Chapter Text
The scent of disinfectant and dried energon was always a sharp and unpleasant one. The mixed liquids nipped at Blades’ fingertips. Still he pressed on, cloth in hand. He plucked a set of pliers from the metal tray in front of him, still warm from being held. A quick spritz of disinfectant loosened the peeling energon, a thorough wipe to remove it, and another hit of disinfectant to be safe. Next was the scalpel. Disinfect, wipe, disinfect. The Forceps. Spray, wipe, spray.
There was a tap on his shoulder, quick and light. He turned to the perpetrator. The mech looked perfectly swept back and synched, with plating as red and loud as his personality. Elegance and cunning incarnate, with a sharp finger pointed at his own scalpel. It was saturated with disinfectant, but the little energon still holding on created two dots and an arc. A little smiling face. Blades smiled at Knockout’s antics, warmth blooming in his chassis.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the wall and stopped at the doorway. The locking mechanism hissed. Blades flung his eyes back to his tray. He lifted the last item, a syringe and sprayed it. He paused, weren’t they supposed to throw these away? Why was it on his tray? He turned it quizzically.
The footsteps trailed behind him and stopped. “Blades.” A cool, deep voice filled his audial. “Why are you dysinfecting a syringe?”
The wires under his plates froze over “I- It was- I don’t know!” He squeaked.
He turned to piercing blue optics. “What are you, a fragging idiot? You don’t know? Just picking slag up without thinking? Is your processor damaged?”
The syringe was yanked from his hands. “Listen up!” The medic held the syringe aloft, the glass glinting in the harsh white lights. Everyone halted their work. Young bots lined up at sinks, tables, and tool trays with cleaning tools in hand, all turned their optics to Revive, their Chief Medical officer, and him. Blades tucked his chin to his collar, hoping to disappear.
Revive put a hand on her hip. “You are to throw away syringes, do you understand? There’s no reason they should be on your trays! If I see you dysinfecting one,” Her hand squeezed. The syringe shattered with an unpleasant CRSHHH. “I’ll make you wish you were born a miner. You’re elites, born to heal, act like it!” She turned to him, her optics cold and icy. “Clean this up. Everyone else is dismissed once they’re finished.” Revive lifted her fist. Blades’ head snapped forward and he stumbled. By the time he stood to rub the scuff on the back of his head she was gone.
Blades sighed and knelt down, picking the shards into his palm as everyone else filtered out.
A broom entered his vision and pulled the remaining glass into a dustpan. “Why are you using your hands?” A sultry voice asked.
“Knockout?” Blades’ head whipped upward “If Revive catches you here she’ll kill you!”
Knockout winked “Then she won’t catch me. Unless you stay there gawking.”
“Um- Right yeah!” Blades stood, glass carefully cupped in his hands. He tossed the glass in a sharps bin beside the door, making sure to swipe his hands after.
Knockout followed, turning the dustpan over into the bin and setting the broom aside. He opened the door and peaked out. “It’s clear, let’s go!” Knockout didn’t wait for an answer. He grabbed Blades’ hand and whipped around the corner. Blades giggled softly, allowing himself to be pulled through the pristine greebled halls, up a flight of stairs, across a closed-in bridge into a neighboring building, and into the student dorms. He didn’t stop until they were parked out front of their own dorm. “Could you let me in? I forgot my keycard inside.”
Blades huffed “Is that why you helped me?” Blades pulled a thin, transparent blue card out of his chassis and swiped it on a module next to the door. It hissed and slid to the side. Both bots dashed in before the door shuttered closed so quickly it shook the frame.
“Is that ever going to be fixed? A bot could lose finial if they aren’t fast enough.” Knockout groaned.
“They’ve blocked me from submitting complaints about it.” Blades said. He walked to the sink and rinsed his hands. The room was a simple cramped cube. On the far right of the room there was a long counter, with a sink set into it to disinfect. Underneath the counter was sectioned into three compartments. Two to keep a few tools such as a fire extinguisher and medical supplies, though likely not enough for a real emergency, and one to store Energon.
A tiered shelf was pressed against the back wall, connecting to the counter. It held numerous data pads, two dioramas of cybertronian anatomy, and a very small energon container with dirt inside. The outside was a sight to be yearned for in the maze of steel they were trapped in. It was only granted once you graduated and became a privileged member of society, but one day dirt from outside sputtered from their vents, so Knockout and Blades collected it and named the cube of dirt Ratched, after their favorite celebrity.
They didn’t hear about many important people down there.
Left of the bookshelf to the end of the room was largely empty sans a ruddy blanket they were gifted by a kind patient. They took turns recharging with it.
Knockout groaned. “Maybe Revive will stick her head in to yell at us one day and get guillotined. Wouldn’t that be nice?” He reached under the counter and retrieved two energon cubes.
Blades tisked “That’s not nice to say at all!” He took an energon cube from Knockout and sat down next to the shelf.
Knockout laughed and sat next to Blades. “Do we have to study right now? What if we just got some high grade, went on the town, had a party!”
