Mine

by bard.25

optimusxarcee

Mine optimus x arcee

*flashback*

I had never been so cold in my life. It was amazing to experience exactly how cold Earth could be, exactly how ruthless it could become. If my tough metal was weathering beneath it, I wondered how those fragile humans could manage.

Space had been cold, of course, but . . . It was different here on Earth. The wind blew, bitingly cold to my body, and the frozen rain, sleet or snow or a combination of both, pelted my body, sticking between my joints and melting deep into my wiring. My heat was steadily dropping, much faster than Optimus's as we trekked on through the blizzard. He was bigger than I was, twice as big, in fact. Still, since I walked behind him, he blocked much of the freezing wind.

I gritted my jaw as Optimus tried to contact the base. I would not look weak. My core temperatures were dropping at a steady rate, warnings filling my optics that I needed to refuel and seek heat. I ignored them, and I ignored the way the snow froze my feet so that it was getting harder and harder to move my joints. I focused on the broad expanse of Optimus's back.

"Optimus to base," he stated into his communicator as I struggled to keep up with his long strides. "Do you read?" Before I knew what was happening, my optics blacked out a moment and I fell on a knee with a low grunt.

I blinked down at the floor of snow, cursing my weakness as I struggled to get back up. I felt a large hand gently take my arm, and I blinked up at Optimus. Of course. He was always there for me, whether in desperate situations or just being a gentleman and helping me to my feet. I grasped his arm, using his strength before locking my legs beneath me and forcing away the how uncomfortable I was.

"Are you sure a long drive wouldn't help?" I said wryly, nervously brushing excess snow off my arm as it started to cake. "I hear Miami's beautiful this time of year." How infuriating it was to know that while we froze up in no-man's-land, there were people basking in the heat of summer!

"The nearest temperate climate is too distant, Arcee," he told me gently, sensing that I was weakening quickly. "Attempting to reach it would expend too much energy, and hasten the freezing process." I looked into his eyes, searching for comfort I wasn't sure I would find. "Until Ratchet sends for us—" he turned a fierce gaze on me, "and he will—our best option would be to seek shelter and insulate ourselves."

That was then—this was now.

"Arcee, wake up," I heard his commanding voice cut through the haze. I jerked slightly, surprised that I had lulled away. I rubbed at my eyes, curled into the tightest ball I could manage as I tried desperately to keep my heat to myself and away from the howling winds and snow that stole it away.

"Just . . . resting my eyes," I managed, hugging myself tighter.

Behind his face clamp, his features were unreadable since his eyes squinted past the ripping winds. "The longer we remain alert," he asserted, "the longer we remain alive."

Irritation grew in me. "What do you suggest?" I felt myself sit up a little. "Wait, how about a game?" I said as sarcastically as possible. "Let's play, who screwed things up back at base?"

Optimus paused then, sensing my agitation. He answered carefully, neutrally. "Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction," he finally said.

"Caused by Bulkhead," I said shortly. "Let's see," I started in. "No comm. link, maybe even no power. The big lug probably tripped over a cord. He's never been too graceful." Speaking of graceful, my thoughts turned nostalgic in the moment, and I laughed softly. "Remember when we first arrived on Earth? And Bulkhead walked into those power lines?" My laugh became a bit more pronounced. Dear Primus, I thought I was dying and I was getting all sentimental now. "Who knew he could dance like that."

I huddled closer to myself as Optimus carefully chose his words. "Bulkhead may be . . . too large for this world," he said gently, "but his inner strength is without bounds." Optimus looked over at me, optics warming. "One should not be measured by size alone."

And suddenly, with that one statement, I was suddenly acutely aware of how small and insignificant I was compared to Optimus. By the All Spark, I could cuddle up in his lap like one of those Barbie dolls! The temptation to crawl into that inviting lap was almost too much to bear. I almost brought up the fact that we should technically be cuddling close together to keep more body heat, but I was seized with sudden shyness and I didn't speak anymore.

The long minutes ticked by. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. I didn't know. All I knew was that I was sprawled out weakly next to Optimus who was lying flat as well, neither of us having the energon left to even keep us sitting upright. The warning signals were fast and furious across my optics, informing me of freezing joints, critical body temperature, my energon slowing its pumping through my wiring because it clotted it was so cold. I could do nothing but lay there, knowing that I would die before Optimus. He was big, strong, and always contained more heat than I did—he may have another hour left in him. I did not.

Filled with misery of no hope, I said, "You know the worst part? After battling 'Cons all these years, getting smacked down, shot at, blown up . . ." I could barely keep the despair from my voice. "THIS is how our lights go out?" It was pitiful. Mortifying, really—and how much would the Decepticon's scorn be to realize that Optimus had only froze to death?

