Archive of Our Own

(Y/N)’s POV

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There were good missions. 

There were bad missions. 

And then there were missions that technically succeeded but still managed to make everyone miserable. 

Today's mission had fallen firmly into the third category. 

Nobody had died or had been captured. 

The world wasn't ending. 

Which, by Autobot standards, counted as a massive victory. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the mission from being an absolute disaster. 

I trudged across the base with my arms folded tightly across my chest, trying very hard not to think about the events of the afternoon. The moment I started thinking about it, my stomach tied itself into knots all over again. 

Technically, everything had worked out. 

Technically. 

But there had been several moments during the mission where things had gone very, very wrong. 

And one of those moments kept replaying in my head. A moment involving Optimus. Which was exactly the problem. 

The mission had started normally enough. We'd been investigating reports of suspicious activity near an abandoned industrial site. Nothing unusual. Nothing alarming. Just a couple of stray Decepticons causing trouble.

Then, because the universe enjoyed keeping my stress levels dangerously high, the situation had immediately escalated into a fight. 

I sighed heavily. 

"Of course it did." 

Unfortunately, my brain chose that exact moment to replay the worst part. 

The explosion. 

The collapsing structure. 

The moment Optimus had disappeared behind a wall of smoke and debris. For nearly thirty seconds, nobody had been able to see him. 

Thirty seconds. 

That was it. Not even a full minute….Yet it had felt like hours. 

I still remembered the surge of panic that had hit me. The fear and helplessness. The certainty that something horrible had happened. 

Rationally, I'd known Optimus Prime was one of the toughest beings on the planet. 

Emotionally? Emotionally, my brain had completely ignored that fact. 

I groaned and rubbed a hand over my face. 

"Get a grip." 

The words sounded far less convincing out loud. Because the truth was that I hadn't gotten a grip. Even now, several hours later. 

The mission was over and everyone was safe. Optimus was perfectly fine! And somehow I still couldn't shake the feeling. 

Nearby, I could hear the familiar sounds of the base settling into the evening. Hound was arguing with Crosshairs about something. Bumblebee's radio occasionally drifted through the air. Someone – probably Drift – was attempting to restore order and failing miserably. 

Normal. Everything was normal. 

So why wasn't I? 

I spotted an old crate sitting near the edge of the base and dropped down onto it with a sigh. The evening sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky, painting everything in shades of gold and orange. 

Usually I liked sunsets, but today I barely noticed it. Instead, my thoughts continued circling back to Optimus. To that awful moment when I hadn't known if he was okay. 

I hated it…Not just the fear itself, but also the fact that it affected me so much. 

Because somewhere along the way, without realizing it, Optimus had become one of the most important people in my life. 

That realization should not have been surprising. 

He was always there. Always checking on everyone and making sure nobody carried their burdens alone. 

Always noticing when something was wrong. Especially with me. Which was honestly starting to become suspicious. The man could probably detect my emotional distress from orbit. 

I let out a small laugh despite myself. Then my smile faded. 

Because once again, my thoughts returned to that moment during the mission. 

The moment I'd realized just how terrified I was of losing him. 

The thought alone terrified me, so naturally, I shoved it into the mental closet where I stored all my other problematic feelings. 

A foolproof plan. 

Unfortunately, before I could continue ignoring my emotions, the sound of heavy footsteps reached my ears. 

I froze. 

Because I knew those footsteps. 

A familiar voice spoke from behind me. 

"You have been unusually quiet since our return." 

I closed my eyes and sighed.

Of course it was Optimus. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. 

Honestly, Optimus could have tried sneaking up on me – and the idea of a thirty-foot-tall alien robot sneaking was ridiculous all by itself – and I still would have recognized him immediately. There was something about his presence that was impossible to mistake. Maybe it was the deep rumble of his voice. Maybe it was the heavy, familiar sound of his footsteps. Or maybe it was because, somewhere along the way, I'd become so used to him that identifying him no longer required conscious thought. 

Either way, I knew it was him before I even looked. 

Slowly, I turned around. 

Sure enough, Optimus stood a short distance away, his blue optics fixed on me with that same calm, attentive expression he always wore whenever he thought someone was struggling. 

Which, apparently, included me. 

Again. 

I sighed dramatically and leaned back against the crate. 

"You know, one day I'd really like to know how you do that." 

Optimus tilted his head slightly. 

"Do what?" 

