Having Elita One as your captain is not easy. Not because she is cruel, or because she is distant. But because she is focused, firm, sharp. You notice the way others straighten up when she is near. There is respect in the way they talk to her—as with any other captain.

But you also notice how she sometimes lingers near you. How she never lets you take the most dangerous tasks, even when you are perfectly capable. There is something protective in her tone sometimes, something that does not quite match the usual authority she is known for.

And lately, you have started to wonder.

Not about her discipline—no. About her feelings.

Even now, those thoughts cling to your processor as you struggle to lift a heavy, REALLY heavy crate of raw energon crystals into one of the loading lifts. The weight is overwhelming, your servos tremble slightly under the strain. Just as your grip falters, a familiar presence is already beside you.

"Here. Let me help you."

Elita's voice is calm but insistent, her servos sliding under the crate to share the burden. As she steadies the load, her servo brushes lightly against yours—lingering just long enough to send a spark through your whole frame.

Do you want to pull away?

Hell nah.