Author's Notes: This chapter may be a little OOC, but the mental image would not leave me. I tried and tried and it was stuck in my head. Also, note that I moved cherry blossoms onto another planet, not due to want but because to the best of my memory, no planet in Ratchet and Clank really has cherry blossoms in the classical, pink, lovey dovey sense...

Reviews would be deeply appreciated. Those which I have, I love, because they show I am not the only one who looked at the games and saw this couple. -smiles- Up with the underground pairings, people!

I own absolutely nothing, by the way. At all. Ever. Until time ends. And even after that.

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Komanikura cherry blossoms.

Shades of softest, lightest pastel pink and deepest magenta, the petals coated the ground. It was almost like rain, but softer. Even though they hadn't come here for this, Ratchet wanted a few minutes to just sit by one and relax. So many different stressors in his life, and no time to stop and smell the cherry blossoms! Really, even though Ratchet loved action and adventure in his life, it was moments like these that he adored. A few seconds of peace and quiet. The petals fell on him, but the Lombax didn't bother to brush them off.

Four moons in crescent stage. The grey sky was lighting up with hints of blue in the clouds. There was a sweet smell in the air. Ratchet could see why this part of the planet was sectioned off. The only thing that could have made it better was...

"May I join you?"

"Clank," the Lombax blinked. "When did you get here?"

"Precisely five point three seconds ago." The robot smiled faintly, plopping down beside Ratchet. "I wondered where you were."

Clank's side was pressed against Ratchet's. Without meaning to, the Lombax blushed slightly. This was one of those moments where he could almost swear that Clank was flirting with him, even though he knew that couldn't be right. After all, Ratchet told himself firmly, Clank was a straight robot who went for robots. Now was not the time to think about this. Now was the time to just look at the sunrise and enjoy the moment.

Very timidly, Clank took Ratchet's hand.

And though he wanted to freak out, before he even knew what he was doing, he had pulled Clank closer. He... he was holding him. Ratchet could feel his mind panic even as his body relaxed against Clank's small frame. Clank needed to be held. It wasn't as if Ratchet was putting the moves on him or anything. Clank simply needed this, he told himself as butterflies danced in his stomach and he felt himself smile uncontrollably. The robot did not pull away or react oddly to this contact.

Instead, he moved towards it. Clank snuggled into him, seeking the warmth only an organic could provide. He didn't mean to. He knew the best thing would be to pull away before Ratchet got any ideas. Or, rather, before Ratchet got any right ones. He just couldn't bring himself to move. There was something about the scent in the air, the sight of the petals, and the colors of the sky. Clank didn't want to pull away just yet.

"Ratchet," he whispered softly. Not a question, not a start of a sentence. Just a name. His glowing green eyes closed for a moment. "Do you feel that?"

"Clank," the Lombax nodded once, his own eyes half lidded, as if about to sleep. "Yeah, I do."

No more words were needed. Neither one of them was ready for any other words. It was too early. Ratchet was awkward about even saying what he had. So he chose not to focus on that. Clank chose not to press the issue. Their embrace was the most real physical contact they'd ever had. Ratchet could feel the cool metal against him. Clank could feel the warmth of Ratchet's body. So mismatched, but so perfectly matched.

They sat together, closer than ever before, under the fallings of a cherry blossom tree.

Neither of them had to say I love you.

It was as good as said.