rehab 3 WE'RE STILL GOING AT IT

[staygoldponybot]

Who: op and sentinel
What: THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF MAKING AN ASSHOLE FEEL BAD
When: post bang botanicals
Where: bar then other places
Warnings: Vodka Aunt sentinel


Unbeknowst to him, Sentinel's comm device was buzzing away, rattling across the floor. It had rolled off the table about an hour ago but he hadn't noticed.

Instead, Sentinel had made a somewhat decent decision to rewire his wrist mounted guns into non-lethal tasers. It wasn't anything outside his area of expertise - though admittedly, he was much better with guns that would actually kill. Ah, c'est la vie. Apparently during the goddamn war, someone decided murders were "unethical."

Anyway.

Despite trying to do something positive, Sentinel had also made the bad decision of drinking while doing so. It's made his concentration suffer but frankly, after what happened in Kaon, he's amazed he's not comatose in a gutter somewhere. Fuckin' Megatron. Fuckin' Decepticons. Fuckin' political apartheid that eventually and, he supposes in hindsight, inevitably violently spilled over the bubbling pot.

Fuckin' Megatron.

Comments

[staygoldponybot]

"I am no longer in possession of a t-cog."

He's expecting Optimus to laugh it up.

"Even if I still had one, I do not think I would be able to transform, anyway."

[optout]

Optimus doesn't laugh. Like...ever.

But there is a strained sigh as two fingers go to the bridge of his nose. Honestly, Sentinel, if you wanted to get out of this you could at least come up with a better excuse.

"You magically do not have your T-Cog."

Can you feel the weight of disbelief in his voice?

"I didn't realize I was speaking to Rodimus."

[staygoldponybot]

"You think I'm making excuses."

Okay, no, he is slightly offended because WHY WOULD THAT BE THE EXCUSE HE USES, and also he is still salty about losing a major organ.

"By saying I'm missing a major organ." He can hear Megatron laughing somewhere, he's sure. "After - despite it being entirely pointless and moronic - I was disembowelled by Megatron."

He clenches his fists so hard the knuckles creak, resisting the urge to outright sucker punch Optimus. For all the 5 seconds he would be alive after it, it would be extremely satisfying.

[optout]

"I think there is room for disbelief in the idea that you are suddenly missing an organ and haven't brought it up to a medical professional."

HE'S NOT SAYING IT'S LIKE YOU BUT PRIMES ARE KNOWN FOR BULLSHIT EXCUSES OKAY.

"What good would your T-Cog be to Megatron?"

Sorry Sentinel, he needs more clues than that.

[staygoldponybot]

"It's been gone for almost a year. This is not sudden."

Yeah, because Optimus would know that.

"I'm not dying so I assumed they wouldn't care. And what would they do? Do we have some t-cogs laying around? That would fit?"

He huffs. Really, the reason is he's a giant shitbaby.

"Megatron took it for symbolism."

...

"I think."

[optout]

...

Inhale. Exhale.

"No, but I could have talked Megatron into giving it back."

...


But of COURSE he took it for symbolism. This isn't a fucking mess that he's learning about a year later. NOPE. See this dent marks by his nose bridge? THEY'RE JUST FOR DECORATION.

[staygoldponybot]

"Talked him into--"

Get your camera out, Optimus. Something momentous is about to happen. Sentinel makes a pfffft noise then starts laughing.

The second he's finished - honestly it was just a little heh heh heh noise - he immediately covers his mouth with his hand and looks a little shocked, like he betrayed himself by having An Emotion.

"...No. You couldn't have."

[optout]

…

Okay, laughter out of Sentinel is both momental and a little worrying. Mark that down for things he never wishes to hear again, and it visibly worries him for the short duration it exists. His plating twitches, as do his ear pieces. Like a dog who's just heard a new sound.

"You'd be amazed what I've accomplished with just speaking to him."

[staygoldponybot]

"I will not stop you if you wish to try."

He shrugs.

"However I would not be surprised if he no longer has it."

Sentinel expects Megatron probably ate it.

[optout]

That was a good point. Even if Megatron had somehow not crushed it between his thighs feet, the chance of him holding onto it merely for sentimental value was at an all time low. Especially after a year.

"Mm. Then perhaps we can walk."

A glare. He's not going to forget about this. He's going to deal with this RIGHT after rehab.

"Unless you're opposed to walking as well."

[staygoldponybot]

Sentinel just looks away again. It's really weird feeling so uncomfortable. If he knew the concept, he'd feel like a kid who got caught by his dad trying to steal something. Or murder a cat.

"...No, that's fine."

He drags a hand down his face, trying to compose himself again. Goddamnit.

[optout]

"Good." And just like that, his voice softens to that of a worn, tired soldier as a hand rests on his arm. "It'll take longer to get there, surely. But we could always talk." A finger helps flip that hatch Sentinel had pulled open closed.