"Always know when something's wrong." 

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. 

"I do not always know." 

I laughed. 

"Fearless, you found me in less than ten minutes." 

"I was looking for you." 

That caught me off guard. 

"Why?" 

The answer came immediately. 

"Because you appeared troubled." 

I stared at him. 

He stared back. 

The man genuinely didn't seem to realize how suspicious that was. 

"What?" he asked. 

"Nothing." 

"You are smiling." 

"No I'm not." 

"You are." 

"Stop noticing things." 

"I will not." 

The response came so quickly that I actually laughed. 

Honestly, conversations with Optimus were weird sometimes. Most people thought he was intimidating. And he was, when he needed to be. He was Optimus Prime. Legendary Autobot leader. Protector of Earth. Hero of Cybertron. 

But moments like this reminded me that he was also one of the kindest people I'd ever met. Which, unfortunately, made it really difficult to stay upset around him. 

Optimus stepped a little closer and rested one hand against a nearby support beam. 

"What troubles you?" 

There it was. 

The question I'd been trying to avoid. For a moment, I considered brushing him off. Telling him I was fine. Pretending everything was perfectly normal. 

Then I remembered who I was talking to. There was absolutely no point. Optimus would see right through it. 

I let out a slow breath and looked toward the horizon. 

"It was the mission." 

His expression softened immediately. 

"The mission has concluded." 

"I know." 

"We were successful." 

"I know." 

"No lasting damage was sustained." 

"I know." 

A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. 

"I know all of that." 

"Then why are you troubled?" 

The question was gentle. 

Not demanding or judgmental. 

Just honest curiosity. 

And somehow that made it even harder to answer. 

For several seconds, I simply stared at the ground. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I admitted the truth. 

"When that building collapsed..." 

The words felt heavier than I expected. 

"I thought something happened to you." 

Silence. 

For the first time since he'd arrived, Optimus didn't immediately respond. Instead, he just listened. 

I swallowed and continued. 

"I know it sounds stupid." 

"It does not." 

"It kind of does." 

His optics never left mine. 

"It does not." 

My shoulders slumped. 

"I know you're strong. I know you're probably one of – no, the toughest being on the planet. But when I couldn't see you..." 

I laughed softly, though there wasn't much humor in it. 

"I just kept thinking about all the things that could've gone wrong. Now that the fifth movie is over…anything could happen." 

For a moment, neither of us spoke. 

The evening breeze drifted through the base, carrying distant sounds of laughter from somewhere near the main garage. Life had already moved on and everyone else was relaxing. 

Yet here I was, still thinking about something that had happened hours ago. 

Eventually, Optimus spoke. 

"You were afraid." 

It wasn't a question. 

I looked away. 

"Maybe." 

His expression softened even further. 

"There is no shame in that." 

I scoffed lightly. 

"Says the giant alien robot who never gets scared." 

To my surprise, Optimus actually smiled. 

A small one, but still. 

A smile. 

"That is not true." 

I blinked. 

"Wait. Really?" 

"Fear is not weakness." 

The answer came quietly. 

"It merely reminds us that something is important." 

The words hit harder than I expected and my chest tightened. Because the implication was impossible to ignore. 

The reason I'd been afraid wasn't because I thought Optimus was weak. It was because he mattered to me. 

A lot. 

And suddenly I found myself very interested in literally any other topic. 

"Wow." 

Smooth, (Y/N). 

Excellent recovery. 

Optimus seemed amused. 

"I do not believe that response means what you intended." 

"It doesn't." 

A low chuckle escaped him. 

And somehow, hearing that laugh made me feel just a little bit better. Not completely, but enough. 

Enough that I realized maybe the mission wasn't what was bothering me anymore. Maybe it was simply the realization of how much I cared about the person standing in front of me. 

And that was a far more dangerous problem. One I definitely wasn't ready to think about. 

For a few moments, neither of us spoke. 

The evening air felt quieter now. The noise from the garage still drifted across the base, but it sounded distant somehow, like it belonged to another world. Out here, it was just me and Optimus. Which, unfortunately, was becoming a problem. 

A very attractive problem. 

A very kind problem. 

A very emotionally intelligent problem who kept saying things that made my feelings significantly more complicated. 

I stared determinedly at the ground. The ground was safe. The ground wasn't capable of accidentally making my heart skip a beat. Optimus, on the other hand, was proving to be extremely dangerous. 

