Work Text:
Megatron's HUD pings with a message. He recognizes the number, and almost ignores it on principle. Why should he listen to anything Optimus Prime has to say? But he opens it anyway.
OP: Can we meet up? To talk?
Megatron scowls and doesn't respond, focusing his attention on other things.
OP: Please
Megatron ignores him.
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Plz
OP: Plz
OP: Pretty plz
OP: Don't ignore me
OP: Plz
OP: Plz plz plz plz plz
Megatron raises his arms above his head in frustration. The endless supply of "please"s shouldn't get to him. Especially coming from Optimus Prime. But… deep down in his spark, the relentlessness reminds Megatron of Orion, and he finds himself replying despite himself.
Megatron: Primus, shut up
OP: I won't. Not until you agree
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please
OP: Please, Megatron
Megatron: ok fine!! Just stfu
Megatron scowls as he receives a single smiley face in response, followed by coordinates to a location on the surface.
OP: I'll come alone. I want to make things right between us.
Megatron doesn't think anything this Prime can say or do will make things right between them. Not with the Matrix puppeting Orion Pax's body. But his spark thrums within him nevertheless.
Reluctantly, he responds.
Megatron: I'll be there. This better not be a trap.
OP: It's not. I swear.
OP: When can we meet? The sooner the better, in my opinion.
Megatron doesn't trust anything this Prime says, but deep inside, the part of him that's still D16 urges him to go.
Megatron: Fine. Tomorrow. Early, before the rest of the High Guard wake from stasis.
OP: You won't regret this.
Megatron doubts that.
The morning comes sooner than he'd like, and he awakens from stasis quietly. He scans around to ensure everyone else is still resting, and then walks out.
He walks until he's out of sight of their new hideout, then transforms into his Alt Mode, rolling towards the coordinates.
Optimus is already there when Megatron arrives, and the mech looks up at the sound of Megatron's approach, his alt mode isn't particularly stealthy. The new Prime stands to his pedes and stares at Megatron approaching.
Megatron transforms out of his tank form and crosses his arms over his chassis, staring back at Optimus Prime. Those bright blue optics are so familiar to him, and yet different too. Orion's optics rarely looked this… sad. It makes Megatron scowls. Optimus Prime deserves to have sadness behind his optics, and he's sure it merely mirrors his own red ones. Though Megatron hopes his sadness isn't nearly as obvious as the Prime's.
"Megatron," Optimus says, voice deeper than Orion's had been, commanding his attention.
Megatron scowls and walks inside the bare bones hut that Optimus had chosen to meet at. "Prime," he replies. "I'm here. You're here. You wanted to talk? Talk."
Optimus' optics stare at Megatron before scanning the rest of the environment. The mask hiding the lower half of his face plate goes away, and he nods. "I- yes, I did. I do." He steps aside and gestures for Megatron to sit at the table inside, two chairs set up on either side.
"I'd rather stand. Easier to transform if this is a trap."
Optimus's optics dim a little. "It's not," he says quietly. "I wouldn't do that to you."
Megatron raises an optic ridge. "Says you. I have no reason to trust you."
"But you came alone too," Optimus points out, "so there must be something there." Megatron scowls at him, and Optimus ex vents heavily. "I have something for you, Megatron."
"Is it a bomb?"
Optimus pinches his nasal bridge, and shakes his helm. "It's not a bomb. I-" he closes his optics, shielding the pain in them from Megatron. The twisted frown on his faceplate isn't hidden however, and Megatron refuses to feel guilty, no matter how his spark twists painfully at seeing his best friend like this.
No.
No, it's not his best friend. Orion Pax is dead. Dead. And gone.
Optimus opens his optics and turns to grab something from the bag he'd brought with him. He holds out a- a sketch data pad, much bigger than the one Orion had gifted him what feels like an eternity ago. In his other servo rests a pen to use with the pad and Megatron's jaw drops despite himself.
"So much has changed," Optimus says, a little sadly. "We've changed. We're bigger now, and I- I can't stop thinking about your art, D-Megatron." Megatron stares at him.
"I know how much you love to draw. And I figured you could use some stress relief. I know your old one is too small for you now, so I- I got you this. It's- a peace offering."
