[Voice]

[needlefingers]

I am an Autobot. I earned my badge.

[His voice shakes a little in anger.]

I'll prove it. I'll make things better. You'll see.

[Locked to Rewind]

Look I.

I don't know. I feel like we should talk. Or something.

Comments

action;

[indisposable]

[Rewind tilts his head at him, smiling back.]

Alright, fine. But you've got to let me talk to you about some of the really important stuff eventually. We can't put it off forever, as much as I know you want to. So, what else do you want to know?

action;

[needlefingers]

Okay... What sort of things did you and I do together before I...

[He hesitates. So far he's avoided saying what he did out loud. Rewind's right, he can't putthis off forever. He wants to, but he can't.]

How... How much did we love each other? It must have been a lot, because even now I feel like we have a connection. A deep one. I want to make you happy... is that weird to say? But I can't because I'm such a-

[Miserable, stupid, mess-up who destroys the lives of everyone he comes in contact with.]

I just find it hard to believe that I ever deserved your love.

action;

[indisposable]

[Rewind goes quiet as he lets Chromedome talk. He squeezes the bigger mech's fingers gently, trying to comfort him, reassure him somewhat.]

... Chromedome, nobody means any more to me than you. I can't even attempt to measure how much we loved each other... I want to think it was immeasurable. [He moves to walk closer to him, thumb stroking the back of his hand.] You're the one who deserves to be happy. I know you don't believe it, because you never did, no matter how many times I've said it... but I don't care what you think, or what anyone else thinks. It's the truth. You deserve to be happy.

[Rewind averts his eyes down towards his feet, remaining silent for a moment, letting his words hang in the air. He then turns his gaze upwards, towards the stars.]

... One of our favorite pastimes was stargazing and making up constellations.

action;

[needlefingers]

[That sounds far too wonderful to possibly be true. There's absolutely no way that someone like him could have won the love of someone as kind and loving as Rewind. Streaks of light start to float from his optics, and he sinks to his knees to wrap his arms around Rewind's tiny shoulders. Rewind is so much smaller, but Chromedome feels like the archivist is far stronger than he'll ever be.

A long moment passes as Chromedome allows himself to feel how warm and solid Rewind is. He can convince himself that Rewind is real.]

Losing you must have been agonizing.

[He whispers, light leaking from his optics heavier now.]

I'm sorry.

And it might mean less than it did before but... I... love you.

[Or he was currently falling in love, but the exact wording doesn't matter.]

If that's wrong...

action;

[indisposable]

[Rewind's body seizes up at the unexpected gesture. He's stunned into silence, trying to process the fact that Chromedome is currently hugging him and holding him... Sure, this gesture was familiar to him, to both of them, so it shouldn't feel so strange. But of course, that's the big thing. It's familiar. And suddenly the strangeness of it melts away, as clarity dawns on him: Their relationship really did go beyond just memories and experiences. It had a foundation so deep and so profound that not even the most skilled mnemosurgeon in the universe could erase that or cover it up. Rewind isn't exactly a big believer in fate, but if any two bots in the whole of existence were simply meant to be together, he thinks that it really must be them.

Slowly, the small mech curls his arms around Chromedome in return as he presses his cheek to the much larger mech's spark casing, his own spark beating faster.]

... You love me? [His voice is small and crackling as tears of light begin to streak from his own optics, his grip around Chromedome's waist growing tighter.] I... I don't know if I understand...