Archive of Our Own

“Damn it, Optimus! We need more information!”

Optimus flinched where he sat in the small rundown safehouse where he and Sentinel debriefed once a month. Guilt and humiliation roiled in his stomach as Optimus stared down at his hands clenched tightly in his lap. He’s been working undercover at Megatron’s club for almost a full year now and… lines were starting to blur for him. He wanted, no he needed out.

“I-I’m trying Sentinel.”

“Well try HARDER!”

“If I try any harder they’ll get suspicious! Shockwave is already giving me the side eye.” Optimus finally snapped with a glare at Sentinel.

“Optimus, bubby.” Sentinel tried to sooth with a pseudo-sweet voice that made Optimus want to take a hot shower, “do you not trust me? Besides, if you actually do your job and give me the right information there won’t be anyone to hurt you.”

Optimus looked back down at his lap and where his hands clenched in frustration.

“Because nothing is ever your fault, is it Sentinel?” Optimus hissed.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, Sir.”

“I thought so.”

~~~~~

Another day at Megatron’s club and Optimus has worked under the name Orion for a full year now. Pulling up a false small he walked into work through the back entrance and was greeted by a burbling Wildbreak in the arms of a grinning Knockout.

“Orion! Mon Ami! … Is something the matter?”

Orion blinked, false smile dropping for a moment before returning in a blink of an eye. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”

Knock Out just smirked and shifted the wriggling Wildbreak to his hip. “Orion Pax, I’m your friend, I know what your real smile looks like and what your fake-it-til-you-make-it smile looks like. Also it’s your first anniversary here. No burlesque is happy at an anniversary, all it does is remind us that we had bigger and better dreams and this was supposed to be a quick job for money before we went off for bigger and better things.”
Orion wilted and looked away.

“Nailed it.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, Wildbreak’s sitter called and said they were going to be late so I was wondering if you could look after him while I got ready?”

“What? I’ve got to get ready-”

“No, I’ve already asked ahead and I’m taking your shift so you can look after my little heart breaker here if you want.”

Knock Out bounced Wildbreak on his hip making the toddler warble and giggle.

“Well, how could I say no to him?” Orion said with a laugh and lifted Wildbreak out of his Carrier’s arm. “The lil Charmer is hard to resist.”

Wildbreak stared up at Orion with wide golden optics before turning his attention to the shiny plastic buttons on Orion's shirt.

“Say bye-bye, Carrier, Wildbreak.”

“Bah!”

Knock Out and Orion bit back chuckles as Wildbreak called back to his Carrier, but kept the lion’s share of his attention on playing with Orion’s shirt buttons.

“Come on Break, let’s go into my room and let Carrier get ready.”

Knock Out watched Orion leave with his child with a self satisfied smile. It felt good letting Orion get distracted from whatever was haunting him. With a sigh his smile fell as Knock Out couldn’t help but wonder what was making his friend so depressed. Well, he had an inkling but he prayed that the undercover cop knew what he was doing.

~~~~~

Wildbreak giggled and rolled in the soft feathery coat that Megatron had given him one cold evening out. Orion himself couldn’t hold back a smile as he watched the toddler rub his face in the soft material that made up the dark coat.

Wildbreak was quick to lose interest in the coat though and move on to a pair of glittery red heels. Eyes wide as if he had found the universe's greatest treasure, Wildbreak snatched them up for inspection. Examining them as closely as an archaeologist would an ancient artifact and with as much fervour. Wildbreak then placed them on the ground, once they passed whatever criteria the bit needed and stepped into them.

With an elated squeal Wildbreak began shuffling around in Orion’s oversized heels and babbling excitedly. Orion watched with a goofy grin as Wildbreak eventually made his way over to Orion’s wardrobe to peruse and critique his outfits.

One by one dresses and boas and coats were tugged down by curious little hands and thoroughly examined.

“You are certainly your Carrier’s child.” Orion couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Wildbreak make a sour face at a lacey yellow dress.

“I heard someone had a little time off before they had to go on stage.”

Orion couldn’t help when his heart jumped in his chest when he heard the deep voice of his lover. Damn him, his brain cursed stabbing his betraying heart for such feelings.

Outwardly Orion gave no signs of his inner war as he turned to face the man he loved.

“Megatron!” Giving the mob boss a large heartfelt smile Orion opened his arms and accepted the large powerful man into them.

“I missed you, Orion.”

