Losing Balance (fic)
Title: Losing Balance
Rating: PG
Continuity: TFA
Characters: Optimus, Sentinel, Elita (mentioned)
Summary: On dealing with grief. Ficbit written for a tf_animated challenge, theme “Irritation.” Original post made March 2008, here.
Losing Balance
The discovery of Decepticon relics was one of the few accomplishments that could earn the honorary title of Prime even without graduating from the academy. That’s why they’d gone to that Primus-forsaken planet in the first place, after all--arrogant talk of heroism aside. Neither Sentinel nor Optimus could make eye contact at the solemn award ceremony, or at the memorial that followed.
Their punishment was relatively light. Most thought it clear that the loss of the third member of their trio was the true sentence.
After, Sentinel threw himself into his studies, quickly climbing the academy ranks. He’d already been a highly successful student. Murmurs began to circulate, linking his name and words like prodigy, driven, genius. He was determined to do everything for the Autobot cause that Elita now couldn’t. But Optimus found he suddenly lacked the will to continue. It seemed, not pointless, but wrong somehow. Moving on through day to day life as though nothing had changed made his plating itch, his wiring crawl. His instructors became worried, then agitated, then indifferent. Sentinel claimed Optimus' lack of motivation was making a mockery of Elita’s memory. Optimus couldn’t find the words to explain that the truth was in fact the opposite. For the first time in a long time, they nearly exchanged blows that weren’t born from half-true aggravation or a healthy sense of competition.
The rift that had opened between them grew wider with every razored verbal jab, every passing glare, every subtle snub. Eventually it became obvious to even the most oblivious of mechs that the lighthearted ribbing--the put-upon irritation--that had always been the hallmark of the Optimus-Sentinel-Elita triad had warped into a festering bitterness.
They stopped talking completely.
Optimus flunked out not long after.