He's holding out the pad and the pen in his servos, waiting for Megatron to take them, but Megatron can't move. He can't speak. His processor is running so fast and- and. Optimus wouldn't know that. The Matrix couldn't know that about him. It wouldn't even care about Megatron like that. But-
Optimus' optics dim in sadness, and he makes a move to pull his servos back- Megatron can't have that. He reaches out faster than he could think, and takes hold of the data pad. He doesn't pull it to himself though, he just keeps staring at Optimus Prime. OP.
Finally, he resets his voice box enough to speak, disbelieving, "… Orion?"
Optimus Prime smiles at him, and it's the first time he's seen the new prime do that, and it sends a hot flash through his spark. It's not a happy smile, quite the opposite really, but-
"It's- it's always been me, D-" he cuts himself off. "Megatron."
Megatron can only stare at Optimus as his world comes crashing down around him once more.
"Did- did you not know that?" Optimus Prime, OP, Orion Pax asks.
Megatron tugs on the data pad and Optimus lets go to give it to him. He cradles it to his chassis and stumbles backward a step, before plopping down heavily on the floor. He shakes his helm rapidly, repeatedly. "No. No no no," he murmurs.
Optimus Prime heads toward him, kneeling down to get on his level. "Megatron?"
Megatron hides his faceplate in his servo, trying his absolute best not to cry. "I killed you." It comes out glitched and staticy.
"Yeah. You did. But- I got better."
"I didn't- I thought-" he shakes his helm. "I tried to kill you again," he realizes aloud. "I shot you. And you died. And then I thought— this-" he gestures to Optimus with a gasp, "it hurt. Primus, it hurt. You betrayed me. You took the blow for Sentinel, after everything he did. To us. To me. I- killed you and then you came back- as a Prime, with The Matrix and I- I didn't think it was you anymore." He clenches his servos into fists. "I couldn't. You were dead, and I killed you. And then The Matrix shot up into the sky wearing your body and I-"
Optimus' optics soften. "Dee-"
"Don't call me that."
"I forgive you, Megatron."
"You shouldn't." He snaps back. "I killed you, Orion. I killed you. And when you came back I was too blind to see, and I tried to kill you again."
Optimus stares at him. "Are you going to do it again?"
Megatron looks up at his friend. "What?"
"Are you going to try to kill me again?"
Megatron's fist clenches. He glares at the floor. He doesn't want to. But. "That depends."
"On?"
"Why'd you do it?"
Optimus doesn't need to ask for clarification. He looks down. "I was trying to protect you."
Megatron scoffs. "I'm not the one you protected, Prime."
"I didn't want to lose you."
Megatron looks up, red optics meeting blue. "Yeah well, it's too late for that now."
Optimus looks stricken. Heartbroken. Megatron can't look anymore, not when all he can see in Optimus is Orion's face when he- when he-
"Is it?" Optimus asks softly.
"You banished me." Megatron replies. As if that answers everything.
"I did. You tried to kill me. And now we're here. I'm trying to make this right, Megatron."
"Why?" He asks, looking anywhere but at Optimus' face. "Why even bother?"
Optimus Prime swallows. "Because I love you, Megatron." Megatron looks up. "And I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast. None of us had time to process any of it." Megatron stares at him, still clutching the data sketch pad to his chest, his spark pounding within him. "And I miss you. I can't- I don't want to do this without you, Megatron."
"You love me?"
"With my whole spark," Optimus replies, immediately. He holds the servo with the pen out. "You deserve a real life, Megatron. Like we didn't get to have. You deserve to rest and heal with the rest of Iacon. You deserve to get to pursue your art, if you'd like to. I don't- I won't lose you, Megatron. Not to this. Not when my whole spark cries out for you. It's not too late."
Megatron is furious to feel tears welling in his optics. "You don't know that." He shakes his helm. "You don't- you don't know me any more, Prime. You were right to give up on me, you were right to send me away. You were stupid to let me keep The High Guard. And you-" he wants to lash out.