Optimus's gentle voice broke through my morbid musings. "Arcee." My spark plummeted at the sound of that regal voice, and I felt a pang in my chest. I ignored it, whatever it was. "This may not be the finish that we had planned, but if this is indeed the end . . ." I looked up at him, sensing the drop of his leadership mode into something more personal at his final moments. "If we are to become one with the All Spark . . ." I suppressed a swallow, reaching up to his hand. My spark skipped a beat when his servos moved, flipping over and curling his fingers around mine, his palm swallowing my own. The tender gesture surprised me, and humbled me both.

My fingers tightened on him. I arched my head up to look at his clear blue optics. "It's been an honor serving with you," I choked out, "Optimus Prime."

His optics were sad, but filled with warmth that made me swallow. I dropped my head, suddenly wondering at this feeling inside of me. Was it something more? There were times that I . . . Such as this one . . . But was it really something more? I hadn't felt this way since Tailgate, and I had thought I felt that way about Cliffjumper . . . but it seemed much more intimate with Optimus than I had ever let myself believe. We laid there beneath the brunt of the howling blizzard, servos clasped together.

Optimus suddenly shifted, scooping me close to his frame. I didn't question it but curled into a ball, nuzzling in close to his side as he wrapped his strong arm around me. I felt his hand stroke one of my intensely sensitive back struts, causing a sound to squeeze past my vocal processor. He continued to stroke me there, intimate and chaste as we waited for the end.

Then, the ground bridge suddenly blasted open.

I felt desperate exhilaration blast through me. There was heat just beyond that swirling portal! Optimus helped me to my feet again as we struggled to stagger towards the ground bridge. Bulkhead staggered out of all the Autobots, and he was shouting to . . . get down? I saw it a second later—a deadly swarm of scraplets, and Bulkhead fell face-flat into the snow, his leaking energon freezing instantly to his body.

They were moving fast for us, sensing our living metal. Optimus reacted fast, keeping me behind him when he saw the danger, but the scraplets just froze midair and pelted against his body harmlessly. None of those scraplets touched me. Optimus protected me with his own body.

Even worse, after everything we had gone through, I couldn't get to the ground bridge by myself. I kept shuffling my feet that refused to hold my body weight until I tripped over myself for the last time, quaking in the snow. I would never forget the feeling of Optimus's strong arms picking me up and carrying me bridal style through the ground bridge as my head lolled to rest against his strong chest. I temporarily locked myself into stasis at this time, clutching my leader in a way I should have never been if we were to be proper.

*flashback end*

Horror had risen in me when Optimus had believed Megatron's lies. After everything we had been through to stop Unicron, THIS was where our toils had left us? I'll never be able to explain that moment of broken denial when the Decepticon space bridge had closed, Optimus willingly heading into their base. I had detached from myself, staring at the empty space before me, unable to comprehend what had just happened, but feeling the dread constrict me deep within at what had just happened.

This was what fueled my determination.

"We'll be sure to tell the big O you said hello!" Knockout cajoled back to us.

I had been stressed enough as it was, but that slagger's conceited remark of Optimus sent my mind teetering over the edge. I watched his back disappear into the ground bridge, and I transformed down violently, revving my engines as fast as I could as I shot after them. Bulkhead shouted something, but I tuned him out, focused on one thing—

Optimus.

I ignored the blasts of a Decepticon seeker behind me, focusing in on the space bridge that was going to disappear within a few more moments. I revved my engine hard, lurching forward and jumping up as I narrowly managed to swindle my way through.

I shot right past Knockout and Breakdown, determined to find my leader if it was the last thing I did. It didn't matter how many Decepticons came my way—I would slaughter them all to find Optimus well and alive, the one thing my spark yearned for most. My embroiled emotions never got this passionate for Tailgate or Cliffjumper, and I didn't waste my time debating what it meant. Now it was time to act!

I met my first three obstacles and leapt high. Their bullets missed, and I shot down into the skull of the first. The Decepticon dropped in a heap, and I glared up at the next. I slammed by foot into his face, crunching the metal between the bottom of my peds and the wall, and I used that momentum to send myself crashing into the other. I slammed my foot on top of the slagger, optics gleaming fierce in my face.

"Where's Optimus?" I snarled at him. When he hesitated, I lifted an arm blade, nearly quaking I had so much desperate emotion seeping out of me. "ANSWER ME!"

The little slagger was lucky I didn't get to have my way with him for failing to answer. I had to jerk his body between the oncoming bullets of more Decepticons, letting their own fire take him out for me. Then, I rushed forward, blades as swift and merciless as death.

