Heh, so much for oneshots. They don't seem to be working at all. This is about how Red alert would allow someone to touch him.
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs
Red Alert typed slowly, his CPU only half-paying attention to the paperwork. It was all very routine anyways. Several bots wanted vacation leave, some wanted out, a base had been attacked and destroyed, unknown amount of data had been lost, oh yes, very routine indeed.
Most of his CPU was focused on the close proximity of another mech. Red Alert hated crowds, or anything that got close to having to touch, and Inferno was much too close. His armor was prickling where Inferno's arm was nearly touching it. Quietly he edged further away.
Inferno shook his head at Red Alert, unable to understand the odd mech. Ever since he had gotten here, Red Alert had proceeded to try and put some distance between them, despite the fact that he had been kind enough to allow him to wait for Jazz. In fact, he could still remember the conversation they had had afterwards.
"I can't believe it! You're one lucky mech that Red Alert likes you this much already."
"Likes? I don't think he did. After all, he ignore any attempts of talking, and didn't even glance at me when I walked out." Inferno said doubtfully, remembering Red Alert's optics of complete focus.
Jazz laughed as he said, "It may seem like that, but Red Alert is rather territorial. He hardly lets anyone into the Control Room, let alone let them stay for something inane as waiting for someone else."
Inferno groaned mentally. Ever since that talk with Jazz, he had attempted to get to know Red Alert better. Red Alert refused to talk however, and Inferno was about to come to his wits end… "Inferno." Inferno glanced at Red Alert, surprised.
Red Alert looked back steadily, as he gestured to the monitors. "Would you please watch the monitor's? A camera is broken outside of the medbay, and I need to go fix it."
Inferno nodded, as he stood up to take Red Alert's place. Red Alert nodded, and silently slipped out of the room, repair tools in hand. Inferno watched as images flickered on the monitors, already bored. "Sheesh, how does he stand it? I'd go crazy after half a orn."
Unbeknownst to him, Red Alert was listening to every word.
O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Red Alert listened to Inferno as he slipped through the hallways. Apparently Inferno had a habit of talking out loud even when no one was in the room. His paranoia glitch kicked in, and he recorded what Inferno was saying. "Red Alert doesn't really seem to be all that panicky. He's more like lonely. Or maybe that what he wants everyone to think about him? Ah, I don't know! He's an enigma. But I always did like enigma's."
Red Alert winced as he repaired the camera. Just what he needed, a mech trying to figure out how his CPU worked. He already had enough doctors trying to do so, Ratchet the most recent. However… the hands slowed as he thought about Inferno. There was something about him, something that made Red Alert want to be with him. That was why Inferno was allowed in the control room at all, because his voice was calming, soothing.
For a reason why he couldn't figure out, Inferno seemed to calm down the paranoia glitch, making it better. Ratchet exited just Red Alert finished up with the camera. "Red Alert! Good, I was just about to go and find you."
Red Alert blinked at Ratchet, confused. He always showed up on time for his check ups, and as far as he knew, only disobeyed Ratchet on how much rest he got. "What do you mean?"
"I wanted to check up on your glitch, to see if it was under control."
Red Alert followed Ratchet into the medby, trying not to wince. He had seen enough of medbay's to last him a lifetime, and he was still young. After all, no doctor liked having to deal with glitches, but Red Alert's was especially aggravating, because it had the tendency to overshadow every thought. Ratchet had been trying for Vorns now to find some way to completely erase it.
Red Alert obediently lay out on the table, attempting not to flinch every time Ratchet's hands brushed against his armor. Ratchet worked quickly, hooking up his CPU to the computer. "Ratchet, could you please tell Inferno that I might be long? I left him in charge of the Control room."
Ratchet nodded, and flicked Red Alert off, as he called First Aid, "First Aid, tell whoever is up in the CR that Red here is going to take awhile."
"yes boss."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Inferno groaned when he got the news. He was on duty for patrolling in another two breems, and needed out soon. Quickly he began working, attempting to find out who was supposed to be with Red alert. To his surprise, he found that Red Alert shouldn't be on duty at all, but Jazz and Beachcomber were. Quickly he paged them, explaining the situation, and asking them to come. Both replied that they would. Inferno sighed in relief, and waited.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Ratchet stared at the readings in surprise. Red Alert's glitch had calmed down so significantly, Ratchet wondered if someone had replaced Red Alert with another mech, and they just hadn't noticed. No, wait, the glitch was beginning to act up again…
Ratchet pounded the table, glaring at the increasing readings. So, something had temporarily calmed down the glitch. Now that Red Alert was away from it, it had come back full force. Ratchet grumbled to himself as he added it to Red's file, then he woke up the paranoid security director.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Red Alert stared up at the animal, opic's disbelieving. Prime and Prowl both stood nearby, talking quietly. The twins had the decency to look abashed, as the animal continued to yowl angrily, making its displeasure to be in such a place clear. It looked a lot like a cat, except for the long ridge of spikes that ran down it's back, or the fact that it was made of metal, and not meat. Inferno came running up, and panted, "I got a call that I was needed. What happened?"
