Shell Shock

Writers: Denny and Leila
Rating: PG-RG
Warnings: Ratchet/Azimuth. Violence.
Disclaimer: We value our lives too much to even dare think about claiming Ratchet and Alister as our own. We borrow them for an RP, so don't worry. [Put the Wargroks back into your cage!]
Summary: Everyone's nightmare is to wake up in a cold, dark place without a clue where one is. Sadly, that's what's happened to us. What's even better, we have monsters and weird encounters to endure as well. And then there's them…
Lucky, right? If I ever get out of here, I will need some therapy sessions.

Chapter 18

-

A rectangular light opened in the darkness, and was then partially swallowed by a bulky shadow stepping into its frame. The shadow spoke with a cultured, nasal voice that dripped both, strangely enough, with boredom trying to hide amusement, and with a bare hint of pride. "This is one of the few rooms I had full responsibility in designing all myself - including the furniture. Of course, the quality and décor are of slightly a more sophisticated design than Dr. Nefarious would bother with."

Azimuth looked around. Really, it seemed pleasant. The room, no, the suite was spacious, and there were cooking appliances and two cupboards for whichever reason in there. As the general looked around, he discovered a desk with a desk lamp, a holo-screen with a strange device placed before it - if the old Lombax was right, it had to be a VGX-9000 - and a small couch right in front of the screen, a bathroom with towels and all that belonged to it, and lights that were not as blue as the rest of the facility, but of a soothing yellow tone. Yes, this room was quite pleasant.

Only one thing disturbed him.

The butler seemed oblivious to the fact. "I even redecorated this room a little to suit your tastes better. The desk is for you in case you feel the desire to write down your experiences as our new staff, and the VGX-9000 if you search for some occupation for your own leisure. Of course, I believe you can entertain yourselves well enough without it, but you never know. Either way…" His step lighter than usually, Lawrence walked towards the wardrobe and opened while taking a bow and waving invitingly to the piece of furniture. "Look! There is even a six inch tall mirror for you, in case you discover a vainer side in yourselves." Standing upright again, he folded his hands, a slight smile of satisfaction on his face as if he anticipated some form of response. "And? What do you say?"

"Ahem… Well." Alister rubbed the back of his head. "It's a wonderfully decorated suite, and quite a lot considering that we are, um, only new staff."

"Yes, yes. But you will need that after a long, enduring day."

"I believe so. But either way… There is one thing that kind of bugs me…" Azimuth bit his lip as he shuffled around. Lawrence widened one of his optics, directing his gaze at the elder.

"And what would that be, general?"

"Well... The… The, um…" Azimuth lowered his head slightly as his voice fell. "It's the fact that there is only one bed…"

"King-size bed, if you will. But I digress." The butler formed an expression similar to frowning. "What is bothering you about that?"

"Well, for starters, we are two!"

"So? You could surely share the bed, now couldn't you?", was the indifferent reply. "Or do you believe that both of you won't fit on it? Well, I can assure you that even if that was the case, if you huddled close to each other, it would work too, but it is not, and I see no problem here."

Despite his knowledge about the butler's sense of humor, Ratchet doubted the robot's processor was still in working order. Then again, only he would suggest in such an ordinary, but also very sensible way that they press against each other shouldn't they have room on the bed. "Of course you couldn't have bought two queen-sized beds, could you?" A roll of green eyes which Lawrence casually shrugged off.

"The bed was a special offer, I simply couldn't resist."

An unnerved growl escaped Azimuth. "Just... Just how-"

"Oh you have given quite enough reasons to assume that this room would be perfect for you." The butler couldn't hide his smirk this time as he reached out for both their hands and looked into their eyes to scan them. As soon as was done, he stepped past his new employees. "Now, should you wish to enter the room, simply raise your hand and look at the scanner at the door. From this point on the program should recognize you as part of the facility's staff." Then he walked towards the entrance. "Either way, I shall take my leave now; I'm sure the good doctor is getting impatient already. Please get a good rest and ready yourself for tomorrow. We will supply you with the adequate weapons and devices for combat." He looked at them with the faintest smirk. "Good night." And with that, the butler left the room, the door silently closing behind him.

