💙Daily Tracks💙

It felt like morning came sooner for Raoul than it should have, but he felt well rested. He stretched as he got up, sure to check his communicator in case Tracks attempted a call or left a message, but he surprisingly found nothing. He turned on his room light, only to hear his communicator go off.

“Speak of the devil," He picked up. “Good morning, Tracks.” He chuckled a bit.

“Raoul, good morning!” He sounded chipper and back to his happier mood. “Did you sleep alright?” It sounded like Tracks was relaxing for the day.

“Yeah, I slept okay. How about you, man?” Raoul haphazardly got the communicator, taking it with him as he went to shower.

“I recharged just fine. I did go out for a little late-night drive, but it was only a few hours." Tracks chuckled awkwardly as he heard Raoul sigh.

“You went out for a drive? Tracks, you needed a longer recharge. You had an awful day.” Raoul, of course, lectured the mech. “Honestly, if I’d gone out dancing instead of sleeping, would you be happy with me?” He replied.

“No, but I am completely different. Cybertronians are—" He was hit with a quick tut from Raoul.

“I don’t want any of this Cybertronian bullshit; recharge next time or I’m kicking your ass!” Raoul snapped at him, not with malice, but in pure frustration. “Now, how long was this ride anyway?” Raoul eventually got out of the shower, drying off and getting himself dressed. His partner had been quiet for a moment, seemingly trying to find a way to soften the blow. “Well?” Raoul prompted Tracks again.

Tracks awkwardly laughed, not wanting to lie to his partner. Raoul shook his head, already knowing it was going to be an insane amount of time to be driving around in circles or around town. Tracks also hated how dusty Spike’s town was, so it made no sense to Raoul why he’d even be out late driving to just need a cleaning or wash afterwards.

“Well? C’mon Tracks, spit it out.” Raoul sighed.

“It was just… 6 hours…” He heard Raoul groan in annoyance as he listened to his mate awkwardly sigh.

"Tracks, you cannot keep doing this. I swear—do not make me call Ratchet or Wheeljack to start keeping an eye on you!” Raoul half-heartedly threatened Tracks, only to hear an exasperated ex vent over his communicator.

“Oh please, Raoul. I just needed some air. I mean… I couldn’t relax! I was restless!" He huffs a bit. “I couldn’t settle into recharge, so I drove, and then that turned into a little fly around town, honest!” He tried to get his partner to calm down.

“Tracks, I understand, man, but what could be so important that you stayed up so late?" Raoul got his hair up and done, sure to tie it off as he left his bathroom. Thankfully he was getting used to waking up earlier in the morning for the day. He grabbed his communicator and walked down to his kitchen, listening to Tracks awkwardly try to avoid him.

“Well after you fell asleep… I felt lonely, Raoul.” That stopped Raoul halfway to his kitchen, listening to Tracks just breathe for a moment. “It was really hard going to bed knowing we wouldn’t be together for a while… and I don’t get many opportunities to come to the “Big Apple”, y’know?” Tracks tried to play it off with a light laugh, but the sinking loneliness hit Raoul like a truck.

“Tracks, we talked about this. It’ll work out… I mean long distance isn’t so bad.” Raoul leaned against the wall behind him. He remembered just last week working on a car and just thinking about Tracks being in the shop with him again… They’d been apart for months and it was taking a toll on him and Tracks.  They’d been sure to talk everyday, but this just wasn’t what they had in mind for their relationship.

“It is awful for me, Raoul… not having you beside me every cycle… it’s torture.” Tracks spoke quietly over the communicator, clearly dreading being so vulnerable with his partner. He was a prideful mech, and Raoul knew it was hard for him to express how hard things had been for himself.

“We’ll see one another again, Tracks. I mean- we talk everyday… Sparkplug was nice enough to share photos of his last trip out there. You still look good.” Raoul tried to use Tracks’ vanity to steer the conversation in a different direction. He earned a half-hearted laugh from Tracks as he recalled it.

“I always look good, Raoul.” Tracks sounded tired from the evening before.

“Tracks, babe, why don’t you go rest, okay? I’ve got to be ready for work anyway.” Raoul opened his cupboard to see what he’d eat this morning, going for cereal since it’d allow him to keep talking to Tracks in case he was still needed.

“I can’t really rest right now. I mean I’m still out and about.” Tracks chuckled to himself, but this piqued Raoul’s interest. How was Tracks still on the road? Raoul actually listened, hearing the breeze coming in from Tracks’ open window.

“Tracks, why are you still driving? You really should be going back to base.” He finished up his breakfast as he listened to his partner sigh, tired of his partner worrying so much about him.

“Raoul, you worry too much. I’ll be pulling over soon anyway.” He heard the sound of Tracks’ brakes finally as he pulled over. He was relieved his partner was at least pretending to listen to him.

