Title: Dense Scientist Chapter 2

Universe: G1

Characters/Pairing: Skyfire/Perceptor

Rating: K

Warnings: slash, mech confessing, bad grammar

Note: I was planning to finish the story in this chapter, but I brain reminded me that I have 4 exams next week. sorry;

Nothing changed much after the first day. Skyfire would carry Perceptor to places, and when he was unavailable someone else carried Perceptor, and nothing impeded Perceptor's ability to work, else than that he was frustrated to not do any hands-on science. Skyfire and Perceptor will return to Skyfire's quarters and have a chat about anything before they fall to recharge. It was nice really. Until Perceptor's stockpiled annoyance exploded into anger.

Skyfire did not know why, but he did notice that Perceptor was in a foul mood… He assumed that the reason behind Perceptor's foul mood was that even though few weeks have passed, new pair of legs was not completed due to Perceptor's frame being composed of complex and delicate circuitry. In exception to 'NO LAB WORK' order, Ratchet gave it to Perceptor to work on his own legs. Perceptor did not seem too angry about working on his own leg, if not a bit glad to work on something, but it did not help Perceptor's mood at all.

"I wonder why he is so…"

"Mad at you?"

"Yeah… No, what? At me?"

Wheeljack snickered at the shuttle's genuine surprise. His headfins flashed cheerfully as he spoke a bit more. Listening to Wheeljack's statement, Skyfire was more confused.

"Yeah, he is mad at you."

"What did I do wrong?"

"Not telling you. Well… I wish I could tell you, but then Percy would get angry at me and I would lose my bet."

"What? You are betting on me?"

"Some bots are betting too. I'm not telling on what I betted, but someone betted that Perceptor will throw something at you in this week out of frustration. I think it is probable, so heads up on that."

Skyfire shuttered his optics. So everyone, or some, knew that Perceptor was mad at him and probably the reason why too, but decided to let himself figure it out… It was rare for the shuttle to be annoyed or sarcastic, but now he was being that. A few occasion for his temper to show up.

"How nice of you."

"Ah, well let me tell you something, it is really all about you being unbelievably dense for a scientist, that's all."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Hey, I mean that advice! Alright, if you don't want to hear about it… How's your one-sided crush going?"

"HOW?"

Wheeljack saw the masks of 'I'm annoyed. Leave me alone' and 'I'm not listening' just shatter in pieces. Wheeljack could not help but to get into a laughing fit. If cybertronians could suffocate from oxygen loss like organics do, then Wheeljack would have died from his non-stop laughing. Skyfire would have said something about Wheeljack's laughing if he was not embarrassed and shocked.

"How… did… does…"

"Hhhhhhh- Primus- Hhhhhhhh- well, nearly everyone? And for how, you have a very silly 'love-face' around Percy."

"I DO!"

"If you want to check it, I believe Jazz has some photos."

"What?"

"Everyone is bored and in need of entertainment. Congrats for being one of the source, oh, and don't worry, its not that… spread around the bots. But don't know, if you act like this for some amount time, then they will know."

Whatever Wheeljack was saying now, Skyfire did not recognize it. Did Perceptor know too? But then if he did, then he would not let Skyfire to carry him around and share the berth… right?

"So… Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"And it has been… 3orns or something?"

"About."

"And nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Hm…"

Ratchet hummed mildly as he connected Perceptor's legs. Perceptor just lied on the medical berth, staring at the orange ceiling. After connecting the wires and the tubes, Ratchet dropped his detailed motion and went to his more not-too-gentle welding of the outer plates.

"I don't know, but you should talk to him?"

"I've done my part of it. I will not do anymore."

"And that tactic hasn't work. You should try something else."

In an eerie expression, Perceptor stared at Ratchet. Ratchet made a rolls-eyes expression and kept working without saying anything until the join of plates were smoothed out and only needed repainting of the raw silver surface. Fetching a brush and few paint cans, Ratchet began to fix Perceptor's paintjob.

"Well, let's just hope that he will feel desperate enough to grab you when you return to your quarters tonight. A little push would do fine, I guess."

"Maybe not though... He… is inert."

"-in many aspects. Anyways, you are free to leave, no working in labs today, but starting tomorrow you can. If you atomize your body parts or something again, I can't make you into a toaster but I will dissemble your quarks or something!"

"Yes Ratchet. I will be careful. Thank you for the repair."

"And if you are that mad at him… Just tell him?"

"Thanks for the advice… but if he is too afraid or too uncertain to do so, then I will consider the desire to change insufficient. We'll just be static. Nothing else."

