Title: Tranquility

Series: River of Change

By: mmouse15

Pairing: IronhidexRatchet

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: mech sex, cursing

Beta'd by the incomparable VAWitch. She's amazing!

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A hand, stroking gently along seams. Captured by another hand.
"You are supposed to be recharging."

"So are you. You've just been through an ordeal."

"And you haven't?"

"No, I only thought you were dead; I wasn't struggling to find myself in a non-sentient machine."

"Hm. And trying to survive your bonded's erstwhile death isn't an ordeal?"

"Not on the order of trying to wrestle your stubborn spark into a proper chamber."

"Is it my fault Earth's machines are still so primitive?"

"No." Further questions were cut off as the black hand glided across his bonded's frame, seeking sensitive nodes to caress and fritzing his companion's processor.

"Stop that. I know that our CMO would not approve of this kind of activity."

"Bullshit." A kiss, then the large black mech dug into his partner's frame with true intent. He caressed the other's face with his fingertips, sliding along the planes of his beloved's features. Such a noble face, careworn and showing the weight of vorns of fighting. Air escaped the green mech as his bonded moved from his face to his neck, thumb and fingers brushing along cables and seams of armor. With a sub-vocal growl, the green mech moved his hands to his partner's frame. He slid his hands up the black mech's arms to his shoulders, then over his chest. Air vented out from them, heating their quarters. Cooling fans kicked on, both frames starting to heat. Green hands delved into sensitive hip joints, while black hands moved along the bumper and grill that composed his bonded's chest.

As one, the two mechs aligned their chests and armor split apart, revealing their Sparks. The two glowing balls of energy merged.

Images flashed. The pain of death, the frustration of being trapped, the joy of discovering that he wasn't dead, the pain of capturing a spark to implant it into its proper form, the soul deep joy of being reunited. As the two shared their most recent memories, feelings were soothed. Then the real sharing began.

Love. Deep, abiding, profound. Joy. Love returned, shared, togetherness. Promises. Forever, never to part again.

Ironhide drew back with a growl, then slammed back into Ratchet. Their shared overload, which had been dying down, instead roared back. Ratchet threw back his head and howled as their Sparks merged impossibly further. Ironhide drew on memories of the time in human form, finding new areas of sensitivity. Ratchet mewled as 'Hide slid a hand across his pelvic plates and bucked up into the touch.

In self-defense, their Sparks retreated, although neither closed their chambers. Ratchet growled at Ironhide, then in a surprise maneuver, flipped their positions so he was on top.

"I'll show you tricks." He probed into Ironhide's arms, manipulating their electric fields. Ironhide expelled air as the electric fields moved through his arms, giving him the same feelings he got from firing his cannons. Ratchet continued his ministrations and leaning on Ironhide, moved one knee between Ironhide's legs. Ironhide nearly bucked him off as Ratchet did SOMETHING against his pelvic plates.

"Ah! Ratchet!"

"How's that feel, 'Hide?" Ratchet's voice had deepened, and Ironhide arched beneath him, excited by the tone of his bonded's voice. "Do you want more?"

"Primus, yes!"

"No need to curse. I'll give it to you…eventually." Ratchet chuckled in his audios. Ironhide groaned, then moved his hands to Ratchet's sides. He couldn't move them further due to the placement of Ratchet's hands in his arms. He slid his hands into the folds and seams of Ratchet's armor and discovered, to his great delight, that due to their Spark chambers still being exposed, Ratchet had many more sensitive areas open to his exploration. Ratchet gasped, then moved his hands so he could crawl up Ironhide's frame. He moved so they could touch foreheads and once again, merge Sparks. They continued to caress each other, their overloads coming over them like waves as they delved deep into each other's psyches.

As the waves ebbed, Ratchet murmured "Always," then slid sideways. Ironhide eased him down, deftly touching his chest to close and cover his Spark. Ratchet slid from overload to recharge. Ironhide pressed a kiss to the glyph that signified Ratchet's designation, then curled up next to him.

"Always and forever, Ratchet."