I tore through bodies, decapitating the foe with a Decepticon-like mentality, slashing off limbs and precise headshots felling them with one bullet. I drove past, spark beating like mad as I dodged bullets with the use of my rearview mirrors, snarling at my foes as I moved deeper and deeper into the ship. But where was Optimus?

He was the only thought my mind could process as I streaked through the Decepticon halls like lightning. When I came around another bend, I saw Megatron's loyal fiend himself—Soundwave.

I revved my engines fearlessly, somehow sensing that he was my last obstacle before I found Optimus. He just stood there blankly watching me come, and my blind fury didn't let me see his faceplate flickering images. I surged forward, intent on smashing him into the wall behind him with all my might. I leapt, and blinding blue lights exploded in my vision.

I landed in the snow instead of making contact with the emotionless Decepticon. I slammed on the break and transformed, skidding to a halt as I felt the familiar cold bite of winter and heard the howling of the wind of a blizzard. I blinked, uncomprehending as my optics found nothing but endless ice and snowy hills. "What the . . ."

Defeat. My central processor folded in on itself as I realized Soundwave had used a ground bridge to send me all the way across the world in freezing temperatures. I had failed. It would always be like this, and it always had been—first with Tailgate, then with Cliff . . . and now . . . now . . .

I threw back my head and screamed a howl of misery and frustration.

I collapsed on my forearms, feeling lubricants welling up behind my optics. I had been so close—so close! I felt like I could have reached out and touched him! I quaked in the snow, letting the harsh winds tear at me. Unfortunately, it only reminded me of painful, bittersweet memories that swelled to the surface with the reminder.

His fingers had been so gentle, and so innocently stimulating when he let himself stroke my back struts . . . I choked on emotion, barely able to bear the remembrance of his tender embrace as we had lied freezing in the snow, cuddled against his strong side, the intensity of the feeling he evoked from me by sliding his fingers up my back struts . . . He was counting on me, and I had failed.

I shivered, bowing over myself in the fetal position. "Optimus . . ." I mumbled, tears threatening, "I'm so sorry . . ."

It took me much too long to collect myself. My body heat was starting to dip into the blue zone, and I think it was the only thing that shocked me back to reality.

I called Ratchet for a ground bridge, feeling empty. Hollow.

I'm so sorry, Optimus . . .

**********

**********

It didn't help one bit that Ratchet asked just a bit too sharply if I had acquired the location of Optimus and the Decepticon warship. I think those words were the hardest things I ever had to say in my life:

I couldn't confirm.

It ripped me apart on the inside, and it was after this moment that I realize exactly how much we relied on Optimus as a peacemaker. Acerbic words flew—I nearly reached up my hands to strangle Bulkhead in my anger, and I probably would have if Jack hadn't interceded. Still, I was so choked in misery that I even responded biting to him, he whom I had no quarrel with.

The idea he presented was ludicrous. Maybe that was why I liked it. I wanted to be reckless; I WANTED to go on a desperate mission that was as desperate as myself.

And that was exactly what I did.

**********

**********

Things were smooth sailing. At least, they were until Jack and I happened upon a Decepticon over-watching Kaon, the Decepticon capital city. The way to Vector Sigma was revealed, and I sent Jack through alone. I had to stop this beast so that Jack could make it safely to Vector Sigma.

Knowing we were so close to restoring Optimus's memories gave me the determination I needed to keep trucking on when I felt I would collapse. I fought with every vibe in my body, pelting the Insecticon over and over with my bullets. Unfortunately for me, my lasers were not nearly strong enough to so much as damage the beast, and they dinged off the monstrosity like my bullets did Megatron. I was outmatched and I knew it, but I wasn't about to let that intimidate me.

Performing radical flips to keep myself out of the Insecticon's reach, I kicked off the ground and onto a pillar, gaining the high ground that would serve me well. Landing up high, I pelted the Insecticon many times over with my guns, feeling a bit of unrest rise when it transformed, its wings beating rapid and hard to keep itself aloft.

It drove straight for me. I jerked myself desperately out of the way, but I was too late. That hulking body crashed into me and I grunted low, pain sensors flashing quickly, energon updates stating I was leaking, and splintering pain shorting out my optics and audio receptors. I plummeted to the ground, aware that I had fallen on my back as my body performed needed diagnostics. I fell into stasis immediately.

**********

**********

I awoke feeling nibbling on the tip of my feet. I glanced down to see a stray scraplet, and I clenched my jaw. I shot the thing without remorse, hoping to Primus that there weren't many more.

When I saw the door to Vector Sigma ripped open, I felt a chill in my spark. No. Jack!

I transformed and drove right into the gaping hole, uncaring of what else I should find. Jack was in there, and I wasn't going to lose him OR Optimus's memories!

I was extremely relieved to find that Jack was perfectly fine, and he held the recharged key of Vector Sigma in his hands.