“All things we are capable of doing.” Blades said sarcastically. “Ugh, what I wouldn't do for a good story. I heard from a patient that came through that not all data pads have facts and info on them. There’s stories! Adventure! Mysteries! Even scary stories or romance!” Blades sighed wistfully.
“Really? That seems like a waste of a data pad.” Knockout said. He slid a pad off the shelf and flicked it on.
“Youre telling me you wouldn’t read a horror story? With a beautiful love story! She saves him from the scary monster and they become conjunx!” Blades sighed again.
Knockout grinned. “I could tell you a scary story!” He leaned in, smile sharp.
Blades pushed his face away. “I-I’m ok actually!”
Knockout laughed again “I knew it, scaredybot.” He sighed “Ok we actually have to study now. That test is tomorrow and you know if one of us fails Revive’s gonna dig that syringe out of the bin and remove our optics.”
“Woah, dark!” Blades laughed. “You’re in a mood today!” He leaned over Knockouts shoulder.
“Because it wasn’t your fault the syringe was on your tray and she always says ‘Disinfect everything on your tray or I'll stab you with it and hope you die of energon infection!’ You very clearly noticed something was wrong, too!” Knockout tossed his hands up.
Blades bumped Knockout’s knee with his own. “Well it’s for a good reason! If we reuse a syringe we could get someone sick! I shouldn’t have picked it up and sprayed it.”
Knockout huffed. “You’re right but… I don’t think Revive has the patient's best interest at heart.”
Blades scoffed “What in the world could you mean?”
“I- I snuck out the other night,” Knockout began.
“No!”
“I know. I know. But… I saw something. A decepticon was brought in. He was injured during a protest and… Revive took his credits and then watched him bleed out on the gurney. She just- stood there and I-” His voice fizzled.
“Oh- Oh primus Knockout I’m sorry! That must’ve been so awful to see-” Blades put his hand on Knockout’s shoulder.
Knockout shrugged his hand off. “Anyway! The test! What are the two mechanisms in the middle front chassis called?”
“Abdominal primary piston- Knockout-”
“Where’s the Rhomboid Major Plate located?” Knockout's tone was clipped.
Blades sighed. “The upper back. When you're ready to talk I’m here, Knockout.”
“Blades I’m trying to read. The test is in an hour.”
---
Blades leaned back in his chair and pressed his palms into his optics. “That was a nightmare! None of that was on the practice!”
Knockout grimaced. “Didn’t do well?”
Blades shook his helm “I got an eighty five percent on the multiple choice. Lets hope Revive grades my written well. What did you get?”
“Ninenty nine percent. And I’m sure I did fabulously on the written.” Knockout put on a crooked grin. Blades gently punched him on the shoulder.
“Ugh! Good job or whatever!” Blades rolled his optics, but gave Knockout a genuine smile. “I’ll just have to make you tutor me more.”
“What’s in it for me?” Knockout scoffed.
“The friendship of Blades, future world famous EMT!” Blades put his finger tips on his chassis.
CLAP
Blades leaped upward like water on hot oil.
A laugh trilled behind them. “Primus you’re annoying. Knockout why do you hang you with this loser?” Blades turned his head.
There sat Starbolt, a pompous mech made of entitled arrogance and opalescent polish. His desk was askew from lifting it up and slamming it, as he was prone to do to scare Blades.
Knockout leaned his chair back into starbolt’s desk. “Starry hon I like you and all but- well what did you get on your test?”
“Um- ninety.” Starbolt said, pulling his datapad close.
Knockout quirked his brow and sharpened his gaze.
Starbolt’s shoulders rose like a cat fluffing its fur when threatened. “Just kidding! I got fourty! That test was below me anyway so I didn’t try!”
Knockout turned his attention to Blades and shrugged. “Some friendships just aren’t worth the long-term investment.” he winked.
The smile on Blades’ face warred with the icepick that settled in his tank, but still he lifted his data pad into his chassis compartment, and stood.
He exited the classroom. Knockout fell in step with him as they walked down the hall.
“Knockout?” Blades asked tentatively “Are you only friends with me because you think I’ll be successful?"
Knockout laughed “No darling. Is it a plus? Absolutely, but it’s different with people like Starbolt. I would use him if he was useful, but for now he’s just entertainment. You though…” He locked optics with Blades, uncharacteristically soft.
Blades swallowed. “Yeah?”
Knockout cleared his vents and snapped his head forward. “You’re different. You’re… yeah it’s just different.”
Blades nodded. “Yeah. Ok. Different.”
“In a good way,” Knockout Pat Blades’ shoulder.
Knockout quickened his pace to pass Blades and turned to say goodbye, but faltered. His index finger came up under Blades chin and his thumb just below Blades’ bottom lip.
“Don’t let anyone get you down Blades. Being afraid is smart. Brave heroes die horribly. Keep your head down and go with the flow and you’ll be fine.”
Knockout’s gaze hardened and he pulled his hand back as if Blades’ face had suddenly super heated, which it may as well have. And then Blades was alone.