Chapter 6
-0-Med Bay
Ironhide entered Med Bay, moving slowly, his optics peering into every corner and backroom as he inched his way to Ratchet's office. Computers purred as they fed data into the main nexus that was located at Teletraan II, the super computer in Ops Center. It was quiet and things were painfully neat as they prepared for the new Autobots due to arrive in a couple of joors. He caught sight of Ratchet pouring over datapads, his desk cluttered with them. He walked to the door then slowed, unwilling to get within swinging distance of his powerful unpredictable bond. "Ratchet."
"What?" he answered distracted by whatever it was he was reading. Then Ratchet looked up to spot Ironhide. He froze, then picked up a wastebasket and with his arm swept the data pads into it. He stuffed it under his desk. He then rose up, staring at Ironhide as if he did that sort of thing every day. "Ironhide, what can I do for you?"
Ironhide allowed his brow ridges to drop back from the other side of his head from his surprise, then a suspicious expression demanded their co-operation. "Well, for starters you can tell me what *that* was all about."
"What?" Ratchet asked, his face a textbook picture of innocence and barely contained competitive battle lust. "What do you need? I have to get ready for incoming."
"I know," Ironhide said moving to the side of Ratchet's desk to glance under the rim at the basket underneath.
Ratchet moved forward placing a servo on Ironhide's chest to push him around the desk and into the far wall. Moving to stand well into Ironhide's personal space, he touched his nose to the big mech's trapping him with his flaming charisma. They stood together nose-to-nose and glared.
For the longest time neither gave an inch, then Ironhide blinked. "What are you meaning to do here, Ratchet, and what's on those datapads?"
"Doctor privilege of some kind," Ratchet said smirking with triumph. "I'll determine what kind when I care more. Until then," he trailed off with a suggestive grin, reaching downward to slip his fingers into Ironhide's armor. He found the seam that never failed and it didn't now as Ironhide's optics involuntarily blinked rapidly as he found his libido programming snapping on with a nearly audible pop.
He reached down to clamp onto Ratchet's servo, pulling it back up as he countered with his own move. He slipped a leg around both of Ratchet's. He trapped the big mech, pulling him in with an arm until he was held fast. "You have to be faster, Ratchet. I have you pinned."
"And you pinned yourself, too," Ratchet said with a grin. "Unless you know how to fly with a mech stuck to your privates." Ratchet reached down with his other servo to grip Ironhide's aft.
Ironhide pondered the truth of those statements, then decided they'd reached impasse. It would require negotiations to see what they could do about resolving their plight. "You need to give me something so I can give you something."
"How about I get my hand back and you get to sleep on the berth tonight."
Ironhide considered that. "I get to anyway."
"Do you think so? A lot can happen to a mech in their recharge."
"That's true," Ironhide considered. "How about I give you back your servo and you put both of them on my aft?"
Ratchet chuckled. "You're a terrible bargainer," he said slipping his other hand onto Ironhide's aft.
"I don't know. I got this far and I'm not complaining," Ironhide said, his low rumbling voice filled with amusement. "What's on the datapads?"
"Nothing you need to know now. A bot has to be allowed to plan their campaign without spies ruining the fun."
"I see," Ironhide said tightening his grip around Ratchet. "I think it would be good strategy for both sides in a war not to get too bitter. That way when one side loses they can live with their defeat."
"I'll hope you don't get too bitter then," Ratchet said moving closer to rub his cheek against Ironhide's. The big mech closed his optics as the feel of Ratchet close to him was as pleasurable and warm as it ever was. He laid his helm on Ratchet's shoulder and for a moment there was no war, only a peaceful truce.
First Aid and Sideswipe stood in the Med Bay peeking at the two as they leaned against the wall silently embracing each other without the slightest animosity. Sunstreaker who was watching over their shoulder shook his head. He pulled the two back, moving out of view but not out of their vantage point as he glanced at his brother. "I'll never understand old mechs."
Sideswipe snorted. "They might be you and Bluestreak some day, Sunny."
"I'll off line myself permanently first," Sunstreaker said shaking his head. "What the frag do you suppose those two are up to?"
"I don't know but the soldiers have a rumor and I can't get anyone to tell me," Sideswipe said.
"Let me try," Sunstreaker said as a wolfish expression informed his features. With that, the twins left.
First Aid watched them go, then decided to leave himself as he noted it was taking an amorous turn in the office. Uncertain whether to stay and pretend he was deaf and blind or leave, he opted to leave.
"They're gone," Ironhide said as his big servo rubbed Ratchet's back gently.
"I know," Ratchet said with a grin. "Ready to resume fire?"
"Probably," Ironhide said with a smirk. "Seen our infant today? I hear the grand kid is coming shortly."
Ratchet grinned, then looked at Ironhide with genuinely loving optics. "You're beyond the ability to shame."
"You're right and you know that you wouldn't have it any other way," Ironhide said smiling with surety.
Ratchet leaned in and kissed Ironhide as the big mech embraced him tightly. "You know," Ironhide said breaking the kiss, "you can tell me what's on your mind and we can settle this like mechs."
"Not on your spark, bad boy," Ratchet said with a feral grin.
Ironhide smiled and kissed Ratchet once more. "Then we're on again?"
"Yes," Ratchet said moving back into swinging range. They stared at each other, then Ironhide made his move. He tried to pass Ratchet but the big mech was faster, reaching under his desk to pull the bin out. They faced each other on either side of the desk feinting this way and that until the klaxon rang. Freezing, they listened as the call for personnel was made because the signal that incoming Autobots were sighted had alerted.
"Saved by the bell," Ratchet said relaxing slightly as he held his wastebasket with a sense of triumph.
"This time, Ratchet," Ironhide said walking to the door to go provide security at the landing site. "There's always next time." He strolled out of the room leaving it oddly bereft for Ratchet without him there.
Ratchet smiled. "We'll see, my lovely. The game's afoot and I don't plan to lose." With that, he walked into another room to put the datapads into a hiding place, returning to drop the wastebasket under the corner of his desk. Grabbing a scanner and a small medical pack, he walked out the door.
-0-Nearby at the landing zone
The sky was streaked with incoming as more Autobots found their way to Earth. Ten of them were arcing ground ward and it was almost as if Christmas, Easter and Halloween were wrapped up in one package and delivered albeit postage due at their doorstep.
That is, if Christmas, Easter, and Halloween were Autobot holidays.
Which they weren't.
Yet.
Ironhide stood beside Optimus watching as Autobot after Autobot hit the designated landing zone with almost eerie accuracy. They reformed as their transitional form unwound. They stood up gleaming in the sunlight, their protoforms reflecting a metallic sheen as each was met and escorted to the Autobot hangar complex by another mech. Ratchet was there, too, with First Aid and Hoist. He was supervising the newbies, checking to see if any of them required immediate attention.
Ironhide watched him, an expression of dispassionate disinterest on his face even as he admired the dedication and efficiency of his intimate other half.
Optimus who was considering his options required about three or four of the new mechs, so he looked them over carefully knowing that with the arrival of Bumblebee and Sam shortly that he would be able to twist the knife in a certain mech's back. He grinned at the thought, watching as Springer and Kup materialized in the mix. Perfect, he thought as he watched them walk away with the twins who were overjoyed to see them both.
He stood in the sun greeting each of the mechs as they saw him, feeling light as a feather even as he ran and reran every video clip that he had of Prowl in one corner of his processor. When this was over he was determined this time to plight his troth to the taciturn but comely winged vision of all his more intimate fantasies. Until then he would have to bite his tongue and wait.