“I was only gone this Sunday! You know I have Sundays off, Megs.” Orion said with a laugh, nuzzling deep into the crook of Megatron’s shoulder. Mmm, he smelled of his favorite cologne, cigar smoke, and gunpowder… he’d been ‘working’ again.

Orion’s mood crashed hard at the reminder of who Megatron was. What Orion was doing here.

Pulling back from Megatron’s warm embrace Orion made sure his smile didn’t waver. As Megatron lovingly smiled back, like Orion was the center of his universe, Orion felt his heart twist in his chest. Orion both damned and blessed the fact that Megatron could not see through his smiles like Knock Out could. He used to wonder why but when he started down that line of thinking he never got anywhere nice so after the first few times he stopped wondering.

Wildbreak, noticing that there was someone else in the room not his Carrier let out a frightened squeak and started shuffling away to hide in a corner.

Orion turned his attention back to Wildbreak and pulled away from Megatron and tried to sooth Wildbreak.

“Hey, Wildbreak. It’s okay, Megatron isn't going to hurt you. You’re looking very handsome, do you want to continue playing dress up?” he cooed, holding out the long red feather boa Wildbreak had been inspecting before Megatron had come in.

Looking up at Orion with big baleful golden optics Wildbreak timidly took the feather boa and ran the soft feathers between his stubby fingers. Passing whatever test Wildbreak had been putting all of Orion's clothes through Wildbreak wrapped the boa around his head and neck. In addition to a satin sash that the toddler had put on earlier, little Wildbreak was almost swallowed up in the adult sized clothing.

“Oh, he’s so adorable.” Orion cooed aloud as he fixed the boa so Wildbreak could actually see over the thick fluffy feathers that covered his head.

With a shy smile Wildbreak shuffled back over to the wardrobe to pull more clothes down, but kept a constant wary eye on Megatron.

“I don’t think he likes me.” Megatron rumbled as Orion returned to his chair.

“Wildbreak is just a shy guy. He’s like that with everyone he first meets, heh, he was even like that with me.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Megatron said with a soft laugh and a nuzzle to Orion's audial fin.

“No, he really was. He warmed up rather quickly but for the first few days I could barely get him to look at me without him burying his face in Knock Out’s chest… You like that dress, Wildbreak?”

Megatron sat in silence as he watched his Orion get up and help Wildbreak try on different dresses and shoes and hats. The mob boss found himself smiling softly as he watched Orion gently hold the toddler’s hand to keep the bit steady as he shuffled up and down the changing room as if they were in their own private catwalk. With every change of outfit Orion and Megatron would ooo and awe over Wildbreak like paparazzi over the latest super model. Little Wildbreak would giggle and smile. Sometimes he’d remember Megatron was a stranger and get all shy again but would be quickly and easily distracted by some new flashy article of clothing Orion would pull out.

As it was getting close for Orion’s time to get ready to get on stage and Knock Out’s babysitter to pick up Wildbreak, Orion and Megatron found themselves relaxing more and more.

“Wildbreak is a good kid.” Megatron hummed from where he was leaning against the wall side-by-side to Orion.

“Yeah, he is. If we even have sparklings I hope they turn out like him.”

Megatron stiffened next to him, “If we…”

There was a tinge of hope in his voice that tore Orion up on the inside.

No! He hadn’t ment to say that! It had only been wishful thinking! FUCK!!!

“I- uh I mean-. “

Large warm hands wrapping around both of his own silenced him and against his own better judgement Orion looked up into Megatron’s eyes. What he saw made him want to die.

There was so much love and worshipful adoration in Megatron’s eyes as he gazed down at Orion with a large hopeful smile. Tears were starting to bead in his carmine optics as he gazed down at Orion as if he was the center of the world.

Orion’s spark felt like it was imploding as Megatron spoke.

“Orion, you know I love you more than anything right? Heh, we've been together for almost a year and I don’t think we’ve ever said it to each other. So here it is, I love you. You are my everything, my something to look forward to everyday, my beauty, my strength, my support. You are alluring, intelligent, a complete and utter dork, pure, and the most beautiful creature that has ever graced Cybertron. I don’t know how such a despicable creature as I got the honor to be in such a holy presence as yours, but I am eternally grateful.”

Orion stared wordlessly up at Megatron, tears dripping down his face. Primus, he wanted to tell him his name was Optimus. He wanted to tell Megatron EVERYTHING, but he knew he couldn’t. He couldn’t face Megatron’s wrath, not when he felt the same.

“Orion?”

With a hic-uping laugh Orion threw himself at Megatron and held him tight, tighter than he ever did. Megatron grunted at Orion’s strength but returned the embrace with whispered ‘I love yous.’

