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Side Burn has to admit he has a problem. He just can’t help himself when he sees a nice and shiny red car. Red is such a perfect color, and it just hypnotizes him. He guesses that he should’ve thought a little harder when he decided to chase a red car that was like nothing he’d ever seen before on Earth. Which made sense since said car was not from Earth. It was Megatron.
Just his luck. Side Burn was stuck right in the middle of a Predacon trap, and he honestly couldn’t blame anyone but himself for this one. Megatron was staring him down. This was gonna be a hard one to get out of.
“Still wanna go on that date, hot stuff?” Side Burn had no idea why he blurted that out. Oh Primus, He’s so done for.
The other Predacons were too shocked to say anything. Megatron’s menacing glare turned more into one of surprise and bewilderment. No one moved or said anything for a few moments before Megatron spoke up.
“Sure,” Huh? What?
This is not what he was expecting when he went out for a late-night drive. Megatron had ordered the Predacons to prepare for their date, and now the two of them were sitting across from each other in a crudely made set of a table and chairs. The Predacons were watching them just out of audial shot. Megatron looked just as uncertain about how this whole situation was going as Side Burn was. Well, he’s already this deep; might as well commit.
“So-, what do you like to do in your free time? Asked Side Burn.
Megatron looked surprised, but did answer, “I tend to craft battle plans when I’m alone since I don’t get unwelcome input…” Megatron looked up at Sky-Byte, who then stood straighter.
Side Burn wasn’t going down that route, so he pivoted slightly, “C’mon, that’s just more work. Do you really not have any free time?”
“No,”
“What did you do before the war then? When you didn’t lead the Predacons?”
Megatron thought for a bit, “I spend most of my time either training or writing poetry,”
“Do you miss it?”
Megatron mulled it over, “A bit, but when I win this war it’ll all have been worth it,”. There was an awkward silence between the two of them before Megatron continued the conversation, “What about you? What do you do in your free time?”
“Ah, well, I like to race, but I mostly have to settle for drives nowadays since Prowl says races bring too much attention. Though you probably already knew all that… considering…,”
“Yes, of course. Your tendency to go out on drives on your own was… observed,” Megatron coughed, “I was a gladiator before the war. What about you? What was your occupation before becoming a soldier?"
“Oh, I didn’t exist then. I was forged after the war had started. Shipped right off into training when I was old enough,”
Megatron’s optics went wide, “Um- I-, SKY-BYTE!” shouted Megatron. Side Burn’s servo went for his gun, but he wouldn’t need to use it. Megatron ordered Sky-Byte to get some Energon for the both of them.
“I thought that some drink might make things more hospitable for the both of us,”
“Primus knows we need it,” Side Burn laughed a little and leaned back in his chair, “You said you were a gladiator, right? How was that? Were you any good?”
“Was I any good?” Megatron laughed, “I wouldn’t be alive if I wasn’t. I was the best there was. I was the champion of Kaon; it’s how I got followers and influence in the beginning. Who’s gonna listen to a nobody giving a speech?”
“Certainly not me. I almost fell into recharge during my Autobot Academy graduation,”
“The Autobot Academy? What’s that like? I doubt it’s a standard education,”
“More like standard education plus basic military training. It felt more military than school. Big focus on acting like how a soldier should,”
“Not your style?”
“What a surprise, right? I passed though, somehow. The only thing I was really good at was racing,”
“Any actual achievements to back up that claim?”
“Of course. It’s not a gladiatorial championship, but I got the record for longest winning streak in academy history, which only ended because I graduated. I was the best racer on the official team,”
‘There was a sports team just for racing?”
“It’s the Autobot academy. What would you expect?”
“Fair point. Also, it may not be a gladiatorial championship, but it’s still an impressive feat. It is the Autobot academy after all,”
Side Burn laughed, “You might be the only one other than my old racing coach who thinks so,”
“Not even your own siblings,”
“Ah well, they came to as many games as they could and supported me, but I always got the impression that they had wished I put the same effort into schoolwork as I did for competitions,” Side Burn sighed and dragged his servos over his faceplate. “Primus, I’m talking about my family troubles with the Leader of the Predacons,”
“I’d reciprocate, but I didn’t really have anything you'd call a family,”
“This is getting ridiculous,”
“Maybe this is more of a second date conversation?”
“Like I’d know. This is the first date I’ve ever been on,”
“All those other red cars never agree?” teased Megatron.
“Don't start with that. How’d we even end up on a date?”
“You’re the one who asked me,”
“I was trying to throw you off. I didn’t think you’d actually agree. Why did you agree anyway?”
“Your sheer gall to ask me, and my general curiosity to see what you’d do,”
“Was it worth it?”
Megatron mused, “Yeah, I think so. This has been a lot more enjoyable than I had anticipated. It was good to talk to someone who’s not one of them,” Megatron pointed towards the Predacons.
“I’m surprised they’ve just let you do this,”
“What are they going to do? Fight me?”
“True, true. I have a question though,”
“And what is that?”
“How does this date end?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, as much as I’m enjoying the conversation. I still got a berth at home to get back to. Am I going to be able to do that?”
Megatron looked at Side Burn for a moment and nodded, “Yes, but I have a reputation to uphold as well as no desire for this to end so soon. I say we continue until the Autobots inevitably find us.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Side Burn and Megatron got about another half-cycle before Prowl found them. Things got pretty loud after that since the Predacons and Autobots started to fight, but Side Burn did manage to hear Megatron tell him that they’ll continue their conversation on their second date. Primus, the way Megatron looked at him when he said that. Side Burn wasn’t ever gonna be able to fight Megatron ever again; he’d be too embarrassed. He finally managed to get a red car to notice him, and Side Burn was honestly hoping the second date would actually happen.