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[tenthtimeisthecharm]

There is a brief pause filled with audible clicks and thuds, followed by the slightly echoey acoustics that come from someone recording audio in a large room. "Hello hello! You've reached Dr. Velocity! Feel free to leave a message or a video or whatever here, and I'll do my very best to respond promptly! And if it this is about the stickers, Ratchet, I didn't do it! Love and love and love!"

text | voice | video | action

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[areaman]

[you know. megatron is usually unconscious for his time in the medibay, but not now. what happened wasn't enough to put him out long and all he can do is wait around for his leg to get glued back on. he's so bored.]

I got blown up yesterday, I can't say I enjoyed it, as I haven't enjoyed any other time.
Have delivered Matrix to rightful owner.
How long does it take to put a leg back on, by your professional estimation? This is taking too long I feel.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity is currently exploring a ship she'd never had the time or allowed herself the inclination to before, when her datapad lights up. She is still wearing the light, worried version of her usual smile she often does these days, but it almost immediately freezes on her face]

What? What do you

WHAT????? You got blownu p? Megatron don't try to get up I'll be right th

[Velocity goes so far as to transform into her vehicle mode and CAREEN down the halls towards the nedibay, which she hasn't approached once since the cruise ship. As soon as she arrives she transforms back and almost hurls herself at him to throw her arms around him, clinging to him for several seconds before breathlessly pulling back]

Are you okay? What happened, why, what's- you have to be careful! [She almost sounds scolding again, but she's sniffing immediately] People worry about you, you know!

[areaman]

[he hadn't expected her to appear as she does-- a little slower on the pain meds. megatron is currently struggling to get out a proper text reply when suddenly she's right on top of him and he wheezes, because even if he hadn't needed a lot of welds, they're still raw, thank you! he wasn't joking, either, his entire right leg is gone from just below the waist. ouch.

megatron's too bewildered to posture, so he awkwardly half-hugs her back, patting her like he's torn between being decently affectionate or just shoving her off across the room.]

I was being careful, I didn't start it! [he's grouchy, as usual, but there's something in his tone that makes it clear he's actually... kind of happy she's here. maybe he's in a good mood because of the painkillers.] It would take far more than a couple of grenades to kill me, didn't you see how hard Writhe hit me those few times?

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Another sniff, or okay maybe two and the second one was a much bigger one, and she nods with a wobbly smile]

I know! I know you did. You are good at getting clocked in the face. [A laugh, one that feels surprisingly genuine in her relief that he's kinda maybe okay or will be, and she covers her mouth at a snorting giggle] I just-

I just want you to be safe, and comfortable, and happy. And you got blown up instead!

[areaman]

I was that, for a little bit. [he grumbles irritably.] Now that Optimus is...

[he trails off and awkwardly pulls himself up into a more sitting position so they can talk properly without him being horizontal.]

It's fine, I was never actually tried for any of my crimes so I'd be a bit pathetic for complaining of being slightly bombed for them. Why weren't you in? I almost missed your babble.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Vekocity is deeply intrigued by this mention of Optimus because she's been under the distinct impression that Megatron's Optimus was no longer aboard. Before she can ask though, he is sitting up and she rushes forward to stabilize him in case he tilts with practiced, steady hands]

Whoa! [She says in an undertone before pitching it louder] Steady! Go slowly. Don't want to wreck yourself into ruining what good work the others are doing, okay?

[She then pulls back and shuffles and grips one of her arms tightly with the other hand] I, um. I quit. Soon as we were within range of giving or receiving messages, I sent several out to the other medics, updating them on my case files and uh. Letting them know.

[areaman]

[megatron leans back with a tired, slightly over dramatic groan, about to complain and moan and groan and whine the way he does when he's in a particularly cantankerous old man mood, but velocity is spared. it dies in its tracks as what she says slowly registers in his brain.]

Oh. Why?

