#ler!ironhide

"...Have I ever heard you laugh before?"

Wasp blinked before turning to face his new friend, energon canister in hand.

"I…don't see why that matters."

He muttered under his breath, taking a sip of his energon. Ironhide had seen the other smile, those were almost exclusive to being in Ironhide's presence and almost all were cocky grins or smirks. Ironhide only saw the other genuinely smile three times, once after opening up to Ironhide about the body shaming he used to deal with prior to joining bootcamp. Ironhide had commented on the stupidity of the ones who used to mock him and was rewarded with a gentle smile and a soft "You're so weird…"

The second time has been after Sentinel Minor slipped in a puddle during a lecture. The others had laughed and snickered, and Wasp hunched up his shoulders bringing up a servo to cover a wobbly smile. Ironhide remembered pausing just to stare at the others face and seeing the way he blushed and averted eye contact once he noticed Ironhide staring.

The third time had been just now, after Bumblebee left with Longarm to go for a race. After they left the building Ironhide leaned over and joked.

"50 Shanix says Bee crashes."

Wasp rolled his optics with a fond smile and retorted.

"Make it 100."

Which brought them to now, Ironhide sat up straight turning to look at Wasp directly.

"Hey, maybe I just want to hear you laugh, it takes work just to get a real smile out of you."

Wasp scoffed and put the canister down, a cocky grin spreading across his face. He leaned back in his seat, arms folded behind his helm.

"I'm just not as easily cracked as the rest of you, I take things seriously."

Wasp glanced at the orange mech, pointed over at him.

"You double-over laughing as soon as I start prodding your tires."

Ironhide flushed as Wasp's grin spread, before he paused and began thinking about something. Wasp looked back over, shifting in his seat to lean into the armrest.

Ironhide smirked and pointed an accusatory finger at the minibot.

"What about you then?"

Wasp raised a metal brow, not getting the implication.

"Are you ticklish?"

Wasp sputtered and looked away immediately, faceplates burning as he scrambled for a response. One that was unnecessary as Ironhide clearly already knew the answer to that question. Wasp heard the other get up and pressed himself into the corner of the chair.

"Ye- wait no! I meant no!"

Ironhide snickered servos raised with wiggling fingers, Wasp's optics widened and he made a scramble to get out of the chair and out the door but Ironhide pinned him back against the chair. He dragged the smaller into his lap and cracked his knuckles menacingly. Wasp gulped and squirmed in place.

"I-Ironhide I swear to Primus if you touch me!"

Wasp tried going on the defensive and masking how nervous he was but it was still really obvious. Ironhide placed his servos on Wasp's sides, tauntingly smirking at the bot who was once again, hiding a wobbly smile behind one of his servos.

"I- I'm warning you!"

Ironhide rolled his eyes and retorted.

"Yeah see, it's just sorta hard to take you seriously when you're grinning like that."

Without wasting a moment more Ironhide began rapidly scribbling on the smaller bots sides. Wasp's eyes widened comically and he immediately slapped both his servos over his mouth and curled in as much as he could, shaking with gritted teeth.

"Hnggk! Sccr-Scrap! Ir-Ghk! Ironhide, kn-knohock it offff..!"

Ironhide smirked mischievously and moved lower to tease the minibots stomach, being rewarded with a squeak and some choked giggles.

"Well you weren't lying about being harder to crack, but hey, I've always liked a challenge."

Wasp began struggling with more strength, taking his servos off his mouth to shove at the orange mech's chassis while rapidly kicking his legs.

"N-Naaoho! Ghnk- Get off!"

Ironhide winced and dug in a little rougher drawing out a squeal.

"Hey, watch it! You're gonna scuff the paint!"

Wasp tried to glare but it wasn't very effective given the giggles popping at the back of his throat. But he evidently took that as a challenge since he mustered enough strength to kick Ironhide straight in the chassis, leaving a noticeable dent. It'd buff right out but the action was enough to get Ironhide to gasp with offense.

"Oh that does it! Come here you!"

He moved his servos up and scribbled under Wasp's arm joints, and the dam finally broke. Wasp convulsed and screeched, throwing his head back while hugging his midsection.

"Wa-WAHAHAIT! Oh-Okahahay! OkAHAY! I'm sorry! I'm soAHAHARY! PLEASE!"

Wasp squeezed his optics closed rapidly, shaking his head and trying his hardest not to kick out lest he provoke Ironhide any further. Ironhide rolled his eyes without any real conviction but acting upset all the same.

"Oh, will 'sorry' buff this out? I don't think so ya little brat!"

Wasp lightly whacked and others arm as he wheezed out.

"NOHOHAT LIhihihITTLE!"

Ironhide scoffed fondly and lifted the other up burying his face on his shoulder.

"Whatever you say tiny~"

Wasp's retort was cut off by Ironhide blowing a raspberry on the side of his neck pulling a high-pitched screech from the back of his throat. 

"FFFFRAAHAHAHAG! NONONO GEHEHET OFFF, I SAHAID I WASSS SOOHAHARY!"

Ironhide laughed and blew one more before pulling back and giving his friend a break. Wasp rolled onto his side with his fans having audibly kicked in to help cool himself down. He let out an embarrassed groan hiding his flushed face in his servos, Ironhide just chuckled patting his back reassuringly.

"Heh, sorry about that Wasp. But hey, now I can officially say that I've heard your laugh before."

Wasp lifted his helm up just to glare at him which Ironhide only laughed at. Wasp growled in response, sitting up and getting off the chair.

"If you tell anyone about this-"

Ironhide put his arms up in mock surrender, beginning to stand up himself.

"Relax, relax, I wouldn't do that to you."

Wasp crossed his arms with a slightly mistrusting expression on his face.

"...You promise?"

Ironhide nodded, pretending to zip his mouth shut. Before placing a servo on the other's shoulder.

"I didn't take it too far back there did I?"

Wasp sighed, pausing before shoving his servo off his shoulder before saying with some reluctance.

"No…I probably could've handled more than that- Which is not an offer to continue! I'm… I'm just saying."

Wasp began to blush again as he talked about it, he evidently wasn't used to being on the receiving end of this kind of thing. Ironhide just wrapped an arm around his pal and replied.

"Hey relax, I'm not putting you through that again anytime soon. At least today anyways."

Wasp rolled his eyes and promptly shoved the other off of him with a fond grin plastered on his face as evidence he didn't really care. Ironhide's expression softened at Wasp's next words.