The 'click' as it shut sounded partially like a death toll. Of course Lawrence's implications had risen some awkward memories - though the collection which they viewed as such as well how they viewed them, in that they greatly differed from each other.
For Ratchet it was all the times when Alister had been 'coming to his senses', so to speak. Always when they were physically intimate. Even when he had just been comforting the elder, at one point Alister would lock up as if some tremendous weight crushed on him as some kind of realization hit him.

Azimuth, too, felt like the departure of the robot had left them in an awkward, if not tensed up situation. Turning away from the door, he put his wrench into the wardrobe and deactivated his armor. Then he sat down on one of the chairs and leant forward, supporting his torso by placing his arms on his legs. After a few moments he looked at the younger. "Well. I suppose it's time to sort things out."

"Sort things out, eh?" Ratchet rubbed his neck, suppressing a yawn. The prospect of any action today other than straightly falling to sleep made his body and mind rebel, even more as that bed - for the two of them or not - offered a temptation of softness he gladly would have sprawled across upon.

Azimuth watched the younger's action carefully. "Yes," was the reluctant answer, "sort things out. There are some things we need to talk about." A pause as he lowered his head and looked aside. "Of course, it doesn't have to be now, but… I don't know."

One corner of Ratchet's mouth quirked unnoticeably, without any humor. Now he wants to talk about this? I thought he would act as if this didn't happen. "A lot happened, that is right. My head still swirls from every event of the day; that has been much even for my standards."

"Mhm." Azimuth nodded slightly, only to hide that he did not know how to continue the conversation. "It was quite much." His fingers curled and were splayed again as silence threatened to come over them. His ears twitched slightly while his eyes looked left and right on the ground. Both of them knew what he was prancing around, and it was embarrassingly hard to speak about it.

"I'm not sure if I should be glad that I was incoherent when you saved me from the guards and escaped. I probably would have reacted worse than only scream. But... the delirium I was in wasn't paradise either." Small mercies he didn't remember much anymore about this time. The terror that rolled in his stomach when he thought about it told more than enough how bad it must have been.

Silence. A frown appeared on Azimuth's face as he bit his lip slightly. "I'm sorry. If I had been faster, it wouldn't have happened in the first place."

Not the self-blame again. Ratchet shook his head with a determined look. "You broke their torpidity. Probably already a wonder that you managed that at all." He strode to the elder, then kneeled at his feet. He looked up to him with a forlorn yet somber gaze. "If it hadn't been for you, I would have been dead back there."

"... That might well be. But I could have been faster." Azimuth gaze met the younger's, worry yet confusion in his eyes. Was Ratchet angry at him? Or did he only imagine this? "It's just...", he continued, "I don't know. Too much happened today, and it all started with this."

He looked down at a touch to his hand - Ratchet had laid a hand on his, looking almost lost on the big limb. The elder's eyes widened a little in surprise. Not because of the touch alone, no - it was the fact that once more he realized that Ratchet was not only lither, but also of smaller stature than him. As he looked at the younger's hand, he wondered how he could wield such ferocious weapons at all. How he could have gotten through all that time.
The urge to protect him did not come from nowhere it seemed.

Yet Azimuth knew that the younger Lombax was more than capable of defending himself. He had seen it often enough, and had even been witness to the over-powering strength Ratchet had inside him. Had he been a normal cadet in the Lombax military forces, the elder would have stopped feeling so protective of him since a long time already. It was not because he was Kaden's son either. Of course, it did contribute to this urge to protect, but it was not the main cause.

Sometimes it's because someone's precious.

A chuckle left him as the thought shot through his mind. What was he thinking? He was not sure. But instead of pondering on this train of thought any longer, he placed his other hand on Ratchet's. A faint smirk hushed over his lips as he silently played with the thought in his mind. Yes, perhaps he was precious. Perhaps he was subconsciously already accepting the possibility of something his consciousness could not. After all, it was an undeniable fact that he could not bear seeing Ratchet in danger, and it was certainly no longer solely because of the duty as a guardian. He simply wanted to know the other safe at all times, even though he knew well that the younger could defend himself more than well enough.

Again a chuckle. What folly he was giving in to. What terrible folly. But what was even more terrible and alarming to his consciousness was the fact that he was slowly growing fond of it. Even if the progress was slow, incredibly slow, and even if his consciousness, his values still overpowered those new, unspoken thoughts.

The golden ears tilted. What was Alister looking at? He didn't seem to mind that he touched his hand, smiling as he did.

