Towa being super jealous of a baby Peekaboo and saying he is the only one for Haru and crying about him in the cave and fearing he might not be Haru's No. 1 anymore and Zenji just....
I wholeheartedly believe there should be more deep, close, and platonic friendships on screen without it being romantic. Men and women should get to be friends without it having to be ‘oh is this your girlfriend?’ And I think men should get to have a best friend they can love without it being gay.
HOWEVER
You simply cannot say “in all timelines, in all possibilities, only you can show me this.” “You were never broken, Viktor. There is beauty in imperfections. They made you who you are.” And “I thought I wanted to bring magic into the world. Now, all I want, is my partner back.” While touching foreheads and ascending into the very existence of space and time together. You simply cannot do this and still say “we’re just friends.”
The steady sounds of the diplomat's vent systems were making the room seem a little less empty, as well as obviously helping him beat the processor's slight overheating. Thinking was indeed harder right now.
As he turned his head towards the ceiling, something in his neck clicked uncomfortably – the noise was loud enough to faintly echo through the room.
Or Around 2500 words, of what stupidity can do when others aren't looking hard enough.
Reflect is my creation and Scowl belongs to @lichelicho. Hope i got the character right.
The whole thing under the cut ⬇️
The morning was rolling in so slowly, that Reflect began regretting his decision of not resuming to recharge before sunrise.
His optics were glitching a bit, as his tired systems probably tried to fight off the remaining traces of high grade. 'Goin' to have to remind myself not to drink at midnight again, ...eugh'
Looking through the apartment's biggest window, he was watching the city literally shine, with the morning sun rising lazily above the horizon, making the infrastructure cast long shadows on the streets – at the same time adding warmth to the cold coloured buildings.
The view was worth it, though, it still frelling hurt to look at. 'Does Scowl really not have blinds on his windows? Absolute weirdo.'
--
Thinking was the tougher bit. He was still kind of drowsy, an unidentifiable unpleasant feeling was slowly creeping in, with an equally unpleasant, but faster approaching dizziness.
Trying not to remind himself of being considerably drunk yesterday, Reflect speculated his state to probably just be his gyroscope problems acting up again, messing with his systems and prolonging his hangover, or whatever else was happening. He was still too tired, and quite frankly, he didn't care enough to think about it further.
It was nothing he couldn't deal with.
At least that's what he thought.
--
The steady sounds of his vent systems were making the room seem a little less empty, as well as obviously helping him beat the processor's slight overheating. Thinking was indeed harder right now.
As he turned his head towards the ceiling, something in his neck clicked uncomfortably – the noise was loud enough to faintly echo through the room.
--
Scowl instinctively powered-on his optics at the loud sound, but took his time to fully wake up, relaxing gradually as he recognised his surroundings.
"Reflect?" the medic finally looked in his direction and made a puzzled face.
"Scowl," the mech beside him began as soon as the opportinuty arised. "you're stupid."
"Wha- what?"
"You, 're an idiot-" his voice glitched slightly, while calmly revealing his recent revelation "and a moron. At best."
Scowl was – rightfully so in this moment – dumbfounded. "What? Why? What is happening right now?"
"Fragging stupid, you knw?" – he continued, visibly less composed than before – "Bringing home a politica- .. politician?, a diplomat, up to his audials in politics? Frell, mech. 'S like askin' a roomfull of people to make up piles of gossip about you. And i'm not, a politician. I am a diplomat. That's not better though."
Optics narrowing, scanning Reflect, Scowl could only muster one sentence. "Are you still drunk or do you have brain damage."
"Frag OFF you glitch i'm not damaged."
"Mhm, sure... Both options it is then." He expected the diplomat to talk back, but Reflect just made a face at that remark, his vents working even louder, without actually adding anything to counter the argument.
--
The annoyed mech stared at Scowl. His optics momentarily flickered and a faint electric snap sounded somewhere near, but the glare continued regardless.
His processor was trying to manage his thoughts all at once, working harder than it usually would. 'Why are the lights so bright??, why is the room still spinning? is it my gyro again or something else? oh no its spinning harder. Should it be over by now? Am i really still drunk? Scowl you are so kickable right now, why can't i kick you. Oh. OH Wait wait why can't i kick you??'
The stare began turning into slight panic at the realisation he can't really move his legs, when Scowl raised his hand.
He steadied his arm, – still remembering the snapping sound that woke him up – and in a gentle move turned Reflect's head to see his neck better.
Surely enough, "Why- Hhhh..." he sighed deeply at the look of a jagged cut across the side of Reflect's neck. "So it is brain damage. How did you even get that? And how did i not notice it?"
"what?" The wounded mech had to steady himself mentally for a longer while to comprehend what's happening as his processor managed some minor tasks, but finally succeeded. "Ah, the fragger from Praxus."
"Who?"
