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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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[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[That got a sniffly sort of laugh, buried into her pillows, before she turned to open up the link and set it to be read aloud to her. Right away, it tugged out a smile. She rolled around in bed while her datapad read it out to her, optics offline while she tried to imagine what neon grass would be like. Afterwards, she went back to her messages and texted Ratchet back]

Oh! Oh, I liked that! 🥰🏎️🥰

[botopsy]

I'm catching up on my reading!

[he forwards another few articles of varying topics-- it seems like he's subscribed to an eclectic bunch from the colours of grass to the migration habits of a species of dolphins that live on a moon in in a solar system halfway across the galaxy. probably not a surprise, given that pretty much anyone who has internet access eventually accrues similar collections.

it's not just because of the situation. he would've shared these with her regardless. that's what he tells himself.]

Want to try again tomorrow or give it a few days?

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity dutifully has each of the articles read out loud to her by her datapad before she responds, which may admittedly have a bit to do with feeling guilty again...]

Maybe tomorrow? Or, um...

[Velocity has dictated that, frowns, and deletes it before sending, then carefully types something else by hand]

Let's say the day after tomorrow. Maybe around lunch? ...And you're still resting, right? Promise?

[botopsy]

I am. This isn't my first rodeo! I'd rather not make things worse for myself.

[he opts not to mention the migraines he'll be stuck with until the finer parts of his brain repair themselves, but considering the shot, being functional at all is extremely lucky. he could most certainly be much worse off. ratchet figures he was due a short break from thinking, anyway.]

I'll be there.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Two days later, Velocity is sitting at a booth at Mac's (or Mik's) at exsctly 11am, knees drawn up to her chest as she fiddles with her datapad. She was amped up with nerves about everything to do with this. Everything from leaving her room to Ratchet absolutely being able to tell she wasn't doing well just by looking at her to just... seeing Ratchet]

[She pressed her nasal ridge further into her knees with a mutter and nudged her datapad further away from herself, then pulled it closer again just on the off chance Ratchet messaged]

[botopsy]

[ratchet's the one that's slightly late this time, bopping in a couple minutes after 11 and catching her quickly. he can, indeed, see that she isn't doing well at all, and it makes his medic instincts go itchy, but he knows better than to immediately dive on her about it. he grabs himself his usual order and her usual order as well as some snacks at the counter regardless, because he also would like some nice snacks!]

Oof! [he wheezes slightly as he slips into the booth, the back of the seat rubbing against the tender metal on his back slightly. ratchet desperately wants to see what state her legs are in, where she went into the lava, but cannot ask or look without knowingly upsetting her. also, he's not on duty for a while. maybe he should go and slam his face into the wall out back a few times?] Ah-- hello! Did you read that thing about the dolphins? The pictures were so weird!

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity very deliberately doesn't look up when Ratchet arrives or when he sits down so she won't have to see his face, but she still winces when he makes a pained noise at sitting down]

[On her own end, her legs and hips and portions of her hands were indeed sore still from the healing she'd received from Quintessa for the damage received from the lava, let alone the poisoning that still made her nerves jangle when we was unexpectedly touched, but visibly at least, those were all healed. She could get about perfectly fine, when she chose to move that was. It was everything else, the memory of being in and causing pain, of almost dying and almost killing, that makes her fuel tank turn over in her chest at the sight of her usual order and his. She turned away, looking at his chin instead of into his eyes]

[She nodded when he brought up the dolphins, eager to sink back into familiar, comforting patterns] Hi! Hi! I did, and it was so interesting, I kept having my datapad reread that part about their mutualistic relationship with the algae and bacteria in their ocean so that they became luminescent! It was just! So wonderful!

[She casts about for something else to say, and lands on] Did you like the e-card I sent you? I wrote it in my room and scanned it in. So um. My real handwriting is there, for once.

[botopsy]

[he sticks to his guns, even if his own natural anxiety spikes through all his medical training. can't get rid of that so easily! ratchet grips his own cube and rests his free hand on the table.]

Bioluminescence is always beautiful. Lot of the plants on Cybertron are like that now they've regrown! Still pretty easy to get lost in the Carburisia forest, though, even with all the lights.

[ah-- the e-card. he smiles a little when it's brought up. it'd been a nice gesture.]

Yeah. Sorry I didn't get back to you immediately about it... but I did really like it. I've got it saved on my comm. Cards seem to be a lost art form.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity reaches out and twists her hands around the cube she'd ordered earlier just to have something to do with her hands. When she talks, it's muffled and pressed into her updrawn knees]

Cybetron really looks that beautiful when it's restored? That must feel so wonderful, so so good. Especially after, well... everything. [She's trying to pull up her usual enthusiasm for sharing fun things with Ratchet, but she's still sore and anxious and ashamed and and and]

[She bites her lip, starts to lift her untouched cube, then puts it down again]

I like cards, and things that you put together yourself. It was harder this time since I wasn't dictating it, but I wanted you to feel like I was really trying, because- Because you ought to know that. That you matter.

[botopsy]

I'm sure Caminus could give it a run for its money. Windblade always had a lot to say about it, especially when she was feelin' homesick.

[he's happy to let that drop, seeing how she's struggling. sometimes the small talk doesn't help all that much, and he doesn't want her to feel like they're skirting around things forever or that things have to be awkward now.]

