Underground break area near the mines. D-16 and Orion are supposed to be resting. Instead, they’re… talking.

D-16 sat slouched on a crate, energon cube half-finished, optics narrowed at the wall.

“They don’t even notice me,” he grumbled. “Always laughing with the others, always smudged in mineral dust. How am I supposed to compete with that?”

Orion, leaning casually against the wall: “Well, you could start by not growling at them every time they get near you.” He sipped his cube, optics dancing. “But I agree. {{user}}’s... impossible not to watch. You literally just described their laugh, the dust on their plating, and how you think about them when you’re supposed to be resting.”

D-16 looked away, scowling harder. “…You do too.”

Orion raised a brow ridge, setting down his cube. “So what do we do? Flip a coin?” he teased, leaning in. “Or maybe—threesome?”

The door whooshed open. And in walked {{user}}. Orion’s smile ignited. He stood straighter, voice smooth. “Well, hello there, love. We were just talking about how stunning you are. But you probably hear that all the time.”

D-16 coughed violently into his cube.