"The- what what was his name- the..? Well the politics guy. Didn't like 'im from the beginning" – Reflect suddenly gained focus at the opportunity to trash-talk someone from work – "how irritating he was, a complete idiot. And so rude. He wanted the bad dudes- the um- dealers! He wanted the dealers and smugglers to control the borders of his city under his command, control, whatever, - so he could smuggle energon along with any higher quality tools and, and other stuff, and sell 'em on the black market for tripple the price, or some frell. I don't know, mech was shady as the pit even 'fore i got the intel"
"Mhm..really..?" The medic was already assessing severity of the damage.
The cut on Reflect's neck wasn't necessarily deadly, but it was too deep to be a minor wound. Some circuits gave out sparks as Reflect talked, and a few energon tubes were leaking into the other mechanisms inside, only making things worse. 'Internal bleeding... wonderfull...' add that to the growing list of today's inconviniences.
Though the extremely fortunate thing was, that the energon tubes were, at most, just badly scraped, scratched or otherwise damaged, and not completely severed. If that were the case, Reflect would have bled out by now, or at least a lot quicker. 'Can you not die every time you have a delegation anywhere???'
"Yes, really. Very much shady. And so i said to him- i said that 'excuse me your city is on the verge of bankrum- ban-... *bankruptcy*, and you have all the money needed to help. So what the frag is so much more imortant, that you need to hoard all that for?? Even getting drunk on high grade won't save your bad as frell decisions' ..." – he stopped himself for a moment or two to think, before clarifying – " -well i din't say that exactly but close 'nough."
Scowl was getting more irritated and resigned by the minute. 'Why me.' he asked the world, in his head.
"And then the shady, fragging politician smuggler told me, 'ooooh so so smart, what if i unmake that', or somethin' like that, an' he just got a blade from frag-knows-where and just- just stabbed me??"
"Oh."
"Yesss. 'Oh'. That stuff hurts. OH Wait, it does. Ow, get your habds off" Reflect pushed Scowl's hand away. The wound let out a few more sparks at the thrashing, and the diplomat's optics flickered once more, this time he actually felt it.
"Oww. And also. Don't stab me. Ever. Or i'll curse you."
"What the frag are you even talking about right now?"
"I'll think of somethin'. That mech has it coming. Stabbin' people f'r being right. Stupid bacteria of a mech. Almost got me again after the first cut. Had to use some of my contacts to get out an' deal with 'im. Ugh.. And did you know? T's not even over. The slug has stuff he can use. An' i need to think of legal stuff to get him."
'Primus, Primus why. Please either end me or end him faster, why do i have to suffer.' Scowl sighed so deeply, that for a moment his vents became almost as loud as Reflect's. He did care for him, but he cared about his personal peace just a smidge more at the moment – because it was too early for this, and he was too tired. Though it didn't matter in any way as right now both points ended in the same course of action.
"Alright, i need you to stand or sit up. Whichever you prefer works for me." Scowl composed himself and officially began his medic work. Off the clock. On his day off. The shiny politician will have to pay him, and mainly because the idiot is just so incredibly annoying and always getting into surprisingly stupid and reckless situations. Possibly by simply existing, as Scowl began suspecting a long time ago.
--
As he couldn't really feel his legs anymore, Reflect was sat at the edge of the berth, holding on to it for dear life, giving Scowl place to sit in the middle, and work on Reflect's neck wound from behind.
The medic wasn't too comfortable, being between the other mech's wings, but at least he didn't have to look at his face. Small victories and all that.
--
The relaxation he usualy found in working, finally started translating to this particular predicament.
Both relax and getting laser-focused, did wonders at making sure the moron sitting in front of him didn't hurt himself if he flinched too hard, in the – however unlikely – event of Scowl doing something wrong. – or right. Moves that help, could still hurt.
It was kind of annoying, yes, but the effects of a mishap like that would potentialy be even worse. There's too many important components in the processor's nearest area, that do not do well with sharp tools and sudden movements.
"You're one lucky son of a glitch that i take my tools home with me."
"Ye', i know. Workaholic stuff."
Scowl momentarily stopped his work, lifted his arms, and kicked Reflect, at which the patient instinctively used one of his wings to full-body slap the mech behind him.
The test of motor skills could now be considered partially checked out as fine, and so the work continued.
--
Scowl was trying to replace some small wires that got increasingly more tangled up the more Reflect moved his head, since the moment of getting stabbed. It wasn't a major problem as much as it was a – simply put – pain in the aft, although after fixing it, he'd have more room to focus on more trivial components.
The diplomat finally stopped talking. Or at least trying to.
His processor was still overworking by multitasking. Staying calm, sitting still instead of swaying with the dizzyness, trying to recall any interesting memories, and possibly thinking of revenge was very likely making him see more errors than things he'd actually want to talk about.
At this point, Reflect was beginning to get back the feeling in his legs again, so he started swinging them a little in triumph.
'Small victories, or somethin'. '
--
When Scowl finally fixed the tangled up wires, other repairs were fairly simple to reach and perform.
