quillneriine

[quillneriine]

Tales From Beyond the Covenant

Most details of the Thirteen Primes was recorded by Alpha Trion before his demise. This was known as "The Covenant." It contains their history, their formation of Iacon, and records of their rule over Cybertron. But that is public knowledge and easily accessed within the Iaconian archives. Instead, this is a collection of personal stories lost to time. For even the Primes, divine as they may have been, had been ordinary mechs like us. --- Otherwise known as, a series of one-shots I wrote about the Thirteen Primes from TF:One (while also taking a little bit of inspiration from the Covenant of Primus).

I was going to write Prima's POV of the past, but then I decided I wanted to make it a collection of one-shots for all the Primes instead. Also... yes... this is connected to the Sole Survivor Prima AU (but if you want to pretend everything is happy then you can definitely just read this as separate from the AU as a whole, however I may eventually reference Megatron in here at some point because he is my favorite lmao).

So, yes, hope you enjoy this. These will be short one-shots. I decided to do this cause for the month of April I'll be semi-hiatus due to a deal I made with a friend about finishing my 25-chapter original story skskks. So yeah, I'll be putting most of my energy on that. However, when I have free time, I'll be making little one-shots of the Primes and putting them here.

Ao3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64394452/chapters/165324343

The day he first saw Prima, it was the day he truly understood the sun.

As a Prime, he had emerged from the core of the planet fully-forged, his purpose written within his code and within his very spark. 

It was Solus Prime who found him on the surface of Cybertron, the older femme leading him home to his fellow Primes deep within the heart of Iacon. She had led him through the palace, introducing him to his fellow Primes. 

Her patience with him that day ought to be revered for, at some point, he had wandered away from her.

He knew not how, but he had found himself walking into what he supposed was meant to be a meeting room, though only one mech had been there at the time. Megatronus Prime ought to have fled, but as flecks of sunlight danced across the room, glinting off a white and golden frame, he could not find it in himself to leave. 

He had stood there, transfixed. His spark aflutter of emotions he did not yet understand or dare name. Megatronus did not know how long he stared, but he was startled when he found golden optics meeting his gaze.

Prima’s helm, turned towards the window, had hardly shifted - though his stare was piercing. With a grace that Megatronus felt he could never match, the older Prime - no, the first Prime - had stood from the chair he had been lounged upon. With careful pedesteps, Prima had made his way to him, and deep within his spark he could sense the deliberate gesture in every movement… and the danger that emanated from the golden mech.

Megatronus did not flinch as the other mech stood before him, his optics turning down to truly face Prima, an act that seemed to vex him.

With a beauty that rivalled the very sun, Megatronus had to admit he had been beguiled by Prima’s looks at first.

Until he had opened his intake.

“What are you? The twelfth? Must Primus continue to create more of you?” The other mech glared up at him, his dentae bared as though he wished Megatronus to fight him then and there. “From your frame, I suppose you were created to take my role as a warrior. Though I assure you, my dear twelfth, I will not be so easily replaced. Within a half-joor, face me in battle and prove yourself.”

Prima moved past him, those molten gold optics casting him a sidelong glance of derision.

Then he was gone.

Yes, that day, Megatronus truly understood the sun.

With its brilliance and hue, one could be forgiven for losing one’s self in the beauty and in its radiance. 

Prima Prime was created with the image of Primus and he held all the perfection that the first ought to have.

Yes, Megatronus knew the sun from how much Prima had shone.

But as beautiful as Prima Prime was…

Do not stare at the sun for too long, lest you wish to burn.

[quillneriine]

Loved "Beneath the Surface" 🥰 Will you be writing a sequel of Prima taking Dee? Or more like a perspective of either Prima or Megatronus about founding their long lost sparkling?

Hi! I'm glad you liked it!

Hm, maybe when I get around to it. As I did say "Beneath the Surface" was an AU I did not really intend to write on further so it might take a while for me to write another chapter skskks but if I ever get the energy to write more then I will. Probably not for a while though since I have something else planned and... I'm currently on a semi-hiatus due to personal circumstances hahaha.

But yeah, still, I'm happy you liked the story!

[quillneriine]

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀girls...

like or reblog if you save/use.

[quillneriine]

Came here just to say I love your Megop fics

👉👈

Awww thank you! I'm so glad you like my OPMeg fics <3

[quillneriine]

something so bright and blessed that I'm all but crushed

[quillneriine]

My beautiful wife with a disorder

[quillneriine]

lovesick leader

[quillneriine]

So help me god I will finish watching “Are You Scared?” today sksksk (<— has been putting it off for a long time now). 

Like I love horror and I still haven’t watched the entire series what is wrong with me sksksk I am committed to finishing this today.

[quillneriine]

really loved the new beneath the surface chapter but was a little too shy to say it on ao3. It’s a really good fanfic!!! :3

Hi! Thank you so muchhh, I’m glad you liked the second chapter <3

[quillneriine]

Thank you for writing so many amazing opmeg/megop fics 💗

Thanks! I just really love opmeg hahaha

[quillneriine]

The Sun Rises and Sets With You (Shattered Glass Fanfic)

Megatron, ordinary mathematics professor, tries not to think of his past before Polyhex - choosing to appreciate the present and worry for the future. Unfortunately, his past is not done with him.

I finally did it, an SG Fanfic where Optimus is not being angsty and sad and breaking my heart.

Anyway, just a bit of a heads up here, please do mind the tags because I am genuinely serious about what I tag and if it's not your cup of tea then please do click away from the fic. I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable here.

With that, for the fanfic itself, I really love Shattered Glass, both FunPub and the IDW reboot. So, for this one, I mixed both Shattered Glass universes together. Initially this was supposed to just be a little College AU but then it went out of control hahaha. Hope you like it though! I'll leave some explanations at the end notes.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64250308

“Hello, professor. I hope the security mechs I assigned to you were accommodating during the journey.”

Blue optics scanned the lavish room he had been left in, his face impassive as he tried to keep a semblance of decorum in front of his captor. He didn’t bother to ruin his voice box by screaming. There was no point, for Megatron knew that if there were any other bots in the large mansion, they would undoubtedly be under his captor’s orders to ignore him. 

Even if they did feel sorry for him, no one would dare go against a senator.

“Senator Pax, I can’t say the journey was pleasant. Do you invite all your esteemed guests this way or am I a special case?” He refrained from rolling his optics and letting out a string of curses. He wasn’t scared of the consequences of such an action, but because he didn’t want to give the other mech any leverage over him. He’s dealt with upper class mechs before. They enjoyed it when he showed any “signs” of his “lower-class upbringing.” 

“You kept blocking my attempts to call and refused to let me visit, how else was I supposed to gain your attention, professor?” The senator grinned, his pedesteps soft against the carpeted floor as he made his way towards him. Restrained as he was, Megatron could do nothing as the other mech sat on the couch across from him - their knee joints nearly touching due to the close proximity of the chair he was bound to. “Think of this as… a surprise permanent move of residency to Iacon.”

“I think, senator, that I will think of this as a case of mechnapping and abuse of authority.” Megatron gritted out, wanting nothing more than to activate his weapon system. Unfortunately, the senator had thought in advance and had assigned a medic to temporarily (at least he hoped it was) shutdown the system. “Is the rest of the senate—”

“No. This is a personal matter.” The senator reached out to a small table near the couch, pouring himself two cubes of high-grade engex. The other mech held one of the cubes out to him, a momentary look of embarrassment appearing on his face as he realized that Megatron’s arms were tied back. “Right. I can’t let you go yet so I’ll just have to spoil you later when you’re more agreeable.”

Megatron grimaced, watching as the senator placed down one of the cubes on the table, keeping the other in his servo as he settled back on the couch. He hated how relaxed the other mech was, as if this was a regular occurrence for him - keeping another mech tied while he relished in his own pompous grandiosity. This was why he hated interacting with the higher class mechs. They disgusted him.

“What does a senator want with a mathematics professor?” He vented, testing the energy ropes that bound him. The more he struggled, the tighter they got. Megatron reset his optics. Unfortunately, he was not escaping any time soon. 

