Warning: This story has slash (boyxboy), if this offends you then please hit the back button. :)


Otto was not sure when the change had occurred, but something very different was going on...

The day just felt different to the green simian and he paced his workshop trying to find the answer to the tingle in his tail. He checked is tools and his inventions; everything seemed to be in place. He checked out the window to make sure there was no threat; the city was serene and safe. He walked to Gibson's lab to make sure he was not covered in an explosion of chemicals; he wasn't. Otto just could not figure out what was so strange.

The mechanic strolled around the robot in thought until he came to the kitchen. He could hear hushed whispers inside but he did not think much of it and just walked on in. He barely managed to see the blurred movements of his red teammate before he stood there with black and blue eyes staring wide-eyed at him. Otto blinked before giving a big smile not noting their awkward distance from each other and the look of worry on their faces.

"Oh, did you guys make something to eat?" Otto asked excitedly and Antauri quickly smiled to mask his worry.

"No, I'm afraid we did not, but there is plenty for you to eat." The silver monkey's voice was smooth, but there was an odd quiver to it that Otto noticed. Sparx laughed loudly before clearing his throat

"Typical Otto. Always thinking with your stomach, huh?" Sparx teased, but he seemed uncomfortable and his eyes kept darting over to Antauri.

Otto only smiled cheerfully. "Well duh! Food is the best!"

Antauri chuckled and moved towards Otto. "I agree. Eat whatever you please, Otto. I..." He looked back to the pilot with an odd look in his eye. "...will be in my room if I'm needed." He looked back at Otto with a smile before leaving the kitchen.

Otto just barely caught the way Sparx subconsciously licked his lips before his expression went back to normal. Otto looked puzzled. "You okay, Sparx?"

"Huh?" Sparx's brows raised with a smirk. "Yeah, 'course I am! So, bud, what'cha gonna eat?"

The mechanic beamed and suddenly when on to talk about all the possibilities of food. That was not the first instance where Otto felt the presence of something odd.

...

It poked and prodded at Otto before it hit him all at once.

It had started off as a cloudy day in Shuggazoom and it had been raining off and on all day forcing the team to retreat into the robot to stay dry. He had been playing with video games with Sparx trading banter as they competed when Antauri walked into the room. Otto had not noticed, but Sparx had.

Otto had been trailing behind in the game, but he gave a victorious shout when he started speeding ahead of his opponent. It was not until he had won and turned to rub his victory into the pilot's face that he noticed Sparx's absence. Otto gave the empty spot a confused look before he looked around to see the missing monkey quietly talking to the second-in-command.

Otto pouted because he knew his victory was a dud and he wanted to storm over to Sparx and throw a fit, but something about them made him stop. Did they always stand that close to each other? Otto watched curiously, though he could not hear what they were saying.

Antauri's hand would reach out to settle on Sparx's forearm and Sparx seemed to only move closer if it were possible. They talked quietly to each other and they seemed to be talking about something interesting from the way Sparx smirked and Antauri's muzzle kept a permanent smile through the conversation. Whenever Sparx would seem to say something funny, Antauri would cover his mouth to muffle his already quiet chuckle. Whenever Antauri rubbed his thumb against Sparx's arm, Sparx would stop talking and seem to stop breathing for a couple of short moments.

Otto could not understand the scene he was witnessing. They were so close and intimate and it almost looked like how Chiro and Jinmay interact with each other. It confused Otto and he did not understand the looks in their eyes and the smiles on their lips and why Sparx was giving that goofy grin that he would always give to cute girls and why Antauri was looking down shyly from Sparx's smile and...

"Oh." Otto whispered to himself as he stared at the duo. It finally hit him.

...

The world around him was in ruins, but they were alive. They survived.

Otto had never felt so much pain and so much joy all at once. They had lost so much, but they had won. The war with Skeleton King was finally over and they had come out on top. Otto did not know if he wanted to cry or to laugh. Nova embraced him and he clung to her before they yanked a crying Gibson into the hug as well.

Otto temporarily pulled away to search for the rest of his team so they could all mourn and celebrate together, but he could not see them. He could see Chiro and Jinmay kneeling on the ground clinging to each other, but Antauri and Sparx were no where in sight. Otto grew scared that something may have happened to them and he quickly ran to go find them, Nova calling after him.

He ran across the battlefield, dodging debris and fallen bodies in search of them. He called out their names, but no one replied. Finally he jumped up to a ledge and could see a flash of silver from close by. Otto grinned when he saw his second in command among the ruins alive and moving. He was about to call out to Antauri when he saw a red figure running towards him. Otto barely had time to register before Sparx was flinging himself onto Antauri nearly knocking both of them to the ground.

Otto could only watch as Antauri rubbed Sparx's back to soothe the crying monkey, the red monkey in turn pulling away just enough to cup Antauri's face and mash their lips together in a desperate kiss. Otto stared at the two of them as they embrace and kiss and laugh joyful that the other is alive.

Otto smiled and let them have their moment before he started to run towards them, calling out to them and knocking them both to the ground in a hug.

Otto knew something had been different. It was a good different.


A/N: I believe that Otto would be very intuitive about other people's feelings and would figure out if any of his teammates were dating, but he wouldn't say anything about it. He'd just go along with it and be unsurprised when the secret does come out :)

It's not my best, but I'm just trying to get back into the habit of writing, so this will just have to do.

Enjoy :)