Author's Note: Some swearing. Heads up, OC has a head cold in this chapter and I have tried to type like she would speak with a blocked nose hence what appears to be lots of spelling mistakes but it is intentional. I wonder how many of you will read this chapter with your best ''blocked nose voice?''
Chapter 19: Ain't no cure for what I've got
Orianna P.O.V
I brought the tissue up to my nose and blew – hard. Two weeks after the awkward encounter outside the med bay, I came down with a bad head cold. My head felt like a million cotton wool buds were stuffed inside it and my eyelids were like leaden weights.
I tried to sniff to unblock my nose only to end up coughing as I irritated my dry throat. ''Gread! Jus gread!'' I collapsed back onto my bed and groaned out loud. ''It's summber and I hab a head cold.'' I wrapped my light blanket around me and snuggled in, seeking its comforting embrace. The irony of the situation was not lost on me as I reached for yet another tissue. /Just a few weeks ago, Prime thought I was coming down with something as he mistook my attraction to him as symptoms of a mystery illness/.
I sighed out loud and coughed yet again as I tried to laugh. ''And now… I actually AMB sick!'' I groaned in tired frustration and rolled onto my stomach to let my head hang over the edge of my bed. /Perhaps gravity might help me with my blocked nose?/.
All at once I bolted upright, feeling light headed at the sudden movement.
A familiar engine rumbled along the road outside my apartment. My heart stopped and I found myself scrambling to my feet. Collecting my blanket around me and grabbing a handful of tissues, I ran out of my room.
/It couldn't be him. Could it?/. I hadn't seen him for nearly a week and with my cold the last few days I had been sequestered at home. I padded out across the kitchen floor and the small meals area towards the sliding door leading to the balcony. As I unclipped the lock, I felt a rush of adrenaline course through me. A nervous, excited anticipation as I fumbled with the curtains and my blanket.
A smile played on my lips as I caught sight of the beloved red and blue flame decaled truck sitting outside my apartment block, almost waiting. /What for? Maybe he is not sure if I am home?/. I scoffed out loud as I whispered to myself, ''You idiod, his scanners and sensors can work out ib I am homb before I can!'' I stepped closer to the railing to call down to the silent truck. ''Brime? Whad are you doing here?'' My voice was very nasally, and I cringed.
There was no response from the vehicle.
I was just about to call out to him again when a loud knock on my door drew a small, strangled gasp from me and I stood frozen in shock and confusion. /Who could that be? Lennox called around yesterday to check I was okay/. I began to shuffle towards the door when another loud knock rang out around my small apartment. I growled out loud at the seeming impatience as I closed the distance, reaching for the doorknob.
''Orianna? Are you home?'' A tentative, deep, muffled voice addressed me from the other side of my door, and I froze yet again, my arm outstretched before me as I prepared to turn the doorknob.
/HOLY SHIT! HE'S HERE! IT'S HIM, HE'S HERE… RIGHT NOW.. OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT/.
''Orianna?'' his voice said my name again, ''It's Prime. Are you there? May I come in?''
I blinked rapidly, sniffed, and taking as deep a breath as I could manage under the circumstances, I unlocked the door and turned the handle. I pulled the blanket tightly around me as my eyes drank in the sight before me. Standing in the hallway, with one muscled arm propped up against the wall as his large frame filled the doorway, was the handsome holoform of Optimus Prime. The stubble that had lightly dusted his face when I had first seen him seemed longer, as though he had been too busy to keep it in check. A large grin was plastered on his chiseled face and those azure eyes of his seemed to glow as he took in my appearance. ''Hello Orianna. I was beginning to think you were ignoring me.'' His voice held a teasing tone to it.
I gulped, not only to try and breathe, but to try and initiate some form of cognisant response to his presence and greeting. ''Brime! Whad are you doing here?'' All I could do was repeat my previous question as I stared at the God-like figure before me. He was wearing a tight-fitting blue and red plaid flannel shirt over a white t-shirt, with black jeans and the same combat boots. I found it difficult to swallow and not just because my nose was blocked, and my throat was sore.
