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“Gasket, hey.” Wheeljack stepped through the back door and into the kitchen without knocking.
“Hello, Wheeljack.” She turned away from the tub of dishes with a warm smile. “Can I make you a cup of tea?”
“Nah, you don’t have to, but thanks. Is Ratchet around?”
She shook her head. “No. He and Drift are making a house call in town. Why? Is Whirl all right?”
Wheeljack shook his head quickly. “No, nothing like that. Whirl’s fine. It’s good that he’s not here, because I want your help planning a surprise for him.”
“A surprise? What kind of surprise?” Gasket reached for a towel to dry her hands.
“Well.” Wheeljack took a deep breath before he continued speaking. “His birthday is in a week, and this will be the first time I can celebrate with him since he was kidnapped.”
“Oh!” Her eyes widened for a moment. “He’s never said anything before! I had no idea when his birthday even was.”
“I thought maybe he hadn’t, since none of you said anything. But since I can do more than light a candle for him this year, I'd like to. Will you help me plan?”
“Of course!” Gasket’s smile returned quickly. “What are you thinking about doing?”
-_-_-_-_-
Gasket had gotten Drift to help them, largely by keeping Ratchet busy while they were planning. They took more house calls than normal, took more trips to the beach than normal and went into town for food more than normal while Gasket and Wheeljack planned the perfect celebration.
And when the two of them got back from one of those house calls, Gasket was just setting a freshly baked cake out on the table while Whirl poured drinks. And Wheeljack was setting a few packages, wrapped in brightly colored local fabric, in front of Ratchet’s favorite seat.
“What in the world?” Ratchet stared at the table before looking at his old friend for an explanation.
“It’s not much, but you deserve something, Ratch.” Wheeljack grinned. “Happy birthday!”
“...birthday?” Ratchet turned his bewildered gaze from Wheeljack to Gasket and then to Drift. “Is it my birthday?”
“Well, Wheeljack told us it was,” Drift replied. “We thought you just didn’t celebrate, so neither of us said anything.”
“I didn’t…” Ratchet stepped away from Drift and toward the table. “I didn’t remember after a while. Slaves weren't allowed to celebrate anything except the holy days, and I didn’t have anyone to celebrate with until Prowl came to the island. I honestly had no idea.”
“Well I never forgot,” Wheeljack said firmly. “I lit a memorial candle for you every year and hoped and prayed, and this year I finally get to celebrate you instead. So that’s what we’re doing! And we’ll do it every year from now on, too!”
“Jackie, I…” Ratchet sniffed and reached up to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes. “Thank you. Thank you, Jackie.”
“You’re welcome, Ratch.” Wheeljack stepped around the table and wrapped him in a hug. Drift and Gasket joined in a moment later.
Whirl gave them a moment before setting the bottle he’d been pouring from onto the table loudly. “If you’re going to be all lovey for too much longer, I’m drinking this rum without you.”
The blunt statement pulled a laugh out of Ratchet. “You got me rum for my birthday?”
“Sure did!” Whirl beamed at him.
“Well, I’d hate to waste that!” Ratchet grinned and nudged the others until they stepped away. Then he pulled out his chair and sat down at the table. He picked up the glass of rum that Whirl had poured for him and looked at it thoughtfully. “You know, I don’t remember the last time I even had rum. Today’s just full of surprises.”
“For all of us, I guess.” Wheeljack sat down in the chair next to him and picked up his own glass. He gestured for drift and gasket to do the same before saluting Ratchet with it. “But here’s to you, Ratch. I thought I was doing a favor for Lord Mirage when I came here, but it turns out he was doing one for us, and I’m always going to be grateful for getting my friend back. Happy birthday, and may you have many, many returns on the day.”
“Yeah!” Whirl agreed loudly. “Happy birthday, doc!”
“Happy birthday!” Drift and Gasket echoed together.
They all took a drink, and the rum felt as warm as the love Ratchet found himself surrounded by.