Work Text:
\Notification: [Truce was made]\
“You look weary.”
Optimus, out-of-characterly, rolled his eyes as he walked into their temporary meeting room. Megatron simply smirked.
“I suppose you have managed to convince your Autobots.”
“…I could only do as much to persuade them not to neutralize you for the time being.” Optimus mumbled.
“Well, I deeply appreciate the effort, my little librarian.” Megatron teased. Optimus just huffed, then sat down on a chair tiredly.
“I was expecting a more aggressive counter from your people.” The Prime stated.
“Some are still enraged. But I am a natural orator, and I have Soundwave as my practically second in command. The difficulty of course lowered immensely.”
“…Reasonable.” Optimus sighed.
Megatron stretched his back. “I am more amazed that you can talk Starscream out of it.”
“He is incredibly intelligent and competent. He understands the cost and the importance of what we are doing. You just treated him too harshly.”
Megatron shrugged. “That was the only way I knew to treat people.”
Optimus nodded slightly before starting another topic.
“I do require your assistance to rebuilt Cybertron. Once everything is settled, we can discuss other matters. …Our sentences, for instance.”
“I’m fully aware.” Megatron said, slowly stood up and walked behind their Prime.
Optimus looked up at him.
“Relax, love. I’m only doing you a favor.” The gladiator started to massage his shoulders. The Prime slightly raised an eyebrow at the endearing nickname, but soon relaxed, hummed softly in content.
“We will be returning to our planet tomorrow. The reconstruction will start once we reach our home.”
The gladiator simply nodded, and continue to sooth his tensed shoulder as they fell into a peaceful silence.
“I never thought you would ever agree on truce.”
“Neither did I.” Megatron replied. “What outcome have you anticipated?”
The Prime lowered his head. “I assumed the war wouldn’t stop until either of us died, or until our race become extinct. I wish to witness none of these tragedies.” He turned around a little. “What ending did you expect?”
“I expected to see myself wining, just like in every matches I had in the pits.” The gladiator replied. “However, unlike how I could see myself shone in victory in the center of the arena before every fight started, I somehow never could see myself winning this war.”
They both fell silent.
“…We never could kill each other, could we?”
Megatron huffed a smile. “…Since the very beginning.”
Rivals, nemesis, sworn enemies, however people want to name it. But they could never bear losing the other.
And both of them knew that.
Optimus closed his optics. When he opened them again, the sorrow that had always lingered in those sapphire for four million years had, finally, faltered.
“I have always hoped the truce would happen. And I’m more than glad to see it.”
“And I, too.”
-
\Notification: [Cybertron is in sight]\
Optimus breathed in heavily.
Their home, their world. They finally returned to it after seemed like forever. It looked so familiar, yet so alien.
The barren and burnt ground, ruins, darkness, the dusty air.
Everything looked so lifeless.
“I’m sorry.” Megatron breathed out quietly beside him. “…I’m truly, so sorry.”
Optimus was surprised. He knew Megatron changed as he was willing to stop the war. But Optimus did not expect him to apologize, for Megatron always being too proud to admit. The unexpected apology made his spark swelled a little with joy.
“You should be.” The Prime then gently held the other’s hand. “But at least you are willing to change.”
Megatron squeezed back a little tighter. Those crimson optics were filled with determination.
“I swear to Primus I will dedicate my entire life to compensate my mistake.”
Optimus looked back softly. “I believe you will.”
Megatron smirked, but this time it was closer to a genuine smile.
“You always believe in me, do you not? Even during the war, you believe that there’s still goodness in me.”
His gaze drifted to the window, “…I suppose so.”
“Why?”
The Prime lowered his head for a moment, as if he was hesitating.
“You…” He eventually decided to continue.
“…You told me you will always come back to me.”
“And so I wait.”
Megatron’s spark tightened.
Back when they first met, Orion was incredibly anxious when he saw Megatronus fought in the arena.
“I will always come back to you. Don’t you worry.”
Megatronus assured Orion over and over again before every match started. After few times, never again was Orion worried, for Megatronus always kept his promise.
Megatron grasped on his own chest plate for his now aching spark. He could’t believe it.
“…Just for those words, and you believe in me?” His breath hitched.
