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Optimus could feel Megatron's eyes on him from across the room. He ignored him for now, in favor of grabbing another drink from a passing waiter.
"Ignoring me, little Prime?" a voice spoke above him.
Optimus turned around, and sure enough, Megatron was standing behind him.
"I'm not ignoring you if you never make your presence known in the first place," Optimus replied, taking a sip from his drink.
" 'Make my presence known', huh? Then in that case, care for a dance, little Prime?" Megatron asked, holding out his hand in invitation.
"I'm not little." Optimus stated, and he absolutely did not pout, maybe grabbing a fifth glass wasn't his brightest move.
"Doesn't seem that way from up here, you know, maybe you wouldn't be able to handle a single dance with me, being so small and all," Megatron commented, and damn it Optimus knew he was being baited, but he still fell for it.
"You know what? Fine, one dance." Optimus said, as he took Megatron's hand, who did not hesitate to pull him close.
They made their way to the center, because of course Megatron would, but it made sense given his frame size.
Optimus and Megatron let go of each other once they were in the center, and they started circling each other once the opening beats of the song started.
The song started slow, but soon picked up the pace, it was faster than any autobot song, so this must be Decepticon music, not that Optimus would let something like that stop him.
They circled each other for the first few seconds of the song, sizing each other up, with a spin here and there for the drama. Once the beat dropped, they lunged and grabbed each other, pulling the other close.
Megatron took lead, and pulled Optimus in a circle, who let himself be led. But he would not be outdone. As Megatron spun him, he hitched his leg up, before dropping into a low kick out. When Megatron pulled him up, he spun out.
Optimus spun out again, keeping hold of Megatron with one hand, before spinning back in, wrapping himself with Megatron's own arm. As he looked up, he felt Megatron's helm dip low to whisper in his audial,
"Didn't know you could move like that, Prime"
After having said this, he spun Optimus out again, this time letting him go, and when Optimus spun his way back, he caught him with the other arm.
Once again close to each other, Optimus took the opportunity to reply.
"There's a lot you don't know about me,"
They danced in synchrony, no need to tell each other where to move, they could read each other's frame as well as their own.
Somehow, Megatron was able to read Optimus' intentions before he could finish thinking them and acted on them. Megatron dipped Optimus low, who let go and slid between his legs, Megatron stepping over him and pulling him back up in one fluid movement.
When Megatron wanted to lift Optimus up, he let him. Facing out, he twisted his body to almost hug Megatron, who held that pose for a few seconds, before they started moving again.
A quick spin later, Megatron was hoisting Optimus up again, who leaned over his shoulder and once Megatron's grip loosened, he leaped over, landing in a low crouch.
Optimus rose slowly, and stalked around Megatron's frame. Once Optimus was face to face with Megatron again, Megatron didn't hesitate in pulling him close.
With his hands cradling Optimus' waist, he picked him up, Optimus' legs wrapping around his waist. As the song slowed, Optimus dipped himself back, as far down as his frame could handle, trusting Megatron to hold him steady.
Optimus' hand could graze the floor, and soon Megatron pulled him back up. A quick spin and Optimus pedes touched the floor, and they were moving again.
This time a series of tight spins as they circled the room, getting faster as they gained momentum, almost challenging the other to be the first to stop.
They slowed once they were back on the center, and without giving Optimus a moment to recover, Megatron dipped him low, his legs spreading to allow this level of closeness.
Their faces were close together, they could feel each other vent, the rumbling of their cooling fans, looking into each other's eyes. Before Megatron pulled Optimus back up, who leaned in closer, almost like he was going to kiss him, before he darted away with a quick spin.
Megatron could see the sly smirk on the other's face, when he reached out to bring him back in.
"You're teasing me, aren't you?"
Optimus could feel the way Megatron's engine revved, before he was being launched in the air, and promptly caught again, and lead into another circle-spin.
Optimus hitched his leg over Megatron's again, using it as an extra advantage to pull him closer, and reply,
"And what if I am?"
Megatron was about to reply when they heard applause, all around them. They let go of each other, only now realizing what position they ended up in, with Optimus half way crawling over Megatron, his pedes not even touching the floor, and Megatron who had one hand on Optimus' thigh, the other on his lower back.
They looked around to realize people were clapping at them. Optimus peeked around and sure enough, there weren't any other couples on the dance floor. Still standing so close, they could feel the heat radiating off of each other.
"Woo! Way to go Boss-Bot!" Bumblebee cheered, from somewhere in the crowd.
Optimus reset his voice box, before motioning to Megatron with a tilt of his helm that maybe they should get off the dance floor. Megatron nodded, and they both walked off, the crowd still cheering them on.
Optimus was nervous that they would be crowded by all the bots trying to get close to them, but thankfully Megatron acted as a shield and kept the bulk of the bots away.
Soon enough, his own bots found them, and also worked to keep the crowd away. Most bots gave up by now, knowing there was no way to ask either party to a dance.
"Man, I didn't know you could move like that boss-bot!" Bulkhead exclaimed, standing too close to Optimus.
"Yeah well, you can learn a lot from a datapad," He muttered with a shrug.
A glance at Megatron showed he looked surprised, wonder why. It's not like Elita or Sentinel would dance with him, and the academy would definitely never teach a decepticon dance.
"Can you teach me to dance like that?" Bumblebee said, shoving Bulkhead so he could also talk with Optimus.
"I dunno, it's more of a passion dance than something I could objectively teach," Optimus mumbled, not feeling confident enough in his own skill.
"That's a shame, I was also hoping you could teach me," Prowl said, from somewhere next to Optimus, who didn't startle at his sudden appearance, unlike Bumblebee who jumped onto Bulkhead.
