video;

[stubbornandfrustrating]

[The video clicks on and shows nothing but the ceiling of a room for long moments before it rattles and a hand obscures the camera. There's a scrape and a soft groan as Ratchet hauls himself as much into a sitting position as he can manage and finally manages to pick up the communicator and turn the camera towards himself.]

[He looks exhausted, his optics dim and his mouth drawn down. The hand not holding the communicator up is pressed carefully to his windscreen and his ventilations are labored as he wakes up a little more, his optics focusing in the low light of his room. His voice is soft and fuzzy with static when he speaks.]

Hey. What did I miss?




LOCKED to Spinister
I need a status update on Krok. Now, please. I can't get up to go check on him myself.

Comments

[knightunbraided]

[More hesitation.]

Our... conversation made it abundantly clear.

[stubbornandfrustrating]

Wing, dammit.

[Ratchet shoves up into a sitting position, then stops to let out a slow, pained hiss of air, curling in around his chest and just venting hard for a moment.]

Fine, if you want to be so free with Magnus' secrets and then keep your own. But if he wanted me to know something like that, he would have told me. Himself. Not obliquely hinted to you to carry on the message.

[knightunbraided]

Ratchet, please!

[He reaches over and attempts to push the medic back down.]

Magnus seems to be the type of person who would keep all intimate feelings to himself, regardless of what those feelings are. I don't understand why all of you seem to regard being open with your emotions so taboo.

[stubbornandfrustrating]

Yeah, and that's his right! [He pushes impatiently at Wing's hands, his ventilations a little shaky as he unfolds himself.] I'm fine. Did you ever think there might be a reason for him being so reserved? That it might genuinely upset him if you pulled something outrageous and high-handed like this? At least I can move my own stuff back into my old room if I want to--you can't un-tell me that he's in love with me, if that's even the case.

[knightunbraided]

I-I didn't say-

[He stops and closes his optics, taking in a deep vent and letting it out slowly. There's two seconds of silence before Wing speaks again.]

I'm sorry, Ratchet. I was wrong.

[Saying those words out loud pains him more than he expects. Is he really that proud? So convinced that he's right that admitting that he was wrong is such a challenge? Surely not!]

I never meant to cause either of you any distress.

[He leans over and gently puts his weight on Ratchet's chest, hopefully preventing the medic from going anywhere.]

Please forgive me.

[stubbornandfrustrating]

[Ratchet makes a soft, pained sound as Wing's hand comes down on the front of his chassis, over his aching spark chamber, but he reaches up to cover Wing's palm with his, a lot of the frustration draining out of him.]

Yeah. Just--I'm worried about Magnus as it is. None of this has been easy for him, and I don't want to make it worse.