"ND...?"
41-000 could've sworn he'd offlined right then and there. Pit, that would've been a much better alternative than... this. Seeing what was left of his younger sibling in the wreck of the abandoned M.E.C.H warehouse felt surreal. His vision blurred with shock, helm buzzing from the stunned charge going through his systems, he barely heard 4N-D13's response.
Long time no see? Well, he wasn't wrong. Just last night, he'd been lying awake in his berth, staring at the ceiling, plagued with thoughts of never seeing his brother bot ever again. But...
Seeing him as he was now, broken, leaking, teetering on the edge of life and death? It was terrifying, to say the least. After a few seconds, he regained composure, shaking his helm to clear it of frazzled thoughts and kneeling before him. 41 patted his face platings gently to keep him stimulated and awake, his vocals wavering as he spoke.
"You vanish without a trace, I find you half dead, and that's what you say to me?" he demanded, trying to choke out a joke. "Thought I raised you to be better than that."
His statement was met with incoherent mumbling, and his servos faltered while trying to loose the chains. Leaning in so ND wouldn't have to strain himself, he continued on with his work, the feebleness of his tone only giving him determination.
"What'd ya say?"
"Forgot...Honestly," ND chuckled weakly, the sound dissolving into a wheezing sort of rasp before tapering off into silence.
41-000 took a shuddering cycle of air before tossing the bonds aside, feeling satisfaction as they clanged to the ground. Being as gentle as he could, he lifted ND up, carrying the taller bot bridal style and turning to walk through the exit. The sound of his brother's ragged ventilations sent chills up his spinal chain, and he silently begged to Primus that he'd at least make it until the ship.