audio | locked from Riptide

[redshitlord]

Okay, yeah, I know, bad timing Sideswipe, and we've got bigger problems, Sideswipe.

But... a lot of Not So Awesome stuff is going down with a friend of mine. And ... I...

[Some of the flippant nonchalance in his voice cracks. He goes quiet. This is really hard to admit, and yes, he KNOWS there's a lot going on right now. But it's been beyond him for a long time.]

[Too long.]

I don't know how to help. I wanna.

But I don't know how.

So if anyone's got a sec? Appreciate some feedback here. Y'know, anyone who isn't gonna yell at me for bringing this up right now. That'd be great.

Comments

[redshitlord]

No, that's not the point! It's --

I'm not asking 'cause I'm in a bad spot! I wanna fix him! Then I'll worry about my own scrap, okay? Make sense?

[Sorry, Ratchet he's a bit exasperated and scared both.]

I'm... trying to do that. All of it. Already. It's really gonna help?

[asafepairofhands]

You can't, Sideswipe. You can't fix him. It'll get better, but there's no 'fix.' It's just... this. The everyday stuff.

Yeah, it'll help.

[redshitlord]

[It's... sort of like being slapped. That can't be true. Everyone knows heroes can fix problems and save their friends. That's what happens. He's supposed to -- isn't he?]

[Why is this different?]

[He looks away, and scrubs at his face like that's going to hide the sudden, pained expression crossing it. Or hide the inevitable tears.]

But he... he doesn't deserve... he's a good guy...

[I don't understand...]

[asafepairofhands]

Yeah, you're right. He is a good guy, and he doesn't deserve all this. I'm not arguing with you there in the slightest.

[He's quiet for a long moment, considering, then exhales a shivering gust of air from his vents.]

Look, kid--our war was long, and Riptide saw some of the worst of it right up close, first thing. When bad things--things like that, things like Tarn, like that box--when they happen, it's not something that just... goes away. It gets better, sometimes, but it doesn't go away. It's like a bad injury. You can't magically flip a switch and make those things disappear, and nobody's expecting you to. When it's a problem like that, some huge heroic gesture to make it all better--that's not what helps. It has to heal up slowly. It's the little everyday stuff that does it, and I know it's not as flashy or as satisfying, but it's just as hard, and it takes somebody just as brave.

[redshitlord]

But...

[But you should be able to. You should be able to fix the good guys. They should be able to stand back up again, no matter what.]

[The other Good Guys are supposed to be able to make this right again.]

[So why can't he?]

But injuries go away! You can't see the place I ripped my leg open on that old warehouse pylon! It's gone!

[Why can't this go away too?]

[asafepairofhands]

Yeah, they do. But some heal faster than others. Some take a long time--a very long time. And the fact that things keep happening to upset him isn't helping any.

[redshitlord]

... No. It's not.

I'm... I just want him to be okay. Like he used to be.

[asafepairofhands]

Yeah. ...yeah, me too.

It's just not going to happen overnight, Sideswipe. You have to be patient with him.

[redshitlord]

I... I figured that.

But I just. Wanna make it happen faster than millions of years from now.

[asafepairofhands]

It'll happen when it happens. You can't make it go faster or slower--that has to be up to Riptide. And leaning on him to feel better faster than he's ready to isn't going to help at all, do you understand?

This has to be at his own pace.

[redshitlord]

Don't get mad at me!

I'm -- I'm trying to help! That's all I've ever done since I got stuck here! Don't lecture me like that -- like I'm trying to screw this up!

[asafepairofhands]

I'm not mad at you, Sideswipe. [Ratchet gentles his voice as much as he can, feeling tiredness in him like an ache, dragging and relentless.] I'm not trying to lecture you, and I certainly don't think you're trying to screw this up. I know how tempting it is to want to push Riptide to get better faster--it's my job to make sure he's okay, and it's difficult, knowing he's not. I'm just trying to help you understand that this is going to take as long as it takes, and it's not your fault or your responsibility if he's not better next week, or next month, or next year.

You're helping as much as you can just doing what you're doing right now, and I'm sure Riptide is grateful for it.

[redshitlord]

[He makes an upset sort of huff, and scrubs angrily at his face. No, he's not crying, shut up.]

Then... then... talk to him! Because I don't know how to do it! I don't know what I'm doing here -- and ... and I can't let him get more hurt!

Okay?