Valentine's Gift

[mccrane]

Who: McCrane and Gunmax
What: Although McCrane is unfamiliar with the details of the holiday (or with relationships in general), he wishes to do something to cheer Gunmax up...and it happens to coincide.
When: Around now (so his present is a little late)
Where: Prima's Temple
Notes: None, really. At the worst, this'll be harmless fluff.



However, after the two-week period in which he'd been on call for most of the day fighting various forms of monsters, he was glad for the break. It meant he could check in with the other Brave Police and with the populace in general, and adequately refuel.

The ammunition supplies at headquarters would also require a re-counting.

With Drill Boy upset and Power Joe arriving and Blurr stepping down from command, however, there had been no time to relax. Some of the locals had even been plotting a dance, which he needed to make certain there was nothing that required building for. He'd been on patrol more than once since the monsters had settled down, too, confirming their absence but not taking any moments for himself.

He did not want moments for himself. As soon as he had free time, there would be more to do. A system was still needed to prevent someone from walking off to the Badlands, and the police force would need to be organized with Ultra Magnus. He was busy.

This was good.

There was, however, one thing he'd been planning for which didn't have a logical, thought-out conclusion.

There was one person that he'd decided he would take a small amount of time out to see.

He was leading that person through the front entrance of Prima's temple now, following a path he'd memorized earlier.

"Thank you for coming today, Gunmax. I have been wanting to show you this, especially after the recent attacks."



~

Comments

[engrishdetective]

There are few things in this place that bring him any kind of comfort or peace. Even with Power Joe showing up, Gunmax behaved in his usual catty mannerism; he showed up briefly, said his words, and skittered off when he felt like it was too much for him. The only one he really sincerely feels most comfortable with now is McCrane.

It's just easier. He's reliable, he's generally a constant, and as long as McCrane doesn't go off and get himself killed again? Then this will keep working.

Whatever it is that they have.

Gunmax follows him, folding his arms and shrugging. "Well, it's not like I had much else to do other than find any stragglers left to kill off and all, you know. What's up?"

It's not like McCrane to surprise people with things. He's usually very direct. It brings a lot of curiosity for a very catty brave unit.

[mccrane]

"It is not easy to understand what else you might want to be doing..."

Given that Gunmax's fun past-times include riding off-road on Gunbike, McCrane has always been aware that there's some parts of Gunmax that he simply cannot fathom. They see eye to eye on enough, however, and...

Well, it is the unpredictability that makes the other detective fascinating.

It has prompted him to try a bit of surprise himself, today.

"Drill Boy is upset with Blurr, and Blurr..." he trails off. "Blurr may be resigning as head of the Police. Is it strange that I wanted to take some time away right now, myself?"

He turned down another hallway, heading further into the temple.

[engrishdetective]

"Not so much."

It sounds troubling. In some ways, he wonders if he should have never left. Though Gunmax knows the others are strong enough without him, it wouldn't hurt to have a little more support, now, would it? Especially McCrane and Drill Boy.

Blurr resigning shouldn't surprise him, but it does.

"I think it's normal for a person to want time for themselves. And you never take any time for yourself. You could probably stand to do it more often, McCrane."

Gunmax doesn't voice it, but he worries for the other brave unit. McCrane has a lot on his shoulders.

[mccrane]

"We did not get much time off back on earth, but without someone enforcing it, here..."

Without enforcement, he didn't take any. It was easier to just keep working until the problem was solved, and not stop to take the break. Without Seia to visit and with everyone else finding ways to see him while he was on-duty, he'd had no reason to want to stop until now.

Now, however, he does. Gunmax is one of the few mechs he trusts in every sense of the word, because Gunmax is one of the few mechs that has been through everything with him.

"Alright. We are almost there. Will you--" He pauses, looking forward, and then back to Gunmax. "Will you turn off your eyes for a moment? I'll lead you the rest of the way."

[engrishdetective]

"Heh. On Earth? We did what we were made for. Things are pretty different now."

It's been an interesting matter, getting themselves figured out. As robots, as tools, maybe as people. Escalating as something more than objects. They haven't had a choice but to develop the best they can.

There's a pause at the request. If anyone else had asked that of him? Definitely zero cooperation.

But it's McCrane.

He grins. "Well well, what an interesting thing to ask! All right, then."

Gunmax's eyes flash for a moment before he shuts them off.

"By your lead, baby."

[mccrane]

"They are. In some ways, I think it has been good for us. In others..."

Well, in other ways, they'd been through hardships that they hadn't coped with easily. They'd managed, and they were alive now and could still find happiness, but it had taken its toll.

It must have been what growing up was like for humans.

He suspected, however, that they didn't need to weather so much death.

It had been traumatic, but it also gave him a greater appreciation for moments like this one. Moments of friendship. Moments of trust. Moments of something a little more, even.

"Thank you, Gunmax." He said it softer than he originally intended to, because it meant more than he'd thought it would for Gunmax to trust him so explicitly.

Reaching down, he took the other's hand.

Turning, he lead them forward, into a large room where their footsteps echoed and soft colors flickered the light strangely through crystals at the edges of the room. There was a pool, here, and steam trailed up over the edges to coat the rocky, wet floor. In the corner, water fell playfully from a hidden nook in the ceiling, cascading down until it splashed into the pool.

However, McCrane didn't head for that part of the room. Instead, he moved Gunmax carefully, and positioned him in just the right spot before letting go of his hand.

"You can open your eyes now." McCrane said, and put his hand over the spigot of another waterfall's controls.

"After dealing with fighting for so long, I suspected we both were due for a wash." He gives the other a moment to acclimatize, before he turns the handle to let warm water wash over his partner from above.

[engrishdetective]

It's not hard to put all of his trust into McCrane. Once before, he'd have done it with Deckerd, but even before that, McCrane had earned his respect. It's evolved from there, into something he isn't completely sure he understands.

But they've all grown in different ways, from different paths of creation and experiences. This is just another soft reminder that he isn't better off alone.

When they stop, Gunmax frowns a little, curious at the sounds. When the hand leaves his own, he almost debates grabbing for it again.

He refrains. Instead, he obeys the instruction, allowing his eyes to open.

"Ah..."

Usually, he has a dingy over-sized bath tub he deals with. Gunmax isn't like the others, where he can turn into a vehicle and get a wash that way; his mannerisms are a bit more human-like in that regard.

This, though. This is definitely more impressive than any tub he's utilized.

"Oh my," he purrs in his rough English. "You really went all out, McCrane. I'm flattered."

[mccrane]

"I found this by accident a bit ago. I have been wanting to take you..."

But up until now, he didn't have a good excuse. Getting washes had been harder, here, because of the strange way that Cybertronians had their wash-racks set up. He'd actually come to miss the methodical car-washes of Earth, knowing that he'd come out completely clean regardless. Here, he'd had to wash himself, and it had been awkward.

Very awkward.

He didn't understand how to get in all the cracks himself.

Helping someone else wash, however?

That seemed more intuitive.

Taking a step down into the natural tub, he reached for a brush he'd set on the side earlier.

"If you will let me, I can attempt to be thorough."