Chapter Text
Optimus woke up to insistent knocking on his door. Jazz looked like he had won the lottery, smile so bright and emf crackling with amusement. He silently followed the spy into the hangar, only to stop short at seeing Red Alert running after a sheep. The hangar was filled with sheep actually. One hundred of them.
Optimus looked at Jazz, who simply grinned. "Why are there sheep?" The prime dared to ask. He hoped it wasn't a prank from the twins.
"Check your comms with Prowler." Jazz chirped.
Optimus looked at his logs. And. // Prowl, I am rather cold due to carrying. I would appreciate some sheep to keep me warm.// ... "I meant sheets! Dear Primus!"
Jazz cackled.
"Don't just stand there!" Red Alert shouted, trying to herd the sheep. Optimus laughed. Oh, he couldn't believe it. He owed apologies to poor Prowl and Red Alert. Beachcomber stopped Red Alert, speaking about gentle vibes to calm the animals. The security officer stormed off, and immediately the sheep all came to Beachcomber to cuddle him.
Optimus went to find Prowl. The tactician was sitting on a box on the far side of the hangar, watching the sheep with a frown.
"I believe I misunderstood." Prowl said.
"I apologize." Optimus said with a smile. He sat next to Prowl. "I realized something, after talking with Starscream."
Prowl narrowed his optics at the mention of the seeker. "Yes?"
"Do you want sparklings?"
He huffed. "This is not.. We are at war." That was not a no.
"Not anymore." He placed a servo on Prowl's shoulder, the Matrix humming softly, and he understood. It wanted to give back from the sparks taken by the war, which was why it had acted. He could say he agreed with its thoughts, even if it could have warned him beforehand. Oh well. "Which one of you wants to carry?"
Prowl vented deeply. "Both of us. Why are- this does not make any sense."
"I have a feeling the Matrix is responsible for this new path. It is insistent and it knows. Don't you feel how it latched onto your emf?" Its power sent pulses, surely searching to know who wanted a sparkling. That was his theory at least.
The tactician focused, then after a moment his wings shot up in surprise. "Oh."
"You'd make an excellent carrier, Prowl."
"We have to sparkling proof the Ark." He stood up abruptly. "I need to write a report!" He ran off.
Optimus chuckled. Alright, better get back to work. He asked Bumblebee to help Beachcomber with the sheep, and sent a ping to Jazz and the rest of high command for a meeting. They needed to plan and write the ceasefire act, knowing Megatron was surely doing the same. Hopefully they would find a compromise.
--
Optimus was about to go to sleep when there was a ping at his door. He sat up and sent the command to open it. Jazz and Prowl. He invited them in, scooting back to give them room in his bed. Jazz crawled in and dropped into Optimus' side, while Prowl moved at the spy's back. Optimus shifted his arm to cuddle them both.
It was warm and comfy- Optimus fell asleep easily.
-
Waking in warmth was pleasant. Optimus onlined slowly, system waking up without rush. Jazz was awake, servo moving circles over Optimus' windshield. Optimus purred softly, melting into the bed.
Jazz leaned closer. "I'd like twins." He whispered to Optimus' chassis. The Matrix sent a pulse of warmth, but nothing else.
"Be patient." Optimus said. He looked to the side, seeing Prowl still asleep.
"We received news from the Cons. They're- well, Megs is very ready to become sire." He snickered.
Optimus huffed. "They've got six already."
"But I see them ogling ya." Jazz grinned, but then his expression changed to a more serious one. "One word and they're outta the picture."
"I, no need but I'll- keep that in mind." He replied, flustered. He hadn't thought it had been this obvious, he only looked when others were busy. And honestly, he and Megatron had grappled so many times by now that they knew each other deeply. They never managed to hurt each other.. Hm.. He could recall, perhaps this last year that things had changed..
"I see. Good for you, OP."
"Jazz what're.." Prowl groaned as he stirred from sleep. His wings fluttered and he rolled off the bed, much more awake now. "Good morning Optimus. I have requested proper cloaks for you. The sheep are back where they belong, and we have received Megatron's invitations for negotiations."
Optimus stood up and stretched. "Let's roll out." He smiled.
--
They met in the clearing again. Optimus greeted Megatron and took him aside for the semblance of privacy. "You changed." Optimus said.
Megatron raised an optic bridge. "Have I, now?
"Even before knowing I was carrying." He stepped closer, close enough to see each individual mechanism in Megatron's optics. "The war was over before this whole sparkling thing. I noticed the subtle changes. You wanted to end the war, didn't you?"
"And what if I did? I won't roll over so your Autobots can reinstate your-"
"No caste system." Optimus interrupted. "We can build something new- or even better, build the foundations and then leave the newer generation do their thing. I want to raise my sparkling in peace." That peace includes you, but he muted his vocalizer before the words escaped.
"And for the primacy."
"Nothing."
Megatron scoffed. "You really-" he interrupted himself when Optimus gently held his face.
"No more war. No caste system. The primacy will end with me- I can build a chapel if they wish to speak with Primus. My sparkling doesn't need a Prime, they will need a carrier."
"It won't please everyone." The warlord whispered.
"I'm sure we'll manage."
"You think too highly of me."
"We're both war criminals." He shook his head. "We retire."
"We?"
"You, Soundwave and I. if it works."
Megatron smiled, allowing himself to put his servos on Optimus' waist. "I'd be a great sire, there's no denying it."
Someone cleared their vocalizer loudly. They both turned to see Starscream and Prowl. "We have negotiations to continue." The seeker said.
"We are negotiating." Megatron scowled.
"With your servos on his waist." Prowl deadpanned.
To Megatron's chagrin, Optimus nodded in agreement. "Yes, we have prepared the points on the reports. Come, Megatron. We have much to discuss."
They managed to do the first drafts, then Optimus had to rest because, yes he was tired, and Ratchet kept glaring at him. He let high command finalize the details, and he would read it when it was ready. It was going surprisingly well, and the Matrix seemed really happy with itself. He could give it that, it had given them another way, one peaceful and kinder to their people.
Once alone in his hab, Optimus opened his spark chamber. The Matrix shifted away from his spark and he gasped when he saw the tiny miracle orbiting his spark. So small, but oh so bright. Yes, this was worth it.