tv, Metro City, Changes in the Lineup and Other Interesting Things...
Kelly: *head against X-Brawn's chest, her hands curled between the two of them as they lay on the couch. She's sleeping due to a heavyish fever and has nooo idea that he called her in sick for work*
X-Brawn: *making sure Kelly's covered by the blanket as he holds her close, is very worried about her*
Optimus: *pings X-Brawn's comm* //X-Brawn, T-AI tells me you aren't on your patrol. Is something wrong?//
X-Brawn: *Sheepishly* //Knew I was fergettin somethin... Kelly's overheatin' somethin' fierce, so I'm tryin' t' help her feel better...//
Optimus: *alarmed tone in his deep voice* //Overheating?//
X-Brawn: //She could barely walk straight t' get out the door...//
Optimus: //...I hadn't realized that could happen to humans.// *and now he sounds a bit helpless*
Kelly: *startles a bit, her hands closing on the front of X-Brawn's shirt as her eyes open and blink blearily*
X-Brawn: //Hold that thought, Optimus...// *Soothing sounds as he gently rubs Kelly's back*
Kelly: *uncertainly* I.... Something.... Where...? ...X-Brawn? *confused blinking up at him*
X-Brawn: *Soothingly* Everything's okay, Kelly... Get some more rest...
Kelly: Thirsty.
X-Brawn: *carefully shifting positions to grab the glass of water that he set on a coaster on the coffee table* Here... *will help Kelly sit up so she can get a drink*
Kelly: *shaking, and her eyes are only half open. She makes a face at the taste of the water but drinks thirstily. That done, she shivers and makes a small sound of discomfort that is nothing like her usual loud and slightly brash nature*
X-Brawn: *Soothing sounds as he gently rubs her back after setting the glass back on the coaster. Then he's moving to help her lay back down so he can cover her with the blanket again* *Quiet, worried clicks*
Kelly: *shivering* Couch? *seems confused by this*
X-Brawn: *Soothingly* I figgered you'd want to be where you could see the TV easily...
Kelly: *blank look as she tries to remember what TV is, but then her eyes close and she drifts back to sleep*
X-Brawn:*resumes gently rubbing her back and holding her close. Nothing short of the world ending in the next minute will get him to budge from his self-assigned post*
Optimus: //X-Brawn? Can you read me?//
X-Brawn: //Loud 'n clear, Optimus.//
Optimus: //T-AI researched overheating in humans, and I've sent Prowl your way with some of the necessary things to help bring Kelly's temperature to normal. It also said that you need to make sure she stays hydrated, and to give her both clear water and juice.//
X-Brawn: //She's been sleepin' most'a t'day, 'n she drank a glass of water just a little while ago...//
Optimus: //Good job. It suggested keeping her in a dim place if the fever's very high, because her eyes will be sensitive. And for her to wear comfortable loose clothing.//
X-Brawn: //I've got her in the living room, 'cause it's closer to her bathroom and closer to the door in case her overheating gets worse...//
Optimus: *sounds a little surprised* //My research indicates that most human dwellings have a larger bathroom opening off their largest sleeping room.//
X-Brawn: //Kelly's apartment's got two bathrooms, Optimus... It's a pretty nice place, to be honest...//
Optimus: //Then it's like I've read. Do you know what her temperature is right now?//
Kelly: *snuggling as her shivering grows worse and she mutters faintly*
X-Brawn: //Earlier, it was 102 degrees farenheit... now it's down to 100...//
Optimus: //Alright. So she's just hovering on the danger zone. Prowl, please hurry.//
Prowl: //I'm on my way there, sir.//
X-Brawn: *Teasingly, to Prowl* //Did Sharpshot give you the directions?//
Sharpshot: *Razzes X-Brawn over comms*
Optimus: //Alright, people. Keep your mind on your missions. ...Sideburn, what's so funny?//
Sideburn: //S-Sorry!// *squeaks and mutters something about something tickling*
Optimus: //Oh yes, you went to the car wash to get that tar removed.//
Sideburn: //K-Krit-*Squeak!* Kriti's helping with that!//
Kriti: //Hold still, Sideburn. I can't get the gunk that's up in your wheel well.//
X-Brawn: //Helpin', huh?// *Sounds far more amused than he probably has a right to be*
Kelly: Help. Wish I had help. So much work... big presentation.
