Unspoken

Chapter 5: A Complicated Future

The quiet of the morning was deceiving as it stretched across the plains of Gaia. Optimus and Skifira stood together on a raised platform, their frames close as they looked out over the stillness that belied the lingering tensions of the war. The horizon was painted with soft hues of dawn, yet Skifira's mind was far from peaceful. Despite their confessions from the night before, the uncertainty of their future weighed heavily on her spark.

"What happens now?" she finally asked, breaking the silence between them. Her voice was soft but filled with questions she hadn't dared ask before. "With us... and with everything else?"

Optimus turned to face her, his deep blue optics scanning her features. He understood her concerns all too well. Their feelings had remained buried under the weight of their responsibilities for so long, and now that they had surfaced, they brought complications—royal titles, responsibilities, and now, something else.

"I found out something yesterday," he began, his voice low and tinged with tension. "The Cybertronian Council made arrangements without consulting me."

Skifira's optics flickered with confusion. "What kind of arrangements?"

Optimus hesitated, but then met her gaze with a seriousness that caused her spark to flutter. "They've betrothed me to a femme," he said, his voice firm but filled with the frustration of being blindsided. "Elita One."

The name hit Skifira like a blast of cold wind. She felt her frame tense involuntarily. "Betrothed?" The word felt foreign in her mouth, sharp and unwanted.

Optimus nodded, his gaze steady on hers. "It's a political move—a union they think will benefit Cybertron. But I shut it down the moment I found out. I told them I was already seeing someone."

Her spark pulsed with mixed emotions—relief that he had rejected the arrangement, but tension knowing the situation was far from resolved. "You told them about us?"

Optimus stepped closer, his massive form blocking out the rising sun behind him. His hand gently cupped her face, his touch warm and reassuring. "I did. I told them I wasn't interested in Elita or any political arrangement. I chose you, Skifira."

The raw emotion in his voice was enough to steady the storm in her spark, but a lingering worry remained. "But what about Elita? What happens when she finds out?"

Before Optimus could answer, the unmistakable roar of a Cybertronian shuttle descending from the sky cut through the air. Both of them turned their gaze to the horizon, where a sleek shuttle bearing Cybertronian markings appeared, its engines humming as it made its approach.

"She's here," Skifira said, her voice tight.

Optimus's optics narrowed as he took a protective step forward. "Stay with me," he said, his voice firm but filled with the quiet resolve of a leader ready to face what was coming.

The shuttle landed with a soft thud on the ground a short distance from where they stood, and moments later, the door hissed open. Out stepped a figure that radiated authority—Elita One. Her rose-colored armor gleamed in the morning light, her posture regal and commanding. She scanned the area briefly, her optics locking onto Optimus as she made her way toward him with calculated grace.

"Optimus," Elita said, her voice calm but edged with authority. "It's been a long time."

Optimus took a step forward, his expression unreadable. "Elita," he acknowledged, his tone steady. "We need to talk."

Elita's optics briefly flickered toward Skifira, who stood beside Optimus, her posture equally firm. "I see I'm not the only one who thought this meeting was important," Elita said, her voice cold and calculating.

Skifira's optics narrowed, but she remained composed. "Welcome to Gaia," she said, her tone polite but lacking warmth.

Elita's lips curled into a tight smile, one that didn't reach her optics. "Gaia is quite beautiful," she remarked, though the tone of her voice suggested she wasn't here for pleasantries. "But I didn't come for sightseeing."

Optimus, sensing the rising tension, cut to the heart of the matter. "Elita, the council made a mistake," he said firmly. "I have no intention of following through with the betrothal."

Elita's optics widened slightly, though she quickly masked her surprise. "A mistake?" she repeated, her tone cool. "The council arranged this for the good of Cybertron. You can't simply dismiss it because of... personal feelings."

Optimus's expression hardened. "This is more than personal feelings," he said, his voice low but filled with conviction. "I've made my decision. I'm with Skifira."

Elita's optics darted between them, her expression faltering as the realization settled in. "You're making a mistake, Optimus," she said, her voice sharp. "You think you can defy the council like this? There will be consequences."

Before Optimus could respond, Elita's gaze fell on the space between them—the way he stood protectively beside Skifira, his hand resting on her arm in a subtle but unmistakable gesture of affection. It was then that she noticed the way their bodies leaned into each other, the closeness between them undeniable.

And then, without thinking, Optimus did something he hadn't planned. He turned toward Skifira, his optics softening as he gently tilted her chin up with his hand. His lips met her forehead in a tender, deliberate kiss—an act of devotion and defiance all at once.

Elita's optics widened in shock, her frame tensing visibly as she watched the intimate moment unfold. It wasn't just the kiss—it was what it represented. It was a declaration, one that left no room for misinterpretation. Optimus had chosen Skifira, and that choice was final.

The air around them seemed to freeze as Elita processed what she had just seen. Her optics flickered with a mix of disbelief and barely concealed anger. "You're really going to throw away everything for this?" she asked, her voice sharp and incredulous.

Optimus turned back to face her, his expression calm but unwavering. "I'm not throwing anything away," he said quietly. "I'm standing by my choice."

Elita's optics blazed with frustration, her frame stiffening as she fought to maintain her composure. "The council will hear about this," she warned, her voice ice-cold. "And they won't be happy."

Optimus's voice remained steady. "Let them. I've made my decision, and nothing will change that."

Elita stared at him for a long moment, her optics burning with unspoken fury. Without another word, she turned sharply on her heel and marched back toward her shuttle, her steps brisk and filled with barely contained anger. The doors hissed shut behind her, and moments later, the shuttle's engines roared to life, lifting off the ground and disappearing into the sky.

As the shuttle vanished from view, the tension in the air slowly dissipated, though the weight of what had just happened still lingered. Skifira turned to Optimus, her optics filled with a mixture of relief and concern.

"Do you think she'll cause problems?" she asked quietly.

Optimus exhaled, his optics softening as he looked at her. "She may try," he admitted. "But I won't let her—or the council—come between us."

Skifira smiled faintly, her spark calming in the warmth of his words. "We'll face it together," she said, her voice steady despite the uncertainty that lay ahead.

Optimus nodded, his hand still resting on her arm as he drew her closer. "Together," he repeated softly, his tone filled with quiet determination.

And as they stood there, watching the horizon, they both knew that whatever challenges the future held—whether from the council, the war, or Elita herself—they would face it side by side.

For now, that was all that mattered.