Author's Note: Little bit of swearing... Here we go... as the title suggests, Prime and Orianna's first encounter is a bit...

Thanks again for the continued support M.M!

Chapter 41: Awkward

Orianna P.O.V

I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip to the point I thought I would surely draw blood. I could not bring myself to look at him and so I simply addressed the tabletop. ''H.. hello,'' was all I managed to reply in a soft, shaky voice he would have had to strain to hear. Internally I cringed. /Fuck's sake OC! Get a grip. It's been over a month. Deal with it!/. I took a deep, steadying breath as Lennox eyed me carefully from across the table and I forced myself to raise my head and look at him. My breath hitched in my throat as my gaze rested on his face and those brilliant azure optics of his. I tried to exhale all my nerves away. ''Hello, Pri.. Prime.''

Those piercing blue optics pulsed brightly at the sound of his name spoken from my lips before he shuttered them slowly and took a tentative step inside the hanger. My whole body went rigid in my seat, and he froze. His voice dropped to a low rumble as if he was trying not to frighten me. ''I did not expect to see you here tonight Orianna,'' his dermas curved into a smile, ''though I cannot express how happy I am to finally see you.''

I brushed some loose strands of hair behind my ear and dipped my head as a crimson blush spread across my cheeks yet again at his choice in words. I simply nodded. I did not trust myself to reply.

At my lack of response, Prime's optics flicked from me to Lennox who was sitting back in his chair with his fingers steepled across his chest, watching our interaction carefully. I noted with interest how Prime's optics narrowed slightly as he addressed Lennox. ''Major Lennox,'' Prime tilted his helm in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to me, his expression softening, ''Orianna. I apologise for interrupting your - meal – together.''

It was at that point Lennox finally spoke up. ''All good Prime,'' I bit back a smile as I doubted Lennox truly felt that way about the untimely intrusion. ''But I must admit I am a bit surprised to see you back here so soon. I thought you had patrol duty?'' Lennox reached out and put a chip in mouth, nonchalantly chewing on it as though having his dinner interrupted by a twenty-eight foot sentient robot was commonplace. /Actually, it probably was!/.

I glanced from Prime to Lennox and back again. Prime shuttered his optics as he looked at us both in quiet consideration before his dermas curved into a small smirk. ''Indeed, I am sure you are Major Lennox. I still am on patrol duty, however,'' he looked away from us both and seemed to shift awkwardly on his pedes, ''when I happened to notice Orianna's car, Relda, parked out the front of the hanger, I took the opportunity to try and see Orianna, perchance to speak with her.'' His optics pulsed brightly once more. ''However brief that might be.''

He turned his full attention to me and I wilted under his intense stare though I could not bring myself to look away. A familiar heat began to build within me as he held my gaze and that voice rumbled across the hanger towards me, over me, through me. I closed my eyes as I drank it in. ''Please, forgive me Orianna. I know you requested some space and time away from me and, though it has pained me to do so, I have tried to honour your request.''

I frowned at him and looked away. /Damn it to hell! Despite all my efforts and intentions, I had missed him and – against all better judgement – it would appear I still loved him/. The corners of my mouth quirked up as I looked into his optics. ''Until now that is Prime.''

Prime's dermas mirrored my own as they curved in a small smile and his brilliant blue optics once again pulsed brightly at my teasing comment. His whole frame seemed to relax almost imperceptibly at my comment and its tone. ''Yes, Orianna. It would appear so.''

He took another tentative step towards me, closing the distance between us and knelt slowly, his optics never leaving mine. My heart began to thump wildly in my chest and his chest rose and fell as he cycled air and his face grew serious once more. ''I hope this means you might allow me to see you and perhaps speak with you again soon?''

I felt my body tense again and I shifted nervously on my seat as I glanced quickly from Prime to Lennox. Lennox simply sat in silence; his face impassive. I swallowed anxiously as I wrung my hands in my black gypsy skirt and gave a brief nod of my head. ''Um. Perhaps.'' Prime's optics glowed brilliantly as he regarded me. The relief and happiness reflected within them drew a small smile to my face. ''Yeah. I guess so,'' I replied a little more confidently.

Across from me, Lennox reached for his drink and downed it in one gulp before tossing it in the bin. ''Well, that's great news!'' He rose abruptly to his feet scrunching his rubbish up. ''Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your little reunion, but I DO have quite a bit of work to do, so I'll just leave you two alone…''

''NO!'' I shouted out more forcefully than I intended as a spike of fear lanced through me. I was not ready to be left alone with Prime just yet and I did not want Lennox and I to end our evening on such a note. A nervous laugh escaped my lips as I looked between a slightly hurt Prime and a perplexed Lennox. ''What I meant to say is, I am sure Prime here has to get back to his patrol duty and you and I had not finished our dinner Lennox.'' As if to make a point I picked up a soggy cold chip and forced it into my mouth. Lennox simply raised his eyebrow at me and stared silently at me.

