Sorry for the inactivity. I'm not dead. My computer is, but not me.
…...
"She's not Elita. You know this."
Such an off color comment was characteristic of the medic, though for him to address his CO in such a fashion was rather uncharacteristic.
"Hmmm?" Optimus attempted to sound casual, uncaring even. He looked away from the computer monitor to glance at his snarky old friend. Raising an eyebrow, he locked optics with Ratchet.
Ratchet crossed his arms and held a deep frown on his face. "Arcee. Is. Not. Elita-One." He stated once again, as if he were educating a newly sparked 'bot.
"I fail to grasp your meaning old friend."
Sighing, Ratchet looked his Prime in the eye. "The way you look at her Optimus. Its the same way you looked at Elita. You look happy again. And it scares me."
Optimus raised his eyebrow even further. "Wh-"
"Because you have a sad habit of absolutely wrecking your relationships, both with friends and mates!"
Optimus was, for his credit, rather composed even in the face of an ad hominem attack from his best friend. "Such as?..."
"Megatron." Prime narrowed his eyes, slightly angered by this comment. "Elita." That made him a bit angrier. "Me." Even angrier. "And eventually Arcee." Optimus was on the breaking point now.
The medic continued. "Optimus, as your physician, and your friend, I must ask you stop pursuing a relationship, romantic or otherwise, with you're second in command." He paused, a sympathetic look appearing in his eye. "For both of your sakes." Ratchet stopped talking, and a dead silence beset the Autobot base's main hallway. He waited for a response.
And waited.
Ratchet didn't have time for this scrap. "Well, what do yo-"
In one swift movement, Optimus covered the distance between himself and his medic, startling said medic. Up close, Ratchet didn't feel he was in a position to talk down to the Prime. The eighteen wheeler towered over him. Not even Bulkhead dwarfed Optimus.
"Ratchet." There was a slight break in his voice. "My personal relationships are my business. If require you're counsel, I will ask for it." Ratchet could see now beneath his calm facade the Prime was furious. "If I so choose to..." He stopped in mid sentence. What exactly were his feelings toward the two-wheeler? He himself had yet to figure it out. Truth be told, she did remind him of Elita. Her confidence, her brash actions, Pit, even their alt-modes were similar. Perhaps he may have been too forward in hugging her, but frag it, he did care for Arcee.
He continued. "If I so choose, that will be my decision and my responsibility. Not yours." Optimus stormed off, mumbling good night to Ratchet, leaving a very puzzled medic.
…...
Well, whaddya think? I guess this takes an unspecified amount of time after the last chapter, after which Optimus and Arcee spent more time torgether. Ratchet's not happy. :P
Anywho, REVIEW, and if you have any suggestions, they're welcome!