As he waited for the other mech to reply, Megatron tried to keep the rising panic from showing in his face. There were many reasons for why the senator had him taken captive. Though, he hoped it was merely because of his past rather than his present that was the reason for this. He had been told that there was a growing corruption within the senate, and from his findings, he knew there was a high probability that the civil war he had predicted through the theory of psychohistory would begin there. He had begun countermeasures in the form of the Decepticons but… he’d been so sure that the information hadn’t been leaked. If the senator captured him to interrogate him about that…

“Nothing.” Senator Pax shrugged, taking a slow sip of his engex. He leaned a little closer, their knee joints pressing together.

Megatron reset his optics, unable to keep the look of confusion from crossing his face. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t take it personally, professor. I’ve read your mathematical theories and they are brilliant, but I didn’t have my Wreckers capture you to discuss numbers and formulas with you.” He jolted as a servo landed against his leg strut, and the senator laughed at his reaction. “Relax, if you worry I’m here to discuss your… civil rights poems and papers, then I can assure you I’m not. As I said, this is a personal matter.”

“I don’t recall having ever slighted you.” Megatron quickly answered, wanting to tear off the other mech’s servo from himself. 

It was true though. While Megatron has made many political enemies due to his writings going against Functionism, he knew that Senator Orion Pax could not be one of them. He hadn’t even been a senator at the height of his civil rights campaigns. He hadn’t even been in power when Megatron was nearly assassinated and banished from Iacon for his writings.

Still, Functionists were difficult and took personal offense at any mech that went against them. “Senator, if you have an issue with me due to my beliefs—”

“I told you, we’re not here to discuss that, professor.” The senator gave him a disappointed frown, as if he was being the unreasonable one. “I have my own opinions but we can have a friendly debate about it once you and I have settled our personal issue.”

“And what personal issue is that?” This time, he rolled his optics, uncaring for what the other mech would say.

“I’m hurt, professor.” The senator let out a soft vent, the digits of his servo tracing patterns against Megatron’s leg strut. “I had hoped that at some point in our conversation you’d have recognized me.”

Megatron gave him another cursory look, unimpressed by what he saw. “Many mechs have your paint colors and red optics are not rare.”

“Then allow me to refresh your memory banks, professor.” The senator grinned, and this time it looked familiar. “Or should I say, D-16?”

—

Act of Intimacy

Senator Orion Pax, or Optronix as he had been known then, had attended the Iaconian University at the same time as the infamous civil rights activist, Megatron.

Of course, back before the height of his campaigns, he had been known as D-16.

They were as different as two mechs could be.

Optronix was an upper middle-class mech, forged to be a librarian.

D-16 was a lower class mech, forged to be a miner.

Optronix had always known he’d have to attend university to study what he had forged for.

D-16 had clawed his way up from the mines to even gain an education.

Optronix was a well functioning part of the system.

D-16 was a loose cog that insisted that the system was flawed.

Somehow, it was love at first sight for Optronix.

They had met each other in one of Soundwave’s parties, a mech who was studying communications and was D-16’s roommate at the university. 

Optronix was not the type to attend such loud parties, as they were more his older brother’s scene, but Shockwave - an acquaintance of his - had brought him along for it.

He remembered their first meeting well.

Optronix had stumbled away from the large crowd of bots, irritated by the noise and the crush of frames that threatened to nearly send him into an emergency stasis. It would be the last time he ever let Shockwave drag him into another party. If he didn’t need to keep on the future senator’s good side then he wouldn’t have even come.

He had stumbled into a room, properly venting as he closed the door panels behind him. 

As Primus would have it, this was where he met the love of his life.

Optronix had looked up, his red optics scanning the room until they landed on a white frame. D-16 had had his back turned towards him, his attention focused on the datapad in his servos. He only looked up when Optronix took a pedestep forward, the sudden thud taking them both by surprise.

He had known who the other mech was from the start. 

He had never met him properly before but he’d seen him around and it was difficult to not know him when D-16 could usually be found making grandiose speeches in the halls before one of the professors had to stop him. Optronix had never bothered to listen as he was usually busy with ensuring himself a bright future as the eventual head librarian of the Iaconian archives. 

Which was a shame because he could have been looking at this beauty of a mech much sooner.

“I never liked Soundwave’s parties either.” D-16 had stood up from his berth (because Optronix had accidentally wandered into his room). “You could stay here, but I’m not good at… normal conversation.”

“That’s… okay.” He muttered weakly. Then, remembering his manners, he reached out a servo. “I’m Optronix.”

The other mech reached out with a smile, and the world seemed somehow brighter. “I’m D-16.”

—

Act of Disclosure

“It’s unfair is what it is!”

Optronix kept his optics trained on D-16 as he paced the length of the empty classroom they had both snuck into. The other mech was agitated that stellar cycle. He had known it from how the other had practically dragged him so he could rant.

“How could these mechs with these brilliant processors have such beliefs? Functionism renders bots incapable of achieving much more and pushes us all into roles without considering the possibility that we may not even want these roles.” D-16 flailed his arms around, his composure gone. It was a stark contrast to how elegant he could be during his speeches. Optronix nodded sympathetically, hoping that the other mech wouldn’t notice he was only half-paying attention. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s because of their processors, which they were forged with, that they have those beliefs.” Optronix pointed out, though not unkindly. “You have to admit, Dee, that some bots were perfectly made for their roles.”

“You sound like a Functionist.” D-16 scoffed, collapsing on the chair beside him. 

Optronix bit his glossa, a momentary flash of terror tearing through his spark. He knew how D-16 could be against Functionists and he didn’t want to lose the other mech because he didn’t agree with him. “I mean, look at me, Dee. I was forged to be a librarian and I am perfectly happy with that.”

“Are you?”

The question lingered between them. He watched as D-16’s optics widened in horror as he quickly raised his servos, as if surrendering.

“I’m sorry. You’re right, just because some of us are unhappy with our forged roles doesn’t mean those who do want their forged roles are crazy to want them.” The other mech let out a vent, casting his optics down in shame. “I just want everyone to be given the choice to be who they want.”

“Not everyone can be who they want. That’s impossible.” A shadow of discomfort crosses D-16’s face and this time it’s Optronix’s turn to be defensive. He reached out, clasping the other mech’s servo in his. “I mean, maybe instead of a choice, bots should prove themselves worthy of being more than their forged roles. Not everyone can really escape their forged roles like you. You did because you’re worth more, but others—”

“Drop it, Optronix.” D-16 moved away. “I… didn’t know you thought this way.”

“Dee—”

He didn’t try reaching out as the other mech fled the room, a part of him ashamed that he’d let himself slip up knowing full well how passionate the other was when it came to that particular topic.

Mostly though… he couldn’t help but reflect on what he had said.

He did think mechs should be allowed past their forged roles if they were truly worth more, and Dee was worth more than a miner.

Optronix though…

He’d always aspired to be a librarian…

But was he worth more than that?

…

Was he happy to just be that?

—

Act of Profference

They hadn’t spoken in a long time, and by the time they did, D-16 had changed designations.

“You… compiled my writings?”

Megatron looked down at the presented datapad, impressed by the extensive list of everything he had ever written in his time at the university. Optronix had even found some of his old poems that dated back to his time in Kaon.

“I thought it would make up for… what I said.” Optronix’s optics were lowered as he gestured awkwardly to the datapad, he didn’t look up even as Megatron stepped closer. “There hasn’t been a stellar cycle that’s passed where I didn’t regret what I said. You have to understand that for a mech like me, I’ve never thought beyond what I was forged for. I have a good life ahead of me. Then, I thought about you and I understood.”

He had to admit to himself that he had missed Optronix’s presence. Soundwave may be his Amica Endura, but Megatron had always liked Optronix, that’s why it broke his spark when he’d heard such cruel words come out of the other mech’s intake. He had thought he’d found a sympathetic spark in Optronix only for the other to prove him wrong.

Maybe… maybe all they had needed was some time apart.