Giving a hug to Ratchet, Perceptor left the med bay in slight gloom around him. Ratchet huffed an annoyed sigh. If that gloom did not indicate that Perceptor would be very upset if nothing happened, the world was a lie.

Skyfire tried to work, but he just could not focus on the papers in front of him. He just sat down doing nothing, only thinking about nothing really, his processors were all jumbled up and there was no way to get a clear thought. When he heard a ping to his door he opened it without thought.

"Sky'?"

Skyfire was startled, no scratch that, freaked out when Perceptor called him He really did not expect to see Perceptor and did not really want to see Perceptor at his currently boggled state!

"P-p-p-perce?"

"I didn't think you could be that startled. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing! Just… Daydreaming!"

Under Perceptor's 'Really? I don't think so.' stare, Skyfire tried to avoid Perceptor's optics. And he just noticed that Perceptor was standing on his own.

"So… You got your legs repaired?"

"Yes. That's the reason I came here."

"Uh… what?"

Perceptor made a soft sigh and shook his head gently. Skyfire did not say anything, not that he was in his optimal thinking condition, and did not know how to respond. It took him few seconds to get things processed.

"As I have my mobility again, I do not require your assistance anymore. Thank you for your compassion for last 3orns."

There was a faint layer of annoyance in Perceptor's words and Skyfire cringed slightly hearing that. When the words sank in Skyfire gaped and babbled a response.

"What? Why though? I mean I know that you can walk in your own now, but are you mad at me Perce? Did I do something wrong? What did I do wrong?"

Perceptor shook his head. Skyfire just did not know anything at all.

"You did nothing wrong… It's just that you didn't do something right. That's all."

"What did I do wrong? Why is Perce mad at me? What should I do?"

"Didn't we have this conversation yesterday?"

"But Perce left!"

"Yeah, heard it."

"Why did he leave though? He liked my quarters. I don't understand. Why is he mad at me? What did I do wrong?"

Wheeljack ignored Skyfire's repeating query and just worked on whatever device he was working on. He was debating if he should give a little advice to this clueless shuttle or not though. While the two mechs were in their own little worlds, Ratchet walked into Wheeljack's lab.

"I knew that I'd find you here. How are you Skyfire?"

Skyfire did not respond. Well, unless one counted a pathetic wheeze as a response.

"You slagging idiot."

"What?"

"What? You have pit no idea why Perceptor is mad at you. Doesn't it make you an idiot? A slagging idiot?"

"Um… I think that is too… straight to the point Ratchet."

"What? It's the fragging truth!"

"… Yes I'm an idiot… I have no purpose… I'm just a scrap metal…"

It was very comical to see a gigantic robot to sulk rather pitifully. Ratchet and Wheeljack stared in 'What the heck?' expression, surprised by Skyfire's unusual antics. Ratchet and Wheeljack exchanged some glances and Wheeljack spoke to Skyfire.

"Skyfire, so you are worried that Percy left you, right?"

"… Yeah…"

"You want to make him… Um… Not mad at you, right?"

"… Yeah…"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want him to be mad at me…"

"Why?"

Skyfire gave a glare to Wheeljack out of his sulking. Ratchet scoffed watching that.

"So why aren't going to him and confess your feelings? Cowardly idiot."

Skyfire opened his mouth to make a retort, but then closed it with an epiphany face. He quickly got up and left the lab in a hurry. Watching that, Wheeljack was just smiling through his mask.

"Yey for Ratchet! You gave him direction!"

"Oh, you forgot. I betted today as the day."

Perceptor was sitting in his lab, working on his failed electron shielding device. The complex mechanism was good to drive his thoughts away from a certain dense shuttle. Sighing in frustration, Perceptor removed a melted wire from its last use. Maybe if he could tweak the mechanism just a little bit, then he could use it to smack somebot's processors from long range?

While he was wondering if this defensive device could be altered for some… prank purposes, a ping came from the door. Without diverting his attention from the device Perceptor sent an open command to the door.

The sound of step falling on the metal floor was heavy and yet somehow very soft, which indicated the distinctive sound of Skyfire's steps. Perceptor had a momentary debate if he should welcome or not, which he decided to not. Skyfire came right behind Perceptor, and Perceptor ignored him, waiting what he will do. If he was going to start with 'I'm sorry', then Perceptor would throw him out.

"Perceptor…"

"…"

Oh, how Skyfire spoke Perceptor's name (which was usually a casual 'Perce'), made Perceptor to squirm mentally. His resolution to ignore Skyfire was dissipating already in that sexy voice. But Perceptor held on to his indifference, and Skyfire continued.

"I love you."