Optimus let out a heavy intake, staring out from where he sat on the cliff, gazing up at the starry sky above him. The pain in his chest was still agonizingly present, as well as the fatigue that ached his limbs, but at least the physical wounds that Megatron inflicted on him had mostly healed. The only remnants left were faint scrapes and scratches that littered his body, which didn't bother him much - not when compared to the constant ache that plagued his spark whenever he thought of what Megatron might do next. It wasn't just his spark, either; it seemed like all of his systems felt it. His processors buzzed with an anxiety that hadn't been there before, his frame shaking with tremors that were all too familiar to him. He flinched slightly at the sound of footsteps approaching and the feeling of a servo brushing against his arm.

"Whoa, whoa, easy. What are you doing up so early?" Hot Rod leaned against the railing beside him, looking concerned. "You should be sleeping."

Optimus sighed, running a servo over his faceplates. "It's fine, I just… need some air."

Hot Rod hummed, looking around him with narrowed eyes. "You sure you don't wanna go back inside? You looked pretty deep in thought.''

Optimus turned back to him, optics searching desperately. "Hot Rod, please. Just… stay with me?"

Hot Rod blinked, surprised, before his expression softened slightly. He put a hand on Optimus' arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Sure. What's making your processor work so hard?"

Optimus glanced upwards again, closing his optics briefly. Then he sighed softly. He took one last moment to gather his wits, trying to think of something that would help him calm down, then gave in and said, "Megatron."

The word came out in a rush, his voice sounding shaky, and Hot Rod stared at him, optics widening slightly. A long silence stretched between them, the only sound being light ventilations, punctuating the otherwise silent atmosphere. Finally, though, Hot Rod spoke. "…Megatron."

Optimus nodded, taking in another deep vent before he continued, slower this time. "He's… He wants revenge against us. We've gotten close to winning this war once more and..." Prime trailed off, his gaze trailing slowly upwards towards the sky again. "And the thought alone drives me mad." There was another sigh, followed by a short pause. "We could've ended this all by now if it weren't for Megatron…" he whispered bitterly. "I hate it, I hate everything about this whole situation."

At last, he opened his optics and looked towards Hot Rod, expecting anger or disgust. Instead, he found a sympathetic smile on Hot Rod's faceplates. "Oh, man," the younger Autobot said after a few moments, "I know exactly what you mean. I swear I'm gonna kick his aft right through space."

Optimus couldn't help but give a little chuckle at that. It eased the tightness in his frame, which seemed to have settled around his spark in the last couple of hours, even if just for a brief period. "That's very mature of you."

Hot Rod snorted at that. "Yeah, yeah." He paused, and his expression became serious, almost sombre. After another moment, he added, "…Hey, you know we wouldn't be standing here today without you, right?"

There was no way he could say 'no' to that statement, especially when Hot Rod said it earnestly. So instead, he offered up a small smile, and replied, "Thank you, Hot Rod."

The two mechs shared a moment of silence before Optimus shook himself lightly, clearing away the melancholy feeling that had settled in his spark. "Let's just enjoy the stars tonight, shall we? They're quite beautiful."

Hot Rod grinned, leaning back on the railings with Optimus and glancing up at the celestial sea with him. He looked thoughtful for a few seconds before his optics suddenly brightened with mischief. "I can see why you want to sit up here so much. That's actually kind of neat, seeing these constellations up here."

He pointed upwards, squinting into the distance as he tried to spot some of them. Optimus smiled, turning back to look up at the sky and letting a tiny, soft laugh escape him. It was nice to have the chance to relax and appreciate things for a change. To feel like they were finally safe.

He could sense Hot Rod studying him carefully, waiting patiently until Optimus was ready to talk. Eventually, though, he broke the quiet, asking, "So you really love this, huh?"

"This?" Optimus repeated, raising an optic ridge at the orange and red bot. "Stars? Of course I do. This is…" A sigh escaped him, but his smile remained on his faceplates. "…it's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Hot Rod agreed. He shifted his weight onto the railing and gazed at the stars as well. A comfortable silence settled between them, and Optimus enjoyed the feeling while he still could. After all, he wasn't planning to get a break any time soon. Not when their enemy still needed to be dealt with. There was nothing but trouble ahead. Nothing but pain and suffering.

They stayed silent for quite some time as they watched the stars. Optimus couldn't bring himself to move. Even just sitting up here, he felt so far removed from reality, his thoughts far away and distant, like they belonged to someone else. But here, under the sky, surrounded by the sounds and smells of the world around him - that was the place where he knew how real he was. Here he could breathe. Here, he could enjoy being alive. And maybe, just maybe, he could find peace. Or at least a semblance of it.

After another moment, Optimus spoke again, turning towards Hot Rod with a tired smile. "I wish my spark could share the same tranquility as yours, my friend." When Hot Rod merely nodded, he continued, "I… I fear I will never truly be at peace until Megatron is defeated."

The younger bot frowned, his optics softening. "Hey, don't worry about that. We're going to defeat Megatron, no matter what. And when we do… when he's gone forever, you'll have every right to relax. You won't have to carry around this heavy burden anymore."

Optimus gave another slow nod, resting his servos on the railing. "I suppose I cannot disagree with that sentiment." His voice trailed off, and for a second, his optics fell closed. Hot Rod looked over at him in concern, his hand moving to rest on Optimus' shoulderplates. But Optimus only shook his helm gently, his optics flickering open.

He gave a half smile, meeting the worried gaze of his friend. "It's alright, Hot Rod. I am okay. Really." His gaze drifted back to the sky, watching the stars silently. "…I suppose we shouldn't linger out here for long."

"Right. We should probably head back." Hot Rod nudged Optimus gently with his elbow, smiling warmly. "Don't want the others to worry too much about you, don't we?"

Optimus let out a humorless laugh. "No. I don't suppose we do."

He glanced upwards again, his EM field wavering in uncertainty. For some reason, though, it didn't feel as dark as it had earlier. Perhaps that was because Hot Rod was by his side now, keeping watchful optics on his surroundings. It was a small comfort, knowing he wasn't completely alone now. He would get through this. No matter what. As long as he kept fighting, everything was going to be alright.