Optronix was right, it wasn’t his fault that he believed a bit in Functionism. If your life in the system was perfect, why would you ever question it?

“You didn’t have to.” He looked down at the datapad, his spark thrumming inside his chassis. He would have to look through it all once he was alone - but the gift was enough to bring a smile to his face.

Optronix had looked up as he had spoken, a look of disbelief and shock appearing on his face before he realized that Megatron was smiling.

“Thank you, and I’m sorry too.” 

Really, they had both been too petty for their own good. 

He couldn’t believe they had spent an entire cycle avoiding one another all because of one argument. Soundwave had berated him about it considering that they argued sometimes and they were still both Amica Enduras. 

Why should one argument ruin what he had with Optronix?

“Could we go back to how we used to be? Before… the argument.” Optronix looked at him with hopeful red optics. Megatron didn’t realize how much he’d missed the other’s soft gaze.

The shade of it reminded him of the sunrise. When he had been a miner, he’d always cherished catching a glimpse of the sunrise, because he knew he had lived through another day of suffering - and so long as the sun rose, there was still hope of a better tomorrow.

“Yes.” He made the first move, pulling the other mech into a warm embrace. 

Optronix’s frame stiffened in surprise before quickly melting into it, holding him just as tightly.

“Thanks, Dee.”

Oh, right.

“Oh, I changed my designation. It’s Megatron now.”

“Huh? Oh, well it suits you.”

—

Act of D e  v    o—

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

His voice echoed through the large medical quarter, perhaps startling some of the medics outside, but Megatron was too enraged to care.

Optronix’s servo quickly retracted, the other mech flinching under the fire of his anger.

���I can’t believe you!” He could feel the strain in his new voice box, as if it was designed to keep him much quieter. “Optronix, I trusted you! Why… Why would you do this?!”

It was no secret that Optronix was an upper middle-class mech due to being forged as a librarian, and despite that, librarians usually couldn’t afford such extravagant medical procedures.

It was only now that Megatron was so unhelpfully told that Optronix’s older brother, Ultra Magnus, worked for the senate.

This would hardly make a dent in his brother’s paycheck.

He wanted to tear himself out of the new frame, separate his spark even if it meant going offline. Megatron could barely even look at himself in the mirror now.

While he understood that a frame did not make a mech, it bothered him to be so altered - so changed against his will.

He did not recognize this frame.

He did not recognize the blue wings in his back.

“You were… so miserable as you were—”

“I never said I hated how I was forged! I only hated that we were forced into forged roles!” He snapped back, wishing to make his voice louder but unable to. “Optronix… why did you do this?”

“I did it to save you!” The other mech lurched forward, servos gripping at his shoulder pads as if by the strength of his hold he could get Megatron to understand. “Do you even understand what it was like for me? To see you nearly offlined?! You were so excited for that meeting with the senate that it nearly broke my spark to find out that you were nearly assassinated and that it was all a trick! I had to find out through Ultra Magnus what had happened and when I saw your frame, you were nearly in pieces!”

“That doesn’t explain why you had to change my whole being—”

“Because now you can be free! Now no one has to look down at you for being a forged miner!” He could hear the desperation in the other mech’s voice, but all Megatron felt was disgust at the realization that Optronix had never changed at all. “What happened to you shook the foundations of Functionism, now every bot is questioning the system. Many will come for you… or at least they would have if you stayed in your old forged frame. In this frame, you have so many more options - you can pursue more this way. I did this for you, to protect you—”

“I’ve never needed anyone to protect me, Optronix.” Megatron pushed him away. “I should have never trusted you.”

He turned to leave.

“Where are you going?”

“Anywhere far from you, and far from Iacon.”

—

“Optronix.”

Megatron reset his optics, unable to connect the arrogant senator to his old university friend. 

They had the same paint color, and the same optics but…

Megatron had always assumed that Optronix had become a librarian, like he’d always wanted to be.

“I didn’t lie all those cycles ago when I said I thought about what you told me. I never thought beyond what I was forged for, and if I was truly happy being a librarian. I realized then that you were right, we should not be forced into roles we do not want.” The senator had finished his cube of engex, placing it on the table. His red optics narrowed as he moved closer to Megatron. “Still, I do believe that if you want to be more than what you’re forged for, then you’d have to prove yourself worthy. You were right. I was meant to be more than a librarian, and I’ve proven myself worthy of being senator. Given more time, I’ll prove myself worthy of being much more than a senator too.”

Tampering down the rage that he felt, Megatron let out a loud vent, shaking his helm in disbelief. “You had me mechnapped so you could… make a point? Show me how much of a hypocrite you are? Well, congratulations, senator, I’m very proud of you and that you got past your Functionist beliefs. Is that what you want to hear, Optronix?”

“Please, Megatron, I prefer to be called Orion Pax…” The other mech tilted his helm. “Though that might change soon… We’ll see if everything goes according to plan.”

He didn’t even have time to ask what the other mech meant by that before the senator stood, closing the space between them. Megatron pressed closer to the chair, unable to escape the servo that clamped down on his wing as Orion Pax leaned down so close that he could feel the other’s warmth against his frame.

“No, I didn’t bring you here for that.” A fondness had made its way to the senator’s voice, as those sunrise-colored optics stared down at him. “I plan to rule Cybertron. Since my plans were beginning to advance, I needed to ensure the safety of my future conjunx. I had let you stay in Polyhex for long enough. It was time I brought you back to your rightful place, here by my side.”

“Future conju—” Instead of anger, Megatron could only feel a rising sense of dread. “Have you lost your processor?!”

“Far from it!” The other mech smiled. “I realized that in our time at the academy, we were already engaging in the Conjunx Ritus. We both didn’t realize it at the time but how many times have we held one another’s servos? Ranted to one another? Gave each other gifts? All that’s needed to complete it is the last act, and I’ve already shown how devoted I am to you…”

As if trying to force him to remember what he’d done to him, the senator began to run a digit at the edge of his wing panels.

Megatron could barely keep the anger out of his voice, “You did this to me against my will!”

“I showed you how devoted I am to you by ensuring that you didn’t die!” The other mech snarled.

This time, there was no sunrise to be found in the other’s optics.

All he saw this time was the shade of the sunset.

He never could look at the sunset after he’d nearly been assassinated.

It had been the last view he’d had before he woke up in a frame that wasn’t his own.

“It’s unfinished. The ritual.” The other mech continued, his voice slightly hollow. “You don’t love me now, but you will, and I will accept that as your devotion to me.”

“I will never—”

The other mech leaned down, his sunset-colored optics bearing down on him with a love that promised eternity.

“You’re already nearly mine, and I am a very patient mech. You’ll see.”

The other moved closer, his vents warm against his dermas.

“You’ll be hopelessly devoted to me, as I am to you.”

Gently, Orion Pax kissed him, trapping him deeper within that sunset.

[quillneriine]

Hello! I read your ‘merformers megatron au’ and I love the way you portrayed the characters and how this world works, but I got 2 questions

1. Why are the primes sleeping in the first place?

2. What do you think megs mer form looks like and how do megs long lost parents treat their returned son?

I honestly can’t wait for more but until then, have a great day!

Hi! I'm glad you liked it! And yes I love questions hahaha

So for why the Primes are sleeping, technically this was already answered in the second chapter that I published yesterday. Though essentially they are sleeping of their own accord, because they're not the rulers/guardians of Iacon here. They're essentially monstrous abominations. However, while they may be monstrous, they're not immediately evil. So, because they know that Primus regrets making them and that normal Cybertronians would freak out at the sight of them, they willingly went into stasis since there's really no reason for them to just kinda be awake. Might as well sleep and rest.

As for this one, I'd like to imagine that Megatron's mer form takes inspiration from sharks. I know that D-16 from TF:One is more round, but since we are going a bit animalistic/eldritch here in this AU then he mostly is shark-like in his merformer form. Admittedly, he looks very normal-ish. It's not mentioned in the fic but like the Primes looked more fucked up depending on when they were created. So like, Prima is more fucked up looking because he's the first Prime created. Megatronus, on the other hand, looks like a normal Cybertronian except with a mermaid tail and being huge. So yeah, he's normal-looking except for the tail.

