XIII.

Confiteor

That night, the fever was gone. Persephone didn't feel like she's dragging her body around like a sack of bricks and she thanks Megatron for the medicine he had given her. When she had woken up, Megatron wasn't beside her, instead he had been feeding the sparklings.

Well, the twins, to be specific.

Coven and Ares can refill their tanks just fine as long as Megatron gives them their share of energon. When he had noticed she had woken up, he apologized to her for waking her when she wasn't in his embrace.

Persephone laughed it off, convinced him that it was alright.

And a little celebration had occurred with her jumping up and down the mattress when she had found out that she was rid of her sickness.

Megatron had hugged her, thanking Primus for answering his prayers.

And so, Persephone found herself, checking the various clothing she had. Looking for a dress or maybe a shirt that looked nice for the little gathering. Megatron had opted to wait for her, but she insisted on being alone. The sparklings went with their father, which gave her some peace of mind, as well.

The young woman wanted to make an impression.

One that sent out the vibe that she and Megatron were equals, but if she wanted to do that, she needed access to some shops. But seeing as she was in the middle of nowhere and the hard-earned money she had acquired was back home, Persephone had to deal with the resources she had.

She had no money, no powerful contacts, and pretty much nothing.

And that was okay.

She had Megatron and the sparklings, the both of them can make it all work. Perhaps, she would live the rest of her life in secrecy. Hiding with an alien fugitive, getting to spend time with him, and being a motherly figure.

She stopped in her movements.

A mother.

Something Persephone didn't think she'd be at such a young age. Sure, they weren't technically her children, but it didn't have to be hers for her to feel like a mother. Sometimes, being a mother isn't about having a literal offspring.

And if someone would've told her that she would be a mother at the age of twenty-three, she would've laughed at how silly it was. Even tell them that it wouldn't happen until she was older or had her shit together.

It was absurd.

Now, she doesn't think it's absurd anymore.

Well, at least I'm not pregnant, Persephone thought.

As she scrambled to fish out a nice outfit, her fingers graze something soft. Obviously, it was soft since it is cloth but the material against her fingers was pleasant. Persephone tugs only to pull a white fabric. She carefully made sure to not let it hit the ground as to not dirty it as she unfolded it, thankfully it wasn't long.

It was a simple white dress. It was plain, there was thin-looking spaghetti straps and judging from the looks of it, it was flowy. Persephone didn't exactly had much of a choice, so the short white dress was the best option.

She stripped from her clothing, turning every now and then to see if anyone would walk in. After a second of scouting the area, she scrambled to get dressed.

"Fuck, where is it?" Persephone whispered to herself as she fiddled for the zipper.

Finally finding it by the right side of the dress, she unzipped it before she wore it. Persephone zipped the dress shut as she examined her body in the fabric.

The dress stopped by the middle of her thighs, the chest area a little loose since she didn't have that much of a big breast to begin with, making breathing for her easier. When she moved, the dress flowed with her motions.

It was perfect, fits like a glove.

She dusted off the invisible dust from the fabric, smoothing the fabric carefully. Her fingers find her hair, setting aside a thick strand of hair as she ties the rest into a low bun. Persephone tied the bun with the left over hair, securing it to place. She arranged the hair near her face, tugging gently at the other curls for it to frame her face in a pretty, messy way.

Afterwards, she ran to her bed, grabbing the piles of paper she used to draw the warlord and ripped out the poem she had written about him.

It was finally finished. She folded it neatly and tucked it in the side of her underwear. It wasn't like it would fall off, after all the waistband glued the folded paper to her sides.

There weren't any shoes and Persephone didn't think she would need one. Not when she scarcely traversed the Earth. Usually, she was being carried, so it was easy to keep up with her companions.

Her feet wasn't that dirty, but she used her former clothes to clean off some of the little dirt it acquired. It would be thrown away again, anyways.

Persephone's thoughts wanders off to the events that occurred that morning.

Persephone's thoughts wanders off to the events that occurred that morning. Her body stood motionless, realising that she had almost died that morning. She was aware that she should've ran.

Ran and hid somewhere, but the Decepticon leader was nearby. Nonetheless, she shouldn't have acted so carelessly.

What if he was a few seconds too late?

She can only gulped at the thought of being squeezed into a pulp.

"Are you finished–" A certain voice brought her out of her thoughts as she whirled to look at its owner, only to see him wide eyed.

What had him so surprised?

"I'm done!" Persephone chirped as she smiled at him, twirling to show off herself. "What do you think?"

"You look lovely," Megatron said as he smiled at her. His smile was soft, not the terrifying one that lowkey turns her on. It was the kind of smile that made him look so... docile.

It's a compliment, she knows this. However, her heart flutters and screams as she blushed.

"Do you think so?"

"I know so, Persephone."

Now that she thinks about it, she often see him smiling at her like that.

Persephone couldn't get enough of him.

It's a compliment, nothing lewd or inappropriate about it. However, Persephone couldn't help but feel... things.

Her heart would skip a beat and she suddenly finds herself wanting to quench her thirst.

