Title: Realize

Author: The Emcee

Summary: Cade Yeager realized two things when he saw Optimus on the back of that Tyrannosaurus Rex. One: he looked badass. And two: he was in love.

Pairing: Optimus/Cade

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: I wanted to write this from the time I watched the movie the first time. Now, it's finally happening. There isn't going to be any sexy fun time in this, so sorry. It's more of just Cade realizing his feelings and stuff. Let me know what you think! R&R. Enjoy!

~…~

Realize

~…~

Cade had been working his ass off trying to help Hound and Bee out, shooting as best he could without getting hit in return or injured. Sweat was running down his face, sometimes clouding his vision and making it hard for him to see. His clothing was clinging unbearably to his skin. Rubble and debris were falling all around him, almost hitting him or being thrown at him by Joshua's many prototypes.

Hearing Hound's voice calling out that he was out of guns, ammo, and ideas, watching as Hound and Bee fought like the warriors they were, made him fight even harder to keep the enemy at bay. They just had to keep it up until Optimus arrived. Cade had faith that he would come. He just knew, deep down inside and with everything within him, that Optimus would come back for them, that he wouldn't just leave despite the fact that he had every reason to.

Sure enough, his faith had come through. Riding on the back of a gigantic, mechanical tyrannosaurus rex, Optimus looked just like a magnificent knight charging with the reinforcements into the heart of the battle, saving the day. Cade had never seen anything as awesome as that and when the T-rex shot that stream of fire out of its mouth, Cade could have been colored impressed. Hell, he had always been impressed by the Autobots, but after meeting them and spending time with them, he was becoming even more so, especially now.

As he stood in awe of Optimus and the Dinobots, Cade realized a couple of things. One: Optimus looked badass on the back of that tyrannosaur. And that was saying something because Optimus had looked pretty badass since they had met, even when he was gravely injured and decrepit. Hell, all of the Autobots were badass, but Optimus held the trophy. At least, in Cade's eyes.

And two: Cade was in love with Optimus.

He had seen news coverage of the Chicago War. He knew the destruction that had been caused and how many lives had been lost, but he also knew that many, many lives had been saved because of the Autobots, because of Optimus.

When Cade had found that old, rickety truck in the theater, he had originally thought that he could strip it for parts and sell them for money. That was why he started looking at it in the first place. But when he had found out that it was a transformer, Cade had wanted…no…needed to know how it worked, what made it tick, what gave it its power. Yes, he had told Lucas and Tessa that he'd make the call, but honestly, Cade couldn't say that he really would have. And then, Optimus had transformed and he spoke.

It was his voice that first drew Cade, that deep, soft voice that could draw anyone in and keep them there. Cade happily stayed and had repaired Optimus as best he could. And Optimus had saved him and his family many times. In turn, Cade had done his best to help him out, risking his own life and Tessa's several times. He would have risked his own life to begin with. There was just something about Optimus…something Cade couldn't put his finger on, but there was a connection there between them.

He couldn't explain it, not even if he had a dictionary. Even when Optimus had been that rickety, old truck, Cade had felt the pull, the connection, and had bought him because of it. While he had been repairing Optimus, that feeling strengthened and intensified, even more so when he would be working near or around Optimus' spark. And that connection had only grown the longer they stayed together. Cade didn't know if Optimus felt the same way, but he desperately wished that he did.

Cade hadn't realized that he had been falling in love, especially with an alien mech. He hadn't realized that his feelings hadn't just been of friendship or gratitude. But now, in the midst of battle and with Optimus astride the giant mech T-rex, it was all too obvious to him.

Cade Yeager, a human inventor, a widower, a father, was in love with Optimus Prime, giant alien mech and leader of the Autobots.

Shit, he was screwed.