Optimus shifted his gaze, looking agonized and sorrowful. “…I know you always keep your promises. I just have to wait for you.”
“I could have destroyed the entire planet! I was at the brink of extinguishing every spark of our species. I almost—“
“I know!” Optimus raised his voice desperately. Optics were sparkling with tears. “I know…”
“That’s what my conscious told me. That’s how EVERYONE had told me…”
“But I could never give up on you. I could never…”
“If I stop believing in you, I will lose you forever... either from yourself or from me. And I want neither of it. That promise was the only hope I clutched on with my entire life to keep fighting the war I never wanted.”
Megatron was too devastated to speak.
All these desperate beliefs, forced hopes, the blind faiths Optimus grasped on in one simple sentence…Megatron was heart-brokenly stunned. Just thinking the unimaginable pain he must have had inflicted on his Prime, the painful regret surged up and drowned his breathes.
How could he do such cruelty to someone, or should he say, the ONLY one, who trusted him with every fiber of his being?
“…I never should have left you.” Megatron finally gathered himself together to speak. His hand trembled as he reached out to caress Optimus’ face so lightly, as if he was scared that he would hurt him once again. “Oh the regret…I should never…How could I…”
Optimus took a few breathes to calm down. He covered Megatron’s hand with both of his own, “It’s fine now. What had happened can not be undone. What matters…” He leaned slightly into his touch, “…is that you are back, are you not?”
“Yes. Yes I am back. And never again will I ever leave you.”
“As how you used to do in the arena?”
“Yes. As how I used to do in the arena. I will fight everything that stop me from being with you.”
The firm reassurance gently but powerfully filled a void in Optimus’ spark, where love was originally stored, and was left bleeding when the war broke out.
Megatron then held up the smaller hand, sacredly placed a kiss on the center of the tiny palm.
Optimus shuddered.
‘My heart and my breath is in your debt.’
It was a ritual that Megatron always would do before every match to promise Orion his return. Optimus smiled, almost glowing with joy.
“You still remember.”
“How can I not?” Megatron gently stroke the smaller hand before he smirked. “I would never forget anything about my love.”
“Oh please.” Optimus snickered. “What is with you?”
“Nothing.” Megatron smiled a bit way too lovingly.
He almost forgot how endearing and adorable his laughter was.
And he intended to make the occurrence more often.
-
\Notification: [Recharge is essential]\
Optimus blinked. He was staring at the bedroom ceiling.
The last thing he remembered was him checking the reports outside in the living room.
How did he ended up in his bed?
He heard some shuffle from the living room. Optimus sat up and walked over to open the bedroom door.
“…Why are you here?”
“Examining the reports, obviously.” Megatron answered without looking up from the files. “Go back to sleep.”
“You were supposed to-“
“I already finished them. Now go to sleep.”
“…You put me to bed.”
“Mm-hm.”
Optimus was quiet for a moment, then he walked over to him, “I appreciate the efforts. But you don’t have to—“
“Little one,” Megatron finally looked up with a worry-fury mixed expression, “You haven’t been in a proper recharge time for cycles. And I do not like it.”
Optimus sighed wearily as he sat on the table. “You know I have to—“
“No. No you don’t. You have me.” Megatron gently interrupted. “Now, please go back to recharge, or I will force you to.”
Optimus frowned in concern. He knew that Megatron was just as busy as himself. But he still insisted on helping him.
“You haven’t had enough sleep either.”
“Precious, I was a miner, a gladiator. I’m built far more durable and workable than you. Spare the worry.”
The Prime tilted his head for a moment, then insisted. “I will, only if you recharge as well.”
Megatron finally put down the files. He leaned back on the chair and looked at the other for a moment.
“…Unless it’s with you.”
“…Really?” Optimus snorted. “Still a flirt, I see.”
Megatron smirked. “You will need to make sure I actually sleep.”
Optimus shrugged as he smiled slightly. “I suppose so.” He stood up from the table.
“Come on. We don’t have much time to recharge.”
“As you wish, my love.”
-
Megatron was the first to wake up.
He moved slightly when he felt a weigh on his arm. He then snapped his optics open and looked beside him.
Optimus was sleeping peacefully on his right arm. Megatron stared at him for a few seconds, before reaching out gently to cup his face.