"I have the Matrix."

I sent him a proud and impressed smile that quirked my lips. "Let's roll!"

With Jack riding the way back to the open space bridge the time taken was much quicker than if he had walked again. As we approached, I triggered my comm. link.

"Ratchet, we have the Matrix. We're coming through." When there was no response, I slowed so Jack could hop off as I transformed a bit roughly. "Ratchet?" Still no answer. I felt my eyes flatten as I looked at the gateway of the space bridge. "Something's wrong." Had we been found out? What was going on that Ratchet didn't answer?

We hesitated outside the doorway, and I debated our options. "We can't not go through, can we?" Jack asked me. I glanced down at him before fixating my gaze on the space bridge tunnel.

I still hesitated, and I contemplated what could have happened. A Decepticon ambush? Ratchet still didn't answer. I stood uncertainly before deciding that I would ram through the bridge full throttle to take out whatever may be beyond it.

Transforming down, I revved my engine and burst through the vortex—and not a moment too soon.

When I saw Megatron's blade pointed down on Optimus, blinding fury rushed through me. I growled loudly, transforming, tackling Megatron to the ground. In my anger, I performed with much more brutality, managing to send Megatron flying right over Optimus and leaving us in the center of the room.

I engaged Megatron with shadows of worry in me, because he was a huge and experienced bot, and I could see Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead all locked in stasis at the side. He had decimated them all. How I would hold out I didn't know, but I attacked as valiantly as possible to stall Megatron until Jack could restore Optimus's memories with the newly acquired Matrix.

I could hear the high-pitched whirring as Jack started the process of refueling Optimus with the memories of millennia. Dashing about the room as I closed in on Megatron again, bullets pinging off of him, I was shocked at the lightning speed of his hands. One of those clawed servos clamped around me, squeezing me until it was excruciatingly painful.

"How nice of you to join our little reunion," Megatron sneered at me, hands clenching tighter. I clamped my jaw down, refusing to cry out in pain. His red optics blazed in my sight. "Now if you please," he snarled, "the MATRIX!"

I instinctively flinched away when he leaned in close, but he finally took note of that high-pitched whirring. He turned his head away, looking aghast at the sight of Jack refueling Optimus's memories.

I grunted low when he literally slammed me to the floor, running towards them both. Lifting my fuzzy head, my optics struggled to process Ratchet attempting to tackle Megatron only to be tossed away like a rag doll. I watched Optimus's chest plates close and his fingers delicately take the key to Vector Sigma.

Megatron literally howled in rage. "NO!" He swung his sword down at Optimus, and my heart jumped when I saw Optimus's hands clamp down on the blade, stopping its descent to him.

His crystal blue eyes looked up at the Decepticon leader with suppressed anger. "MEGATRON . . ." he growled in warning. With a sharp slide of metal against metal, his facemask clamped over his face. Megatron's eyes widened in horror. Optimus pulled his arm back. "BEGONE!"

He was back.

My spark soared as Optimus drove back Megatron with punch after deadly punch. The others stirred, and I leapt to my feet, running towards Optimus as he gave another brutal uppercut that sent Megatron flying across the room, slamming into the back wall.

As we all congregated behind our reformed leader, what I wasn't expecting was his question of, "Ratchet, how did we get here?"

So he didn't remember anything from when he was Orion? It was baffling knowledge. "Long story, old friend," Ratchet replied.

I nearly jumped at the voice in my ear. "Base to Arcee," I heard Fowler saying. "I'm reading five Autobot life signals down there. Is Prime with you?"

My lips curled in triumph. "And Jack."

When Megatron crawled back up with a guttural growl, we open fired on him again as the ground bridge exploded open to our left. "It's ours!" I confirmed for the others.

My spark sang a sweet song when I hear Optimus lift his voice in that commanding tone he used. "Autobots," he commanded, "fall back!"

I grabbed Jack, ducking through the ground bridge as I clutched him close to my chest. Elation spread through me—we had done it. Optimus was himself once again!

I sat Jack down and we walked through the twinkling bridge, exhausted even though we stood proud for what we had accomplished. Ratchet was next behind me, then Bumblebee, then Bulkhead. I turned back to watch Optimus come through, and my spark did a sudden flip.

The sight of him walking back through our ground bridge caused a lump to grow in my throat. He looked around as if he hadn't been here in a long time (and in fact, he hadn't), and my eyes trailed over his body, reveling in his powerful legs, broad shoulders, tapered waist, and those hips that swiveled unnecessarily sexy as he walked.

Raf stepped up, little brows pinched with worry. "Optimus?"

He gave a gentle smile that nearly caused the warmth of a blush to my cheeks. "Hello, Rafael."