Every now and then, even before she came into this universe, was it bad to fuck an alien? And if one would fuck an alien, how? And now, she finds herself exploring all the possibilities and endless opportunities that the idea presents itself In front of her.

This... giant.

Was he gigantic as well?

Megatron walks over, crouching down as he offered her his servo. And she had to take deep breaths in order to calm herself down. Pressing her legs together, her thighs being held against each other, in hopes that whatever friction she'd create would satiate the heat that pooled at her core.

Without skipping a beat, Persephone hops on it carefully. Settling herself on the middle of his palm. His servo was cold against her bare legs and butt.

Her cheeks warmed as she gazed below her.

In a way, Megatron is holding her ass.

She wondered... could he feel how wet she is for him?

Judging from his expression, it was obvious he didn't.

However, she couldn't stop her thoughts of creating an imagination, in which he was purposefully edging her. Pretending he didn't know that she was just sitting there, begging him to fuck her senseless.

She paused.

And Persephone had to gulp down her thirst for the giant metal being, willing her lust away. It was too dangerous, she didn't really want to ruin the friendship she had with him.

She was horny for him and she'd rather bury herself alive at this point.

God help her, give her the strength to not strip naked and just outright telling the warlord to fuck her—even breed her.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

His voice pulled her out of her little train of thoughts. "What?"

"You seem troubled," Megatron answered, his metal brows furrowed as his face neared a little. "You know you can always share the thoughts in your processors to me, right?"

"It's nothing. Also, shouldn't we be going to the gathering? Everyone out there... they are waiting." Persephone averted her gaze bashfully, hoping that he would take her excuse.

Jokes on her, he didn't.

"They can wait," The Decepticon warlord replies. "For you, I have all the time in the world."

Don't say that or I'll really fall hard for you, Persephone thought as she bit her lip while twiddling her thumbs. The walls of the cave were suddenly interesting because she didn't want to look at him.

If she looked at him right now, she knew she would spread her legs instantly.

Silence.

Megatron sighed. "Is it... because of what I did earlier? When I have brought that traitorous seeker to the brink of death?"

Her breath hitches. Hesitantly, she quietly answered. "Yes."

When she had decided to look at him, this god-like metal being, his face had dropped as a saddened and ashamed look placed itself on his face.

He cleared his throat. "My apologies for frightening you."

"No... I... I wasn't frightened." Persephone looked away again. "If anything, it's the opposite. I thought it was... oh, nevermind."

"No, please tell me."

"I'm too shy!"

"Don't be," Megatron laughed as he brought her closer to his face and Persephone was this close to blurting her feelings and how she wanted him to fuck her senseless. "There is no reason to be shy when I have seen you bare or clothed. It's hard not to look when you're walking naked... my apologies for looking in the first place."

Or eat her out while she screamed his name.

He was looking at her naked? God she thought it was a joke, but even she was surprised that she can get even wetter. Her cheeks burned warmly and Persephone was sure she can fry an egg on it.

But she took in a deep breath, clearing her thoughts once more.

"Would it be okay to tell you later?" Persephone said, her voice quivered. "After this little gathering, when we're both alone. Just you and me, no sparkling... please?"

He eyed her suspiciously. "Can you really not say it now? We are alone, after all."

"I wish, but this cave isn't exactly desirable for the words I would say," Persephone said. "It requires privacy and also a pretty place, if that's okay with you."

He looked at her for a moment, before he nodded. "Alright. I shall respect your decision."

Persephone smiled in relief, "Thank you."

"Afterwards, where do you wish to discuss this private matter?" Megatron asked.

"Think of a place where there's mostly flowers, that's all." Persephone answered as they both went to attend this little gathering. "Then, we'll go there and have the... er, discussion."

She just hoped that time would move slow.

Her thoughts danced away to certain Autobot Leader. He was like this weed in the garden that never go away, always finding a way to grow again despite her pushing the thoughts of him away. It felt wrong.

Persephone had Megatron now, so why was she thinking of him?

He kept... finding a way of worming his way into her head. And frankly, she knew why. It was because of that stupid dream. That no matter how hard she tried, her mind kept replaying it every now and then.

To be fair, Megatron and her weren't lovers. They don't have any romantic time together. The banter between them was teasing and always making jests to one another, it wasn't even flirting. I mean, as far as Persephone knew, the warlord probably didn't think it was flirting or didn't consider it as one.

So, was it unfair that she would let her feelings for the Prime flow through her?

It should be out of my systems in no time, Persephone thought.

However, she knew that it was a lie.

She told herself that before when she was little, that it was okay to let her little crush towards the two leaders of both factions to run rampant. Years later, she was sitting on the palm of one of the said leaders, with the little crush growing into an intense infatuation.

But then again, there were always fanfictions of Optimus being such a kind and gentle lover. Persephone wanted those traits as well. So, perhaps it wasn't too bad to let herself feel something for the Prime.

She loves Megatron, but she had to be realistic.

This wasn't a fanfiction that she could read. No, this was her reality. And the reality for her is that her chances being with Optimus was far bigger than the chances she had with Megatron. That was just thinking logically. She was stupid when it comes to the field of romance, but Persephone wasn't dumb.

