Just a little Rodimus & Ultra Magnus Fluff/Friendship.

Vessel

"Well this is fun," Rodimus said, dropping his chin on the top of Magnus' helm.

Ultra Magnus had to disagree, and resisted the urge to move, lest he crush the much smaller mech in their restricted space. The Lost Light Captain was nestled between Magnus' shoulder mounts, wedged between the second-in-command and the wall of a far too small shuttle craft. Magnus frowned heavier. "I have found that word brings nothing but trouble."

"No, I think that's Whirl," Rodimus said. He pulled his arms up, to rest them on either side of Magnus' helm and continued squirming around in an effort to get comfortable. "If he hadn't shut the door on the larger shuttle before we got there, we wouldn't have had to use this one."

"He's getting reprimanded the very second I set foot on that ship. Severely," Magnus said, gripping the tiny controls between his thumb and index finger. A minibot would have been cramped in this vessel. "I would appreciate it if you didn't undermine me in this decision, either, and let him off the hook like so many other times."

"Nope, you won't be hearing so much as a peep from me," Rodimus growled into Magnus' audial. "Discipline to your heart's content. He has got to learn he can't keep closing doors on people. Especially when we're being chased from angry natives on a ship-leave planet and have to hijack shuttles to get back to our own."

"Elaborating on our situation really wasn't necessary."

"It wasn't unnecessary either," Rodimus drummed his fingers on the side of Magnus' head. Magnus was starting to believe it was impossible for that mech to sit still. "Besides, I either need to talk or fidget, and I think we both know which is better."

"I suppose," Magnus replied, refraining from commenting that Rodimus was currently doing both. Magnus tapped a button on the control panel with the tip of his finger, for once cursing its bulk. The map came up as required and he estimated another two hours before reaching the Lost Light. "I fear the chaos that will be there when we return. Whirl is the least of that crew's worries. Some days I think we'd be better without them."

Rodimus laughed, and Ultra Magnus could feel the vibrations of his body shaking through his armor. "What, Magnus? You'd rather be trapped on a ship with just me and Drift?"

The thought of the white Decepticon mad Magnus' brow twitch. Ex-Decepticon, he corrected himself. "Maybe just you."

"See, I don't believe that. I think you're better off with all of us. Even Drift" Rodimus' traced little pictures on Magnus' shoulder. Ultra Magnus wondered if it was the same graffiti that littered the Captain's desk. "It let's you spread your frustration with me around. I think I'd end up dead if it was just the two of us."

"I'm sure you'd talk your way out of it one way or another," Magnus admitted, under his breath. "You always do."

Rodimus hummed in response, thumping heavily against Magnus like an unruly sparkling begging to be carried. His full weight pressed against Magnus. He was still though for once, and—Magnus frowned. He could feel that all the way through the armor. "Rodimus, you're running warm. Is there something the matter with your systems?"

"Nah, that's normal. They didn't call me 'Hot Rod' for nothing," Rodimus murmured. "You'd think the flames on my chest would have been a hint I run a little hotter than most mechs."

"I thought you just liked fire," Magnus said. "I think at some point I was aware you were heat resistant, but I wasn't sure how far it went."

"I can withstand the heat of planet-fall without any shielding, so it's pretty high," Rodimus smirked. Magnus could knew that cocky grin by heart, even if he couldn't turn his head to see it. "I can light on fire, too, if I need to. I don't like doing it often, but BOOM! and flames everywhere. If it wasn't so fuel intensive, I'd call it my signature move."

"I'm impressed you restrain yourself from showing it off."

"You're big."

"Excuse me?" Magnus asked, tilting his head enough to the side to catch a glimpse of red armor. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm hot, and you're big," Rodimus said. He rubbed his palms on Magnus' armor. "Sorry, you just noticed my systems run hot, and it just really hit me in this tiny space how big you are."

"I'm sorry?"

"No, it's a good thing. I'm glad you're big." Rodimus was silent for a moment. "It means people listen to you. Size shouldn't matter, but it does. All the leaders are big. Optimus, Megatron. Grimlock. The Dinobots. They all tower over us. Me and Bumblebee? They don't listen to us. We're too small."

"I'm sure that's not—"

"It's true," Rodimus growled and lifted himself out of his nook. He crawled up and over, his chevron scraping the ceiling until he hung over Magnus' shoulder. He braced on the front window and Magnus' helm. "They only listen to me because you tell them to. So, thank you. Thank you for taking me seriously."

Magnus was quiet, listening to the hum of an engine their own bodies. He slid back to allow Rodimus to crawl completely up front, and adjust his position into the side, avoiding the controls. Rodimus thumped his head on Magnus' chest, looking tired and…small. He was young, wasn't he?

Magnus stared out into space, into the silence that would end when they met with the crew and their loud voices and endless energy. This quiet wouldn't last, nor the mood. "Thanks are unnecessary. It is only right that I enforce your orders. You are my Captain, after all."

"You better believe I'm Captain," Rodimus said, laughing into the blue and white armor. "Though, as nice as this turned out to be, you can still do whatever you want to Whirl when we get back."

"Thank you."

Rodimus snorted. "Thanks are unnecessary."