Miko let out a loud whoop. "The big guy remembers us!" she caroled.

Optimus's smile slipped as he grasped one shoulder, looking solemnly at the Decepticon insignia on his shoulder. "Although," he said gravely, "it seems there is much I do not remember . . ."

I pressed my lips together to control the waves of emotions running through me. "Optimus," Ratchet said, "it has truly been our darkest hour, but know this: from every indication, your spark never ceased being that of an Autobot."

I looked at Ratchet's hand on Optimus's arm, and I felt a spurt of—what was this? Jealousy? Of all things? I pushed it away, but it needled at me as Optimus took a few more steps into the room.

Bumblebee gave a few sudden beeps, proclaiming that he had missed his leader. My lips twitched when he shamelessly threw his arms around Optimus. The Autobot leader's face was a mixture of bemusement and compassion as he wrapped an arm around the guileless scout. I felt that envy bloom again. Of course, Bumblebee could get away with things like that, but could I? No, not I; I couldn't, because I was the one that always held onto control in these situations.

"It's great to have you back, Optimus," Bulkhead boomed with a thumbs up.

Optimus's crystal blue optics filled with warmth as he replied, "And you as well, Bulkhead." Bumblebee finally let go of him, and Optimus rested his optics on me, awaiting my own welcome.

I hesitated. All the things I wanted to do to welcome him stuck in my throat and froze in my joints. They were improper as a soldier of the mighty Prime. I wanted to throw my arms around him as Bumblebee had done, only I didn't want to let him go. I wanted to touch the ear finials of his helm to find out if they were truly one of his hot spots. These were the least of what I wanted, so instead I tried to settle my longings with a slight smirk.

"It's about time we finally got you back," I said. I let my optics soften a little at the look on his face. "But it's wonderful to finally get you back." I raised a brow, silently challenging him. "You had better not go and pull something like that again," I threatened him lightly. His optics twinkled. "I'll come and find you, and you won't like it when I get my servos on you."

His optics sensed something deeper that I wasn't saying, but he let it go and instead responded with another spark-breaking smile. "I'll heed that warning," he teased lightly back, arching his own eyebrow at me.

If I wasn't of sound mind, I would have sworn he had just flirted with me.

**********

**********

It was late in the night when Ratchet had finally finished repairing us all. I had taken a pretty serious beating and had strained my engines, and he deemed me unfit to travel yet. He said I needed to rest myself, and I found myself irritated that he would keep me sequestered in the base. Jack and his mother took her car while Bumblebee and Bulkhead left with their respective humans.

This left only Optimus and Ratchet in the base with me. Heading to my quarters, I opened the door to the sparse room and stretched my tight joints. After a moment, I sat down and rested, giving a small sigh of relief.

Against my will, I began to think Ratchet was right. Perhaps I did need the rest. When I sat down, I suddenly felt drowsy from the energon I had refueled on. A stasis nap welcomed me, but I heard a knock at my door. I so swear upon the All Spark, if that was you Ratchet with more medical attention I was going to run you out of the entire base . . .

"Come in," I made myself call, wanting nothing more than to just fall back on my berth and lock myself into a long stasis. However, any thoughts of stasis left me when my spark thundered like a train when Optimus stepped into my room. My optics widened as I stuttered, "O-Optimus?"

My spark beat harder when he shut the door behind him, coming several steps into the room. "Arcee," he said to me. "Might I inquire as to how you are recovering?"

I nodded as if he had asked a yes or no question. "I'm fine, Optimus," I said, looking away from him. My spark sputtered in my chest, and I prayed to Primus that I didn't blush in front of him. "Ratchet's done a good job of repairing me."

Still, he hesitated in my personal room before taking a step forward and kneeling down to eyelevel with me. My optics widened at the intense look hidden in his optics. "Arcee . . ." he said hesitatingly again. He paused. "Before . . . you seemed as if you wanted to say more to me. What was it?"

I was fairly sure an embarrassed blush was trying to singe my cheeks this time, and I quickly turned my face away. Slag it, I can't believe he was making me feel like this . . . "Don't worry about it, Optimus," I tried to say as determinedly as possible. It sounded rather empty to my own ears. "It wasn't anything."

A rumble passed through his chest. "Arcee," he said to me as I stared at the ground, "you can tell me anything."

I crossed my arms before making myself sit straighter. He said it like it was easy. There was no way I could tell my commander that I . . . I hesitated to say love, even to myself. There was no way I could tell my commander that I cared deeply for him. Cared deeply to the point of being improper. A small scowl touched my face, and I shook my head.

"Prime, really, it's nothing," I repeated, using his Prime designation to remind myself of whom he was and why I could never give in. "I was just tired after all the excitement." And terrified of losing my leader again, terrified of losing HIM . . . Megatron's blade at his neck haunted my mind.

