It was the morning Orion left with Megatronus to attend the meeting with the high Council, a cold, chilly morning, with moodkilling gray skies, that brought a depression as the day began and progressed. Orion, hugging himself tight and shivering, was walking at a fast pace down the road towards the medic's housing unit, knowing he'd promised to bid farewell to his newfound lover. When he made it to the housing unit, it was dark inside, and silent; Ratchet was probably still in his berth huddled in a blanket on this freezing morning. Orion knocked on the door, his servo shaking from the cold.

"Come in!" Came Ratchet's welcome from inside. Desperate to get out of the cold, Orion opened the door and stepped inside as quickly as he could, his denta chattering.

"H-Hey Ratch. How's it going?" The medic was huddled in blankets on the couch, looking up at Orion with bright optics.

"Fine." He replied, taking off one blanket and offering it to Orion. The archivist wrapped it around his shoulders and sat down beside him. "Today's the day, huh?"

"Mhm." Orion snuggled into the blanket, which was already warmed up from Ratchet.

"I'm going to miss you." A smile came to Orion's faceplate as Ratchet said this in a quiet whisper, and turned to the medic.

"I'll miss you too, my fair femme." Orion teased, wrapping an arm around Ratchet's waist and bringing his faceplate close to his. "It's really tempting to kiss you, you know."

"...Then why don't you?"

That was the only persuading the archivist needed before he brought his lips to touch Ratchet's rather fiercely, engines humming affectionately. Ratchet kissed him right back, wrapping his servos around Orion's neck cabling, melting into his partner. Orion smiled into the kiss and wrapped both servos around the medic's hips.

"Mmmf!" Ratchet yelped into Orion's lips in surprise as he was pulled into Orion's lap, the playful archivist trailing one servo over his aft gently, stroking with his thumb lightly, testing the boundaries with the tightly wound medic. They continued like this for about thirty seconds before-

"Holy slag, what are you, his lapdog?" Megatronus stirred them both from their paradise after standing there watching them for a bit.

Ratchet practically launched himself out of Orion's lap, landing on his peds, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. Orion wore an even bigger blush, still sitting on the couch and staring at Megatronus with surprised optics.

"H-How long have you been standing there?" The archivist choked out, his vocalizer cracking.

"Long enough." The gladiator crossed his arms. "I expected you two were close, but this is not what I had in mind."

"Um... Surprise?" Ratchet shrugged nervously, wearing a nervous and phony smile.

Megatronus laughed, shaking his helm. "I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"Th-Thank you." Orion sighed with relief, standing and moving to Ratchet's side, putting an arm around his waist, shooting the medic a playful grin. "We're still progressing."

The gladiator rolled his optics and walked towards the door. "Say goodbye to your lapdog, Pax. We gotta go soon." He left the housing unit without another word.

"Eeeeerg." Ratchet facepalmed. "That was embarrassing."

A servo took his chin, and Orion brought their gazes to meet. "Ratchet, I'll be back soon. See you later." He kissed the medic before walking out the door, his spark still pounding in his spark chamber. Megatronus better not say anything...

Ratchet watched him go, his spark melting for the archivist, and his optics shining with a longing glint. But.. we just got close...

~~

"Now the party don't start 'till I walk innnnn," Nightdaze strutted into Ratchet's office, winking her left optic and jumping onto the table to sit down. "Hey Ratch!"

"Hello Night." The medic looked up from a datapad, sitting in a chair behind his desk. "Can I help you?"

"Mhm. So you spent yesterday off right?" The receptionist asked, glancing down at her own datapad that was being used to record.

"Yes."

"Mmkay..." She typed something in. "So you'll be having two days off next week. Kay?"

Ratchet shrugged. "Alright."

She smiled, before setting the datapad down and leaning closer. "So. Give me details."

"Wh-What?" Puzzled, Ratchet replied, one optic ridge raising in question.

"Details! Let's talk about life!" Nightdaze threw her arms about erratically. "Tell me about..." She suddenly became very serious. "Tell me about that super hot archivist that came in and requested you. Do you know him?"

A tinge of pink came to Ratchet's cheeks. "Yes, I know him. He's my friend."

"Are you two mates?"

"WHAT?!" He practically yelled. "NIGHTDAZE!"

