"Everyone lives in fear of something; it just depends whether we have the courage to face it."

⛓

It had started out just like any other day.

Skylar awakes wrapped in a thick duvet, the kind you only really imagine about, and snuggled between the arms of her boyfriend. Her still-sleeping boyfriend, if she happens to be in the mood to be precise.

Snow collects on the windowsill, the white flakes slowly drifting to the street below. The wind no longer carries its harsh, nocturnal bite and instead plays with the powdery ice falling from the heavens.

Skylar smiles happily, breathing in the warm and familiar smell that marks her bedsheets. She has no intentions of getting up just yet, though a purr-like grumble makes her nuzzle into the source of warmth beneath her with a giggle. Indeed, she knows very well this time that her pillow is breathing.

"Good morning, handsome," she chirps, lifting her eyes to meet the gorgeous cerulean ones of her partner.

He grunts in reply, removing his hand from her back to rub his face.

The young man's white hair is ruffled almost flat, his dyed tips non-existent in the scruffy mess. His nose and cheeks are pink, though likely from exposure to the chilled air seeping in from the cracked open window.

"Good morning," he manages, offering a small smile that turns into a large yawn.

She giggles lightly before burying her nose in his neck, seeking greater warmth. His smell is comforting, almost unchanged since they met but holds the faint fragrance of lavender— something likely picked up from her linen.

Rae rests his gaze on her petite form, curled on top his own. Her legs tangle with his and her black locks cascade down her back like a river of obsidian. Each breath from her soft lips send a flurry of shivers down his spine and he can't help the small scowl that forms on his features.

"So," she starts, drawing the young man to bring his gaze to her eyes. "Have we got any plans for today?"

He shakes his head, making no attempt to say anything.

Skylar hums in acknowledgment, staring into space for a few moments before straddling her boyfriend. A soft smile rests on her lips as she leans over him, hands on either side of his chest.

She presses her lips to his in a gentle, delicate kiss. Her touch is soft and adoring, turning subtly demanding as she moves. It's addicting to her partner, and he can't help but lean into it, hands ghosting her hips.

With her morning kiss satisfied, she tries to pull away, only to squeak when she's suddenly pinned under his mass.

Her face grows warm at the realisation of their position, but she makes no attempt to change it. Instead, she brushes her fingers through his soft hair, closing her eyes in bliss.

The kiss is no more heated than it was before, but holds an amount of passion that was lacking. The need for air seems less demanding when everything becomes a blur of adoration. Even with her lungs beginning to burn, she has no intentions of putting an end to these actions.

But her partner, as usual, senses her slight distress and breaks it, his cerulean eyes glittering with emotion. He doesn't even pant as she does, but just watches as she regains her breath, a small smile on his lips.

She's adorable. Not only is she adorable, but she's kind, generous, and perfect in every way. No-one could ask for a better partner.

"I was thinking about bacon for breakfast?" She tilts her head, grinning breathlessly.

"I suppose you want me to join you to ensure it stays edible?" Rae asks teasingly.

She smacks his chest with a hand, making her protest known.

He huffs in amusement, pulling himself off of her. A nearly noticeable smile teases his lips as he watches her pout.

"Let's get busy, then," Rae takes her hands and lifts her from the mound of quilts and pillows as she giggles.

Skylar was feeling quite happy in that moment. Very happy, in fact. It was almost as though she had never left her childhood home. She had found a new home, here in Edmonton.

Then the phone rang.

She was in the middle of a playful banter with her partner over how to properly cook breakfast when the irritable ring interrupted her inevitable defeat. It wasn't unusual for it to ring, so she quite cheerfully answered the telephone.

"Hello, this is Skylar Heavens."

Skylar grows quiet, and Rae turns around to look at her with curiosity.

"R-right. Thank y-you for calling."

The young woman doesn't stand from where she leans over the kitchen counter, the phone still in her hand. Several strands of her hair slide off her shoulder, but she doesn't brush them back.

"Skylar," Rae places a hand on her shoulder, only to pull back in surprise as she starts shaking. "Skylar? Are you quite all ri--"

She is sobbing.