“I love you, Megatron. Damn me but I love you, too.”

On the floor Wildbreak ignored the adults and continued critiquing and playing.

~~~~~

Megatron loves Orion, not you.

Optimus lay in his bed crying every night with that one thought running through his mind. Megatron loves the burlesque dancer and singer not the disgraced cop.

Optimus knew what he had to do this coming Sunday. He hated himself for it, but it was his job and Sentinel promised that he’d be safe. After Wildbreak had been picked up by his sitter Megatron had talked a little too much about his real job. His job as a mob boss.

There had been a reason he’d smelled so strongly of gunpowder. Between the evidence Optimus had been able to gather and what the police had already had Megatron had no hope this time.

Optimus shouldn’t feel this guilty, Megatron was a horrible man and had done horrible things and would continue to do horrible things if left unchecked! But Optimus kept thinking of his time as Orion Pax with Megatron.

How respectfully Megatron treated all his workers at the club. The soft looks he only gave Orion. Megatron and his close friends playing blackjack and Shockwave cleaning house and nearly starting a brawl with Lugnut. The hopeful look in Megatron’s eyes at the thought of having children particularly stung. How he secretly hoarded trashy romance poetry behind his other ‘manly’ books. The scars on his body from his hard life that proved that Megatron still lives.

Optimus hates himself, but he will go to Sentinel, he will do his job, and then Megatron and Orion will be no more.

He just wished it didn’t hurt so much to do the right thing.

~~~~~

With a heavy heart and false smile Orion walked into work on time Satday evening of his final day of work, not that anyone at Megatron’s club knew that.

As he entered his changing room Orion found Knock Out leaning against his makeup counter with a far off look on his face.

“Knock Out, what are you doing here?”

“Hm? Oh, Orion, you're here.” Orion frowned as Knock Out distractedly stood up and started messing with his satin gloves.

“Is everything alright, Knock Out?”

“Oh, yes, it’s just…” Knock Out sighed and shook his head making his pearl chandelier earrings clack. “Never mind, it’s not important. Now, today we are doing a special for the start of Valentines week. You’re going to be doing your usual routines, we all are, but at the end of each show each one of us is doing a special song or dance. Unfortunately you drew the metaphorical short straw and have to do it today. Sorry we didn’t give you any prep time, but as the new guy and the last guy to come in it fell upon you.”
“And as the Boss’s favorite you all knew I’d be in the least amount of trouble if I messed up.” Orion couldn’t help but say with a friendly laugh.

“Well I never! Okay, that might have been a small part of it. Are you okay with singing a solo today?”

Orion smiled down at the cherry red man, “I don’t mind. Are there any restrictions I need to know about or anything?”

“Nothing other than being it has to be a lonely hearts song and at least somewhat romantic. Just run the song by me before you go out okay?”

Orion paused and bit a plump lip. “I think I already know a song…”

~~~~~

It was almost a full crowd at Megatron’s club as the first day of the week-long Valentine’s Special always promised to be a bit wild with Megatron’s burlesque workers going all out. Lugnut and Strika watched the floor like hawks along with some extra hands that weren’t usually needed except on special holidays like this.

Strika had already knocked several heads in and barely managed to stop her own husband from starting a barroom brawl with a couple inebriated customers who had been bad mouthing Megatron. The woman just wanted to sit down and ask the loudmouthed yellow barkeep for the largest strongest drink and for this week to end.

When the current act, a rather enthusiastic interpretation of the can-can, ended the house lights dimmed and the curtains closed in preparation for the next act.

Strika leaned heavily against the wall as this act was a more of a slow number. Give the show mechs time to change outfits and grab a drink or a rest. It also gave the crowd time to settle down and order more drinks. A little time for the bouncers to come down off of high alert and check on each other.

Speak of Unicron and his Spawn, Lugnut came lumbering over to her.

“Been good Lugnut?” Strika asked as she scanned the crowd.

“Always for you, my love!” Lugnut grinned as he leaned against the wall beside her, their shoulders touching.

Strika let out a loud gaffaw and playfully pushed Lugnut with her shoulder. “We both know that’s a lie!”

Lugnut just grinned and playfully shouldered her back. “Only because you love it that way.”

The couple ignored the gagging of an eavesdropping patron and returned to their diligent watch. If they kept shoulder to shoulder and surreptitiously wrapped their hands around one another, no one said anything.

Then a single bright spot light hit the stage illuminating Megatron’s little lover, Orion Pax, glittering like a starfilled sky under the bright spot light.

He stood there in a long black and gold beaded gown with white silk gloves and golden bangles around his wrists. On his bowed helm he wore what looked like a mix of a beaded veil and a golden tiara. His lips were stained a deep red nearly black and his eyes were rimmed and shaded in a similar red and outlined in gold.

Softly, without music Orion started singing.

Slowly as he continued more and more of the crowd fell silent and listened to Orion sing.

As the music started to play softly Orion started to raise his head revealing his large moist eyes to the audience. Tears threatening to fall.

As the saxophone crooned out to the audience the crowd remained still except for a handful sobbing into their mugs. There probably wasn’t a single eye in the room that wasn’t a little moistened by Orion’s heartfelt song. Even some of the stone sparked mobsters were trying to subtly hide their softening gazes in their beers.

Lugnut gave her hand a gentle squeeze as Orion’s song crescendoed. Taking a glance at her love Stika’s breath stole away from her as she caught the look in Lugnut’s large central optic. So much love and tender care. Strika felt her heart flip flop in her chest as she watched Lugnut grin tenderly at her. Strika knew that Lugnut, her light her love, saw the same love and adoration returned to him in her own tender gaze.

As the lights came back up to normal Orion bowed, the beads on his dress and veil caught the lights along with the tears on his face.

The crowd sat in silenced awe at the raw emotion that they just felt pouring out of Orion before erupting into emotional applause.

Stirka would bet there would be a lot of drunken calls to exes tonight as she watched several emotional customers wave down waiters for more drinks and even more stumble over to the bar.

Wiping away a tear with a sigh Strika had to admit, Orion could sing.

