He knew he shouldn't feel defeated, but First Aid wasn't sure how to dig himself out of the hole. He blew his chance to get to Skyfire to trust him when he outright accused Sunstreaker of harming him. 'There has to be something I can do to help him, to get his trust again.' Well, since Skyfire worryingly hasn't left his quarters yet, First Aid thought it could count as a medical emergency if Skyfire wasn't getting his fuel.
It wouldn't be enough though. Oh, it would at least get Skyfire to open the door – hopefully – but not keep it open long enough for First Aid to say his piece. If he wanted Skyfire's trust, he had to think of something fast before Sunstreaker got out of the brig. The yellow mech was sentenced to the brig for as long as Cosmos was injured, to drive him that this behavior wasn't tolerated.
First Aid still checked over Cosmos for the day after, wishing him well and hoping he recovered. Thankfully, Ratchet relayed that Cosmos has powered on his optics this morning. It had already been two days, and he hoped Cosmos recovered soon. Conversely, he wished Sunstreaker didn't get to leave the brig soon.
The medic stared down at his cube of energon, shoulders slumped as he felt the defeat creep up his spinal strut. He wanted to help Skyfire, but how was he supposed to do that without breaking confidentiality? 'I have to get him to see something's wrong.' It wasn't the first time he came to that conclusion, but Skyfire would be suspicious if he blundered something again.
'How am I – wait…' First Aid tapped his digits on his cube, and though the thought made him uneasy, he nodded to himself. Getting up from his seat, First Aid was aware of the stares he got as he took two extra rations. He used the citation board to mark it as a 'medical emergency'. Hopefully it was vague but authoritative enough to keep anyone from asking questions.
Briskly, First Aid made his way back to Skyfire's quarters. He hefted the cube to one arm, but paused as he kept from knocking on the door. His spark pulsed with unease. What if he was turned away completely? What if he was ignored? He had a code that unlocked doors in cases of emergencies, but he was hesitant to do so just to get the flyer's attention.
Venting deeply, First Aid knocked on the door. There was shuffling inside, and a moment later the door cracked open. Skyfire peered around the edge, but his optics narrowed when he noticed First Aid. "Wait!" The medic's voice cracked, unused to having to be so forward. "I…I came to apologize." The words hurt him more to say than he ever thought they could.
It kept Skyfire from shutting the door in his face though. That's what mattered. "You…you did?"
First Aid vented again, to steady himself if nothing else. "Yes," he said softly. "I shouldn't have been so mean. I don't know what the situation is and I overreacted." He held out the cube. "Please, as your medic it's my opinion that you get satiated."
Skyfire narrowed his optic ridges again, but this time he seemed nervous. "Well, Sunny…"
"He doesn't have to know." First Aid said quietly. "I promise I won't tell. Please, at least take the cubes?"
Skyfire stared at him. Slowly, hesitantly, his servos reached out to grasp the offered rations. He stiffened when he made contact, looking both directions before bringing them to his chest. "Thank you." He smiled, but it formed too easily, a far-away look in his optics. "I accept your apology, but there was nothing to forgive."
First Aid's vents hitched, but Skyfire didn't seem to notice. The medic's spark thudded against its casing. 'How many times has he said that to Sunstreaker?' he thought. "Skyfire, may I ask you a question?"
Skyfire stiffened. "If it's about science, I'm sure Perceptor or Wheeljack could help you."
"No, nothing like that." First Aid said. "I just…you said you'd tell me how you and Sunstreaker met, remember? I'd like to hear that story." It was a risk, but he needed to hear it from Skyfire on how this could have started.
Skyfire frowned, glancing off to the side. "I don't know…"
"I promise I won't tell." First Aid repeated, softer as he felt like scum for tricking him.
It only worsened when Skyfire nodded hesitantly. "Alright then." He turned away for a moment. "Just let me put these away."
First Aid caught the limp the larger mech walked with, and his optics were dragged down to the casing around his ankle joint. "If you're pede is bothering you I can take a look at it. I only want to help you."
Skyfire paused before turning around. He looked torn, either between acceptance or fear. His optics glanced at his pede as well, grimacing. "It…it does hurt." He said softly. The flyer vented heavily. "Alright." He nodded, and sat down on his berth.
First Aid stepped in, being sure not to make a sudden move. He knelt down to inspect the casing. It was a rougher job than the plating which covered the other two injuries. "May I ask how this happened?"
"Just after you left when you came to see me…I…tripped." Skyfire's voice grew softer with each word. First Aid realized with a jolt that this excuse had been made up at this moment. The other lies had been given more thought in advance.
'It you tripped, it would have echoed through the base.' First Aid thought. If the crash didn't alert anyone, then the sound of what Skyfire collided with would have. His tank churned as he gently pulled the casing off. The joints didn't look twisted from a fall.
They looked crushed, and roughly realigned. First Aid's spark pulsed with guilt and sympathy. 'What did he do to you after I left? Is this my fault? Did he think you were cheating and took it out on you?' First Aid wasn't sure if Sunstreaker would have accused Skyfire of such a thing aloud, but given Skyfire had made no mention of it, First Aid still couldn't be sure.
"It must have hurt, for there to be this much damage." First Aid said softly, but Skyfire didn't say anything at all. "Why didn't you come and see me after?" He made sure to keep his voice comforting, allowing no chance for his tone to be taken as judgement on the other mech.
Skyfire clutched the edge of the berth. "Sunny said you would have been busy, and Ratchet…its better not to go to him."
'Because he would have asked questions.' First Aid thought, and his tank churned again. Asked questions like First Aid hadn't. And now that he was, Sunstreaker thought he could, what? Go to someone else? "Who repaired this then? It's okay to ask for medical help, or just," he shrugged one shoulder, "help in general."
"You mean you wouldn't get mad?" Skyfire narrowed his optics.
"Ratchet's only volatile because he's the CMO, and I'd never get cross with a patient." First Aid said. "Didn't you ever go to a medic on Cybertron?"
Skyfire went still, optics going far-away again. This time, when he spoke, it was more out of remembrance. "Yes. Sometimes there would be accidents; chemicals improperly handled, or someone dropped a beaker. I'd get caught with cast-off, and go the medical facility on the science academy's campus. They were not…the most patient of bots."
"A lot of rowdy students coming in and out; I'd imagine not." First Aid said dryly. For a moment, Skyfire's lips pulled into a smile.
First Aid looked back at the injury. No need to point out the smile and make Skyfire self-conscious. "If you're seeing a medic, then who are you going too?"
"Are…you sure he's not going to get in trouble?" Skyfire asked softly.
First Aid didn't want to lie, but the truth would be too blunt. "He'll be…reprimanded, but nothing severe."
Skyfire vented. "Hoist has been taking care of my injuries. Sunny brought him here after I...accidently knocked into my desk too hard."
'For both your arm and your shin?' First Aid thought. "Oh?" he made it sound enquiring, to put Skyfire at ease and continue talking.
"Yes, though I think I might have scared him." The flyer vented. "He was certainly skittish and kept glancing around. Sunny was nice enough to keep an optic him though."
'Why does it feel like Hoist didn't come here of his own free will?' First Aid thought. If the mech was scared of Sunstreaker, talking to him for answers could be beneficial while the yellow mech is locked in the brig. "That's…helpful." He said weakly, because even lying he couldn't put any nicety in his words. First Aid vented again. "So, how did you and Sunstreaker meet?"
Skyfire smiled again, staring off into space. "Well, I was working late one night…"
