tied together · ratchet and clank · chaotic frustration · comedic disasters · grudging camaraderie · physical comedy · video game · forced proximity · awkward unit · shared movement
Consciousness returned to the sensation of cold, hard plating against Ratchet’s back. His optics flared to life with a pained flicker, a low growl of static vibrating from his vocalizer as his systems slowly, stubbornly, came online. He tried to lift a hand, but his arm remained locked in place. A spike of alarm shot through him as he took in the cramped, rust-scabbed cell around him and the heavy chains cinching his arms behind his back. Then he felt it—a distinct pull, a weight leaning against his back that wasn't part of his own frame. His optics narrowed into a sharp, wary glare. ‘Who’s there?’ he snapped, his voice rough with static and suspicion. The question hung in the damp, dim air. From directly behind him came a faint, tense shift—a subtle movement against the restr…