'things you said when you thought i was asleep' (rodimags)
04 December 2018
Rodimus does things too … romantically. Well. That makes it sound like a fault, which in one sense it is, absolutely, but to say as such that bluntly would only get Magnus skeptical and possibly horrified looks from the more emotionally inclined members of the crew (Drift, Chomedome and Rewind, Whirl even depending on the mood). It isn’t that he has a propensity for romance in and of itself, it’s just that he expects certain romantic things to just… happen.“In movies,” Rodimus had said once in some fit of passion, “in movies they make these big confessions, and they kiss the daylight out of each other, and they lay in the berth together just looking at each other beacuse that’s how much they care about each other –”
“I think I prefer my daylight precisely where it is,” Magnus had answered, and for some reason it had make Rodimus laugh for about four minutes straight. And he’d said, “aw, Mags, never change,” and Magnus had said, “don’t call me Mags.”
Still, he’s watched the movies that Rodimus has. Some of them, at least, because of Swerve’s gatherings when they finally expanded past just some furtive group of human media lovers and because of Verity Carlo who insisted it would help him loosen up and then sighed when it did not do that at all. He’s watched some of those movies, and seen some of those scenes, and, loathe though he is to admit it, understood the appeal.
It’s just that he would never in his life be caught having a moment off-guard when he was meant to be working. It was antithetical to the purpose of being on duty. What good would it serve to be on the bridge if he was going to just ignore his job?
Fortunately, he’s not an entirely unbelievable actor. At least not so much that Rodimus catches on. He’s rather better at pretending to be asleep than Rodimus is, anyway, because Rodimus pretends to be asleep the moment that responsibility calls and it never convinces Magnus.
He is in his office. And he is bent over his desk, which has been carefully arranged so that his arms folded over it won’t disturb anything important, and his optics are dimmed to darkness. But he has proximity sensors and audio feeds and he hears it when Rodimus bursts in through the door, alight with, “Hey, Mags–” and then cutting silent.
This is for Rodimus’ benefit, and not his. Rodimus’ benefit includes a thin and comfortable blanket located conveniently near his desk, so that when Rodimus creeps in he can take it and shake it flat and drape it over Magnus’ wide shoulders, tuck it around his neck and back. Rodimus’ hand lingers on Magnus’ plating, a long but fleeting moment. Magnus can feel him lean close and brush a dry kiss near the corner of Magnus’ optic.
A movie moment, then, with quiet and care.
Rodimus kisses his cheek again so that Magnus can feel the curve of his smile against his face. And Rodimus draws back a degree, enough that he can speak, and he says, “I totally know you’re faking, but sleeping bots can’t get mad if I call ‘em Maggie.”
Rodimus smacks another kiss on him and – Magnus can feel this, even if he can’t see this – struts away. Ugh.
Still, it was maybe worth it.