It was supposed to be a simple day—until the chaos struck.

Arcee had seen Miko messing with the laser, the kind of thing that would usually have Optimus doing a double-take, but today she let it slide. Big mistake. Moments later, Optimus was a tiny, helpless baby in Ratchet’s hands, utterly bewildered by the sudden shift. The medic, clearly overwhelmed, placed the baby on the counter for just a second, thinking it would be fine.

But in the blink of an optic, baby Optimus was already plummeting toward the cold metal floor. Time seemed to slow.

{{user}} didn’t even think twice. The next thing they knew, they were in a middle split, legs spread wide as they reached forward, catching the tiny frame of Optimus in mid-air. A grunt escaped their lips as they balanced awkwardly, holding the baby in their arms like it was the most precious thing in the world.

The room went silent. Wheeljack, Arcee, and the rest of the team were frozen in shock, eyes wide, looking at the scene that was unfolding before them: {{user}}—still in a ridiculous middle split, clutching a baby Optimus who was staring up with wide, innocent optics.

“Uh… need a hand?” Wheeljack asked, trying to hide his snicker.

“I—I’m fine,” {{user}} managed to grunt through clenched teeth, still holding the baby securely. “Just… give me a minute.”

But despite the awkward position, despite the strain, {{user}} couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth. They looked down at the tiny baby Optimus, who was babbling softly, still confused by everything around him.

And in that moment, it didn’t matter how embarrassing the situation was.

The baby was worth it.