~~~~~

Cleaning up and getting ready to leave to go home Orion couldn’t help but feel at least a little better after singing that song. It felt like telling the truth without actually telling it.

With a sigh Orion put the last of his make-up away for the last time and shouldered his bag.

As he opened the door to leave he was met with a second meatier and more handsome door.

“Oh, Megatron! What are you doing here?” Orion asked with a curious grin.

“...”

“Megatron are you alright? You look like you’ve been crying.”

“Well, there aren’t a lot of people that weren’t crying after your performance.” Megatron looked away as if ashamed he had been caught crying.

Orion’s expression softened and he reached up standing on the tips of his toes so he could touch Megatron’s face. “Megatron, it’s okay. You’re not weak for showing emotion, least of all in front of me.”

Megatron relaxed and buried his face into Orion’s palm with a small smile. “You are too good to me.”

The knife in Orion’s spark twisted. “It’s no hard thing, Megatron. I love you.”

Megatron’s eyes sparkled, making Orion’s heart skip a beat. “Come home with me tonight, Orion.”

He needed to say no. He didn’t need to gather any more information, all it would do would make things harder. Orion Pax would die tomorrow in a car accident. If he said yes he would have to come up with an excuse to leave his bed. He needed to say no.

“Yes.”

~~~~~

The next morning Megatron woke up naked in his bed alone. The spot where Orion had been sleeping before was almost cold. Megatron bolted up looking for his Orion only to find a note on his bedside table.

I got a call from a family friend about a family emergency. He refuses to tell me what unless face to face, he was always a jerk like that. I wish I could have stayed but… he sounded so scared. I’ve never heard him sound so scared before. I’ll be back before noon, if not I’ll be sure and call you and tell you. I love you so much Megatron..
The letter had been signed with a kiss in Orion’s favorite lipstick. Warm love washed through Megatron when he saw the lipstick, but it was quickly overshadowed by worry and a vicious protectiveness.

Who was this friend and what was this emergency? Was Orion in danger?

Swiftly getting dressed Megatron started to rush down stairs.

Hours later Megatron screamed in agony and rage as he held Orion Pax’s greyed corpse in his arms as his dreams shattered around him.

And on Monday the rest of his world fell around him as the police blew his burlesque doors down and arrested his men and tore down his legacy.

~~~~~

Bumblebee watched on the TV as a bloody and beaten Megatron was dragged in handcuffs out of his mansion. It was humbling seeing his former boss dragged out in chains like an animal in the five o’clock news. The man had been larger than life and neigh untouchable just yesterday, but here he was paraded around by the police like a trophy.

“Could you turn that off.” Knock Out snapped from where he bounced a crying Wildbreak in his lap.

“Tch. Touchy.” Bumblebee mumbled but changed the channel nonetheless.

