Chapter Text
The trip back to Cybertron was a long one with many side-quests along the way. But with his intended by his side, Rodimus managed to guide them through it all as they fought their way home. When they finaly arrived in their home planet’s atmosphere, not a single spark had been lost on the way back.
The Lost Light arrived on Cybertron quietly and without much fanfare. The events that had taken place between the co-captains had been widely concealed from the populace so Megatron’s removal from the ship went smoothly and without ceremony. The silver mech had been in stasis ever since his battle with Ultra Magnus, kept securely locked in the brig. Thunderclash, fully recovered and as wonderful as ever, had been more than happy to stand guard over the warlord until they arrived back at Cybertron.
Once there, Rodimus was greeted personally by Starscream himself. The seeker had wasted no time in having Megatron hauled away and out of sight, his wings high and stiff until the former Decepticon leader had gone. Sharp ruby optics turned on the prime then, ever alert. “I was not surprised to hear of you predicament, captain.”
Rodimus forced himself to meet the intimidating jet’s gaze. There was something strange in the notoriously ruthless mech’s field. If the speedster was reading him right, Starscream was projecting something close to regret.
The thought sent a chill through the prime. “I know that he will be tried justly.”
“Oh, but of course.”
Starscream grinned wolfishly, a fang peeking out as he turned his helm in the direction that Megatron’s still chassis had disappeared. Though Rodimus knew that he owed the ex-warlord nothing, he genuinely feared for him. The tables had turned dramatically and Starscream would show no mercy.
Just as the red speedster was preparing to bid the still smiling seeker farewell, Drift appeared at his side. “Ship’s refueled and ready to go, Roddy. Whenever you’re ready.”
Starscream kept his attention on Rodimus. His voice scratched slightly as it rose from his vocalizer and the prime wondered what could cause such a sound. “If you don’t already know, none of this was your fault.”
As Rodimus struggled to find words, Drift and Starscream connected optics. The seeker regarded the swordsmech before giving him the briefest nod. Rodimus watched as his amica returned the gesture and, without a further word, Starscream strode away.
Still unsure of what he’d just seen and heard, the prime stared after the jet until he spotted Wheeljack waiting back at the transport. Rodimus’ confusion only grew when Starscream’s talons gently brushed through the scientist’s fingers as he stepped through the door. Wheeljack looked away form the jet long enough to wave at Rodimus before he followed the seeker inside.
Once his fellow Wrecker had closed the door behind him, Rodimus turned to his best friend. “What the Pit was all that?”
Drift stayed silent until the transport rorared to life and took off. His mouth quirked slightly as they watched it go. “He thinks he owes me for something that happened a long time ago. And Wheeljack? They’re kind of intended.”
“What?! But ‘Jack is a Wrecker! Wait a second. What’s he owe you for?”
Drift sighed before swatting at his friend’s helm playfully. “Does it matter? Wheeljack seems to keep Screamer in a good mood. And the story isn’t really mine to tell. He doesn’t owe me anything.”
“Aww, Drifter…”
But even Rodimus best Earth-puppy impression didn’t sway his amica. The swordsmech laughed. “Don’t you have your own intended to find? You know, the one that won’t be your intended for much longer?”
The reminder caused a fresh wave of anxiety to settle over Rodimus chest. Drift was right. He’d gotten so caught up in turning Megatron over to Starscream that it had overshadowed the date. Tonight was the night. Tonight, he and Ultra Magnus would become conjunx endura.
Drift caught onto the swirling emotions in his amica’s field and gave his friend’s arm a squeeze. “It’s fine to be nervous about it. Primus knows, I thought my spark was gonna supernova when I said yes to Ratch. But once you get there, everything feels so natural.” The swordsmech leaned toward Rodimus conspiratorially as they began walking back to the docked Lost Light. “The interfacing is sooo much better, too, babe. Everything is better.”
“Really? It’s that different?”
“Pit, yes. No comparison. And the hard part is over. You two completed the Acts a long time ago.”
The pair stopped just outside the ship’s bay doors as Rodimus turned to his amica. “Yeah, but… I don’t know. I just hope he isn’t disappointed.”
“Why would he be?” Drift cocked his helm to the side, confusion in his face. The swordsmech was truly adorable when he wanted to be. One could almost believe that he hadn’t been one of the most feared Decepeticon’s during the war.
The white speedster lay a hand on his best friend’s arm. “He loved you for a long time before you even knew. Trust me.”
As they made their way back up onto the Lost Light, Rodimus reached to pull his best friend against his chassis. “Thank you, Drift. For everything. I love you.”
The other speedster hugged him back and planted a kiss on Rodimus’ cheek. “Anytime, sweetspark. I love you, too.”
~o0o~
When Rodimus made his way to Ultra Magnus’ hab that night, the halls were silent. Not a single bot was out in the corridors. The party at Swerve’s had died down long ago and mechs and femme’s alike had been tasked with dragging their friends and intended’s home. Rodimus hadn’t been able to drink a drop.