Turning the hand Ratchet's was resting on, he now loosely held it in his palm. His thumb idly stroked over the younger's hand as his gaze grew a little distant. "Then again...", he whispered, "not everything was bad today. Only unexpected."

"We can go in circles or we both can admit at least a bit into each other's views, if that is what you feel would be more acceptable to you." It sounded like a half-cooked deal in some business meeting, but if they could at least meet on these vague, common terms, Ratchet would be glad. He squeezed Alister's hand, this and the other enveloping his much smaller one.

Silence. A slight frown appeared over Azimuth's eyes as he seemed to be thinking. Then he raised his hands a little, pulling Ratchet's limb up to his face. His fingers stroked idly over the younger's, cautiously, no, almost insecurely. What was he thinking?
"… I liked it," the elder uttered suddenly with a low voice. "I did. But…" The frown deepened. "I… I can't…" He broke off and gulped lowly. "Please don't expect me to admit any more than that. I can't. My conscience wouldn't allow me to."

Maybe this answer shouldn't have stung, even as little as it actually did. What had Ratchet expected?

To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure himself. At least Alister had admitted he had liked their 'trysts' - Ratchet internally snorted at the word - and also admitted indirectly he felt deeper about it.

"D-don't misunderstand, I…" Azimuth felt like he had said the wrong thing, judging after Ratchet's silence. But he could not say what he did not know for himself. "I really… liked it. It's just…" He lowered his head until it touched Ratchet's hand in his grasp with his forehead. "I can't… forget who I was before."

Silence. For a few more moments they lingered in their position; the elder with his eyes closed, the younger with a contemplative gaze mixed with slight anxiety. "I see," Ratchet then murmured. Averting his glance, his shoulders fell. "I... see."

They exchanged no more words after this. Alister was the first to stand up, pulling Ratchet with him before he, reluctantly, let their hands go of each other. He looked again at the bed as if some abomination responsible for the tension now between them. Sighing, his shoulders slumped and he cast a humorless smile to Ratchet, slightly jerking his head to the bed.

After a short moment of hesitation the younger nodded and went ahead. But Ratchet turned and sat himself on the edge, looking expectantly at the other as he patted the cushions. He may have known how lost he appeared on the huge bed or he didn't want to lay down when Alister was still standing, seeing how he was just as exhausted as he was.

Alister just arched a brow, but smiled actually a, if small, genuine smile at the invitation he gladly took. When he reached the bed, Ratchet had crawled to the top where he now was lying on his back; not in the middle, but closer to the edge.

The elder lay down from the side, taking the mirrored position, close to the other edge. He intertwined both his hands' finger on his stomach. They twitched as he turned his head to the side for a moment. "I wish you a good rest, Ratchet."

Slight surprise flicked over the younger's face before it was smoothened out by a little smile. "I would say night, but we don't even know if it's night. So yeah, that's a good way to phrase things." It was a chuckle, or had been if it had not been interrupted by the sudden yawn or Ratchet's eyes flickering shut afterwards. "Good rest to you as well, Alister." With that he finally relaxed into the cushions. His breathing slowed down inhale by exhale, exhale by inhale in seconds and by the moment his body went completely limp, he had fallen asleep.

A few hours later amber eyes slowly fluttered to be opened. Azimuth's ears twitched as he was still half asleep, but something in his mind urged him to get up. Perhaps it was the old habit from the past years; always on the edge, and waking up after the minimum amount of required sleep had become normal to him. Still, somehow he refused to get up immediately this time as he found it incredibly cozy on this cursed king-size bed.

Finally his eyes opened completely and revealed that he had turned away from the edge and rolled towards the middle. Odd; this barely happened to him. He seldom moved around while sleeping, and when he did, it was normally because of a bad dream. The elder was certain, however, that this was not the case; rather something else.
His gaze wandered a little. It was then he noticed that he was not only facing the middle of the bed, but was resting his forehead against Ratchet's as well who had, odd as it seemed, taken the same position as him and now held onto the elder's hand.

Blinking faintly, but not moving away, a small smirk appeared on his lips. Why, how unexpected. As it seemed, sleep revealed more about certain circumstances than words ever could. Slowly reaching out for the younger with his other hand, he stroked faintly over his cheek. It was too bad that he couldn't let Ratchet see this.
For another moment he remained in this position before he cautiously moved away, keen on keeping Ratchet asleep. When he succeeded, he silently got up and took off some parts of his armor before he entered the bathroom.
One advantage of an early riser: Taking a shower without having to quarrel about who should go first.

