Transformers Book of One-Shots Book 3 (REQUESTS CLOSED)

Dratchet Party 9/23; I Care About You

Day 1; alt universe, kindness of others, Day 2; delicate fingers, Day 3; stand my ground, Day 4; disgust Day 5; extrasensory Day 6; violet

Ratchet knew there'd be Autobots who would take longer than others to accept that Deadlock is now Drift. No matter how often they're told that switching sides is challenging.
"Going to kill us while we're all recharging?!" An Autobot yells right in Drift's face.
Drift knows any fighting, even a simple shove, could be seen as proving the Autobot right. Watching the interaction disgusts Ratchet.
"Get lost!" He yells at the Autobot. The Autobot leaves, pissed, "you want to check out Swerve's bar?"
Drift can't believe Ratchet is being kind. Believing the medic repairing him would be the end of their interactions unless Drift ended up in the medbay after battle.
Ratchet hates that Drift is surprised to hear Ratchet's offer.
This is disgusting. Ratchet thinks. It's been a year; he shouldn't be dealing with this scrap.
Drift agrees to go with Ratchet, who can tell Drift is now anxious about who else might be in the bar. Ratchet wonders how much of Drift's new positivity is an act until the Autobots stop targeting him?

Ratchet is tempted to go ahead of Drift and see who's at Swerve's bar, but that won't be helping the situation.

The two walk in, seeing Hot Rod, Rung, and the terror twins sitting at three separate tables and Swerve behind the bar.
Ratchet notices Drift is anxious. Wondering if that's the proof he needs to confirm Drift sometimes — or often — fakes his positivity.
Rung even sees it as he watches Drift and Ratchet walk towards the bar.

"Hey, you guys want to try my new drink?" Swerve asks, excited, "these four won't."
Swerve shows them a glass filled with violet-colored liquid.
"Do I even want to know how you got violet-colored energon?" Ratchet asks.
"The trip to a town on Earth inspired him," Sunstreaker claims, "that's what he told me. A drink ispired by fleshies, disgusting."
"Where?" Drift asks.
"Uh...I don't remember nor  what the drink was called. I just know I got the taste of this close to the drink I tried."
Drift tries the drink while Ratchet is still questioning it.
"How much high grade did you put in?" Ratchet asks.
"It's good," Drift comments.
"It's a small glass, so not much," Swerve argues.
Drift gets another drink, while Ratchet gets his first. The two join the other four, who silently moved to one table.
Drift is worried they will argue with Ratchet for being with him. Rodimus pulls out a deck of cards from his subspace. Asking the mechs at the table if they want to play a game. Thanks to the encounter twenty minutes ago, Drift expects to be told to leave.
"What happened to your positive attitude?" Hot Rod asks, "I can feel your anxiety."
Drift didn't think Ratchet would tell the others what happened. Nor could he believe how disgusted the others were, especially Sunstreaker.
The time flies by before the mechs realize they've been playing cards for two hours. By this point, Hot Rod is tipsy, and Sideswipe is drunk. Ratchet is disgusted about this but not surprised. Rung says he'll get Hot Rod to his berthroom, and Sunstreaker will get Sideswipe to theirs. Before Drift can say he's going back to his berthroom, Ratchet insists on going with Drift back to his berthroom. Even after the altercation earlier, Drift finds this strange but knows there's no arguing with Ratchet.

Drift sits on his berth, questioning what Ratchet is going to do. Ratchet can tell how stressed Drift is. The two sit on Drift's berth.
"How long has this stress been going on?" Ratchet asks.
"I... it's getting harder to act positive."
This hurts Ratchet's spark.
"I know how to help you relax. At least for tonight. These delicate digits will help."
Drift turns to agree with the massage, but he hides his red cheek plates.
Drift doesn't take long to relax once Ratchet begins the massage.

Ratchet continues the massage for a good ten minutes. Which Drift does find a bit odd.
"Better?" Ratchet asks.
Drift nods. The room is silent, both mechs thinking about what to say.
"Ratchet, what's with you?" Drift asks, "I don't think you've ever been this nice to me."
Ah, Frag, I'm going to have to tell him. Ratchet realizes.
"Because...I love you."
Drift smiles, which puzzles Ratchet.
"I love you too," Drift smiles, "I've been thinking six months seems too soon to think I love you, but even while thinking this, seeing you is one of the few times I can think positively."
"We need to deal with the others being afts to you, but for now..."
Drift didn't think Ratchet would kiss or agree to recharge with him. Even if the Autobots ending the accusations that Drift is undercover won't end for a while; Drift feels better knowing he has a friend who's also his boyfriend. Ratchet hopes more Autobots will befriend Drift rather than continue to avoid Drift.