At least, she knows she isn't.

He promoted her to be his equal. A great opportunity for her well-being and giving her a bigger chance of surviving this world. She can delude herself and think it was because he secretly loved her, but she knew it was wishful thinking.

The most reasonable one was because she was a great asset to him and the rest of the new Decepticon army. She can heal them back to full health as if they had never been damaged in the first place, as far as Persephone was aware of—it was what had happened to Megatron when she had done it the first time.

God, she wasn't even able to confess to him.

But that was alright, she wanted to be alone with him and maybe sneak in the confession somewhere between their conversations.

Just to finally let it out of her systems.

If he rejected her, then it's fine. It would put an awkward gap between them and Persephone didn't want that. She can handle rejections just fine, but this rejection would come from one of the very beings she was in love with for a long as she can remember.

It was a hard pill that she would have to swallow.

So, she decided to avoid that by simply running away. Then again, she had to take things into consideration. Was she really going to abandon the sparklings just because she knows that she, herself, couldn't handle a rejection from Megatron?

It sounded so pathetic, but it felt like it was the only way to dissolve the upcoming awkwardness upon them.

So, she decided, maybe she could stay instead to help when he does rejects her. They do say ignorance is bliss, perhaps the same can work with denial.

But why not just keep her feelings to herself?

Because Persephone knew that one way or another, she would burst. Her heart is a monster that demands more than it can chew, that is why her ribs is a cage to keep the beast away. However, it will eventually burst from her chest.

Whether it be crushed or satisfied, it didn't care.

Right now, it demanded her of him.

It demands him.

Her mind tells her not to do it. Don't ruin this, it pleads to her. It begs her not to ruin this strange friendship that she has with the Decepticon warlord.

However, her heart is, as she had said, a beast. I want him and him, her heart demands as it takes control of her feelings in a storm. It felt like trying to gain control of a large dragon while avoiding its ire as it threw a tantrum and wreck havoc around it.

Sometimes, she was confused.

She wondered if she settles for Megatron because she couldn't have Optimus or perhaps she was turning to Optimus because she couldn't exactly have Megatron.

And her core salivates at the thought of Megatron. I need him, it seduces her as it makes the all-too-familiar knots in her stomach like an ouroboros that made her feel an eternity of lustful and wanton desires. Her body trembles at the possibility of any perverse interaction between them.

For the first time in a long while in her life, Persephone had a hard time handling the chains that binds the beast in her chest that was known as her heart.

— ixi —

Megatron stood at the higher ground as he gazed down at his soldiers, their helm reaching the joints of his knee. According to Persephone, this was where Talon had climbed. Before Starscream had landed his attack on the four of them.

The thought of some wretched lowlife seeker killing Persephone infuriated him. If he were to turn his helm to the right, on the farthest part of East, he could see the silhouette of his former Second-in-Command struggle upon the chains that held him. Even if he did escaped, Megatron can always shoot him.

After all, a downed seeker is a dead seeker.

A huge fire blazed in the middle so they can all see each other in the dark. Each and every one of them chattering upon themselves as they laughed. The sparklings stayed on top of the high ground with him and Persephone. He was pleased that they had glued themselves to them.

His face faltered for a second.

To think that he planned on raising these younglings into soldiers—weapons he can discard at any moment. It repulsed him, realizing that he had sunk low that far. Obviously, he wasn't going to do that anymore.

These sparklings, he would treat them as his own.

Instead of turning them into weapons, Megatron had decided to make a world fitting to raise them in. One where he needn't his weapons. Where they didn't have to worry about surviving for another cycle.

He wanted to give them the life he never experienced the moment he was sparked.

Unlike human sparklings, cybertronian sparklings developed and grew faster than them. It would take at least eight hundred days before the sparklings reach their full adulthood which was bout two stellar cycles, two quartex, and ten solar cycles for a human.

Hopefully, they make it that far into their life.

Megatron turned to Persephone whom was perched on his shoulder.

The light from the fire glowing against her skin and when he looked into those dark abyss she possessed, he can see the reflection of the flames dancing across her optics.

It was beautiful.

She is beautiful.

Megatron wondered what she could possibly want to discuss with him. So much so that she requested a private audience with him. Not that it bothered him, but it did piqued his curiosity.

Perhaps it was her plans and ideas for the Decepticon cause? He did tell her that she is his equal. Was it a good idea to do so?

He didn't want to pressure her.

Megatron would be glad to carry the burden for her. She is to be the Decepticon leader as well, sharing his title and position to her.

Persephone, Leader of the Decepticons.

It had a nice sound to it, it fits well just like the title he had given himself. She might not know much about war strategies and plans, but that was alright. Megatron can always guide her. He sees potential in her.

Not only that, but she is also the Allspark's vessel. He had figured it out when she had first healed him, but it seemed after her death that it had fully been put out of its dormant state.

How fascinating.

Sometimes, he wondered if it was really Persephone or just fragments of her consciousness preserved by the Allspark that inhabited her body.

However, whenever she looked at him, when she smiles at him the same way a the heavens greet the upcoming solar cycle, he knew that in that frail and soft human form was his conjunx endura.

