Chapter Text
Optimus sighed. The quiet murmur of the office hummed within his audials, thrumming almost pleasantly but bringing with it a familiar irritation that bugged the back of his processor. Cybertron was a bustling planet full of opportunities, especially Iacon. But with those opportunities came the telltale pros and cons. It wasn’t hard for Optimus to find a job; he could remember himself as a young mech, newly appointed into the job world, blue optics wide with awe and determination. What he didn’t expect was to have scornful and annoyed glances thrown his way with the sparkling on his hip. Optimus’s finials twitched when he thought about it. He hadn’t made the best decisions as a young mech but he didn’t regret Bumblebee, not one bit. Fortunately, his boss seemed to take pity on him and with a heaving sigh, hired him.
It was how Optimus found himself working a 9 to 5 office job at Decepticon Inc., a very tight knit and almost shady company. But Optimus needed the shanix and this job was the only way apparently. He didn’t have it in himself to complain, he’d gotten used to it. Every morning he’d come in, adjust his glasses — something he didn’t realize he needed until later on —, wave hello to Arcee, avoid Starscream — who always seemed to be staring at him, seriously, it was making Optimus a little nervous, and promptly sit down at his desk on the 7th floor of the lavish, corporate building.
He couldn’t afford one of the better daycare’s and left Bumblebee with his personal nanny and closest friend, Jazz. It was his own little life and sure, things weren’t the greatest and got tough sometimes but it all paid off.
His digits typed neatly and quickly on the keyboard below, occasionally reaching up to fix his glasses as they slid down his nose. The humming of the office and the fields of bots passing by continued to thrum against him — a pair of optics seemingly always staring. His finials twitched again, anxiety and irritation clawing its way up his back.
“Oppy!”
Optimus startled slightly, looking up to see Arcee smiling sweetly at him. He smiled, leaning back in his chair slightly. “Hello, Arcee.”
Arcee was a pleasant femme, someone who Optimus trusted. Her bubbly and kind demeanor wasn’t to be taken advantage of, however, as her temper when she was angry — which was rare — was certainly a sight to behold.
“How are you? Do you need a cup of mid-grade? I was just headed downstairs to the cafe.” Arcee asked, leaning against the side of his desk, her pink and white plating shining in the mid afternoon sunlight beaming in through the windows.
Optimus hummed, a break would suffice he supposed. “I’ll come with you,” he paused, optics softening. “If that’s alright?”
Arcee laughed, taking his servo in hers and leading him down the hall and into an elevator, pressing the button to the lobby.
That gaze seemed to dissipate from his back and Optimus couldn’t help the sigh of relief he let out. Arcee tilted her head. “Everything ok? Optimus, you can’t overwork yourself like this!” she scolded, wagging her finger.
Optimus shook his helm with a chuckle. “You’re right… but it’s not that. I feel like, well, someone has been watching me? I can’t describe it.”
A strange look passed over Arcee’s face, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her gaze darkened slightly, coming closer to Optimus who sputtered nervously. “Do you need me to take care of them? Give me a name.”
Optimus shook his head rapidly, fixing his glasses so they wouldn’t fly off his face. Damned things, he was overdue for a new pair.
“No! I mean, no, thank you. Even if I did take you up on your offer, I have no idea who it could be.” he laughed nervously. The elevator came to a stop, opening and letting the two bots out into the grandiose lobby, the cafe just across from them. Arcee hummed, processing his words.
“Interesting. I’ve come across my fair share of strange bots here so all I can advise you is to be careful. Anyway! How’s my nephew?” she cooed as they walked into the cafe, eager to hear about his sparkling.
He giggled, the warm, earthy smell of mid-grade filling his olfactory senses. He didn’t tell Arcee the gaze on his back had returned again.
…
“An absolute angel, as always.” Jazz said, wiping down the counters with a disinfectant mesh wipe. Bumblebee beeped and chirped happily, his antennae wiggling with excitement to see his carrier again. Optimus picked him up, nuzzling his cheek.
“I can’t thank you enough. I’m low on funds so I promise I’ll pay you back next deca cycle-” Optimus said hurriedly, but was cut off by Jazz who shook his head.
“Nope! How many times have I told you I don’t need you to pay me?” Jazz smiled, his visor glinting. “You and Bee are practically family, I adore this little side gig of mine.” he laughed, pulling Optimus in for a hug.
“Unfortunately, Prowl is gonna kick my aft if I don’t get there on time so I gotta get going. Bye Bee.” he cooed to the sparkling who clicked happily, waving to Optimus as he left the apartment.
Optimus spun around, nuzzling Bee again before setting him down and letting the yellow bot play. He sighed as he remembered what he’d left outside but came to a standstill. Jazz was gone and he’d be an awful carrier if he left his sparkling all alone.
It’ll only be a few breems , he thought to himself.
“Bee! I’ll be right back!” he said quickly, practically out the door, rushing out of the apartment and down the street, the night cycle already upon him. It was cold. Even though spring was slowly rolling in, the bits of bitter cold remained. It would be quick.
Optimus didn’t know what he was thinking. He heard a noise from a nearby alley and what sounded like… a groan? Optimus wasn’t the type to leave another in peril and slowly trekked down the alley, his headlights turning on.
“Hello? Are you alright?” he asked.
Silence.
Something grabbed his arm and with a yelp, Optimus whirled around, red optics and a familiar frame coming into view. “What- let go!” he cried.
A larger mech, accompanied by booming footsteps were heard, a gray mech whose red optics pierced into the deepest depths of his soul reached out.
Optimus wasn’t thinking, he was being held against his will, struggling. All that was on his mind was Bumblebee.
He wrenched himself from the other mech’s grasp, raised his servo and promptly slapped the large and imposing mech reaching out for him, tears welling up in his optics as he quickly ran out of the alley and back to Bee, worried sick.
…
Starscream was dumbfounded and Megatron was… shocked . No bot had ever treated him like this. His second in command snickered, despite their failure.
“Well, that certainly didn’t go well.”
Megatron couldn’t speak, touching the side of his face, the area stinging from the impressive slap.
Megatron, Dark Lord of Tarn, arguably the most feared mech in all of the north and south, was slapped by the mech he was trying to court!