Optimus just smiled at them, and turned to Megatron to ask if maybe he could teach them, when Megatron's own bots surrounded him.
"How could you dance with an autobot like that? Are you crazy?"
"Crazy? I was crazy once, they locked me in a room, a rubber room,"
"Shut up, but seriously, this is how you decide to-"
As they all spoke over each other, Optimus caught Megatron's eye, who looked apologetic. Optimus just smiled at him and turned to his own bots, ignoring whatever the cons were talking about.
Eventually, Optimus was able to pull away from his bots, citing a need for fresh air, thankful Ratchet was nearby to herd off the bots.
He made his way to an empty balcony, and just vented deeply. If this is what it truly meant to be a prime, then he had gotten lucky with his space bridge team.
As he leaned on the rails, he heard another bot walk in, but instead of leaving with an apology like the last bot who interrupted him, this bot simply settled next to him.
"I missed this view," Megatron almost whispered, "Cybertron, in all it's glory. And it's thanks to you that I'm able to see it again,"
Optimus just shrugged. He was just lucky Megatron was eventually willing to hear him out on earth, citing his non-combatant, civilian team. He had read somewhere that decepticons tried to avoid civilian establishments during the war, so he hoped that still upheld.
With that truce, they were able to talk things out, and through some very heave and difficult negotiations, decepticons were welcomed back to Cybertron. Of course, them having the Allspark played a major role in getting all their conditions met.
And now, here they are, celebrating the anniversary of getting the Allspark back and decepticons being back to their home planet.
"How much do you know about decepticon culture?" Megatron asked him eventually, after both of them basking in the view for a while.
Optimus just shrugged again, before giving a verbal reply.
"A whole bunch of propaganda, so I'm going to say, not much,"
"But you knew the dance, you understood how to move and when,"
"Well yeah, I read about it, and was just, y'know, applying what I know."
"But for this kind of dance no amount of reading could make you know your partner like that, or move as smoothly as you did,"
Optimus flushed, he danced 'smoothly'? Coming from a con, it felt nice to be told he didn't butcher their dance.
"But do you understand the cultural significance?" Megatron asked, turning to look at Optimus. "You claim to have read it somewhere, did it also mention when bots dance?"
"Well no. It was an old datapad that had a horrible glitch that we found in an old decepticon settlement we explored once."
"Between warframes, decepticons, dancing is special. You don't dance with just anyone,"
"But you danced with General Strika during Rodimus' Ball?"
"Correction, I waltzed with an already bonded con, that's different. It was not this music, nor was it with a possible… shall we say, match." Megatron clarified.
"Possible match? But that would imply I'm.." Optimus mumbled quietly to himself, almost scared to finish the sentence out loud.
"This type of dance is for declaring intentions, whether between courting couples hoping to bond, or, as with us, bots hoping to establish a courtship." Megatron continued.
"Wait, us? Does that mean You want to… with…"
"Yes Optimus. That means I'm hoping to get the chance to court you." Megatron said, tilting Optimus' helm up so they could look each other in the eye.
"But… but why me? Why not any other bot that's more worthy or-"
"Because I want to. Because it's been too long since another bot bested be in combat and lived to tell the tale, more than once might I add. Because you bring other perspectives that neither I nor my high command would've considered. Because your frame is easy on the eyes. For countless reasons I want you, Optimus Prime, to be mine,"
Optimus was shaking in Megatron's hold, and Megatron wrapped his other arm around Optimus' waist, holding him close.
"I..."
"Should you reject me, I swear none shall be harmed, I am not so petty as to break the peace we have fought os long for. I will be disappointed yes, but I will not force my affections upon you," Megatron reassured, the hand on his helm moving to stroke his face.
"But I have a feeling you return my affections, do you not, little autobot?" Megatron said, enjoying the feeling of having a flustered Optimus in his arms.
"I… I am not little! Can you not?" Optimus complained, pouting up at Megatron, who only smirked at him. There was his feisty little Prime.
"But you're serious then? You want me?" Optimus asked, wanting to double check, just in case.
"Oh Optimus, I've wanted you from the first fight. I had plans that once I conquered Cybertron to take you for myself. But then you handed me our home back on a sliver platter without having to harm any more of my decepticons, and well, it's been so hard keeping myself from you."
As Megatron spoke, they had both slowly started leaning in, Megatron's hand now cradling the back of Optimus' helm. Before their lips could meet, Optimus stopped, putting a finger on Megatron's mouth.
Megatron opened his eyes, looking confused at being denied.
"Nuh, uh. Not yet. If you want a kiss, you'll have to court me properly, after all, a good little autobot only kisses after the third date," Optimus whispered, with a cheeky smile.
He stepped back, Megatron's hand falling slack in surprise. Optimus was a few steps away, safely out of Megatron's grip, and darted away the moment it clicked for him.
"Optimus! Get back here!" Megatron shouted, chasing him out.
Optimus only laughed, and ran out the door, barely stopping to wave goodbye to his friends, and offering a halfhearted salute to Ultra Magnus and Sentinel.
It still felt unreal, the Megatron wanting to court him? But hey, who was Optimus to stop him? If his own generals couldn't then Optimus was just going to see where this leads, after all, Megatron was right. Optimus did return his affections, but he wasn't going to have him that easy.
Oh no, if he wanted Optimus, he would have to work for it. It's on Megatron for having chosen him. He tried to smother his laugh when he turned around to see Megatron trying to chase him, but the crowd wasn't letting him.
With a smile and a wink, Optimus walked out the door, knowing Megatron would soon follow. Just how Optimus followed him to the dance floor, Megatron followed him to Cybertron, Optimus followed him on Earth, Megatron following him to earth.
He smiled and looked up, yeah, this was fine.