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Bumblebee fell asleep after Optimus had finished his stories. The pain medication must have started to kick in, and he was out like a light. Optimus sighed, staring at the youngling’s sleeping form. He looked so small with that oversized cape and the blanket covering him. Optimus got up, tiptoeing out of the room. It’s been a week since the explosion at the Energon mine. The gash on his chestplate was lethal enough to send him into a coma for four days. Optimus shuddered at the memory.
Optimus could hear the screaming and crying a mile away. His spark stopped. He recognized those screams. He bolted towards the medical bay, typing in the code quickly and dashing through the doors. Just as he thought, Bumblebee was kicking and screaming, tears pouring down his faceplates. He could see Ratchet attempting to calm the frightened youngling.
“O PTIMUS!! ” Bee screamed, and the Prime’s spark broke. He quickly walked to his side, grasping his shoulders.
“ I t’s okay, it’s okay. ” Optimus hugged Bee tight and felt the youngling squeeze him, sobs dying out a little.
“I - ” Bee sniffled, “ I thought you left me .”
“I would never, little one. ” Optimus replied instantly, “ Wouldn’t even dream of it .”
He prayed to Primus that Bumblebee wouldn’t wake up in a panic while he was away, and started walking to the groundbridge. He needed some peace. Optimus typed in the coordinates of his favorite stargazing spot and opened the portal. It was almost pitch dark when he walked through, but Optimus could still see the glow of the Crystal Flowers. The Crystal City Gardens is probably the only place that wasn’t destroyed by the war. He loved coming here with Megatronus. It was their favorite spot to go on date s…
Optimus lay down on the grass, feeling the blades brush against his protoform. He watched the shooting stars dash across the night sky as the moon bathed its glow on the surface. He sighed, closing his optics and letting the tension fade from his frame. He felt the call to sleep, and just as his processor was powering down, he felt someone lay down next to him.
“L ovely night, isn’t it ?”
His optics snapped open, but he didn’t dare look next to him. His breathing quickened, optics as wide as saucers. He turned his helm, only to see the one and only.
“. ..Trion ?”
The older Prime looked at his student, smiling. It was like nothing changed. The wrinkles on his faceplate as he smiled, a smile only the ones closest to him could see, the same faded scars, the same cape that rested under his frame. Optimus shot up, staring at Alpha Trion like he was a ghost. Well, he obviously is. There was a luminescent glow to his translucent body, and it looked like he was slightly hovering off the ground, or maybe that was Optimus’ imagination. Optimus slowly stood up, his optics locked onto his mentor’s . Trion stood up with him, and he looked exactly the same. The new Prime could feel the tears beginning to form.
Without notice, he launched himself to his mentor, sobbing. Alpha Trion held him and slowly inched them back to the ground, Optimus still crying as he buried his faceplate in his mentor’s neck.
“H ush, Orion. ” Alpha Trion whispered, “ It is alright. Do not cry .”
Optimus sniffled, wiping away his tears. “ I’m sorry .”
“D o not apologize. Why are you sorry ?”
“F or everything .”
Alpha Trion shook his helm, “ We've had this talk before, Orion. Just because you are a Prime, does not mean you have to shoulder every burden that falls upon us .”
“ S till , ” Optimus replies, “ As a leader of Cybertron, it is my responsibility when something happens. That includes casualties .”
Alpha Trion was silent for a moment, “ Do you blame yourself? For my demise ?”
“. ..How could I not ? ” Optimus whispered.
“D o you blame yourself for the situation regarding your youngling ?”
Optimus nodded, looking down. “ Bee wouldn’t be in the medical bay if I had paid more attention .”
Alpha Trion was silent, “ Do you blame your younger brother for the death of your mother ?”
“O f course not! ” Optimus yelled, “ Why would I blame him? It’s not his fault! He had no control !”
“S o why are you any different ?”
Optimus stayed quiet.
“Y ou shouldn’t be bearing the weight of every Cybertronian’s fate .”
Optimus sighs, hugging Alpha Trion. “ I’m sorry …”
“N o need to apologize. ” The older Prime laughs.
They stayed there, in each other’s embrace , when they heard a child’s voice.
“O ptimus? ” The child yawned, “ Who’s that ?”
Optimus stepped back, staring at the bright yellow frame. The cape hung loosely around Bumblebee’s neck and he was rubbing one of his optics. He probably just woke up.
“H ey Bee… ” Optimus walked up to the young and picked him up, placing him on his hip. “ You know him, don’t you little one ?”
Bumblebee lay his helm on the Prime’s shoulder, getting ready to fall back asleep. He glanced at Alpha Trion, yawned, and closed his optics.
“N o, ” he mumbled, “ But he has the same cape as me .”
Optimus laughed as the youngling powered down. He called a groundbridge, the swirling portal appearing behind them.
“I t… was nice seeing you again, Father. ” Optimus smiled. Alpha Trion hummed, “ This won’t be the last time , I will always be with you .”
The Prime faded with the wind, and Optimus stared at where he once was. He adjusted his hold on his sleeping kid and walked through the portal.