and if you hurt me and we had a deep conversation about it i'd forgive you and

"I, uh. I was just gonna," Orion stumbled. "Just thought I'd give you something stupid. Since it's Valenchimes, and all. But. Yeah. Forget it. Sorry. I'm sorry for uh, getting in the way."

No matter his mumbling, D-16 remained silent, and Orion was unsure if that made him feel better or worse, but he forced his mouth to twitch into a thin, lopsided smile.

Orion stepped sideways, carefully setting the box of energon down on a nearby crate. "I've got that, uh, that thing I needed to do anyway." Frag. Frag it all. Orion's vision blurred momentarily, and he blinked harshly in an attempt to keep it clear. "Uhm," he paused, desperately trying to will the knot lodged in his throat away. "... Later, dude."

His digits curled tightly at his sides and he turned away. Happy Valenchimes, he imagined saying. "Sorry." He said again instead, leaving his spark next to the wilted flowers, and walking away before D-16 could say anything in turn.

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Both Orion and D-16 have bad communication skills, and the ways in which they do communicate clash often. They get a chance to resolve this.

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REWRITTEN 05/31/26. BETA READ BY MY BELOVED, ACE (@Crypt2niite).