Characters: First Aid, Optimus Prime

"Hello Prime." Optimus rebooted his optics as he stared down at the youngling who had planted himself in the centre of the medbay. If he didn't know better he would assume that Ratchet had been returned to youngling frame. The small hands were resting on his hips as he smiled, the sort of smile that promised pain for recalcitrant patients. "You. Are late."

"My apologies." Prime rumbled as the youngling tilted his helm, obviously weighing up the truth of the statement.

::Ratchet, why exactly is First Aid here alone? Are you not meant to be doing my routine maintenance check?:: Prime used the younglings inattention to send out a quick comm.

::What did I tell you when you missed your first appointment?::

::That you'd let, oh!::

::Exactly, and he was ever so excited when you didn't appear for the rescheduled check-up.:: The comm was accompanied by several glyphs rendering it thick with amusement. ::Be a good mech for my apprentice and next time turn when you are meant to.::

"Right." First Aid didn't seem to have noticed the rapid-fire exchange of comm traffic as he flicked through a datapad. "Get up on a berth."

"Any one in particular?" Prime asked when the youngling didn't look up from his pad.

"Nope." He said as he trotted over to the storage cupboards and pulled out a machine, hefting it in his arms and returning to Prime's side. "I have to do a coolant filter, the pad says you're overdue."

The filter machine was lifted up onto the table beside the berth with only a little wobbling before First Aid scrambled up onto the berth. Small fingers deftly found and opened hidden catches in the armour before connecting the filter tubes to Prime's coolant lines. "There, I think that's right." The pad was pulled out and consulted before the filter was switched on.

Prime relaxed when he didn't go up in flames or receive any other error messages.

"While that's running I need to check your optics." He didn't get a chance to protest as First Aid plonked himself down on his lap , device in hand. "Okay, ultraviolet." The device was held up right in front of his optics, forcing him to lean backwards, glad that he hadn't sat back against the wall or he'd be glitching his optics trying to focus on it.

"Glyph for sanctuary." He said when he was able to actually view it.

The answer was dutifully marked down and the next one presented as Aid slowly worked his way along the spectrum.

"Uhhhhm, energon next." He said as he scrambled down and went to fetch the energon siphoning kit. Prime presented his arm with only a small amount of trepidation as First Aid was wielding a needle as long as his own hand. "This shouldn't hurt too much."

Optimus wasn't sure whether that was more or less reassuring than Ratchet's usual 'this will hurt like the Pit, try not to move and mess it up'. Thus he was pleasantly surprised when the youngling pushed the needle into a seam between two armour plates, tapping a line on his first try and the only error message was the expected notification about a minor puncture and loss of pressure.

Three small capsules were quickly filled and the needle withdrawn as First Aid set the vials to one side, ready to be analysed later.

Several beeps interrupted the youngling and he scrambled up to turn off the filter and unhook the tubes.

::Ratchet, is all of this truly necessary?:: Prime asked once First Aid was occupied.

::Probably not. But Aid's never done a maintenance check before and he wanted to try it all.::

::You are a sadistic glitch.::

::Why thank you Lord Prime.:: The formal tone, coloured with several glyphs denoting amusement rendered the entire comment into one big sarcastic mess and Optimus wisely didn't respond, who knows what other tests Ratchet could find for First Aid to try.

"Right, oil change now." First Aid said as he settled himself to one side and tapped at an access hatch in Prime's side. He let it click open without protest, the list of checks on the pad currently lying near his feet was depressingly long.

This round definitely goes to Ratchet.