crowgohome:

bettsplendens:

Spinflask tended to hyperfocus on his work. Most chemists did. Having explosive blood tended to make one rather cautious when working with corrosive chemicals and fire. 

However, most chemists probably did not make a sound like a robotic duck being stepped on if someone were to unexpectedly re-occupy their chair. But Spinflask did, and had, and it was adorable. 

Looking a bit like his thought processes had shorted out, Spinflask blinked and automatically placed both servos against warm plating, staring up at the bot who’d distracted him in such a strange manner. Even if he’d noticed the approach, the last thing he would have expected was being picked up out of his chair and then placed back- in someone else’s lap. 

After a moment’s staring, he shook his helm and blinked hard, seeming to reset himself just enough to speak. “Um- hello? Can- can I help you?” 

Having lived the majority of her life around those who lived more for their work than they did for themselves, Shard was going to make sure Spinflask took care of himself. Even in such a short time period of being around him, she had picked up on some of his less than stellar eating habits.

And as such, she was going to take advantage of her position of familiarity to manhandle him in such a way that he wouldn’t be able to easily ignore her or make excuses to keep working. 

Keeping a stern look on her face was far more difficult than necessary with the noises he was making. She completely is not going to save that audio clip for later, no not at all. Nor save a picture of his utterly baffled expression looking up at her, he was far too cute for his own good, the scamp’s already catching at her sparkstrings without even trying.

At the feel of small fingers gently placed against her chasis her engines give out a happy little purr, what can she say, it’s a weakness of hers. In return she smooths large hands down his sides to calm ruffled plating and sooth any worry.

A small huff of laughter escapes her, breaking her professional veneer. “Ya can help me by drinking this,” she waggles a small cube of fuel in his line of sight. “When was the last time ya ate or had a break? A proper break that is.” Arching her optic ridge and giving him a pointed look.

Still on autopilot in order to circumvent his confusion, Spinflask takes the cube, suddenly aware of his own hunger. It’s not strong, never strong, his frame has long since learned that a strong hunger signal never makes a difference, but he’s hungry. So he opens the cube, and he takes a sip, pondering the question. It’s a difficult one, mostly because he doesn’t know what constitutes a “proper” break. 

Hazarding a guess, he shrugs and murmurs “I recharged with Duo last night, it was pleasant”, not quite making optic contact with Shard. That counts, right? Time spent with them? It almost always involves either recharge or further work, but it’s enjoyable. 

And it’s the only break he ever wants. Not working, alone, leaves him alone with nothing to distract his thoughts. And they’re never… never friendly thoughts. The sort of thoughts that turn him back to chemistry, but this time to make a new stash of his preferred purple-dyed emetic. Duo don’t like him doing that, and he does hate to disappoint them or risk them getting upset, but he either needs to drown out the thoughts or temporarily silence them. That does both. 

Not that he’s going to tell Shard about it. She’s concerned, certainly not going to respond well to… whatever that counts as. Nor does he want to go into the details of exactly why he deserves that and more. She’s going to be a lot less friendly if she finds out what he’s done, and he likes the friendliness.

Shaking the thoughts out of his helm for now, Spinflask takes exactly his second sip of the energon, looking down and away from Shard. He doesn’t make much optic contact under most circumstances, but he’s downright avoiding it now, uncomfortable with his… attempt at deception. He needs to explain himself, he knows, but he can’t go into too much detail. 

“I… don’t do well idle. And I like Duo, they- they’re a good break. If… a bit tiring sometimes. Don’t- don’t tell them I said that, they’re- they’re sweet, they really are, they’re just very energetic.” 

And they are. Primus they are. He adores them, they’re so sweet, he just about loves them, but they- well, they’re tiring sometimes. Good for recharging with, though. Warm. And they curl so gently around him, they fit.