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Last chapter!

:italics:- comm link

:bold:- bonded mechs talking to each other

Chapter 11

Ratchet came out of a rather restful recharge slowly. He felt refreshed, and all his systems were reading as fully charged. He was ready for another day in the infirmary.

The medic moved to climb out of the berth, but found that he was being held down by a pair of arms wrapped securely around his waist.

Ratchet sighed. "Orion, you're going to have to let me up."

Optimus muttered something intelligible.

Ratchet sighed. Sometimes, he hated the days that Optimus didn't have a shift because it made it hard for Ratchet to leave the room.

After being in a relationship for some time, and after Ratchet ended up spending less and less time in his own quarters, Optimus had suggested that the two start to share the Prime's bigger quarters. It hadn't been easy to convince Ratchet to move in with him, considering just how stubborn the CMO could be at times. With a little help from Jazz, Prowl, Ironhide, and Wheeljack, Optimus finally got Ratchet to move into his quarters. Mainly because while Ratchet was on shift one day, the four moved all of Ratchet's things into Optimus's quarters while Optimus was out as well. Optimus was surprised at what the four had done, but he had been glad nonetheless.

He had wanted Ratchet to move in with him, and this virtually assured that the CMO would move into the room. Granted, Ratchet had been angry at the four and given them all dents for it, but he had finally acquiesced and moved into the room.

Now, on the days that Optimus didn't have a shift, Ratchet normally found it hard for him to get out of the berth because Optimus tended to recharge with his arms around Ratchet, and Ratchet found it near impossible to get out of that grip.

Ratchet sighed. "Come on, Orion. You might not have a shift today, but I do. I have to go."

Optimus sighed. "You're not needed in the infirmary for another joor, Ratchet. No one gets to work this early." Optimus muttered.

Ratchet rolled his optics. "You do on the days that you have a shift. And so does Prowl, whom I'm confident is already at work in his office."

"Doesn't mean you have to." Optimus replied.

A loud explosion rocked the base, startling the Prime so badly that he jolted up, shocked.

Ratchet groaned loudly. "I just figured out that there's another mech up. That idiot brother of mine!"

"This early?" Optimus had been questioning Wheeljack's sanity for quite some time, and now, he was starting to question it even more.

Ratchet sat up before climbing off the berth. "And it looks like I'm to work a lot earlier than I originally intended."

Optimus watched him a moment. He came to the conclusion that getting Ratchet back in the berth would not bode well for him, so he decided not to try. "Just make sure that you get yourself some energon while you're at it. We don't need you going into stasis on us because you aren't taking yourself."

"I know." Ratchet waved the Prime off as he moved to leave.

Optimus made a mental note to make sure that Ratchet got some energon later on. Primus knows that if he didn't, the medic wouldn't get any energon thing morning.

Wheeljack sat up from where he had landed across the room of his lab. He rubbed his helm and winced at the ringing in his audio receivers. He had landed pretty hard against the wall. It was then that he noticed his right wrist sparking from the absence of his hand. "Uh-oh. Ratchet won't be happy. I wonder if I can get First Aid to take care of me instead."

"WHAT THE SLAG DID YOU DO?"

Wheeljack glanced up and resigned himself to the fact that his brother was probably going to rip him into tiny shreds for this fiasco. He could see the anger and rage that clouded his brother's faceplates, and he knew it was probably going to be his last day of functioning. "Well, uh, you see-" Wheeljack wasn't sure if explaining it would end up making his death more painful or not.

Ratchet groaned. "'Jack, you're missing a hand and a foot."

Wheeljack blinded before he looked down. Sure enough, his left foot was missing. "I didn't notice that."

"You don't notice a lot of your injuries." Ratchet walked over and knelt down to examine the injuries. He worked to stop the flow of energon.

:Sir, what should I be ready for?: First Aid asked over the comm link.

Ratchet sighed. :The idiot is missing a hand and a foot. Not sure if there are any worse injuries. I'll know more when I get him back there.:

:All right. I'll be ready.: First Aid responded before he cut the line.

