Those lying eyes

Don't worry about me

-Base-

Ratchet's head perked up when he heard the faint scraping noise coming from the exit tunnel. "Optimus?" He called out, slowly walking over.

Optimus was heavily limping into base, energon dripping down his armor and splattering on the floor. He was hunched over and breathing slowly, like he was trying to calm himself down.

"Optimus! What happened to you?!" Ratchet exclaimed, rushing over to help him. He was surprised when Optimus held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't worry about me... I'll be fine.." Optimus muttered, cracking a smile on his face.

"No you aren't! Let me help you! You're getting energon everywhere..." Ratchet tried again, but to no avail.

Without a word, Optimus slowly lumbered down the hallway towards his berthroom. Ratchet heard the door slide shut and sighed, shaking his head. "What is wrong with him?" He whispered to himself, going to get something to clean up the energon on the floor.

-Optimus's berthroom-

Energon pooled on the floor beneath his berth as he curled up, the glowing blue liquid dripping from the gaping hole in his side.

He ignored the pain and took in a shuddering breath, coolant rolling down his face. There he was, a "Prime" who was supposed to be strong and lead his team.

In his eyes, he was nothing but a failure. His teammates questioned his ways of negotiation time and time again. And every time he told them that violence wasn't the way to win a war.

Maybe they were right... maybe he was just a big softie who couldn't do anything right. He tried so hard to be the bot they wanted him to be, but he couldn't keep going forever.

All those years of being questioned, screamed at, scolded, even hit by his own team... they were catching up to him. Everyone loved him, trust me, they just didn't always agree with his ways.

The pain in his side broke his train of thought and he groaned, clutching it tighter. "Maybe I should go see Ratchet..." he thought, slowly sitting up.

He sluggishly made his way out into the hallway, his vision wavering. His limbs felt heavy with each step he took, like there was concrete on them. His breath shortened and he grew dizzy. Then, he just flat out collapsed onto the floor.

Exhausted and beaten, he allowed the darkness to envelop him once more.

-Later-

"Optimus?" Ratchet's soft voice brought him out of the darkness.

He squinted open his optics, flinching at the waves of pain. He groaned, trying to look around. "What.... happened...?"

"You passed out in the hallway. There was... energon all over your room and the floor. You had a huge hole in your side..." Ratchet sighed, tapping something on the screen nearby. He turned and looked at him with a sullen look on his face. "Why didn't you let me help you? You could've died..."

Optimus took a deep breath and sighed, closing his optics again. "I... I didn't want to... burden... you.." He mumbled, wincing as another wave of pain wracked his body.

Ratchet placed a firm hand on Optimus's shoulder and frowned. "Optimus, you will never burden me. You are our leader, our hope! You come first before any of us."

"I'm no leader..."

"What?" Ratchet tilted his head in confusion. "W-What do you mean you aren't a leader?"

Optimus reopened his optics and looked at Ratchet. At was at that time that Ratchet noticed just how tired Optimus looked.

Just by looking into his optics, he could see the pain and suffering within them. He could see sadness and regret, all those emotions bottled up inside. His optics were bright and hopeful, but if you looked deeper, they were darker. Darker than anything Ratchet had ever seen.

"I'm... not the leader... you... deserve.." Optimus continued, his deep voice cracking with pain. "I'm lost, Ratchet... Lost and broken..."

"Optimus... don't say that about yourself. You are much more than that. Why else do you think you were chosen as Prime?"

"I... don't.. deserve it.."

"Optimus please, listen to me. You need to listen to yourself! What you're saying doesn't matter at all! Don't let your self-doubt swallow you within its depths. I've been there before, and I fought my way out of it. If I did it, you can too." Ratchet said firmly, looking at Optimus with a hopeful look.

Optimus sighed and smiled a real smile. Not a fake smile, a real one. Ratchet's words had moved him so much that he was starting to become hopeful again.

Maybe he could win this fight. He would just have to fight harder.

Break free and show his true colors.

Be the Optimus that everyone wanted him to be.