His piercing blue eyes shone as he regarded me with that lop sided grin of his. ''I would think that would be obvious Orianna. I have come to see how you are feeling. I heard from Lennox you were unwell.'' He removed his hand from the wall as he drew himself up to his full height, my itchy, watery eyes following his movement.
/Bloody Lennox!/ ''Oh. Well, I'm sick. I 'ab a cold.'' As if on cue, a loud sneeze erupted from my mouth, and I only managed to contain it within my tissue before spraying the gorgeous man before me with mucus.
Prime gave a low, amused chuckle as he folded his arms across his chest, his biceps straining under his shirt. ''I can see that Orianna.'' His eyes seemed to dart behind me quickly before once again settling on my face. ''May I come in?'' He raised a questioning eyebrow.
''Ahh,'' I brought a tissue up to my nose. ''I don'd know if thad is a goob idea,'' I smiled weakly at him as I held the tissue up in explanation. ''Germbs.''
Prime took a step forward, standing on the threshold. ''I'm sure I will be safe Orianna.'' He leant down slightly and smiled reassuringly at me. ''Holoform remember. Plus, I am not an organic based lifeform with a genetic predisposition to become infected with your viruses and germs.''
I blinked owlishly at him for a moment, processing his arguments, before I stepped back and gestured for him to enter. ''Well, when you pud id like thad. Come on in Brime.''
He chuckled softly as he walked past me into the living room. Though I was robbed of my sense of smell, I could recall the scent of him from our previous encounter in this form and I closed my eyes, drinking in his imaginary aroma as I quickly shut the door.
Turning about, I was taken back by the sight of him in my apartment as he stood by the lounges, his eyes scanning the room taking in my surrounds and belongings. He seemed to dominate the room, his presence demanding attention. /No different to his actual form!/. I gathered up my blanket about me and padded over towards him.
He turned back to face me, a smile on his lips. ''So, this is what your domicile looks like from the inside Orianna?'' He nodded his head approvingly. ''It looks very comfortable and well appointed.'' His eyes swept my room again and he began to move about the space, clearly taking note of the layout.
I shrugged my shoulders as I watched Prime assess my apartment. /Surreal. This is surreal. Maybe my cold and flu tablets had expired?/. ''Ah, yeah. I guess id is.''
He moved towards the hallway and the bathroom and…
I bolted towards him. ''Nothing impordand down there Brime!''
He had stopped at the doorway to my bedroom and was leaning against the doorframe. I swallowed and felt my face flush at the sight as he turned to look at me. ''So, this is where you recharge Orianna?'' His eyes moved to sweep the room.
I shoved past him, kicking the pile of dirty laundry, including some underwear, on the floor back against the wall. I reached out to try and push him out of the doorway, a scowl on my face. ''Yes. It is. It's normbally a lot cleaner Brime bud I've been sick. Blease. Leds move somewhere else.'' For so many reasons I felt uncomfortable with him being so close to my bedroom. /If he only knew the amount of times I had dreamt of him being in that bed with me../.
Prime held his hands up and turned about dutifully, ''Sorry Orianna. Of course. I did not mean to transgress on your privacy.'' He headed back towards the loungeroom, waiting to take my cue.
I followed him in the room and moved to sit on the two-seater grey fabric lounge facing the television, drawing my knees up under me and the blanket around me. I blew my nose again as I gestured towards the single armchair opposite me, a silent invitation to sit down. ''S'okay Brime.''
Prime moved to sit down, his massive frame filling the armchair as he placed his arms on the rests and his legs sprawled out before him. Though I tried not to, I couldn't help but stare at him. /Fuck, he is hot, and he is in my apartment/.
His deep voice drew my attention once more and I shook my head to focus. ''I am sorry to both hear and see you are feeling unwell Orianna. Is there anything I can do for you?'' his deep voice seemed to envelope me in warmth and I closed my eyes, savoring the sound I missed so much.
I sniffed loudly and gasped for air, wrapping the blanket around myself tightly as a shiver that had nothing to do with my fever, ran through me. ''No. There's nudding you cam do for me Brime.'' I shrugged my shoulders. ''Jus' something I godda deal wid on my own.'' I internally winced at the real meaning behind my words. ''I'll be o'kay in a few days.''