Optimus: //Carry on, people. Let me know if you need anything, X-Brawn.//
Prowl: //I'm almost to the apartment complex now, Optimus...//
Kriti: //It'd be easier to do that if SOMEONE would just HOLD STILL.//
Sideburn: //Oh yeah? Let's see how you like having your wheel wells poked!//
Kriti: *Squeak!*
Prowl: //...// *sighs*
Optimus: *amused tone* //Optimus out.//
phone: *rings*
X-Brawn: *working out how to intercept the phonecall* Hello?
prim female voice: May I speak to Kelly (X), please?
X-Brawn: I'm sorry, Miss... but she's sleepin' pretty hard right now, 'n I'd rather not wake her up while she's feelin' so cruddy... I'll gladly take a message 'n let her know you called though...
prim female: Very well. This is a notice of termination of employment.
X-Brawn: ... Would you mind holding on just a few moments, please? *pings Optimus' comm with a brief message about what's going on, will also ask for permission to redirect the call*
Optimus: *sounds a bit angry* //Go ahead, X-Brawn.//
X-Brawn: *redirects the call to Optimus, continues to gently rub Kelly's back and hold her close*
call: *redirected*
Kelly: *fretting as she's caught in one of those endless loop fever dreams about trying to get her work done for her boss's presentation*
X-Brawn: *Soothing sounds as he grabs a cool compress out of a bowl on the table and gently dabs at her forehead*
Kelly: *shivers and asks for a drink without waking, then starts fretting about the work again*
X-Brawn: *small frown, will carefully set her on the couch while he goes to re-fill the glass with more water*
Kelly: *wakes and blinks around blearily* What... what time is it? I have to get to work. Mr... Heromoto... big presentation. *too wiped to even think of sitting up*
X-Brawn: *Soothingly* Easy, Kelly... Everything's okay... *will offer the glass of water*
Kelly: What time is it? *blinks and frowns as he lifts her up so she can drink*
X-Brawn: *checks his chronometer and tells her the time*
Kelly: *chokes on her water and starts to cry* Oh no!
X-Brawn: *Soothingly* I called your work to let them know you were sick...
Kelly: But my boss needs this work... and I don't think I got it done... and I missed the presentation!
X-Brawn: *more soothing sounds* It'll be okay, Kelly... It's more important that you're well...
Kelly: No, you don't understand. Mr. Heromoto is a @#$@#$@, and he'll fire me for this!
X-Brawn: It'll be okay, you'll see.
Kelly: This was going to bring the company a two million dollar deal.
X-Brawn: *firmly* You need to rest and recover.
Kelly: *shivers and cries softly, one hand going up to her throbbing head*
Prowl: *is that soft tapping at the door*
Optimus: //Kelly's former employer refused to rethink his decision because he says she's cost the company reputation and honor, and the only compensation he'd offer was to pay her medical bills at a hospital.//
Kelly: ...Door?
X-Brawn: *slightly setting his jaw* //That slagger...// Prowl went to get you some soup and some asprin to help you feel better...
Kelly: Oh.... *tries to brain this*
Optimus: //However the American rival company has offered her less hours, higher wages, and a better position. She's due to start work in a month.//
X-Brawn: //...// *surprise shows clearly on his face*
Optimus: *quietly* //Plus they're giving her paid sick leave and holiday time.//
X-Brawn: *quietly, to Kelly* What American company was it that your company's competing with?