You know, that thing you're so good at.

[staygoldponybot]

Unfortunately, Sentinel still doesn't like being touched. Even more so after his canon update, which he is trying to figure out how to describe to Optimus without sounding like he's finally lost his marbles.

Pulling his arm away from Optimus' hand and he makes a thoughtful noise.

"There are some things I would like to discuss along the way."

You know, to wherever the hell they're going. Sentinel puts a hand over where Optimus flipped the panel shut. Ugh. Peasant germs.

[optout]

His hand gingerly retracts, at least getting somewhat of a message through body language. Not that Sentinel didn't deserve to feel slightly uncomfortable, but Optimus can somewhat understand the feeling.

"Really."

That's as surprised as he can get, honestly.

"Well, I look forward to it." He really is. Maybe...Sentinel is opening up? He takes a step back, waiting for the larger bot to adjust himself.

Seeing those cannons finally.


"I think I have a few myself."

[staygoldponybot]

MAYBE HE IS, MAYBE HE ISN'T. ONLY TIME WILL TELL. It takes a few more seconds, but he manages to put himself back together and flexes his hand a few times to make sure all his fingers still worked. They're still all broken, but at least they respond to the pistons moving. Ow.

He watches Optimus for a second. Nope, still no idea how to describe his trip home without sounding completely insane.

"You first."

[optout]

If you're looking for pity on that, Optimus sure isn't going to notice and/or care. He's already got one body part he has to look out for for you, surely you can handle a broken pinky. Asshole.

But he starts to walk, making his way out of Macaddam's and holding the door open for him.


"I'll start with the obvious. What were you doing back there?"

[staygoldponybot]

Of course he was...n't.

"Tasers. I am rewiring them into non-fatal tasers."

He shrugs.

"I will be having my back cannons removed. Thought I might as well go the whole non-fatal hog."

[optout]

...

Can you see those eyes widening? That is genuine surprise right there.

"I'm...impressed."

He really is. He didn't even TELL Sentinel to do that (yet), but Sentinel had taken it upon himself.

"I could help you, of course."

[staygoldponybot]

Good, this is the reaction he wanted. Sentinel is not consciously aware he pretty much did this purely to impress Optimus.

"I can rewire my own weapon systems." Unless Optimus is referring to sticking his hands elsewhere.

...

"Uh. Thank you... for the offer..."

Is this how you do it right

[optout]

Well, consciously or not, you certainly did, Sentinel. He's impressed at both the fact that you decided to do this on your own AND that you actually followed through with it. It takes a moment for it all to sink in, actually.

"Ah, of course." An awkward phrase, as if he was caught off guard by it. Wiring was sensitive, and it was a little odd poking your hands into someone else's, now that he thinks about it.


"You're welcome."



...Okay that was weird.


"What was your question."

[staygoldponybot]

Dimming his optics, he presses a hand to his face and exvents heavily. Oh, boy.

"I..."

Well, there's not many ways around this. If Optimus thinks he's insane on being a complete psychopath... well. Sentinel doesn't imagine Optimus' opinion of him could get much lower.

"Went home. Then came back here. Somehow."

[optout]

It was so strange to see Sentinel hesitate like this. For someone who had no qualms about telling thing like they were--or even more so, bluntly--Sentinel was being awfully dodgy with this.

It shouldn't be this worrying.


...

Wait.

"You went home? HOW???"

[staygoldponybot]

"I don't know. I would've put it up to just a dream had it not been..."

He trails off, frowns.

"Several days. I only seemed to come back to consciousness here after Megatron killed me."

Kinda sucks that despite everything here, it still went the same way. Sentinel isn't sure what he expected, though. He doesn't really understand science enough to figure out how the timelines would've worked and the one time he tried drawing it out he got frustrated and punched a wall.

After a moment or two of silence, he reaches out and puts his hand on Optimus' shoulder, poking the Autobrand lightly with his fingertips. He's just realised he has genuinely no idea if any of this right now is even real or not.

[optout]

The touch is new, and his plating rises ever so slightly. Not out of being threatened, for once, either. No, it was just out of sheer surprise that someone would touch him that gently, let alone SENTINEL. His eyes flick to it, and flick back to Sentinel, stopping in his tracks for a moment.

"So you went home at the exact moment you left it, continued with your life and...came back."

A pause.

"You retained no knowledge of your time here?"

That shoulder may or may not lean slightly into that touch.

[staygoldponybot]

Tilting his head, Sentinel presses his thumb into it. Then drops his hand down. Okay, he's fairly certain Optimus is real.

"Don't know. I like to think I would not have fought Megatron if I had."

That's a lie, he hates Megatron enough that he absolutely would've even with what he's learned here. He just decides that pretending to not want to rip the miner to pieces and play kickball with his organs is better for his survival than admitting it.

He shrugs. "Maybe it was just bad energon."