"The twins brought in an animal to prank Prime, but it backfired. Prime scared the wires right out of it, and the poor thing climbed the tallest thing it could. Now it's stuck. We need you to get it for us."
"What? I can make a ladder that will go that high, but I can't bend the ladder. Someone will have to climb up."
Silence descended, as Prime thought. Finally Prowl said slowly, "There is a way. Inferno can change, and Red Alert, as currently the smallest bot on board can climb up and get the animal down—"
"No."
Prowl ignored the interruption as he said, "It has a 80 chance of working."
Prime nodded, and said to Red Alert, "We need to get it out of here as soon as possible."
"No."
Now Inferno joined the fray, pleading, "Aww, c'mon Red, it's probably terrified. Besides, my ladder is rather safe. It'll be over before you know it."
"…No." the slight hesitation was all Prime needed. Quickly he leaped into the crack provided by the reluctant voice.
"Red Alert, I'm ordering you to get it out of here."
"Where are the jet's?"
"Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's jet pack's are currently broken, and the other aerial bots are currently on vacation."
Red Alert looked a little torn, glancing from Inferno, to Prime, and back again. Prowl decided to add the final icing to the cake. "If you do so, I'll make sure this incident is never mentioned. And if the twins ever breath so much as a word of it, you can do what you like to them."
The twins gulped, and looked at each other. Red Alert sighed in frustration. "No. You know how much I hate-"
"I'm ordering you to." Prime interrupted, optic's resting heavily on Red Alert.
For a moment, it seemed like Red Alert would still refuse, but he at last sighed. "Very well sir."
Inferno changed, and moved foreword until his ladder was right up next to the animal. Red Alert hesitated a moment before he placed his hands on Inferno's rungs.
Inferno had to keep himself from changing or moving as Red alert climbed. For some odd reason, Red Alert's hands seemed to be static, since every time he touched, Inferno could feel a jolt. Calmly he waited, and Red Alert hissed in pain as the animal swiped, razor sharp claws coming out from nowhere. "Stupid-"
Inferno tried not to wince as Red Alert's feet wedged against the side of the ladder to give Red Alert the freedom of his arms. "Got it!"
"Good." Inferno said dryly, trying to keep from just plain changing, "Would you hurry up and get down? Without dropping the animal?"
Red Alert snapped, "And here you were so glad to have me climbing up."
"That was before the animal decided to start clawing me-owch!"
Inferno completely forgot that he as to stay a fire truck as he changed. Red Alert felt the ladder beneath him disappear, and shock flashed in his optics as he fell.
The animal yowled, giving Red Alert a vicious rake across the faceplate, drawing energon.
Prime and Inferno moved to catch him, but neither were fast enough. With a gasp of pain, Red Alert landed in the hard metal of the courtyard. Both twins winced, and the animal shot off, running for freedom. No one bothered to chase it.
Inferno carefully helped Red Alert up, apologizing for changing. Red Alert didn't respond. He couldn't, Inferno was talking too fast for Red Alert to even register what Inferno was saying, let alone respond. Prowl at last interrupted, "Inferno, please take him to the medbay."
Red Alert snapped, "I can walk on my own."
Prowl pointed to a badly mangled leg. "Not when it's bent in three different directions."
Red Alert growled, and attempted to walk. He got two wobbly steps, when his legs gave out, and he nearly crumpled. Inferno caught him. "Aye, I'll get him to the med bay."
Prowl turned to the twins, both of whom shuffled awkwardly in the dust. "Now, both of you are to receive extra punishments other then the ones already mentioned—"
Inferno ignored Prowl, as he carefully helped Red Alert to the med bay.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
When the medbay finally came in view, Red Alert wasn't sure on whether to laugh or cry. Inferno's touch was like fire. It spread across his body, warming him, making him feel safe. Something that no-one else's touch had ever done.
As Inferno said softly, "Well, Ratchet isn't going to be happy," Red Alert couldn't help but disagree. For vorn's Ratchet had been trying to convince Red that it was ok to being touched. Inferno's practical carrying would cause the CMO to celebrate it as a breakthrough.
Inferno helped Red Alert into the medbay and onto a table, and turned to leave. "Inferno." Inferno stopped, optic's asking the question. "Thank you."
Red Alert knew then and there why he was drawn to the fire truck. For as Inferno smiled, a warm feeling crept over Red Alert's body, and he thought, Love is a wonderful thing.