Waking up was like pulling his mind out of mud. Warm, cozy, dry mud that was so sticky it held onto him like on boots of a traveler stomping through a swamp. Ratchet yawned, then arched his back to stretch out the kinks he undoubtedly had accumulated during the last hours - days? - and rolled onto his back. His eye lids still felt heavy so he contented himself with lying in darkness for a little longer. He jerked as a hissing sound started in the near vicinity, but settled back as the patter of water on tiles followed.

A content sigh left Azimuth as the warm water trickled down his fur. It had been some time since he had had the chance to take a thorough shower now, and certainly it was a form of luxury he welcomed with pleasure. Now he could finally get rid of the dreadful blood stains in his fur.
As soon as he was done, he grabbed a towel and rubbed his fur dry; at least as much as needed not to catch a cold. Then he wrapped another, bigger towel around his waist and left the bathroom as silently as possibly, heading to the bed and sitting down again.

Ratchet rubbed his neck, looking around the room. Yesterday had seemed like a dream, but when he realized in what spacious bed he was lying, as he sprawled himself, it confirmed it hadn't. He drew a grimace at the memory of the guards, but strangely enough the fight with Bar tasted sourer.

Azimuth's ears flicked as he heard the faint rustling behind him. Turning around by a bit, he wondered if Ratchet was awake already. When he realized he was, he grinned at him. "Good morning."

"Pfff, Lawrence puts a big-ass bed in this room but no bathrobes." Ratchet smirked at the towel around Alister's waist, mock-criticizing. "My, my. Usually he is more conscious of such details."

"I doubt it was coincidence." Azimuth turned around so that he faced Ratchet, one leg on the bed and his arm resting on it. "Then again, perhaps he assumed that since we are both guys there would be no problem with this."

"Nothing's coincidence with Lawrence." The wave was dismissive. "He does things the way he does them only to get the most amusement he can get. I hope that doesn't include the warm water running out, I feel all sticky."

Azimuth's ears twitched at that remark as he turned his head away a little. "Well, I can assure you that the water was still warm when I was using the shower." A pause. "Why don't you go and take a shower while I see if I can prepare some breakfast?"

"Sounds like a plan." Shuffling from the bed he kept his gaze forward, not resting on the muscled back of Alister. When the door clicked shut behind him, he leant against it, head tilting back - the door wasn't thick but it seemed to have shut away the facility. He relaxed against the frame a bit more; then he lifted an arm, turning his hand around itself while the fingers wriggled in anticipation. Looking at the shower stall he had no problem beginning to strip, beginning with his gloves.

The elder waited for a moment until the younger had vanished in the bathroom; then he got up and stretched himself a little before he headed to the kitchen part of the suite and opened the fridge.
Well. Lawrence certainly knew what to select for organics. Azimuth had not expected to see so much edible material stored. "All right. So we're well supplied... Then I should put my-" As the Lombax straightened his back, he realized that the most important parts of his clothes - shirt, torso armor and pants - were still in the bathroom.
An irritated growl escaped Alister. Great. Just what he had needed. Walking over to the bathroom door, he raised his hand and knocked against it. "Ratchet?"

Lawrence would have probably criticized him for wasting water if he had seen the thick stream soaking the Lombax. Actually he didn't think about that for the moment, the water running over his body washing the thoughts away, and making him relax in the heat. He didn't hear the knock at first, face tilted up to the shower head while he adjusted the water stream.

A discontented groan left Azimuth. Again he knocked, this time with a bit more force. "Ratchet? Can I come in?"

Again the knock drowned against the prattle of the shower. Ratchet had taken a soap bar, rubbing it against the cleaning cloth before cleaning his fur, starting with the top of his head. The hair there had actually stuck together when he lifted his cap away and sniffing at the item itself, he had jerked back.

"Oh why by Orvus-" shaking his head in an upset manner, he cautiously pushed down the handle and opened the door a little. "Ratchet? Can I get in?"

Ratchet jumped. He cursed as his fingers slipped on the handles for the water, glaring over his shoulder. "Damn it, Alister!"

