It couldn't stay secret forever.
"Side Burn, tell us who it is!" Prowl barked.
"No."
"Brother, c'mon. We just wanna know," X-Brawn begged.
"To punish us."
"You think you don't deserve it?! You're too young! You aren't legally allowed to do that yet through Cybertronian law! And you know you promised to let us approve of any Autobot you bonded with! You don't think you deserve—" Prowl was cut off by his younger brother.
"Yeah? Well then I haven't broken my promise."
They stared at him. "Ya didn't."
"Didn't what?"
"Bond to a Predacon."
Side Burn made a face. "No!"
"You tell us or your business will be everybody's business. We will scan every single spark to see which one matches the streaks in yours," Prowl vowed in a low, dangerous tone.
"Go to the Pit!"
"You are so grounded!"
"Fine!"
They stormed out, locking the door with a code so he couldn't get out. Side Burn lay back, staring at the ceiling.
~Koji? Can you…come here?~
"Certainly," Koji said happily, appearing on his chest.
"I'm in trouble."
"Because of me." He sounded embarrassed.
"Yeah. I don't mind that. I enjoy being bonded to you. I enjoy it a lot. It's nice to feel close to somebody. My brothers don't love me."
"Yeah, they do. They're concerned. Though it's not illegal, what we did."
"It isn't?" Side Burn asked as he sat up, catching Koji as he fell.
"No. The laws Prowl was citing are ancient, but they specifically cover Transformer to Transformer sparkbonds, between mechs, not Mini-cons. I am the first, and probably only, of my species, and the laws for my interactions have not been written. However, judging from your reactions, I'd say nobot below Wedge's age should be allowed to bond with me. You were nearly delirious when we did so, and I honestly should have waited until you had calmed down. You didn't freak out when you woke up and realized that you were bonded, however, so that was good."
There was a heavy knock on the door, and Koji disappeared, replaced with a datapad that contained an action story that Side Burn had been reading bit by bit. He reclined back and read a couple sentences to honestly say he'd been reading if anybot asked. Optimus came in.
"Are you alright, Side Burn?"
"Tattletale's been talkin' already, eh?" Side Burn growled, tossing the datapad where it had been earlier.
"He..." Optimus sat down on his berth. "Prowl announced it to the whole base, and has already started scanning sparks, much to their displeasure. I could tell him to stop if you'd tell me who you bonded to."
"Not. Happening."
"Is it a Predacon?"
"No."
"Is it an Autobot?"
"No."
Optimus took off his facemask to reveal a frowning, confused expression.
"I don't understand. Is it a Neutral that has made his way to Earth?"
"He's kinda Neutral, but he's lived on Earth all his life."
Optimus nodded, looking directly into Side Burn's optics. "Is it Koji?"
That stunned him so badly that he just numbly nodded. Optimus sat back, humming.
"Is he alright?"
"Um, y-yeah. He's fine…but he's not the same."
"Is he involved in that program that TA-I talks to?"
"Y-yes."
"Was that him that came through on the night of the virus attack? The hooded figure?"
"Yes," Side Burn's voice kept getting smaller with each yes. He didn't want Koji to be angry at him, but he couldn't lie to his leader. He seemed to sense lies anyway.
"Do you know where he lives?"
"Yes."
"Would you take me there?"
"No."
"Does he live with somebody?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Sky-Byte."
"A Predacon?"
"No. At this point, he's a full blown Neutral."
"How did this bond happen? I mean, Koji is a human. They don't possess sparks."
"Koji…did something he was not supposed to."
"What did he do?"
"I don't know. He won't tell me."
"Will he tell me?"
~Yes. But not now, and I'm not doing it through you.~
"He says yes, but later. He wants to tell you himself."
"When can I meet him?"
~When I decide I will let him.~
Side Burn relayed the message then Optimus stood up, placing his facemask back on. "I won't tell them. Not until I have more information. And I know you're going to disappear off the grid after I leave. Just know that this is your home on this planet. And you're always welcome here."
"Thanks, Prime. I'll keep that in mind."
Optimus left and coded the room's lock again.
~That's the closest thing to 'I love you' that you get in the Autobot ranks outside of brothers and bonds and the like, isn't it?~
"Yeah. It is. And I haven't heard it from anybody but you in over two thousand years. Now bring me home."
An hour later the two older brothers stood outside the door.
"We are gonna be kind. Right?" X-Brawn growled at the white police car.
"Right. I didn't mean to be so harsh, big brother, but you know why! And we didn't even find out who! Nobody matched!"
"Optimus said we hurt Side Burn's feelin's. That ain't right. Now put in the code and be nice, or shut yer yap. Got it?"
Prowl nodded, opening the door. They stared in horror for a few moments then screamed different things as they ran for the main room.
"TA-I! Camera footage!"
"Optimus! He's gone!"