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They had always known that, barring disaster, Jazz would go first. That didn’t make the reality of it hurt any less, but they had always known.
Silverbolt stepped up to the podium and looked out at the sea of people who had come to see his partner off, and felt his sparkache ease for a moment. They were friends and family, human or Cybertronian or other, and Jazz would have been both delighted and a little embarrassed by the turnout.
He cycled his vents and let out a steadying burst of air before speaking, though he wasn’t sure he could ever be ready for this. “Thank you all for coming today to honor Jazz. He would have been delighted to see you all, though he would have hated to miss this party.”
Watery laughs met his statement, because they all knew it was true.
Silverbolt continued. “I was lucky enough to know Jazz from the day I came online, and he was the first part of Autobot command to see me as an equal and treat me like I mattered. I was fortunate to call him mentor, friend and, eventually, lover. I thought I knew what I was getting into with that last one, but I never did.”
There were more laughs at that, from other people who had either benefited from Jazz’s professional skills or had a whirlwind romance after Kup’s passing.
“In fact, I could talk about all the crazy things we got into all day.” He felt tears welling up in his optics and he willed himself to hold out for just a few more moments before falling apart. “But that wouldn’t be fair to the others who have come to help put Jazz to rest today.”
Silverbolt sighed and blinked back his tears before turning to where Rodimus Prime was waiting off to one side. The Prime stepped up to the podium as Silverbolt gestured, but he pulled the flyer into a hug for several seconds before speaking.
“Jazz was never a devout mech,” Rodimus said with a weak smile, “But I never held it against him.”
Silverbolt lost track of what Rodimus was saying as he retreated from the stage. He fell into Hot Spot’s open arms and was hugged tightly by all of the Protectobots. And for the first time since Remedy had given him the news, Silverbolt cried.