The Manner of the Crazy

By: Sinead

Author's Note: Welcome back, and . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . .

Part Two

There! That wasn't so hard, now was it?

I was in the photo room with Dinobot beside me, helping me with enlarging the photos. I looked over and around his elbow until he moved his arm around my shoulders, then continued his work. Once the print was done, he put everything away and wrapped his arms around me fully. I smiled up at him and he kissed my forehead. I sighed, was almost bowled over by him, but I pushed him away, laughing. "Stoppit! And we still need four more prints!"

He sighed, and looked at me pleadingly. It didn't help that it was midnight and my resistance level to anything, never mind my tolerance, was in the negative numbers.

knock-knock

Dinobot gave me a disappointed look and I smiled at him, shaking my head. "Who is it?"

"Megatron."

"Don't you have Cheetor to hover over for something he's done wrong again?"

He poked his head in and said, "They're filming tomorrow, and they want you to take pictures."

I sighed and indicated the phone. "Wire 'em through."

Megs nodded then disappeared again. I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ah, yes. Are you Sinead?"

"Yes . . . ?"

"Right. Would you mind coming in tomorrow and taking some pictures of the episode?"

I sighed, and Dinobot set up the next piece of paper in the enlarger. I looked at him, smiling, and shook my head. "You know that tomorrow is my day off. These last two weeks, actually, I've been off. We're still on vacation for five more days. You knew that?"

His voice was weak. "Yes."

"So then why are you calling me in?"

"We kinda-sorta need your husband."

I glared at him and he looked at me in surprise. I sighed. "Really. And did he know of this?"

"There's a memo in his mailbox."

"At the office?"

"Well . . . yeah . . ."

I sighed. "Could you hold on a moment?" He grunted an affirmation, and I muted the phone. "They want you in tomorrow for the shoot. I think you're supposed to be in it. Memo's in the box, and I know that we haven't been anywhere near the office these past two weeks."

He snatched the phone out of my hands and said, "No. I'm not going in."

There was a reply, and he snorted. "Do I sound like I care that the shoot would be ruined? No? Good, because I don't."

He handed the phone back to me, and I said, "I think that I'll just stay home tomorrow. I'm being paid for this leave." I hung up and looked at Dinobot, who was leaning his forehead against the red glass of the window and staring blankly through at the dark landscape beyond. I finished developing a print and hung it up to dry. With a sigh, I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head into his back. He didn't move, and I whispered, "You did the right thing, Dinobot."

With a sigh, he replied, "What if I didn't."

"DB, you know that the only reason that they had you 'killed off,' was because you are who you are."

"And that is?"

"You're a stubborn, back-talking guy who doesn't care if the truth hurts or not. I know you."

He chuckled. "Primus . . . we had one screwed-up wedding. I can't believe that it's only been three weeks since then."

I chuckled in return, and said, "Neither can I, but what was even screwier was the first time that we met, what, two years ago?"

He turned and smiled down at me, then rested his forehead on the top of my head and sighed through my hair. "I remember . . . a photographer was scheduled for a shoot right after some heavy filming. A full act, Sinead! We had to film half of that episode that day!" He shook his head. "Anyway, you should have been there to see how far the director was driven crazy. The photographer called in sick . . ."

"You know," I interrupted, "that he was faking it. He was scared to death of you guys!" Dinobot chuckled evilly. I looked up at him. "You scared him off, didn't you."

"Slag, yeah."

"How."

He smiled, and replied, "You know how on the Axalon's set, there was always a loose panel that was used to get onto the bridge secretly when we were late?"

"You threw Rattrap through it, didn't you."

"And Primal and Megatron were on the other side, getting their picture taken."

"Oh, you idiot."

He smiled again, and said, "What did you think of us when you first saw us?"

I sighed, and hid my face against his chest, and replied, laughing, "You were the goofiest bunch that I had ever come up against."

"We had a hard time knowing that we'd have to get used to another photographer. So we fooled around, thinking that we'd scare you off."

I looked up at him, smiling. "And you got me so ticked off that I brought in all of my own friends on the company picnic."

He faked a shudder. "I think that was the first time that I saw how alike we were."

"Not to admit . . . total opposites."

He smiled, and once everything was put away we went up to our room. I looked around and instantly suspected something. It was too quiet, and way too neat to be our room. Dinobot stared at the floor-space. "I remember throwing something down," he grinned at me and I blushed silently, covering my eyes with a hand, "right over there. Don't know where it is, now. That sucks."

I glared at him, and he said, "But it can be replaced there . . ."

I indicated the closet, and he nodded, started to turn away, but then ran at me. I moved swiftly, and he looked at me in surprise as he hit the closet door. It came off of its hinges to reveal Tigatron. He looked in bewilderment at Dinobot, who was clutching his head and looking at the busted door. Blackarachnia and Airazor looked around the sides of the closet door, laughing at the stunned Dinobot. He rubbed his head, then called over to me, "I'll slagging get you for that."

I laughed and replied, "Yeah, sure. So what are you three up to?"

Blackarachnia chuckled, and replied, "Hah! Just wanna see what you two get up to, if you know what I mean."

"Out!" I yelled. "OUT!!! Get your mangy hides out of this room now, and if I find one bug in this room, I'll make your photographs hell! I did that to Tarantulus once! You remember that issue!"

They skittered around the room, grabbed at a few things, then left. Tigatron came back in, just as I was starting to walk over to Dinobot, and grabbed something by the bureau, then closed the door again. The door opened, Tigatron's hand entered, turned the lock, and retreated again.

I sighed, and looked at Dinobot, who stood, and embraced me. I yawned, and rested my head against his chest. "Sleep . . ."

"I agree that it's a good idea . . . most nights."

"No."

"What do you mean, no? Why else would you refuse to go in for a full month after our wedding?"

"Photographing you and your foul-minded co-actors in more-embarrassing situations in the home environment, perhaps?"

"Nnnnhhh . . . you really are annoying."

"I love you, though."

"Aah, but . . ."

"But nothing!"

"Sinead . . ."

"Do I have to reinforce my statement with a chastity belt?"

". . . a what?"

"Nevermind. Forgot that you're not human."

"Thanks. I'm complemented. Really."

"You should be!"

"Sinead, love, please?"

"Fine. Forget the chastity belt. I'll make sure that youdon't come near me!"

"I'm starting to dislike that look in your eye, Sinead."

"You know the term castration."

". . ."

"Don't think that I won't try it upon you if you keep insisting."

"Why do I have to be the first one?!"

"Fine! I'll fix Rattrap first!"

"Hah! Not possible. You know my little brother's already female!"

"Ah, darn. You're right. Could we settle upon . . . forget that, Tarantulus is a girlie, too."

"See?"

I sighed, and said, "No 'fun-time' tonight, but some time later on may prove to have better results."

"Seriously? And why not the rest of this week, Sinead? You almost banned me from the room twice!" he replied.

I blinked dully at him. "You really are that thick, aren't you?"

"What? What are you talking about, Sinead?"

I told him, and his face paled. I guess he didn't know about how human females dread one week in every four. He swayed upon his feet, and I had to lead him to a chair quickly, to sit him down. "Are you okay?"

He groaned, and shook his head. "How can you stand that?"

"What? Stand what?"

"Bleeding . . . blood. That stuff."

I blinked at him. "You really are amazing, you know that? You're a warrior, and you hate blood."

Dinobot hid his head in his hands again. I laughed, and pulled his head to rest upon my shoulder, kissing his cheek. It would be a long week, I already knew, but it would be even longer for Dinobot.