First Crush

###

"There you go," First Aid said as he screwed paneling back onto Slingshot's jet. "Run your engine for me? I want to make sure everything sounds right."

The Aerialbot obligingly powered up his jet engine. Its vibrations sent thrills through First Aid's hands, which he vainly tried to ignore. Less vainly, he ignored the small part of him pointing out he hadn't needed to ask Slingshot to do this.

Over Slingshot's shoulder, he caught Ratchet and Wheeljack exchanging a look.

"Everything sounds fine," he said, pulling his hands away.

"Thanks, 'Aid." Slingshot twisted to grin at him around his jet.

How did the Aerialbot manage to look so cocky not an hour after getting his aft kicked by the Dinobots? First Aid felt the edges of his optic-band dim as his systems began to run a little hot.

"Any time," he promised.

###

He racked his tools after Slingshot left, thoughts drifting to the trip to the Colorado Wildfire Academy planned for next month. Inferno had arranged for the Protectobots to attend a session as students, and he'd mentioned the possibility of helping the humans manage a controlled wildfire. Hot Spot was so excited he couldn't stop talking about it, and even Blades had admitted to looking forward to it. First Aid had only barely managed to tamp down his own glee to focus on his duty shifts.

"You really light up around him," Wheeljack commented.

First Aid blinked. "-Slingshot?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't have thought he was your type."

Hard-working, fiercely protective, confident, constantly trying to improve himself - what about that didn't seem like someone First Aid would be interested in? Maybe it was the wings. Millions of years of warfare meant most Autobots found jet'formers profoundly unattractive. "Why not?"

Wheeljack waved one hand vaguely. "You know..."

Ratchet upticked his optics. "Because he's a soldier first and foremost."

"I was gonna say he's a jerk."

First Aid folded his arms. "He is," he said carefully, "but not always. As for him being a soldier, just because I oppose the war and don't fight myself doesn't mean I won't support our soldiers. I wouldn't be here if I refused to support people like him!"

Ratchet held up his hands placatingly. "All right, all right. Just as long as you're sure."

"I am," First Aid said firmly.

###

Near the end of his shift, Silverbolt came in. Nothing looked obviously wrong, so First Aid assumed he was here to see Ratchet. Probably about Fireflight's accident yesterday; Silverbolt liked to follow up on his team's injuries. It was one of the things First Aid respected him for.

"I need to talk to you, First Aid."

His optic-band flashed in surprise. "Silverbolt?"

"You've been doing Slingshot's repairs exclusively for the last few years now." The Aerialbot commander pressed his lips together. "You need to start letting Ratchet work on him again."

"Oh, it's no trouble for me-" First Aid protested.

Silverbolt cut him off. "But it's trouble for Slingshot. He's picking fights and getting hurt just so he can get you to do his repairs."

First Aid stared. That- that explained a lot. "Oh."

"Yes. 'Oh.'" Silverbolt cycled air through his vents in a sigh. "I've already talked to him about this several times, but he keeps doing it."

"I'll talk to him about it," First Aid said. "Maybe he'll listen if it's the both of us coming at him."

Silverbolt smiled wanly. "Thank you."