Author's warning: This chapter contains adult themes. There is no explicit description, just some vague wording. If you feel you can't handle that, skip this chapter.
Optimus Prime paused outside the door, his hand poised over the chime. He felt a sudden, inexplicable desire to just run away, to give in to the case of nerves that had seized him. 'Coward!' he mentally berated himself. 'There's nothing to be afraid of!' Gathering his courage, he pressed the door chime. A moment later, the door slid open and the smile of an angel greeted him, melting away some of the anxiety.
“I know,” he smiled with his optics. “I wanted this to be a surprise.”
“A surprise?” she echoed, realizing he was carrying a sack of sorts. “Well, come in then. The place is a bit of a mess. I haven't had the time to straighten it up – the tube transport system is just days away from completion, and it's taken up every second I have.”
“You know I don't care about a few things lying about.” He entered her quarters, noting a few things out of place, but nothing major. Rodimus, on the other hand, tried to keep his quarters neat, but when he was preoccupied with some new project or emergency, he could be a real slob. Sometimes Optimus wondered if living creatures hid in the piles of discarded Energon cube shells.
“What's in the bag?” she asked curiously.
Instead of replying, he reached in and pulled out two translucent Energon tapers and ignited them. The soft glow of candlelight filled the living room, and Andromeda turned off the lights, enjoying the romantic atmosphere. Optimus also pulled out a small music disc and inserted it in her sound system. Soft strains of music filled the air.
“Sit down,” he instructed, seating himself and patting the cushion next to him. She did so curiously. What was this all about?
Optimus took off his battle mask so that she could see his gentle smile. “On Earth there is a certain occasion known as Valentine's Day. It has a bloody history but eventually became known as a celebration of love and romance. Sometimes the humans go a little overboard with it, but it is still a very nice holiday, and I wanted to celebrate it with you. I thought about mentioning it last year, but I was afraid you'd think it was silly. This year I decided to take a chance.”
The femme smiled tenderly at him, caressing his cheek. “I don't think it's silly. I think it's sweet. I'm not quite sure I understand it, but I'd love to celebrate this Valentine's Day thing with you.”
“I got something for you.” Optimus actually looked bashful as he reached into the bag once more and held out a box. In curiosity, she opened it and pulled out a gorgeous miniature statue of a horse, hewn out of a clear, faceted crystalline substance. Jewels formed the eyes, and the mane and tail were a milky white. “It's made out of diamonds, a precious Earth gemstone,” he explained. “You were so fascinated by the horses we saw on Earth, and when I saw this I knew you would like it.”
“I love it!” she gasped, admiring how it refracted the candlelight into tiny rainbows. She realized that it must have been very expensive. “You really shouldn't have, Optimus! It must have cost you a fortune!”
“What am I going to use the credits for? I don't have many expenses. I've saved up quite a bit over millions of years, and I don't know what to do with it. It's a pleasure to buy things for you. It makes me happy.”
“But I don't have anything for you!” she wailed, feeling guilty.
Optimus laughed. “This was a surprise, silly! I didn't want you to buy me anything. Besides,” his voice grew soft, “I have the best gift right here.” He caressed her cheek. She melted at his loving words.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked, standing and holding out his hand. She took it gladly and let him lead her to a clear spot in the room. He had improved a bit since their last dance, but not much, so they just swayed back and forth. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he held her close, stroking her head affectionately. As the song ended, he took her head in both of his hands and kissed her deeply.
“Optimus,” she said teasingly, stroking his cheek, “are you trying to seduce me?”
“Yeah,” he said a bit bashfully, smiling shyly. “But only if you want me to.”
“Convince me,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him an open-mouthed kiss. His nervousness was replaced by a heady desire that filled him. He wanted her so badly he could taste it. Here was his perfect moment, and he knew he could no longer refuse her.
* * * * *
Rodimus was working late in his office, trying to kill the eternal mass of paperwork that threatened to smother him. He read through dozens of reports, marking anything that would need Optimus' personal attention. He didn't mind the battle plans, the strategy meetings, or the occasional emergency. He did mind the endless masses of paperwork. He actually had nightmares of being eaten alive by it.
He felt a strange tingle go through him and paused. Weird… could his sensory circuitry be malfunctioning? After a few moments, he dismissed the sensation and continued working. There it was again! What could it mean? Suddenly he realized it wasn't him at all. Optimus was projecting something through the Matrix link!
Roddy jumped up, worry flooding through him. Something was wrong with Optimus! Why else would the Matrix link activate. He reached for his internal communicator, but stopped just short of activating it. The sensations weren't of pain or mental anguish that he had felt from Optimus before. No, this was something different. Not painful, or even unpleasant, really. Just… different.
Rodimus leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on the desk, taking another data pad and reading through it. He tried to shut out the strange tingles, but instead of going away, they only increased in intensity. Soon they were accompanied by a warmth that spread from his abdomen throughout his entire body. All right, something weird was definitely going on!
