The crackle of electricity faded. The smell of ozone filled the air. And a single Sideswipe stood before the team, whole once more.
"Man…have I got a cranial ache!" Sideswipe flashed a melodramatic grimace at his teammates. He looked himself over. His paint was still perfect, his limbs were in all the right positions, and the nagging voice had resumed its position in the back of his mind. Sideswipe grinned and stretched. It felt good to be whole again.
But he wasn't quite at ease as he listened to his team's reassurances. Strongarm, Bee, and everyone else—even Drift—offered kind words and "welcome backs." Knockout just stood on the sidelines, watching. Sideswipe avoided his gaze, hitched a smile onto his face, acted like his usual cocky self as he elbowed Strongarm out of the way. But his smile vanished as soon as the group was out of sight.
He still remembered everything his two halves had experienced during their separation. It was pretty trippy, seeing the same events from two perspectives. His timid self had spent a good chunk of his time with Knockout. In Sideswipe's memory, the older mech seemed…happier. More relaxed. He let his mask down as he spoke with the timid Sideswipe. Sideswipe couldn't remember the last time Knockout had been so open with him—at least, not with all of him.
Maybe I should have stayed separated, Sideswipe thought dully. Maybe Knockout would have preferred that.
A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. Sideswipe turned to see his guardian behind him. Speak of the devil… He forced himself to grin. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"
"I want to get a closer scan, just to make sure everything merged properly during the procedure." Knockout eyed him appraisingly. "Do you feel all right?"
"Yeah—a little weird, I guess. I haven't been myself lately." Sideswipe tried to joke. Knockout raised an optic ridge that indicated he wasn't fooled. Then—to Sideswipe's shock—he pulled the youngling into a hug.
"It's good to have you back, mein leben." He whispered.
"…I technically never left…" Sideswipe muttered awkwardly. "I mean… both parts of me were always here."
"A bot is greater than the sum of their parts. And you're more than just 'reckless' and 'insecure.'" Knockout embraced him tighter. "There's only one Sideswipe in the universe—and I wouldn't trade him for anything."
The words made Sideswipe's tanks hitch. He buried his face in Knockout's shoulder, trying to hide the tears welling up in his optics. But he didn't try to hide the small—and very genuine—smile that now graced his face.
