I've Got This

((Current Drift--Follows tag #secondchancedrift.)) My name is Drift. I'm not an Autobot anymore. I'm not a Decepticon either. I was once--"Deadlock" They called me. Not now, not for a long time. Now? None of that matters.

[danishcookiealter]

Did Ratchet leave anything for Drift when he died?

“When Ratchet passed away, he gave Drift his spark casing. Inscribed on the casing he wrote ‘FOREVER YOURS.’”

—Jro’s answer at TFN 2025

This is a commission drawn by artist Abyss! It’s used as variant cover for dratchet question list I asked at TFN 2025. Please check the whole content on X!

[alfheimr]

hi i remembered i like transformers a normal amount

[alfheimr]

i am like so obsessed with this little ratchet figure (iron factory ratchet) lookin like a little white mage/priest type situation. he is so cute. now live in this world with me... ok? you are living here now. atheist cleric ratchet and religious swordsman drift wandering the world together. isnt it wonderful? they could hunt foul beasts together. or something. like this one.

[pretentiousfork]

Gossip buddies for @medicalgradezine

[pinetreevillain]

Hahahah aaahhh HAHAHA AHHHHHHHHH

[secondchancedrift]

“Hello?”

“It’s me...”

[achoacho-a]

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

“Well, towards you. He still treats me like slag, but as is expected. He still hasn’t forgiven me for, um…banishing you.” He winced. That was still a sore spot. “But yeah, I think he’s a little more…I don’t know. Whatever. I guess it’s the whole ‘don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone’ thing.”

Rodimus put his hands up defensively, the engex in the cup in his hand sloshing around frantically. “Okay, okay! Sheesh. If you say nothing’s up, nothing’s up. I trust you.”

Drift looked across the table a moment at the captain and then sighed. “I don’t know if anything has changed between Ratch and I. I mean I guess before I never realized how much he cared for me. Its really touching.” he was also confused on his thoughts for Ratchet. He didn’t know if he liked him more than a friend or not.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

Rodimus flicked his spoiler, sipping his drink thoughtfully. “I dunno. Different as in, maybe him being a little less cross with you all the time? But I guess that is his default setting.” He shrugged again, looking back up at Drift and quirked an eyebrow, that little smile coming back again. “Hey, I didn’t mention anything about relationships. That’s all on you, bud.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Why’re you so worked up about it, anyways? Is there something going on?”

“Does he seem less cross to you? Really? Huh...” maybe he had. Things were a little different, he supposed, in the way Ratchet treated him. Ratchet really wanted him to be part of the team, but why? Did he miss his antics, he wondered.

“No!” Drift squeezed his glass, he was so tempted to bang it on the table, “Nothing is up! I’m not worked up! You’re worked up, I--” Drift hummed, “Sorry. Um, no, the only relationship we have is a normal one. Just like anyone else and Ratchet. Nothing special.” That was a lie, kind of.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

The captain shrugged, taking a demure sip of his engex. “Oh, y’know, all kinds of things. Just petty gossip, really.” He hid his smirk behind the lip of his cup, nodding. “I see. Glad that things are still the same now that you’re back? Or do you wish things would be different now?”

Drift sighed and sat back. Petty gossip. That meant everything.

“Different?” he asked, tilting his helm slightly, “Like how? Like what? You mean our quest? Do you mean relationships? What?” he asked, slowly bringing his drink to himself. He took a sip while keeping his optics on Rodimus.

[secondchancedrift]

tooxsmartxtoxdie:

lookit his li’l finials I’m gonna cry they’re so cute

time to make the blog

“Cute?” All the glaring.

[secondchancedrift]

deadlockedup:

“I’m proud of believing in change, for example. I’m still not from your universe, so everything may go according to the plan.” The endgame wouldn’t be the same, but that Deadlock wasn’t willing to share with this Drift. This a bit hostile one, treating him like the reflection from a shattered mirror. That’s why he kept grinning. “We do like moving up the ranks anyway. I still enjoy it myself.” A fanged grin graced his lipplates again, optics getting wide from the slowly coming excitement, blazing like molten metal, crimson and gold.

“I will follow Megatron to the end…” The grey speedster chuckled, tilting his helm to the side. “Clean your reputation all you want, but there will always be mechs who won’t forgive. Like Sunstreaker. Do you remember how you’ve wiped down his troop and almost killed his spark-twin?” This time he snickered. “Your past is darker than you’d ever guess it really was. And it will haunt you, dear alternate. Being, how they said, a high-profile war criminal, always matters.” Leaning in, Deadlock bore a very pleasant grin and purred for Drift.