Optimus gave a thoughtful sound before resting an arm on his knee. He still knelt before me, and I felt irritation rise because I knew I couldn't keep up this indifferent façade for much longer. Why was he waiting? "Optimus, I've very tired. Was there something more you wanted to say, or may I recharge now?"

He lifted his head at my rather bitter tone, and he began to rise. "I'm sorry," he said. "I did not mean—" He froze halfway to his feet, looking back at me. Shock spilled through my wiring when he knelt back down. "Yes, there is something more I wish to say," he said, and my spark rate rocketed through the roof.

Unbidden, I looked back to his face, seeing the passions embroiled behind his complexion. "Wh-What?" I stuttered helplessly.

He gave a soft nod as if encouraging himself to continue, and he took a steadying breath. "Arcee, you remember that day the scraplets caused many malfunctions to strand us in the arctic?"

Oh dear Primus, he was bringing up THAT? Warmth spread through me at the thought of that day, despite the day being below freezing temperatures. "Y-Yes," I failed not to stutter, "I do."

Optimus looked down in a rare moment of shyness, clenching his hand. "Arcee, that day . . . We both felt something." Dear Primus, he was bringing it up . . . "Perhaps it was only of the moment for you, but I . . ." He suddenly looked up, pinning me down with an intense look. "I still carry that feeling within my spark to this day."

My spark stilled. I couldn't breathe. I blinked at him, uncertain if I wanted to go down this path while deep inside me something kept screaming to follow through with what I truly wanted . . . But I was his soldier. I couldn't possibly—

Optimus gently covered my servos in both of his own, sending my spark hammering in another rapid run. His guileless eyes stared into my own.

"I do not know if this same attraction is shared," he continued quietly, hands pressing into mine, "but if it is not, say so now, and we will forget this moment ever transpired."

I opened my mouth to immediately shoot him down, but the words stuck in my vocal processor. I cleared my throat, desperately trying to get the lie past my mouth, but I couldn't say it. No one could lie to Optimus, and I was no exception. Dropping my head in shame, I turned my face away, whispering, "Prime, it . . . it wouldn't be proper."

His servos didn't release mine. "Has what is proper ever stopped you before?"

He didn't let me contemplate his gentle inquiry for long, because he leaned forward and kissed me. I gasped in shock, leaning away from him to break this forbidden kiss, but he only followed me, keeping his tender lips against mine.

This was so wrong. I was his soldier, not his spark mate, not even his lover. Still, my spark betrayed my logical thoughts, singing in exultation at this magnetic touch of our mouths. It wasn't right. I leaned away from him, stubbornly refusing to kiss him back as I kept telling myself that I was the only one who kept a hold of herself. I was never frivolous like Bumblebee. I never lost control of my emotions like Bulkhead. I never—

But I always disobeyed Optimus's orders. Ordering me to fall back, and I always rushed forward. Commanding me to not talk back to him, and my voice rose anyway. Forbidding me to rush after the last Decepticon, but I always fought until they were all offline.

Who was I kidding. I was always the one that lost control.

I pushed into him, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling myself up. Optimus released one servo from mine and wrapped a tender hand around my waist, pulling me close as a deep rumble passed through his chest. I felt the vibrations, and I melted into him.

Tailgate had kissed me a few times, but it never amounted to anything such as this. I felt my insides humming as I pressed myself into his large frame that hunched over to amount for the size difference. It arched my back almost painfully, but I didn't care. I bit the edge of Optimus's bottom lip, hands gripping his body tighter.

He sensed my growing hunger, and he gently pushed my shoulder to restrain me. "Arcee, stop—"

I covered his mouth with my own. That was the difference between me and the others. They always balked to Optimus's orders, but not me. I was the only one who had enough determination in her to disobey him, and I planned on doing that to its fullest tonight. I kissed him more, desire spreading through me because of his mouth that welded so firmly against my own.

I broke apart our lips to scatter kisses all over his face, and Optimus took that moment to take several breaths. "Arcee, no," he repeated, pushing a bit harder on my shoulder. "We cannot. We are both injured, and not at full health. Ratchet—"

"Don't you tell me what I can and can't do," I muttered to him before seizing control with my mouth again, silencing his arguments. I couldn't give a flying frag what Ratchet thought or even where he was in this pit-spawned base. I wanted Optimus, and he wasn't leaving this room until I had him.

Pressing my glossia into his mouth, Optimus was surprisingly innocent as he gasped deep at the sultry feel of our glossia sliding against each other. He put up no resistance, folding in with inexperienced need as both hands clamped around my small waist. I reached up my hands to touch his ear finials, and I smirked into his mouth when he gave a weak moan at the powerful stimulation I evoked from him.

