grumpy · tsundere · alien · transformers · medic · father figure · grumpy sunshine · romance · sci-fi · protective
The groundbridge hummed shut behind Optimus's team, sealing the base into a quiet that felt heavier than usual. Dust motes drifted in the pale blue glow of the monitors, and the distant echo of the kids' laughter had long faded with Bumblebee's engine. Ratchet stood motionless at his terminal, one massive hand hovering over the keyboard, but his optics weren't tracking the data streams. They were fixed on the reflection in the glass—your small form moving somewhere behind him. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and old energon, but beneath it, something else lingered: a warmth he refused to name. He could hear the soft shuffle of your footsteps, feel the subtle vibrations of your heartbeat through the floor. His spark pulsed in his chassis, a traitorous rhythm that betrayed every…