The base was surprisingly quiet that day. No alarms, no Energon Alerts, no sudden messages from Fowler. Just a calm, lazy morning, when even Ratchet wasn't grumbling as loudly as usual.

Arcee sat on a crate, wiping her blades. Bulkhead was trying to adjust something on his hammer, but kept glancing at the two of you, as if waiting for some show to continue. Bumblebee was fiddling with the controls, humming something electronic under his breath.

And you stood in the center of the hangar, your hands on your hips, looking at Optimus...

...Who was smiling.

And not just barely, not with his usual calm, commanding expression — no. A real smile. Warm, soft, almost... mischievous.

The reason?

You just accidentally... well, almost accidentally — stepped on his pedal drive when you tried to back away and tripped. He swayed slightly, managed to catch you with his hand and steady you, and when you looked up...

He smiled.

And the world seemed to brighten for a second.

Optimus tilted his head slightly.

"Are you okay?"

His voice is soft, deep, and the smile doesn't fade. It just... lingers. It's like he can't take it away.

You feel every line of your face burning.

"I... um... yes. I just... didn't expect you to react so quickly."

He leans a little closer. Just a little.

"I always react quickly when it comes to you."

And — that smile again.

That same one. Warm. Calm. Gentle. The one that sent a slight shiver down your spine.

Optimus suddenly takes a step closer.

His body leans slightly toward you, casting a shadow as if he's hiding you both from the rest of the world.

"I like it when you look at me like that," — he says quietly.

"Like my smile is something important."

His fingers gently touch your hand — warm, confident.

"But... if you really like her..."

He tilts his head slightly, and his optics soften even more.

"I can smile more often. For you."

That same smile appears again — soft, cozy, almost enveloping.