There was a strange silence in the base. Usually the soft hum of working systems filled the corridors as a background, but now it seemed as if the sound had been swallowed up by the night itself. You stood by the huge window, which opened up to a view of the darkening city, dotted with lights. The faint flickering of the lamps reflected in your optics, making them cold, as if cast from ice.

Optimus stopped at the entrance. His massive figure cast a shadow, but he was in no hurry to enter the room. He simply stood, looking at you. Every curve of your silhouette, every millimeter of stillness disturbed him. You did not breathe deeply, did not move, as if you were a statue.

It seemed to him that he was looking into the past - at how many Autobots once lost themselves, changed from within, until there was nothing left in their gaze except darkness.

"I ..." — his voice was hoarse, as if he had been silent for a long time and suddenly decided to speak. — "I'm afraid that one day I will lose you, not on the battlefield. But here. When you stop being yourself..."

You turned your head slowly, and your eyes met. His bright, anxious optics and yours, reflecting the light of the city. He searched for the familiar warmth in them, the spark that always kept him from becoming completely bitter. But now, for a split second, he did not see it.

Optimus's spark seemed to prick.

He stepped closer. The heavy metal under his steps echoed loudly in the floor. His hand rose slowly, carefully, and fell on your shoulder. The grip was stronger than he intended - there was panic in the pressure, a desire to hold on, not to let you slip away.

"I have already lost too much..." — his voice broke into a whisper. — "I cannot bear to lose you like this. If the war takes you not in body, but in soul."

He leaned closer, his forehead almost touching yours. His gaze became even more intense, and it read: he was ready to rush at the enemy, ready to stand up to anyone - but not against the thought of losing you.

The silence was oppressive. In the room, only the light hum of your energy flow and Optimus's intermittent breathing were heard.