Kelly: *stops staring at the door and blinks at him* Uhhhh. Oh. Prat, Pitt, and Rude.
X-Brawn: They're offerin' you a better job, with better hours 'n pay... 'n paid vacations 'n sick leave...
Kelly: *mouth falls open* But... can I take it? My contract... something about not spilling secrets....?
X-Brawn: They want you to start in a month... *moving to gently set Kelly on the couch so he can let Prowl in*
Kelly: *lays back, pulling her blanket around her as she blinks* ...Oh.
X-Brawn: *letting Prowl in*
Prowl: *bringing a grocery bag over to Kelly* I wasn't sure what your preferred flavor of juice is, so I got apple, cranberry, grape, cran-apple, and cran-grape... There is also chicken soup in here, as well as a few meal-replacement shakes in case you don't feel like eating soup...
Kelly: *blinks at him* Uh.... Cranberry makes me pee too much, and apple does the other. *would be horrified if she ever remembered saying this later*
Prowl: Would cran-grape affect you in such a manner?
Kelly: I like cran grape. And strawberry kiwi.
Prowl: *Small nod, gets the contents of the shopping bag, aside from the cranberry, apple, and cran-apple, out. As he said there's also soup and meal replacement shakes, as well as a bottle of low-dosage asprin and a box of single-serving lemonade powder packets*
Kelly: *automatically reaches for the familiar Ensure bottle, her expression brightening. Can has comfort drink, yes!*
X-Brawn: *Amused expression as Prowl politely excuses himself and leaves, taking the cran-apple, apple, and cranberry juice bottles with him with the intention of giving them to Koji*
Kelly: *wants to drink, but she's so tired and muzzy that she just hugs the bottle and closes her eyes* Thanks, Prowl. *no, doesn't really realize he's gone already*
X-Brawn: *will help her get situated with a straw in the bottle so she can at least have a little bit of the meal shake*
Kelly: *blinks and squints at him as he takes the bottle* Hrrr?
X-Brawn: *Will help her sit up. Will also offer her the end of the straw*
Kelly: *takes a moment to compute, but then she's smiling slightly and drinking slowly* Mmmmm.
X-Brawn: *scans her again to make sure her temperature's not climbing*
Kelly: *temperature is back up to what it had been earlier, but her heart rate is steadier now. She's still shivering* *sighs after a few sips of her drink, and then tries to push it away with the hand that's wrapped in her blanket* ...o.0?
X-Brawn: *Small frown, will double-check the instructions on the aspirin bottle before getting one of the tablets out and offering it to Kelly, along with the glass of water* Here... This'll help bring your fever down....
Kelly: *squints at it doubtfully, is half asleep*
X-Brawn: *Soft clicks, continues to offer the asprin tablet and the glass of water, even as he moves to set the meal shake bottle aside for now*
Kelly: *comprehension! Ingests the tablet, only to sputter as she fumbles her swallow and winds up with a mouth full of bitterness*
X-Brawn: *offering water!*
Kelly: *drink drink drink, sputter, snort, small whimper*
X-Brawn: *Soothing clicks and backrubs*
Kelly: *hides her face against his chest* Thanks, X-Brawn.
X-Brawn: *continues to give backrub* *Gently* Get some more rest... I'll be right here.
Kelly: Lay down? M'cold.
