Wham!
Orion found himself once again on his back, his vision swirling as it tried to reset itself from the sudden impact and didn't attempt to get back up. If he did so, he would find himself back on the ground once more. What was the point in getting up?
"Get up, Orion. We aren't done for the day."
Right, that's why.
Orion turned his head around and looked up at the looming form of Megatron. The giant Decepticon stood there, arms crossed in front of his broad chest and waiting. His face schooled to be serious and neutral, but Orion could see the slightest twitch of amusement play across Megatron's feature. Of course, he would find this all amusing.
"Why should I bother? We have been at this all afternoon, and I have yet to knock you down once," sighed Orion.
"I do have stellar cycles of training and battles under my pedes," said Megatron, strolling over and offering Orion his hand. "You knew that when you accepted my offer to spar."
Pouting, Orion took hold of Megatron's hand and let him help him back onto his pedes. "I didn't expect to be tossed around like a sack when I said yes."
"If you merely pay attention, perhaps that would happen less," suggested Megatron, giving him a smile of pride. "Though, you have improved since we first started."
Orion supposed that is a piece of good news. Since gaining his new frame, there were times Orion felt a stranger inside of it. That he inside a body too larger for him. Which was silly considering he was the smallest of the group, Orion did only come up to Megatron's chest. But there were moments of doubts that the AllSpark repaired him correctly as Orion remember his reflection back at the lab. He thought he had been smaller.
There was also his waterbomber alt form. Moving around with the wings, how they reacted to everything felt strange. It took a few solar cycles to get used to them and even sooner when Megatron allowed him to leave the base to fly. Like his size, the alt mode felt foreign to him. Like it wasn't suitable for him.
When voicing his concerns, Megatron explained that he merely had to get use to it. That he had been held prisoner for so long that he might not be use to the physical movement yet. That perhaps Sumdac harvested his frame until it appeared like Orion was a smaller mech than he really was.
Even as Megatron explain away every one of Orion's concerns, he couldn't help but worry.
So, Megatron suggested sparring. Not only would it help ease Orion into his body but training for the future.
To allow Orion to go out into the city.
It had been one of his greatest wishes after Megatron failed to gain the AllSpark away from the Autobots, and they were forced to retreat into their current hideout. He had felt guilt over his failure to asset Megatron in the fight, but he said that Orion didn't have the skills yet to face the Autobots in battle yet. He told many stories all about the dirty tricks the Autobots had used during the war. Maybe lure Orion into a trap and gang-up on him. Perhaps they would try to deceive him into thinking that Megatron was the one at fault.
This was funny to Orion as Megatron was the one to lead the faction called 'Decepticons.'
It was another reason Orion agreed to spar with Megatron. Maybe if he improved on his combat skills, Megatron would allow Orion to journey to the city. By himself, Orion knew it would never happen. But to take a trip with Blitzwing or Lugnut for whatever reason, he would gladly take it.
But they had started training a decacycle ago, and Orion had begun to fear that Megatron would never allow him outside. Maybe now he changed his mind?
"Does that mean you're finally allowing me to head out on mission then?" asked Orion hopefully.
But it didn't cause the reaction that Orion hoped for in Megatron. He didn't seem to be at all please to have heard the question at all. "I don't feel you're ready for that step yet, Orion."
Not ready...
Orion's expressions of hope twisted into frustration. He held his arms stiff at his side; fists clenched tightly as he restrained himself. Orion should have known better than to expect things would have changed.
"You never let me help outside of the mines. Do you not trust me?" said Orion.
The question seem to have thrown Megatron off guard. He stopped midstep, looking perplexed back at Orion. "Why would you say that?"
"Because it's true," said Orion. The feeling of doubt and resentment weighted inside his chest burst out. "You treat me as a child, giving me the same tasks over and over again. Do you realize how many times you had me reorganize the files you download from the Autobot's ship or gone over them for anything significant that you failed to see the first time?"
"I trusted you to offer me a fresh set of optics on the information and the ability to focus," said Megatron, switching his tone of voice to one of a lecturing mentor. "Especially since the one we have using the information isn't one to trust easily."
Out of the far corner of their optics, Sumdac shivered in fear.
"If you're done acting like a youngling, we can resume or maybe you had enough for today?"
