Ursine Vulpine - Wicked Game

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I couldn't take it anymore.

I searched for Ironhide everywhere for the past day and a half. The rec-room, the med-bay, the training room, the food hall, etc. Where the hell could he be?

My brown eyes searched the Autobot hanger the 5th time this day with much annoyance and worry. Off I went again walking past many Autobots with the same damn question.

"Have you seen Ironhide?" I asked Chromia.

"No." Was her stiff reply.

"Have you seen Ironhide?" I asked Jazz.

"Sorry kiddo, Nah." Was his awkward reply.

I spun around at that with my heartbeat spiking slightly, frustration basically leaking my small frame. God, I think I'm going to have a panic attack. All because everyone seemed to want me to stay away from the one living being that I wanted to see.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly to try and calm myself down, I practiced what Ratchet had been teaching me to help with my anxiety/panic attacks. Since they were obviously not good for my health at all.

Where is he? Closing my eyes, I thought deeply about where he could be. Where I haven't checked...

His Quarters! Why haven't I checked his own room? Gosh I am so stupid, I swear. The one place that he would most likely be and the very thought never crossed my mind till now.

Quickly I speed walked down the large hallway with a bounce in my step. I passed many soldiers who gave me an odd look at my sudden rush, but I ignored it.

Ironhide was way more important than what people thought of me. I slid to a stop in front of the large metal door that was connected to Ironhides personal quaters. It was clear that he was in there by the light above his room, signalling it was occupied.

My eye twiched at this, realising that Ironhide had been most likely avoiding me. Maybe that's why no one told me where he was, to spare me the sudden realisation that he no longer cared.

"Hazel, stop being paranoid." I muttered to myself. "Not everyone hates you."

Inhaling sharply, I looked for the small human door that were added to the larger doors. This was so the Soldiers could enter the Autobots rooms to speak to them when needed.

My eyes soon landed on the well-blended human sized door. Bingo. Running to the door I tried opening it, eyes full of hope that I could just walk in. All I really wanted to do was see the damn Weapon Specialist that I had fallen heads over heels for.

My hope deflated in seconds when the door didn't budge for me. Locked. If that wasn't a sign for me to leave him alone, I don't know what is.

"Why am I the most unluckiest, but luckiest human on this planet?" I hissed at the door, but more to myself with frustration. I stood back to glare at the metal obstacle in my way.

Maybe if I glared at it long enough, it would open.

"Has my weapon specialist angered you in some way?" The baritone voice that belonged to the leader of the Autobots spoke up to me. Said voice startled the daylights out of me. "That glare doesn't seem very welcoming."

I sighed at Optimus's curious tone of voice, calming down from the startle he gave me. It made me wonder how the damn mech could sneak up on me so quietly.

I looked up at Optimus with annoyed eyes. "I feel like he is avoiding me" I said hesitantly, feeling awkward that I was talking to Optimus about my...feelings.

To avoid his soul searching gaze, my eyes shifted back to the door in hopes it would somehow open for me. My hand still rested on the door handle, at this I tried to open the door again by yanking the handle.

Optimus made a hum in thought at this. "Sometimes, your own thoughts can create scenarios that don't exist because of past experiences." Optimus voiced his opinion while watching my sad attempts of opening the door.

"Well, with Ironhide, I can never tell when it's in my mind or if we are actually having an issue." I threw my hands in the air. Stressed. "I can't even open the door to find out!"

Easily taking note of my issue, Optimus's electric blue optics zoomed in on me. "Well... yanking the locked door will not make it open I'm afraid." Optimus spoke smoothly to me, noting the very obvious problem. His helm tilted slightly, looking rather too innocent.

Was he secretly mocking me?

I eyed Optimus with a miffed expression. Wondering why it was so hard to just talk to Ironhide. "Well... Can you make it open?"

"I could, yes, but I only do that if it's an emergency. My Weapon Specialist is recharging, a well needed one infact." Optimus raised his servo to stop me from cutting in to talk, before continuing himself. "It's best if you don't disturb him. You'll know when he is awake Hazel."

I raised an eyebrow at Optimus's choice of words. "How will I know when he is awake? I'm no mind reader." I complained with a slight whine, slowly giving up on talking to Ironhide as guilt filled my frame. I hope I didn't wake him up...

I sighed as my shoulders sagged in defeat, but my hand still held on the door handle with a light grip. My eyes clear with worry, I just wanted to know if he was okay.

Optimus raised an optic ridge at me, looking quite startled. "Ratchet has not informed you?"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, what did that mean? "Inform me of what exactly? That Ironhide was sleeping? If so, yes, but I didn't really believe him..." I made a guilty face at this, knowing I should've, but I still felt like the medic was hiding something.

Optimus opened his mouth to reply, for a loud 'WOOSH!'-ing sound to be heard. I blinked at this, before the sound was followed by a 'CLANK!'.

