FicWad

First Aid sat in Ratchet's office, trying to get comfortable on the couch while his mentor worked on his latest report. To the young medic, it was quite a wonder how Ratchet managed to work under any kind of circumstances without so much as blinking.



Circumstances like the one they were currently in.



"I OUGHT TO KNOCK YOUR HEAD OFF FOR PULLING A STUNT LIKE THAT!"



First Aid winced. The twins were a door away, at the medbay, supposedly resting after a nasty battle that left both of them severely hurt. Yet that didn't stop Sunstreaker from shouting at his brother - his vocaliser worked perfectly fine, after all.



"I WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOU!"



And so did Sideswipe's.



"OH YEAH?! AND WHO WAS GONNA COME AND SAVE YOU?!"



First Aid looked at Ratchet's direction. "Shouldn't we do something?" he asked quietly, even though he was sure the twins couldn't possibly hear him.



Ratchet shook his head, still writing on the datapad without so much as losing a beat.



"I DIDN'T NEED SAVING. YOU DID!"



"IT DIDN'T LOOK THAT WAY FROM WHERE /I/WAS STANDING!"



"But what if their fight becomes more than verbal?" First Aid said in concern.



"It won't," Ratchet answered calmly. "They know they would have to deal with me if it did."



"IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL, MAYBE NEXT TIME I SHOULD LET MEGATRON HAVE HIS WAY WITH YOU!"



"MAYBE YOU SHOULD!"



"But you're okay with this?"First Aid asked.



Ratchet shrugged. "Why should I scream their audio receptors off for their recklessness when they're doing such a good job at it already?"



"THEN I WILL!"



"A GREAT IDEA!"



"BRILLIANT!"



"But they're brothers! Twins!"First Aid exclaimed. "Why should they argue in the first place?"



"FINE!"



"FINE!"



And then there was silence. First Aid blinked several times, trying to determine what had just happened. Ratchet, on the other hand, was still writing on as though everything was normal. In fact, he didn't even seem to have registered the fact that First Aid had asked him aquestion.



"Ratchet--?"



But Ratchet held up his hand, effectively signalling his protégé that he should remain quiet. First Aid didn't really know what to think of that, until he realised Ratchet was mouthing something.



A countdown.



5... 4... 3... 2... 1...



At zero, Ratchet pointed his stylus at the door.



"I just... you scared me, Bro."



First Aid felt his optics widening at this. Was that really Sideswipe who sounded so gentle and apologetic?



"Yeah... well... you scared me."



Sunstreaker too?! Now First Aid felt like his jaw would drop on the floor.



"I'm sorry."



"So am I."



The young medic listened, practically mesmerised. And he somehow knew that the brothers got up from their berths in spite of their injuries so that they could hug each other.



"I don't want you hurt. I love you."



"Me too, Bro. Remember that before you do anything stupid again, okay?"



"I will."



Ratchet smiled and locked his gaze on First Aid, who was still listening intently.



"Now you know why," he said softly.



And with that, he continued on with his work.



THE END