"You continue to carry burdens that do not belong to you." 

I groaned dramatically. 

"There it is." 

"There what is?" 

"The Optimus Speech." 

To my surprise, that earned another chuckle from him. 

A genuine one. 

Honestly, I was beginning to think making Optimus laugh should count as a superpower. 

"You say that as though it is a bad thing." 

"It's not." 

I looked up at him. 

"It's just that every time I have a problem, you somehow turn into a motivational speaker." 

"I do not." 

"Fearless, I've heard your speeches five thousand times. I’ve watched all the Transformers movies at least ten times just to hear your speeches." 

"Oh really? Well then I guess they really are effective." 

The worst part was that he sounded genuinely confident about it. 

"They are." 

"See?" I pointed triumphantly. "That's exactly what I'm talking about." 

His faceplate shifted in what looked suspiciously like amusement. For a moment, the heaviness that had followed me since the mission faded away completely. 

It felt nice…

Too nice. 

Which should have been my warning, because whenever things became too comfortable, Optimus inevitably said something that hit me directly in the emotions. 

Sure enough, a moment later he spoke again. 

"You care deeply for those around you." 

I shrugged. 

"I guess." 

"It is one of your greatest strengths." 

The compliment caught me off guard. 

I blinked. "Really?" 

"Yes." 

There wasn't even a hint of hesitation. The certainty in his voice made my chest tighten. 

"You consistently place yourself in danger for others. You stand beside us despite knowing the risks. You refuse to abandon those you care for. Even though we are just fictional entertainment in the universe you came from…you still treat us like family." 

His optics met mine. 

"And you worry for us." 

I swallowed. Suddenly the crate I was sitting on became incredibly interesting. 

"Well..." 

The response sounded weak even to me. Unfortunately, Optimus wasn't finished. 

"The fact that you feared for my safety does not make you weak." 

His voice softened slightly. 

"It means I am fortunate enough to matter to you." 

And that was when the world stopped. Every coherent thought in my brain immediately packed its bags and left. 

Because Optimus had just said that with absolutely no awareness of what those words did to me. 

None. 

The man had casually dropped an emotional hand grenade into the conversation and continued standing there as though everything was normal. 

Meanwhile, my heart was trying to escape through my ribcage. 

I looked away immediately. 

Nope. 

Not dealing with that. 

Absolutely not. 

Some problems were for Future (Y/N). Current (Y/N) was busy pretending she hadn't just been emotionally obliterated. 

Unfortunately, Optimus noticed. Because of course he did. 

"You appear troubled again." 

I laughed. A slightly hysterical laugh. 

"Oh, that's kind of your fault this time." 

A pause followed. 

"My fault?" 

"Yep." 

"I do not understand." 

"I know." 

And somehow that made everything worse. Because he genuinely didn't. 

The realization was almost endearing. 

Almost. 

I sighed and rubbed my face. "You know what the problem is?" 

"What?" 

I pointed at him. 

"You." 

Optimus looked genuinely surprised. 

"Me?" 

"Yes." 

"How?" 

I just stared. Because how was I supposed to explain this? 

How was I supposed to tell him that he kept saying heartfelt things and looking at me like that and being ridiculously kind all the time? 

I couldn't exactly say that. I'd rather launch myself into the ocean. So instead, I settled for the safest answer I could think of. 

"You're too nice." 

The confusion on his face was immediate. For several seconds, he simply looked at me. 

"I am uncertain how to respond to that statement." 

The honesty of the answer caught me completely off guard. Before I knew it, I was laughing again. This time for real. 

And somehow, seeing me laugh seemed to accomplish exactly what Optimus had been trying to do all along. 

The concern in his optics faded. The tension eased and his posture relaxed slightly. As though reassuring me had been his goal from the beginning. 

Which, knowing Optimus, it probably had been. That made my smile soften. And for just a moment, as the last light of the sunset reflected off his armor, I found myself thinking something crazy. 

Something very dangerous:

I don't know what I'd do without him. 

The thought arrived unexpectedly and lingered. 

Neither of us said anything. We simply sat there in the comfortable silence. 

Then Optimus spoke. 

"You are important to this family, (Y/N)." 

My breath caught. 

"And to me." 

...Oh no. 

The words hung in the air between us:

"You are important to this family, (Y/N)." 

For a moment, my heart squeezed. 

Then Optimus continued. 

"And to me." 

My entire train of thought immediately derailed. 