It’s been too long.
After their truce, both of them devoted their whole being to the reconstruction. This was the first time they sleep together after the end of the war.
Megatron stopped his thoughts when Optimus stirred, and snuggled into his hand.
“Good morning.”
Optimus blinked few times before snuggled back to the hug. “Good morning.”
Megatron smiled. The way they were just so comfortable with each other’s embrace made his engine revved softly in content. They both reacted exactly like how they would before the war.
Like how lovers would.
The familiarity they share was ridiculous.
Optimus lazily looked up as he sensed the other was staring at him.
“What is it?”
“…Four thousand years. I’ve wakened up without seeing you by my side.” He muttered quietly.
Four thousand years. Such a long time for loneliness. The Prime closed his optics.
“Then why didn’t you stop it when the thought emerge?”
“…I was furious at you for leaving me. But I didn’t realize I was the one that pushes you further away.” He sighed softly. “My apology for going this far.”
“Apology accepted.” Optimus held his hand. “Well, I certainly hope you can also go this far to maintain what we have now.”
“You already know how far I can go for you.”
The smaller one glanced up questionably. “For me? I’m not so sure.”
“You know, after some contemplation, I realize that…no matter what my actions were, the intention was for you.”
“Was it?” Optimus moved himself closer. “How so?”
“I erased the entire planet for Orion, and I ended everything for Optimus. Everything I did, was all for you.”
The younger one hummed softly. “Or was it for yourself?”
“…for I want you myself.” Megatron replied after giving it some thoughts. “And I’m such a fool for not noticing it any sooner.” He locked his hand with the smaller one.
“I may want to claim the title myself at first, but I’m in fact more disgusted by the name they imprisoned you, inflicting the responsibility you should never shoulder. I wanted to protect you. I wanted to save Orion’s innocence.”
“You never deserve this. You deserve to be naive and happy. Not all the things they forced upon you.”
“But I didn’t have much time to realize my real desire before my pride and fury took over. I was in a frenzy state during the last four millennia.”
“Now as the war ended, and with you here with me, I finally regain my rationality. And therefore, truly know what my spark wanted, and still wants.”
Optimus looked up. “Then who is it you want? Orion or Optimus?”
“Both. You.” He replied firmly. “Everything about you. Your laugh, your tears, your anger. Your never ending kindness, your vulnerability. And,” Megatron reached out and held his waist to pull the other right against him.
“…be eligible enough to love you, and be lucky enough to be loved by you.”
Optimus shuddered. Waves of fiery love pouring out from the gladiator’s confession made him lightheaded, as if he just finished the finest high-grade brewed by love.
“…It had been granted since the very beginning.” He whispered.
“You had me already at your blazing confidence. My heart, my whole being was already in your hands when you first kiss-promise me your return in the arena. My love for you goes so far that it even continues during the war. It never faltered, and I know it never will.”
Optimus cupped Megatron’s face. Those sapphire glittered with bright affection as he looked right into those crimson. He leaned forward and pecked lightly on those chapped lips. Megatron shuddered in ecstasy.
“I love you.” Optimus breathed out. He looked at him with so much adoration and love Megatron could ever imagine. “I should have said it sooner, shouldn’t I?”
“We both should.” Megatron kissed him again. “I love you, too. I love you more than anything. And I feel so, so privileged to be loved by you.”
Optimus smiled and hummed in content as they exchanged another kiss. The Prime then tilted his head slightly.
“We…have never officially defined our relationship.” He smiled. “You know, us archivists, we rely heavily on words of affirmation.”
Megatron laughed. “Very well. Then, please allow me.” He cleared his throat.
“Optimus Prime.”
The called mech laughed. “Yes?”
“Are you willing to spend the rest of your life with the old gladiator that is incurably in love with you? Allow him to be at your side constantly to comfort you, protect you and spoil you, until death do you apart?”
Optimus laughed wholeheartedly. It had been forever since he last laugh this carefree. He had never felt this loved and blessed.
He opened his mouth but stopped for a second.
“…No.”
Megatron raised an eyebrow, “No?”
“No.” Optimus repeated softly. “Because I wish not even death will do us apart.”