As for how they treat their son. So obviously in the second chapter, Dee managed to get back to Iacon but if he wasn't able to escape, they'd be very protective over him. Like Megatronus was already upset to figure out that Megatron essentially disappeared from their side for a few cycles. That's why he'd keep Megatron close to him instead of putting him in the mini-lake in Prima's mountain. Like just going to make sure he doesn't wander off again. Prima, on the other hand, can only really visit Megatron via his dreams since he wouldn't have been awakened if Megatron didn't escape like he did in the second chapter. He would be equally protective of him.

But yeah, thank you for the questions and I hope you have a great day too!

[quillneriine]

recently read your Sole Survivor Prima fics and Beneath the Surface! gotta say was not expecting to be hit with Filipino volcanoes in the notes of the latter (fellow Filipina here!) almost wanna see a version that plays off Magayon instead of Taal. romantic volcanoes my beloveds. I quite love The Burning because of the hopeful ending and it puts a lot more context into Prima's feelings and grief. D-16 was getting put through the wringer so I'm glad Orion was there to be with him

I also love the mentions of Terminus in passing but apparently he stole D-16 in The Burning? how'd that happen?

Oh my god, fellow Filipino! Hi!!

And yeah, I just love the imagery of Taal for the location of Megatronus and Prima's place of rest in the fanfic. Taal is such a geological wonder that I couldn't help but take inspiration from it. Also honestly, the story of Magayon would be so cool too cause tragic lovers ughhhhh.

Also thank you! I'm glad that you liked "The Burning." Initially I didn't plan to end it that way cause I usually make my stories sad, but I thought it would be nice for OPMeg to have a little hopeful ending.

As for how Terminus stole Megatron in the fanfic, essentially, Terminus was one of the mechs who was on Sentinel's side when he decided to stage his coup. Sentinel assigned Terminus to get rid of sparkling Megatron. However, Terminus didn't want to do that and decided to just raise Megatron as D-16. He didn't reveal himself to Prima and the High Guards even after Prima came back to Iacon because he knew he'd be executed for conspiring and treason. He genuinely does love D-16, but he's a bit of a coward in that he made sure Dee would never figure out who he really is. This is why he comes off as weirdly strict in the fanfic but still looked on in a loving light. Even so, he's still a kidnapper in the fanfic and Prima has every right to be pissed.

Anyway, thank you for reading the fics!

[quillneriine]

SG Humanformers!

[quillneriine]

Beneath the Surface (Chapter 2)

Optimus gets an unexpected visitor.

I contemplated whether to make a separate fic, but I decided to just make another chapter for this since it's genuinely a direct continuation from the last chapter. I do apologize though that technically I will still keep this as "Completed" cause to be honest I cannot be trusted to continue fics, and this is one of those fics that I genuinely wasn't sure I was going to continue. However, there is technically a plot, it's just a matter of getting me to write it.

I don't like leaving things on cliffhangers so I try to just make the endings vague/ambiguous as to what may happen next skskks but yeah hope you like this chapter, it gives more insights to what the Primes are and their whole schtick. Also if you notice the tags, yes I have now revealed that Optimus is Zeta and Alpha Trion's sparkling.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63873463/chapters/164757055

prev

“Has anything strange happened in the archives since last astroweek, head archivist?”

He stared up from the datapad on the desk, digits tracing the edge as he tilted his head to the side. His false Cybertronian face had an easy smile on it, the default expression that he had created for his head archivist persona. It made it easier for bots to trust him. Especially annoying bots from the senate who thought they could barge into his office without so much as an appointment.

At least his carrier had warned him to quickly transform into his Cybertronian alt before he could be spotted in his true form.

“No. Unless you count the occasional missing datapad, senator.” He chuckled, narrowing his blue optics. That really was a problem Optimus needed to fix.

“No strange energy fluctuations? No indecipherable texts in any of the databases?” The senator continued to trail off, their optics trying to maintain a level of strictness and authority that made Optimus want to laugh. He didn’t need to enter their processors to know they were scared. “With the sudden rust storm, the senate wanted to ensure—”

“I assure you, senator, that the Iaconian Archives is completely unaffected by the rust storm.” He kept an even tone, though deep down Optimus was fuming that what he was saying was true. “Every information is accounted for and the archives are functioning perfectly as ever.”

“Alright. You understand this is merely procedure, don’t you? The Iaconian Archives is one of Cybertron’s most beloved and oldest heritage sites. It also houses the entire history of Cybertron—” A lie. “And the senate deeply cares that it will not be affected by the rust storm. We haven’t had one of this magnitude in cycles. Actually… How long have you been the head archivist? I can’t seem to—”

The senator’s voice trailed off, his optics turning glassy as Optimus leaned ever so slightly forward. As the senator had continued to speak, one of the wires that made up his true form had slithered past the fake Cybertronian frame he wore and had lodged itself between the other mech’s plating. Carefully, Optimus tore through the senator’s processor - hoping to remove any of his fears so that he could get out of his office faster.

“I understand, senator.” Optimus let a genuine smile appear on his face. “I care so much for the archives.”

He loved his carrier so much, and he’d rather offline every bot in Iacon than let anything happen to Alpha Trion.

“Yes, yes… Well…” The senator shook his helm, blinking his optics as if he was trying to remember why he was there in the first place. “It appears you have everything in order here, head archivist. I shall take my leave. Please, if you find anything strange, anything at all, do not hesitate to come to the senate.”

Optimus nodded sweetly, waiting patiently until the senator stood up, disappearing behind the door panels. He let out a soft vent, leaning back against his chair as he closed his optics.

The senate needed to get off his aft.

He could almost hear his carrier chiding him at the thought, but Optimus was so tired of receiving their messages - and now a senator had chosen to visit.

It didn’t help that the rust storm was caused by one of the Primes.

Optimus tilted his helm, letting the heavy Cybertronian frame sag in the chair as his true form let loose through the panels. He never did enjoy being confined in it. 

Through the window, he could make out the heavy cloud of gold rust that enveloped the entirety of Iacon. It upset him more that because of the rust storm, he wasn’t able to see the statue of his sire. He couldn’t be too upset though because he knew this wasn’t an ordinary rust storm. His carrier didn’t need to tell him, every part of him knew that this was the doing of another Prime.

Since last astroweek, a heavy cloud had settled over Iacon, but rust storms were a naturally occurring phenomenon. What really unsettled most bots was the sudden intense feeling of being watched. Even Optimus, who was safe inside the confines of the archive, had felt that lingering gaze fall upon him before it disappeared. 

Honestly, it had excited him.

It meant that Prima Prime was awake.

It wasn’t brief lucidity from the stasis, but a full awakening. 

Even Prima Prime wasn't capable of this storm if he was locked fully into stasis. 

Optimus couldn’t help but grin.

Really, if the rust storm continued to worsen, it might break the others out of stasis. 

While he was always with his carrier and was never too far from his sire, Optimus wished to see them, not just have Alpha Trion as a voice and a connection, but to see them awake.

For cycles he’d felt so alone, unable to really bask in the presence of anyone like himself until Megatron - and even that had been short since he had to return Megatron to his creators. Optimus couldn’t wait to see him again though…

Shaking his helm, he tried to put his processor back to work. He had databases to organize and information to analyze. He knew this rust storm was Prima Prime’s doing, but that didn’t mean this would be the cycle that all Thirteen Primes would awaken. He wanted it to be but Optimus had to prepare himself for the disappointment if it wasn’t.

With one of his wires, he began to connect himself to the archives - switching off the lights in the office as he activated the curtains to automatically close around the windows, basking the room in darkness. 

He was just about to escape the false Cybertronian frame when loud banging from the door made him pause. Optimus’ wires shook, rattling in irritation as he forced himself back inside the heavy frame again. 

If it was the senator again…

He made his way across the room, his pedesteps loud and heavy as he forgot to maintain any semblance of his head archivist persona.

