WOOOOOOOOOAHHHH WHAT THE SHIT???? THIS IS SO UNDERRATED

WOOOOOOOOOAHHHH WHAT THE SHIT???? THIS IS SO UNDERRATED

dancing with death

OW SHIT THAT HURT

I was reading the latest post on Optimus being the sparkling of Unicron and how the team reacted to it, and I can't help but think that there's probably going to be some kind of catalyst that causes the rest of Team Prime to notice how they're acting towards Optimus is hurting him. As for what that catalyst is, I have a vague idea of Optimus trying to bottle up the loneliness only for it to explode out at some point, but you can easily do something else. It's probably just me liking this AU and want to see what else goes with it.

(And if you wish to delete this ask, then go right ahead.)

I would never delete such an ask. I only tend to get rid of the ones that are too indecipherable to work with or ones that have left me with no motivation or room to be creative. With that said, here it is, the conclusion to all the angst with my boy. Previous post here.

Family

For months he fought for his Autobots as an exile, taking every hit and enduring the pain and solitude with grace. But with time Optimus began to break. Wounds piled up, wearing him down and never fully repairing due to only basic medical treatment on Optimus's part. His mental state began to collapse after being separated from his team for so long and not even having the comfort of his bond with Bumblebee to rely upon. And while Unicron's loving whispers and the Matrix were enough to keep him from fully falling to depression and wrath, it only held for so long. Everything his creator did for him and the emotional dampening effects of the Matrix were like Band-Aids on a stab wound. It was not enough.

He grew desperate for interaction, so much so that he threw himself into battle with reckless abandon. He wanted to be seen, to be spoken to, to have someone, anyone recognize his existence aside from his father. And for his desire he paid the price.

After a particularly fierce battle, Optimus took a hit to the side so bad that his internals were left exposed. He wanted to fall to the ground in agony once the pain hit him, but he endured until the team had safely done what was required. Then as they watched with wide optics, he choked back a scream and limped away, holding his internals in place with a servo as he did so. Never more in his life did he desire to have Ratchet berate him for his recklessness and repair him, running countless diagnostics and giving him a good pinch for his foolishness. As he dragged himself back to his trailer and leaned against it feeling nothing but torment, he wished that he was back at base, even the cold unfeeling one he had grown used to months prior. Anything but this solitude...

Optimus couldn't die in his state, not while he partially sustained himself off the power of his father. But energon loss made him delirious and all the Matrix could do was try to keep him conscious so he wouldn't fall into stasis and be left totally exposed. Unicron could sense his creation growing weaker, especially as Optimus began muttering things about being tired, lonely, or in pain. It wasn't like him, and it frightened the chaos god to see his little one in such a state. And so he did what he thought was best, he gathered up an avatar and went to the only bots on the planet least likely to blast Optimus to bits. He went to the Autobots.

Taking on the general appearance of Optimus to garner their attention, Unicron manifested where Arcee and Bulkhead were on patrol. Unicron's avatar was mostly composed of energy, not too dissimilar to Optimus's true form. He was impossible to miss, and Arcee and Bulkhead reacted as he expected. They raised their blasters in fear of his aura and prepared to flee. Unicron did not approach, and despite having a great many harsh words he would have liked to have said, he couldn't speak with his power so restrained. So instead he gestured for the two Autobots to follow him, hoping they might let go of their fear and come aid his creation.

Arcee: Optimus! What do you want!?

Unicron: *gesturing toward Optimus's general location*

Bulkhead: Hey, Prime. You good?

Unicron: *continues to gesture, looking between them and Optimus's location*

Arcee: ... You want us to follow you?

Unicron: *nods and begins walking*

It took a moment and Unicron stopping twice to usher them onward to get Bulkhead and Arcee to follow. But when they finally did, Unicron walked with them for hours upon hours in silence. They tried asking him questions, demanding to know his purposes, but Unicron in Optimus's image never replied. He simply walked on. And when the two Autobots threatened to leave, Unicron stopped and gestured more animatedly, pointing off into the distance. It took some extra convincing, but after having some sort of conversation with those back at base, they continued to follow.

Then nearly twelve hours of walking later, Unicron halted and pointed to them, and then off to where Optimus's trailer was parked. Optimus was not in view, but the energon around the area was, and it roused Arcee and Bulkhead's interest and suspicion. The chaos god did not take another step forward and stood around fifty feet back as the Autobots moved forward carefully, wary of a trap. They periodically looked back toward him, but Unicron did not so much as twitch as they began scouting the area.

By the time they finally found Optimus bleeding out against his trailer, his cloak soaked in energon and his optics flickering from his weakness, Unicron's avatar was gone. Arcee and Bulkhead were spooked, more so than they would ever care to admit. But they wasted no time calling for backup upon seeing Optimus's state. It did not take long at all for Ratchet and Bumblebee to arrive, both shocked beyond words upon seeing Optimus delirious and injured to the point of hardly being aware.

Ratchet: Optimus! Look at me! I need you to look at me!

Optimus: *delirious as pit* Rat...chet?

Ratchet: That's right, look at me. I need you to tell me what happened here.

Optimus: You... are here?