Megatron felt his spark was about to explode from the overloading love he held for the person in front of him.
“…It’s unbelievable that you would still want to tie your afterlife with me.”
“Not afterlife. EVERY afterlife.” The Prime locked their hands together. His bursting love for the gladiator made his heart pound hard. He guided the huge hand to where his spark was, looking up with beaming fondness. “Or you don’t want to?”
Megatron’s engine revved loudly as his cooling-fan kicked in. “Primus, I almost forgot how alluring you can be.” Megatron hugged him tightly, “Of course I want to! I’d be a fool to reject such bless.” He kissed his chest, his neck, and ended on his lips.
“I’m all yours. Had been, will and always be yours, in every life. You’re stuck with me.”
Those sapphire turned into a beautiful crescent shape as Optimus smiled. “I will very much like that.”
Megatron couldn’t help but capture that smile once again with his own lips. The kiss was long, incredibly sweet, and breathtaking. Tear, desire, regret, anger, and love. It enveloped every emotion they both underwent in the past five millennia.
They finally pulled apart when Optimus was out of breath. They looked at each other as they smiled lovingly.
Optimus suddenly chuckled. Megatron was confused.
“What is it?”
“I just think how ridiculous our troops must have thought of us.” He smiled, “Soundwave, Ratchet, even Starscream…they knew what was going on between us. Maybe they could see it all along. They themselves were either awkward at it, or tried to point it out, and yet they could only obey our orders. Poor soldiers.”
“Indeed.” Megatron laughed. “How was it with your medic?”
“Ratchet was extremely conflicted. He knew what was going on between us, and he knows this is the best outcome everyone can get, but he need quite some time to adjust.”
“Expected that.” Megatron grinned.
“What about Soundwave?”
“…He knew it from the very start.” The former tyrant sighed. “He reacted like he had always known this would be how it ends.”
Optimus nodded. “He never fails his reputation.” He tilted his head as he sent a recording file to Megatron.
“Starscream practically jumped when I talked to him.”
: ‘Primus finally! He had always been such an idiot whenever it comes to you. Other matters, fine, he might be a ok leader. But anything involving you? Scrap, I pray to Primus with my dear life that he doesn’t just sacrifice all of our lives on board. The pure blindness is preposterous, and I’m more than done with it.’
“That was his exact words.”
“…He is lucky that he is no longer under my command.” Megatron murmured, then place a kiss on the back of the smaller hand. “But at least he proved my point.”
Optimus chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that. Not the sacrificing part.”
“Of course.” Megatron snickered before he sighed in content. “Laugh more. I love it when you laugh.”
“Certainly will.” The smaller mech replied. “Because now my reason to smile has come back.”
The gladiator laughed. “Now who’s the flirt?”
-
\Notification: [Refugees are coming back]\
“I’ve heard about the refugees.”
Optimus was surprised. But before he could reply, Megatron spoke again, irritated.
“Why didn’t you tell me.”
“…You were away, and you have enough to worry about already. I can handle this—“
“With your dearest medic?”
Optimus blinked in surprise. Megatron strode closer to him. “I saw you at the medical bay earlier.”
The smaller mech sighed. “I need to discuss this matter with someone.”
“That just make it more righteous for you to tell me at the first place!”
Optimus stopped. He didn’t know why Megatron was so furious. “What is it with you?”
Megatron growled in irritation. He began to pace back and forth.
“My king,” Optimus called out softly, opening his arm towards him. “Please, love. Come here. Talk to me.”
The gladiator sighed in defeat. He could never reject anything when Optimus talked to him with such loving and soft voice, especially with those endearing nicknames. He then walked over and sank into the hug.
“I suppose I am…immensely possessive over your vulnerability.” He buried his face in his neck. “I want to be the only person that sees your delicate expressions behind the facade of you being a Prime.”
Optimus blinked.
By the allspark, how can he be so adorable.
“…well you never have to wish, love.” The Prime smiled. “Ratchet is a close friend, and a trusted counselor. I was asking him about his concern over the issue.” Optimus spoke gently. “I am sorry. I should have told you earlier. I just didn’t want to burden you when you already have so much to worry about.”
“I told you, you don’t need to worry—”
“Would you like to see me work 24/7 for a whole week?”