His hand shifts to her hip as he turns her to face him, doing so with a gentle touch that he rarely ever utilizes. And carefully, ever so carefully, he tucks her under his chin, holding her close without a single word.

In all honesty, Skylar isn't quite sure how to handle the news she has just received. Tears are rolling down her cheeks and a hand is firmly clamped over her mouth, but she hasn't fully processed the words.

"M-my brother," she manages through choked tears. "R-Rae, h-he's in hospital."

"Damien?" He hums, rubbing a slow circling motion into her back. "Breathe, get your breath back and then tell me."

Skylar, to his dismay, does not calm down, and if anything, only grows more hysterical. Her legs no longer support her weight and he becomes the only thing keeping her from collapsing into a pile of sobs. Tear streaks run down her cheeks, leaving trails of red in their wake.

"Shh, shh," Rae soothes, smoothly guiding her to the floor. "Breathe, Skylar, breathe. All will be well. But first I need you to calm down enough to tell me exactly what is wrong."

And so she tries. She tries very hard.

"H-he got T-boned by a car on the highway," she cries, gripping tightly to Rae's shirt. "Several of his bones are broken a-and he fractured his skull."

Rae says nothing, not trusting himself to provide the right words. He had been known for that. A small lack of bedside manner and he risks fracturing her already fragile emotional state.

"He's stable, yes?" he asks her softly, surprising himself with the genuine delicate tone in his voice. She nods, tucking her head into his chest for comfort. "Then he's going to be all right, Skylar. Have faith in his doctors."

"But what if he's not all right? What if he can't-"

"You can't live a life of 'what ifs,'" Rae tells her. "Perhaps you should go see him, if it troubles you so much."

"In Abbottsford? But what about my classes? My schoolwork?"

He sighs quietly, resting his chin on her head. "I'm sure your professors will understand if you abandon your studies for a day or two."

There's a pause as Sklyar considers this, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. "Okay," she decides at last, her voice wavering. "I'll book a flight."

"Good. You do that and go see your brother."

She smiles weakly, Rae can feel it. It does not make him feel any better.

"I'll call you when I get there."

⛓

Ratchet's holo-avatar sits down on the couch with a deep frown. All traces of last night's cheer are gone, cleared away with the care of someone needing time to think. A bag of clothes is also gone, taken by a person leaving in haste. It looks almost no different to when it was unoccupied, and the atmosphere is very much the same.

Ratchet sighs deeply, hoping to no avail that the release of false breath might loosen the tension he feels. If anything, it gets worse.

What in the pits of Kaon is he doing? He is an Autobot medic, not a human medical student for Primus' sake!

Curiosity had brought him here after his crash landing, a curiosity to learn what is was that made humans work. That damned urge to dissect the inner workings of the native species had landed him in this situation.

For him to have even thought about attending a single lesson or lecture at the university, he had been required to provide an address. Everything else was easy to tweak or fake, but not so much an actual place that people could come knocking. No, he had needed a residence for that.

But of course there was a twist. A price for his trickery. That price was a flatmate.

And that flatmate was Skylar Heavens.

Ratchet easily recognises their first meeting as the day it all went downhill. From there, everything turned on its head.

She just had to go and be so sweet and caring, so gentle and easily upset. That girl had flipped his spark so many times in those first weeks, and she hadn't even realised it. And what was worse is that he hadn't noticed how deep in he was until he could no longer pull himself out.

Ratchet sighs heavily and places his head in his hands.

He can't do this. He is an Autobot with responsibilities in a war. Having attachments will just ruin him in the end.

And he has a human mate.

"What was I thinking?" The medic asks himself, the heel of his holo-avatar's hand pressing against his forehead. "She's human. Humans are weak and feeble. She probably won't even live to the end of this century!"

His spark clenches agonisingly at the thought, and he finds himself taken by a wave of nausea in the moment.

"Oh, Primus," he mutters in absolute horror, a hand clutched over his chest. "What have I done?"

⛓

Terribly sorry for the ridiculous wait but I got stuck for a long time. This year has been really hectic for me and given that it's my final year of high school, I'm quite a bit busier. I'll do what I can to make regular updates, but I simply cannot make any promises.

Thank you for being so patient.