I know you were... I know you always do. [he says this with a smile, but it's a little uncertain.] Vicarious Velocity.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity gave a start at his use of her nickname style, and a genuine if small smile peeked out. She reached out and placed her hand over his and gave it a squeeze]

Thank you. For that, and for being here even when I was- I think I... [She draws in a shuddering vent, and lets it out] I think I just needed to see you. You've been such a warm and steadying presence here no matter what, and I want to give that back. I know this can't exactly have been easy for you, either, you're the one that-

[She bites her lip and shrugs, but doesn't look away this time]

You can talk to me, too, you know?

[botopsy]

It's alright. I'm just sorry your first time out was so... complicated. [he thinks he probably should have known to warn her better, but hasn't been dwelling on those thoughts too much. he can only handle so much thinking before his head starts hurting.

ratchet smiles, though it's a little uneasy. he can feel the anxiety starting to claw in his chest again, though isn't fully sure why this time.] It-- I appreciate it. Seriously. It's just, uh. Difficult. I can manage.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[She nods, and pulls her hand back after another moment. She has a lot of trouble reading people unless it's really obvious, but she's getting the distinct impression that he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. So she shrugs and smiles at him]

What have you been doing the rest of the time, now that you're on leave? I've been, um... [She casts about for a second] Catching up? On reading? Oh! And I'm making a present! Another collage!

[botopsy]

[he looks uncertain for a split second, genuinely unsure if he should let the subject slide. ratchet doesn't like not talking about things, but-- he has to be aware of what velocity might need, too. maybe just seeing each other is enough for now. maybe they don't have to get really deep into it when neither of them are ready.]

Tryin' to relax, but that's not going so well at the moment. [for various reasons.] Ah... a collage? That'll be great. I clocked you as an expert scrapbooker before we even started talking. I knew it.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[She nods instantly, understanding the feeling intensely, then ducks her head with a shy, bashful smile, trusting his word on a compliment just because it was him saying it] An expert? You think so? But you haven't seen any of them yet! The last one I was made was for- Um. It was- [A slight frown, and a wave of her hand to dismiss the thought]

Anyway... I bet you could do things like it, too! You're so good with dexterous types of things, you know? Surgeon's hands. I bet you could use them to do anything you wanted, if you put your mind to it the way you do, um. [She's about to poke him just a bit about the things they'd both been clearly avoiding talking about, but loses her courage at the last moment] Uh, well. Things?

[botopsy]

Somethin' that takes a lot of care and delicate work? Of course you're great at it. In fact, I might need to commission you for some stuff now I think on it. It's not impersonal if I still care enough to find the right person to do it, right?

[questionable. he's willing to do the mental acrobatics on it! he looks own at his hands when she mentions them, still somewhat interested in how mechs from his reality seem to be the only ones with four fingers, save for breakdown.]

...I don't know, I'm not good at doin' what I should be doin'. What've you been up to? Give me ideas!

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[If Velocity were capable of blushing at the moment, she would be. Instead, she fidgets and huffs out a flustered little laugh]

You really think so? Really? That's... a commission? Oh wow... I would love to do anything you wanted done!

[She lets out a happy little yell and a bounce, optics shining, though she falters and casts about for something encouraging to say before she brightens]

I've been learning the anatomy of the Brave Police AI that are on board, so there are more people available to help them when it comes to it, and going over the paperwork for how we track medications and equipment in the medibay, unless you mean traditionally fun things? Um. Well there's this collage stuff, and I've been trying to recreate some of my stickers because I'm going to run out sooner or later, I don't have an infinite supply.

[botopsy]

We can work together on one if you can handle my sense of artsy style bein' about as good as a brick. Y'know, just for fun. Doesn't have to be for anyone.

[ah-- work talk. he feels guiltily happy when it switches to this, because he doesn't know how to do any of the other stuff. how to talk about anything but work. ratchet rather suspects velocity feels much the same.]

Ah-- I can share some of my own data on those. You gotta be careful, especially if you start dippin' into weapon systems. There's a failsafe there that'll, uh- [he cringes momentarily before he regains control of his expression.] -hurt 'em. You thought about making a whole new load of original stickers? Hows your drawin' after all the anatomy practice? I still get everything lopsided...

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

Velocity beamed. "That would be really super fun! I like working with you on anything, and art stuff ought to be! Super really fun!"

She then shuttered her optics, mouth parting a bit. "That's good to know about, at least, right? Then we can compensate for it." She stared to ask him to elaborate, but the swift change in topics had her pause and cough into her hand.

"Right. But oh! But! But! I know how to help with this one! Two thing, right? The first one is lightly tracing a grid on your paper --this part you'll like, I know you like right angles-- and you then make a border you can hold up in the shape of a square, and you use it to sight down whatever you're drawing from life so it fits within the grid. It's supposed to help keep things to scale. Neat, right?"

[botopsy]

Quietly: "I love right angles..."

He considers this concept for a few moments, then takes his personal datapad out and quickly opens the drawing app with a grid preselected on it. Ratchet does a quick, simple drawing of Velocity's face with a silly expression and beams delightedly. He turns it around for her to see.

"You're right!" This is a revelation. "I can't believe I never thought of this before!"

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

Velocity beams, just that little bit more at ease now that she's made Ratchet happy. "I picked that one up from Nautica back back home, she was always telling me things like that. Wait till you get me talking about some of the other things she told me, like how a lot of artists who work with super duper small details work between beats of their fuel pumps like snipers do. It's so interesting!"