We stared at each other.

The worst part was that he didn't seem to realize what he'd just done. He wasn't trying to be charming or flirtatious. He wasn't even particularly aware that his words had just hit me with the force of a freight train. 

He had simply spoken honestly. 

My mouth opened yet nothing came out. 

Fantastic. 

A true master of communication. 

Meanwhile, Optimus was still watching me with that gentle expression that always appeared whenever he was worried about someone. 

Specifically me. 

And that was becoming a problem. 

Because somewhere between accidentally arriving in this universe and helping save the world several times, Optimus Prime had become one of the most important people in my life. 

He was always there. Always checking on me…making sure I was okay. Always noticing when something was wrong. 

Even today. The moment the mission had ended, he'd known. Nobody else had, but somehow Optimus always noticed. Every single time. 

"Oh Fearless..." 

My voice emerged softer than I'd intended. His optics immediately focused on me. 

"Yes?" 

There it was again. 

That immediate attention. Like nothing else in the world was more important than whatever I was about to say. 

And suddenly I found myself remembering the mission. The horrible feeling in my stomach when I couldn't find him. The relief that had hit me when he'd finally emerged completely unharmed. All that fear I'd been carrying around since then came rushing back. 

Then I laughed softly and shook my head. 

"You really scared me today." 

The confession slipped out before I could stop it. 

Optimus's expression softened immediately. 

"That was never my intention." 

"I know." 

A brief silence followed. The evening wind moved across the base and the last light of the sunset reflected against his armor. 

Everything felt strangely quiet. And for a moment, all I could feel was gratitude. 

Gratitude that he was standing here, that he was okay, and that I hadn't lost him. The feeling hit me so suddenly that it caught me completely off guard. 

Before I could think about it and before my brain could create seventeen reasons why it was a terrible idea–

I moved. 

One second I was standing in front of him. The next, I had stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him…as much as I could at least.

WAIT. 

My brain finally activated. 

WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT–

WHAT AM I DOING?! 

For one horrifying second, I considered pretending this wasn't happening. Unfortunately, I was currently hugging Optimus Prime. 

There was no pretending. This was definitely happening. 

And judging by how still he had suddenly become, he was just as surprised as I was. 

Slowly – very slowly – I cracked one eye open. 

Optimus had completely frozen. The giant Autobot looked like someone had unplugged him. 

My heart nearly stopped. 

"Oh my gosh." 

I immediately looked up. 

"Fearless?" 

Nothing. 

"Optimus?" 

Still nothing. 

Panic arrived at record speed. Had I broken him? Was this a Cybertronian emergency? Did Autobots need some sort of reboot procedure? How did one even explain this to Bumblebee? 

"Sorry guys, I hugged your leader and now he's stuck." 

For several agonizing seconds, Optimus remained perfectly still. Then, very slowly, his optics blinked like his systems were rebooting. 

When he finally spoke, his voice was noticeably quieter than usual. 

"...I was not expecting that." 

The sincerity in the statement completely destroyed any remaining dignity I possessed. 

I laughed. Not because it was funny. Because it was so Optimus. Of course that was the first thing he'd say. 

"Trust me," I managed. "Neither was I." 

For the first time since I'd hugged him, a faint smile appeared on his faceplate. 

And then, after a brief moment of hesitation, one of his hands carefully settled against my back. 

The gesture was awkward. Yet gentle and tentative. As though he wasn't entirely sure how hugs worked but was trying anyway. 

Which somehow made my heart melt. 

And suddenly I realized something. He was completely unfamiliar with something as simple as a hug. 

Unfortunately, my brain finally recovered enough to process the situation. And the situation was horrifying. I immediately stepped backward. 

My face felt like it was on fire. 

"Oh my gosh." 

Optimus blinked. "You appear distressed." 

"I JUST HUGGED YOU." 

"...Yes." 

"AND YOU'RE STRANGELY CALM ABOUT IT." 

For a moment, he seemed to consider this. 

Then: 

"I do not believe I am." 

That answer hit me almost as hard as the hug itself because for the briefest moment, I noticed something unusual. Something I'd never seen before. 

A slight uncertainty and awkwardness. A tiny hesitation in the great Optimus Prime. 

Maybe–

I wasn't the only one whose heart was acting weird right now. 

Unfortunately, before I could investigate that theory any further, the sound of approaching voices drifted across the base. 

And judging by my luck... 