Him being a 'workaholic' and actively being very good at his job, – 'the best' if you ask the right people – did some wonders, just like taking a few things from the medbay kit stashes. – To be fair, no one seemed to use the things at the time. – Some insulation, some coaxian cables, conductors, medical grade fixing meshes, different types of wires and rods. A good collection, mentally labeled 'just in case'.
And the 'just in case' finally happened.
"They'll still gossip y'know?" Reflect said it like it mattered, effectively ripping Scowl out of his thoughts.
His own thoughts – and system errors – were beginning to slowly clear up again, but weren't done quite yet. "Fallshut will definitely talk."
"Oh nooo what will i dooo, horrible, truly." Scowl decided to entertain his patient.
And actually thinking about it, keeping him talking meant Scowl could catch more damage, which he might have not detected until now.
"Hey, 'm being logical here, you like logic."
"Yes, of course, very much. Stone cold facts, documentation, research and information. You know me so well."
"If you're makin' fun of me you're going to get wing-slapped again." As the threat rolled out of the diplomat's voicebox, some sparks shined out with faint light, which indeed helped the medic locate their source to – soon enough – replace the malfunctioning pieces of hardware.
"I'm not making fun of you. I'm stating facts." Starting to find this little conversation amusing, he still mostly focused on the repairs.
"I don't believe you but i'll keep th's in mind."
--
Reflect seemed to steadily begin feeling better, or at least less terrible than before, as he was once again blabbering about some politicians and what surprisingly selfish or idiotic decisions they wanted to make when the diplomat was accompanying them on delegations.
Scowl couldn't help thinking 'Is nobody in politics normal??? That should actually be studied and actively be taken care of, because what the actual frag. Don't they have to be competent as a literal definition of their profession??'
----------------
However long the repairs took, it was enough for the sun to settle comfortably above the horizon. The city was now reflecting it's own colours like a caleidoscope, the metal shining as people with different paintjobs passed by the buildings making sunlight glisten off their plating.
--
"You're still paying me though." The off-the-clock medic refused to let his morning be wasted for nothing but some trash-talk about different politicians, that he didn't even care about before, and definitely won't start now. "At least seven bottles of that high grade that you brought here yesterday." It was good. And expensive, so it seemed fair, at least for Scowl.
"Sure."
"And if you d- ... what?"
"Deal. That brand is good, and i still have some bottles at home, so, sure. Weird number, as people usualy would ask for one to three bottles, but i respect that."
Scowl finally felt some hint of satisfaction, however much it mixed with returning irritation. If a part of his sanity had left him, soon he'd finally have some good alcohol to restore it. Not too healthy, but healthier than whatever mindset you need to have to start in politics, as it turns out.
"Alright, now to summarise. I fixed most of your shady dealer's handywork, but you need to go to a medic who is getting paid right now, because, for one - its a temporary fix with an incomplete set of tools, two - they are getting paid, so they will care more, and three - i need to finish whatever's left in that bottle from yesterday, before i strangle you to death."
"Okay." Seemed reasonable enough. "Thanks Scowl."
"Yes, yes. Now get out." he made a shooing gesture, and surprisingly, for the first time in a long while, Reflect did what he was told.
He put his hands up and nodded, then tested the feeling in his legs. Upon seeing that everything more or less worked like it should, he got up and left with a gratefull smile.
--
--
The promised high grade delivery reached Scowl in time for him not to combust mentally from the ever growing hate to politics – and some politicians in particular.
Reflect went to a different, clocked-in medic, and got the more permanent medical care he needed.
--
They met again a while later, during working hours at the government facility.
The day was going by fast. Lots of obligations, various errands and meetings to attend, but the schedules left a small gap in the middle, for the two masters of sass to meet.
"Shiny! Welcome back."
"Scowl...?" Reflect greeted his medic, who seemed unusualy cheerfull for his character, probably plotting something.
"I know that unfortunately i wasn't available earlier, but this surely gave you some time." – Scowl started with a steadily growing smirk. "Did you manage to somehow curse the 'bacteria of a mech' or did he cause you too much trouble to bother?"
"OH FOR PRIMA'S SAKE-" he was already tired by his duties that day, and 'the bacteria of a mech' attended a few meetings. He had to strangle his processor not to scream at the minor, but unnecessarily troublesome praxian politician.
"Ah, glad to see my repairs did not impair your memory." The smirk was now a full on satisfied grin.
Fortunately Reflect also had something prepared, and to additionally mock the medic, he used his formal voice. "Well. I am inclined to believe you had a time well spent with your newly acquired high grade collection. Though i am sorry i couldn't provide the best possible quality, because i know that the goods which are not paid for, lfor example, your previous alcoholic beverage assemblage, tend to taste better."
Scowl, *scowled* at Reflect, who got his turn to grin back. He then proceeded to just kick the diplomat, who immediately reciprocated, and they went back to their scheduled work as usual.