A few moments later, Skyfire appeared in the room. He glanced at his mate with a disapproving look. "Wheeljack, I believe that it is far too early for you to be causing explosions."

"I wanted to work out the kinks."

"I don't believe that this is working out the kinks." Skyfire replied.

"Sky, would you please carry your suicidal mate to the infirmary and ask First Aid to start looking at the circuitry and seeing what needs to be done. I'm going to have to scrounge through this mess for his hand and foot." Ratchet looked around and saw all the debris. He knew it wouldn't be easy to find the missing hand and foot.

"Of course." Skyfire walked over before he picked Wheeljack up and headed for the infirmary.

Ratchet then started to look around the destroyed lab, trying to find his brother's missing hand and foot so that he could reattach them.

With no shift that day, Optimus was able to concentrate on something that was an important personal matter. He had been planning on asking Ratchet to bond with him for some time, but he hadn't had time to plan anything out. Since Prowl had insisted on Optimus taking a day off, the Prime was now able to come up with a way to ask Ratchet.

The only problem was that the Prime wasn't sure how to go about asking Ratchet something like that. It was an important event in any mech's life, and he wanted to make sure that it was done right.

For privacy, Optimus had retreated to his office to try to figure it out.

Despite being with Ratchet for so long, Optimus still couldn't judge how Ratchet was going to react to things. He could take a guess, but he really wasn't sure what to expect from the medic.

The door to Optimus's office opened.

Optimus glanced up and saw Ironhide. "Do we still have an inventor?"

"As far as I know. Think he blew off a hand and foot. Took Ratch a while to finally find them. Think he just did actually." Ironhide walked over. "And what do you think you're doing in here?"

Optimus was a little taken aback by his bodyguard and friend's words. "What?"

"Taking a day off means doing no work. Why do you think that Jazz always makes sure Prowl doesn't get near his office and that Prowl never knows when his day off is?"

Optimus sighed. "I'm not working, Ironhide. Not anything related to the Autobots, anyway."

Ironhide looked at him in disbelief.

"Have you ever known me to lie?" Optimus asked.

"No." Ironhide sat down in a chair. "First time for everything, though."

"Not this time." Optimus glanced at his Weapon's Specialist. He could trust Ironhide not to tell anyone. "If you really must know, though, I plan on asking Ratchet to bond with me. I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to do it."

Ironhide looked at his leader with shock for a moment before a grin spread across his face. "It's about slagging time!"

Optimus looked at him in a bit of shock.

"I thought it would take you as long as it took you two to get together to actually bond." Ironhide added.

Optimus was curious now. "You said that exact same thing when we told everyone we were in a relationship."

"Yes. 'Cause it's the truth." Ironhide stated.

Optimus frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Ironhide shrugged. "I just meant that it felt like it took you two forever to get together. I know Ratchet agonized over the fact that he was in love with you and was sure that you would never feel that way about him long enough. Just thought that it was about time you two got together."

"Hold on. If you knew all that time, why didn't you try to get us together?"

"Didn't know how you felt about him. You're good at hiding what you're feeling, Prime. I never knew how you felt about Ratch."

"So why-" Optimus started.

"I just thought that you two were perfect for each other. You really complete each other." Ironhide stated.

Optimus was confused by that statement.

"Think about it. Prowl is always serious and logical while Jazz is a party animal who acts on what he feels, not logic. They're complete opposites, and it's why they work. Wheeljack is a completely crazed, excitable inventor who doesn't consider his own safety. Skyfire is a calm and cautious scientist. Very different from Wheeljack, but they work. You can look at all the bonded pairs we have and see the differences and how they are perfect for each other." Ironhide told him.

"Sideswipe and Sunstreaker?"

"The exception to the rule, Prime. I don't try to understand them. Anyway, my point is that Ratchet is a grouchy, temperamental, wrench-wielding medic who yells, screams, hits, and threatens his patients. You're a calm mech who thinks everything through, thinks about what he says before he says it, and you rarely yell outside of battle. You're complete opposites, and that's why you two work. I've always thought that. I was just glad that you're finally going to ask him." Ironhide replied.

