Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

Orion smiles lightly at the recharging face of the silver mech beneath him. It's early morning, but not to the time when Megatronus had to leave last time, which Orion set a timer for, and as bad as he felt for waking the other up, Orion had to do it before he leaves. Orion's not sure when next they'll see each other and in all the excitement of the last two orn, he forgot about the energon goodies in his subspace. He carefully shifts onto his front, so that his chassis is pressed against the larger mech's, smiling at the feeling of the low rumbling engine, and the powerful spin of the spark just above it.

He pulls out the energon sweets and puts them on the berth next to them before resting his arm along Megatronus's chassis and his chin on his arm. "Megatronus..." Orion murmurs softly. With his other servo, he reaches up to lightly pet down the side of the scarred mech's face plates, once more marveling at how beautiful he is. "Megatronus, boot up your optics for me." Then, teasingly, he reaches up a finger to lightly tap on Megatronus's forehelm, which does the trick. Recharge dim red optics light up as he looks around, settling on Orion's face.

"Orion..?"

"Oh good, you're awake," Orion teases. He reaches over and grabs onto an energon goodie, bringing it up for those multi-colored optics to focus on before bringing it to Megatronus's derma. After a moment to wake himself, Megatronus takes the treat into his mouth, chewing slowly, experimentally. Something in his already relaxed frame, relaxes just a little bit more.

"Candy?" He murmurs, swallowing before opening his mouth obediently for another piece.

Orion nods, happily feeding the larger mech. "I got them for you the night cycle of the match but forgot all about it. I wasn't sure what you would like, so I got an assortment. I want you to take them back with you when you go. A treat for if you get hungry, and you can share some with Soundwave if you want."

Megatronus chews another piece, optics brightening more as he pulls himself from recharge. A servo that was resting on Orion's hip gently runs up and down the length of his backstrut.

"The twins will definitely like that," Megatronus admits.

Orion's memory files supply two, feral grinning twin mini-cons. From just the other day at the bar. How after the altercation with that strange tri-colored mech, one vanished.

"Who are they? Those twins?" Orion asks. At Megatronus's confused look, he elaborates, "They were holding up the tables in the corner of the bar. I assume that's who you're talking about."

Understanding flitters across that heavy field that Orion just loved pressed so deliciously against him. "Ah, yes. Rumble and Frenzy. They were Soundwave's first Cassetts. He found them dying on the streets here in Kaon back when he first came to live here."

Orion's field ripples with fear and unhappiness. "Dying?"

Megatronus nods. "Yeah. Mischievous little sparklets, those two. Next to nothing they couldn't steal, pilfer or trick off of somebot in one manner or another. Until they met with the wrong bot. Took offense to Frenzy stealing his syk while losing a ton of shannix to Rumble in cards. Took a blade to Rumble's chassis, barely missed his spark. They're not just twins, but split-spark. Do you know what that is?" Orion shakes his head, optics wide. "It means they were born of the same spark split in two. They weren't two orbiting sparks that both made it, but the same one that split at some point in the gestation tank."

Orion continues shaking his head, amazed. "I've never heard of that before."

"They're rare. Extremely rare. Most don't split enough for one to survive and without one, the other dies. It's basically a death sentence."

Orion frowns, field ladened with sadness. "Even outside of the gestation tank?"

Megatronus nods. "Yeah. When one offlines the other will too. So, when the orn comes for one of them to stop being so lucky, the other will meet the same fate. Soundwave found them in time, got Rumble to safety and nursed him to health once more. They've been together ever since."

Orion's face droops in sorrow. It was such a sad thing to think about. He remembers the heartbreak his carrier had whenever he thought about Breeze. How her death still made him so upset after so long. That was just one Cassette. Orion doesn't want to follow that train of thought any further. He doesn't want to offer that morbid thought any more processing power than he already has.

But there was something else that catches his attention. "Wait, you said Cassette? Soundwave is a Carrier?"

Megatronus nods. "Yeah."

Orion sits up a bit, optics bright. "They are incredibly rare! My carrier was a Cassette Carrier too!"

Megatronus smiles. "I remember."

