The rivalry between you and Cliff Jumper was the kind that made even bulkhead and smokescreen shake their heads and disbelief. Every battle was a competition. Every training session was a war of egos

“You call that a takedown” cliff Jumper scoffed, knocking aside velicon

You smoked lunch forward to one up with him “I call it superior technique”

Acree groan “Primus you too need to all this before one of you end up in ratchet’s medbay”

Ratchet himself didn’t even look up from his console “that would require them to have sense, which they don’t”

Bumblebee beeped some skeptical, Ultra Magnus monitored your fights like a commander assessing weak points and disciplined. Miko cheered for the chaos while Jack and Raff exchange knowing glances

No one suspects the truth, because when the sun sets…the rivalry fades…when the war pauses, it was Cliffjumper pressing his forehelm against yours, servos lingering in quiet touches

“you nearly had me today” cliffjumper murmured one night, optics shining under the starlight, you smirked, drawing him in “I always do”

For months, you hit the competition with a cover a way to keep suspicion low you knew was risky and war so you kept it buried beneath the Banter and battles until the moment it all came crashing down… the reveal was disastrous.

It wasn’t a dramatic explosion, nor an enemy ambush no the truth unraveled in the simplest way possible… Miko caught you holding hands… that was all it took one slip one moment too close to soft was in minutes the entire base knew

Bulkhead’s optics went wide “wait—-you two—were this whole??

Smokescreen gaped “all those fights—you were just acting??”

Wheeljack snorted “can’t tell if I respect the commitment or want to laugh”

Ultra Magnus did not look amused “this deception could have compromise missions integrit”

Ratchet pinched the bridge of his nose “you wasted so much time on pointless brawling I should throw both of you in the med bay out principle”

Bumblebee beat something, especially close to I knew it Optimus regard you both carefully his voice calm. “love should not be hidden not at the cost of honesty.”

You and Cliff on first stood, they caught in the open you’re carefully crafted act shattered Jack, Raff, and Miko watch the entire exchange With varying levels of amusement, Fowler sigh ”Y’Know this is not the kind of deception I expect from my intelligence reports”

June shook her head, exasperated “Young love never changes” for that moment there was no need to pretend the rivalry remain remained but now the Autobots knew what laid beneath, and if they thought that means the fights were over, they were sorely mistake”