Ironhide walked down the quiet, orange hallways of the Ark. It was early in the morning so only a few bots would be up and about. That would give him at least a few hours of peace before the rest of the crew started their daily ruckus, and then he'd have to take things into his own hands.

Letting out a weary sigh, Ironhide shook his helm and continued on to his destination.

As he paused for the doors to slide open, he realized, as he stepped inside, that he wasn't the only one in the room. Glancing around the command center, he spotted the large frame of his leader facing Teletraan-1's computer screen.

"Hey Optimus." Ironhide greeted as he walked toward the Autobot commander, smiling as Optimus turned to look at him. "Hello Ironhide." The low rumble of his vocals echoed across the pretty much empty room, making the red mech shudder at such a low baritone.

Ironhide may have a small…crush on his leader. Not that Optimus Prime would ever pay him any mind. He was a kind and just leader, but that didn't mean he would ever…

Snapping himself out of it, Ironhide grinned and stood a few feet away from Optimus, gesturing to the large computer screen. "So, what'cha lookin' at?"

Optimus barely glanced at said screen, keeping his focus on the smaller mech in front of him. Ironhide tried to ignore the fluttering of his spark in its chamber. "I'm just checking for any Decepticon activity. Ever since the Oilrig was attacked a few days ago, the Decepticons have been keeping a low profile."

Ironhide snorted, resting one hand against his hip as he rested most of his weight on his left leg. "They're prob'ly just lickin' their wounds. We just have ta stay on the tips of our pedes." Letting a relaxed grin cross his faceplates, the red mech hoped it would reassure his leader.

Optimus looked at him quietly for a moment before nodding, turning around to turn off the console, knowing Teletraan-1 would warn them of any important matters.

"Would you care to join me for some energon, old friend?" Optimus asked, tipping his helm just the slightest bit. Ironhide laughed and nodded his own helm, tilting his shoulder strut towards the door. "Lead the way."

Sitting in the recroom, Optimus and Ironhide talked about anything from strategies to what they had planned for that day. Either way, they were fairly entertained.

Until…

"GET BACK HERE YOU HOOLIGANS!"

Both mechs jumped as they simultaneously looked up in the direction of the all too familiar yell. As predicted, the twins came running in, one laughing and one grimacing. Sideswipe slid to a halt at their table and saluted them. "Hey bossbot! Sup Ironhide?"

Ironhide grunted, "What did ya do now?" He looked from Sideswipe who was grinning gleefully and then to Sunstreaker who was glaring at his twin with cruel intent.

"Well, we-" "You mean you!" Sunstreaker interrupted, glowering even more.

Sideswipe only grinned more, "I painted all his tools orange to match the Ark! Then I-" "Glued them to the ceiling." Sunstreaker grumbled, crossing his arms over his chassis. "I was just about to ask him out too…"

Sideswipe looked flabbergasted. "You what-"

"SIDESWIPE!" Ratchet roared, practically breaking the entrance doors off of their hinges as he stormed into the room, looking around wildly for the red prankster.

Sideswipe made a choked sound as the medics piercing gaze locked onto him, making him jump and hide behind his brother. Sunstreaker shook his helm and stepped out of the way, taking a seat at Optimus and Ironhide's table.

Ratchet stormed over and grabbed Sideswipe by the horn, growling as steam came off of his angrily shaking frame. "You fragger- I'LL TURN YOU INTO TOASTER FOR WHAT YOU DID!"

Sunstreaker sighed and gave the other two mechs at the table a baleful glance. He knew he would have to save his brothers aft, again. "Ratchet-"

"WHAT?!" He yelled, turning his glare to the golden warrior.

Sunstreaker, unfazed by his outrage, stood up and rested his hands against his hips. He titled his helm as if in deep thought before smiling gently. The look was completely out of character on him so it wasn't a shock when Ratchets optics widened the slightest bit.

"Can you just send Sideswipe off to Prowl this time and let me help you get the tools off the ceiling?" To top it all off he added, "Please?"

Ratchet stuttered, his faceplates partially slack in shock at the lamborghini's words. But that only lasted a few seconds before he shook his helm and glared one more time at Sideswipe. "…fine. But only because you're helping me clean up this idiots mess!"

With that said, Ratchet dragged the red mech out of the room by the horn, ignoring his complaints, while Sunstreaker sighed with a grimace. "That was the weirdest kind of begging I've ever done. How can some bots do that during interfacing? It's weird-"

Ironhide choked on his energon, cutting off the warriors sentence. Optimus rested a concerned hand on the smaller mechs shoulder as he tried to clears his intakes, waving off the bigger mechs concern.