I chuckled, letting my servos trace over his sensitive ear finials as he twitched beneath me. "Already found your hot spot," I crooned to him with a saucy smack to his aft. Optimus jumped, hands tightening on my waist. He was so cutely helpless knelt at my bedside that it sent warm pleasure through my body—who knew he was so vulnerable?

I spoke an instant too soon though because I whimpered and grasped my hands around his ear finials tightly when his hands responded by digging into my back struts. A deep rumble rolled from his chest, and he leaned his head down to grumble in my audio receptors, "I've ALWAYS known where your hot spot was."

Dear Primus that was sexy . . . I kissed him hungrily again, glossia playing inside his mouth in total dominance over my leader. It was so eccentric to have total control over Optimus, but I didn't question it—I thrived in it, twining my glossia around his, stroking his audio receptors, and trying valiantly to endure his sweet torture to my back struts.

Breaking apart our lips, I took the chance to drop my head to the exposed wiring of his neck. Licking and suckling there, Optimus's fingers tightened needy on my back struts, and compound that with my teasing fingers on his ear finials, a breathy moan escaped him, sending prickles of delight down my spine.

I ground my hips against his, coaxing another moan from him. "That is so sexy, Optimus . . ." I breathed in his ear. I shook my head, biting down lightly on his wiring. "Nothing is sexier than a bot who moans . . ."

However, Optimus was tongue-tied beneath me, eyes lidded and little gasps venting through his system as his cooling fans finally kicked in. A tiny smile met my lips and I kissed both his cheeks brightening with the warmth of energon flushing high. I nuzzled my face to his, murmuring sweetly, "You are so cute, Optimus."

I let my hands trail down his body, and he suddenly decided it was time to stop being cute. I gasped in shock when Optimus sudden swept me up in an arm, turned, and pinned me against the wall. I literally squeaked which mortified me, but Optimus didn't heed it, completely dominant over me. He spread my knees wide and open, making heat alight my face.

This time it was Optimus who took charge. He leaned his head down, mouth devouring my lips with his own and hands hungrily exploring my body. I twitched when he fingered a sensitive area behind my knees, and heat swept through my system. My fans kicked on high and the coolant in my system rushed fast as my leader literally seduced me. Dear Primus the thought was so erotic in my mind it should be a sin.

My hips twitched when he tapped at my interface paneling, demanding entrance in the gentlest ways. I opened them immediately, kissing up Optimus's strong jaw possessively. A deep rumble growled through his chest, and I gave a thin gasp when his curious fingers began to play with my interface cable. I freely expelled a moan, letting my head loll onto his broad shoulder.

A sultry chuckle escaped Optimus's lips, and I shivered when he feathered tender kisses down the back of my helm and neck. Pleasure poured through my body, electrical energy crackling on the inside as the heat and surges built. I dropped my hand to his sensitive and sexy hips, letting my servos play over them before my fingers slid with deadly intent towards his own interface paneling. With deft hands, I had him exposed and returned his affections eagerly.

His low chuckle tickled my ear since I was still fighting for dominance over him, and his mouth nibbled my audio receptor. "Eager, are we?" he murmured, making little chills roll through my body. I twisted our hips firmly together, succeeding in making his breath catch.

"Not as eager as someone else . . ." I muttered back with a playful tease, mouth tilting into a smirk. I twirled his interface cable teasingly but let my other servos capture his ready spike. The gesture caused a stifled groan to emit from Optimus, and his hot mouth seized mine again, our cooling fans both roaring on high as the pressure and heat built.

Optimus lifted his head suddenly, and my spark tripped over the heady desire I saw suppressed in his hazy gaze. I had awakened the smoldering passion in Optimus Prime, and that was only proved more firmly when his servos passed hungrily over my body, sending shudders of warmth rippling through my body.

I quivered helplessly as his gentle fingers hooked out interface cables to each other, making me jerk and twitch beneath him. His words were hoarse and hot in my audio receptors as he rasped, "Arcee . . . I have a confession to make."

A whimper spilled from my lips when his servos tenderly passed over my back struts. "Are you sure now is the best time?" I whispered back, pumping his spike just a bit harder to distract him. A heavy moan rolled from his lips, but I was a bit put off that it didn't deter his thought pattern—until I heard what he had to say.

"In the arctic . . . I didn't trust myself to hold you close and share body heat because I wanted to do this." He kissed me again, mouth brimming with heady desire; his servos fondled over my wiring, and his fingers sifted over my extremely sensitive back stouts. I breathed a muffled moan into his mouth, letting him lead me on to the imminent overload.