“Impossible. I would never let you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Megatron sighed. “…Fine. But I hate to be the second person to know your thoughts.”
“You will always be the first one to know from now on, I promise.”
“…So from now on, you would stop going to see your medic?”
“Primus!” The Prime laughed, “I did not know you could get this jealous.”
Megatron smirked. “I am far more possessive than you would possibly know.”
Optimus smiled. “There’s no need to worry. You already know how it is with him and Drift. Those two are inseparable, madly in love.”
The gladiator kissed his cheek. “I know. I am just joking.”
“Feeling better?”
“…will be if I get a kiss.”
Optimus laughed. “Aren’t we a little too old for flirting?”
“Never with you.”
And of course he eventually got more than just one kiss.
-
“Optimus! The crowds are outside.”
Optimus inhaled slightly, shakily exhaled then turned over.
“What are their demands?”
“…The same thing. That we, especially you, should leave this planet, for the war we helped created.”
Megatron frowned. The call was not hung up entirely, Optimus was so disturbed that he forgot to cut off the line. Megatron muted his own microphone, listened quietly as he tried to quicken up his mission.
He knew this is not going to end well.
And he wanted to be there by his Prime’d side as fast as possible.
-
“What do we have here.”
The crowd went silent as the former tyrant strode forward to them. His presence was still highly intimidating, and the unpleasantness he radiated now terrified others more than they already were. He glanced over their Prime. He looked still. But Megatron was instantly enraged.
Optimus was so lost, so shattered, so devastated.
“You, forsaken murder, out of all people, should be the last mech on the world that have the right to say anything.” A voice spoke. Megatron immediately turned around and glared at the mech, who then started to tremble as he tried to held his composure.
Megatron thundered. “We have agreed on postponing our sentences once everything is settled, and once the judicial system is restored. Before that, we will dedicate ourselves entirely to the reconstruction. Worry not, we will face our sentences when the world is once again functioning normally. We will not run away like cowards.” He let his anger got the better of him at the end of the sentence.
“If any of you still demand to exile any of our parties before the actual trial, it means that you prior your worthless pride and audacity to our planet’s betterment.” He continued indifferently, “Even I myself, a treason-committed criminal, a low caste miner, understand the proper sequence of priority. The continuity of this foolish parade would be a huge insult to me, for knowing that I am categorized as the same species as those that conduct such uncivilized and barbaric acts out of pure stupidity.”
The crowd was silent. Megatron didn’t care. He was focusing so hard to control himself to not just scoop up Optimus right out of this nonsense. He eventually simply patted Optimus’s shoulder and guided him slightly back to the headquarter.
“The commanding center is that way.” Optimus blinked as if he just realized Megatron was guiding him to another direction. Megatron only kept walking.
“I know. And I also know you are NOT in the condition to work.”
And as if he was just now become more conscious, Optimus asked. “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Kaon?” He looked up as Megatron close the door of his recharge room behind them. The crimson optics were suddenly filled with concern.
“Because I know how cataclysmic it would be once your self-destructive thoughts get the better of you.”
He patted the bed. “Now, come here, tell me what you have on your mind.”
Optimus eventually walked over and sat down.
“They are not wrong.” The smaller one buried his face in his hands, inhaled shakily. “I could not blame them.”
“How are they not wrong?” Megatron sat closer to him. “Were it not for you, our planet would be under my tyranny. Billions would have died. They wouldn’t even live long enough to spat those falsehood.”
“But what they said were undeniable. I did all this. I did help create the war. I am to blame. I’m a Prime, I’m not suppose to kill, or left our planet dying. I didn’t—“
“Optimus.”
The Prime looked up, tears already filled up his optics. Megatron gently cupped up his face as he looked right into those sapphire optics solemnly.
“Don’t you ever dare condemn yourself. You’ve spent thousands of years fighting me with everything you’ve had. You tried, and have, successfully saved them from me. You did what was right. You did exactly what a Prime would do. You are everything but what they spoke of you. Don’t you ever forget that.”
“But…but I—“
“Yes. You killed a lot of people. But you did what was necessary. The sacrifice was for the greater good. If anything, I am the one that should, and will, take full responsibility. It’s me. I am the one at fault. Not you. Never you.”
