Airachnophobia (Airachnid X Male Reader)

12. Recovery

     "She's awake." Ratchet's voice sliced through the relaxed energy in the Autobot base. The children stopped talking amongst themselves, and the bots stood at attention. Even Optimus, as he walked over from the corner of the missile silo, stood a little straighter than usual.

     Y/N's eyes shot open as he sat up from the nap he was faking to get out of Miko's crosshairs. As he jumped up to get a better look, the medic spoke again.

     "I don't wanna see anyone even close to her. I've sealed off the medbay in case she tries anything funny." His expression was dead serious, and Y/N wasn't interested in finding out what happened when he got on Ratchet's bad side. Instead of sprinting over like he wanted to, he calmly stood at the railing overlooking the rest of the base as he trained is eyes on the former Decepticon.

~~~~~

     Bright white light pierced Airachnid's optics as they opened for the first time in a month. Something about the hum they created from above her felt less Cybertronian than she was used to. It reminded her of human technology. She couldn't be sure where she was due to the pain in her body obscuring her sensors as well as the light above her being too much for unadjusted optics. Even though she was conscious, she felt no incentive to move or even try to stand. It was likely that she was bound anyway, and even more likely that if she somehow got out of her restraints she would be offlined by the Decepticons no doubt surrounding her.

     "Airachnid." A voice rang out through a speaker system, one she was not expecting to hear. Airachnid forced her optics open, hissing at the overload they received. Once they had become accustomed somewhat to the surrounding light, she matched a face with the voice she just heard. Optimus Prime was staring her down from the other side of a glass wall. She was somehow a captive of the Autobots.

     "You are currently in the medical bay of the Autobot base." The Prime continued. The room around him was dead silent except for the incessant hum of the fluorescent lights that threatened to drive Airachnid insane if she had to listen to it for much longer. She couldn't even respond to the giant Autobot, let alone issue the death threats that were on the tip of her glossa. The hum was too infuriating, too monotonous and mind numbing. She just struggled weakly at her bonds, optics shut and audio receptors ringing.

~~~~~

     "Something's not right." Rafael stated the obvious as the Autobots and their charges looked on as Airachnid shook in pain on the table. It struck Y/N in only a few minutes what was wrong. He spoke up without hesitation.

     "It's the lights. I've seen that reaction before. You shouldn't have her under fluorescent lights while her senses are adjusting, as they make a loud, painful hum. I've been in that situation before. She's going to go insane if you don't turn them off. Look at her." Ratchet stared at the man for a moment before turning to his terminal. With a few presses of his keypad, the lights above the medbay went off, leaving only the ambient light from the lights at the top of the base to illuminate it. Airachnid immediately stopped shaking and let her head rest on the medical berth. There were no restraints to hold her, as Ratchet said he was confident in the strength of his reinforced glass. Even so, she hadn't made a move to get up, or threaten the Autobots in any way. After a long silence, Miko spoke up.

     "How'd you know?" She asked Y/N.

     "Two reasons. They bothered me when I came in here the first time, and I've woken up to them before after being knocked unconscious. The hum is louder to sensitive ears, or audio receptors in this case." He explained. The girl seemed satisfied. "Is she still awake, doc?" Y/N asked the medic. The mech threw his hands up in defeat.

     "My name is not doc." The old bot repeated for probably the fifteenth time that day. "And to answer your question, yes. Why?" The mech questioned.

     "Bring me up to the glass." It came out as more of a command than a request. Y/N was surprised to see Optimus offer his hand, which the man quickly got onto. As soon as Y/N was visible to Airachnid, she quickly  sat up on the berth.

     "You." Her optics narrowed, searching him. "You're with them." She seemed offended, betrayed even. As if she hadn't threatened him with death to cooperate with her. Prime spoke before Y/N could.

     "And he is the only reason you are still online." The giant mech tried to reason with her. "I know I do not speak only for myself when I say that it would not have surprised me, or any of us, if he left you to die." This time, it was Optimus' optics that narrowed in challenge to the femme.

     "Optimus," Y/N fought his fear and asked for what he really wanted, "let me go in there." He looked up at the Prime, seriousness written all over his face. The bot only looked down with a concerned expressions in response.

~~~~~

     Even though her helm ached just as much as the rest of her frame, she held it high as the massive Autobot brought his ridiculous human accomplice into her cell. It wasn't exactly a prison, but it might as well have been, since all of Airachnid's enemies were standing right outside.

     "Leave us alone for a moment, please." The bug spoke up, directing his request at the Autobot leader. After a long moment of silence, the mech relented, leaving him unguarded with Airachnid. She grinned mischievously.

     "I may be surrounded, but you shouldn't be so confident as to believe I won't end your pathetic life." She drawled at the human. She hadn't bothered to store his designation in her memory banks.

     He had the audacity to scoff at her.

     "I believe you said something similar the first time we met." He reminded her. "Besides, I would be a fool to come in here without knowing that." She once again narrowed her optics at the man.

     "Then what," she had lost her patience with him, "could you possibly hope to accomplish by speaking with me?" Airachnid was baffled by the concept of this human being overconfident in front of her, while knowing the risks. It infuriated her, as she prided herself on her intimidating demeanor.

     "When was the last time you used your holoform?"