Orion looked away, sully, as he crossed his arms over his chest. His wings droop to match his displeasure at the whole conversation. "I'm done for today. I'm going to get some air if I'm allowed to do that, Lord Megatron."
Orion said the last part a bit snarky, but he didn't care. He turned his back and attempted to walk away before he said anything else. At least, that was the plan.
If only Orion wasn't pulled back by someone grabbing his shoulder. He was spun around and found himself face to face with a pissed-off Megatron. Something he never saw before, or at least directed at him.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?"
"Are you seriously asking me that?" laugh Orion, twisting his body out of Megatron's grip. "I'm upset because I only just realize I have traded one prison for another!"
"You are being-"
"Childish? Stupid? Whatever you're going to say, it means nothing," said Orion. "Back at the lab, you promised to show me the world, the whole universe. Now, you keep me inside for one reason or another. I cannot even go outside for a quick flight without you or someone else hovering over me."
At first, Orion had appreciated the attention as it showed how much Megatron cared about him. To be looking after him and make sure that Orion was settling into this new world that he brought him into. He was nervous when he met Blitzwing and Lugnut, but he had grown quite fond of the two over time.
Though he found their personalities quirks to be a bit much sometimes to deal with.
Now, he felt it to be smothering.
"It's for your protection," fumed Megatron. "I can't predict what could happen to you if you should leave."
"How can anything happen to me if I'm trapped here!" yelled Orion. He could feel both of their EMs flaring up as the argument grew. "I want to take a more prominent role in your plan, to help you achieve the dreams you once shared with me."
The time they had to spend in their laboratory prison, talking about whatever came up during lulls of plans for freedom. There were times Orion wish they could go back to those simpler times when it was just the two of them.
"You're playing an important part to my plan, Orion."
"It doesn't feel like that," said Orion before he beckons to his wings. "You allow me to wear your brand, you claim I'm part of things, but you continue to treat me like a youngling."
"To me, you are," said Megatron, taking a step towards Orion. To have the enormous mech stand over and feeling the commanding presence he gave, he should have stepped back. Orion didn't, but he stood his ground. The mech merely stood his ground and squared his shoulders to stand firm. "I had survived through harsh working conditions, fighting in both the arena and wars and then banishment for millions of stellar cycles before you came online."
"So? What does that matter when you clearly have trouble with Autobots who happen to be just as young and inexperienced as myself?" snapped Orion. Satisfies that he made his point, Orion turned to walk away but found himself stopped.
What he said might have been too low of a blow. Megatron had reached out and grabbed Orion by his shoulders. He forced the younger mech to look up at him, to see an expression that Orion couldn't quite read. It was like the Decepticon warlord was searching for the right thing to say, calculating what would be the right thing to say.
"If they are causing trouble for seasoned Decepticons, what do you think would happen if I send you out there."
"You can't predict wha-"
"I cannot have something happen to you, Orion!"
Ok...what?
Orion must have shown his surprise by the confession as Megatron continued to explain himself.
"I care for you, Orion. More than I ever thought possible given how short of a time we have known each other," said Megatron. His hands shifted off of Orion's shoulders and took to taking the smaller mech's servos into his larger ones. He looked so anxious but continued to speak. It's as if he didn't stop, then perhaps Megatron would never have the courage to say it.
"You have such an energy and innocence of the world I hadn't seen in such a long time. The discussions we had were some of the most wonderful moments I had in that horrible lab. To have someone of your intelligence and willingness to listen is such a rarity."
Orion didn't know what to say. He was scared if he spoke, it would ruin the moment.
"You're young, and I understand the need to go out and make your mark. I can't allow you to get hurt because of me," said Megatron, pulling Orion closer to him, letting one of his arms move to wrap around the smaller mech's waist. "I won't let the one good thing to happen to me in such a long time disappear from my life."
Then Megatron kissed him.
The action surprise Orion, but it wasn't unwelcome at all. Orion found himself giving into the action, his optics offlining and giving into the moment. The pressure at first was gentle, but as soon as Orion was responsive to it, Megatron became more assured of his actions.
Orion didn't know if this was a dream or not but didn't want it to end.
"GLORIOUS LORD MEGATRON!"
Slag it, Lugnut.