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. ''Funny. That sounds like something I would say.''
I laughed as I blew my nose yet again. ''Yeah, well. Hanging out wid you for so long Brime, I learnbd from the best.''
His smile grew sad. ''That is a lesson I would rather you didn't emulate Orianna.'' Almost immediately, the smile became more mischievous. ''Took me four million years, and a certain woman who came into my life, to begin to break that habit of thinking I had to deal with everything on my own.'' Prime's shoulders seemed to rise and fall as he exhaled, and he rose gracefully to his feet and walked towards me. I felt my heart constrict and wave of cold and heat washed over me simultaneously as he came to crouch down before me.
I sent him a quick smile and a nervous laugh. ''Well,'' I sniffed in a rather undignified way, ''she can be rabber persuasive ad timbes.''
He chuckled as his left hand gently grasped my knee, and he carefully extended his index finger on his right hand to place it gently under my chin as he once did. ''Yes. She can,'' he murmured. My skin burned at the contact. I wanted to both pull away and lean into his touch. The intoxicating deep voice rumbled on. ''I wish I could manage to be as persuasive as her in this moment and convince you to let me in and help you.''
I chuckled softly and sniffed, as I grabbed his right hand in mine and patted it. ''I already hab Brime. You're in my libing room.''
He shook his head slowly as he brought his left hand up to caress the side of my face gently and tenderly. His laughter rumbled and his voice dropped to almost a whisper. ''There she is. I have missed her.''
/God I just want to tell him how I feel! Tell him why I have kept a distance when possible. Just tell him, say it! Say it now! Stop being such a coward!/. I reached out and grabbed hold of his left hand, only just managing to refrain from bringing it up to my face, to my lips. I felt my mouth opening to form the words...
''I have missed my friend's company and her jokes.'' Prime's voice rolled on before I could say what I had intended to say, and I stopped.
I closed my eyes tightly as several tears fell from my watery eyes and I nodded my head. I released his hands and sat back in the lounge chair, moving away from him. I sniffed loudly and gasped to try and stop the feeling of suffocating before I sent him a small, weak smile. ''My jokes are terrible Brime. Not sure you could miss themb.'' /He had said ''friend.'' /Friend./. The word, and Rachet's advice on Transformer relationships, slammed into me – hard.
Prime tilted his head at my reaction, his left hand remained suspended in midair for a moment before he slowly placed it on the lounge before him. ''Well, I do Orianna. Very much.''
I nodded my head, unable to say anything more at the moment. My head felt fuzzy, my heart hurt, and I was tired. Physically, emotionally, everything - exhausted. I raised my hands to rub my face.
''Are you okay Orianna?'' Prime's concerned voice drifted towards me through the fog.
I slowly batted my eyes, blinking them. Clearly the medicine I took just a few minutes before Prime showed up, was kicking in. /I need to lie down/. ''Yeah Brime. I'm jusd tired. Think I need do lie down.''
Prime smiled warmly at me and rose to his feet, offering his hand. ''Understood. I think that is a wise decision Orianna.''
I took his proffered hand in mine, hauling myself off the lounge as gracefully as possible. His hand felt warm and solid and real, and I found myself absentmindedly brushing his hand with my thumb. He simply smiled at me and squeezed my hand tightly in reply. ''Thanks, Brime. Sorry I'm nod much fun do hang out wid today.'' I began to shuffle past him, holding my blanket about me.
He released my hand and I felt bereft of its warmth. ''Orianna, I always enjoy your company.'' He began to follow me towards the bedroom.
''Ah, you don't hab do follow me Brime,'' I spun about to address him, ''I'll be okay..'' the sudden movement, combined with the medication, affected my sense of balance, and I felt myself falter and begin to fall backwards.
In one swift movement, I felt a pair of strong arms reach out to grab me, sweeping me up. blanket and all. Prime had picked me up and was carrying me towards my room. I stared blankly at him for a moment before I registered what was happening. I began to squirm about in his arms and tried to push against his chest. ''Brime! Pud me down blease. I can walk!''
