Mechanical love

Chapter Twenty-two

Lennox had been field stripping weapons with the soldiers when he saw Optimus standing outside the training hangar; watching him intently.

When he made eye contact with the Autobot leader, he noticed that there was a sort of worry reflected in his optics; so he turned to Epps who was beside him, and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Take over for me, I think Optimus needs something," Lennox said, gesturing over to the waiting Autobot. Epps nodded in response and continued the drill with the soldiers as Lennox made his way out of the hangar.

"Optimus? Is something wrong?"

The Prime looked over the soldier and into the hangar before shaking his head decisively.

"No. I wished...to ask you something," he said apprehensively, "is there somewhere quieter...that we could talk?"

The leader looked as calm as ever, but something was bothering them; Lennox could sense a feeling of unrest about him.

He gave a nod and gestured over to one of the storage hangars on the further side of the base, making his way over to it.

He took up a seat on a pile of cargo crates and looked to Optimus, who surprisingly took a seat beside him on the ground; one leg stretched out over the tarmac in front of him, the other leg raised so that he could rest his elbow on it.

"So...what was it you wanted to ask me about?"

The massive Autobot gave a heavy, hissing sigh before looking out over at the base. "Carolina..."

A sudden wave of both understanding and relief flooded through the soldier. He'd been worried that something might have happened, or that the Decepticons might have made a move.

In a way, he was glad it was something as simple as 'woman troubles' that plagued the leader. "Oh..." he smiled, "What's the problem?"

"There is no...problem. I am simply enquiring as to the next course of action that I...what I should..." he gave a frustrated sigh before pinching the bridge of his metal nose in annoyance at himself.

"...I am unsure of how I am supposed to word this without seeming...foolish." He turned to Lennox with a serious expression, "...How does one...court a human...?"

The soldier nearly choked on his breath, thumping his chest violently to try and clear the airway; desperately trying not to laugh at the sheer innocence of the question.

"O-Optimus...are you asking me for...dating advice?" he asked with a surprised look written on his face. The Prime's slightly shuffling, awkward reaction confirmed his suspicion.

Optimus still retained his naturally regal air, sitting perfectly rigid and calmly; but he was uncomfortable and out of his depth; which Lennox supposed was to be expected.

He was an alien robot after all; he'd never been exposed to the perils and awkwardness of their world before, namely the interactions between humans.

The relationship with Carolina was uncharted territory. "If that...is the term you use, then yes; I am seeking your aid."

Lennox scratched the back of his neck nervously as he bit his lip, trying to think of how to make the conversation less awkward for both of them.

Unfortunately, he didn't come up with any alternative. He was going to have to help Optimus deal with this head-on. "Well...how did they court back on Cybertron?"

He saw a minute, almost unnoticeable cringe from the leader as the name of his home planet was mentioned; it pained him to remember what had once been.