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[She averted her face to the side so she wouldn't have to see his face, everything about her clearly screaming that she was ashamed]

Every time I try to do something, anything, since arriving it has gone very badly for me, including almost killing people twice when my mind wasn't... wasn't my own. And I already fear that I will start-

[A brief pause to blink away cleanser from her eyes, and scrubbed a hand across them impatient]

I didn't want my patients to be one of those things I mess up.

[areaman]

[he pokes her, harder than he intends to but not hard enough to dent.]

You scooped my internals back in like the best of any other medic and you hacked that ship website quite easily. I don't know about you but I... [he stops suddenly, optic a little wide as he realises what he was going to unashamedly admit with his filters a little down from painkillers. he doesn't stop it, but it's a little more mumbled:] enjoyed... our time on the cruise.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity could only stare at him. The hand clutching her own arm gradually eases its sharp grip and she offers him a wobbly smile back]

You did? Really? I- [Another sniff, and leaning against his slab, gently, so as not to bump up against him] When we weren't running and screaming, it- you made it nice. I liked being able to spend time with you. You're a good friend, even if you don't believe it.

[areaman]

[he leans back again, tired already. he's really gotta stop getting exploded. megatron grumbles over-dramatically at what she says about him being a good friend, because he predictably disagrees.]

I was going to try and talk you into stapling my leg on quicker.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

It's not stapling...

[She says this almost absently, albeit with a lot of fondness, and peers at his leg. She makes a Noise upon this inspection, and her smile grows pained as she glances up at him]

Well! Um! You certainly managed to do some damage here! I think it will take a chunk of time for anyone to see to, honestly, though! I would be happy to do what I could myself, but um. I did officially quit, kind of, so I don't think that would something I'm actually allowed to do?

[areaman]

Shockwave would do it quickly. [he mutters, briefly extremely disturbed to find he misses the mech for a moment. horrifying. but! he also knows better than to start shittalking the medics just because they're not being quick enough. that is a very bad idea and not reflective of how he actually feels.] No, do not do anything. I've been arrested here multiple times and the brig is no fun at all. What are you planning to do with your time, now? I'm sure Optimus would be delighted to have you in the library. Maintinence? There is not much to do on this ship, now I'm thinking about it.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity pauses with a finger upraised, halfway between responding to two different thoughts, before going with the latter rather than comment about the capability of a mech she didn't know]

I honestly hadn't really gotten that far, I've been sort of maybe hiding?

[No sort of about it, she'd been crammed into her room except for when she forced herself out of it to at least make attempts at normalcy. The last few tries had been better, anyway. Maybe getting over mind controlled twice would be a slow process... That didn't sound very good at all, and she winced]

Do you think... maybe the library? I know I have difficulty with a lot of things, but I do enjoy learning and being helpful.

[areaman]

Yes. If nothing else, you can help me with fixing the datapads and coding the accessibility programs. [he makes a face, when he realises he's basically just invited her to spend a whole lot of time with him.] Or on your own. Whatever. I don't care.

[he pulls himself upright again and shutters his optic tiredly.]

I apologise for calling you out and wasting your time.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[She kicked a foot lightly at the floor at being apologized to. That wasn't a feeling she was really used to, and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. After a brief consideration, however, she reached out and took his hand]

Thank you. For saying so. But I- [Another pause and a strange expression] It's not your fault. I decided it on my own. And you didn't know that I had, either, so... [A rush of an exhaled vent, and a smile] So I'd like to. Work in the library with you. As long as you don't think I'm... Um. You know.

[areaman]

Oh, Lottie, [he says with the drawl of someone very high and unusually honest on painkillers.] you know I won't.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity started to respond several times, but each time she did she could only stammer her way back into silence. Each time she did she got closer and closer to weeping, until she finally bent over and pressed her head against his hand and burst out into sobs that she still, always, muffled between lips pressed together so tightly they became a thin line]

[areaman]

[he is more than a little shocked at the reaction, because people don't usually react like this around him, not unless it was during the war and they were begging for their life.

megatron awkwardly pats her head, where the big fin like protrusion is on her helm, not really know what to say, what he said or what's going on. weird! these painkillers are bomb though.]