"What 'damn it', Ratchet? You didn't answer!" Azimuth sighed in a slightly irritated manner. "Sorry that I'm interrupting your shower, but could you please hand me my pants?"

And why couldn't he wait for his pants until he was finished? Ratchet bit the irritated question down, knowing that Alister hadn't meant to scare him. When the water stream finally stopped to a trickle, he grabbed the towel on the handle on the wall and slung the towel around his waist. "I'm sorry, I just don't like to be surprised in the moment." He gazed sincerely at the other as he spotted the garments on a chair next to the sink.

"It wasn't my intention to disturb you during your shower either. My apologies-" The elder, first grinning at Ratchet, startled as he saw the younger walking towards his clothes and thus moving completely into his view. The sight of the other's fur still trickling with water surprised, no, almost mesmerized him for an unknown reason to him. His expression froze for a moment until he turned away and blinked rapidly. "It won't happen again."
What was wrong with him? It was not like the first time he had seen other Lombaxes all soaked with water. "Well. If you would be so kind as to hand me my pants now…" Good. Stutter avoided. "I'll then get back to preparing breakfast and you can continue taking your shower." Moving away from the entrance, he stepped beside the door frame and waited patiently for Ratchet to walk over with his clothing.

As soon as Alister's head vanished behind the frame, he relaxed. He had felt conscious, suddenly, walking in front of the elder though he was wearing the towel - and Alister had looked so intently at him, following him with his eyes.

Ratchet walked towards the door, opening it a bit more and reaching through the gap with the hand holding the pants. "Here they are."

"Thank you." Not quite keen on looking to the younger, Azimuth blindly reached for his pants. He did find something, yes - but it were not his pants, but something soft and warm. Before he realized that, however, he had already pulled at it.

The reward was a smaller, lithe Lombax against his chest with still relatively wet fur.

Instinctively Ratchet clutched at the broad forearms, cheek against chest. The heart hiding under the muscles there hammered in dis-rhythm to his own, the elder's beat rocking through his skin into his body.

Startled, Alister did not know what was happening to him. He felt the younger's heat seeping into him, the fast heartbeat of the other-
He felt his own breath accelerate, unconscious that his fingers trailed along Ratchet's body until his arms were wrapped around the waist.

Ratchet's eyes widened at the touch of the massive hands down his back, making him shiver.

"A-ah…" That was all Alister's mind could produce right now. Stutter and embarrassment he was, unable to let go of the other. The warmth was too intoxicating, too soothing. And that fine, almost fluffy fur…
Come to think of it, it was perhaps not the first time he touched Ratchet without gloves. No, that time was the first time - and yet it felt so different that Azimuth was about to lose his mind. An inarticulate thought pondered in his mind, so undefined yet so clear that Alister had a hard time to hold himself back. What was that? He had to stay calm, had to remain sensible. Not forget his values. Not forget his principles.

Too bad he had been forgetting those quite often lately. And now was another, just as dangerous situation.

Fur thick but soft, that was Ratchet detected, while the rational part of his mind behind the shocked haze wondered why he was still so close he could think about that. He rubbed circles with his thumb over the biceps under his hand.

Or how it smelled of the soap Alister had used.

Shivers went through Azimuth's body. This situation was so odd, so peculiar, he felt like someone had lit a fire in him. His fingers ran through the soft fur on Ratchet's back and pressed his body against his own; then he looked down, not sure why, but seeking the younger's gaze.

As if the ears could detect where the other's eyes were looking, they drooped. Ratchet noted the shift in the taller body he was pressed against, only slowly tilting his head up, showing he was slightly biting on his lower lip.

Their gazes locked. It wasn't the first time he looked into Ratchet's eyes, but Azimuth couldn't help the sudden increase of his heartbeat. A low gulp, and his ears drooped. What should he do now? This all... This-
He felt his head slowly glowing like a light bulb, yet he could not do anything to stop himself.

Before he knew what happened, the heat seeping in his upper body made himself heat up. He stared at Alister who seemed as out of his element as he felt.

"Ah... um..." This wasn't good. Not at all... But... Somehow he could not get away. Rather he felt like he was pulled in. His heart was racing, his head burning up to the tips of his ears; the only thing he could think of at the moment was exactly nothing.