As the door panels slid open, Optimus had just missed the warning ping from his carrier before a punch immediately greeted him. He reared back, not so much in pain but in shock as a familiar silver frame pushed his way into his office, the door panels sliding close. Familiar yellow optics glared straight at him, though this time, they had the faint glow of gold.

Megatron stood right in front of him, his entire frame trembling. Though there was a look of rage in the other’s optics, Optimus could tell that the shaking wasn’t from his emotions. His legs were trembling, and as he took another pedestep forward, he nearly collapsed into Optimus’ arms as if he had forgotten the ability to even walk. Rough servos gripped at him, enough that Optimus was sure the other would leave dents.

“What in the name of Primus is wrong with you?!”

—

After an entire joor of Orion Pax - or Optimus as that was his real designation - trying to calm him down, Dee sat sullenly by the head archivist’s desk. It was still the same chair that the other mech - if he even was a real mech - had bought for him. His scowl didn’t waver, even as the other tried to bribe him with energon treats. No matter how starved he felt, he refused anything from Optimus.

He didn’t want to end up in the lake again.

“You’re the cause of the storm…” Optimus spoke up first before Dee could start screaming again. He had settled on top of the desk, his frame shrouded in the darkness of the room that Dee could only see his blue optics. It felt familiar somehow. As if they’d been in this position before, and if Dee was right, they probably had. “How did you get out of the lake?”

“How did I—” Dee could feel his processor start overheating. His HUD flashing warning pop-ups of an imminent breakdown if he didn’t calm down, but right now, he could hardly contain his rage. “The question, head archivist, is WHY in the pits did you push me into the lake? WHY did you leave me to drown? And… and this is very important, WHAT was in that lake?!”

He wanted to pummel the other mech, wanted to see the metal dent beneath his fists but Dee controlled himself as another burst of pain tore through his frame. He groaned, curling into himself as he tried not to purge his tanks. He hadn’t gotten a decent amount of recharge since last astroweek. Dee had been hiding in alleyways, trying to avoid the sick feeling of optics roving over his entire being. If he didn’t know any better, it was as though the presence was seeing right into his spark.

“Answer my question first.” He could hear the pout in Optimus’ voice, and Dee… he was tired.

He let out a shuddery vent, offlining his optics as he curled himself on the plush chair. Everything ached.

“After that… thing—” Dee stopped, letting out a small sob as the presence that had haunted him since he’d arrived back in Iacon pressed down against his processor, easing as fast as it had come. “After you… threw me in the lake. I couldn’t see anything but two blue optics. I felt a large servo wrap around me… my entire frame, as if any normal Cybertronian could possibly do that. The lake was murky and I don’t know if I went into stasis lock but at some point I must have went online again. There was something holding onto me and I just started fighting back. I don’t know what came over me but I… bit down on it and the shock of that must have made it let me go because somehow I made my way back up to the surface. I swam back to shore and made my way back to Iacon. My pedes are sore…”

Dee vented, recalling the long journey. It was mostly a daze since he’d been in excruciating pain for a majority of the walk back to Iacon, and by the time he had arrived, the rust storm had hit. He’d been surviving in Iacon’s alleyways, making a slow move towards the Iacon archives so he could confront the mech who had tried to offline him.

“Here, let me—” He heard the other shift closer, digits wrapping around his leg struts.

He immediately lashed out, gritting his dentae as his pede hit metal. He didn’t know if it had any effect aside from hurting himself. “Get your filthy servo off me, Optimus.”

The other mech tightened their grip, though as if thinking better of it, Optimus eventually let go. Dee let out a vent of relief, his helm sagging against the side of the chair. 

“I was only trying to help…” The other mech muttered, though almost as if he was talking to something else, and Dee realized that the overbearing presence had shifted off of him for a few kliks. “I won’t do anything… yet.”

A sudden fluctuation of energy nearly sent Dee into stasis. He pressed his helm deeper into the chair, that presence wrapping around him even more. More warning pop-ups rose in his HUD but he tried desperately to dismiss them. He didn’t want to go into stasis with Optimus in the room.

“Are you… going to answer my questions?” Dee gritted out, trying to focus on why he had come back to the archives despite the danger. 

“Hm? Oh, yeah! Sorry, Megatron.” Optimus let out an embarrassed laugh. Before Dee could correct him, the other mech had begun speaking again. Before, Dee might have been endeared by how quick the other spoke, but right now it was only making him more nauseous. “I told you, I was just trying to bring you back to your creators. Also, you can’t drown.”

Slowly, he reset his optics, narrowing them at Optimus who had returned to where he was sitting. He could hear the grin in the other’s tone as he continued, “And you know, for someone who claims to love the Prime mythologies, you really couldn’t recognize Megatronus Prime?”

A frown slowly made its way to Dee’s face, and he stopped himself from correcting the other mech that in his defense, he could barely see anything in the energon lake. “That… that was the Megatronus Prime?”

“Cool, right?” He heard the other mech shift closer, those blue optics glowing brighter. “I always wanted to meet him myself. Alpha Trion says he was the strongest Prime that ever lived.” 

Another fluctuation of energy, though this time much lighter as if the presence around Dee was not as angry as before. It didn’t stop him from nearly purging. He pressed a servo against his dermas, resetting his optics again.

“And what? Y-you think that…?” Dee could hardly wrap his processor around it. “Fine, I believe you, the Primes exist. Why not? Next you’ll tell me Primus also exists.”

The silence that answered him was enough.

He let out a frustrated groan, wishing this was all some sick dream and he would wake up back at the old apartment he shared with his late carer. “But I’m not… Optimus, I’m not like them or you. Because… you are… something else, aren’t you?”

“Awww, thanks Dee. I know, I am something else.” 

He couldn’t see it, but he just knew that Optimus was giving him that annoyingly endearing smile of his. Dee didn’t return it.

Sensing that Dee was not in the mood for his nonsense, Optimus let out a small noise. “Yeah, I’m not Cybertronian. We’re not Cybertronian. It’s… it’s a long story.” 

“I’m not going anywhere.” Dee rolled his optics, pressing deeper into the chair. Even if he wanted to - and he did - he couldn’t go anywhere without that presence following him. 

“Not that I’d let you.”

“What?”

“What?” Optimus stared back before quickly moving on, “You know how the Primes were mythical beings that Primus created and they watch over all of Cybertron? Well… that’s what the Senate wanted everyone to believe. No Cybertronian would feel safe if they knew the truth.”

“What truth?” Slowly, the pain began to disappear, though his frame still ached. The presence still lingered over him but it no longer threatened to have him fall into emergency stasis.

“The Cybertronians worship Primus, how do you think they’d react if they knew that their perfect god made mistakes?” While Optimus sounded amused, he could almost sense a layer of hurt in the other mech’s voice. “The Primes were one of his first creations. He… didn’t like how they turned out. Too many optics. Too large. Too small. Too molten. Too wire-y. The current Cybertronians that populate Cybertron today are what he considered his perfected creations.”

He’d heard Pax lecture before. He’d always held a tone of indifference, as if there was a layer between what he was stating and what he truly felt. Here, Dee could tell that Optimus wasn’t speaking based off of a database.

“So the Primes, unwanted—” Optimus rolled his optics. “Went into stasis after a few cycles of being hunted down by the senate.”

Dee thought back to the lake, to where Megatronus Prime was, and shuddered. “You woke him up though.”

“Temporarily.” Optimus insisted, “I had to return you to your creators. You shouldn’t even have been in Iacon!”

“You’re here.” Dee raised a servo, pointing an accusatory digit at him. “What? You can break the rules, but I can’t?”

“My carrier is here.” Dee really wished he could see through the darkness, because he needed to see Optimus’ face. He couldn’t tell if the other mech was lying.

“Here? I don’t remember seeing any of those mythical Primes here, Optimus.” Dee couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice. “I think I would remember if I saw some thing —”

He bit his glossa, pain shooting through his processor as the presence bore down on him again. He reset his optics and as he curled even deeper into himself, he felt servos reach out for him, slipping beneath him.