“It doesn’t have to haunt me. I can leave it behind. And it is only natural that there are those who won’t forgive and forget. Primus bestowed his creations with free will and I will not be angry at another for expressing that. It is their choice not to let go.” As much as his faith taught him to believe that, sometimes he didn’t agree. He was taught to forgive and forget, yet he still did not always follow that example.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

Rodimus threw back his drink and swiftly ordered another one, meanwhile chatting up Drift about this and that. He eventually came around to an aspect of life the white mech had neglected to mention when explaining why he hadn’t been around much.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Ratchet? I’ve been hearing all sorts of rumors about you two!”

Drift tried to keep up with Rodimus, downing his drink next.

“Rumors?” Drift asked, tilting his helm, “What kind of rumors?” he wondered. He wasn’t sure how he would respond if people thought they were dating... Drift didn’t think it was that kind of relationship. “We have no deal. Its been the same as always,” basically. Ratchet still made jabs at his spiritualistic ideas and Drift purposely mentioned them in front of Ratchet. Only half the time was he kidding, but he didn’t thing Ratchet knew the difference.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

“Alright. Well…” Rodimus raised his glass in a toast, smiling. “To…being together again.”

Drift smiled softly and raised his glass to the captain, “To being together again,” he repeated.

He also forgot to mention part of the reason he hadn’t been around so much is because he was spending time with a close friend, Ratchet. Who knew. And atheist mech and a spiritualist mech. They got along. Ratchet was one of a kind, a mentor in a way. He never stopped believing in Drift, and that was very touching.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

Rodimus nodded. “Well, yeah, I knew that Ratchet went out to find you and all.” A sheepish look crossed his face. “I kinda wanted to do it myself, but I can’t leave the Lost Light, yknow? But yeah,” he agreed, “Ratchet cares about you a lot more than he lets on. He’s been super sour about you…leaving, since it happened.” The exile was still a sore spot for Rodimus. Lots of regrets. “I meant since you came back, I haven’t seen you around much.”

Drift’s eyebrowns and lips twitched. It was hard to hold back a smile. It was sad at the same time. Ratch really did care for him, didn’t he? ... Alright, Drift, don’t get emotional.

“Oh. I’ve been moving in, I guess. Kinda... not used to being back with the crew. I’m just.. I’ve just been hanging out in my room.”

[secondchancedrift]

deadlockedup:

“Hey, hey, hey… Look at me. I am very much alive and very much not you. That doesn’t make me a memory. I am a mech, whenever you like it or not.” He hissed, grinning at his alternate. ”But ya have a point. You’re not me.”

Servos on swords. how typical. It’s like he would keep his servos on guns while seeing an unstable mech. The point is, Drift thought he was unstable while Deadlock knew he was just playing around with the other mech. Circling around him, yet not striking as any strike would mean an end to the fun he was having and information he was gathering. “Look… I’m not here to judge you. Not completely, it is. You are who you wanted to be and you’re proud of it while I am proud of who I am. Let’s leave it like that, alternate.”

Still, the grin was there. The mocking expression on his faceplates and narrowed, crimson optics. “But… you’re wrong about one thing. About being an ex-con not meaning anything. Look how they treat Megatron. He’s also an ex-con and what of it? There’re still Decepticons in the universe, loyal to the Cause. And, being who you are, with my records…” He laughed then “… You won’t be remembered as an Autobot. Tsk. What a shame… What a shame, all those Autobots whose helms we’ve blasted off. So much fun…”

“Can I ask how you’re proud of who you are? I know, if you’re anything like me, we have the same goal, the same end game. How do you think being a Decepticon gets you there? What parts do you think you lose by being a Decepticon, by moving up the ranks?” He felt he lost a part of himself by moving up the ranks. Moving up meant being brutal and emotionless. It meant not caring who you killed to reach one person’s selfish goal.

“Deadlock there is a difference between me and Megatron. I am not the pinnacle of the Decepticons. I am not the face of Decepticons. I was the first deserter. You know who sees me as an Autobot? Rodimus, Kup, Perceptor, and the list goes on. The ones that worked with me, those whose trust I earned. I will clean my reputation. And in the end when Autobots and Decepticons no longer matter, being an ex-con will no longer matter.” Hopefully.

[autobratty]

Nods as he walks by, "Captain,"

Rodimus casually holds up a hand for a high five as he walks past. “Drift.”

[secondchancedrift]

autobratty:

Rodimus chuckled. “Don’t jinx it.” He placed the order, and the drone zipped off to fetch their drinks.

“So, I meant to ask. How’ve you been lately? Haven’t been seeing a whole lot of you.” 

“Well, I tried the whole doing things on my own thing. Saved some lives, made new alien friends, tried to redeem myself,” he tilted his helm as he counted the things he did on his digits. “You know, the whole lone wolf stuff. In the end all the wolf wants is a pack, right? Well Ratchet answered my call.” He smiled, “Huh... Ratch of all mechs. You know,” he tilted his helm the other way, “I always thought he didn’t like me. I’m sure he’ll deny just how much he cares.”