His Persephone.

When everything had been lost and ripped from his grasps, Megatron had been so obsessed with the idea of dying like a warrior. Dying without killing himself, because for him, it would make him seem pitiful in his optics—therefore pathetic. The Decepticon warlord always wanted to join the well of the Allspark in a glorious farewell.

That was mostly the reason he was alive.

Funny how an annoying fleshy had changed that by crawling its way into his spark where she had made a nest for herself, inspiring him to live and march on... for her sake.

In the moment that he had been infatuated by her, he realized something.

Life becomes meaningful when he realized that each moment he spent with her won't be the same moment twice—each a new rendition of its former originality until it is lost in the remakes of time.

And he intended to burn her in the memories of his processor.

"What's wrong?" Persephone's voice lulls him put of his thoughts, worry tugging at her other end of the connection.

He raised a brow at her. "What?"

"You were staring at me."

"Oh."

She giggled, her voice intoxicating him more than any fine high grade energon he had took back in the grounds of Cybertron.

And then she looks away as worry turned to confusion. "Penny for your thoughts?" He joked, earning a soft laugh from her.

"It's... ugh! Nevermind. It's silly," Persephone answered as her gaze never left wherever she looked. He glanced to wherever had caught her attention and saw his soldiers laughing and cracking jokes

Did she want in on the fun, as well? She could always join–

Oh, right.

Persephone didn't understand Cybertronian language.

He had spent so much time with her, hearing her laughter and her voice, and that little smile she makes when she teased him. He had forgotten to teach her the basic communication of his planet—he had forgotten to do that to his conjunx endura.

His literal wife.

She wasn't capable of doing so, her audios weren't fit to do so because she's a human. However, the least he could've done was try.

The Decepticon warlord had decided that he would do that the next day, but for now, he will bear the burden of failing to share it with her.

He wonders, in human culture if it was considered a must to share or perhaps introduce ones culture with their partner, did that mean he had failed his wife as well?

Would she consider him a terrible husband?

Megatron cleared his throat, the laughter and the chatters dying down as the only sound that remained was the cackling of the flames, she had turned her little helm to his direction as well. "I have come to understand that Earth has multiple languages," He said and asked her. "Tell, what is the language that the both of us speak with again? The one you are fluent in."

"Oh, you mean English?" Persephone asked, her voice a little quiet. "I mean, the both of us have been speaking in English... why do you ask?"

"I hereby order that we must all exclusively communicate in the Earth language that is known as English for the sake of my equal!" Megatron announced, his voice booming in order to make sure that it was loud enough for the other Decepticons at the back.

Pulsefire, the new medic of the Decepticon faction, hissed. "My Liege, I mean no disrespect, but why must we adjust? For the sake of your mere human pet—"

"She is no pet of mine!" He roared defensively as he glared at him. "Her designation is Persephone and she possesses the same authority as I have, therefore she is also considered to be the leader of the Decepticon army. So, all of you are to treat her with respect. To me... she is a blessing from Primus for she has saved my life countless times when any being, whether it was Primus himself or any cybertronian, would've left me for dead."

Beside him, he glanced at her only to see Persephone gawk at him.

He looked back at his soldiers, his optic examining to see if anyone opposed his words. If they oppose her position, then it meant they opposed him. If they had a problem with her, it meant they had a problem with him as well. "Do each and every one of you agree to this or must I repeat myself to all of you in various ways?"

A chorus of agreement and understanding erupted from the group, including the medic that questioned him. Megatron would've killed him on the spot, however he figured that these man-made cybertronians were merely new. They needed a mentor and of Megatron wanted them to fit in his standards, then he must shape and refine them to be worthy of the Decepticon title.

For now, he shall live.

"Oh, how exciting!" Flamestrike chirped as he scurried in front of Megatron, his helm barely reaching the knees of the warlord from where the tyrant sat. "I've always been curious of the insec–er... lady."

Nightlight, a seeker with the wings of a chopper, approached. "Oh, do tell us of the tale of how a little human femme had saved our master." The dark purple mech says in a deep voice which made Persephone laugh.

He huffed at the bot, displeased that his conjunx endura suddenly has the attention of all of the soldiers... All of the mech. However, it was washed away when he caught sight of her beaming smile that she gave to him. "Thank you, Megatron " Persephone uttered. "Also, can you put me down so I can be near them, please?"

"Of course," He grins at her. "For you, anything."

With that, he lowers her, setting Persephone on his knee where she had crossed her legs and sat. "I don't really know where to start," She replied to them as her attention was turned to entertain their little curiosities.

Telling the story of how she had saved him, but it was only one incident: the one where she had healed him back then when they had met.

Of course, that's what she would tell.

After all, Persephone didn't know that in her existence, Megatron found solace. That had it not been for her, him and the sparklings would've died sooner than later. She does not know that she had saved him from the unforgiving jaws of madness that threatened to eat him alive and chew him into millions of pieces only to leave an empty husk of a mech that he was once.

Megatron cared for her with the intention of torturing her.

Funny how his once prisoner-to-be had offered him salvation and went so far as being his, as the humans would call their female spouses, wife.

