If there was anything to being a medic, it was knowing that you couldn't get close to anyone, for fear of having to one day operate on them and in the end having to let them go because you couldn't save them. That was the basic rule; no bonding, because you could loose the one you hold close because of some accident or other and not being able to get to them in time. Ratchet knew all about this; seeing many die in his own med bay and even when he was back in school trying to become a medic. Having to tell bond mates and their offspring that you were unable to save their loved ones. He saw the horror in their eyes, the sadness in them as they broke down and cried. So Ratchet always knew better than to try and get close to anyone, especially those on the Ark. He had so many friends he watched die because he was unable to save them, and he was so distraught about it all. To have to go through that with a lover or even a bond mate was almost too unbearable to think of, so he knew he had to stick to the rules - which had long since been thought to have been made up from the beginning - and make sure he didn't fall in love.
But the day he started falling head over heels for the resident weapons speaclist was the day he too nearly began to think that the rules were a bunch of sour Energon. Why he fell for him in the first place was easy; although a lot of the mech's traits were thought to be crude and unwelcome - his constant ability to cuss, his gruff manner, always trigger happy - and most didn't like the way he thought. But Ratchet always thought otherwise. Plus, Ironhide had an unknown charm to him. Ratchet could remember the first time he met the gruff mech; he acted all bad-aft and if nothing in the world could harm him. Ratchet almost wanted to correct him on that, however thought it to be a comedic sight and let it be. The first day he found him in his med bay, trashed because of a recent battle, he almost had to point out his attitude the first day they met, much to 'Hide's displeasure. And what Ironhide said in response is what Ratchet would always laugh at when he thought about it.
"Just 'cause ah'm hur' like th's doesn't mean ah'm fully broken down, doc. You ah all mechs should know tha' i' takes a lot t' off-line me of all mechs."
Ratchet couldn't deny that; however much of a beating Ironhide took, no one - and he meant no one - could easily take down Ironhide without first taking out all of his limbs, which was hard enough to begin with. He'd probably cuss you down to size if he had to make due without his limbs as well, which Ratchet didn't doubt him for. Ironhide was such a strong mech, handsome, talented, and, for the most part, had a big spark. He didn't show it often around others, although he knew better. Especially when Ironhide was in charge of taking care of the sparkling they found abandon after the destruction of Iacon. At first it seemed that Ironhide was against the whole idea of taking care of the sparkling, but as time progressed, he acted as if he had both sired and carried the sparkling himself, and acted as a father to the sparkling as well. At first, he rarely let the sparkling out of his sight, thinking that anyone but himself would hurt the little yellow mechling if they dare so touched him. And for a while, Ratchet believed it.
The medic could also remember the day his spark broke back on Cybertron, back when the war first started; when Ironhide had announced he and Chromia's bonding. He had managed to congratulate the couple, hiding his obvious sadness over the fact. Ratchet blamed himself for not telling Ironhide sooner about his feelings for him, yet sought it too late now to try to do so. He knew he had to get over it; it would be terrible to try and break up the two for his own gain. Although an often pissed-off mech, Ratchet wasn't like that, wasn't that kind of mech. He knew better than to break something up if someone seemed happy with that other person. And Ironhide seemed happy with Chromia. So it was only fair that he not say anything about such things. It wasn't like they were going to break the bond anytime soon; so he just had to get over his emotions. It seemed that Primus just wanted them so stay close friends; like brothers they acted in public.
So perhaps it was meant to be to stay that way.
Ratchet sat at his desk quietly in the med bad, looking over some reports from First Aid and himself from the current patients into have exited the med bay, to those they finished nearly a Cybertronian month ago. It was the head medic's job to look over everything that they did, and so he did; it looked as if he was going to be working into the night, as usual. That is, if no one interrupted him due to an injury or complaint. All was going fine, until he had heard the unmistakable sound of the med bay doors opening from where he sat. He heard heavy footsteps coming towards his office; they paused for a moment, and he thought he heard someone talking, although he couldn't tell. The footsteps started again, then stopped in front of his office. When Ratchet decided to look up at the knock at the open door, Ironhide stood, looking like normal; well, minus the fact that his right arm was dis-connected and hanging there limply from a few wires. When Ratchet raised an optic ridge, 'Hide could only smile sheepishly, trying to hide his head in between his shoulders.