"Hey, you alright?" Sunstreaker asked, frowning slightly as he watched the red van finish his coughing fit.

"Yeah yeah, Ah'm alrigh'." Clearing his vocals, Ironhide gave Sunstreaker a grin. "I'm not that old, youngling." The golden mech scoffed and crossed his arms with a smirk, "And I'm not that young, oldtimer."

Optimus chuckled at their banter, optics brighting in amusement. "Well, it seems everything is right with the world." He held back another laugh as both of his soldiers looked at him in despair.

"If we're done with all the pleasantries…" Sunstreaker muttered, making Optimus's shoulders shake from holding back his laughter. "I think I'll go help Ratchet now before he blows ANOTHER gasket."

"Too late." Ironhide laughed.

Sunstreaker only nodded his helm, turning around and heading for the exit with a final wave.

Once he was gone and the doors slid closed, Optimus turned towards Ironhide with a fond look in his optics. Ironhide, noticing this, looked down at his cube in embarrassment from the attention suddenly being directed at him.

"Ironhide, would you like to join me for a walk? A little fresh air would be good for us." Optimus kept his gaze on the smaller mech, his hand still resting on Ironhides shoulder.

Finishing off his cube, Ironhide glanced up at Optimus and nodded. "Sure, got nothin' else ta do." Grinning once more, Ironhide tossed his cube in the reciprocal near the energon dispenser. "I'm all yours sir."

Realizing what he had just said, the red mech quickly stood up and tried to hide his reddened faceplate. He heard Optimus stand up and put away his own cube. He started at the touched of a hand against his lower back strut. "Shall we?"

The rumble of Optimus's voice almost caused him to shiver again as he nodded. Ironhide almost cursed himself out loud as they began to move, remembering that his feelings for his commander could cause a problem.

This wouldn't end well.

'Slag.'

As they walked around the Ark and the volcano itself, Ironhide realized that Optimus had yet to remove his hand from his lower back. "Er…Optimus?"

He looked up at the larger mech, trying not to show his discomfort. "Yes, Ironhide?" Optimus looked down at him, optics glowing lightly.

Frag, this was going to be hard.

"Uh, well…it's just… Yer hand." Optimus tilted his helm slightly, showing confusion. "Yes?" Ironhide sighed. This would be harder than he thought. Frag.

"Yeah, but…um…it's still- er- there." Optimus stared down at him for a moment, hand twitching against Ironhides back plating. "Is it bothering you?" He murmured, voice soft.

Ironhide slowly shook his helm. "Then I don't see a problem." Optimus's hand slid to wrap around from his back to his side, large fingers closing around the vans hip.

Trying not to jerk away from the red and blue mech, Ironhide shuddered. Unfortunately, that made things worse for Optimus mistook the movement as him feeling below temperature when really, he was the exact opposite…

"Cold?" Optimus asked, pulling him in closer. "Uh…" Ironhide turned his face away, trying to hide the fact that he was beginning to radiate heat. He had to get OUT of there!

"Er..Optimus? Ah have ta go…uh…talk ta Ratchet." Optimus stopped walking, causing Ironhide to stop as well. "What? Are you alright?"

The questions caught the red mech off guard. "Wha…?"

Optimus crouched down the slightest bit to be face to face with Ironhide, resting his large hand on the guards cheek plate. "You're overheating…" The concern in his optics caused the smaller mech to frown and look away in guilt at making his longtime friend feel that way. "I'm fine, I just need ta talk ta Ratch…"

The truck looked at him quietly, searching for something. Ironhide stiffened and tried not to show anything, still refusing to look at the other mech.

He jumped when a finger slid under his chin and turned his helm so that he was forced to look at his leader, whose gaze was as sharp and unyielding as ever. "Ironhide, tell me what's wrong." Ironhide tried not to just angrily retort at the command, standing his ground instead. He knew he had to get this out…

"Ah love ya."

Optimus's optics widened. "What-" Ironhide carefully pulled away from the truck. "Ah have work ta do. Ah'll see ya 'round."

With that said, Ironhide quickly marched away. "Ironhi-" His march turned into a jog as he tried to get away as fast as possible. He called back, "Sorry Optimus! Lots a' work ta do! Can't talk!" He couldn't believe what he had just done! Why did he tell Optimus that? Why did he just have to ruin their friendship like that, and not just slagging lie?!