Optimus could see where Ironhide was coming from. "If I can just figure out how to ask him."

"You could just be blunt about it." Ironhide suggested.

"Hardly romantic." Optimus retorted.

"If you want romantic advice, I'd suggest Jazz. If anyone can give you ideas, I'm sure that mech can." Ironhide told him.

"I might do that." Optimus agreed.

Ratchet finished up repairing the last of Wheeljack's injuries. Upon further inspection, he had realized that Wheeljack had managed to fry several of his circuits, which meant that Ratchet had to replace them.

"Come on, Ratch. It's not that bad." Wheeljack told him.

Ratchet glared fiercely at his brother. "You lost a hand and a foot! I had to repair the hand so that it would be operational again! You fried several of your main circuits, and you're lucky that you're still online!"

Wheeljack cringed at that.

"Honestly, Wheeljack! Put safety precautions in place! You're taught them for a reason! Use them!" Ratchet snarled before he turned to get something.

Wheeljack watched his brother for a moment. "Optimus really needs to frag you good."

CLANK!

"OW!" Wheeljack rubbed his helm, which had another dent.

Ratchet glared at his brother while waving a wrench in the inventor's face. "Say that again, and I'll offline you permanently."

Wheeljack knew when it was best to merely keep quiet and not piss Ratchet off anymore than he already was. This was one of those times.

Ratchet set out to finish up the last few repairs.

"So, how are things between you and Optimus?"

"They're fine, 'Jack." Ratchet replied. He focused on the circuit that he was trying to replace.

"So, any plans on making Optimus my brother-in-law anytime soon?" Wheeljack asked.

Ratchet sighed. "When Optimus and I decide to bond, you'll find out. Until then, he's still your leader." Ratchet answered.

"Yeah. I know. He'll still be my leader when you two bond." Wheeljack replied.

Ratchet nodded his helm as he continued to work.

Wheeljack hoped that Ratchet and Optimus would bond. He knew that they were perfect for each other, and he could easily see just how much they loved each other. He knew that being bonded would make both of them happy.

Optimus had gone to Jazz and explained everything to him.

Jazz had been all too willing to give Optimus some advice on how he could ask Ratchet. He gave Optimus a few suggestions on what he thought might work knowing Ratchet like he did.

Optimus knew that a few of them were out. He hardly wanted Ratchet to try to kill him. He just knew a few of them were not things that Ratchet would like.

But the saboteur had given the Prime some ideas that might would work.

Optimus had returned to his office to think over them.

As he thought, Optimus began to see just what he could do to ask Ratchet. It would take a little time to get everything ready, but he could manage it.

He would just have to wait until they were both off shift on another day. And considering the fact that he was the leader of the Autobots, he was sure that he could manage to pull that off.

Ratchet walked into the quarters that he shared with Optimus. He glanced around and noticed that the Prime wasn't there yet.

Considering the fact that Optimus had gotten off a joor earlier, Ratchet had thought that the Prime would have been here by now. He supposed that something could have come up that required the Prime's attention. It had happened before.

Ratchet walked over and sat down on the berth. He was tired. He had worked two joor longer than his shift had been scheduled for due to one of Wheeljack's famous explosions that had resulted in Wheeljack, Skyfire, and Perceptor being patients in the infirmary.

Ratchet settled back on the berth and shuttered his optics, intending to get some rest.

That plan backfired as the doors to the room opened.

Optimus was back.

Ratchet chose not to move, though. He was tired, and all he wanted to do was get some rest. He was certain that Optimus would understand something like that.

Optimus walked over and sat down on the berth behind Ratchet. He then leaned over and pressed a kiss to Ratchet's neck.

Ratchet groaned. "Please, Orion. Not tonight."

"Not in the mood?" Optimus asked as he gently ran his fingers down Ratchet's arm.

"No. Not after having to deal with the latest victim's of my brother's latest catastrophe." Ratchet replied. He didn't bother to turn to look at the Prime or un-shutter his optics.