He lowers down onto Megatronus's chassis, processor racing. He feels Teletraan brush across his thoughts, searching for what elicited the strong emotion. He plucks at the interest. He makes a note of Soundwave's status as a Cassette Carrier in his internal system to further investigate later, before slipping back into a low hum in Orion's processor.

His optics flicker about in thought, field fluttering in excitement. He settles against the larger mech. "Have you told Soundwave about me?"

Megatronus nods. "Yes. He's interested in meeting you at some point. I think he wants to ask you about your carrier. He learned his function on the fly. So, to hear anything from another Carrier, even if it is second hand, I think he's interested in hearing it."

Orion perks up at that. "Oh, really? I mean, I'm happy to tell anything that I know, but I can't guarantee that it'll be anything that he would find useful."

Megatronus hums softly in understanding, that sinful servo slipping between plates of armor on Orion's back. The red and blue mech melts back against the silver mech. "Yeah," Megatronus drawls, "but you are a creation of a Carrier that wasn't through budding."

Orion looks up at the gladiator. "Oh? He has more Cassettes?"

Megatronus nods. "He has Rumble and Frenzy, but then he also budded out Laserbeak. Relatively recently, actually."

Orion's expression warms. "Aw. He must be so happy! Cassette Carriers are the only ones that can bud naturally without the assistance of a partner."

Something in Megatronus's demeanor relaxes. "So, it is normal..."

Orion nods, moving to sit. He pushes the forgotten treats to the side and sliding up so that he's sitting close enough to lean his side into the bulk of Megatronus's chassis armor. Still looking down at the other mech, he explains, "Yeah, but it is a sad truth. Cassette Carriers can bud out a new sparkling as a by-product of loneliness. They don't have to collect excess internal charge to procreate like the rest of us. But it takes a long time. A very long time. Many, many vorns of loneliness would trigger his internal systems to build the protoform of newspark. A mechanism to end the loneliness."

Megatronus frowns. "I see... and does the process stop when he's no longer lonely?"

Orion considers, trying to remember. "I think it can, if it's abated soon enough, but I don't know for sure. It's what makes the Carriers so special. They are the only Cybertronians that can reproduce in such a way." He slowly runs the tips of his fingers over the thick armor, reaching in-between the plates to gently smooth out the cables underneath. Megatronus rumbles, carefully pressing out to give Orion more space to squeeze his hand into it.

"Did your carrier ever bud?" Megatronus asks, then bulks. "Unless that is a super inappropriate question."

Orion smiles. "It's not bad. Just sad but also happy as the sadness is abated. And no. He had Breeze, and by the time Breeze died, he had sire. And then me." Orion casts him a curious look. "And just in case you're wanting to ask just to be certain, no, I'm not created through budding. I'm a joint union creation. I have a sire and a carrier, who donated their CNA to create me."

Megatronus offers a little, playful grin. Then his expression smooths out again. "Laserbeak emerged almost a vorn ago, and he hadn't known how she came to be. I didn't either. He has broken his usual protocol and interfaced once or twice in the last few vorn but there is so little known about Cassette Carriers that he wasn't able to figure anything out with the information net."

Orion's optics widen in surprise. "Wow. That must have been a surprise to him to suddenly go into emergence."

Megatronus nods. "Yeah. We were in the middle of a joint match. I thought he was about to go into a forced shut down. He somehow managed to finish the fight and disappear into his hab. He only let me in when he thought he was about to offline. I got to see her emerge. The twins were losing their minds. I was at a loss, scrambling to do everything I could to keep my best friend from dying and Soundwave, the absolute slaghead that he is, just accepted deactivation like halfway through it. Never mind the fact that he just tore our opponents in the ring to absolute shreds because he was in so much pain he didn't want to participate anymore."

Orion's optics crinkle as he throws his head back to laugh. "Oh wow. You both must have been freaked out."

Megatronus shoots him a droll look. "No kidding. None of us knew what was happening until she was there."

Orion smiles to himself, gently smoothing out a knot along the gladiator's side, soothing it. "As I have never had any sparklings of my own, obviously, I've heard that the emergence is the same either way, so to do that with no pain patches is both incredible and not something that I envy."

Megatronus grunts, twisting a bit so that Orion can keep working on that knot. "I'm sure he would appreciate it if he never had to go through that again."