He was fragged.

Ironhide was pacing back and forth in his quarters, wracking his processors to figure out what he was going to do. Could he avoid Optimus forever? Obviously not. But what else could he-

Snapping his fingers, Ironhide rushed out of his quarters and headed for the medbay. Ratchet always gave him good advice, maybe he could help him this time. Even though the red mech never really asked the ambulance about romantic advice.

Finally reaching the medbay, Ironhide watched the doors slide open- only to stare in complete shock.

There, in the medbay, on one of the medical berths, was Ratchet. Oh, but he wasn't alone! Sunstreaker was there, pinned under the red and white mech as he squirmed and made the most erotic noises known to man. Ironhide had no idea what to do when he realized that their interfacing panels were open and- ohdearPrimus!

Quickly heading back the way he came, Ironhide tried to shake off the images from what he had just witnessed.

It was going to be a long day.

"Ironhide."

Turning around and spotting Optimus heading towards him, Ironhide could only sigh, completely at a loss.

A very long day.

Ironhide waited until Optimus was standing right in front of him before crossing his arms and leaning back. "What do ya need sir?" He kept his gaze as neutral as possible, looking up into the heated glow of his leaders optics.

Optimus kept his arms at his sides, his fisted hands clenching and unclenching several times. "We need to talk. In my office. Now."

Raising an optic ridge, Ironhide opened his mouth to protest but Optimus cut him off. "Now Ironhide. That's an order." Trying to hold back the urge to run and cry foul, Ironhide turned and strode to Optimus's office that wasn't too far from where they were now.

He tried not to think of what Optimus would do but really, it wasn't an easy task. His spark was pulsing heavily in its casing and it was really starting to get on his nerves.

He didn't realize they were in the office until the door shut somewhere behind him. He was standing directly in front of the desk and turned to face his leader, keeping the neutral look in place. He watched as Optimus locked the door (which didn't make him feel any better at all) and turned, giving him a searing look.

He looked so angry, Ironhide couldn't help but take an involuntary step back.

Optimus kept his gaze firmly locked on the red mech, slowly making his way toward him. "Would you care to explain to me, why exactly, you did that?"

Ironhide stared, knowing what the truck was referring to. "Ah don't know wha' yer talkin-" "Ironhide." Optimus growled out his name, optics brightening in anger. Ironhide froze, never hearing that tone of voice, or ever hearing Optimus direct that kind of anger at him, before.

Looking down at the orange colored floor, Ironhide clenched his fists tightly before murmuring, "Ah meant it… Ah love ya." Ironhide didn't look back up, knowing that he couldn't bare to see the look of disgust that was surely on one of his closest friends faces.

Hearing Optimus move closer, he prepared himself for any kind of rejection-

Then a large hand cupped the side of his helm and tilted it up. Before Ironhide could react, lips pressed against his in a gentle kiss. Too stunned to do anything, Ironhide could only stand there dumbly, being kissed by the very mech he had feelings for.

When Optimus pulled away, he stayed close enough for their lips to brush as he spoke. "I love you too." He leaned forward to nuzzle their nasal ridges together, his engine purring contentedly and echoing off of the walls in the large office.

Ironhide snapped out of his daze as his leader gave him Eskimo kisses, making him stutter, completely flabbergasted. "Wha-…b-but…ya can't j-just…" Optimus pulled away to look the smaller mech in the optics, smiling down at him warmly.

"Next time, don't run off before I can explain myself."

Staring in shock once more, Ironhide felt his spark practically melt with happiness (though he'd never admit it), and jumped forward to wrap his arms around his leaders neck, pressing their lip components and bodies together as much as possible.

Optimus's optics brightened in surprise before he rumbled in amusement, wrapping his arms around the red mech and placing him on the, thankfully, clear desk.

When they pulled away, vents panting, Ironhide could only shake his helm and laugh. "Ah'm such an idiot. Ah thought ya would'a hated me fer what ah did." Optimus frowned and pressed their helms together, arms tightening around his guard.

"Why would I ever do that?"

Ironhide sighed with a guilty smile. "Because ah'm a paranoid glitch."

Optimus smiled slightly, pressing a kiss to Ironhides forehead. "We'll have to take care of that…" Ironhide chuckled and held the larger mechs face between his hands, leaning up to trail kisses around Optimus's faceplates.

"Show meh what'cha got."

I had this story on my DA and since I haven't posted anything in FOREVER, I decided to just throw this in here. One of my old G1 OTP's, insert dreamy sighing here.