Her smile is intoxicating.

Pulsefire had approached and asked questions about humans and how tiny they are. The mech even went so far as to ask the anatomy of the humans, how their body functions. Persephone

She bickered and spoke with them, laughing and even snorting now that she was included in the merriment of the event.

She was enjoying herself.

It went so far as to her asking Megatron for permission to stand on one of their servos. She was not his pet, but he appreciated that she looked after his own feelings.

And so, he let her go.

It was nice to see her get the respect and recognition she deserved—it filled his spark with a warmth of a thousand stars.

Noir, Ironbreaker, and Talon approached him. Each and everyone of them was injured and barely in shape, Megatron can blame the lack of cybertronian tools for proper medical aid.

"Lord Megatron," Noir said as he bowed his battered helm in shame, followed by the other two. "Our sincerest apologies for putting her in danger earlier. We had not anticipate for things to escalate so swiftly."

"Our incompetence almost cost her, her life." Ironbreaker added. "For that, we ask for your forgiveness."

Talon had been patched up, but his injury kept him silent since it would cost him to hurt more. According to Pulsefire, that is. "Rise," Megatron said.

They followed his command, looking at him with fear and confusion. "The three of you had protected what meant the whole world to me," Megatron said. "It was a losing battle in the first place. The traitorous mech had much more experience in the battlefield longer than any of you have. For that, I owe the three of you an apology, as well."

Megatron turned to the group of soldiers that huddled around his sparkmate as she entertained them, he cleared his throat loud enough for the others to here. From there on, it was domino effect that sent them into silence once more.

"Bring the lady to me," Megatron commanded.

Instantly, Bloom, the mech who held her, carefully brought her to him. The Decepticon warlord took her from his grasp as the other mech bowed and scurried away.

"Oh my god, I'm glad you guys are okay!" Persephone exclaimed as she fretted at each of the three mechs at the edge of his servo. She then turns to him, her husband. "You aren't gonna punish them, are you?"

"No, I won't," Megatron answered.

"Thank god, cause if you are then I'd be so mad at you." Persephone grins at him. "They did save my life and protected me, you know?"

"I know, that is why I must ask you of something." The warlord said and it earned a raised brow from her. "Is it possible for you to heal them in the same way you have healed me?"

Persephone turned into an "o" as her brows furrowed. "I'm not sure," She answered. "I haven't done it more than once, after all."

Right.

She does not remember the second time she had fixed him.

Carefully, Megatron lowered her in front of his Second-in-Command, Persephone sitting at the edge of his digits. On her end of the bond, he could feel stillness, a calm that seemed to wash over him like rain.

He felt whatever she felt through the bond, did that meant he knew what she actually felt for him? In a sense, he didn't. Even if he wanted to pry at her side of the bond, he couldn't.

Every time he was so close to feel that emotion she was feeling, it suddenly changes. As if she was aware of their bond.

Megatron wasn't sure that she didn't know. She hasn't accepted him as her conjunx endura, so if her guard is up then he definitely wouldn't know.

What if he just assumed what she felt? He didn't want to put a gap between them because he misunderstood. So, he opted to stay silent about how he felt for her.

The Decepticon warlord didn't want to ruin what they already have—this strange friendship.

The loud cackle of electricity reached his audio receptors, breaking his train of thoughts. His optics widened as she gasped. He felt a swelling in his chassis as the tips of her digits glowed a different color.

Similar to the color of her optics when she had been resurrected from the grasps of death.

Purple.

The tips of her digits glowed purple as the energy in her grasps surged in her palm. Flashes of lightning came and go in her little servo. Carefully, she touched the forehelm of Noir. And the purple energy washed over his whole form, just like that he was healed.

No traces of dents and scarring were left, it was as if Noir had never been beaten an inch out of his life. His Second-in-Command in command glanced at him with wide optics, before looking at her.

"Holy shit!" Persephone exclaimed.

She turned her helm to him, a wide grin on her organic faceplates. There was a twinkle in her optics and for a second Megatron could've sworn he saw a hint of purple at the edges of her iris, but as quick as he saw them they had vanished.

"Oh my god, I did it!" She beamed, laughing. "Did you see that?!"

"I did," He laughed.

— ixi —

After she had healed them, the Decepticon army looked at her in a new light. As if in recognition. When the joyful atmosphere continued, he noticed that they handled her in a gentler manner. Even going so far as to speaking to her with respect.

Megatron noticed that.

It's probably a mixture of her healing capabilities and his orders, either way, Megatron was happy that his conjunx endura was getting the respect she needed. Now, she sat by his knee as the troops laughed amongst themselves. It was fascinating to see her blend in so easily.

Was she always that friendly?

He didn't know, but then again she did smiled at him instead of running away like most insects did. It's mostly because she already knew him. He knows that. And he didn't want to admit it, but it did bummed him a little because he really was looking forward to giving her a little fright when she had woken up.

That was alright, he may not have done that but at least he gained a companion out if the situation.

Her laughter echoed with theirs, his sparklings were playing among themselves, and he has his beloved sparkmate with him. Life was good. Perhaps, Primus had finally smiled upon him.

