FicWad

Just like Ratchet had said, Wheeljack had the thermostat ready first thing in the morning. Glad to hear the news, Sunstreaker let the medic in the dorms, so that he could operate on Sideswipe. The yellow Lamborghini sat on a chair nearby, waiting patiently for Ratchet to finish, and, less than half an hour later, the new thermostat was installed and operating.

"So he's fine now?" Sunstreaker asked Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded as he wiped his hands on a piece of cloth. "All Sideswipe needs now is to remain in his berth for a while till the thermostat brings his circuits down to their normal temperature." His expression became quite wry at the next moment. "And then he can go back to his good old pranking ways."

Sunstreaker couldn't help it; he chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that."

"He'll be the only one," Ratchet deadpanned. However, he smiled and patted the yellow Lamborghini on the shoulder. "I'll be at the repair-bay if you need me."

"Okay," Sunstreaker said, watching the medic go out.

But there was one more thing he wanted to say.

"Ratchet?"

Ratchet stopped on his tracks and looked at Sunstreaker quizzically.

"Thank you... not only for the thermostat."

Ratchet understood. "Just look after each other," he said, and he exited.

As the door hissed closed, Sunstreaker just smiled and murmured:

"I intend to."

----------------

Sunstreaker was still focused on his drawing, when he heard Sideswipe stirring. He lifted his gaze, and he was rewarded with a happy, albeit tired look.

"You're here," Sideswipe said.

"No, I've just gone to Cybertron and joined the Female Autobots," Sunstreaker answered back teasingly. At the next moment, he got up from his seat, leaving his sketching material behind, and settled on the side of Sideswipe's berth. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Sideswipe smiled. "Much better. Everything's stopped spinning, that's for sure."

"Good," the yellow Lamborghini said. "Still, you shouldn't get out of your berth just yet - Ratchet's orders."

"Oh."

Something in that tone made Sunstreaker regard Sideswipe in mild surprise. "What is it?"

"Well, I'm... kind of hungry," the red Lamborghini said embarrassedly. "Can't I go to the common room to get some energon?"

Sunstreaker positively grinned. "You won't have to," he said. He got up to fetch the energon-filled vial that was still on the table, untouched. "Courtesy of Bluestreak, along with a 'Get well soon' wish. Wanna share?"

Sideswipe didn't have to be told twice. And so, in a matter of minutes, the vial was empty and the twins revitalised once more.

"That was good," Sideswipe commented, placing his cube on the nightstand nearby. "We'll have to thank Bluestreak afterwards."

"And not just him. Everyone helped out, in one way or other," Sunstreaker said. He swirled the remnants of his own share of energon as he contemplated on something very important. "They really care, Bro."

"Yeah," Sideswipe agreed warmly.

But Sunstreaker was far from finished. "I guess because... we're all a family of sorts now. Do you remember what Head On said about family?"

Sideswipe locked his gaze on his twin, his expression uncertain as he answered. "He said that one looks out for the other."

Sunstreaker nodded.

"Except... I forgot that."

Now Sideswipe was staring at his twin downright incredulously. "Sunstreaker--"

"Just let me finish," Sunstreaker said, holding up his hand in a gesture to his brother to stay quiet. "I wanted to believe that I was strong enough for both of us; that I could handle every obstacle that crossed our path on my own." A sigh escaped his lip components. "And then you malfunctioned, and I found myself powerless and afraid as I had never been before. That, as well as something Ratchet said, made me realise something."

"That we're really strong when we face everything together," Sideswipe said, understanding.

"Exactly," the yellow Lamborghini replied. He looked at Sideswipe ruefully. "I'm sorry for shutting you out."

But Sideswipe wouldn't have it. "I know you did it for my sake. I would have done the same thing. Or rather..." and at that the red Lamborghini's face plate matched with the rest of his plating, "I did the same thing."

Sunstreaker smiled inwardly. He understood perfectly well that Sideswipe was talking about his broken thermostat, and he was glad to see that his twin was admitting his own mistake. However, it was more than that.