Ratchet: *gazing at the literal hole in Optimus's side* Yes, we all are. Now please, talk to me. How did you get hurt.

Optimus: Blaster... hit...

Ratchet: I don't know how in Primus's name you are still alive, but I am going to repair you. Everything will be alright.

Optimus: I... missed... you... all.

Ratchet: ...

Ratchet: We missed you too Optimus.

The team barely held themselves together as they dragged Optimus back to base and Ratchet began working on the great many injuries the Prime had accumulated. Guilt hit the entire team like a fright train as they looked over Optimus and listened to his barely understandable muttering about being happy to see them again. Arcee felt horrible, especially after Optimus smiled at her and wiped her tears away when she came to take a look at him as he lay resting on the medical berth. How had she ever seen Optimus as a monster? How could she have shunned him after everything he did for her? Even after being hurt by her over and over again, he still showed her love, and that broke any reservations Arcee might have had left. She ended up muttering endless apologies to Optimus as he lay there and continued to give her comforting touches, his smile ever present and not at all tainted with anger or disgust.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack came to Optimus a little later after Arcee had gone to cry herself into recharge from mixed relief and guilt. They stood around awkwardly for a long while until Optimus, still very much delirious from medicine given to him by Ratchet and energon loss, at last noticed them. The Prime smiled kindly and gave both their servos a reassuring squeeze. He looked overjoyed just to see them, and that alone was enough to make both wreckers regret ever agreeing to have him sent away. They ended up sitting and talking with Optimus for an hour or so, mainly listening to the Prime ramble about how great it was to see them again. It broke their sparks a little to see him so fragging pleased just to be in their presence, and ultimately they told Optimus they were sorry, earning them wide smiles and enthusiastic forgiveness. They walked away feeling regretful beyond words.

The children were enthusiastic and elated at having Optimus back and clambered onto his frame to hug him the moment Ratchet's back was turned. Optimus was equally thrilled and his frame rumbled in joy as the children got onto his chassis and made their best attempts to give cuddle up against him. There were a few tears involved on the children's parts as the younger two of the duo made their grief at him having been gone so long clear. The Prime simply showered them in affection in response, rumbling his frame and running gentle digits along their backs. They left him contented and happy, just glad to have their Prime back.

Ratchet on the other hand could hardly look at Optimus after what he had done. He felt like the worst mech to ever walk the earth and refused to meet Optimus's gaze as he patched the Prime up. However eventually as he tried to walk away and go sulk, Optimus grabbed his arm and looked to him pleadingly, his arms held open, asking for a hug. And so not having the spark to say no, Ratchet obliged and gave in, earning a contented purr from Optimus in return. The medic then proceeded to get himself wrapped up in an odd cuddle which Optimus seemed loathe to end. For nearly two hours Optimus held Ratchet like a porcelain doll, as if afraid he might break as the Prime made all sorts of comments about how much he had missed his oldest friend. Ratchet left feeling happier knowing that Optimus did not hate him, but also deeply regretful of all he had done and the pain he had caused. After all, Optimus wouldn't be in such a state if he hadn't been so foolish...

Lastly there was Bumblebee who came to Optimus fully expecting to be met with coldness or anger. Instead the moment he came near and allowed his iron grip over his bond with Optimus to slacken, he was wrapped up in a loving embrace. Optimus had not cried when meeting with the others, but finally feeling his sparkling again filled a void Optimus had known but ignored. His tears flowed freely as he hummed the song he had sung Bee when he was small and gently rubbed between his doorwings. Bumblebee who had been playing the part of tough leader since Optimus's departure broke down into tears as well. Before long the father and son were singing together, reaffirming their bond and connecting again after so long apart. No words needed to be said, both understood each other and granted the other forgiveness without a second thought.

The team heard the song and found themselves comforted. It would be a long road to recovery for all of them. But if Optimus and Bumblebee could figure it out and express their love or each other so freely, the team had inkling of hope that they could repair the damage done to their relationships with Optimus too. And while it was left unspoken for a while, the team were also well aware that Optimus was loved by his creator. Unicron had taken the time to guide them to Optimus and had watched over and reassured him when they were not present. They were certain the chaos god had quite the grudge against them.

And they were right, as even after time passed and the wounds healed, Unicron made it his biggest priority in life to frag with whoever it was that had made his creation cry. The chaos god quickly took to being a minor nuisance when the team weren't doing important work. And surprisingly, it actually brought a bit of well needed comedic relief into their lives after all the drama.

WOAHHH THIS IS COOL

A fight that broke two friends apart.

Important notes:

This is a part of my TFP AU

Pharma is formerly a medic but lost his medical license after he allegedly went to the black market

Decepticons, like Blitzwing and Airachnid, try to make Pharma switch sides

Part Two: coming soon!

(Estoy usando un traductor, lo siento por cualquier error).

Please reblog if you vote! Por favor comparte si votas!

If translations for other languages can be added, that would be greatly appreciated! (I'm North American so I'm mostly only familiar with English and Spanish.)

AMAZING

✒️

👁️👁️

[Transcript: "RatchetOnSteroids- Mutual with a god-tier username. Dragunov seems like a good little murder scrungle. I am putting him in a salad spinner." End Transcript]