We had just gained an audience. 

The moment I heard voices approaching, I knew my life was over. 

That might sound dramatic, but unfortunately, it also happened to be true. Because there was absolutely, positively, no scenario where a group of Autobots wandered into this part of the base at this exact moment and didn't make everything worse. 

I stood there frozen, my face still burning from the hug, while Optimus remained suspiciously quiet beside me. Neither of us spoke as the sound of conversation grew closer and closer. 

For one brief, beautiful second, I considered the possibility that they hadn't seen anything. 

Maybe they'd just arrived and only caught the end of the conversation. 

Maybe…

But then the first thing I saw when Hound rounded the corner was the grin on his face. 

My soul immediately left my body. 

They knew. 

Oh, they knew. Every single one of them. 

Hound was trying – and failing – to suppress a smile. Drift looked significantly more composed, but there was a knowing glint in his optics. Bumblebee rolled into view beside them, practically vibrating with excitement. Even Crosshairs looked unusually pleased with himself. 

None of them were looking at the scenery or at the sunset. 

All of them were looking directly at me. And occasionally at Optimus. 

Then back to me. 

Then Optimus. 

Then me again. 

The silence stretched and nobody said a word. I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes. 

"Nobody say it." 

The grin on Hound's face immediately widened. 

"I wasn't gonna say anythin." 

"That's a lie." 

"It absolutely is," Crosshairs agreed. 

"I knew it!" 

"I'm just being honest." 

The situation somehow got even worse when Bumblebee's radio suddenly crackled to life. A romantic song immediately started playing. 

The kind of romantic music that practically screamed, "LOOK EVERYONE! SOMETHING IMPORTANT JUST HAPPENED!" 

I pointed accusingly at him. 

"Bee." 

The music got louder. 

"Bee!” 

Louder. 

"BUMBLEBEE." 

The song somehow became even more dramatic. 

That little traitor. 

Across from me, Hound nearly doubled over laughing while Drift slowly shook his head in resignation. 

"I believe Bumblebee has chosen chaos." 

"Chosen?" I asked. "This implies there was another option." For some reason, that made Optimus make a low sound that was suspiciously close to a laugh. 

My head immediately snapped toward him. The Autobots weren't really focused on me…Not anymore. 

Most of them seemed far more interested in Optimus. Specifically, they were watching him with the same curiosity people used when observing a rare animal in its natural habitat. 

Crosshairs noticed me noticing. His grin became dangerous. 

"Oh." 

It was a very tiny sound. And yet somehow Optimus immediately responded. 

"No." 

Crosshairs hadn't even said anything else. 

Just: 

"Oh." 

And Optimus already knew. 

Crosshairs slowly folded his arms. "I literally only said one word." 

"You intended to continue." 

The answer came instantly. 

Crosshairs looked delighted. Hound also looked delighted. Bumblebee played a triumphant sound effect. 

Drift looked tired. 

Very, very tired. 

Meanwhile, I was beginning to piece something together. Because Optimus had done that twice now. 

Twice. 

Someone starts to say something. And before they can continue, Optimus immediately shuts the conversation down. 

Almost like–

Oh. 

Oh. 

The realization hit me so suddenly that I nearly laughed. 

Because the great Optimus Prime, legendary leader of the Autobots, appeared to be just as embarrassed by the situation as I was. 

Which was honestly adorable. But before I could dwell on that thought, Hound finally spoke. 

His voice was noticeably softer than I expected. 

"You alright, kid?" 

The question caught me off guard. For a moment, the teasing atmosphere faded. I glanced around at the group. The concern was still there beneath the laughter. 

The mission had scared all of us. 

Not just me. 

Maybe that was why nobody had pushed too hard yet. They'd noticed how upset I'd been earlier. 

I smiled. 

"Yeah." 

The answer felt genuine. For the first time all evening, it really was. 

"Good." 

Hound nodded once. "Mission was rough." 

The simplicity of the statement made something warm settle in my chest. Because despite all the teasing and bickering and chaos, they understood. 

They were family. And families noticed things. 

Even embarrassing things…

Especially embarrassing things. 

Unfortunately, now that I was feeling emotional again, my brain decided to betray me by glancing toward Optimus. 

Big mistake. 

Because he was already looking at me. For a moment, neither of us looked away. There was something warm in his optics. Reassuring. 

The same look he'd had earlier when he'd told me I mattered. The same look he'd had after the hug. 