It was also a sign that they were opening up to each other again.

Which reminded him...

"Sideswipe? How much do you remember from yesterday?"

"Uh..." Sideswipe made a frowning expression as he thought hard. "I remember feeling awful... Ratchet's voice... Then you telling me something... and that's it."

Sunstreaker regarded his twin slyly. "So you don't remember your confession."

"My what?" However, Sideswipe's surprise was soon replaced by realisation; his memories caught up with him. He winced quite visibly. "About that--"

"How many drawings did you see?"

Sideswipe blinked, obviously not expecting that question. "The first four from the pile," he finally answered with slight hesitation.

"Only?" Sunstreaker asked, his turn to be surprised. But he smiled at the next moment. "I guess we'll have to remedy that."

And before Sideswipe had the time to ask his brother what he meant by that, Sunstreaker went to his desk and got out from the second drawer his whole stack of drawings. The red Lamborghini could only stare dumbly as Sunstreaker got back to the berth, still smiling, and gave him the stack.

"So... shall we start?"

That was all the invitation Sideswipe needed. Holding the stack carefully, as though afraid he would damage them in a single clumsy touch, Sideswipe started looking at the rest of Sunstreaker's drawings. He sighed in nostalgia when he saw a drawing of Cybertron back in its former glory, shining brilliantly in a veil of black that was space; only to wince upon seeing their home planet in darkness at the very next picture. His optics widened when he saw the picture of a silver turbo-wolf on the prowl, its red eyes and pearl-white fangs glimmering in the moonlight. He smiled to see a picture of himself and Sunstreaker as sparklings playing without a care in the world, the beams of a brilliant sun bathing them both dotingly.

Then, there was the picture of the underground city of Iacon, but there were no warm colours in it. Sideswipe could easily see that the expression on the citizens' faces was one of fright - as though they were waiting for the disaster that was bound to come.

But, when Sideswipe looked on, he found a drawing of Optimus Prime. The large mech was standing on the edge of an Earthen cliff, staring at the horizon and seeming ablaze as the orange colours of a rising sun and his red plating mingled together. And the red Lamborghini just stared in awe at the picture of a raging sea, its white foams resembling a herd of galloping proud stallions, crashing against the cruel edges of rocks that towered threateningly over the blue element.

Sunstreaker, on the other hand, was by Sideswipe's side the whole time, explaining to his twin every single picture; its meaning, how he drew it, even why he drew it. He simply rambled on, just like he used to do when they were back on Cybertron and his art was more than just an expression of his psyche. And though he was aware Sideswipe didn't understand half as much as what he heard, Sunstreaker appreciated his brother's patience nonetheless.

However, Sideswipe's weariness soon became much stronger. The red Lamborghini's third yawn in a row was proof enough.

"Sorry," Sideswipe said in a sheepish manner.

However, Sunstreaker shook his head. "Don't be. You need to rest, anyway."

"Stay with me?" Sideswipe's voice was soft, a reminder of what he'd been through only hours ago.

"Of course."

Sideswipe actually beamed at that. At the next moment, he had curled close to his brother, something that made Sunstreaker smile.

But Sideswipe didn't shut his optics just yet. In fact, Sunstreaker could easily see that his brother had become lost in thought.

"Is something wrong?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Not really. I was just thinking about your pictures," Sideswipe answered at once. "They show what's in your spark, Bro. I never thought you felt so miserable - or so desperate for hope."

Sunstreaker heaved a sigh. "We're in the middle of a war, Sideswipe. I'm not exactly thrilled about it."

"I guess," the red Lamborghini said sleepily. "But I really wanted you... to make a picture that was... a thousand words of joy..."

The last word had barely flowed out of Sideswipe's lip components as his body slipped into recharge, demanding the rest. And so, he never noticed the strange twinkle in Sunstreaker's optics, or indeed heard his twin saying:

"I've already made it."

For on the chair that Sunstreaker had been sitting before, there was the finished portrait of a serene-looking Sideswipe, sleeping peacefully.

The End.