Everything hurts. He killed Orion Pax. Megatron knows that. He'd thought Orion Pax was gone for good. He was so sure he'd lost any chance of keeping his best friend. And now here his best friend is, and it's actually still him somehow, and he's offering Megatron a second chance. Optimus thinks he deserves it. Megatron disagrees.
"You were stupid to come here." He scowls, furious at himself for hurting his friend so badly, and furious at Optimus for reaching back out as if all he's done can be forgiven. "You and your stupid fucking Optimism. Sometimes mech's are too far gone. You need to learn to cut your losses, Prime." His spark aches inside his core. The D-16 in him wants to accept. He's screaming at Megatron, pounding inside his processor to be reunited with Orion Pax. To have their friendship back.
Optimus stares at Megatron for a long moment, and Megatron hates it. He hates it. He hates feeling the tears spill from his optics, and he hates feeling weak in front of Optimus. But the Prime doesn't speak, he merely stares, servo still outstretched with the pen.
Megatron scowls and snatches it. "The least you could do is fragging say something."
"I don't believe you."
Megatron growls. "Say that again." He threatens lowly.
"I don't believe you," Optimus repeats. Louder this time. "You're not too far gone, Megatron. You're not. You could've brought the entirety of the high guard with you. You could have trapped me. You could have hurt me."
"I still can."
"Then do it." Optimus says calmly. "Look me in my optics and tell me you don't care about me anymore. Tell me the way I feel for you doesn't mean jack shit to you. Tell me you don't feel the same. You want to hurt me? Do it then. Stomp out my spark under your pede and tell me to go."
Megatron freezes, staring at Optimus. He doesn't know what to say. He was just told what to say. He can't- he-
Optimus takes advantage of Megatron's hesitation and clasps his servos around the one Megatron is holding the pen with. His blue optics are thunderous with passion and emotion and Megatron can feel his conviction thrumming through his own spark.
"I love you." Optimus Prime tells him, and there's no waver to his tone. He speaks only the truth.
And Megatron?
Megatron crumbles.
Optimus Prime is still kneeling to be on his level, and Megatron drops the pen in his servo, and wrenches it free from Optimus' grasp. Optimus barely has the time to look hurt by Megatron's action, cause Megatron uses his now freed servo to grab Optimus by the back of his helm and pull his best friend to him and kiss him furiously.
Optimus gasps into the kiss and kisses back eagerly, moving his servos to rest on Megatron, one on his pauldron, where the Megatronus Prime sticker once was, and the other he brings up to Megatron's helm, clutching desperately at him, like he believes if he lets go Megatron will disappear.
Megatron can relate to his fear, and he kisses Optimus harder, setting the data pad in his other servo down beside him to brush his thumb over Optimus' faceplate.
Optimus shudders against him, and clutches harder at Megatron, his fingers moving and tugging and holding Megatron closer,. "Please," he murmurs against his lips. "Don't give up on us, Meg."
Later, Megatron will refuse to acknowledge the sound he made in that moment as a whine, but it definitely was. He cups Optimus' chin in his servo and growls into the kiss. "I won't," he promises against Optimus' lips. "I promise, I promise." He nibbles on Optimus' lower lip, and takes the opportunity to explore his intake when Optimus gasps in response.
They kiss and kiss and kiss, neither pulling away for what feels like an eternity. Optimus is the first to pull back, but he doesn't go far, instead resting his forehelm against Megatron's. "I love you," he whispers, looking at Megatron with a soft smile.
Megatron's spark is glowing inside his chamber, and he can't help but smile back at his best friend. He came back for him, Orion came back. "I love you too," he replies.
Optimus cradles Megatron's helm in his servos, and says, "Come back home with me. All of you. Screw what Starscream says, we can unify Cybertron together. You and me, just like old times."
"Iacon won't trust me," Megatron says.
"They'll have to learn to," Optimus replies, not looking away from Megatron and still fragging smiling.
"The High Guard-"
"Are invited too," Optimus says. "I meant it, Megs. I won't lose you."
Megatron stares at Optimus before nodding slowly.
Optimus's smile widens to a beam, and Megatron takes a picture on instinct. "Yeah?" Optimus asks, hopeful.
Megatron nods. "Yeah," he confirms. "Let's go home."