Prime rose to his pedes and shuttered his optics again. ''Orianna is right Major Lennox. I must return to my post and, once again, I apologise for interrupting your meal and intruding on your precious break time.'' He nodded his helm towards Lennox who returned it with a tight-lipped nod of his own.

Prime's optics then turned to me, a strange expression on his face as he smiled down at me once more. I found myself smiling in return. ''Good evening Orianna. I look forward to seeing you and speaking with you again soon.''

He held my gaze, his optics flicking over me in an almost unnerving manner as if he was committing everything about this moment to his memory. /Perhaps he was?/. I nodded at him as my smile slowly faded. ''Good night, Prime.'' He nodded once more towards me and then turned on his pedes and strode out the door into the night from wherever he had materialized from. I released the breath I had been subconsciously holding.

''Well, there you go!'' Lennox's voice drew my attention. He had a funny expression on his face. ''That wasn't so bad, was it? Awkward first meeting with your ex - CHECK!'' He made a motion with his hand as if ticking a list. Though his comments were intended to be lighthearted, the tone behind them was not.

I scowled at him. ''He's not my ''ex'' Lennox which you know perfectly well.''

''Oh, I'm sorry OC,'' sarcasm dripped from his words. ''What would you have me refer to Prime as?'' He was glaring at me.

I shot to my feet, returning his glare. ''I don't know Lennox! A complicated friend?'' I grabbed at my rubbish and angrily began to scrunch it up as Lennox huffed and whispered something under his breath, which only served to bait me more. ''Which is more than I can say for you at the moment!'' I turned on my heel and began to march towards my car, my eyes prickling with angry tears. /Why was he suddenly acting like such a jerk?/.

''OC! Wait!'' Lennox ran after me and tried to grab my arm. I shook him off. ''Will you just - STOP!'' he yelled in exasperation as he placed his hands on his hips.

I halted and spun about to face him, my skirt twirling about me as I stalked towards him. ''Why? So, you can continue being an arsehole to me?'' I was standing right before him, my chest rising and falling as confused irritation simmered just below the surface.

Lennox's expression softened as he ran his fingers through his hair and looked away from me, a loud sigh of resignation erupting from his lips. ''You're right OC. I deserved that. I'm sorry.'' He smiled down at me. ''Especially after you were so thoughtful towards me.''

I continued to stare at him. ''Why the hell did you carry on like that just now?''

Lennox looked away from me as he placed his hands on his head. ''I don't know OC. I guess…'' he looked back at me, his eyes darting over my face. ''I guess I had been having such a good time with you and then Prime turned up took that away from me. I guess I got a bit jealous.'' He lowered his hands, reaching one out to gently cup my cheek as he smiled softly down at me. I closed my eyes at the feel of his warm hand against my skin. ''Don't forget I care about you too OC.''

I opened my eyes and smiled at him as I placed a hand over his. ''Oh Lennox! I know you do, and I care about you too. I mean, would I bring you Jake's Place burgers if I didn't care about you?'' I teased and he chuckled at me as he brushed a thumb against my cheek. I shook my head. ''You know Lennox, you're probably my best friend. No,'' I smiled brightly up at him, ''I'd say you are my best friend!''

Lennox's smile faded and he nodded slowly as he took a step back from me, pursing his lips together. ''Yeah. That's right OC.'' He smiled weakly at me, ''We're friends.''

''Lennox?'' I crinkled my brow at his change in demeanor.

He clapped his hands together and pointed to his desk. ''All good OC. Ah, look, thanks for the chow. It was delicious but I really had better get back to work now.'' He turned about and began to walk briskly back towards his desk, half turning a few paces away, he waved casually at me. ''I'll catch you later. Night.''

I stood there for a moment utterly perplexed as I watched him reorganize his desk and sit back down to whatever it was he was doing prior to my arrival. It was as though I had ceased to exist.

I shook my head and turned about to walk over to Relda. It had been a weird, eventful night to say the least and perhaps it was best I got it over with and headed home to sleep. As I turned the keys in Relda's ignition, several memories of the night flashed through my mind, the last being the way Prime had looked at me before he left. ''He really was desperate to talk to me tonight, and it seemed as though he did, he HAD, been missing me.'' I mused out loud to myself.

As Relda rolled along the road towards my apartment, that thought brought me an unexpected measure of comfort and sense of satisfaction. I smiled to myself. ''Perhaps I would meet up with him after all.'' Thanks to Lennox's support these past few weeks, I now felt confident enough to do that.