And suddenly I remembered something. 

When I'd apologized, Optimus hadn't looked uncomfortable. 

He hadn't looked upset, awkward, or even surprised. And for some reason, realizing that made me smile. 

Apparently that was a mistake. Because Bumblebee immediately noticed. The music got louder and my smile vanished. 

"Bee." 

The music somehow got louder again. 

Across the base, Hound started laughing. Crosshairs looked like he'd just won the lottery. Drift looked ready to leave the planet. 

And Optimus, despite his best efforts to remain composed, looked suspiciously amused. Which only made my face hotter. 

Wonderful. 

Just wonderful. 

~

The problem with embarrassing moments wasn't the actual moment itself. The actual moment usually lasted a few seconds. 

Then it was over. 

Unfortunately, embarrassing moments had a nasty habit of continuing to exist inside your brain long after they actually happened. 

Which was exactly why, three days later, I was still thinking about the hug. 

Not constantly. 

Just... 

Frequently. 

A perfectly normal amount. 

An amount that definitely didn't involve replaying the entire interaction every night before bed. 

The point was that I had it completely under control. 

Mostly. 

Probably. 

I was currently helping organize supplies in one of the storage bays when Bumblebee rolled past me playing a suspiciously familiar romantic song through his radio. 

My eye twitched. 

"Bee." 

The music immediately stopped. Then a completely innocent-sounding tune started playing. 

I pointed at him. 

"You know what you did." 

The radio responded with an innocent beep. 

"Liar." 

Another innocent beep. I wasn't buying it for a second. 

Bumblebee had spent the last three days finding increasingly creative ways to remind me about what happened. Sometimes it was a song. Sometimes it was a perfectly timed sound effect. Once he'd somehow managed to play a clip of people saying "Awwww" right as Optimus walked into a room. 

The little menace had no shame. To be fair, though, Bumblebee wasn't the interesting part. 

The interesting part was Optimus. Because something had changed. Not enough that most people would notice. 

But I noticed. 

Every time someone mentioned the hug – even accidentally – Optimus would become noticeably quieter. 

Not uncomfortable. 

Just...thoughtful. 

Distracted. 

As though his mind immediately wandered somewhere else. And every single time it happened, my curiosity grew. 

Which was why I currently found myself watching him from across the storage bay. 

In a completely normal and non-creepy manner. 

Optimus was helping unload equipment while Drift explained something nearby. The conversation appeared perfectly ordinary. 

Then Hound walked in. 

"Hey Prime." 

"Yes?" 

"You ever figure out the humanity behind hugging?" 

I immediately closed my eyes. 

Oh no. 

Not again. 

For a moment, the entire room became quiet. 

Then I looked up. 

And there it was. Optimus hesitated. 

Just for a second. Then he continued moving equipment. 

"I do not believe that discussion is necessary." 

Hound immediately grinned. 

"It was just a question." 

"And I have answered it." 

Crosshairs chose that exact moment to enter. Honestly, the timing was so perfect that I was starting to believe he had supernatural powers. 

The green Autobot looked around the room once. Took stock of the conversation. Then immediately smirked. 

"I missed something." 

"No," Optimus said. 

"You did not." 

"Crosshairs." 

The warning in Optimus's voice only seemed to encourage him. 

"You know what's funny?" 

"No." 

"I wasn't even gonna mention the hug." 

I nearly choked. Because the response came instantly. 

"Then do not." 

Crosshairs froze. 

I froze. 

Hound froze. 

Even Drift looked surprised. 

The room fell silent. 

Slowly, very slowly, Crosshairs turned toward me. 

A grin spread across his face. The grin of a man who had just discovered treasure. 

"Oh." 

The single syllable carried entirely too much meaning. 

Optimus sighed. 

The sound was quiet. 

Crosshairs pointed. 

"I knew it." 

"You know nothing." 

"I know everything." 

"You do not." 

"I absolutely do." 

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Because this was fascinating. 

The great Optimus Prime was usually impossible to fluster. 

Impossible to read. 

Calm under pressure. 

Steady in a crisis. 

Yet somehow one accidental hug had succeeded where entire armies had failed. It had made him awkward. 

The realization made something warm flutter inside my chest. 

Before I could examine it too closely, Optimus glanced in my direction. 

Our eyes met for just a moment. 

And to my complete shock... 