X-Brawn: *Small smile* 'Course. *moves to lay down beside her and hold her close*
Kelly: *sighs and cuddles against him, nearly lost in the blanket as her breathing evens out*
X-Brawn: *Will hold her close and take care of her throughout the rest of the day and night*
Elsewhere in the city
Kriti and Sideburn: *burning rubber as they clear out of the vicinity after suckering a very distinctive large red sports car through the fresh tar and into the fresh concrete*
Megatron: *cursing virulently*
Kriti: *To Megatron* Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries! *Cackles as she SLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDES around a corner and out of sight, with Sideburn following close behind*
Optimus: *is that disgruntled voice welcoming yet another mech to the team* //I'm sure you'll make a vital contribution, Wheeljack.// *sigh*
Wheeljack: //Well, Eclipse's letters made it sound like you could use a specialist for things other than explosives...//
Sideburn: //Whoah... Eclipse's dad's here?//
Wedge: *meeps in the middle of a happy Build Team self glory monologue*
Eclipse: *Cheerily* //Hello, creator!//
Wheeljack: //Hey, Eclipse! You behaving?//
Eclipse: //Yessir!//
Wheeljack: //Glad to hear it.//
Ironhide: //Wedge's scared of a mech who's only a danger to himself!//
Wedge: //No! I haven't had time to practise my lines from the word bond ceremony!//
Grimlock: *chuckles*
Wheeljack: //Don't worry about it, Wedge. I forgot the words when I asked Bluestreak.//
Wedge: //Yeah, but you're a dork.//
Wheeljack: //So?//
Optimus: *chidingly* //Wedge....//
Wheeljack: //Aw, ease up, Optimus. I like this guy. He's got guts.//
Grimlock: //You bet he does. He's the best leader any team could have, right guys?//
Heavy Load and Hightower: //Yeah!//
Sharpshot: *is that yelp over the common frequency*
Showtime: *is scolding her mate for being cheeky*
Grimlock: *stern humor* //You want to come over here and let me show you where to stuff your kissy sounds, Sharpshot?//
Sharpshot: //Only if you wanna tangle with Showtime, Grimlock.//
Grimlock: //Don't you remember her and Mistcaller's understanding?//
Showtime: //That, and I'm not that dumb.//
Sharpshot: *Sputters*
Heavy Load: //Whoa... what happened to our concrete? It didn't look like this when we went for lunch.//
Grimlock: *grumble grouch grouch grouch*
Wedge: //*notcuss vehemently*//
Sideburn: //...Oops...//
Wedge: .... //Oops? What do you mean, 'Oops'?//
Kriti: //We... kinda lead Mega-dumb through it...//
Wedge: *kamikaze yell*
Optimus: *watches the ensuing chase and facepalms, shaking his head.*
Wheeljack: //... That... sounded mildly terrifying...//
Hightower: //Wedge can get scary when he's mad.//
Wheeljack: //Bluestreak's scarier.//
Heavy Load: //Pfft. Bluestreak can't be any scarier than Eclipse.//
Wheeljack: //Ever see Bluestreak get mad?//
Heavy Load: //No. But I saw Eclipse mad the other day.//
Wheeljack: //'Clipsie's got my code balancing out Blue's...//
Grimlock: //Heavy load wouldn't be afraid anyway. He's like that. Hey, Sideburn, try going to the right!//
Wheeljack: //Let's just put it this way... There're Preds that panic when Blue's mentioned.//
Grimlock: //There's Preds that panic when Clipsie's mentioned.// *amused*
Wheeljack: //Really?// *Surprised by this, since he's only ever seen how mild-mannered his offspring is*
Grimlock: //Yup.//
Wheeljack: //Huh... You'll have to tell me the story sometime...//
Grimlock: //Would you rejoice at the sight of somebody that blew themselves up and took you with them?//
Wheeljack: *laughs* //That's my girl!//
Eclipse: //... Creator, you think anything that blows up is either entertainment or a learning experience.//
Grimlock: //That reminds me. We still need to repair that wall she bounced off of.//
Hot Shot: //NOW you tell me.//
Wheeljack: //Whaaat? It's not like I can't find a quarry or something to test stuff in...//
Optimus: //Build Team, go dig Hot Shot out of the remains of that wall.//
Grimlock: //Yessir, Optimus!//
Heavy Load and High Tower: //Yessir!//
Wedge: //BRB, must pwn....//
Sideburn: //HE'S GONNA EAT MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!//
((Co-written with random_xtras))