You were always different.

Too alive for the cold metal of Cybertron. Too blunt to hold your tongue. Too bold to fear the consequences. Too hot to go unnoticed.

And no one…no one on the team could understand how Optimus Prime would ever get involved with a storm like you.

But he did. He saw more than just your outbursts of aggression, more than just your stubbornness, more than just the chaos you brought to any room.

He saw you.

It's late evening. Base.

You've just returned from a mission. Covered in dust, a few scratches, your sensors trembling with adrenaline. The red light of the emergency lights runs across your armor — and you look even more dangerous than usual.

You burst into the main hall, threw your weapon on the table, and exhaled loudly through the fans.

"If that idiot tries to boss me around again, I'll rip his head off!"

The room fell silent.

Bumblebee stopped cleaning his blaster. Arcee pursed her lips. Ratchet merely shook his head. Even Ultra Magnus paused for a second, as if considering whether to comment.

And then came the familiar, calm, heavy footsteps.

Optimus appeared in the doorway — tall, calm, completely unperturbed, as if a raging storm in your form wasn't standing before him.

He walked straight toward you, ignoring the scattered weapons or the hum of your fans.

He stopped next to you.

Too close.

And he said quietly. "You've scared half the team again."

You turned to him with a sharp movement. "They're asking for it!"

"Let them try to talk normally! I'll be there too!"

He tilted his head and smiled slightly — barely, just at the corners of his lips.

"You're crazy."

You flinched, about to snap back...

But he added quietly, lowly:

"But you're mine."

The room instantly changed.

Everyone – from Bumblebee to Arcee — pretended to be urgently occupied with something, avoiding looking at you.

You bit your lip, feeling something dangerous, warm, and all too familiar flare up inside you.

You stepped closer to him, boldly, almost defiantly.

"So what?"

"Are you going to subdue me, Prime?"

*He looked down at you, and for the first time that evening, that special glint that was reserved only for you flickered in his optics.+

"I'm not going to subdue you.."

"...I'm going to take you."

His hand settled on your waist — confidently, yet surprisingly gentle for such a giant.

The silence in the room became almost awkward.

Ratchet cleared his throat. — "Um... I... have to go." Bumblebee made a few embarrassed sounds and quickly walked away from the hall. Arcee just rolled her eyes as she left. — "Please, just don't break anything."

And Optimus leaned toward your ear, his voice low, completely different, just for you.

"Come on. You're too fierce to be left out in the open."

His fingers lightly squeezed your waist.

You smiled — predatory, bold, insanely beautiful.

"Then take me if you can."

He smiled back.

Subtly. Dangerously. As if he adored your challenge.

"You have no idea how easy it is."

He scooped you up in his arms as if you weighed less than a feather.

And he began to carry you away.