Just damn it. Ratchet shook his head lightly, feeling himself begin to burn. He blinked, noticing how he had to crane his neck to keep eye contact with Alister. His chin barely brushed over the toned chest - more than as double as wide as himself. The heat rose and he gulped, barely suppressing a sound of anxiety at the loss of control he experienced. Usually close contact to a person so much taller and bigger than him meant combat, and his instincts crashed against his embarrassment and-
No, that is Alister, a friend against whom he was standing with both of them being only covered in a towel around the waist each.
... Not that this thought was much more comforting than what his instincts imagined.
... Or the body.
... Oh damn.

Slowly, just slowly, Azimuth's sensible part of the brain won over again. Any more and it would drift into a direction he could not imagine. And so he had to think of something to end this situation in a way that wouldn't hurt the younger again. Just how? How could he-

What a striking idea.

First putting a smile on his face, Alister chuckled lowly and raised one hand, partially patting, partially stroking Ratchet's head. "You shouldn't get out when your fur is still that wet. The least we need is you catching a cold, right?"

Alister had to take spluttering as answer. Smile morphing into smirk, he hugged the younger close for a moment before turning him around and steering him back into the bathroom.

The elder kept up his smile until Ratchet had vanished back in there. Then a relieved sigh escaped him. "Phew. This was close."
A quick gaze downwards and he picked up the pants. "Almost too close." Then, as he exchanged towel with pants, he moved back to the kitchen, this time for real searching out the ingredients to prepare a decent breakfast.

A perplexed Lombax looked out of the mirror.

"... What just happened?" He asked into the room which was silent but for the occasional dripping of the shower head. Ratchet sighed, watching his reflection imitate Alister's gesture across his head. Again he sighed as he made his way back to the shower, opening the water. He had lost count of how many times he had asked that question in the last days, whether it was aloud or only in thought. Maybe he should stop pondering as the situation at hand probably would probably come up with more surprises anyway. A slight twist and a hungry growl in his stomach effectively made him forget about 'his' peculiar predicament, wondering what Alister was preparing in the kitchen.

"Argh. It's been too long since I've taken time for preparing breakfast." Although not entirely satisfied with the outcome, a slightly proud grin appeared on Azimuth's face. Sliced bread, some meat, juice, cooked eggs - and the dish he was proudest of: The fruit salad, refined with some delicious yoghurt.

Perhaps being an employee of that mad scientist wasn't that bad. Then again, they hadn't had the trial by fire yet - their actual duty.

A duty that should be taken on with a full stomach.

As he set the dishes on the table, the bathroom door opened. Ratchet was toweling his head and neck, but had put back on his armor except for the protecting guards and pads.

"Ah! You're just in time." Azimuth turned to him, the towel now around his neck. He would get the top of his armor later on, but for now he made an inviting move towards the table. "Let's get to breakfast."

The variety on the table surprised Ratchet. His eyes instantly went to the fruit salad - he wasn't much a fan of 'green stuff' as he liked to call it, but seeing something so fresh, even when it maybe was from the freezer...

"... I was trying to prepare something decent. Seems like I'm out of practice, though." A nervous chuckle escaped the elder. "I am not sure if I have picked anything you like, but I guessed if I went with a standard breakfast I wouldn't be too off... Am I?"

"No no! It's awesome. I was staring because that's the best food I've seen in days."

"Hah." The elder chuckled and turned away, one hand at his chin. Had that been slight, but positive embarrassment in his eyes? "Well, but the meat buns weren't bad either, now were they?"

Ratchet let appreciative sniffing sound. "Mmhh, that all smells so good. Shall I help you with something else or is everything ready?"

"No, everything's ready and waiting to be eaten. Let's take a seat." The elder sat down, looking at the younger in anticipation. "... You could lend me a hand with the dishes later on, though."

"No problem." Ratchet gave a thumb up as he was seated, waiting for the elder to choose a dish first.

Azimuth picked a slice of bread and some meat, put it together and bit off. While chewing, he pointed at the food and watched the younger silently.

Grinning, he reached for the fruit salad and a fork as the pieces were just large enough he couldn't tower them up on the tea spoon. He dug into the pieces and balanced a big pile of banana slices, raspberries and grapes into his mouth.

The elder stopped in his action, blinking as he watched Ratchet shove the fruits in his mouth. Then, when he had swallowed his own portion, a chuckle escaped him. "I'm glad the fruit salad pleases you."

