Mechanical love

Chapter thirty-six

"Honestly, I can't believe he gave his Energon signature to you...it's so unlike Optimus to be so open. He's a soldier; he's never let anyone that close."

Ratchet pondered aloud as he worked, "When you came in, just...covered in his signature; you almost gave me a damned Spark attack!"

Carolina giggled and shrugged, "Sorry, Ratch; but it serves you right for not telling me about it in the first place."

"I didn't think it was that relevant." He responded, welding precisely to Ironhide's leg where Jolt had managed with his whips; having gotten underneath the armor 'skin' to the sensitive wires underneath.

He'd been limping into the medical bay and demanded Ratchet repair the 'humiliating' injury.

"How could it not be relevant?" Carolina squeaked, moving around the gurney and hopping up to sit cross-legged beside Ironhide's head.

"I had a faint signal from your leader burned into my skin, and you didn't think that maybe I'd want to know?"

Carolina couldn't help but laugh as Ratchet just gave another shrug. In any case, Ironhide was the one who responded to her; looking over at her as she sat beside his head.

"Well, I think it's about. Fragging. Time!" he scoffed humorously, "The two of you have certainly taken your sweet slagging time; at least now my reason for guarding you will be valid."

"Wait...what do you mean by that?" Carolina asked, turning to Ironhide and leaning casually on his forehead with her elbow; looking down into his optics as Ratchet worked.

She was currently off-duty, and simply killing time before she decided to go home; after all, she much preferred being with her robots than sitting on her couch trying to find something good on television.

Without moving his head at all, Ironhide's optics focused on her as she leaned against his brow.

"What I mean, is that by all aspects of the matter; I am to protect you as I would him. Even before the two of you were...official, it was easy to see that you were already important to him. I looked at you as a minor extension of Prime; but now, you bear his genetic signature. As a soldier to Optimus, I am required to guard you."

Carolina scoffed and poked him playfully in the forehead, "Aw, you don't have to do that you cranky old fart. It's sweet that you did; but honestly, you don't have to."

Ironhide shook his head at her before he spoke, "It doesn't matter what yo-OW! Frag it, Ratchet; be careful!" he spat, looking down at the medic; who gave a grumbling scoff in response.

"You've suffered worse; you'll live." The cranky old medic teased gruffly, waving a mechanical hand disinterestedly at the weapons specialist.

Ironhide snorted and chose to ignore her; instead continuing with his conversation with Carolina.

"Anyway," he said, shooting a vaguely dirty look down to Ratchet as he worked on Ironhide's leg, "it doesn't matter what you say; I will protect you."

"For Optimus, right?" she asked. He rolled his shoulders in the gesture of a shrug before he answered her quickly and with a very stern conviction.

"-Because you are my friend." He said firmly, reaching up to poke her playfully in the ribs; making her giggle, "But there is something you should know, Carolina. If, and I assume when the two of you Sparkbond, I will not only be his soldier...I will also be yours." Her eyes widened a little in surprise, taken aback by the seriousness in his tone. His optics were locked onto her eyes to convey the magnitude of what he said.

Carolina felt an embarrassed blush cross her features as she spoke, confused by the sincerity in Ironhide's tone, "Sp-Sparkbond? Wait...doesn't that have anything to do with what Optimus did with the signature thing? Is that kind of like Sparkbonding?"