The awkwardness vanished. As though seeing me immediately calmed whatever thoughts had been bothering him. My heart promptly forgot how to function. 

Great. 

Wonderful. 

Three days later and somehow the situation had become even worse. Because I was beginning to suspect that neither of us had actually recovered from the hug.

~

The teasing eventually stopped. Mostly. 

Well…Mostly by Autobot standards. 

Which meant the jokes had dropped from approximately twenty per day to maybe three. 

A huge improvement. 

Unfortunately, while everyone else gradually moved on, I discovered a much bigger problem. 

I couldn't stop thinking about the hug. 

Not in an embarrassing way…Okay, maybe a little in an embarrassing way. 

But mostly because the more I replayed it in my head, the more something important stood out to me. 

Optimus hadn't seemed uncomfortable. 

Surprised and confused? 

Definitely. 

Completely unprepared for physical affection? 

Without question. 

But uncomfortable? 

Nope.

And the more I thought about it, the harder it became to ignore. And it followed me through the rest of the week. 

It followed me during meals. During training sessions. While helping around the base. 

Even during movie night, which should have been impossible because Hound and Crosshairs had somehow gotten into another argument and were providing enough background noise to power an entire city. 

No matter what I did, my thoughts kept drifting back to that moment. Especially to what happened afterward. Because after the initial shock wore off, Optimus hadn't pulled away or rejected the gesture. 

He hadn't acted awkward around me afterward. 

If anything... 

He'd somehow become even more attentive. 

I was currently outside helping organize supplies when I noticed him approaching from across the base. 

Immediately, my brain betrayed me. 

Oh no. 

Not because I didn't want to see him. Quite the opposite. 

The giant Autobot stopped beside me. 

"You appear deep in thought." 

I nearly jumped. 

"Fearless." 

His faceplate tilted slightly. 

"That is my designation." 

"Don't do that." 

"Do what?" 

"Appear out of nowhere." 

A small hint of amusement flickered across his face. 

"I am uncertain how I could appear unexpectedly." 

I looked up at the giant robot towering over me. 

"...Fair." 

For a moment, we worked in comfortable silence. That was always one of my favorite things about Optimus. We didn't always have to talk. Sometimes just being near him felt nice. 

Eventually, I noticed he seemed distracted. 

Subtle. Most people probably wouldn't have caught it. But after spending years around him, I knew his expressions well enough to recognize when something was on his mind. 

My curiosity immediately activated. 

Uh-oh. 

"Okay." 

Optimus glanced down at me. 

"Okay?" 

"You're thinking about something." 

His optics narrowed slightly. 

"You are very observant." 

"Avoiding the question." 

A pause followed. 

And to my complete surprise, Optimus actually looked uncertain. 

Not much…Just enough. 

Like he was carefully considering his next words. That alone was strange enough to immediately get my attention. 

Finally, he spoke. 

"I have been considering human customs." 

I blinked. 

"What?" 

"The differences between our species." 

Now I was even more confused. "What brought that on?" 

The moment the question left my mouth, realization hit me. 

My eyes widened. 

"Oh." 

Optimus was silent. 

"Oh." 

Still silent. 

"Fearless." 

Silence. 

I pointed at him. "You've been thinking about the hug." 

The words hung in the air. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, very slowly, Optimus looked away. And that tiny reaction told me everything. 

The realization hit me like a truck. (Pun intended🤭😂)

He'd been thinking about it too. 

For some reason, that thought made my heart speed up. 

"Wait." A smile started forming despite my best efforts. 

"Wait." 

Optimus sighed. 

Suddenly things started making sense. 

The hesitation and the occasional awkwardness. The way he'd gone strangely quiet whenever somebody mentioned it. I wasn't the only one replaying that moment in my head. 

Not by a long shot. 

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. 

To my surprise, Optimus looked almost embarrassed. It might have been the most adorable thing I'd ever witnessed. 

"You know," I said carefully, trying – and failing – to suppress my smile, "this is making me feel a lot better." 

"Is it?" 

"Yep." 

"How?" 

"Because for a while there, I thought I was the only one being weird about it." 

That earned an immediate response. 

"You were not." 

The answer came so quickly that it caught both of us off guard. Then both of us looked away simultaneously. My face immediately became warm. 

And judging by the way Optimus suddenly became very interested in the horizon, I wasn't the only one. 

For a few seconds after our accidental confession that neither of us had recovered from the hug, neither of us said anything. 

