Transformers Short Story

A Little On The Small Side

Ratchet shifted uncomfortably on the couch, leaning over his swollen middle to access the datapads littering the small table in front of him. The tablets ranged from historical techs, Orion's favorites, to medical findings, which Ratchet preferred as of late. He reached for his intended datapad with some difficulty, securing the tablet with a huff, before resting back into the plush seating with a sigh. The sparkling gave a painful kick to his abdomen at the movement, making Ratchet wince as he rubbed the spot for a few minutes to get the femmeling to settle back down. He coaxed her back into a calm lull and she sent a sweet ping to their shared bond, innocence, and love thrumming around his spark. He smiled, powering on the datapad, and settling it on top of his middle, finishing some readings on the development of one of his latest projects; protoform reconstruction units. These units now lined each facility, no matter what class they accepted; the reconstruction blocks would help any effort to heal wounds unaffected by standard medical treatment. From the writings, he gleamed that the new construction was performing well and so far increased the chance of survival for Cybtertroians affected by unknown afflictions of the spark or frame. Another of his shared bonds opened and Orion's voice filtered through his processor, "How are you feeling Ratchet? Ratchet snorted to himself, placing his datapad down so he could focus on their conversation, "Like the last five times you've checked in on me...I'm fine Orion." His spark-mate's bond allowed for a few notes of goodnatured worry to slip through, warning Ratchet that this wouldn't be the last time he checked in on him, "Ratchet, I just to be absolutely certain you are fine...you're so close to your due date...I should have taken work off today...I'll tell-" "Oh no, you don't...Orion I would let you know if anything changed with the sparkling...Alpha Trion needed you for a meeting or otherwise, he wouldn't have called you in since he's aware of our situation..just relax, we are both fine." Ratchet finished his statement with a small push for the data clerk to go back to his work but Orion wouldn't budge, "I'm not just worried Ratchet...I'm terrified-terrified that I'll miss out on important things right now-don't argue...I know this cycle has been difficult on you and I feel as though I haven't been around enough to help...I want to be there Ratchet so please...just let me come home early? This meeting isn't as important as you or the sparkling and I know Alpha Trion will agree..." Ratchet stiffened slightly before pressing a comforting bond to his mate, his iron resolve starting to break, "If Alpha Trion agrees then...I guess I'll allow it...but don't think you're just going to come home and baby me, I'm plenty capable of taking care of my-" Ratchet was cut off by another harsh kick from their sparkling, causing his denta to grind together, alarming Orion at the pain that flowed through their open bond. Ratchet placed a steadying hand on his bump, rubbing at his stitched side, grumbling to himself when his sparkling shifted to occupy an uncomfortable space in his gestation tank. He'd tuned out his bond when the sparkling had shifted and once he realized the swarming worry wasn't his own he sent a reassuring ping to his mate too, "She's just kicking Orion, don't get all panicky on me." Orion settled down briefly before stating, "I've already alerted Alpha Trion...I'll be home within the next minute...let me know if anything changes." Ratchet sighed, muttering sourly, "And you would have thought that I was the medic." Orion hummed distractedly, cleaning up his station to head back to their shared hab-suit, "I mean it Ratchet." Ratchet rolled his optics, sending Orion his confirmation before settling further into the couch, a helm-ache threatening to form. He rubbed at his chevon with insistent digits, trying to smooth out the turmoil below. His femmeling shifted again, relieving some pressure off his side, though still lying in the lower portion of his tanks with a sweet ping to their bond. He sighed before replacing his forgotten datapad, sitting up to stretch out his frame, tweaking wires on his sides and lower back struts to soothe the inflammation. Ratchet stood, shaking out the groaning of his joints in an effort to walk off his sparkling's insistent need to kick, which was causing small amounts of Braxton Hicks to plague his systems. He trudged to their shared washrooms, turning the oil to a cooler temperature as his HUB flashed angrily at his overloaded systems. He tested the oil tentatively, before humming, pleased at the feeling of the cool filament over his frame. The cool oil flowed over his protoform effortlessly, cleansing him of the tiring day. Orion was right on some levels, Ratchet was due soon, almost a week from today he was predicted to emerge their beautiful femmeling, throwing him straight into the "joys" of creatorhood. He rubbed solvent into his transformation seams, sighing blissfully when his HUB stopped flashing against his systems, and his sparkling decided to settle back into a more comfortable space for her Carrier. He quickly rinsed off the suds and exited the washracks, drying off with one of the warm tarps, hanging directly over their portable heater Orion had brought with him when they first moved in together. Orion wasn't partial to cold and often times if Ratchet wasn't home in time, he would have to heat his berth tarps to keep himself from alerting his temperature