"Well, there's no need to worry about it. I'm a bit tired myself. Besides, we both have the day off tomorrow, so we can spend it together." Optimus told him.

At this, Ratchet did un-shutter his optics to look at the Prime. "How did you pull that one off?"

Optimus grinned. "One of the perks of being the leader is that I can decide when I work. I simply decided to schedule a day off when I knew that you had the day off."

"Never thought that you would abuse your authority." Ratchet stated.

"I don't usually. First time I've actually done it, truth be told. It's just not my thing. I don't like feeling like I am taking advantage of my position." Optimus shrugged. "Not to mention the fact that Prowl and Jazz have been insisting that I not overwork myself like I have been known to do in the past." At this, the Prime glared lightly at his lover. "I have a feeling that I have you to thank for that."

"I didn't want you overworking yourself. The last thing we need is for our leader to work himself into stasis." Ratchet replied.

"This coming from the master of working himself into stasis?" Optimus asked.

"Well, I haven't had the chance to do it that much anymore. You don't let me. Besides, First Aid makes sure that I don't overwork myself." Ratchet answered.

"I'm grateful to him for that. The last thing we need if for our CMO to be in stasis after a major battle has been fought and we're in need of his skill." Optimus smirked. "And I certainly don't want that to happen considering the fact that I prefer you to be awake when we're alone."

Ratchet groaned. "Before we got together, I thought that you were always dignified. Now, I find out that you can be just as perverted as most of the other mechs on the ship."

Optimus chuckled. "That's because I never realized before that I could do that and have you respond to my advances." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Ratchet's lips. "Now that I know you will respond, I can let that side of myself show."

Ratchet sighed. "You certainly know how to hide it."

Optimus laughed lightly. "Well, I don't want anyone other than you knowing about that side of me. It's not their concern, anyway."

"I suppose not." Ratchet agreed. He leaned up and kissed Optimus.

Optimus wrapped his arms around Ratchet before he rolled over onto his back, bring Ratchet around so that he was on top.

Ratchet broke the kiss. "Something tells me that you don't intend for us to do any recharging any time soon."

Optimus smirked. "We have tomorrow off. We can recharge late."

Ratchet supposed that he was right. He then leaned down and kissed Optimus again, intending to have Optimus screaming throughout the night.

Ratchet had been a little surprised when Optimus insisted that they go out for the night. He hadn't minded spending the day with the Prime, but it had caught him off guard.

Optimus had led Ratchet out toward the lake.

"Orion, just what are you up to?" Ratchet asked.

"What? I can't want to spend a little time with you alone away from the base with no interruptions without having an ulterior motive?" Optimus asked.

"Before, I would have said you could, but after being your lover for so long, I've come to realize that the answer to that is no." Ratchet replied.

Optimus laughed. "Well, for once, I don't have an ulterior motive." At least not the one that Ratchet was thinking about.

Ratchet glanced around with a smile. He had always enjoyed looking at Earth's beautiful landscapes. He always found it breathtaking at the beauty and life that was everywhere you went.

Optimus had always known that Ratchet appreciated the beauty and life that abounded on Earth. In fact, he had known that the CMO felt that way about most planets, which was why he thought that bringing Ratchet here would be a good idea.

"What made you bring us out here?" Ratchet asked.

"Well, I thought that it would be a good idea. I know that you love this type of scenery." Optimus answered.

Ratchet turned to face the Prime. "You didn't have to do this because you knew that I would like it."

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to." Optimus replied.

Ratchet wished that Optimus wouldn't do things like that, but he was glad nonetheless. He did enjoy being in places like this, and he was glad that Optimus wanted to do this.

Optimus moved so that he was behind Ratchet and wrapped his arms around Ratchet's waist before he moved to sit down.

Ratchet didn't mind sitting in the Prime's lap since there were no other mechs around to tease him about it.

Optimus leaned down and pressed his lips into Ratchet's shoulder.

