Shattered Shenanigans

21: Floatation device

Five days later and there was still no progress. Optimus would be lying if he said he weren't buggered but he could hide it. Ratchet couldn't, he was cursing left right and centre.

"FFFFF-" Ratchet started and aimed his wrench at Megatron. Again (he was already scrambling out of sight.)

"Ratchet!" Optimus warned.

"He does it when you're not looking!" Ratchet complained as Megatron shrunk into the shadows.

"Does what?"

"He stared!"

"Oh, that really is terrible." Optimus said. "The generator is floating again." He added and Soundwave struggled to get it down again.

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation." Ratchet started.

"Nice pun." Soundwave started, "Now help me!" Ratchet did nothing so Optimus came to his aid. "Oh look at that, someone with a sense of honour."

"Unlike some." Ratchet muttered while glaring at Megatron's retreating frame. Optimus managed to drag Ratchet away once Soundwave had recovered. "What are you-"

Optimus used his, 'I'm disappointed in you' stare. It was very effective.

"He stares at you all the time-" Ratchet started again.

"Megatron?" Optimus asked.

"Yes!"

"And that may be due to distrust?" Optimus tried suggesting.

"No- It's not that-"

"How would you know?"

"The way he looks at you!" Ratchet whisper shouted.

"And in what way does he do that?" Optimus asked.

Ratchet looked simply appalled, "I'll demonstrate." He started and then proceeded to stare, specifically his lower plating. He licked his derma too.

"Are you hungry?" Optimus asked.

If this were one of the human's cartoons, there would be steam coming out of Ratchet's audial receptors. "No!" He buried his helm in his servos. "You are terrible at picking up social clues."

"Or, hear me out, it is a personal opinion, but I think you are over reacting." Optimus pointed out.

Ratchet blinked, "Ok, just let me put this as direct as I can. I think he fancies you."

Optimus blinked. "How do you mean?"

"Like the way you fancied that reporter before the war-"

"No!" Optimus gasped.

"Yes!" Ratchet said, rather gleeful.

"But I doubt it."

"NO!" Ratchet yelled in dismay.

"But I will consider what you told me." Optimus added and Ratchet seemed to accept that. They walked back into the main room, Megatron was gone so Ratchet perked up and got back to work on the floating generator.

"Why is it-"

"Magnetic polarisation." Soundwave mumbled and sat Laserbeak atop of it. "Stay there." He said and the generator floated back down.

"He makes a good paper weight." Ratchet grumbled and Laserbeak squawked in protest.

"Yes, you're more dignified than that." Soundwave agreed, "Barely." He added under his venting.

Optimus just hovered around them, hoping they could give him directions so he could help. He just ended up petting Laserbeak. It's always nice and quiet when the others were with the humans, and Dreadwing was rather pleasant to be around.

Where was Dreadwing?

As if summoned by his thoughts, Dreadwing came out of nowhere. Magic! He sat down on Optimus' favourite crate.

"Ep! Hold it down!" Soundwave started as the generator started to float again. Optimus simply pushed it down.

"Perhaps you ought to secure it?" Optimus suggested.

"Shush!" Ratchet started and powered it off again and rested his helm in his servos.

"A drive perhaps?" Optimus asked.

"What?" Ratchet asked and looked at him.

"You should take a break." Optimus said, before he breaks it on accident.

"Hmph!" Ratchet started.

"Yea, I think I will." Soundwave muttered, "Clear my helm." He added.

"Fine." Ratchet grumbled and transformed.

Optimus followed suit, just to make sure no Autobots botnap him again. However, on their way to the exit-

"Where are you going?" Megatron asked. Was he hiding in the shadows or something?

"Outside, for a drive." Ratchet hissed and swerved around him. Optimus drove around him more carefully.

"Have fun?" He suggested and walked off.

Optimus drove off and wondered if he sounded so awkward on occasion. Maybe he should ask Ratchet?

"How can you be so calm about this whole disaster?" Ratchet asked.

Well, if reading datapads taught him anything, it would be that reading faster will result in the same out come as reading slowly. Or something like that. "I find worrying often results in clouded and restricted judgement." Optimus said as they drove.

"The others need to deal with the Decepticons on their own, we barely had any energon when I left!" Ratchet argued.

"And we currently cannot do anything about their situation." Optimus added.

Ratchet only sighed. "You know, sometimes I need to remind myself of how far you have come."

"Pardon?"

"It's hard to take you serious at times when I remember how you used to trip over your peds and drop datapads."

"Where is this coming from?" Optimus asked.

"You also used to over share." Ratchet added, ah, there's his point.

"I am fine Ratchet."

"Are you?"

Optimus took some time to think. "Do you think I am awkward?" He blurted out.

"Ahh..." Ratchet started and spluttered, "In social situations, sometimes." He said.

Damnit.

"But you are composed mostly- You don't need to take all the responsibility." Ratchet started again.

"I have been sitting on crates all day, I have had little responsibility." Optimus argued.

"Right." Ratchet grumbled. "Argh."

"What?"

"Look up." He said and Optimus did so, "He can't leave us alone can he?" Ratchet grumbled as Megatron's jet mode flew off, for some reason it looked a fair bit darker.

"He's leaving." Optimus noted as they passed at the humans school. Knockout gave a honk in greeting from across the road causing Ratchet to speed up.

"Speed limit Ratchet." Optimus warned and he slowed down.

Eventually, they were out of Jasper and back on the long roads. Optimus decided to drive beside the road, he liked the texture of the dirt more.

He liked going off-road on Cybertron aswell, and he was rather good at it. He sped up a bit, drove over a unforeseen road hazard and went flying. "Argk!" He shrieked as he flew across the road, narrowly missing Ratchet.

Ratchet skidded to a stop, transformed and flipped him over once he stopped rolling.

"I am fine." Optimus said. No, not really, he was hot with embarrassment.