Prime only held me tighter against his chest and a stern glance was cast in my direction. ''I beg to differ given you almost fell and hurt yourself a moment ago.'' He had already reached the hallway. ''I do not know why you are being so contrary and defiant, but I am helping you and that is final.'' His tone certainly brooked no opposition. I glared silently at him and his assertive expression. Stilling in his arms, I allowed myself to be carried the remaining distance compliantly.
Walking into my room, Prime carefully placed me on the bed and pulled the covers back, allowing me to remove my blanket and get comfortable before he pulled the covers up over me. As my head lay against the pillow, I felt his hand lightly stroke my forehead. His brow furrowed as he stilled his hand. ''You feel warm OC. You need to rest.'' Spying a tissue box on the floor, he bent to pick it up and place it on my bedside table in easy reach. He smiled down at me as he stepped back towards the door. ''I hope you feel better soon Orianna. I shall come back and check on you tomorrow.''
All at once the thought I was going to be left on my own once again hit me hard. An almost suffocating need for company, his company, overwhelmed me and I found myself reaching out a tentative hand. ''Brime?''
The handsome holoform halted and turned to face me, his answering smile emboldening me to make my request. ''Yes Orianna?''
My watery eyes locked onto his azure gaze. ''Y.. you said when you camb here ib there was anything you could do for me?''
He nodded his head. ''I did indeed Orianna.''
I gulped some air as I gathered my courage about me. ''Is id too late to make a requesd?'' I blinked my eyes and brought a tissue to my nose.
Prime held my gaze for a moment, his eyes sweeping over my face as a small half grin appeared once more. ''Of course not Orianna. What can I do for you?''
My breath hitched in my throat as I fought back tears, tears I had no idea were lurking, begging release. I continued to reach for him as I tried to sit up. My voice was soft and small, almost childlike, as I whispered my request. ''Stay.''
The smile on his face seemed to fade slightly and his whole frame seemed to tense for a moment as he stared intensely at me.
I closed my eyes, pressing on with my request. ''Stay wid me until I fall asleep. Blease? I jusd need…''
''A hug?'' His deep, warm voice wrapped itself around me and I found myself nodding slowly as I opened my eyes.
''Yes Brime. A hug.'' A thought occurred to me, and I continued quickly. ''Only if you arnd busy and you don'd hab anything impordand you need do see do.''
He laughed as his eyes swept the room, clearly trying to locate something to sit on or somewhere to sit. Moving around the foot of the bed, I tracked his path, my eyes widening and my heart beating faster as the mattress creaked and sagged with the weight of another body climbing onto it. /Holy shit!/. ''Never too busy for you Orianna.''
I felt the heat of his ''body'' next to me as he adjusted the pillows and leaned back beside me, holding his arm up to indicate that I could cuddle into him for said hug. I immediately wriggled towards him and lay my head on his chest, my right arm draping over his stomach. As his right arm wrapped around my shoulder, I sighed contentedly and chuckled. ''Liar! Bud I abreciate the sendiment Brime.''
I felt his chest shake as he laughed in reply. ''Primes don't lie Orianna.''
I raised my head slightly to look up into his face. His eyes shone brightly as they regarded me, and his lips were curved into that lop sided grin he had when I said something to amuse him. I smiled at him as I patted his chest. ''First timbe for everything Brime.''
He raised his left hand to brush his fingers against my cheek as he smiled down at me. ''Yes. I guess there is Orianna.''
Once again, I felt myself heat up as I lay against his body, the sensation of his fingers brushing my cheek sent goosebumps along my arms and I heard myself gasp. ''Now,'' Prime's deep voice reverberated through me as he removed his hand from my face. ''Get some sleep Orianna. Your temperature is rising, and you look flushed. You need to fight your fever and recover from your illness.''
I closed my eyes and nodded my head as I once again lay against his chest. His right arm held me protectively as I curled up against him. He felt warm, and safe and my eyelids felt so heavy. Sleep was calling me and as I answered its siren call, two thoughts followed me into the beckoning darkness…
/There ain't no cure for what I have Prime/.
/Please God don't let me drool!/.