Flicking on the lights to his quarters, Teal came to a sudden stop. It was a rare sight to see this particular alternate of himself somewhere that wasn't his underground hideout. As disturbing a sight as it was to see him hole himself up in a cave, it was even more disturbing for Teal to find him unexpectedly curled up on his berth.
Back facing him, the red mech seemed to pull tighter into himself, tensing, vents becoming shorter, panicked.
The teal medic quickly complied and the room went dark but for the faint glow of the lit cubes. After a moment of adjusting, Teal could make out the other Knockout. Watched as slowly the frame relaxed, vents settling. Yet the mech remained on his berth.
Slowly, so as not to alarm, he approached the berth and sat down beside the huddled form. Reaching out, he ran a soothing servo over the mech's shoulder and down his back. And with that, the red Knockout suddenly uncurled. Arms wrapping around Teal's waist, pulling the medic further onto the berth as the red frame shifted. Teal found himself laying half across the berth with Knockout's arms around his waist, his face practically buried in Teal's abdomen and the upper part of the red frame occupying his lap. He didn't for a moment protest or correct their positions but simply reached out to stroke a servo down the other's back.
"Couldn't stay there tonight." The broken mech let out a shaky sigh. "I kept hearing voices." He whispered. "They sounded like me but I wasn't speaking. Couldn't stay there or I might have gone back. You smile. I thought if I recharged here I could take some of that back with me. I think it's working...the darkness doesn't feel sharp here."
It didn't make any sense to Teal but coming from a mind so shattered and broken, he didn't expect it to. He simply nodded. "Ok." And wound an arm around red shoulders, his other servo continuing to rub soothingly up and down the red mech's back.