"Ooooh my Primuuuus YOU ARE!" She giggled. "Ooooo! Ratch scored a hottie!"

"We aren't mates. We're just friends." Ratchet replied soberly. He wasn't about to admit what had been going on between him and the certain archivist...

Nightdaze giggled, before putting both servos over her spark chamber and sighed dramatically. "I wish I had a mate that hot."

The medic blinked and shook his helm before returning to reading.

"D'awwww!" She laughed before getting off the table and walking to the door. "Just giving you a hard time. Buhbye, Ratch."

He didn't answer. Nightdaze was a good femme and all, but she had her annoying moments. This, was one of them. For the rest of the day, Ratchet worked halfheartedly, the only thought that mattered was Orion.

Everyday, he waited for the day the archivist returned. He had been given a certain date for when exactly that was, but the few days seemed like cybercycles. Then, after all that waiting, Orion came. (Sorry about the timeskip. Nothing even the slightest bit interesting happened. Read on :3 )

It was after a long day at the medical office, Ratchet was in his housing unit, waiting for a certain archivist, relaxed on the couch, when a knock on the door summoned him. Like a rocket he jumped up and bolted to the door, and opened it. "Orion?"

The archivist forced a smile, but the light in his optics had gone, replaced by a crestfallen dullness and sadness. Orion looked absolutely shattered.

"Hey Ratch." He greeted weakly.

"Hey... come in." Ratchet opened the door all the way, more than surprised at his friend's mood. "Is... something wrong?"

The two sat down on the couch, after Ratchet fetched two energon cubes, before Orion began to explain.

"We were at the meeting, Megatronus was doing well, but... he suddenly got very violent with his words, began to say we needed to take over by force, and..." Orion trailed off.

"...Not the mech you thought he was?" Ratchet put a servo on his shoulder comfortingly, his optics round with sympathy.

"He... demanded to become the next Prime." The archivist continued quietly. "That's when I stepped in.. talked about how we didn't need to use war, and that we should do everything peacefully. All the high council agreed... then... Megatronus.. he got very angry with me and left... I-I didn't mean to ruin his speech and all, but the way he was going...." Orion sighed. "He won't talk to me now."

Ratchet moved in closer. "Well, if he's that violent, he's not worth it. It's not your fault. You were one of the many victims that fell for his act." The medic put an arm around Orion's torso, his spark aching.

"You... think so?" Orion's gaze met his.

"Mhm."

The archivist pulled Ratchet in with an arm around his waist, the light he was known for slowly returning to his optics. "You make me feel so much better... Princess."

"And I'm glad, faithful servant." Ratchet smiled, snuggling up to him. "I hate seeing you upset."

Orion pulled away a little to kiss him, his own spark melting into affection. One of Ratchet's servos drifted up to cup the archivist's cheek, yearning for Orion's touch. Ratchet pulled away for a second, blushing like mad, his spark pounding in his sparkchamber.

"Orion..." His voice was a quiet whisper, "I-I love you..."

Orion smiled, and pulled the medic closer. "I love you too Ratch." He brought their lips to touch with a fierce passion, trailing Ratchet's sides with both servos, his spark speeding up. The medic's engines hummed with pleasure as Orion deepened the kiss, feeling his spark pulling towards the archivist.

"Ratchet..." Orion whispered, wearing a soft expression. Their gazes met as he whispered, "bond with me?"

The medic's spark skipped a beat. Orion just asked him to sparkbond- create an unbreakable bond that makes them mates. Ratchet was beyond nervous, but at the same time, he wanted Orion... Slowly, he nodded, not trusting his vocalizer to use the words he wished to use. The archivist smiled, and opened his chestplates, as Ratchet did a little reluctantly. Very slowly and gently, Orion reached for a tendril in the medic's spark, and connected it with one of his, then a light began to form between them, glowing brighter and brighter, as their sparks bonded together. Almost at once Ratchet could feel Orion's emotions, affection, care, and a hint of sadness remaining from what happened before, and it felt so... right.

Finally Orion disconnected the two tendrils and closed his chestplates, beaming at Ratchet, who closed his own chestplates, and blushed.

"Well, my fair Princess," Orion smirked playfully, "it seems that we are now mates for life."