"Alright," Ratchet sighed, putting down his current Datapad on his desk and standing up, "what seems to be the problem?" That was the nicer way of asking, "What the frag happened to your arm, Ironhide?" and they both knew it.
"Well," 'Hide chuckled nervously as Ratchet walked around his desk, the larger mech moving out of the door way to let the medic past, "you see…. I-it kinda went like…"
"You were arm wrestling with Kup again, weren't you?" Ratchet asked.
The medic quite well that Ironhide didn't basically break his arm like this unless he was either just in a big fight, or he was arm wrestling with Kup. And Ratchet knew that there hadn't been a fight with the Decepticons in over a week, so the latter was more eligible. Ironhide gave a nervous sound, merely giving it away that Ratchet was right with his guess. As he stepped into his med bay, Ratchet had to do a double take; out of the corner of his eye, he saw a yellow blur, and instantly turned his head to see a little yellow sparkling sitting on a nearby berth, swinging his legs as he sat on the edge of the berth, humming some inaudible tune.
"Had t' bring 'im with me," explained Ironhide as he hobbled over to the berth that Bumblebee sat on. "N'one else was able t' watch 'im. D'n't worry, though; he won't cause too much trouble, ah promise."
Ratchet could only smirk as he followed the mech to the berth. As they approached, Bumblebee turned his head and smiled widely at the mechs. He still seemed to be humming, however was able to quite as he waved his hand in greeting and spoke.
"Hai, Ratchet!" 'Bee said happily in a sing-song voice, making both mechs chuckle as Ironhide slid next to Bumblebee on the berth, Ratchet stopping to grab a few of his tools before joining the two where they sat. Ratchet sat his tools on a nearby table, picking one and turning to the broken mech.
"Alright, let me look it over," he said, walking to the outer arm that was broken. Ironhide willingly obliged, 'Bee going back to humming out his tune and swinging his legs, watching Ratchet do his work mildly. Ratchet clicked his tongue as he examined the damage, and could only shake his helm at the sight. "I swear, you two hurt each other more than you hurt the 'Cons."
"Me?" came the squeaky voice of Bumblebee, leaning over to try and get a better look at Ratchet as he spoke. Ratchet could only smile at the sparkling.
"No, 'Hide and Kup," Ratchet said. 'Hide refrained from biting his lip, knowing he was going to get a mouth-full of nagging from what he did to his arm. Or rather, he and Kup.
"Oh," Bumblebee said simply, before bursting out into giggles. "'Hide and Kup made the table go boom," he informed, trying to cover his mouth to stop the giggling; however he failed miserably. Ratchet again raised an optic ridge as he looked back to his patient.
"Oh really?" he asked in a drawled tone, making Ironhide lean his torso back slightly.
"Yeah, well, we got really into the game," Ironhide tried to explain, using his good arm to make
sure that he didn't fall over onto the berth behind him, yet still letting him lean back. Ratchet merely shook his head.
"I swear, you two are such idiots, it makes 'Sides and 'Sunny look like the smartest mechs in the universe," he informed. Ironhide looked hurt when he said that.
"Hey!" he said, straightening back up as Ratchet motioned him to. "Fer yer information, it's better than blowin' stuff up at the shootin' range. Didn't ya say it was bad fer mah processor health or sumethin'?"
"I'd rather you damage your processor and get it over with than me having to constantly repair different body parts daily," Ratchet informed, grabbing a tool and beginning his work on the injured arm. Ironhide hissed as Ratchet brushed one of the hurt wires, stopping any protests to what Ratchet had said to come forth. "I swear," Ratchet chuckled as he began to fix the arm, repairing wires, "I don't know how Chromia can ever put up with you." Silence followed as Ratchet finished speaking, Bumblebee even halting his legs and humming altogether. Raising an optic ridge, Ratchet moved away from the hurt arm to look at Ironhide; the brute looking down at the floor almost sadly. "What? Did I say something wrong?" asked Ratchet in a concerned voice.
"Well," chuckled Ironhide nervously, using his good arm to rub the back of his helm. "Ya see, Ratch', me n' Chromia, we kinda….." Ironhide trailed off, his optics not leaving the white floor. Bumblebee looked up at his Guardian with sad optics, wiggling over closer to him and gently resting his helm - and most of his small body - against his thigh.