Did their maker finally felt sympathy towards him that he had been given a conjunx endura to spend the rest of his life with or was it out of pity to stop the incoming madness that threatened to destroy his processors. Megatron was thankful, to have her in his life.

He vowed to cherish her. Whether he admitted it or not didn't matter, because he knew for a fact that Persephone had become the very reason he lived.

The very human that resided in the center of his spark.

"Ah, Megatron!" Persephone's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Tell them!"

"Pardon?" He asked, confused as to what she was talking about.

"Oh, no need, Lady Persephone!" Battlestar, a mech with dark blue and white paint job, protested. "We... if Lord Megatron doesn't feel comfortable with sharing, we don't mind."

Noir nods. "The same goes for you, Lady Persephone."

She snorts. "Nonsense, I doubt he would refuse to tell the tale how he found me," Persephone said with a laugh. "Won't you tell them for me?"

"I do not wish to bore any of you," Megatron said bashfully.

His soldiers begged and probed for the tale of their meeting. Each and every one of them egging him to tell them what the lore between them was and how she, a little human, had also obtained the honor of being his equal.

The title of Decepticon Leader, as well.

"Alright, alright, if it pleases the lot of you." Megatron laughed.

"Back then, I had been, unfortunately defeated. I spent thousands of solar cycles and lunar cycles in this wretched planet, dreaming of how to revive our planet. At the time, I had been battered and close to being offlined from the damages I've acquired," He started, glancing at her.

"However, one lunar cycle, after being ambushed by the insects of this dirt planet, I had stumbled upon was funny, I didn't expect her to show me respect when we had met. I had expected for her to tremble and cower as most of her kind would. She didn't, instead, Persephone had helped me and even fixed me," Megatron chuckled as he shook his helm. "Ever since then, she had been my companion. The both of us looked after each other, as well as sharing the responsibilities with taking care of the sparklings. She had saved my life and saved me more than once... that is why I reward her with the title of being a Decepticon Leader as well."

"Of course, I'm also thankful that he didn't kill me," Persephone laughed. "I mean, I'm just a mere insect as far as I know. It's a good thing I had healing capabilities. Otherwise, he would have probably turned me to paste."

They laughed at her statement. Paradox, a four-wheeler grounder mech with the color scheme of black and dark violet, raised his share of energon and said, "Cheers to both Lady Persephone and Lord Megatron for their strength and perseverance!"

"Oh and cheers to us being a team and for our upcoming success in doing stuff!" Persephone added, raising her own glass of water. "Whatever it is we will be doing, that is."

She looked at him with a smile, as if expecting him to say something as well.

And so, he did.

"To the Decepticons and our future!" Megatron smiled at her and to all of them.

With that, they all erupted in a chorus of joyous cheers and laughter as they celebrated. For a moment, the image of his first army back in Cybertron when he had first formed the Decepticon faction, flashed before his optics.

It was strange to think that almost all of them had perished, whether it was back on Cybertron or from the servos of the fleshy natives of this dirt planet. If any of them were alive, he did not know. Perhaps most of them were in hiding or perhaps they were captured.

Last he had heard, the humans had attempted to create a their own version of his species. To think that they had all created them from various remaining scraps of cybertronians had disturbed him, even if they were made from Autobot parts.

Megatron was many things, but he wasn't a monster.

And if any of his brethren or enemies had fallen in the grasps of any lowly human, he would pray to Primus to care for them in the well of the Allspark. He didn't blame them if they had fallen victim to the insects that populated this planet, they had advanced their weapons and had opted to hunt them all down.

It sickened him that the Autobots had aligned themselves with the very creatures whom have taken and picked apart their brothers to make atrocious and blasphemous images based on all of them.

To think that humans could achieve superiority by making their own cybertronian was not only wrong—it is also insulting.

Humans achieving the same intelligence as them? How egotistical these creatures had become. Perhaps they always had been and only now does Megatron realised that.

He didn't know, the Decepticon warlord didn't really care about human lives that much.

However, Persephone was an exception.

No, it wasn't just because she is, in human terms, his wife. It was more than that. Okay, maybe seventy-five percent of it was because of that but it was also twenty-five percent because she wasn't originally from here. Persephone was from a different world and universe. A different time and era, and he believes it with the way she moved or how open-minded she was when she listened to him.

If anything, they may be an alien to this planet, but Persephone was by far the most alien being that mingled with them.

He wondered if she ever missed her home. Of course, she did. Megatron missed Cybertron and the beautiful cities of the planet. However, she never brought up her back story that much. Besides from her, unfortunately, being emotionally and verbally abused by her aunt.

The thought of her suffering sent a rage throughout his body, his digits instinctively clenching the energon cube in his servo. "Hey, are you okay?" her voice, like a soothing water, made him looked at her.

"Your servos are shaking," Persephone pointed out, her voice low only for him to hear as the others continued to laugh amongst themselves. "Are you alright?"

He didn't even realized that his servos had shook until he stopped them. Megatron smiled at her. "I'm fine," He said reassuringly.