Ratchet smiled. He enjoyed the peace and quiet, but he enjoyed being alone with his lover even more. "So, the only reason you brought me out here was so that we could be alone away from the base?"

"Yes." Optimus answered.

"Orion, I know you very well. This area is rarely visited by any human, and I'm certain that no one from the base would dare come here if they knew that their leader was here." Ratchet told him.

"I didn't tell everyone." Optimus protested.

Ratchet turned to glance at him with a raised optic ridge.

"I did tell Prowl. As acting commander, he did need to know where I was going to be in case he needed me. I have no doubt that Prowl will make sure that no one comes here." Optimus admitted.

"Uh-huh." Ratchet should have known.

"I admit that I did have an ulterior motive for bringing you here, Ratchet. Just not the one that you're thinking about." Optimus assured him.

"Then why was it that you brought me here?" Ratchet asked as he turned so that he was looking at his lover.

Optimus smiled. "Because I wanted to ask you something important, and I didn't want to do it at the base." He hoped that Ratchet would agree.

"Then ask me." Ratchet told him.

Optimus laughed. "You know, I had planned this great speech, but I think I'm going to take Ironhide's advice and just be blunt."

Ratchet wondered what could be so important that Optimus would get nervous about it. He had rarely ever seen the Prime get nervous about anything, but he could see the signs that he was.

Optimus had been fighting his nerves all day. He had been glad to be able to spend time alone with Ratchet earlier that day, but he had been going over in his processors what he was going to say. Now, he just wanted to ask him. "Ratchet, I want you to bond with me."

Ratchet was taken off guard by that. He hadn't expected that question. "You what?" He couldn't stop the words from tumbling from his mouth.

"Ratchet, I told you when we first became an official couple that I would want us to become bondmates at some point. That's what I want now. I love you, Ratchet, and I know that you love me. I want us to bond. I know it might not seem like we've been together long enough, but I know that you're what I want, Ratchet." Optimus told him.

Ratchet was quiet for a moment before he smiled. "You didn't have to bring me all the way out here to ask me that, Orion. And my answer is yes."

"Really?" Optimus asked.

Ratchet nodded.

Optimus then pulled the medic down into a heated kiss. Ratchet wrapped his arms around Optimus's neck as he opened his mouth. Optimus quickly slipped his glossa into Ratchet's mouth, easily finding Ratchet's glossa and tangling with it. Ratchet moaned into the kiss.

Optimus then broke the kiss. "That was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

Ratchet laughed. "Well, I highly doubt that I would have been able to say no. Not the way I feel about you." He then leaned forward and pressed his lips to Optimus's again in a chaste kiss. "So, are we going to bond or not?"

Optimus looked at him in a bit of shock. "You want to bond here?"

"Why not? This is a beautiful area, we're alone, and we won't have anyone coming to find us any time soon." Ratchet replied.

Optimus had simply brought Ratchet out here to ask him to bond with him. He hadn't intended for them to actually bond here. Although now that he thought about it, it was a good idea. "Hmm. I suppose this would be the perfect place." The Prime then rolled so that Ratchet's back was pressed to the ground while Optimus straddled him.

"You were right. This was the perfect place." Ratchet told him.

"I thought so, too." Optimus replied. He then leaned down and kissed Ratchet once more.

Ratchet raised his arms and gripped Optimus's shoulders, allowing his hands to trail down them until he found that spot and slipped his fingers into the crevice in the armor, stroking the wires there.

Optimus released a moan at that. He enjoyed those feelings. He allowed his hands to drift down Ratchet's body, stroking over areas that he knew were very sensitive.

It was Ratchet's turn to moan as the feelings ran through him.

Optimus broke the kiss as he started to kiss down Ratchet's face to his neck. He then licked at the cables there, knowing that they were one of his most sensitive areas. He then nipped at the cables, drawing a moan out of Ratchet.

When Optimus brushed a particularly sensitive area, Ratchet arched up against the larger mech as he let out a loud gasp.

Optimus chuckled. "I love it when you make sounds like that."