Though the words were spoken fondly, Ratchet's onslaught on the food slowed to a more considerable pace and amounts, hiding his sheepishness behind a grin. "Sorry. Clank always scolds me for my manners at the table, not without reason as you see."

"It's all right, really. I figure you're hungry." He pushed the rest of slice of bread in his mouth and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing it. Then a chuckle followed. "Then again, it would be a different case if we were in the presence of a council. Then I would have to give you a crash course on manners."

"That wouldn't be necessary. I've been led through two such already - one by Clank, and the other by Sasha." His brows fell a bit at these names but his smile quirked genuine still. "Well, Clank didn't do as much as a crash course as he's used to constantly reminding me to behave when I eat. Or... he was- And Sasha did so because she said I couldn't embarrass the Galactic Rangers - and we were dating for a short time."

"... Oh. I see. Of course." Azimuth rubbed the back of his head as he looked away before he poured himself some juice to drink and took a bit of the fruit salad.

"It didn't lead anywhere though." Ratchet's hand was playing now with the tea spoon, lightly tapping it on the table frame. A frown appeared on his forehead though it seemed to contradict the fond glint in his green eyes. "I guess it... tapered off, so to say. Luckily it was mutual on both sides - we both actually end up confessing in the same moment we didn't want to go further with the dating."

"Mhm...", was the response, none too enthusiastically.

He chuckled loudly. "You should have seen our faces and we promptly made each other laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation."

"I believe it was an entertaining sight, yes." Somehow the fruit salad in his hand demanded more attention right now.

"So as for my manners on a very official meeting, no worries there. I know how to behave there - except if there are specifications for a council meeting?"

"There's nothing special. I'm sure you've learned your manners well with that miss." Azimuth put the empty bowl with his portion of the fruit salad aside and grabbed another slice of bread, biting, no, almost tearing off a piece. "The only thing that would be special would be the way you address the others. But that only includes titles, and nothing else. No, I think you are certainly well enough educated with what that miss taught you-" Alister almost wilted under the stare that Ratchet was giving him. "... What?"

"Um, did I say something wrong about Sasha that gave you a bad impression of her?"

"What? No, no. Nothing at all." Azimuth shook his head. "What gave you the impression of that?"

"I find it strange that you referred to Sasha with 'that miss' instead of simply saying her name, 'she' or 'her'." Both brows rose. "I knew some bureaucrats that worked with her dad that were chauvinists - believing a woman doesn't belong in high administrative positions. I guess that's why they called her 'that miss' in half-public as to seem polite."

"Pff! Are you saying that I'm discriminating against females now?" Azimuth crossed his arms and sneered as he turned away. "I didn't remember her name. And excuse me for trying to speak politely about your prior rendezvous."

"Actually I meant you were hiding your actual feelings about her that way. That's why I asked if I did say something wrong about her?"

The expression on Azimuth's was... interesting, mildly put. The corners of his mouth so low that it was almost grotesque, one ear perked and flicking nervously while the other drooped to its lowest point, the twitch around one of his eyes just added the icing of the cake. After a moment a frown returned him to normal. "No you didn't and I'm not hiding any feelings! Don't say I do, I didn't and now I'll go get my shirt so that I won't catch a cold. Hmph." And so he stood up, almost stomping as he headed to the bathroom for the rest of his clothes.

The door slammed shut to leave Ratchet alone at the table, sitting with his back to the bathroom. After a second he shook his head, face twisting into a sneer. Alister did apparently believe he was stupid. Ratchet had met too many of Sasha's admirers to be fooled - the same twisted face with the eyes twitching as if tasting vile coffee, but hiding it to not anger the housewife. He was denying feeling anything for him, but had no problem still, in guise of policy, to insult Sasha. "Alister, you goddamn JERK." He didn't bother even to mumble, talking aloud. So what if Alister heard him? Ratchet had slowly enough of his stupid 'antics'.

"Stupid Ratchet, needing to ask such stupid questions… Really that was so stupid of him to ask me that, as if I had to hide anything, sheesh…" The rest of the words were mumbled as Azimuth pulled the shirt of his head and then reattached the upper part of his armor. "There's nothing I'm hiding, so why did he have to insist on knowing AS IF I HAD TO HIDE ANYTHING damn it, I was perfectly honest with what I said, why couldn't he realize this by Orvus…" Grumbling, he locked the last connection at his collar before he stepped out of the bathroom, heading to his boots first. He didn't even look at Ratchet, although he seemed to be still mumbling to himself.

