#ratchwheel

Ratchet ex-vented,already bitter and revved up at his current predicament. He couldn’tmove his hands, as they were currently strapped down to a lap-heightmedical berth. He was seated with his arms outstretched before himwith his forearms held still by heavy metal straps. “The GALL youhave, coming into MY medical bay and ordering ME around! Who do youthink you are??” The burnt-orange-accented medic turned his icyglare to his bossy cohort.

Wheeljack smirkedfrom his place across the berth, standing by a tray of Ratchet’sequipment, tracing over each piece and not responding just yet. Heseemed relaxed and not bothered by the furious Autobot medic staringhim down. He was quiet, waiting out the other’s temper and when itseemed Ratchet had said his piece he tisked in a mockery ofdisappointment. “I’m real sorry to hear you feel that way,” hedrawled. “I thought I was here to tell you exactlywhat to do for a while?”

“That’snot how-! It isn’t what I meant!” Ratchet blustered. “You’rebeing arrogant! Rude!”

“AmI? Or are you just being melodramatic because you’re embarrassedthat you need a dirty ole’ wrecker like me to help you spruce upyour rusty old joints?” He finally looked directly at Ratchet. Themedic’s mouth opened but nothing came out while he worked his jawaround in angry silence. He clamped it shut and looked away, pede nowtapping impatiently on the floor. “Aw, come on now, doc, don’tmope on me. I’m not going to poke around where I’m not supposedto.”

Thewrecker pulled up aseat across from Ratchet and once he was on the other’s level heplaced both his hands over Ratchet’s, surprised the hardened medicFLINCHED. He didn’t goad or mock or do anything to exacerbate theother’s fried nerves at thatpoint. “Hey,” he started softly, getting the other’s attention.“Its just a tune up. I’lltreat you just like the Jackhammer.” Ratchet’s fingers curledtightly and he snapped an angry glare on the other. “NothowI drive her, just how I upkeep her. You know I take care of my ship!”Wheeljack defended himselfand Ratchet deflated finally.

“Iknow,” he sighed. “You just… I don’t know if you understandhow important this is. If your calibrating is off, it could besomeone’s life on the operating table later.” Wheeljack noddedand patted his hands.

“Igot a steady hand. I’ll make sure you’re purring just like theJackhammer when all this is said and done.”

Wheeljackgot to work, opening up very delicate hidden compartments and needingminimal guidance from Ratchet. He worked quietly and without any morechatting, appearing to take things as seriously as the medic wantedhim to. Ratchet’s servos were so intricately wired that Wheeljackhad to take a moment to appreciate just how delicate they lookedwithout his guards over it. He worked finger by finger, looseningover-tight pins and adding tiny bits of lubricated oil where needed.Nothing serious came up during the tune up and Ratchet was glad.

Wheeljackleft the medic’s right hand opened up and moved to the left, nowneeding no words between them. Even the wrecker was a littlesurprised at how little input the other gave him, seemingly doingvery well for the other. He reached the crux of Ratchet’s thumb andpalm and hummed.

“Whatis it?” The doctor spoke up gruffly.

“Howlong has your hand been bothering you, doc?” Wheeljack askedquietly, trying to leave his personal emotions out of this.

“Why?”Ratchet tried to lean forward to see what Wheeljack saw. The wreckersighed and hunched over his ‘work’, not letting the medic get agood look. “Wheeljack what are you-OW!!” He shouted and tried tojerk his hands free, both wrists clattering on the straps.

“Youhad a yellow fleck of paint jammed in there. When was the last timeyou worked on Bee??” Ratchet huffed and was about to shout back atthe other but saw how Wheeljack looked… angry? Concerned? He took afew calming vents and looked back to his thumb, the appendage nothurting at all anymore. “Did you think I was just gonna sweep yourcircuits and not be thorough about this? Doc, if you’re hurting yougotta tell someone. Like you said, it could be someone’s life onthe line next time. If your hands aren’t up to snuff then…” Hesighed and rubbed his face, leaning backward to stretch and let hisirritation go.

“You’reright.” Ratchet frowned to himself. “You’re absolutely right.You aren’t always around and I didn’t think I’d ever trustsomeone besides another medic to work on me.”

“Iknow I’m right. What I want to hear is that you’ll tell someone,anyone, next time. Give others a chance to help you, alright?”Wheeljack leaned forward and was much calmer, placing his handslightly over the medic’s exposed ones.

“I-uh,yes… I will. I absolutely will.” Ratchet shuddered, the sensationof the other’s (for once) cleaned hands resting over his exposedcomponents was a whole new type of sensation. It wasn’t unpleasantbut it felt too pleasant to be something that should continue.Wheeljack gave a light rub up and down in a comforting gesture andthe medic turned his face away, hunching his shoulders a little.“Wheeljack, that uh-you should probably close them up.” He triedto sound professional.

“Y’knowI’ve always wanted to hear you call me ‘Jackie’, doc.”Ratchet froze. He could HEAR the smirk on the other’s face andlooking up in shock only confirmed it.

“Wheeljack,you… you’d better not,” he tried to warn but choked on hiswords when expert fingertips teased down the back of his ownfinger’s, down to the tips and lining up with each one, interlacingand pausing so their servos looked like a puzzle fitting togetherflat on the table.

“Ithink it would be good to put your fingers through their paces beforeclosing them all up,” Wheeljack growled and pushed forward,entwining their fingers and flattening their palms together.Ratchet’s seat clattered from how hard he jumped and he ducked hishead down, moaning openly. His hands and arms shivered, chargebuilding suddenly within him.

“Ah!Wheeljack–!!” He shouted and looked up, still hardly able toprocess how easily the other was toying with him. The wrecker smiledgently and wrapped his fingers slowly around the back of Ratchet’shand, all the while the medic’s fingers were spread wide andoutward, afraid to curl back in turn. “Please…” His field wasalready conflicted on what was happening. It didn’t hurt, it wasthe far opposite. It felt amazing, but it SHOULDN’T continue, itwasn’t RIGHT. It wasn’t acceptable. It shouldn’t but hecouldn’t stop from letting the pleasure overtake him. He could shutdown his receptors remotely, but he didn’t.“Wheeljack?”The wrecker questioned, optics glowing brightly with hisanticipation.“… Jackie…” The medic huffed thenickname and swallowed thickly. “Jackie, please… don’t…”

“Don’twhat?” He continued to tease, slowly squeezing and relaxing hisgrip over the other’s servos and making him quake and stamp hispede, ducking his head back down to regain his composure. There wassilence but he could feel Ratchet enjoying it, his field was wildlyout of control and Wheeljack reached his out in turn. Gentle andcaring caressing the confused and hungry field. Ratchet didn’t seemlike he was going to yield so Wheeljack leaned in, kissing the backof each of the doctor’s hands. When he looked up from the leftservo, he locked optics with the other’s now brightly shining ones.He grinned and let his lips linger on the fine wiring, murmuringdeeply against them.

“Asknicely.”

Ratchetkeened and grit his teeth, the conflict between duty and desireevident on his face. He buckled. He needed this more than he knew heshouldn’t.

“Jackie,”he gasped. “Please don’t stop.” Wheeljack nodded and sent thecommand to unstrap Ratchet’s wrists. He brought both hands up tohis face and kissed over them repeatedly, going down the tremblingfingers and moving them over to kiss the palms, letting Ratchet gaspand moan openly.