Dee didn’t have the capacity to protest as he felt Optimus shift him into his arms, carrying him deeper into the office. He pressed his helm against the other’s chassis, praying that he didn’t purge his tanks because that would really be the worst. 

He heard the hiss of door panels opening and light flooded his optics as Optimus carried him into an adjoining room. Gently, he felt himself be placed down on a table before the other mech walked back into the office. After a few kliks, Optimus came back with the plush chair, carrying it with ease.

As Dee’s optics adjusted to the light, he realized that… Optimus looked differently.

He felt nauseous as he noticed the unprotected cables that came out from the other mech’s frame, the wires slithering along the floors and walls as if connecting themselves to the wall.

He had accepted that Optimus wasn’t a normal Cybertronian but to see a glimpse of what he really was…

Dee didn’t think his processor could handle it.

Placing the chair down by a large holo-display of Cybertron’s map, Optimus came back towards him, carefully lifting him up. Then he was back on the chair, the pressure disappearing as the presence stopped haunting him again.

Dee glanced up as Optimus tapped against the map.

“The Primes went into stasis and the senate covered them up.” Optimus gave him a soft smile, gesturing around them. “The Iaconian Archives is Alpha Trion, my carrier.”

Dee reset his optics, static bursting from his voice box. “WHAT?”

Optimus pointed to another location. “The lake - Tronus Lake as most mechs call it - where I threw you? That’s where Megatronus Prime resides. The mountain, or you know as they call it Prime Mountain? That’s where Prima Prime is, he’s your sire and he’s here… Sort of. Watching over you.”

Dee could hardly keep up as Optimus began to list down places, some that Dee knew from lessons he’d been taught as a sparkling about some of the more famous places in Cybertron, and which Prime resided or was that place.

Mostly, Dee was still stuck on what Optimus had said about who his creators were.

He’d known that Terminus had adopted him, even when he was just a sparkling. It was the strangest story. When the Iaconian Orphanage had taken him in, they said he had been found by one of the mines near… Tronus Lake. A miner had found a crying sparkling and had taken him back to Iacon. Nobody could pinpoint who his creators were so he was placed in the orphanage where eventually Terminus adopted him.

Was he really…?

That explained a lot.

“...And the statue that’s the heart of Iacon? That’s Zeta Prime. He’s my sire. I visit him sometimes but unlike my carrier I can’t talk to him.” There was a sadness in Optimus’ voice as he finished, his blue optics casting down to the ground. “But… thanks to you, maybe I can.”

“Huh?” Slowly, he realized that the presence that had followed him from the lake was completely gone. His frame still ached and he doubted he’d be able to make it a few pedesteps if he were to run right now.

“I didn’t think this would happen, but thanks, Megatron!” The other mech approached him, wires slithering forward with him that he couldn’t help but lean back. Optimus didn’t seem to notice his fear as he leaned closer, grabbing Dee’s servo in his own. “I really only meant to return you to your creators, but I guess a part of you just didn’t want to go into stasis, huh?”

“Optimus, what are you talking about?” He tightened his grip on the other, realizing now in the light that even as those digits began to dent underneath his hold, Optimus’ face didn’t seem to show any pain. 

If Megatronus Prime was a… merformer… What was Alpha Trion?

What was Optimus?

“So, and this is really cool, on Prime Mountain there’s a small lake on it. It’s really cool, it’s a lake inside a mountain inside of a larger lake!” Optimus laughed, as if he thought Dee would find this interesting. “Alpha Trion said that Prima and Megatronus designed it that way because you were supposed to be in that lake. He… doesn’t know how you got out of that lake but I guess you must really hate being in stasis, huh? I get it, nearly got mechnapped myself when I was a sparkling because I refused to stay in the walls with—”

There was… a lot of information that Dee needed to unpack from that but he could think about it when his processor wasn’t still hurting and when Optimus actually answered his question. He let the other mech’s servo go, reaching up to grasp Optimus by the shoulder pads. He shook him hard, “What. Are. You. Talking. About?!”

Optimus shook his helm, optics resetting as if he was just remembering what Dee had asked. 

He hated that it was a trait of his that he still found endearing.

The mech tried to drown him but Dee still found him endearing.

Primus above he hated himself.

“You woke up Prima.” The other mech admitted softly, he turned his helm to the side, and they both watched as the rust storm outside slowly began to end. Dee should feel relieved but… something about it made his spark churn inside his chassis. “Megatronus Prime can’t go on the surface. Unlike you, he’s unable to transform into a form that can walk. He must miss you. I know my carrier would be upset if I were to go too far from him.”

“What does that mean?” Dee felt like he already knew the answer.

“Well…” Optimus tilted his helm to the side. “Prima has to come get you now. Alpha Trion says that Prima gets very emotional, and the strength of his emotions alone are capable of awakening the other Primes…”

Optimus grinned, as if sharing good news.

“It’s really exciting, isn’t it, Megatron?”

[quillneriine]

To Love and to Lose, To Lose and to Save

Megatron knows he killed Orion Pax, and alongside him, D-16. The thing that comes back is not the conjunx he loved. Meanwhile, Optimus would just really like to help Dee heal.

I love Shattered Glass so much, they are my favorite and I enjoy making them suffer lmao.

So, for some context, this takes place after the events of the movie. I don't have a fleshed out SG TF:One AU, but I will be sharing some headcanons I have for it at the end notes (in Ao3 but tell me if you want me to post it here on Tumblr too) because it might help add more context to this fic, plus any other future Shattered Glass fanfics that I write since I will generally be following these headcanons.

Additionally, I really love the whole idea that Megatron doesn't see Optimus Prime as Orion Pax. Like, he genuinely thinks Orion died and Optimus is some random mech/the matrix controlling Orion's frame. I just think it's juicy. So, that's the premise of this whole fic. He's just in denial.

Anyway, hope you like this!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64174636

It felt strange to hear the trickle of energon in his audials.

As though in a daze, Megatron carefully sat down by the edge of the river, pressing his leg struts closer to himself as his optics trailed after the slow crawl of the energon. A few stellar cycles ago, he had been on the surface and the ground had been lifeless - the life source in which all Cybertronians depended on had been locked away by a god who had taken offense to the loss of his Primes.

He would never forget their ill-fated journey on the surface, even if it felt like another lifetime ago. He remembered the train, the crash, the Primes’ cave… He remembered how strange it had felt to be so free - far from the darkness of the underground mines. At some points during it all, he thought he could reach up and touch the stars themselves. How long had he dreamt of one day going on an off-world expedition, to fly far away from the confines of the mines?

How strange everything felt after it all…

A few stellar cycles ago, he had been D-16.

He… it didn’t feel right that in such a short amount of time, he had lost so much.

Wrong as it was, he almost missed being a miner. It may have been dangerous but… it was all he knew. It was all he had known.

Now… who even was he?

His servo reached out, shaking as energon slipped between his digits as easily as Pax’s hand had when he had let go.

He pulled back immediately, pressing his servo to his chassis as if burned.

He didn’t deserve this. No matter how much the High Guard lectured him that it wasn’t a matter of whether he was deserving or not, but rather survival. How could he ever look at energon - the one that flowed so freely now - and forget what he’d lost so this could be achieved?

He reset his optics, the darkness of the lunar cycle was not enough for him. He pressed his helm to his knee joints, hoping that somehow by doing so, he could almost pretend he knew what Pax had felt - falling into that abyss. He wished he knew. He wished that Pax had died long before the light above him disappeared. 

Megatron could only wish he had died with the light being the last thing he saw.

It was all he could do to stop being so haunted.

He didn’t need a ghost living in his processor and in his spark.

“Dee~”

Not when that thing existed in the physical world.

��

Optimus let out a soft vent, feeling the Matrix jump alongside his spark as he caught the glimpse of a familiar white frame.

Primus truly did adore him.

At first, he’d been irritated that the Matrix had refused to give him any klik of recharge. Instead, it seemed to pull him to come up to the surface of Cybertron, encouraging him even. 