Orion nods, sympathetically. "I'm sure he would." They are quiet for a long time, just petting one another and soaking into each other's presence. Once the knot on Megatronus's side is smoothed out, Orion finally murmurs, "At some point, in the orn to come, my sire will seek me out. He'll be upset that I left Iacon - especially with him already having told me not to and while he was gone. But once he's done being angry at me, I can ask him if he'd be willing to meet Soundwave. I'm sure he'll be far better informed on Carriers than I am."

Megatronus's optics brightens. "You would do that?"

Orion nods. "So long as he doesn't mind my sire being a beastformer."

Megatronus smiles back. "Oh, he won't mind at all. His sparkling is a beastformer."

Orion's optics nearly pop out of his helm. "Laserbeak is a beastformer?" Megatronus nods, smiling lightly as Orion bounces a bit, excited. "Oh! I've not seen a beastformer aside from Ravage before! Oh, do you think Soundwave will let me meet her at some point?"

Megatronus smiles, running the back of his fingers over the curve of Orion's cheek. "Would you like me to ask?"

Orion nods, leaning into Megatronus, his fields rippling with excitement and joy. "Would you? I promise to be respectful! Oh, but don't push him. I've heard that new carriers are highly sensitive to their creations."

Megatronus rumbles in amusement. "I get that. And worry not. I've found that it is impossible to make Soundwave do anything he doesn't want to. And if you manage it, expect a brutal reprisal."

Orion smiles, leaning down so that they were laying side-by-side. Megatronus turns so that they were facing once another, just looking into each other optics. Orion slides closer, putting an arm around Megatronus's neck while the other's servo rests on his hip joint. Orion lets out a little sigh after a few kliks.

"I don't want you to leave."

Megatronus kisses his derma. "I don't want to go, either." A heavy sigh through his vents. "But we will see each other again. Soon, if I can help it. Maybe I can sneak you into the Pits before my next high-stakes match. I'm pretty sure I've earned enough to get that much."

Orion smiles a bit. "Want me to stay over at your hab next?"

"It's not spacious like your hab, or more than a single room, but it's the first hab I've ever had. And it is as much mine as it can be - "

Orion snuggles closer to the rambling mech, kissing his derma a few times. "I'm sure it's wonderful, Megatronus. I would love to see it."

/The gears of bureaucracy grind ever slowly, Orion./

Orion, who was working diligently on a report he needed to finish for Alpha Trion, looks up from his screen. The older mech had been quiet to let him word for long enough that Orion almost forgot that he was still on the line with him. He gets back to work, but curiously asks the musing mech, /What do you mean? Is something wrong with the council?/ He didn't mean it in a prying manner, knowing that any closed session within the council chambers was private. But if Alpha Trion wanted to talk about the nonsecure parts of it, Orion was more than willing to listen.

But Alpha Trion knows. He always seems to know that Orion doesn't mean anything offensive or prying. Orion never has to explain it.

/Always,/ Alpha Trion murmurs, with just a touch of amusement to his tone. /But I was moreso referring to your caste alteration request. You have been my apprentice for almost five vorn and yet still you don't have the caste rank to show for it./

Orion pauses. This was news to him. /My request?/

/Yes. I placed it on your behalf when you joined the archives. And after almost five vorn, they just updated me on the status - still pending approval./

Orion's optics widen in surprise at that. He's not sure which part of that statement to touch on first. Carefully, he decides on, /My caste status is to change?/ Realistically he knew that it should, as his entire profession changed, but no one had ever spoken on it, and so he didn't really offer it much thought until now. But still, five vorn and still they don't have that figured out yet?

Wait, didn't Megatronus say anything about them only being able to have sparklings together if... if his caste ranking was close enough to Megatronus's? Sweet Primus. It's been a deca-cycle and a half since he first met Megatronus, and while they talk about sparklings, and a future together and what they wanted it to look like, but that future seemed far off. Well, maybe not far off, with all their talks about having sparklings and the one time Megatronus spoke on pushing to pay off his debt to the Pit masters and taking a position there as a worker as opposed to being forced. But he wanted to further think on it before putting too much of it out into the eather without having given it more thought.