He’d seen his intended earlier in the cycle, when they’d finished refueling the ship and had departed Cybertron. Ultra Magnus had been at his station, standing slightly behind his captain’s shoulder. Apart from a brush of their fields and a shared look, Rodimus hadn’t spoken to the blue mech all day.
His spark fluttered excitedly in his chest as Rodimus arrived at his SIC’s hab and entered the keycode. When the door opened, he was greeted with darkness and silence. “Mags? You here?”
What if his intended had forgotten? What if he’d changed is mind? They’d been planning on this night since Drift had presided over the official ceremony, several cycles ago. As the Third-in-Command, Drift had been able to conduct the conjunx endura ceremony between the Captain and the Second-in-Command. They’d decided to hold off on the actual spark bonding until Megatron had been returned to Cybertron. What if in the time that had elapsed, the former Enforcer had changed his mind? What if-?
“Hello, my little love.”
A single flame appeared in the darkness, accompanied by two pinpoints of blue. “Magnus?”
The flame soon illuminated the face of his mate as the bigger mech made his way around the room, lighting candles as he went. One by one, they began to cast a soft light around the hab until the prime could make out the trail of flickering light that led toward the berthroom. The romantic atmosphere had an immediate affect on the young speedster as his spark spun wildly in his chest.
His optics were wide as Ultra Magnus finished, extinguished the lighter, and came toward him. For a mech is size, his steps were soft and almost soundless. “Will you bond with me, Rodimus on Nyon?”
Unable to speak and a little overwhelmed by everything around him, the prime nodded. The former Enforcer smiled kindly as he knelt before his intended, dropping to his knee. He reached and took Rodimus’ hand between his own. “If you will, go and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be in shortly.”
As the bigger mech released him and turned away, Rodimus made his way toward the berthroom in a daze. The candles around him blinked as he passed by, flickering as the air stirred in his wake. When the prime made it to the berthroom door, he took in the room. Magnus had definitely outdone himself.
Pillows and blankets of all colors and shapes were strewn across the berth. The room was dimly lit by the candles that were placed around the room and their scent cloyed heavily in the captain’s vents. Instantly, he felt himself begin to calm and he recognized the mixture of smells being released by the candles. Ultra Magnus had definitely been talking to Drift-
“Rodimus? Is this acceptable?
The prime turned to find Minimus Ambus standing behind him in the doorway, the Magnus armor gone. Rodimus allowed himself a moment to take in the sight of his beloved as the firelight danced across spotless green plating. “It’s wonderful. You’re perfect, Mims.”
Even with the deeply shadowed surroundings, Minimus’ face took on an obvious blush. The former Enforcer came forward to take his mate’s hand in his own. “Shall we?”
As he and the green mech made their way up onto the berth, Rodimus reflected on every moment that had led him to holding Minimus in his arms. They’d survived impossible odds, both during and after the war. Together, they’d made it this far. Rodimus believed that there wasn’t a thing that they couldn’t do.
The pair interfaced that night with no expectation of release. They rocked into each other, the sweetest sounds coming from each of them as they made love. Neither cared or bothered to check their HUDs, knowing that no one would interrupt their coupling. There was no need to rush, no need to be afraid. They took it slow, simply relearning each other’s bodies a final time before taking the leap.
When Rodimus finally opened his chest plates and bared his spark for his lover to see, he felt none of his earlier anxiety. The light from his very being poured over Minimus’ features, bathing the smaller mech in living blue light. The prime felt his spark flare as his conjunx reached to run a finger across the casing.
Minimus gazed at the Matrix-blessed spark that resided in his captain’s chest. The sight was far more than he had ever expected and he triggered his own chest plates apart. Despite his size, Minimus Ambus’ spark blazed into view with powerful ferocity, its load-bearing capabilities making itself known. The corona was a deep red and pulsed excitedly, sensing it’s soon-to-be bond mate nearby.
When they connected optics, sparks pounding in their chests, any last feelings of uncertainty vanished into nothing. The powerful blue spark, the spark of a true prime, reached out toward the red one-percentor’s, coaxing the green mech’s spark out to dance. The sensation as the two reaching tendrils connected drew a strangled sound from Minimus Ambus and a moan from Rodimus Prime.
When they could resist the pull no longer and fell together, their sparks became one and spoke a language older than Primus himself. Two pairs of optics, one blue and the other red, both matched as the souls of their owner’s collided, flashing pure white. Everything ceased to exist as they overloaded together and became of one mind, one spark, one being.
As the euphoria began to wane, leaving them to collapse sideways on the berth with exhaustion, one voice echoed between them, a mantra created by their joined sparks. Though it’s language was as old as time, the glyphs were clear as Minimus and Rodimus faded into recharge:
I love you, I love you. Forever and always.