Bonded

Chapter 3: A little problem

The morning always felt like torture on Sundays. Perceptor just felt so anxious, waiting for Niki to arrive in the afternoon. Prowl took this time to give Perceptor more assignments. Perceptor would hold them off a moment or two until either Ratchet or Prowl bugged him about them. Currently, at 11:57am, Perceptor sat with his head on the desk.

"If you sleep like that, you'll wake up with killer pain in your neck," chuckled Wheeljack, pulling Perceptor into a sitting position.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," mumbled Perceptor, pushing the report away.

"Prowl load you with more work?" Wheeljack asked, wondering off further into the lab.

"Yes," Perceptor yawned, "and don't touch anything, Jack."

"Who said I was going to touch anything," Wheeljack chuckled, coming back with a jar of ink.

"I said don't touch anything!" hissed Perceptor, snatching the jar from his inventor friend.

"That the paralysis junk?" Wheeljack asked, snatching it back.

"Yes," answered Perceptor, snatching it and storing it in the desk.

"That stuff works for like ever!" groaned Wheeljack.

"What time is it?" mumbled Perceptor.

"Human time…noon," Wheeljack answered, patting Perceptor's back. "Torture, ain't it?"

"Ain't isn't a word," Perceptor corrected.

"When will she show up?" Wheeljack hummed, reaching for the desk draw that held the ink.

"She usually shows up around noon or one," Perceptor replied, slamming Wheeljack's hand into the desk.

Wheeljack flickered his hand, whimpering. Perceptor sighed. He hadn't smashed it that hard. Wheeljack was simply trying to get that sympathetic side of Perceptor which would lead to Wheeljack in possession of the ink. Perceptor eventually cracked.

"Here," he groaned, lowering his head back to his desk as he handed Wheeljack the jar with ink.

"Thank you, Percy," Wheeljack cheered, snatching the jar and running off.

"Don't call me Percy!" shouted Perceptor but was muffled by the desk.

Perceptor sighed. He almost didn't hear the swish of the door opening. He only thought it was Wheeljack or Ratchet or Prowl trying to get him to work on the paper. When there was no sound after the swish of it closed, he sat up and looked over. No one. He gave a skeptical look. He returned to looked at his desk.

"Boo!"

Perceptor jumped out of his chair, allowing it to fall backward onto the ground. He panted hard. Niki stood on the desk…well now she was on her back laughing. Perceptor sighed, allowing himself to release tension. He pulled his chair back up and sat down, giving a friendly glare to the still laughing teen.

"You should've seen your face!" she giggled. "You looked like you saw a Con!"

"What was that about," chuckled Perceptor, giving in to the joke.

"I scared you! Climbed up here pretty quick. I'm doing great in P.E.!" proclaimed Niki, sitting up.

"I bet," sighed Perceptor, placing his head on his hand.

"So, what's up, Mister Science?" Niki giggled, finishing her laughter fit.

"Work…" sighed Perceptor.

"Prowl always dumps work on you in the mornings," shrugged Niki. "Anything new?"

"The Twins are planning," smirked Perceptor.

"They won't get to far. I've already got a pla-"

Suddenly, a siren went off and a red light flashed. Perceptor jumped out of his seat yet again. The chair hit the floor with a clatter. Niki sat up straight, seeing Perceptor look very worried and skeptical. He went to the door, clicking a button of the wall. There was a pause then a voice.

"Perceptor there's no time for this!" It was Red Alert.

"Why would the Cons attack now, at our base of all places?" Perceptor snapped.

"Just get your aft out there!" ordered Red Alert, switching off the link.

Perceptor looked back Niki. She was starting to get worried. Perceptor lifted Niki hastily. He clamped his hands, caging her in. she looked around, trough his fingers, the best she could. He was walking to the back of his lab. He slipped her down, near some boxes. She slid of his hands and onto the box. She turned and looked at him.

"Stay here and don't make a sound," he ordered, running off.

"Be careful!" she called, sitting down.