"Our future is precious to me," Megatronus had murmured, as they laid side-by-side satiated. "I want to ensure a good future for you and any sparklings that we may have. I don't want to be rash."

That's where they were different. Orion was always ready to charge forward. Always ready to make quick moves. He wasn't sure he wanted a sparkling right this klik, but if he wasn't able to have any with Megatronus later, he would very willingly push for it. It felt silly, having only known the other mech for a decavorn and a half, but they spoke every orn. They met up every chance they got. It wasn't always interface. They would go out to get fueled. They would wander around Kaon, talking and telling each other stories about where they came from. The mines of Tarn and the lower district of Iacon.

And every moment together was so wonderful. The pull of sparkmerging has been getting harder and harder the more time that they spend with one another. And they talk often about when they would merge together - "not until I'm free," Megatronus had insisted to which Orion agreed to even though he didn't mind either way - so Orion knew that even this farce of a "courting" that they were doing would only last for so long before they took the plunge. At some point, sooner than he's sure they know should be realistic, they are going to merge and put into reality this thing that they know is between them.

/Yes, Orion,/ Alpha Trion's voice pulls him from his thoughts. It took him a second to remember what he had asked before his processor ran away with him. /You are far too low on the caste for what you are. As my apprentice, your caste ranking has to reflect that./

Orion leans back in his chair, rubbing at the back of his helm, suddenly troubled. /Do you know how much it would change my ranking?/

/Certainly. It would raise you at least three thousand ranks. At least./

Orion bulks, shocked. /Th-Three thousand ranks? Alpha Trion, certainly you don't mean that./

Alpha Trion tuts. /You are my apprentice, Orion. Whether you wish to admit it aloud or not matters little. You are no longer a dock worker. The lower caste is not for you. Three thousand ranks up barely gets you into an acceptable range for your profession. If I had my way, my request for six thousand rank increase would suffice./

/That would never be approved,/ Orion murmurs, shocked that he never thought to ask any of this before. Teletraan peaks back in, searching his memory for what has got him riled up. He hums in approval that makes Orion brush him chastising. /The ministry would never approve of a rise in rank of that magnitude. Anything with more than one zero attached to it is asking for the impossible for the ministry./

Alpha Trion tuts again. Orion can practically see him rolling his optics. /Worry not, Orion Pax. I will deal with the ministry. You continue to focus on your work. Once I get the approval for your status increase, then I will schedule for you to come back for your procedure. I had hoped that when you placed for leave to return to Iacon for Ratchet's Emergence Orn that I would be able to catch you before you went back, but alas, Primus tests me./

Orion leans forward, getting back to work. But he's hardly able to focus. His processor is spinning. Teletraan plucks at his indecision. With as much love as he can muster, he shoos his friend away, distracted enough as it is without Teletraan to further compound it. He doesn't know what to say. On one servo it was very fortuitous that Alpha Trion brought this up now, so that he could speak with Megatronus about it before the beginning of the next chord, when he was scheduled to leave to go back to Iacon. And he'll have to do a bit of research too.

/You'll let me know, won't you?/ Orion asks quietly. /When the special permissions come through, I mean. You know that Ratchet is my designated medic, so I would have him do it for me./

/Of course, Orion Pax,/ Alpha Trion says easily, seemingly unable to tell that anything was bothering the young apprentice. /As soon as I learn of anything, I will let you know./

Orion makes his way to the gladiator's pit the next night cycle after his talk with Alpha Trion, just two orn before he needs to leave to go back to Iacon. He had parted ways with Breakbolt after giving him a few cubes to put into his subspace as Orion was invited to come and stay at the pits for his two orn off. He was surprised when Megatronus commed him earlier in the day cycle, just after he woke up from recharge to ask him if he wanted to come and stay on his off orn before he left. Orion was so excited; he grabbed up a few data pads for if Megatronus needs to step away to work to put into his subspace, before rushing out to get supplies from the door. Teletraan summoned up his carrier's old recipes from his memory with crystal clear clarity so that he can run to the shops to get ingredients.

