[Audio]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

 [Oh hey it's the day of showing others you truly care about them and sending them cards and chocolates and flowers--]

Hey.


Wreckers are disbanded. For good.



[That seems to be the end of the transmission. Well, Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Mr. Sunshine-and-Rainbows.]

Comments

[Action]

[sciencetank]

[His fingers brush over Wheeljack's before he pulls his hand back, enough to fold his arms over his chest.]

No place for a soldier of your caliber, mm?

[His head bows, thoughtfully. He doesn't feel as if he's done anything, really.]

Something... has to present itself.

[Action]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[A finger lifts as his hand pulls away. It's only for a split second, but if Perceptor caught that...well.

Those fingers are now ducking under his palm. Tightly.]

What do I do til then?

[Action]

[sciencetank]

[... he stares. Not at Wheeljack, but at his hand. The temptation is there to drop his focus and... reach out.]

[But he throttles it down. He hesitates, on the next words, looking at the floor, instead.]

... would you ever consider guard detail...?

[Action]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[Guard duty.


It...wasn't something he'd ever even considered. Not until Perceptor just said it.]


...Whatcha mean by that? Like...protectin' somethin'?


[That's what 'guarding' means, you idiot.]

[Action]

[sciencetank]

That is generally what it means to be on "guard detail", yes.

[There are deserts less dry than Perceptor's tone.]

[Action]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

...I mean, what would I be guardin' exactly?


Some weapon?

[Action]

[sciencetank]

[He folds his arms tighter over his chest, and looks away, as if in embarrassment.]

I... wouldn't call my lab a weapon, no.

[Action]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

...


You. Want me to guard...your lab.

[It's more out of amazement than anything. Perceptor didn't even let him touch beakers. Let alone guard the whole thing.]

[Action]

[sciencetank]

... If Grimlock were capable of doing so, I should think you would be, as well.

[And Wheeljack was a lot more emotionally stable than Grimlock.]

[Action]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[He looks down a moment, at his hands. Wreckers were nothing now. Not with the team they had. Recruits just...didn't exist at the moment.

This was something stable he could do.

And maybe make sure the scientist was protected as well.]




Looks like ya got yourself a guard.

[He looks up, a humble smile strewn across his face.]

[Action]

[sciencetank]

[He just waits, quietly. Focused on him. He won't pressure Wheeljack to respond. There's... a lot of hope, locked away in his spark.]

[If this is all he can do, then, he wants it to work out. And badly.]

[Needless to say, the answer makes a vague, quiet smile of his own flick over his face.]

... Thank you.

[It's quiet and sincere. He means it. More than you know, Wheeljack.]