When he looked at her, her face was flushed but her eyes was focused on his once trembling servo. Was the first too hot for her? He could feel something from her end of the bond, but before he can figure out what it was, it had been snuffed out.

Then he feels it.

Boredom.

Was she bored of his company? He looks at her to see her looking at the joyous merriment that unfolds in front of her. It didn't take a genius then to know she was now bored of the gathering. It was alright. The sparklings had all but fallen asleep, now, anyways.

Besides, he wanted to talk to her now.

He was truly curious.

"We shall excuse ourselves." Megatron's voice boomed as he placed Persephone by his shoulder. "The sparklings have already went into recharge, we might join them."

"Well, then, have a restful recharge, my Lord." Noir said as he raised his energon cube with a nod. The rest of them bid them a restful recharge and with that, the Decepticon warlord carried his conjunx endura on his shoulder while he carried his sparklings in his arms—each occupying his arms in numbers of two.

The trip back to their private chambers was silent as he glanced at her every now and then only to see her marvelling the night sky.

The sun had long since gone and the stars littered the heavens.

After putting the sparklings in their corner of the cave and making sure that they were safe and alright, Megatron went to look for a private place for them to talk to.

"Where are we going?" Persephone asked as she sat in his servo, she looked at him with a confused look.

He laughed. "Didn't you say that you want a place where we can talk privately?" Megatron asked her, amused. "You said, and I quote, think of a place where there's mostly flowers."

His conjunx endura laughed at his words as she shook her tiny little helm. But her laughter dies down as her gaze falls on to something else. Megatron followed her gaze to see her looking at Starscream.

Right, he had ordered his soldiers to put him in chains and render him useless, his wings lay in front of him—mocking him.

He glared at his former Second-in-Command. The traitorous mech was out cold, in stasis-lock. If Starscream knew what was best for him, he would stay like that.

That way, he was safe from Megatron.

"You know, this isn't exactly a place full of flowers." Persephone smiled but he can sense her feeling disturbed. "Can we look for a different place?"

Megatron didn't blame her for feeling that way.

And without any hesitation, Megatron walks away. He noticed the glare she gave the tied up mech until he was probably out of her sight because she sighed before turning her focus back in front of them. In that moment, the Decepticon warlord had decided to let her have her revenge after he was done with Starscream.

It was only fair, after all.

They continued to walk—well, to be honest, he was the one doing all the walking—until they passed the area where they had once set up camp. Megatron walked until his pedes lead him to an all-too-familiar place.

He didn't recognise the area at first, because of all the purple flowers had bloomed around the area as the trees around it bloomed with life, the stream making a sound amidst the silence. But he knew the sound of that familiar stream from anywhere. Megatron had looked up the name of the flora that bloomed in the area.

Tradescantia, also known as Spiderwort.

Those were the flowers weren't there before when she was resurrected. It had only been a series of tall grass. Did he not notice this before? Or perhaps it just bloomed naturally?

"So, pretty!" Persephone spoke in awe as he settles her down in the field of flowers.

Now that he looked at it, the flowers resembled her optics that day.

He watched as she twirls and plays around for a bit before falling on to her back where the flowers were more prominent—the area where she had died. It felt strange to see her like this, alive in the place where she was offlined.

And she didn't even know she died.

Megatron kept his optics on her, the fear that she was a mere figment of his imagination to cope over her death was looming over him.

"Look, Megatron, I... I need to tell you something very important," She confessed, her voice soft and gentle with a hint of nervousness. Persephone sat up, her fingers twiddling with each other.

"I am listening." Megatron sat down, his spark racing as he anticipated her next words.

She sighed, running her digits through the fur of her helm. The moonlight against her skin made her glow. If he didn't know any better, the Decepticon warlord would've been convinced that she was an apparition of a beautiful entity.

She was really beautiful.

"Fuck, where do I start?" Persephone laughed nervously, rubbing her organic faceplates. "I... Never in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine myself being your friend. N-no, don't get me wrong! I want to be your friend. Your best friend, even. I just didn't think that you would consider me, a lowly fleshy, to be your friend."

Megatron smiled at her. "You are trustworthy, after all."

"And for that, for even sparing my life, thank you." She smiled sweetly at him. "I... really need to get this off my chest and I would appreciate it if you keep your opinions to yourself. At least until I'm done, would that be okay?"

"Of course," Megatron answered as he kept his dermas shut, waiting for her to tell him what had been bothering her.

"I... My heart is a little heavy. I don't really know how to begin this," Persephone gulped. "Because I'm afraid that this could be the end of our friendship."

He was silent, letting her continue.

"Megatron... I... Ever since I met you, I had harboured feelings that I know if other humans found out, it would seem weird. Hell, they would even crucify me for it, no doubt." Persephone confessed, looking away. "After all, the norm was for humans to be with humans. Not with... alien species."

His spark quickened and it was funny, dare he say ironic, that he feels the most alive when it skips a beat. Was she... confessing her feelings to him?

He shouldn't get ahead of himself.

"You... To me, you are the devil. A literary figure. The antithesis of truth. A fallen angel who terrorizes the world through evil," She continues. "You're arrogant and selfish. You use others for your own gain and you've tortured, kill, and committed a lot of war crimes to have Cybertron in your grasps. You're a tyrant and you're dangerous. You're like this... hybrid. This mix of a mech who... couldn't contain himself."