My jaw slacked when I witnessed Ratchet catch the wrench swiftly like a boomerang. The same wrench that he had just threw at his leaders helm.

The Prime grunted and rubbed the little dent on his helm with his servo. Looking over his shoulder plating, Optimus gave Ratchet a pointed look.

The Chief Medical Officer simply glared back, hands on his hips. "Was that necessary?" Optimus questioned his medic that stormed towards him with an intimidating walking pace.

"If you were listening to me, no, but obviously you weren't. So, yes." Ratchet replied bitterly, before gesturing his servo to me. "I was going to inform the femme when Ironhide was awake, so I didn't have to repeat myself twice Optimus." Ratchet explained quickly and sharply before looking at me. The medics sapphire optics studied me.

I felt tingles all over my body suddenly and that is when I knew the medic was scanning me once again. "You seem well, so that is good news." Ratchet hummed out, nodding his helm at whatever results he had received.

Feeling a bit out of the whole subject that was obviously all about me and Ironhide, I coughed loudly, gaining the pairs attention. "Inform me of what?" I repeated myself, my voice firmer than before.

"Now look what you've done! Now Hazel wants to know!" Ratchet ranted at Optimus, not happy as he threw a servo in the air. Exasperated. "I haven't even thought about how to explain it to her!"

Optimus waved Ratchet off, totally over his medics rant, but I could tell the leader was apologetic. "Yes, yes. It's alright Ratchet, don't panic we will figure it out." Such response made Ratchet instantly scold the Prime and retaliate. "Don't wave me off! I'm not panicking, I'm just being realistic!"

I looked between the pair that argued like an old married couple and groaned outloud in annoyance. Neither of them answered my one very simple question and obviously they didn't really know how to explain it to me. At all.

Especially without freaking me out. Which wasn't reassuring at all and made my anxiety spiral out of control. This was the last thing they wanted and the last thing that I wanted as well.

Rubbing my face in frustration, I focused on the pair again. Trying to get back onto the main subject, I tried to see if my dad might know. Then I could ask him myself. "Does William know?"

This caught their attention instantly. Both of them stated at me, which made me shift awkwardly. "In a way, yes?" Ratchet said with so much uncertainty, I had to make sure I was still talking to the same medic.

"Although, I don't think he understood fully. The captain blabbered on about marriage? and all of that?" Ratchet claimed with puzzlement at human cultures. This is when Ratchet knew that he still had much more research to do on human lifestyle.

"What does marriage have to do with any this?" I demanded the medic while I crossed my arms around my chest. My frustration starting to turn into anger, because I just did not understand.

Were they purposely trying to make it difficult for me? I swear to god they were...

"Now... Now... Calm down." Optimus told me, easily noting that I was getting angry just by my body language. "Don't say that to a female Optimus-"

"I am calm!" I exclaimed, cutting Ratchets warning off. I threw my hands into the air with much annoyance. This simply made Optimus tell me to 'calm down.' again.

"Look, Hazel, I'll explain when Ironhide wakes up okay?" Ratchet promised me, sapphire eyes staring into mine, hoping I would accept this offer.

"Fine. Fine. I'll wait... for him." I muttered under my breath in defeat, earning a look of victory from the pair.

A groan echoed my hearing suddenly, but it wasn't mine or the two Autobots before me. It was in my mind. I jumped at the groan, before clutching my chest when I felt something powerful hit me in the... heart?... so powerful it hurt, but felt amazing at the same time.

That made no sense, but it made sense to me.

It felt like it came from inside my body, like I could suddenly feel my soul. An out of body experience... A whole new tingly feeling. Just like when I woke up again, where it felt like the air got sucked out of my lungs.

I stumbled back, eyes fluttering like mad. "Holy shit." I muttered out, sounding high as hell.

"Well you better start explaining to her then." A gruff voice was heard and I stumbled back more to see the black mech I have been looking for. Neck straining to look up at Ironhide Standing there, very much alive.

"-because with all your damn glitching, you woke me up."

Optimus looked to me when he noticed my paling. "Hazel... are you okay?"

I blinked a couple more times, trying to find the right words to respond. How could I explain everything I just felt? How I heard Ironhide in my head. How I could feel.... everything?

My gut dropped and my vision spun slightly. "I... I think I'm going to hurl." Was what I said instead, voice strained.

"Frag it, get the bucket!" Ratchet growled out his demand, a scowl on his lips. Clearly tired of my vomitting. "I do not want lubricants on my pede ever again!"

I noticed Optimus started to quickly walk to get a bucket, but it was too late as I arched forward automatically and gross liquids exited my mouth rapidly.

"...Too late for that bucket Ratchet." Ironhide waved his servo in front of his face from the smell, his sense of smell strong and sensitive.

Ratchets face showed much displeasure as he pretty much scrambled away from the liquid. Scared of his metal feet getting touched by it. "Ugh. Gross!"

"Sorry..."