If he had known that Primus was trying to help him claim his conjunx back, he would have put up less of a fight.

He made his way confidently towards the other mech, his pedes loud enough that Dee would have been able to hear him if he hadn’t heard him speak up. Cute as his conjunx was when startled, Optimus didn’t want to scare him on this lunar cycle. The surface was dangerous and Dee was sitting by the edge of a river. He didn’t know how good fliers were at swimming, but he didn’t want to take the risk.

He had only made it a few pedesteps before the whirr of a cannon stopped him. Optimus’ optics narrowed, his smile never wavering as he stared down the barrel of an oh so familiar weapon.

“Dee~ That’s no way to greet your conjunx.” His servo twitched by his side, but he kept himself from lunging. He didn’t want to startle Dee. “Our last goodbye was so explosive, do we really need to make this our new way of greeting each other?”

For a moment, a flicker of confusion crossed Dee’s blue optics as he stared up at him. Then his face grew steely, his dermas setting into a snarl as he continued to charge the cannon. “It doesn’t have to be. Get out of my sight, Prime.”

Optimus frowned behind the battle mask, sending a manual code to unlatch it to show Dee just how much that hurt.

At the sight of his entire face, Dee’s frame seemed to lock up, his wings tensing behind him as if he wanted nothing more than to flee. Gently, Optimus reached for the side of the cannon, gripping it in his servos.

“That hurt, Dee.” He didn’t care if Dee interpreted his words to mean the cannon, and well getting shot did hurt but… it had been Primus’ will. 

At first, when Dee had shot him to keep him from killing Sentinel, Optimus had been angry. He knew Dee had done it by accident. A warning shot gone wrong. Now he saw that it had only been Primus’ will that it had to happen that way. If Dee hadn’t shot him, he wouldn’t have fallen into the Well and met Primus. How else would he have become Prime? It was only fitting, after all, that the mech who would help Orion Pax ascend would be the mech he loved the most. Dee had helped him become who he was meant to be.

Now, he just needed to help Dee.

“Don’t. Don’t call me that.” Dee’s blue optics narrowed, the cannon trying to shift away from Optimus’ hold but he held on. This was the closest he had been to Dee in stellar cycles. Which was unfair. They had never spent a singular stellar cycle apart before. “D-16 is gone. There is only Megatron.”

“Is that what the High Guard has been telling you?” He began to pull at the cannon, keeping his optics trained on Dee’s face. The other mech struggled, feeling himself be pulled forward as Optimus tried to close the gap between them. He had to thank Dee for choosing this location. He had nowhere else to go. If he backed up, he’d fall right into the river. “I read from the archives that Shockwave used to be a scientist before the empurata… and Soundwave, oh, he’s an outlier, isn’t he? Did they scramble your processor, sweetspark?”

This close, he could see the new changes that the transformation cog had done to Dee’s face. His cheekplates were more angular, and the helm had pressed closer to the faceplate. Yet underneath all that, it was still his Dee. Even with the helm having turned black, or the addition of a beautiful pair of blue wings on the back of his frame, this was still the mech that Optimus loved. He would have gotten closer, but the cannon got in the way.

He let out a frustrated growl, tightening his grip to leave enough of a dent. 

“Unsummon it.”

—

Megatron cursed internally as the cannon disappeared back into his arm. A part of him - the part of D-16 that still lived on - incapable of refusing an order from Pax, even if this thing wasn’t Pax, it still looked close enough like him that his processor was conflicted.

He hated that D-16 still lived on, when Pax didn’t.

Instead, all that had come back was a monster who wore his frame.

The thing grinned.

If it had been Pax, he would have smiled back.

Instead, he stood frozen as it leaned closer. He could feel the heat of the other’s venting against his dermas as a servo reached to cup his cheekplate. 

“That’s better.” That thing purred, amusement in its voice as he stared him right in the optics. As if it knew how much it upset him to see Pax’s frame defiled this way. “Isn’t this better, Dee?”

He gritted his denta, trying to push down the part of him that wanted to cry. 

This wasn’t Pax.

Pax was dead.

D-16 had killed him.

“What do you want, Prime?” He kept his gaze trained on the imposter’s optics. The red so unlike his Pax’s yellow. It made it easier for him to remember that this wasn’t Pax. No matter how much “love” showed in this thing’s stare, it wasn’t real. It wasn’t the same. It can’t be the same.

“Fine, if you insist on calling me ‘Prime,’ at least add ‘my’ before it.” It chuckled, as if this was all a game. “Your Prime… I like the sound of that. Me being yours, you being mine.”

He resisted the urge to summon his cannon. He’d let it get too close. It would be no use now to summon his weapon.

Much to his horror, after that declaration, the thing had moved closer, as if it planned to—

He felt the press of dermas against his own before rage consumed his processor and spark.

With a guttural scream, he slammed his helm against the other’s, pain shooting through his HUD, but it didn’t hurt as much as the betrayal his entire system felt.

Not only had he killed Pax.

He’d let that… that thing that stole his frame just kiss him!

He didn’t realize he was still screaming until servos were latching onto his arms.

—

Optimus let out a yelp, clutching at his helm as he felt the trickle of energon against his face.

He forgot how strong Dee could be if he really put his processor to it.

Dismissing the small warning pop-up in his HUD, he turned back to his conjunx, a little annoyed that Dee was acting so hard to get.

The sight that greeted him made his spark nearly offline again.

Dee had buried his face in his servos, his digits splayed out against his white faceplates as wide blue optics stared into nothing. He had hunched slightly over, as if his frame was about to enter into emergency stasis. 

What scared Optimus most of all was the screaming.

The sight of this reminded him too much of when he’d come back. No longer Orion Pax, but so much more.

There was glory and pride in becoming Prime, but admittedly, his first sight as Prime hadn’t been a pretty one.

He’d come back, ready to bring Iacon to a new golden age of Primes, to the sight of his conjunx having a breakdown at the edge of where he had fallen as Pax. He didn’t even have time to ask the other mech what was wrong before the High Guard were on him, trying desperately to fight him like the traitorous mechs they had shown themselves to be. By the time he’d rip one of them into pieces, Dee had been flown away by Starscream himself.

Optimus had been trying to get him back ever since.

His conjunx was clearly damaged, and being with the High Guard wasn’t doing him any favors.

He gently reached out, grasping the other’s arms as he tried to pull Dee into an embrace. 

Optimus never liked it when Dee was upset.

Even as Orion Pax.

Sure, he loved it when Dee would pout, and even shed a few tears at times but…

He never wanted him to hurt.

Holding him close, Optimus ran a servo against the other mech’s back, letting the digits reach out to touch his wings. With his other servo, he pressed mech’s helm closer to his chassis. Whenever one of them was upset, they always tried to comfort each other by pressing the other’s helm to their chassis, close enough to hear the spark whirr - an assurance that they would always be there for each other. 

“I’m here, Dee. I’m right here.”

—

He didn’t know how long it was until he regained enough strength to lift his helm from that cold chestplate.

His frame was shuddering, mostly from the meltdown that his system just went through and was currently coming out of, but also from how cold it felt to be so close to the Matrix.

Because there wasn’t a spark in there.

And if there was, it wasn’t the spark he loved anymore.

Megatron let out a shaky vent, unable to move as he was caged within the thing’s arms, and he could feel digits against his wingplates - sending sharp bursts of pain through his system.

Knockout said the pain would go away soon. His wings were only extremely sensitive because he’d been cogless for the majority of his life and they needed to adjust to being free for the first time.

Of course, that thing was taking advantage of this fact.

“You already took his frame…”

Why did you have to take this away from me too?

D-16 had only ever loved Orion Pax. 

If Megatron didn’t know any better, he could say it was simply in his programming to love him and no other bot.

The thing must know that. Is that why it took great pleasure in kissing him? Because it knew it was something he would never be able to do with Pax again?

“What?” It slowly let go of him, but there was still a grip on his wingplate that only seemed to tighten - sending warning pop-ups through his HUD as his system registered the spike of pain.