Optimus closed his eyes, leaned in his touch as he sobbed quietly. He snuggled into Megatron’s hand as the gladiator wiped away his tears.
“Stay with me.”
“More than willing to. For as long as you want me to.”
“Then forever it is.”
“Forever it is, then.” He repeated, patting his back gently to calm the other down.
Optimus listened to the strong and steady heartbeat. It always calmed him, before and even during the war. It told him that the love of his life was close to him, and still with him.
His sobbed soon quieted down.
“…I thought you hate the word ‘forever.’” Megatron asked to distract him from sadness.
“…I did.”Optimus hiccuped, “But you made me brave enough to believe in such myth.”
Megatron closed his optics. “…Primus, I must have saved an entire galaxy in my past life to deserve you.”
“I as well.” The leader sniffed. “I could never leave you. I never could leave you.”
“Fear not. I shall be right at your side as you walk through everything. You will never again be alone.”
-
\Notification: [Final Sentence]\
“Are you ready?”
“Whenever I’m with you.”
Megatron squeezed back his hand. They didn’t let go as they walked into the court.
“Optimus Prime, Megatron, are you both ready to accept your sentences?”
They looked at each other shortly before nodding.
“Affirmative. We will face any penalty the public decided to give us.”
“Affirmative.”
“Then I shall announce the result.” The Judge spoke. The council room was filled with nervous whispers. The suffocating tension was unnerving.
But the two leaders were more than calm.
The judge knocked the gavel to quiet down the mass before he spoke.
“You both have taken more lives than one could ever count, ruined our planet, and almost cause our race to perish. According to our conventional and established laws before the war, and the crimes you both committed, the result would be,” He cleared his throat.
“Capital punishment.”
The whole council was dead silent. Not even a slightly movement was heard.
But the two didn’t react much. They only closed their eyes, as they gripped on each other’s hand, tight.
They already knew.
“Tomorrow, it’s the day.”
“Mm. Time flies.”
“I am quite grateful, that we are able to be in love for these past few cycles.”
“Yes. I am more than glad to spend it with you.”
“You know, since we both will mostly likely be sentenced to death tomorrow, I, in fact, do feel like it might be a better ending for us.”
“Agree. So neither of us will be left alone, living without the other.”
“You always read my mind.” He sighed.
“Well, goodnight my love. May I find you in the afterlife.”
“And may I, you, my love.” He locked their hands together.
“Not even death can do us apart?”
He kissed his hand. “Not even death can do us apart.”
It might be the best, for they shall not be living without the other.
“However.”
They looked up simultaneously.
“The public had altogether granted you a pardon. For the compensation you two have made, and the compromise to truce.”
Both of them were absolutely stunned, before startled by the ecstatic cheers erupted from the audience.
That was the most marvelous standing ovation everyone had ever witnessed. Even the judge did not knock the gavel this time. He gladly allowed the crowd to roar in absolute merry. There had been enough deaths. It was his last wish to witness another loss.
“Under two conditions.” The judge finally continued when the mass calm down. He looked at the leader of their planet.
“You, Optimus Prime, shall continue as the leader of our planet, for you have sacrificed your entire being to protect our race. Your bravery and resistance have proved that you are a perfectly capable leader to all of the Cybertronian. Therefore, we shall all follow wherever path you lead.”
Optimus bowed his head, his voice shaking. “I’m more than honored. I shall dedicate my entire life to our planet.”
The judge nodded, then he turned to the gladiator.
“And you, Megatron. You shall serve as the Protector to our planet, permanently, as a rehabilitation to compensate what you have committed. Use your talent in military correctly to prosper our planet. Do not walk astray ever again.”
Megatron lowered his head. “Certainly will. I swear to Primus I shall devote my whole spark to our people, for they so kindly pardoned my mistake.”
The couple looked at each other, smiled lovingly as the people cheered.
Their world was torn apart, ruined, suffered, but eventually reconstructed, and even became more prosperous than ever.
Exactly like them, and their love.
War made enemies of lovers. But it only takes a split second to make them fall back to lovers, for one could never disobey their heart.
What they had, and have, will forever be chanted by their descendants, as an example for not even blind fury can outlast the longing call for the other spark.