Megatron's spark sinks.

Was this what she thought of him?

"I got the sense that you became torn between being a good person and... missing out on all of the opportunities that life could offer a mech as magnificent as you, and in that way I... understood you." Persephone said as she looked at him and she looked so... lost. "You have mesmerized my very soul by your existence alone. Your voice is sin to my ears and I am sent to Heaven every single time you hold me in your servos and... every time you look at me with such tenderness."

She paused—or was it hesitation?— and her cheeks reddened, her optics were glassy.

"And so, I realised after years of harbouring these feelings for you, that..." Persephone took in a deep breath. "If loving you is a sin, then I'd gladly be a sinner. Megatron... you are the most important person in my life. I want you, nothing else, just you."

Silence, a pregnant pause. In that moment, he knew she was done saying whatever she wanted to say. Her servos was in a fist as she trembled.

"I... wish to say something to you, as well," Megatron sighed. He didn't want to use his holoform for this, if he wanted to tell her what he felt then he would do it as he is. "According to you, you know about me, so you must know how I detest humans."

He saw her flinch, but Persephone kept quiet as she lowered her head and nods.

"I harboured such feelings for you as well, but I dare not say anything for I do not wish to frighten you away. So, I've realised that perhaps I was right that you, among all humans, are not an insect but a goddess," Megatron said as he looks back at her, lowering his face near hers.

The Decepticon warlord takes his digit and coaxed her helm to tilt upwards so he can look at her. Tears threatened to spill at the edges of her optics as she held her breath.

"Because if the devil was to ever see you, he would kiss you for eternity and repent," Without any hesitation, Megatron pressed his dermas against her tiny ones in the most gentle way he possibly could.

He felt her tensed before she melts right then there, only then does he feel that whatever wall she had built at her side of the bond unfurl as a series of emotions floods his senses overwhelmingly. Her tiny digits rests on his faceplates, before he pulls away abruptly.

The Decepticon warlord needed to hold her.

Megatron activated his holomatter avatar, the one that was a carbon copy of his original form, but only smaller. However, despite this one being smaller, he still towered over her at around twelve feet tall. She still looked tiny, and so he carried her to his level to kiss her properly.

Her legs wrapping around him as she kissed him back from above.

Their mouths under each other, their tongue tasting one another as the warmth from her sweetened throat poured into his. His processors had gone blank, he could not think. Megatron couldn't do anything but drink her in, each breath as it came, the soft and hungry movement of her lips like a being starved for centuries—starved for a lifetime.

It was intoxicating and he loved it.

Megatron was scared, afraid to let go of her in fear that all of this was a dream. That the sweetened taste of her, one that he could not find in any energon, would simply vanish. Persephone seemed to swell in his embrace, to ripen as their bodies pressed against each other.

Their bodies were so close to one another and her smell floods his senses. She smelled of hazelnut and flowers, the warmth of her flesh against his cold metallic one was heaven. His other servo, the one that didn't support her weight, tangles itself in the curls of her helm and slightly tugs them as he kissed her hungrily.

She moans in his mouth and he shudders at the sound.

It was music to him.

Persephone pressed herself against him, crushing his lips to wine. His thoughts and doubts melts away as she cradled his face in her own gentle servos, only then does he realize how much he starved for that simple act of physical contact that came from her.

And then she gently, oh so cruelly slowly, pulls away. Panting as if she had run for miles, Persephone's opticlids were slightly lowered, a look of avidity and longing in them. She looked so vulnerable. Her cheeks red as the dishevelled fur on her helm made her look more... enticing.

Megatron too pants as his system overheats and he could hear his holomatter avatar and his original body's fans kicked in as it attempts to cool down itself.

Persephone smiled softly. "I didn't think that the both of us would ever—" She was hesitating over every word as she catches her breath, and Megatron couldn't blame her.

"I did not think so either." Megatron answered truthfully.

"Do... you regret it?" She asked as the words quickly escaped her lips, a single breath.

"I do not," He said.

"I don't either." She said, shyly.

"For how long?" Megatron asked softly as he cradled her little face in his servo, afraid that the miscalculation of his actions would hurt her.

"How long have I loved you for?" Persephone asked as she leans into his touch melting like ice on a warm surface. "Womb to tomb, my love. Since before I came into this world at all."

There was silence then, and Megatron did not care about it as he held her. Persephone's optics were the same abyss as it had been, but he can see the hints of purple that made itself known on the edges of her iris. A surety rose in him, lodged in his throat.

And Megatron thinks to himself, I will never leave her. It will be like this, always. For as long as my spark beats or for as long as she will let me.

End of Chapter XIII

Hi! I am so, so sorry for the late update and that I've been gone for so long. I was going through some personal stuff in life and it just got so hard so I didn't have that much motivation. I've read the recent comments and I want to say thank you and I am happy that I have brought you guys joy through this fanfic.

Hopefully, I'd update soon again.

See you guys on the next chapter!

—Stwawbewwy