Once he got back to his hab, he set to work to make some treats from his memory banks, with Teletraan happily guiding him, feeding off of Orion's joy. It has been a long time since Orion has made any of his carrier's recipes - usually reserved for special occasions, which this felt like to him - and he couldn't help himself. He had dug deep into the mental archives to make sure he found recipes that would be safe for Laserbeak to consume should Orion get the chance to meet her.

Now he's making his way to the pits, a massive arena, emptied out at this point as there was no scheduled fights for the night cycle. He follows the dark ramp down beneath the area, looking around at all the pathways that paying customers would go to circle back up into the stands through guarded entrances. He passes them back going to one further in, carefully following Megatronus's instructions. There is a lot of staff wandering about. Setting up for the games in the following orn, as well as concessions and maintenace. There was gladiators - Orion was able to tell based on how roughed up their frames were - assisting in heavy lifting. The... guards, that were lining the walkways above and the walls on either side, were watching them with high powered rifles made Orion extremely uneasy.

Apparently the next orn was going to hold a lot of matches and were going to start a lot earlier than usual. Megatronus, though, was uninterested, saying his matches were later. One just between day and night cycle and the other as the final match of the orn.

Once Orion made it to the specified door per Megatronus's instructions, he looks up at the large bot in front of him. On his shoulder pauldron is the insignia for the Kaonite Enforcement offices.

Before Orion could ask why there was a peace officer there, the bot growled out, "Go away."

Orion startles, blue optics widening. "Pardon?"

"You're not staff and certainly no VIP, Orion Pax. Be gone with you."

Orion startles again. "How did you... oh." He had forgotten that Enforcers could access facial recognition connected directly to the Ministry. With just his face, the Enforcer learned Orion's designation and caste rank. And no doubt his job title. Which Orion is now sure based on his conversation with Alpha Trion, is probably still a dock worker out of Iacon.

Seeing the patients of the Enforcer running thing, Orion scrambles to say, "You are correct, officer. I am not staff or VIP but I do have permission to be here. I am a guest to Megatronus."

The officer looks at him for a long klik, scanning him or checking internal messages or comms, and then, green optics drag down Orion's form. From helm to pedes. Those optics moved so slowly over Orion's frame, that even though he kept telling himself that the officer was just checking to ensure he had no weapons on him, he couldn't lie to himself any longer when the Enforcer sneered at him. "Never took the Champ for a sucker for a pretty face. Then again, living underground most of his functioning and then in the pits for the rest, begging for taste is a bit of an ask."

Orion's fields pulse in disbelief, insulted on Megatronus's behalf. "Please don't speak ill of him." His plates puffed out, not in aggression but displeasure and it only served to make the Enforcer grin, amused.

"Go on in, Orion Pax. Don't want to keep the Champ waiting. Give him a good time so that he'll put on a good show." He stepped aside and waved Orion inside.

Too angry and in disbelief at what he just heard, Orion stomps past without a word. He hears the door close behind him and he's dropped into a low light as he travels downward at an angle, into the structure beneath the area - no doubt where the gladiators live and train. A part of Orion's angry processor offered a small enough piece of itself to wonder why no one was there to escort him, when he realized he was in a long hallway. No turns or side halls to explore. Just low lighting, concrete walls, floors and ceiling, and once he made it to his first intersection, a bot was waiting for him.

"Orion Pax," the bot says. He's a little shorter than Orion with scuffed red and orange plating. Scarred servos and a nasty dent on the side of his chassis. Orion's anger bleeds to concern as he nods.

"Yes."

The bot gives him a once over. Not like the Enforcer before him, but instead, he just rolls his optics and sighs. "This way. Soundwave is on his way. We'll meet him partway. The Champ is busy, but he'll be with you soon."

Not sure about that reaction, Orion just murmurs a soft affirmation and follows, keeping closer as to not get lost in the complex twist and turns of the underground pathways. Everything was so stagnant. Same walls, floors, ceilings. It was so confusing. Orion would surely get lost if left alone. There was no presence aside from the bots roaming the halls. Mechs and femmes of all shapes and sizes. The gladiators scuffed and dented to some level. The staff all with his optics lowered and shying away from the more aggressive gladiators. The guards - now a discernable mix between those bearing the enforcer decals and those that aren't - move like skulking shadows around them.