"Oh," Ratchet said, finally getting the message. Ironhide dropped his arm and gently put it around his charge, 'Bee practically disappearing in the girth. "Well, I'm sorry, Ironhide," Ratchet said sincerely, resting a servo on 'Hide's shoulder gently. "I…I didn't know or I wouldn't of-"
"It's alright, Ratch'," Ironhide said with a smile, "I hadn't told anyone yet, anyways. Well, except fer this lil' bugger -" he patted Bumblebee as best he could without hurting him, the sparkling giving out a muffled giggle in response "- and 'sides, we both agreed it was fer the best."
Ratchet could only smile and pat his comrade's shoulder before going back to work, this time in silence. Well, silencing himself, anyway; with his good arm, Ironhide constantly messed with the Sparkling beside him, entertaining him while the medic did his work. Ratchet couldn't help but smile at the site; anyone who didn't know the two could have sworn that Bumblebee was 'Hide's Sparkling the way they acted together, and how over-protective Ironhide could be with the Sparkling. Yet his processor pondered to what 'Hide had said; he and Chromia actually broke up and split their bond? They seemed so good together! It made little sense.
Ratchet had read in text books and heard from those who experienced it, yet never experienced it for himself; however, it was apparent that when one broke a Spark Bond, that it hurt tremendously on both parties that had bonded. Sometimes it lead to suicide it hurt so much, but Ratchet had yet to hear those reports of anything. He could only imagine what Ironhide had gone through; he and Chromia had been bonded so long, that it seemed that they had never been separate in the first place. Ratch' guessed that they broke the Spark Bond before Chromia left from her visit to the Ark a few weeks ago; that would have made it easier for them to separate, them being together to do so.
Yet Ironhide didn't seem that he had done anything of the sort. Perhaps it was due to the fact that his ego wouldn't allow him to show that he was hurt or anything. He hated showing any form of weakness that didn't need to be shown, so it made sense. Or perhaps it was the fact that he didn't want Bumblebee thinking anything less of him; 'Hide had said that Bumblebee was the only who knew beforehand. But perhaps it was for only the reason that he had a Sparkling to take care of, and didn't want him to think anything different of his Gaurdian. Yes, that sounded like Ironhide alright. Wanting to show that everything was alright to his Sparkling and to show him that there was no need to fret over any such thing; trying to protect him in any way possible, even if it meant hiding his own feelings. Yeah, that sounded just about right.
It was now that Ratchet thought of his feelings towards the other mech. Now would have been a terrible time to express how he felt; especially since it was quite obvious - at least to Ratchet - that Ironhide was still grieving. How long 'Hide would grieve, well, that was one thing that the medic couldn't exactly predict. It was quite obvious to anyone who knew him that he wasn't a love doctor; in fact, Wheeljack made fun of him - in a way only "brothers" could - for being able to fix everything but heart aches in a Cybertronian body. Not that Ratchet could blame him; he almost wished that there had been a class back in medical for how to cure for such a thing.
"Done," Ratchet said when he had finally finished repairing Ironhide's broken arm, setting his tools down before turning back to the mech on the med berth. "Move it around a little bit for me, will you?" he asked. Ironhide instantly complied.
"Feels fine, doc," 'Hide informed with a relieved nod. "Thanks."
"No problem," Ratchet shrugged; backing off as Ironhide stood up off the berth, picking up Bumblebee quickly so he wouldn't try to dart towards the med bay doors by himself. "Thanks for the repairs, doc," Ironhide thanked, quick to go on his way.
"No problem," Ratchet chuckled, before adding, "And Ironhide?" The mech turned with a confused - and slightly frightened, even though it was minor - expression. "If you want to come and talk to me about anything, you know I'm always free to," Ratchet informed. There was a moment of silence before a large smile played on his face; one that Ratchet couldn't help but answering with a smile of his own.
"Thanks, Ratch', I will," Ironhide nodded.
But that was before Bumblebee went off babbling about how he wanted to go play with Jazz, and how Sunstreaker was supposed to teach him how to draw later, and he didn't want to be late. As Ratchet turned to go back to his office, he could hear the hearty laugh of the resident weapons speaclist as he told the sparkling something that seemed almost inaudible, but either way, it made Bumblebee erupt in a fury of giggles as he and his guardian left the med bay, silence quickly following after them.