Chapter 5
I remember this entry fondly. It started off a bit awkward, but it was a wonderful time. I'm not sure that Ironhide quite enjoyed it as much as I did.
I glared at the Autobot currently stationed as my bodyguard, and received a like stare from the black bot. Ironhide stared at me long enough to make me uncomfortable and then turned away, huffing to himself and bringing one of his cannons to bear. He subspaced a cloth and proceeded to clean it; silently. I watched as his practice digits rubbed away all remnants of dirt and grime and he buffed away scratches and scuff marks from the surface. Curious now, I stood up and walked over to him, ignoring how he paused, tensed, and watched me. "What are you doing?" He asked, his voice guarded. I glanced up at him and motioned to his weapon. "Watching. Don't stop, please." I answered, curiosity overtaking my frustration at having to have a bodyguard 24/7. He chuckled softly, the sound reverberating under my feet. He returned to his cleaning and then to my surprise offered me a much smaller version of the cloth; his would have easily equaled a bedsheet to me. I took the cloth happily and drew it across the surface of the gun gently, marveling at how well it worked; the scuff marks were quickly cleared away and the surface sparkled under my fingertips. I looked up at him to see him smiling in a rare moment of actual mirth; no smirking or sneering. He blinked and looked away for a moment, scrubbing at a mark on his shoulder. I noticed all of the little marks and scuffs that covered his armor and laughed outright, earning a questioning glance. Tucking my new cloth into a back pocket, I clambered onto his leg and put my hands on my hips. "When was the last time you got washed, big guy?" I asked. He shifted, a bit taken aback. "Do I reek that badly?" He returned, sniffing. I smiled. "Nah, you're just covered in dirt and mud and stuff. Not to mention, you do smell a bit like oil and gasoline." I blushed, realizing what I must sound like. "Can I give you a bath?" I asked, my voice suddenly soft and squeaky. To my surprise, he chuckled, a low, thundering sound that made the skin on my back crawl warmly. "I don't really mind; It'd probably get some of the kinks out of my circuits." I broke into a grin and jumped to the ground while Ironhide stood and transformed into his vehicle mode. The passenger door popped open and I slid in, letting the seatbelt slid across my torso to snap into place. Ironhide's engine roared and he took off, heading for the outside showerhouse; mainly for the 'bots. He screeched to a halt and surprised Sideswipe, who was just walking out, his paint sparkling in the low sunlight. The silver bot jumped over us and landed nimbly on his feet, careful not to scratch his paint. He saluted to Ironhide and waved to me, then transformed and roared away. Ironhide started to roll forward so he could transform, but I placed my hand on his hood, stopping him. His wheel bumped my foot softly, then rolled back a bit. "We're doing this my way," I said, smirking. 'Hide's radio came to life and he rumbled, "Don't get any funny ideas." I smiled and walked over to the wall, which was lined with different firehoses. Selecting one, I turned the wall nozzle on and grinned. "Me? Never." Ironhide whined a bit, but to his credit didn't move. I flipped the switch on the hose and sprayed him with warm water, instantly blasting away the dirt and grime. Then I filled a bucket with warm, soapy water and went to work, scrubbing away any hardened pockets of mud and dirt. He opened his doors to let me get into the mechanisms, where dirt and mud had collected and prohibited the joints from operating properly. His frame shuddered when I cleared the dust and gravel from his grille, and a low growl emitted from the engine. "What?" I asked. The growl continued, then paused as he voiced, "Nothing. Just feels nice." I smirked to myself and continued to wash the dirt away. When I finished, I grabbed a regular towel and proceeded to wipe him down, drying the water before it dried and left a residue on his black coat. When I was satisfied he was dried, I took my new cloth that he gave me and proceeded to buff away the numerous marks left on his frame. Ironhide's entire frame shuddered under my fingers. "'Hide?" I asked. "Mmm?" He replied, his voice somewhat softer. "Everything okay?" Suddenly the rumbling stopped and his windows flashed, warning me that his holoform was activated. After a moment, the driver's side door opened and Ironhide stepped out. His holoform is my favorite, it's exactly what I imagine he would look like, were he human. 'Hide's holoform is a solid, not-too-stocky soldier. He looks like a mix between Lennox and Epps, with caramel skin and dark hair, peppered with silver streaks and cropped short. He's tall, but not lanky. Scars crisscross his entire body; my personal favorite is a 007-style scar that stretches from his lower lip down his chin and neck, ending just above his heart. Ironhide's holoform is also dressed like a soldier, albeit one off-duty. A battered black tank top both covers and highlights very defined muscles, while dark gray-camo cargo pants and sensible black combat boots give him the official look of a soldier. To complete it, his piercing, calculating blue eyes, paired with the dog tags around his neck, give him the solid look of a do-not-mess-with soldier. All in all, it suits him perfectly.
He folds his arms across his chest and stares me down, and I notice something. He's blushing.
Quite darkly, too.
I burst out laughing. It's not every day you see the Weapons Tactics officer at such a vulnerable moment. He turns even redder and advances on me. My mirth very quickly dies when I realize that he's serious, and I turn tail and run, darting around his vehicle form. His holoform chases after me and I manage to elude him long enough to duck into the showerhouse, where I can hide. I startle several very nude soldiers, all of whom start yelling at me. I laugh outright and keep running, hearing he footsteps after me. I turn a corner and slide into a storeroom, barely managing to slip into a side closet when I hear him run into the room. "Come on out," He pants, "Wherever you are." I smile and laugh, giving away my hiding place. He opens the door, revealing me, and catches me effortlessly as I try to dart past him. Lifting me over a shoulder, he proceeds to carry me back out to his vehicle form, where he deposits me into the passenger seat. The seatbelt slides across my waist and holds me in place while the holoform tickles me. I squeal and giggle, accompanied by his laugh. Soon I am out of breath and still giggling like crazy, leaning my head into his chest. I can feel his heartbeat, solid and steady, and it steadies my own frantic pulse. I can feel his hands, hesitant, tracing tiny circles on my back, and sigh, finally returning to a regular rhythm. His lips brush against my hair, sending tiny red flags up in my head. But I can feel my body slipping into sleep and I ignore the little signs. I finally let my body sink into slumber and feel Ironhide's arms lifting me up and the gentle motion of him carrying me.