“Enough of your games, Prime. Don’t you have a city to rule? What would your beloved god do if he knew you were wasting time tormenting a waste of scrap like me?” He snarled, wishing he could push it away from him. He couldn’t though. Not with it holding his wing. “Do you enjoy this? Enjoy watching me suffer? Why not offline me now and be done with this? You see the High Guard and I as a threat to your rule, why prolong this when you could end it now?”

Megatron didn’t want to die. No mech really did, and he was no coward. He knew the Prime couldn’t be allowed to continue ruling over Iacon. 

From the few reconnaissance missions that Soundwave had sent the Casseticons on, it was clear this thing was enforcing the old system - back when the Primes used to rule.

Life under Sentinel was horrible, but it was nothing compared to the horrors Cybertronians had experienced during the Primes’ reign.

He’d heard enough stories from Starscream to last him several cycles.

“Waste of scrap? Dee, you know you’re so much more than that.” It frowned, its free servo cupping his cheekplate again. “Even free you still hold onto what you’ve learned during Sentinel’s rule… It’s the High Guard, isn’t it? It’s okay, Dee. I won’t let them continue harming you this way. Listen to yourself… They really did a number on you, huh? Don’t worry, once I have you back in Iacon, I’m getting you the best mnemosurgeon.”

It even dared to pretend to care. Megatron let out a sharp vent, resetting his optics. 

This was a ploy.

It only wanted him to believe it so it could prolong the torture.

“I am not a fool.” He let out through gritted dentae. He wished he hadn’t snuck out of the High Guard’s base this lunar cycle. He would have gladly wasted joors unable to recharge in berth than deal with this thing trying to trick him. “You may wear his face. You may use his frame. But don’t think I would fall for your tricks. I know my Pax, and you are not him.”

Because he knew Orion Pax.

The Orion Pax who he loved so much… who he still loves.

The Orion Pax he killed.

If Pax had come back, he wouldn’t be acting this way.

No. His Pax would have been angry.

D-16 had shot him and no matter how much Pax may have loved him, he wouldn’t have taken that betrayal lightly.

This thing thought that by acting sweet he’d get him to cave but it was wrong.

Because he knew Pax.

And the Pax he knew would never have forgiven him.

—

“What?” 

He could hear the borderline hysterics in his own laughter as Dee’s words registered in his processor.

Primus, how bad was the damage in his conjunx’s processor?!

He replayed their entire interaction, dissecting every word the other had spoken.

Calling him Prime… He was already refusing to believe that he was Pax from the start.

The anger and accusations… He clearly thought Optimus was here to hurt him.

Calling himself Megatron… A clear attempt to distance his own self from D-16.

And then he did laugh, a loud amused noise that probably wasn’t helping his case, but the realization of it all was so funny that he couldn’t help himself.

Sure, he didn’t like to see the extent of the damage on Dee’s processor, but still.

Dee thought he was someone else.

And he was even attempting to believe himself to be someone else too!

Optimus laughed, trying desperately to vent.

Then it died down, leaving him disturbed as the reality came crashing down on him.

Dee… really needed help.

He dropped his servo from the other mech’s face, reaching behind to hold onto the other’s wing. He pulled Dee closer until they were faces nearly touching again, hoping that the other could see how much he cared and loved for him through his optics. 

“Dee, it’s me. I’m right here—”

“Stop. Lying.” Blue optics glared at him, his conjunx’s frame uncomfortably stiff even as he pressed closer to Optimus’ frame, as if he was trying to escape the hold on his wings. Optimus held on tighter - enough so that he could almost feel the wingplates dent underneath his digits. He couldn’t let Dee fly away, especially now that he knew the extent of the damage. Those optics narrowed, his conjunx letting out a hitched vent as if he was in pain.

“I’m right here.”

To prove it, he let go of one wing and grabbed the other mech’s servo, pressing it against his chassis so that Dee could feel the familiar whirr of his spark. 

He waited.

But Dee’s expression didn’t change.

If anything, his frame only shook harder and disgust filled his optics as he turned his gaze down - as if he couldn’t recognize Optimus’ spark anymore.

The Matrix thrummed in agony alongside his spark.

“You… you really think I’m someone else, don’t you?” 

He could hear static at the edge of his voice, the pain of it hitting him fully as he lowered his helm.

He thought getting shot was the worst agony of his life.

But this…

His own conjunx couldn’t even recognize him.

How could it have gone so wrong in the span of a few stellar cycles?

He’d gained so much, had gained freedom, and yet he had lost the one mech he had wanted to share that freedom with so badly.

Optimus let out a shaky vent, letting the other mech go as he lowered his arms to his side. He expected the other to run, to transform and fly from his grasp but he stood there.

He looked up, almost missing the dents he had left on the other’s wings.

“I’m… so sorry, Dee.”

He didn’t know if he was apologizing for the wings, or for being late.

Optimus would never blame Primus for taking his time. He had granted Orion Pax the power to be free, and he would never go against his god.

No, the fault was entirely his.

He should have been quicker to dispatch those High Guard traitors when they attacked him.

He should have been faster to get to his conjunx, to get him to a medic or mnemosurgeon.

Now Dee was confused to the point he couldn’t even recognize his own conjunx’s spark.

Carefully, he reached for the other’s servos, clasping it as he fell to one knee. It did not fill him with shame.

Dee was the only mech he would ever let himself kneel down to.

He’d gladly kneel down to the only mech he had ever loved.

“I should have been there for you. I should have been there to wipe away the pain, but I wasn’t because—” No, blaming the High Guard was only deflecting the blame. Optimus shook his helm, staring deep into his conjunx’s optics as if by doing so he could somehow get into the other’s processor and reach out to the D-16 that he loved. “I should have been there. You must be suffering so much.”

“Stop. Please.” Dee tore his gaze away, helm turning up towards the starry sky. Even in the darkness though, Optimus could see that the other mech was holding back his tears.

“No! I won’t until you remember me, remember us.” He held onto the other’s servo tighter, trying to spark the warmth they had shared the first time they’d ever held each other. The first time they started the Conjunx Ritus. “I won’t stop until you remember yourself.”

The other was shaking, his processor clearly trying to fight Optimus’ words of assurance. He was no mnemosurgeon, but from what he had read in the archives, Optimus knew that the processor would fight hard to protect the entire system if it underwent a lot of trauma. This was only a natural response. Dee’s processor couldn’t accept what Optimus was promising that it was trying desperately to not listen.

He stood up, and that action had the other mech lurching back, nearly falling into the river before Optimus quickly caught him. With one servo still holding onto Dee’s, and the other splayed protectively over the back of his frame, Optimus held onto him. 

Optimus would never let Dee fall.

“I’m sorry I let this happen.” He pressed his face against the other, close to Dee’s spark. He could feel the familiar thrum underneath the other’s chassis, and Optimus never felt so at home. He wished Dee could remember this feeling.

Dee was lost but Optimus will help him come home.

“I have you now. It’s okay.” He held onto his conjunx tighter, a promise that nothing would ever tear them apart again.

Not Sentinel.

Not the High Guard.

Not even death.

Optimus won’t allow it.

“I’ll save you.”

[quillneriine]

The Burning (Sole Survivor Prima AU Divergence Fanfic)

In one universe, D-16 chooses to go to his work shift in the Iaconian Archives despite drowning in the grief of his loss. In this universe, he let himself process the grief, and fate punishes him for it. Otherwise known as, A Sole Survivor Prima AU Divergence where D-16 meets Prima much earlier than in the actual AU.

I did it skskks

I have finally finished and… well, hope you enjoy this I am going to cleanse my mind now skskks

So, same as before, this is an AU where Prima survived Sentinel's attempt to assassinate all the Primes and comes back as the sole ruler of Iacon. D-16 is Primatronus' sparkling here because I said so and this is essentially a divergence from the original AU on how Prima actually met D-16.

Also sorry, I won't be posting the fic on this post because it's... 10k words and I don't know if that's going to break something if I attempt to put 10k words sksksk. So yeah here's the link to the fic, remember to heed the tags, and hope you like it!

Ao3 Link: