. Ratchet watched this reaction, and his mind jumped back to the incident about one or two vorn's ago when Red Alert was brought in, and the equipment began acting weird. Honestly, glitches responding to other mech's. Not possible.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Red Alert sighed as Inferno settled into a seat, hissing slightly in pain. Ratchet had said that the pain shouldn't be suppressed right now, and Inferno was feeling the pain.
Inferno looked at Red, wondering what exactly was running in the mech's CPU. From the frown, Inferno could guess it wasn't anything good. "Ah, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For intruding on you like this."
"It's fine. Don't worry." Red Alert murmured, trying to sort out what he was supposed to be thinking. His glitch and rational thought usually clashed, but both agreed on one thing. Inferno was to be trusted.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Inferno didn't think he could be any more bored. He had been silent, doing his own thing while Red Alert silently stared at the cameras, but now, he had run out of ideas. A frustrated sigh escaped him, and Red Alert turned in his seat. "Bored?"
"Ummmmm—"
"Here." Red Alert leaned across Inferno, just barely reaching the console in front of him. "I suppose I can show you some of my blackmail material. Offline your optics for a few moments."
Inferno obeyed, too stunned to do anything else. He could hear the typing, and at last Red Alert said softly into his auditory receptor. "Ok, it's alright to look. Just don't tell anyone please. Don't even hint at it. No need to confirm the fact that I have this."
Inferno looked at the monitor, and back at Red Alert, slightly touched. He didn't think that Red Alert would have been willing to do this, and now he berated himself for the earlier doubt that he had had about coming here. "Thank you Red."
Red Alert blinked back at him, and turned quickly, muttering, "Fine. Fine. It's all perfectly fine."
Inferno looked after him for a few moments, wondering if he should say anything, when he decided against it. "If you're sure…"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Inferno ached from laughing at the various stupid antics that the Arc crew had done. His laughter slowly died down, and he felt the odd need to slip into recharge. He fought against it for a few moments, but slowly he slipped into a deep recharge.
Red Alert stiffened as he felt Inferno slide until he was leaning onto his shoulder. "Inferno, off! Please!"
No answer. With a frown, Red Alert's head turned, and peered closely at Inferno. A groan escaped when he realized that Inferno was sleeping. For a few moments his slightly scrambled CPU and glitch clashed, should I wake him? No, sleep. But, he's touch—leave him be. But- no. It's uncomfortable. Shift slowly.
Red Alert slowly moved until Inferno was no longer resting on his left arm, but they were back to back. He glanced around and realized that he couldn't see two of the side monitors. Oddly enough, his glitch didn't seem to be too concerned. It was wondering about the warm, comfortable weight on his back…
Red Alert slowly tried to force himself to relax, and to ignore the feeling. Silently he began watching once more, part of his CPU focused on the warm, comfortable Inferno.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Ratchet had to stop at the odd sight. Inferno was recharging soundly. That was good. Inferno was supposed to be recharging by now. But not on Red Alert's back. Red Alert looked up, with pleading optics. "Get him off. Please."
Ratchet shook his head and backed up. "Prowl, Jazz, I'm going to need your help."
"What? Why?" Red Alert yelped, plainly embarrassed.
Ratchet ignored him, and waited patiently as the two mech's made their way over. "Wow, Red, I never knew you had it in you to allow someone—"
"Shut up and get him off me." Red Alert hissed, optics blazing in fury.
Jazz gulped, and Prowl shook his head at him. The two carefully eased Inferno off of Red Alert's back. Ratchet watched as tension seemed to drain out of Red, leaving behind a slightly overstrained mech.
"Red Alert, why did you allow him to recharge in that position?" Ratchet asked curiously as he ushered out the rest of the mechs.
Red Alert shrugged, watching Inferno go. Silently he turned back to the monitors, cradling his head in his hands, slumping. Ratchet strode up, placed a hand to Red's forehead, and sighed. "Red Alert, your glitch has overheated your CPU. Time for you to go to the medbay also."
"But, theirs no one to watch—"
"I'll get Prowl to take care of it. For now, you just need to recharge."
Red Alert scowled, opened his mouth, and shut it fast at the look Ratchet was giving him. He stood up shakily, murmuring, "I suppose I can recharge for a few hours."
He beat a hasty retreat back to his own, tiny room.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Inferno woke up slowly, and feeling good. Ratchet stood over him, welder in hand. "Alright, spit it out."
"What? Ratchet, please put the welder down—"
"How did you get Red Alert to actually agree to it?"
"Agree to what?"
Ratchet slowly placed the welder down, and peered closely at the confused Inferno. "Nope, you obviously have no idea. I give up. Red Alert is an enigma."
0o0o0o0o0o0
Red Alert didn't reappear for nearly eight orns, a normal recharge time for normal mechs. For Red Alert, it was nothing short of a miracle. By the end of the eighth orn, Prowl was ready to break down Red Alert's door to make sure that he hadn't crashed while in the room.
Just as Jazz was about to agree to breaking down the door, the door hissed open, and a still half-recharging Red Alert staggered out. "Morning." He muttered, rubbing his optics blearily as he staggered down to the cafeteria.
Both Prowl and Jazz exchanged odd looks, asking did this really just happen? Did Red Alert truly just come out of a recharge?
Both left, and told Ratchet, who saved away the information for a later time.
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Hmmm… Did it really? I don't know, ask the peacefully sleeping Red Alert.