Wildbreak’s sobs calmed as the latest antics of Twilightsparkle and her friends enchanted him.

~~~~~

Meanwhile across town Optimus, very much alive and well, had finished up his packing and was pensively waiting in his apartment’s common area for Jazz to arrive.

Soon, Optimus would be going into the Witness Protection Program. He’d be given a new name, a new life, a new everything.

Ratchet, Bumblebee, Knock Out and Bulkhead would occasionally enter the room to give him either words of encouragement or hugs, the hugs were mostly from Bulkhead, but largely they gave the man space. Each of his house mates seemed to be keeping an eye on him in their own ways.

Ratchet always seemed to be lurking near the common area taking a rare day off of his job at the clinic saying that he was needed more at home at the moment. He lurked in the small kitchen doing something, Optimus could hear him rattling around occasionally when he wasn’t poking his head out to scowl worriedly out to check on him.

Bumblebee usually stuck to his room, or so he said, Optimus could hear the young man talking in there to someone, it didn’t sound like Bulkhead, but Optimus was too lost in his own misery to really notice or care. Whenever Bumblebee came down he would turn on the TV and watch some of Optimus’s favorite shows with him. For once Bee kept his comments about Optimus’s dry tastes to a minimum as they watched together. But when the show ended or Bee got too bored he would excuse himself and go back to his room. Optimus didn’t mind; he knew their tastes in shows were different and it touched him that Bee was trying in his own way to comfort him.

Knock Out, who had no job and didn’t feel safe in his home after what happened to the mob had moved in with them at Optimus’s request. It was the least Optimus could do after taking everything away from him. Knock Out had tried and was still trying to convince the man that what happened wasn’t his fault, but the guilt was still there. It somewhat helped Optimus’s guilt that in Orion’s ‘will’ all of his burlesque equipment was bequeathed to Knock Out. That was a lot of money and frankly Knock Out looked rightfully stunning in most of it. Besides, it helped settle Optimus’s spark knowing Wildbreak wouldn’t have to worry about money and could still play with the clothes he liked.

Bulkhead bounced between the kitchen with Ratchet and upstairs. When Optimus had first come home and explained everything in an explosion of tears and raw emotion Bulkhead had been the one to hold him in his strong soft arms and hold him tight. It was the safest Optimus had ever felt since Meg- since he was a child wrapped in the arms of his sire. Bulkhead was like a steady rock full of warmth and comfort ready to help Ratchet remind Optimus to eat.

It was nearly dinner time when Jazz entered the apartment. Optimus was quick to stand and greet him while the rest of the household not so subtly tried to eavesdrop on the conversation.

“Hey, OP, it’s good to see you again.”

“You too, Jazz.” Optimus and Jazz exchanged a brief hug with each other before Jazz pulled away to hand Optimus a small briefcase.

“Here you are, man. The new you.”

Optimus carefully took the case and looked down at it in trepidation as if it would open up and snap at him.

“I don’t suggest you open it right now; wait until you get in your car.” Jazz smirked and tossed Optimus a set of keys that he caught automatically.

“My car?”

“Yep.” Jazz said, popping the P. “It fits with the background. Brand new. It’s the least we could do after everything you went through.”

Optimus just hummed to himself and pocketed the keys.

“Everything else you need to know is in those files.” Jazz paused, nervously biting his lip before opening his mouth to say something else when the front door slammed open.

“Optimus!”

Jazz spun around, gun already drawn, only years of training in both the police force and in the dojo keeping him from blowing away a furious looking Prowl.

“You! You took away my revenge!!!” Prowl snarled and went to lunge at a confused Optimus.

“Whoa there Prowler!”Jazz did his best to restrain Prowl one handed, but Prowl was determined to get at Optimus.

“Because of you my Sire’s murderer still lives and I’ll never be able to give him justice!”

“Prowl what are you talking about?” Optimus backed up from the frothing Prowl as he tried to break out of Jazz’s iron grip.

“Lockdown! Lockdown he- he murdered my- my Sire.” Prowl broke into sobs and the pieces fell into place for Jazz and Optimus.

“Oh.”

“Oh? what do you mean ‘oh’?” Bumblebee squawked from where he had been watching in the door frame that led to the second story stairs.

“Megatron liked to keep… records of all his non-mob member workers in case they ever tried to go rogue.” Optimus explained, not making eye contact with anyone.

“In layman’s terms, blackmail.” Jazz said flatly.

“So when the police looked through all his files,” Prowl’s ragged voice broke through, “they found out the man that I had… trusted the man that I had had sex with had lied to me and murdered my sire!!! And you ruined the one chance I had at… at getting him!”