The silence wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it was worse. Because now there was an entirely new awareness between us. One that definitely hadn't existed before. 

Or maybe it had. Maybe we'd both just been ignoring it. 

I stared determinedly at a nearby toolbox. Optimus appeared deeply interested in the horizon. Neither strategy was particularly effective. 

Unfortunately, my brain chose that exact moment to replay the events of the past week. 

The mission. 

The hug. 

Optimus freezing. 

Optimus thinking about it afterward. 

Optimus admitting he'd been thinking about it afterward. 

My face immediately became warm. This was ridiculous. I had survived being stranded in an alternate universe. Why was this harder? 

Across from me, Optimus seemed equally thoughtful. The giant Autobot's optics remained fixed on the distant horizon, but there was something subtly different about his posture. 

Less guarded…More relaxed. 

For some reason, that made my heart beat a little faster. 

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then Optimus broke the silence. 

"I am glad." 

I blinked. 

"What?" 

His optics shifted toward me. 

"You are smiling again." 

The simple observation caught me completely off guard. Because he was right. Somewhere during the conversation, I'd stopped worrying. The stress from the mission was gone. The fear was gone. The weight I'd been carrying around for days had finally disappeared. 

And somehow...Optimus had done it again. Without even trying. 

A soft laugh escaped me. 

"You always notice stuff like that." 

His expression softened. 

"I notice you." 

The words slipped out casually. Yet somehow they landed with enough force to completely derail my train of thought. 

For a second, I just stared at him. 

Oh. 

I don't think Optimus realized what he'd said. At least not at first. Because a moment later, something flickered across his face. 

The realization. The same realization I'd just had. And suddenly we were both staring at anything except each other. 

Wonderful. 

Absolutely wonderful. 

The awkwardness lasted approximately three seconds before a terrible idea entered my brain. 

A truly terrible idea. 

The sort of idea that Future (Y/N) would absolutely hate. Unfortunately, Future (Y/N) wasn't here. Present (Y/N) was in charge. And Present (Y/N) was feeling brave…Or stupid. 

Possibly both. 

Before I could think better of it, I stepped closer. 

Immediately, Optimus bent down slightly confused.

"(Y/N)?" 

I smiled innocently. 

"Yeah?" 

"You appear to be planning something." 

The fact that he knew me that well was not helping. 

"Nope." 

His optics narrowed slightly. 

"That was unconvincing." 

I laughed. The sound felt lighter than it had all week. 

Then, before I could lose my nerve, I rose onto my toes and quickly pressed a kiss against his metal cheek. 

The effect was immediate. 

Optimus froze and his optics widened. 

Every movement stopped. Every thought appeared to leave his processor simultaneously. For one glorious second, the mighty Optimus Prime looked like someone had unplugged him. 

I bit my lip. 

Hard. 

Because if I laughed right now, I would absolutely die. 

The silence stretched. 

Then his optics slowly shifted toward me.  

He looked flustered. His metal face glowed with a slight red hue and the sight nearly destroyed me. 

"Fearless?" I asked sweetly. 

No response. 

"Optimus?" 

His optics narrowed slightly. 

Not in annoyance…In determination. 

Like he'd finally recovered enough to realize exactly what had happened. 

And that was when I realized my mistake. 

Because instead of looking embarrassed, a very unfamiliar look appeared on his face. It was the kind of look that made chills run down my spine, and heat rush through my body.

Slowly, Optimus leaned down slightly. 

Not enough to invade my space. Just enough that I suddenly became very aware of how close he was. 

"(Y/N)." 

The calmness in his voice was infinitely more dangerous than any amount of teasing. 

"Y-Yeah?" 

For a brief moment, amusement flickered across his faceplate. Then he spoke. 

Quietly. 

Softly. 

"Careful." 

My heart stopped. 

"What?" 

His optics never left mine. A faint smile appeared. 

"If you continue doing that..." 

A pause. 

"...I may begin expecting it." 

My brain exploded and there was no recovery. 

No comeback, response…

Nothing. 

Meanwhile, Optimus straightened and turned toward the base as though he hadn't just single-handedly ended my ability to function. 

"Good evening, (Y/N)." 

And then he walked away. Leaving me standing there. 

Frozen and speechless. 

Completely and utterly destroyed. 

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, one final realization hit me. 

I had made Optimus Prime flustered. 

And unfortunately... 

He was apparently capable of hitting back.

💙

❤️