Mechanical love

Chapter thirty-eight

Over the next few days, she didn't see very much of Optimus.

While it was true that Carolina had been keeping busy with her work with Ratchet (who had managed to give her some very good motivation for her weapon designs simply by providing her someone to bounce ideas off with), she noticed that Optimus, Lennox, Epps; and the rest of the Autobots were constantly locking themselves away in one of the tech hangars.

They were trying so hard to execute their tracking plans, but from what she'd gathered; they'd had little success.

Megatron was better at hide-and-seek than she originally thought.

What bothered Carolina, was just how exhausted Optimus looked right now. She'd tried to give him space; especially today given that he'd been in 'conference' with his soldiers all morning and looked to be incredibly worn.

Currently, she was sitting on a crate outside one of the hangars listening to them argue about what they could do next.

Carolina didn't understand a lot of the fine details of the situation; she was only the mechanic after r, and she wasn't at the center of this war.

Carolina heard an exasperated sigh come from inside the hangar before a mechanical whirring indicated one of the Autobots walking towards the exit.

As she looked up from her packet of Skittles, shoving an apple-flavored one into her mouth, Optimus Prime walked past her unknowingly with his hand pressed to his forehead.

Worry crossed Carolina as she realized that he was too distracted to even notice that she was sitting there, he was stressed and burdened, and she needed to do something!

Jumping down from the crate and stuffing the M&Ms into her pocket, she jogged to try and catch up the distance he'd already made across the tarmac.

"Optimus!" she called out to him, waving to get his attention as she approached.

He stopped and turned, his face visibly softening when he realized it was Carolina who approached him.

He dropped to a crouch and held out a finger to her; which she took hold of as he spoke.

"It is good to see you," he said gently, "I feel as though...I've been avoiding you the last few days. I am sorry..."

Carolina smiled up at him and brought his face close to her hand; shutting her eyes gently as she nuzzled him, "Oh Chief," she murmured, "you don't have to apologize for doing your job. How've you been holding up?"

A heavy, hissing sigh escaped him as he leaned his face into her; returning her nuzzling gesture with one of his own before cupping her chin in one finger, "I...am doing what is necessary..." he said tiredly.

Alright, that's enough... Carolina thought determinedly, he needs some time to relax.

"Optimus?" she asked quietly, causing him to look at her, "Let's go for a drive."

"I would, Carolina...but I don't think-"

"-Chief," she snapped sternly, "you need to take some time out." His voice dropped to a gentle tone and she looked up at him with a begging expression, "...please?"

He looked down at the little female with her hands curled around his finger, a pleading and gorgeous expression glittering in her eyes.

Primus damn the day they made eyes so lovely, he thought, I cannot say no to that expression...

"...Very well..." he said tiredly with a chuckle, "You are such a bad influence on me."

Carolina who was now wearing a relieved expression, shot him a grin and patted him on the finger, "I'm just looking out for you Chief; God knows you won't do it on your own."