systems. Ratchet smirked at the memory, placing the tarp back on its shelf and exiting the now humid room, overcome by a strong urge to clean up the hab-suit. "Nesting," He grumbled to himself as he bent to reorganize their data-pad collection, the living room, and eventually Orion's study. He sighed as the weary ache started to resettle into his frame, but more urges had him spinning around to clean their berth room; adding more tarps and fluffing the pillows till they sat upright on the metal slab. He rearranged the room a few times, frustrated when the insistent urges didn't leave, but was soon interrupted by the sound of their hab-suit doors whooshing open. Ratchet smiled to himself, abandoning his efforts and resting against their berth room door to watch Orion enter in a hurried rush. Orion checked Ratchet's usual lounging spot but found it empty, turning to alight his optics on his beautiful mate, watching him from their berth room door. Orion's ear fins pinned at the sight of Ratchet's carrying glow, which was complemented by his polished white and orange frame. Ratchet raised his optic ridges at his mate, amused by his ogling at his frame, "Are you just going to stare, Orion?" Orion blinked before recycling his optics, approaching Ratchet with tender care, "I had almost forgotten how amazing you look Ratchet...you're practically glowing as a Carrier." Ratchet rolled his optics at his mate's sentiment, pressing a light kiss to Orion's faceplate cheek, "Enough with the flattery." Orion smirked, leaning down to rub over Ratchet's extended middle, "Femmeling you won't believe how lucky you are to have Ratchet as your Carrier..." He smiled lovingly up at Ratchet before pressing a kiss to his middle, raising to his full height to press a deeper kiss to his spark mate's lip plating. The sparkling chose to kick again, making the couple part with a grumble at being interrupted. Ratchet soothed the metal but froze as an indescribable feeling washed over his tanks, making him clench Orion's servo tightly. Orion yelped at the sudden hold before joking, his voice warm, "Wow Ratchet, your grip must have gotten stronger-" "Orion Pax." Orion stopped suddenly, curious at the tone Ratchet's voice had dropped to, steady panic washing through to him over their bond. Orion furrowed his optics ridges at his mate, watching Ratchet ex-vent as the pain ebbed and flowed to him, "What's wrong Ratchet? Is it the sparkling?" Ratchet relaxed his frame as the last of the contractions faded away, his tone wary, "I think we need to go to the clinic...now." Orion stuttered his optics, confusion clouding their bond, "Is everything okay?" Ratchet leaned into the slimmer frame of his mate as his sparkling kicked his sides, "Don't be alarmed but I think I just had contractions." Orion shook his head, his optics widened in fear and excitement, "You think!?" Ratchet sent him a nasty look, hitting him slightly when the other didn't budge from holding onto him, "Yes I do think...we've got to get to the clinic now Orion." Orion jumped into action, tugging his mate carefully out the door, locking their hab-suit and loading them up into their private transportation, provided by Iacon, while Ratchet commed First Aid to alert him about their situation. Almost a goon later and Ratchet's energon still hadn't broke but the contractions were edging closer and closer. Ratchet clung to Orion's frame when a powerful one had him clenching his denta, his EM Feild completely swathed in pain. First Aid watched dutifully from his position at the medical berth, all his tools and equipment laid out on a small cart by his side. Beat passed a few last items, sending Ratchet an encouraging look before leaving, promising First Aid to man the rest of the rooms while he was gone. First Aid watched his intern leave with a proud smile on his face, returning his attention to the couple when they started walking again, trying to distract Ratchet from the pain while also trying to speed the process along. Ratchet muttered a few chosen crass words under his breath while Orion hovered over his protectively, choosing not to comment on his mate's words but First Aid wasn't so accommodating, "You shouldn't say such things Ratchet, you're sparkling can hear you." Ratchet paused, turning to glare daggers at his colleague with no remorse but Orion stopped him from retorting, "Ratchet just focus on the sparkling." Ratchet rolled his optics at his mate's attempts to diffuse the situation, sending First Aid another dirty look, must to his amusement. First Aid shifted, checking his internal clock, "Ratchet do you want to lay down? You've progressed into active emergence." Ratchet huffed, continuing to walk around the room, his grip tight on Orion's servos, "No First Aid I don't want to lay down, I-" He was cut off when another contraction shook his frame, a pained groan leaving his intake. Orion sent First Aid a worried look but the medic smiled reassuringly at him; this was all normal so far. Suddenly the clinic's emergency alarms off, startling Orion, thought the two medics were used to the noise and paid it no mind, but Ratchet's sharp gasp brought everyone's attention back to him. Blue liquid dripped down his inner thighs as he grimaced, locking eyes with First Aid who motioned to the medical berth. Orion swept his mate into his arms as Ratchet buried his helm into the other's frame with a small whimper. Orion set him down gently and moved to grip Ratchet's servo again, holding it tightly as Ratchet grunted, the pain becoming constant as contractions ripped through his frame. 

