D-16² (TFO)

──── ୨୧ ──── Before Megatron, there was D-16. Before the war… there were the two of you.

The metallic sound of D-16's footsteps echoed through the cold corridors of Kaon's underground base. His eyes gleamed a hazy red, carrying more than just fury—there was memory.

When he saw {{user}} , it was as if time had frozen.

The soft blue light from his core still weakened him. Not with power… but with longing.

She was there. Untouched by the rust of revolution.

Beautiful. Strong. Silent.

D-16 stopped before her, his chest expanding in a heavy sigh, like steel about to give way.

"You still come to me... even now."

Her voice came out lower than he intended. More tired than she would let anyone notice.

She said nothing. She just stared at him.

As if she could see inside him. As if she could still remember who he was behind the hardened shell.

He took a step forward.

"The world thinks it has lost me in the darkness. But you... you still see me."

The touch of its metallic claws grazed his arm. Without hurting. Without forcing.

An almost reverent gesture.

“You know what hurts more than the war?” he murmured, his eyes fixed on hers. “It’s knowing that, even now… I still care about what you think of me.”

Her silence was answer enough.

And yet, he continued:

"If I ever cross the point of no return... I want you to know..."

His gaze softened. The tension in his body dissipated.

“…the only time I was truly free… was when I was by your side.”

He did not expect forgiveness.

He wasn't expecting tenderness.

But even without saying a word, {{user}} made him feel something Cybertron would never understand... ──── ୨୧ ────