Chapter Text
Ratchet tensed as you laughed again, his grip on the tool in his servo tightening. His back was towards you but he could picture the look on your face, the way your nose scrunched up when you laughed, how your eyes would shine with amusement, one of your hands moving to cover your sweet smile, and he could just as easily picture the flirtatious grin on Wheeljack’s face as he regaled you and the kids with yet another story about some epic battle he had fought and won. Another bout of laughter reached his audials, and without meaning to, he clenched his servo and snapped the tool he was holding. The sudden silence told him that the rest of the base had noticed and Ratchet gritted his dentae as Wheeljack approached.
“Woah Doc, you should be a little more careful. Don’t you need that?” Wheeljack’s tone was light and teasing but Ratchet’s foul mood only worsened as the other Autobot peered around him to look at the damage. “Give me a few hours and I can have it up and running again like new.”
“I am perfectly capable of fixing it myself.” Ratchet’s words were strained but Wheeljack either didn’t notice or was ignoring the moodiness in his voice, reaching to grab the pieces.
“I said I could handle it!” Ratchet snapped, snatching it up before Wheeljack could and moving past him to retreat to his hab suite. You all watched as he stormed out, Wheeljack waiting for him to be out of earshot before giving a low whistle.
“Something’s got him on edge.”
“Yeah,” you frowned, “I think I should go check on him.” You took off after Ratchet, easily navigating your way to his hab suite. He had given you the code to the door previously so you let yourself in, greeted by the sight of the medic hunched over and sitting on the edge of the berth that had been installed after the Autobot’s arrival.
“Hey.” You approached him slowly, waiting to gauge his reaction. “Things got a little heated out there, just wanted to check in and see if you were okay.”
“Wouldn’t you rather be back out there with Wheeljack?” You recoiled slightly, caught off guard by the venom in his words.
“I’m exactly where I want to be right now, so can you please just tell me what’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
“We both know that’s a lie, and I can’t help if you don’t tell me what exactly is wrong.”
“The only way you could help would be if you stopped hovering over me, it may be difficult for you to understand this but I don’t need you! Why would I ever need a human’s help?” Ratchet regretted the words as soon as they slipped out but it was too late to take them back now, your expression already going flat and your eyes cold.
“So I’m just some stupid human to you then.”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“Do I?” You moved back to the door, pausing before the threshold. “I love you Ratchet but I can’t keep carrying this relationship on my own, not when you’re always looking for a way to sabotage your own happiness.” And with those parting words you left. Even with the door now between you, Ratchet could still hear you let out a choked sob, the sounds of your distress growing fainter as you moved away.
-
You were back home now, lying on your couch and staring at the television blankly. You hadn’t absorbed anything that had occurred in the show you were watching, still too wrapped up in the day’s events to pay attention. You likely would have stayed there all night but the sudden flashing of lights in your front yard made you sit up. You peeked out your window, startled to see Ratchet, who so rarely left the base, parked in your driveway. Shoving on some shoes you slipped out the door, Ratchet switching off his emergency lights as you drew near.
“Ratchet! What are you doing here and why the hell were your lights on? Are you trying to draw attention?”
“Yes, yours.”
You sighed, far too tired to deal with this. “Yeah well you have it now, what do you want?”
“I wish to speak with you.”
“Oh so now you want to talk to me, huh?” You glanced around, checking to see if any of your neighbors had taken notice of your late-night guest. “Fine. But not here, I don’t want anyone asking questions later about why there was an ambulance in front of my house. Open up.”
Ratchet’s passenger door swung open and you climbed in, settling yourself in the seat. It was silent as he drove out of town into the desert and once the two of you were far away enough he pulled to the side of the road, letting you back out as he transformed.
You watched with arms crossed as he knelt before you, servos hovering awkwardly in the air for a moment before he let them fall to the side.
“I am…sorry for what I said. It was not only cruel but untrue. I was angry and I took it out on you.” He paused and you looked at him expectantly. “And you’re right. I’m scared of losing the ones I love so I push them away and try to convince myself that they left because I wanted them to and not because of me, and I bottle up my emotions so that I can pretend I don’t have them. I was jealous of Wheeljack and instead of being mature about it I lost my temper. I know I haven’t done enough to show it but I do love you and I want the chance to prove it.”
“You’re kind of an ass, y’know that right? You shifted your hands to your hips as you stared him down. “Not to mention rude, prideful, and stubborn as hell. But,” you paused, giving him a small smile, “you are also selfless, hardworking, incredibly intelligent, and you care so much more than you let on. If you really mean it when you say that you’ll put in the effort then I mean it when I say that I want to be with you every step of the way.” At this point you had moved forward, hands delicately perched on his bent leg. “Now let’s go home and get some rest yeah? We can talk more in the morning.”
Bending forward carefully, Ratchet lightly pressed his face into your hair, sighing softly. “Yes. Let’s go home.”