“I worry about you because I love you, Tracks.” He sighed as he put away his dish and grabbed his usual work bag. Unfortunately for Raoul, his partner couldn’t give him transportation to his job, so he’d settle for the subway today. It was a real important job at this fancy place downtown, something that was just to big to handle in the garage, and Raoul was trusted by Sparkplug to handle it. 

“I love you too, Raoul, but it seems you’re getting ready to up and leave for work?” Tracks spoke to him, knowing his schedule all too well. 

“Yeah, we have a lot going on today at the garage, gorgeous. Big important inspection that Sparkplug does for a company downtown, but he’s having me do it this time so I can’t be late. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” Raoul got his things together, trying to let his partner down easily as their conversation came to a halt.

“Well I won’t hold you up, now.” Tracks chuckled a bit.

“Hey, I love talking to you, but I have to go, Tracks. Love you!” As Raoul went to hang up his communicator, he got outside, listening to his partner's reply, awkwardly fiddling with his keys to lock up his apartment.

“I love you too, but you’ll need a ride, won’t you?” Raoul rolled his eye, listening to his partner try to drag on the conversation.

"I’ve got to take the subway, Tracks. Bye!” Raoul hung up, quickly swiveling around to dig in his pocket to get his tokens ready for the ride, but as his body fully turned, his eyes got distracted by that all too familiar shade of blue paint. He closed his eyes for a moment, used to the excited feeling in his chest when he thought Tracks was visiting, but was always met with disappointment. It couldn’t be Tracks. It had to be some other car, some other model, anything that wasn’t Tracks.

“Are you really going to pretend you didn’t see my gorgeous self?!” He heard that all too familiar posh voice, with the usual undertones of joking sass. Raoul opened his eyes, and was met with the sight of the blue Corvette. It took Raoul a moment to process that his partner was right in front of him—actually in front of him and not across the country miles away from him.

”But—how?" Raoul nearly dropped his tokens from shock as he shoved them back into his pocket. He hopped down the stoop steps to get to his partner. They hadn’t seen each other in months, yet here was in front of him in pristine condition despite the events of yesterday.

“Let's just say lots of extra energon, begging Sunstreaker to fix my paint, and a long 6-hour flight here. You’re welcome! ~” Tracks gloated about his efficiency, but it was very clearly covering up how emotional he was seeing Raoul. Always the sensitive type between the two of them.

”Well, thanks, Tracks. What would I do without you?” Raoul feigned dramatic gratefulness that earned a chuckle from Tracks.

"Oh, hush up now and get in.” Tracks opened the door to the driver's side.

”The driver’s side? Tracks, are you spoiling me today? Raoul laughed a bit, dropping his things in the passenger seat, then quickly going around to the driver’s side door. He got comfortable in the leather seats, and sighed contently, happy to be back with his mate. Raoul leaned his head back on the headrest, letting some tears escape him once the door finally closed. It all felt too surreal. Raoul wasn’t usually the crier between them, but he hadn’t felt his partner’s presence in far too long.

”Raoul? Don’t cry. I apologize if my presence was too sudden. I just… really needed to see you.” Tracks spoke softly, feeling bad he made his boyfriend cry.

”No, no, man—I just… can’t believe you’re here.” Raoul wiped his tears, trying to compose himself before work. ”How did you find my apartment? I didn’t tell you where I lived yet.” He leaned against the steering wheel, gently patting the dashboard, earning a rumble from Tracks’ engine.

”Your communicator has a locator. Once I had that I just started flying here… I couldn’t stop once I knew where you were. The others don’t know I came.” Tracks began driving allowing Raoul to input the location to Track’s locator. Raoul sighed as he sat up to look as if he was driving, allowing Tracks to take the lead, just holding onto the steering wheel.

”I”m assuming you want me to handle that angry call from Ratchet when they find out you’re missing?” Raoul laughed a bit. Despite Tracks looking gorgeous, Raoul was more than aware he was still healing up from yesterday.

”Aw, Raoul, You’d do that for me? Why thank you!” Tracks sounded like himself, but Raoul noticed his quieter tone. Tracks was exhausted from the flight. Raoul had no clue how his partner was still awake after such a long flight.

“Anything for you, gorgeous.” Raoul gently kissed the steering wheel, earning a soft gasp from Tracks.

”Raoul, if you keep that up, I’m not letting you out of here~” Tracks revved his engine a bit as they sat at a stoplight.

“Keep talkin’ like that, and you’ll be beggin’ me not to leave~” Tracks sped off ahead, completely exhilarated by how Raoul was speaking with him. “Now let's focus on getting to work so I’m not late!” Raoul patted his dashboard again, and Tracks obliged, rolling off to the important gig Raoul mentioned. “We’ll be there in no time. You do have the best ride in New York!” That earned a laugh between the two of them. Raoul threw in a playlist that Tracks liked, from the night they met and spent hours fixing the cars those Decepti-creeps ruined. They were just happy to be together again, no longer having to worry if either one of them was okay.

End