Ratchet stood up, silently carrying the used dishes to the sink. Water hissed as he opened the tap and while the sink was being filled, he carried the leftovers to the fridge. The water stood half high as he closed the tap. He unhooked the sponge from the wall, dipped a bowl into the soapy solution and began scrubbing. After two minutes, all dishes were lying on the sideboard for drying. Ratchet kept standing at the sink, head lowered as if he was watching something in the water, completely still. He grabbed for his shoulder where his hand froze as he touched the cloth - the towel from the bathroom was still hanging there since he had come for breakfast. He turned first his head, then the rest of the body to the right, away from Alister to stride towards the bathroom.

The door locked with a click.

The elder did not turn to the younger as he walked to the bathroom. Instead he put the shoulder protections in place and prepared himself. He was sure that they would soon have to take up their job, so it was better to be ready at a moment's notice. Then he did risk a glance to the bathroom. Eyes narrowing, he grumbled again.
"I didn't think he'd be grumpy over that. Hmph. His fault."

Fist only nearly having missed the mirror as he let go of his frustration, he was heaving now. He stared at his reflection whose eyes twisted down and together, asking him what he should do. He closed his eyes, head lowering as he leant forward.
Despite the heat in the room the glass felt cold. It soothed his burning mind as he pressed his forehead against the glass, arms supporting him on the rim of the sink. Fog collected on the glass as he let his breath mellow out with each exhale. Somewhere, metal creaked ominously. The sound was lost to him - he stood still except for the rise and fall of his chest, the slight tremor in narrow shoulders.

The double-ended wrench was taken out of the wardrobe and placed on Azimuth's back. A frown was on his face, at least the mirror before told him so. Reproachful it looked, demanding him to spit out the truth.

A snarl left him. He wasn't hiding anything, and there was nothing he had to tell the younger… Or was there? Looking at the reflection, staring into his own eyes, he realized that might have overreacted. Perhaps he had hurt Ratchet again, and perhaps he shouldn't have been so short-tempered. Why had he been in the first place anyway? He didn't know. But one thing he did know: he would have to apologize, or at least say something conciliating to the Lombax.

Only that apologizing wasn't one of his strengths.

Just as he was done, he heard the faint sound of a door opening, followed by light footsteps.

With a click the gloved hand set the shoulder guard into its place. Ratchet then looked directly at Alister, tilting his head. "Ready to go?", he said in an anticipating tone.

Slight surprise appeared in the elder's eyes as he looked at the younger. Had he been mistaken about before? No. He had been certain that... Well. But it might be better to take a situation as it was granted.
"Yes." A slight nod towards Ratchet before he walked to the door and opened it. "Let's get this over with-"

"Oh why, good morning." Lawrence stood there, optics widened in surprise. "My, you are awake early. And I thought I could sneak in the bathrobes I forgot yesterday before you woke up." The white bundle beneath the butler's arm didn't hinder Lawrence to reach for his palm top and update his data, then he turned to the two Lombaxes again. "Well, seeing as how you didn't cause any suspicious ruckus due to the lack of bathrobes, let me ask: Do you need them? Otherwise I'll be glad to have less to wash."

Alister opened his mouth, gesturing, as Ratchet brushed past him with a grin. "It was no problem. The towels are great too and while bathrobes would be awesome, I don't need one for my part." He grinned over his shoulder to the elder. "What about you? You need one? Or shall we spare Lawrence the extra work so we maybe, maybe get on his good side?"

The elder blinked at the younger. He was confused by the slight, but still apparent change in Ratchet's attitude. "... I guess I won't need one either. Thanks for offering, though."

A sigh left the butler. "Is that so. My, my. I will have to carry it back then after I show you the preparation room and fill you in on all important pieces of information." While slight discontent lingered in his voice, there was a subtle note of relief accompanying his words. Initially visible annoyance soon vanished and left the butler standing in his ever-so indifferent stance.

It worked, the wink seemed to say. Alister just kept staring as Ratchet's head turned forward again and the Lombax walked through the door. Lawrence moved to the side, peering back into the room. "Aren't you coming too?"

Azimuth blinked, shaking his head slightly once. "Uhm… yes. I'm coming." He walked out of the room and followed the butler.