Need pulled deep and hard from my gut, and my breathing stifled in my chest when I felt his spike nuzzling my port. A needy whimper escaped my lips, and I felt my spark humming, slamming inside my chest.

"Please," I gasped, passing the thumbs of my servos over Optimus's audio receptors. "Please, Optimus." A trembling moan stumbled from his lips as he gently squeezed into my slick port. It took me an extra second to realize that the mist over my optics wasn't just in my mind—steam was pouring from Optimus's smoke stacks, encasing the room in a humid cloud.

As he pushed himself carefully inside, Optimus's spike brushed against various clusters of sensors in my valve, causing me to buck into him. He slid all the way in with my extra movement, causing an unprepared gasp to rattle his systems and his servos to clamp tightly around me. A helpless moan tripped from his mouth, and I suddenly got a better look at my fearless leader.

He always took the point, always led us at all times. Seeing his face twisted up in raw passion, mouth parted, eyes squeezed shut, energon flushing high in his cheeks and his metal trembling, a swell of compassion overtook me. Not this time, he didn't. This time, I was going to let him relax and indulge himself to the fullest.

I pushed gently on his shoulder, shivering at the feel of his bulging spike in my port. "Optimus," I said in a hushed whisper, "let me on top."

He sucked in a steadying breath, hazy optics lifting up to mine nearly senseless with desire. "Arcee . . . ?"

"Let me on top," I crooned to him, ravishing his precious lips again. The heat was threatening to overcome me, but Optimus gave way beneath my tender touch, crippled even more when I stroked his audio receptors.

My legs were spread wide to encompass those sexy hips of his, and I caught my breath as I situated myself above him. One of his servos clamped passionately around my waist, the other sweetly sliding over my back stouts. I arched at the feeling.

"Arcee—"

I kissed him before he could say anything further, and I began to move slowly, getting used to the thick spike inside of me. The sensitive clusters of sensors inside my valve nearly sent me over the edge with heady lust, but I let go of his mouth to nibble his audio receptor. Optimus moaned loudly and freely beneath me, fingers biting almost painfully into me his servos clenched so tight.

"Optimus," I rasped thick with desire, "you're always leading. But this once, let it go. Let me lead YOU, for a change, and let me entertain you."

A trembling gasp spilled from his quivering mouth. "A-Arcee—!"

I felt the pressure building, and my valve was slipping easily around his spike, so I quickened the pace. "Just this once, Optimus," I whispered to him, feathering kisses over his face. "Indulge in yourself. I promise I'll make it worth your time."

My voice was more enticing than I ever knew it to be, but the look of complete ecstasy on his face was well worth it. I rode him faster, feeling my spark chamber doors tingling with the rare and once-in-a-lifetime need to open up and expose me. With a start, I realized my spark was yearning for Optimus's spark, and I felt the energies surging inside and reaching out to his. I gasped rapidly, steam coating the room as the temptation to let his servos fondle my spark nearly buckled me at the knees. I knew what I wanted, but it didn't escape my mind that we were still in a war—spark mates were too dangerous at this point.

Instead, I let out my inner cries as I rode Optimus, feeling the tip of his spike hitting that sweet spot in me, that final node hidden deep inside. Sighs and moans rolled freely from Optimus as he writhed beneath me, our love-making sounds echoing in the steamy room coated in white. When I bit down on his audio receptors, his fingers clenched desperately on my back struts—with a roar of my engine that was drowned out by Optimus's huge engine roar, we overloaded together, crying each other's names in unison.

Shaking in the throes of the aftermath, my optics lidded as I looked down on Optimus panting beneath me, optics blackened and offlined; billows of steam still poured from his smoke stacks. The energon flushed high to his cheeks dyed his cheeks a bright glow of pink, and my breath caught at the precious sight. I leaned down, tenderly kissing him, slow and lavishing. My hands cupped his face, and I felt his arms wrap around me, fingers playing at the small of my back.

A deep rumble rolled through his chest, and he suddenly scooped me to his side, holding me possessively. I shivered delicately when his mouth nibbled my audio receptor. "You are MINE," he husked passionately into my audio receptors, making prickles of pleasure chase up my back. His mouth seized mine again, generous and languid, and I melted into his tender clasp, snuggling up next to him, a tiny fit beneath his arm.

"I don't care how long it takes for this war to end," he whispered, pulling me close. A territorial grumble rattled his chest and his foggy windows as all the steam congealed in the room. "You are MINE, spark, mind, and soul," he breathed, feathering kisses all over my face.

"I am yours," I agreed, sweetly returning those kisses and fanning my hands over his audio receptors.

His cherishing words would forever stay with me. "MINE," he rasped, nuzzling his face to mine. "Till death do we part, MY spark mate, and no one else's . . . MINE."