Almost six goons later:

Ratchet hugged the small femmeling to his chest plates, soothing the sparkling's cries with the sound of his familiar spark beat. First Aid tidied up the remaining parts of the room, making sure Ratchet was comfortable in one of the plush chairs with his sparkling before promising to return, leaving the room to the couple. Orion peered down at the small frame in his mate's arm, enamored by the similarities he saw in her already. She shared Ratchet's paint job except for glowing blue accents on her abdomen and gold hip, pede, and ear fin plating. Her frame was slimmer and with some of Orion's unmistakable features. She hadn't opened her optics yet and the creators were excited to see what color they would glow. The femmeling shifted against her Carrier's plating, settling down again as Ratchet cradled her tighter to his frame, his Carrier protocols elevating his temperature to heat the sparkling's frame. Ratchet sighed, leaning his helm back into Orion's frame, "What will be her designation?" Orion tucked his helm into Ratchet's neck cables, his ear fins tickling the side of his cabling, "I-I do not know...do you have any ideas Ratchet?" Ratchet hummed, watching their sparkling closely. The femmeling, oblivious to the world around her shifted again and opened her optics, blinking up at her creators with a soft coo. Ratchet breathed out, awe radiating in their bond before he noticed the color of her optics. He pulled her closer to his faceplates before smiling, showing Orion who had been waiting to see patiently behind him, "Look at her optics." Orion smiled as he caught the one blue, one green optics as they shifted to him with a gurgle. The sparkling squealed as Orion reached out to tickle her sides, his own chuckle mixing with hers. The femmeling kicked out her pedes, reaching in his direction. Orion glanced down at his mate who only smiled, letting their sparkling leave his arms to his mate's, watching the two with a happy glimmer in his optic. The sparkling curled into the heat his frame emitted with a squeak, cooing up at her sire when he smiled down at her. A loud clatter startled everyone and the femmeling broke into wails, seeking her bond out to grab onto her creators. Ratchet lifted his helm to glare at the bot who'd interrupted them but it was only First Aid and Beat, who was apologetically picking up the clipboard he'd dropped. Ratchet rolled his optics at the intern's nervous look before motioning to their sparkling, who Orion was trying to shoosh softly, getting her cries to settle down eventually into small whimpers, "You're supposed to be quiet around sparklings Beat." Beat hung his head in shame but First Aid patted his shoulder, amusement in his voice, "Beat, Ratchet was only joking with you." Beat looked back up to catch Ratchet's teasing glare, waving him on to do whatever he needed to get done. Beat shook his frame before stepping closer, remaining a safe distance from the couple still, "First Aid said I could fill out your sparkling information on record...do you have a designation picked out yet?" Ratchet grimaced, looking at his mate for help but Orion shrugged, rocking the femmeling who was starting to become fussy in his arms, "I thought you had a couple of ideas Ratchet?" Ratchet noticed their sparkling starting to cry again and motioned to her, having Orion place the grumpy sparkling into his mate's arms. Ratchet placed the squirming sparkling back to his chest plates and she stilled before pawing at his chest seams with fussy warbling directed at her Carrier. Ratchet studied her in confusion, racking his processor for information he'd gleaned from his rotation on sparklings/carrier/sires. He suddenly shifted in his seat, balancing the femmeling while opening his chest plates allowing her to latch on to his Energon lines. Their sparkling become content once more and Ratchet turned back to the group, a nonplussed look on his face, "What?" First Aid shrugged, "At least you learned something from your rotations huh?" Ratchet rolled his optics looking back at his sparkling as she continued to feed, his voice directed towards his mate, "Orion, what do you think about Gold Line?" Orion pressed a soft kiss to his helm, gazing down at their sparkling, "It is lovely...where'd you get that?" Ratchet rocked Gold Line softly as she finished, locking his chest plates back in place, "Her gold casings remind me of my spark-sister Skycase and we used to call her Goldie because of it." Orion nodded in approval, "Gold Line." Beat wrote down the name quickly before taking a few hesitant steps forward, "May I see her?" Ratchet lifted the groggy sparkling away from his chest plates and motioned for Beat to take her, positioning his arms around her so he was holding her correctly. Beat stared down at the sparkling, awe radiating across his features, "She's so small." Ratchet huffed, "That's because she emerged a week before her due date the little frag-" "Ratchet!" Orion cut off his mate with a torn look at his sparkling, who didn't seem to care at her Carrier's strong choice of words. Beat chuckled, rocking the femmeling, who was staring up at him curiously. Gold Line raised her small servo and poked at his metal frame, giggling to herself when Beat flinched in surprise, giggling as she tickled his protoform. He handed the mischievous sparkling back to Ratchet with a smile, "You're going to have fun with her." Ratchet rolled his optics, sending a fond look in Orion's direction, "If she's anything like her sire...I will."