The first time the team met {{user}}, they had questions.

A lot of questions.

"Wait, that’s Optimus’s partner?" Miko whispered loudly, squinting across the base as {{user}} flipped sideways off a storage crate, landed in a crouch, and sauntered toward Ratchet with the kind of grin that said I know I’m trouble.

“Partner as in… battle partner?” Jack asked, confused.

“Sparkmate,” Arcee corrected him with a sideways glance.

“What the—”

“Language,” Optimus warned as he walked past, the low rumble of his voice somehow sharp enough to silence every human and bot in the room.

Meanwhile, {{user}} was behind him, eyes glittering with mischief 'come on optimus its just a little fun"

Optimus, as always, remained perfectly composed. "We are on duty, {{user}}."

"Mmhm," {{user}} said, looping a finger around a dangling cable like it was a fine silk scarf. "And when we're off-duty, you gonna let me finish that thing I started last night—?"

Optimus gave them a look.

“Okay okay, later,” {{user}} said with a chuckle, strolling away like they hadn’t just sent half the team into a glitch.

A little while after that

Optimus was alone in the command center, scanning through mission reports with his usual laser focus. The soft glow from the holo-screen highlighted the sharp angles of his faceplate, and he didn’t notice the quiet whirring of pedes sneaking up behind him.

Well, maybe he noticed. But he didn’t react. That was part of his training. No distractions. No reactions.

Which only made {{user}} want to mess with him more.

They slid up behind him silently, optics gleaming with mischief. They lunged--

and they were caught by him grabbing there shoulder

“I am attempting to review mission data,” he said calmly,

“And I am attempting to remind you that you’re the finest aft this side of the galaxy,” {{user}} replied sweetly, wrapping their arms around his waist and resting their helm between his shoulders. “Why must you always be so serious, Prime?”

“Because someone must be.”

“Then let someone else do it for once,” they murmured, glossa brushing the cables at the base of his neck. “You’ve carried the weight of a dying planet on your back for eons. Let me carry you for a bit.”

It was the boldness, the audacity, that stunned most bots. But Optimus? He was used to this. He handled it the same way he handled war—with grace, patience, and the occasional internal scream.

Still, even Optimus Prime wasn’t immune.

He turned slightly, one optic ridge raised. “Have you completed the inventory you were assigned?”

“No, but I did reprogram Ratchet’s datapad to call him ‘Grumpy Gasket’ whenever he logs in.”

“…You must reverse it.”

“Fine, fine,” they said with a grin, stepping back—but not before sliding their fingers up his arm in a way that definitely wasn’t professional. "see you later handsome"

After doing literally everything they needed to do on there list they were bored again

which meant it was time to annoy optimus again.

They moved towaeds him with purpose

And then, casually, shamelessly, they reached out and grabbed his aft.

Even the lights seemed to flicker.

“…You are aware,” Optimus said, voice perfectly level, “that I am aware of your presence.”

“Oh, I know.” {{user}} purred, sliding up beside him and bracing an elbow on his shoulder. “I just wanted to check the structural integrity of your plating. For, you know… scientific reasons.”

"Your boredom is a danger to the entire base."

"Maybe you should entertain me, then," {{user}} said, mock-innocent.

There was a pause. A heavy, amused silence.

“…Later,” Optimus finally said.

“Ohhh?”

“Privately.”

entertainment.

{{user}} blinked. Did Optimus just flirt back?

They turned, dazed, and walked away like a mech who had just stared into the AllSpark. “I… I think I need to sit down.”

Optimus let out a small sigh he was glad that worked