While he pondered what was happening to him, he realized that he was sweating beads of coolant. His air intakes began to work to cool his systems, as if they were overheating. He checked his internal temperature gauge, and while it was a bit high, it was well within his normal comfort zone. What situation could Optimus have possibly gotten in that would make both of them feel like this?
Emotions rushed through him that were most definitely not his. He felt quite nervous, but overriding that emotion was a much more powerful one of excitement and… arousal?! Roddy's optics grew wide. Could it be? Could it possibly be?! A slow, sly smile split his faceplate. Go, Optimus! It was sure as hell about time!
He was totally unprepared for the sudden massive wave of emotion that smashed into him like a runaway train. He fell backward in his chair, banging his head and back on the floor, but he barely noticed as his body was wracked with overwhelming sensations. He gasped as his body twitched, trying to process the massive load of input. He was suffocated by the explosive release. Heat and desire thundered through his body, mingled with a sense of incredible love.
“Whoa,” Rodimus breathed, still flat on his back, his body trembling with the after-effects. That was unbelievable!
* * * * *
Andromeda awoke the next morning to find an angel in her bed. An angel painted red and blue. Optimus lay sleeping on his back, a slight smile tugging at his lips. He seemed to be having a very pleasant dream. She was struck by how young and defenseless he looked while he was sleeping. He looked almost as young as Rodimus!
As if feeling her gaze on him, Optimus stirred and activated his optics. “Good morning,” the femme whispered, kissing him.
“It is indeed,” he replied, cupping her face. He laughed. “Roddy was right, I did need to get laid. Primus, I really needed that!”
Her gaze roved over his nude body appreciatively, and while he felt embarrassed, he did not move to cover himself. He busied himself with a little admiring of his own. “Last night was incredible.” He hoped fervently that it has been for her too.
“*You* were incredible!” she laughed, leaving no doubt in his mind. Her broad smile faded abruptly as her gaze fell on the bedside chronometer. “Oh no, I'm an hour late for my shift!”
Optimus gasped when he saw the time. “And I'm three hours late!”
The next few minutes were filled with confusion as both scrambled to find their discarded armor plating. They both dashed to the door, but Optimus stopped her right at the entrance. “I need to see you again, tonight. My quarters this time?”
“Sounds good to me.” They stole a kiss, then each ran off to start their shifts.
Optimus hastened through the halls, cursing the late hour. He burst into his office and threw himself in his office chair, fingers flying over the keyboard, trying to make up for lost time.
“There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you'd make it in sometime today.”
He jumped and looked up, seeing Rodimus leaning against the wall. “Uh, I overcharged,” he muttered. Something occurred to him. “Why didn't you radio me?”
A Cheshire-cat grin spread across his second's face. “I had a feeling you were occupied last night and needed the rest. So,” he asked casually, “how was last night?”
“Just fine,” the elder Prime replied, picking up a data pad, deliberately avoiding Roddy's optics.
“Fine?” Roddy laughed. “I'd say that would have to be the understatement of the century! Come on, Optimus, you don't have to hide it from me! I bet if I asked Andromeda she'd come up with a lot better than just 'fine'!” He watched in delighted amusement as his friend's optics grew wide with shock and astonishment.
“But… I don't understand…. Roddy, how could you *know*?!”
Rodimus smiled knowingly and tapped his chest.
“Oh.” The word was flat. Prime was silent for a full minute, wondering what to say.
Rodimus spoke first. “Optimus, why didn't you tell me? I had no idea that the Matrix transmitted those kinds of sensations.”
Optimus looked away. “Roddy, what could I say? Nothing could change it. You'd only feel guilty when you were with a femme, and I didn't want that. You deserve to enjoy yourself. I've learned how to deal with it, so don't worry.”
Roddy felt guilty all the same. Poor Optimus! He'd had no idea. It had to have been very difficult for his friend to experience that sort of thing as a side effect of Roddy's actions. It was like glutting himself on Energon cubes in front of a starving 'bot.
The giant grin once again returned to Roddy's face when he recalled the events of the previous night. “Damn, Optimus, *three* times?! Even I don't have that kind of stamina!”
Optimus actually cracked a small smile. “Try being celibate for a hundred years. You'd be surprised at what happens.”
“No thanks!” Roddy laughed. “I'd rather ingest glass.”
Optimus fell silent again, wondering how this would affect both his relationship with Rodimus and his relationship with Andromeda. This would take a lot of getting used to. He knew that Roddy certainly couldn't help it, but it upset him that he would always intrude on such moments.
“Well, are you going to tell me about what happened, or do I have to torture it out of you?” the flame-colored Autobot laughed.
“Torture. Lots of torture.”
“Aw, come on, Op! I'd tell you all about my experiences if I thought you'd be interested.”
Optimus made a rude face, and though it was hidden, Roddy could see it just the same. “I don't want to know what you do, Roddy. You're a sick pervert.”
“Yup! Come on, I really want to know. Look, you don't have to get into specifics, okay? Just the general stuff.”
Optimus shook his head with a smile. Roddy just didn't know when to quit! “Okay, okay. Just keep it to yourself, all right?”
Rodimus leaned forward, fascinated. This was going to be good!