Somebot steps from a side hall, running into Orion's side. She flinches back and looks up at him. Orange optics, wet with one flickering, widen up at him for a brief moment before something loosens in her posture recognizing him a half klik before he recognizes her.

"Oh," he says, surprised. He looks at the dent in her cheek, the shuffle of her pedes that alerts him of the scuff between her thighs.

Embarrassed, she drops her face. "I'm sorry to - "

Orion gently cups her face, thumb running lightly over the dent to feel how hot it is. How fresh. She flinches, then melts ever so slightly into the soft touch. Nervously she looks up at him.

"Can I do something for you?" He asks softly.

Something in her relaxes just a tiny bit more, but she shakes her helm. "I'm okay," she murmurs, tilting her cheek into his touch. "I just needed space to vent for a klik before going back." She studies him, taking in his posture, and poking lightly at his field in hesitant curiosity. There was fear and uncertainty, but when she would meet his optics, she must have seen something trustworthy in him for she smiles a little and if it wasn't so beautiful on her face.

Orion flushes when she smiles more at the happy flutter in his field. He pulls back, reaching into his subspace to put out some of the treats he made, thankful that he packaged them up individually if Megatronus wanted to share with others and gave her a few. Just grabbed her servo and put them right into her palm. "They're sweets," he explains, smiling embarrassed. "My carrier's recipe. Have them later if you're hungry. I might have gone a little crazy with how many I made." And he did. Teletraan was teasing him all orn about it.

Once again, she looked surprised, but brought the sweets to her chassis, looking at Orion curiously. "What would you like in return?"

"Nothing," Orion laughs, stepping back to give her space. "You're doing me a favor by taking some of them off my servo. Megatronus is going to poke fun at me for how much I made, so you're helping me."

Her optics brighten and a look of apprehension crosses over her faceplates. "Me-Megatronus?"

Before Orion could ask her what was wrong, the bot that had been leading him nudged him harshly in the side. "Come on. Don't keep him waiting. You can talk to the whores on your own time."

Orion scowls, offended on her behalf. "Please don't call her that. She has a designation, so use it."

The mech rolls his optics and keeps going, waving his servo in dismissal. If Orion wanted to follow, he could, or risk getting left behind and lost. Begrudgingly, Orion follows, turning to wave at the femme as he goes. "I'm Orion Pax, by the way! It was nice to see you again!"

She perks up, orange optics brightening. "Dazzle! Um, it was nice to meet you, Orion!"

Orion smiles happily to himself, feeling Teletraan filing away the memories for later, but he's distracted only sending a pulse of acknowledgement back to Orion when he brushes against him. He doesn't seem bothered or upset, merely distracted by everything that he's doing. So long as his friend confirmed he was alright, Orion was content to leave him be.

They travel for a few more kliks before heading right for a bot standing in the middle of a four-way intersection. This bot is almost as tall as Megatronus, but a lot skinnier a frame - definitely not a frame-type that Orion is familiar with - with a full-face mask and long, spindly arms and fingers. Primarily silver with accents of purple. While spiky like most gladiators, he's not scuffed or otherwise damaged in some manner like the rest of them.

The smaller mech steps up to the stationary one in the middle of the intersection, does a sweeping motion to Orion with a flourish and a "here you go," before continuing off down the hall straight ahead without hardly a shift in his pace. Orion watches him go for a long moment, slightly stunned at how abrupt he was abandoned before turning bright blue optics to the tall, dark mech standing a few feet in front of him, waiting patiently.

Orion stops just far enough away to be respectful. "Soundwave?"

The helm dips and a deep, raspy voice responds, "Affirmative."

Orion smiles, excitedly. He keeps his field to himself, but he knows that it's fluttering. "It's so nice to meet you. Megatronus has had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. I know that we've only been courting one another for a very short amount of time, but I promise that I'm very serious and I really will do everything that I can to make this work. Megatronus is very special, as I'm sure you know, but I wanted you to know that I recognize it as well." Soundwave tilts his helm, watching Orion in unnerving silence, but Orion wasn't dissuaded. "Forgive me. I'm very happy to meet Megatronus's family, so I hope that I don't embarrass myself too badly."

Something in Soundwave's posture stiffens, but without being able to see anything in feel his stagnant, emotionless field, and featureless mask, Orion is left in the dark at what he did wrong. Then, Soundwave nods, as if in acceptance of something, turning and making his way down the right hall with a simple, "Acknowledged," and nothing more.

Orion scrambles after, field pulling tightly to his plates, wondering what he did wrong. Talked too much? Said the wrong thing? Maybe there was some other slight that he'd done in the Kaonite culture that he didn't know about. He's been studying thoroughly and asking a lot of questions but there was always the possibility that something slipped through his careful net.

They walk up to a door a few painfully quiet kliks later. Soundwave punched in a code on the panel beside the door and stepping aside when it opened. He gestures for Orion to go in, which he does. Stepping into the room, it can only be described as a rec room of sorts is almost completely full to the brim with bots. On side of the room has a vid-projector, playing the news. There is a handful of bot sitting on the threadbare couch in front of it, watching as the news anchor diligently talks about the unfortunate passing of the Praxian Senator a chord prior. There is a large table on the other side of the room, surrounded by bots all chatting quietly, helms pressed together. It's there that he can see Megatronus at the head of the table, massive form standing proudly over the other bots.

Smiling a bit, Orion sends a ping to Megatronus. His derma keep moving, saying whatever it was he was murmur, but his optics flicker up to the door - directly on Orion. The corner of his mouth quirks up and he looks like he's considering going over to greet him, but Orion shakes his helm. He gestures towards to vid-projector, giving him a wink. Megatronus's expression warms in affection as he gives a little nod, turning back to what he's doing.

"I'll go watch some vid while he finishes up," Orion tells Soundwave, who was silently watching their interaction. He nods, moving to the other side of the room to stand at Megatronus's side. But Orion can feel him watching. No doubt to make sure Orion doesn't wander off or get into any trouble.

Orion was only half listening to the report on the vid-projector for a few kliks, standing at the back of the couch, hardly noticed by the bots listening intently to the news. One of which was typing away at a broken data pad, which Orion thought was interesting. But before he could ask why the bot was taking notes, a servo runs along his lower back and curling at his waist. Orion feels the press of Megatronus's field and chassis to his side. He turns, smiling up at the large silver bot, field pressing back against him.

"You done?" Orion asks, kindly. "I can wait if you wanted to keep with your conversation."

"It went longer than I intended," Megatronus says, dismissively. "Come, Orion. Let's go somewhere we can be alone."

He pulls Orion tightly to his side and directs him to the door. Orion snuggles close, happily, as they make their way down more confusing halls until they stop by another door with a panel lock on the side. He punches in a long, complex code before he pings entrance codes to Orion, so that he can gain access to the room. Orion casts a surprised look at the taller mech.

"Are you sure?"

Megatronus chuckles, nodding. "Yes, Orion, I'm sure. I know the codes to get into your hab." Which is true, but Orion's had Megatronus over a couple of times and he really meant what he said to Soundwave about them being serious. And Orion knows that it might be incredibly foolish, but it just didn't feel like it. He wanted Megatronus to feel at home in his hab. He was hoping that there would be more and more opportunities for them to spend more time together there. He's starting to see little signs of things Megatronus was leaving behind of himself. Cleaners for his plating. Paints. Just little things for now, but Orion loved seeing them.

Megatronus gestures for Orion to unlock the door. He does, excitedly before stepping in to look at the small space that made up Megatronus's hab. It was fitting for his courted. Spartan but meticulously clean, with small touches of himself. More paints and cleaners in a basket by the door. Cleaning cloth neatly folded by some polish on the counter with a small energon dispenser on the nearby wall. There is a pile of spare parts or repair parts in a box by the small couch barely large enough for a bot of Megatronus's frame and one more. The berth was large enough for them, covered in pillows in blankets, that looked suspiciously familiar as something that Orion had been looking at the last time they were at the market, but he had simply brushed it off saying that he had enough, and it would be a waste if he got more that he wouldn't use.

And on the small nightstand, beside a lamp, is a picture frame. Orion moves over to it, optics bright as he turns the picture to see. It was of the two of them. Orion had found his old camera and took a picture of them on a whim. Megatronus was kissing his cheek and Orion's optics were close as he was laughing in joy. Something straight out of a show. Orion was so embarrassed at catching that look on his face as it had been a surprise, but before he could delete it, Megatronus insisted on looking at it for a long time. Orion sort of suspected that he might have saved it, but to see it here, framed on his desk, makes Orion's faceplates warm.

"I look like a fool smiling like that," Orion murmurs, despite the flutter of joy that Megatronus would add a small piece of the red and blue bot into his space.

"You are beautiful, Orion Pax," Megatronus murmurs, wrapping his arms around him.

Leaving the picture alone, he turns into Megatronus's chassis. "Two orn," he says, pressing his finial against the thrumming of Megatronus's spark. "Then I'll be gone for a chord in Iacon. But I'll be back."

Megatronus rumbles, running his servo up and down Orion's back. "We will enjoy this time. But we can still comm while you're away."

Orion nods, letting his optics flicker off. "I have so much to tell you. So much I need to tell you, but I just want to take this time to enjoy before we do. I just want to feel you. To hear your spark and the low hum of your engine."

Megatronus is quiet for a long moment, field weighing around them with a hint of concern and suspicion. "Is something wrong, Orion?"

"Not wrong, I don't think," Orion admits. "Just some changes that might come sooner than we hoped."

"Bad changes?"

Orion sighs, pulling away enough to sit down on the berth, pulling Megatronus down next to him. The mech settles easily on the larger berth while Orion takes hold of one of Megatronus's larger servo in his two smaller ones. "I spoke with Alpha Trion yesterorn and I wanted to wait to talk to you in person before just springing it on you."

Megatronus nods. His expression is open, curious, but his optics are overly bright. "Okay. I'm listening."

"I'm still registered as a dock worker for Iacon," Orion admits. "I hadn't realized until he mentioned that he submitted a caste adjustment for me five vorn ago when I came to work at the Archives."

Megatronus's shoulders loosen a bit as he tilts his head, obviously not fully understanding what the problem was. "Okay..." When Orion tells him his caste level, which makes Megatronus's optics brighten in joy. They were just barely in the range of being able to mate with one another. Hating to make his courted feel bad, Orion softly added, "And he put in a request for at the very least a three thousand status increase."

Megatronus bulks, optics blowing wide, catching on to what Orion was saying. "They... they would never approve of an increase that significant. You would go firmly from middle low caste into middle mid caste. And if that it's the least he's going for... then even higher than that. Orion, we would be able to spark together if that's the case. No one would recognize a sparkbond formed with that level of separation. We wouldn't... we wouldn't be seen as a bonded pair in any capacity."

Orion nods, squeezing the servo in his own. "I know. I was looking it up. A disposable class can still spark bond with somebot at my current rank, but if I move up any more than forty ranks, then it'll be impossible."

Megatronus snarls, pulling away to stand, stomping back and forth across the small space. "No, no, no! But we... we have to! You are mine and I am yours. Primus brought us together!" His plates spread wide, his optics burn in rage and when he turns to Orion, his field is murderous as he stomps closer. Instead of fear, Orion feels a calm sadness churning in his spart as Megatronus drops to a knee in front of him and wraps his arms around Orion's middle, pressing his face just over his tanks. His rage and pain licking at Orion's plating but not directed at him. There is a deep-rooted confliction in him, something that tears at the threads of himself.

"If I set myself free and got another job, something in a higher caste..." he rumbles. "No, I need to be... I have to remain... They need me. They need me." Orion wraps tightly around the larger mech, surprised and overwhelmed by the sheer agony, as if the prospect of the two of them never being one or having to abandon the path that he's on is too cruel to bare. Orion can feel the indecision, the weight of shifting one way over the other being too much for him. Like he has to choose. Like the only way to move forward was to go down one path or the other. But by choosing one path, the other becomes lost to him.

And somehow Orion was one of those paths.

"Megatronus," Orion murmurs softly, leaning back a bit to pull the face of the gladiator from his tanks to look up at him with optics burning in pain and rage. "Talk to me. I don't understand what you're saying."

Megatronus hesitates, for only a vent, before admitting, "I want to change the face of Cybertron forever."