Optimus wilted under Prowl’s tearful glower even as Bumblebee jumped to defend Optimus.

“Oh, knock it off Prowl! You should be grateful that the info Optimus was able to get put that creep is behind bars! How long would Lockdown have strung you along before you finally got the hint that the bounty hunter was as dirty as the rest of the mobsters?”

Prowl turned a murderous look at Bumblebee, only Jazz who had finally managed to put his gun away and get both hands on Prowl to restrain him kept him from mauling the younger man.

“Easy, Prowler.”

After a token struggle in Jazz’s restraining grasp Prowl went limp and stared vacantly at the floor. Everyone looked away as the man started to shake from repressed sobs trying to let Prowl keep at least some dignity.

“I’m sorry, Prowl.” Optimus said, “I would have told you if I had known.”

“You are always trying to help us… I could have mauled you and you’d still apologise. Why are you too damned nice?” Prowl mumbled back, defeated, hurt, and still angry though at what Prowl couldn’t say.

Sensing that Prowl wasn’t going to attack anyone anymore Jazz slowly released him only keeping a steady support for him so Prowl didn’t fall to the floor in a boneless heap.

“I’m going to my room. I’m sorry.” Prowl mumbled and started to take a few staggering steps forward. His eyes were so blinded by unshed tears he nearly ran into the doorway that led to the stairs. Jazz was quick to rush over to him, but hesitated before touching him.

“Do you need help there, Prowl?” Jazz’s voice rumbled in a soothing and calm tone.

Prowl looked up at his former friend looking torn and so broken. For a moment Jazz thought he’d say no before at last Prowl nodded and collapsed against Jazz’s sturdy body.
With a final nod to everyone in the common area, Jazz carefully led Prowl up the stairs.

When Prowl’s door shut and locked behind the pair everyone in the room let out a collective breath.

“Well that just happened.” Bumblebee quipped before letting out a yelp as Ratchet clipped him in the back of the head.

“Learn to have a little empathy, brat!”

Before Bee could round on Ratchet Optimus threw the briefcase Jazz had given him on the couch with all his might and fell to his knees hard.

“Optimus!”

“Why does everything have to be my fault?”

“What? No,” Ratchet was quick to kneel at Optimus’s side, “it’s not your fault that Lockdown was arrested. Lockdown made his choices and deceived Prowl. Now, Prowl is hurting, confused, and angry and took it out on the wrong person. He was wrong to take it out on you, BUT-”

With a sharp glare at Bumblebee he stopped a sharp comment before it left his lips, “we aren’t going to say anything until he’s calmed down. He’s still our friend, he knows what he did was wrong, and has enough on his plate right now. We all do. Now, Bulkhead and I have been working on a good-bye dinner all day, why don’t we start setting the table?”

Quietly everyone got busy getting ready for dinner.

Ratchet had been right. It was a big dinner, homemade beef and vegetable stew with all the fixings. Rolls fresh out of the oven, soft butter, fluffy mashed potatoes that steamed. Cold milk to soothe burned tongues that were too eager to down the tasty dinner laid out before them.

Later Jazz came down and was invited to the table. Bumblebee laughed when Jazz made a horrified face when he saw Bumblebee add hot sauce to his bowl.

It wasn’t long after that that Prowl came down too and timidly stood at the entrance to the kitchen/dining room.

“Come on in, Prowl.” Optimus motioned to the chair by Jazz that had an unused set of dinnerware. “Come get some before Bumblebee eats it all.”

“Ah will nah!” Bumblebee objected though a mouth full of roll.

Shaking his head with a small smile Prowl took his place at the table and nibbled at some mashed potatoes.

Dinner was loud and full of laughter. Optimus sat back with a smile when he was full and watched his friends play and chat. A part of him wondered if this was what it would have been like with Megatron. If he really had been Orion. If he could have married him, grown old with him, and had children. He could see sitting at a small table with him and-

No he can’t think like this anymore. It only hurts him.

With a firm shake of his head Optimus leaned forward to the table and joined in on the conversation. He tried his best to banish the memories of sitting at Megatron’s dining table, but they stayed planted there in the back of his mind.

By tomorrow he’d be a new man, but for now he’d enjoy his time with his friends. He’d laugh with them and listen to their stories one last time before starting his new life. His time with Megatron was like an ever present weight, but as he watched the small dinner table hold too many people and listen to the sound of voices echo around the kitchen the weight folt so much lighter.

Maybe, just maybe he could make it through this.