"And you make sure I make them a lot." Ratchet retorted.

"Of course I do." Optimus replied. He started to move lower down Ratchet's body as he trailed his glossa over Ratchet's body. He came down to Ratchet's chest, and he started to trail his glossa over the glass of the windshield. He enjoyed the ensuing moan, so he continued with the action.

Sometimes, Ratchet hated the glass of the windshield was so sensitive. Then again, it was sensitive in every last Autobot, so it was an easy spot to target in the middle of interfacing.

Optimus then moved so that his glossa slid over the seams in Ratchet's chest plates. He could feel the gentle strum of Ratchet's spark underneath his glossa, and it sent a thrill through his neural net.

Ratchet gasped at this as he arched up against the much larger mech. He knew exactly what Optimus wanted, but he was hardly going to let it be that easy on him.

Optimus continued to trace his glossa over Ratchet's chest plates. He knew that Ratchet wouldn't make it easy for him, and he hardly minded. It just made getting him to do it all that much fun. Optimus trailed his fingers down Ratchet's body to his hips before he slipped his fingers into the crevice there, stroking the sensitive joint.

Ratchet cried out again. He wasn't able to fight the urge that he felt now, allowing his chest plates to open and revealing his spark.

Optimus could see the swirling blue mass within Ratchet's chest and watched it for a moment, knowing that this was what kept his Ratchet alive. He then leaned forward and licked softly at the spark.

Ratchet gasped at the feeling even as he arched up against Optimus at this. He reached down and pressed his hands against Optimus's shoulders before gripping them tightly in his hands.

Optimus continued to lap at Ratchet's spark, enjoying the sounds that Ratchet was making. He could hear the gentle thrum of Ratchet's spark. He could feel it as well. He continued with his ministrations, wanting to hear more of Ratchet's moans.

Ratchet started to writhe under Optimus. He enjoyed the attention that he was getting from the Prime, but he wanted more. He wanted to feel Optimus's spark merge with his own. He wanted to form that bond that he had craved to have with Optimus for so long. "Orion, please!"

Optimus could hear Ratchet's pleas and knew that Ratchet wanted this just as much as he did. He then moved so that he was face to face with Ratchet again before he allowed his own chest plates to part, revealing his own spark. He then leaned down to press a kiss against Ratchet's lips. "I love you." Optimus murmured as leaned closer to Ratchet.

As if on their own, the two sparks went toward each other and merged.

Optimus and Ratchet both cried out as they felt their sparks merge for the first time. They could feel the bond that was forming between them. As the bond formed, they could feel each other's emotions, the amount pleasure that each was receiving seeping into the other's emotions, driving them closer to overload. They could see each other's memories, each other's experiences, each other's pain, each other's happiness. Nothing was left unknown, and it was just how they wanted. They wanted to know everything that there was to know about each other.

Ratchet reached up and wrapped his arms around Optimus's neck even as he drew the larger mech down into a kiss.

Optimus happily kissed Ratchet as he felt the pleasure from their merged sparks surge through him, both his own pleasure and Ratchet's.

The pleasure, the energy, and the love was running through both mechs rampantly, and both were not able to hold out for very long.

Simultaneously, the two overloaded, crying out each other's name as they both hit their peaks.

Optimus collapsed down on top of Ratchet, his strength spent. He could feel through the newly formed bond that Ratchet was also spent. Recovering, Optimus rose up as his spark went back into it's chamber, and the Prime closed his chest plates. He gazed down at Ratchet as he let his hands stroke down Ratchet's arm.

Ratchet allowed his own chest plates to close. He then looked up at the Prime.

Optimus leaned down and pressed his lips to Ratchet's. :I love you, Ratchet.:

:I know, Orion. I love you, too.: Ratchet replied as he raised a hand to press it to the back of Optimus's helm.

Optimus then moved back slightly as the kiss ended. "You knew you were in love with me since before I became Prime. That was before the war even started."

"Yes. I know." Ratchet replied. He looked into Optimus's optics. "I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same. I know it wouldn't have ended our friendship if you had said no, but it would have changed it."

"It wouldn't have changed things as much as you think." Optimus replied.

"You could have said something, too. You realized it when you were named Prime." Ratchet pointed out.

"I know, Ratchet, and I wish I had. I suppose fear really does make you lost time." Optimus then leaned down to press his lips against Ratchet's once more. :But I intend to make up for all the time that we lost.:

Ratchet smiled. He had no doubt that Optimus would do exactly that.

It would take a bit of time for the two to adjust to the new bond. It was always odd to have that constant connection. But it was something that they were looking forward to.

Optimus had started to lick at Ratchet's neck cables.

:Do you not think that we should go back?: Ratchet asked. He sure didn't want any of the other mechs to find him in a compromising position with Optimus.

The other mechs may have known that Optimus and Ratchet were in a relationship, but that didn't mean their image of Optimus wouldn't be ruined if they saw their leader in the middle of dominating their medic.

:No need. I informed Prowl not to expect us back until in the morning.: Optimus responded.

:I thought you didn't intend for us to bond out here.: Ratchet stated.

:I didn't, but that doesn't mean I didn't plan for the possibility of us not returning to the base for quite some time.: Optimus responded.

Soon, words were lost as Optimus once more took Ratchet.

The entire base had soon been informed of the bonding between their Prime and their medic. It hadn't been that much of a surprise to quite a few mechs who had known that the two had been in love with each other for quite some time.

There were a few who thought that Ratchet and Optimus had jumped the gun as far as bonding. They felt that the two had not known each other long enough to bond, but they did not dare say anything. Not one of them wanted to face Ratchet's wrath if they said a word.

Most of the base was simply happy for their Prime and his new mate. They were glad to see their Prime happy, and as long as this did not affect how the base ran, not one of them could care what the two had chosen to do.

Optimus and Ratchet were lying on the berth in their room at night.

"I think that the base took that rather well." Ratchet started.

"Sure. If you consider half of them having near CPU crashes well." Optimus replied.

"I do." Ratchet replied.

Optimus glanced down at his bondmate. Somehow, that didn't surprise the Prime.

"Besides, you can't blame them for being shocked. It's not like we gave them any indication that we were considering bonding. No one but those who know us so well could have been prepared for this." Ratchet told him.

"I suppose so." Optimus agreed.

Ratchet then moved so that he was leaning over the Prime. "Besides, I quite honestly don't care what any of the think. We've made a choice, and they are just going to have to deal with it."

Optimus smiled up at him. "I know they are. It's just going to be something that they are going to have to get used to."

"And it's not like it's going to upset the dynamics of the base." Ratchet added.

"Hmm. I agree. I don't think that there's anything that's going to improve your bedside manner." Optimus remarked.

"Well, I do have a reputation to uphold." Ratchet replied.

Optimus then rolled them over so that he was on top of Ratchet. "Yes. That reputation of yours is important to you." Optimus stated.

"I established that reputation a long time ago, and I don't have any intention of changing it. Besides, I've found that instilling fear in them makes them much more cooperative." Ratchet stated.

"And what about me?" Optimus asked.

Ratchet smirked. "All I have to do is kick you out of the berth."

Optimus finally found the downside to being Ratchet's bondmate.

Ratchet chuckled before he leaned up to kiss Optimus. :I don't think that you have much to worry about, Optimus. You're one of the few that I don't yell at on a regular basis.:

:No. I'm not. Mainly because one gets tired of being on the receiving end of your lectures and your wrenches.: Optimus replied even as he slipped his glossa into Ratchet's mouth.

:If only all of them would learn like you did.: Ratchet remarked.

Optimus chuckled through the link as he allowed his hands to drift down Ratchet's body. :Well, not all of them are quick learners.:

:Hmm. I suppose so.: Ratchet agreed. He then raised his hands to trail them down Optimus's back.

:Now, enough talk.: Optimus told him.

The two bondmates then proceeded to spend the majority of their night interfacing, still enjoying the newness of their bond.

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See you at the next story!