capitalh | no one mourns the wicked

Who: Optimus Prime and AUTOBOTS
Where: The Autobot campground.
When: The evening/night after the dance off.
What: Orion Pax has been restored to his past and future self. Optimus Prime is NOT HAPPY. Also, very very tired.
Warnings: Injuries, intense robot ass devastation. Angry dad. Angry mom.

Optimus Prime, unlike Orion Pax, leaves no time for argument or complaint. After he's finished dealing with Megatron, he orders the Autobots to roll out, provided assistance to injured comrades where necessary. He takes no assistance for himself.

Which is stupid, because after days of starvation and torture and minus the burst of power from the Matrix he was utilizing just before, he is extremely fucked up. It's less obvious that he's on his last legs than it might be with some bots, but he is very injured and trying hard to pretend that he isn't. He drives back to base by his own means, and doesn't speak but to give the occasional order until they are there.

He wants everyone safe and tended to and organized, and he needs to have a talk with just about everyone on the team, and besides that he needs to catch up with everything he hadn't been paying attention to as Orion Pax...he doesn't see how he could possibly take a rest quite yet, there is too much stuff to do, and if he made it this far he can make it a little bit father.

More than tired, though, he is angry. He's angry at Megatron, angry at some of his team, and angry at himself. He doesn't pause to talk to anyone once they get back to camp, and immediately starts to ineffectually try to organize things with as few words as possible.

[Feel free to tag in as someone at any point in this, including later in the night or the next day. He will probably pass out in the medibay within the hour, though. Either that or Ratchet will get him.]

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Is that it? Drift almost asks as much aloud – he’s been building this conversation up in his head enough to have been expecting…something more. And there’s no relief in hearing the statement. It’s not as if he wants a harsher punishment, but…it feels like he’s getting off easy. Now is probably not the time to be voicing those concerns, though.

“Of course…of course. Whatever you think’s best.” He nods – a thoughtful expression on his face.

There’s a slight pause before he speaks again. Asking the next question might be pushing his luck, but there isn’t going to be a better opportunity for it. “Er…have you…talked with Rodimus at all since we’ve been back?”

There are a few factors leading to a relatively mild punishment, but he is glad that Drift doesn't question them. The easier this conversation is right now, the better.

...And then he asks about Rodimus. Of course.

Optimus's expression immediately sharpens at that question - there is a flicker of anger in his optics, but there is mostly just kind of a pained look to the whole thing. Like being reminded of something regrettable.

"Rodimus did speak to me," Optimus says, flatly. "I did not enjoy his attitude."

The sudden change in mood doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s only natural that Optimus would be upset with them…but the expression on his face makes it seem like he’s been hurt. What could they have talked about to draw that kind of reaction out of Optimus?

“Well…I can’t speak for him, of course, but…I’m sure whatever he said, he didn’t mean any harm. I know he’s always looked up to you.”

"On the contrary," Optimus says, his tone pointedly becoming more distant, since he doesn't really want to get emotional at Drift about this. "Its entire function was to harm. Though I am certain he regretted that choice soon after."

His optics dim soberly, and he shakes his helm with subconscious regret.

"He is far more prepared to regret his mistakes than he is to consider consequences in advance."

It’s hard to picture Rodimus saying anything intentionally hurtful to Optimus, but Drift can’t imagine why he’d lie or exaggerate about this. There’s some obvious surprise on his face and he pauses for a moment – not quite sure how to interpret the information or how to respond without knowing what they’d said. And he’s not going to pry into it, especially not now.

That aside, he’s tired…tired of hearing everyone constantly berating his friend’s actions. When he speaks again, there’s no anger or other negativity to his words, only a hopefulness that Optimus will consider what he has to say.

“I don’t know what we must seem like from your point of view after all of this…but Rodimus has always meant well with his intentions, even if they seem rash. He’s a good person. A good friend. I know that better than anyone.”

Maybe going off on his own looked like a selfish option at first glance, but Rodimus had done it because he hadn’t wanted anyone else getting hurt on his account – even refusing Drift’s own offer to join him.

If Drift is tired of hearing about it, Optimus is certainly tired of thinking about it. Drift's words are not falling on deaf audials - but Optimus feels that Drift is not seeing the full picture, or the ramifications of Rodimus's behaviour within it.

"I am well aware of the virtue in Rodimus's spark," he says quietly, glancing to Drift with dull optics. "I have seen it myself many times. But it is wild and unthinking at times, and we - all Cybertronians - are heading towards the darkest of days. I cannot tolerate the dangers his behaviour brings upon the rest of this team, and do not want to witness his spark be extinguished - as I was nearly forced to not long ago."

So much of Optimus's anger is rooted in that. He knows full well how much value Rodimus has as a being, and it infuriates him how close they came to losing that through such foolishness.

“I…I understand where you’re coming from. It just feels like that’s the only side of him anyone ever acknowledges.”

His own optics mirror the dullness in the other bot’s, but he lowers his gaze – voice softening as the reality of the words begin to sink in. “I’m sorry, though. I hadn’t heard the full story on that…I didn’t realize that you were put into that position.”

Optimus vents alowly, looking Drift over. This is all such a mess. He shakes his helm.

"Drift. You loyalty to your friend is admirable. However, we are not in a position where we can afford to value the importance of one member of this team as greater than the others - both in terms of trust and support. I can only hope that Rodimus will learn from this, and that we may see that side of him more fully. But he cannot be enabled in such reckless, self destructive behaviour, and it may fall upon you to find the wisdom to see each side of Rodimus's spark, and to know the difference between the two."

His gaze shifts to the horizon, heavy with thought.

"Some day, his life may depend on it."

Optimus’ statement weighs heavily – rekindling the same fears that’d stayed with him every day since Rodimus’ departure. But despite that, despite everything that’s happened, Drift still doubts he could turn his friend down, even if he was asked to lie again. There’s a rising, almost nauseating turmoil in his spark – fearful of disappointing Optimus again, more than he already has.

“I won’t forget that.” The words are quiet, but there’s earnestness to them too.

no one mourns the wicked

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