Cyberformed [] Inbox

[thepurpleone]

"You're conversing with Donatello-

...
.....

Just kidding, you got my inbox bu~t if you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as I possibly can."

Comments

[disastertron]

...Continuing? Have you and Optimus had the beginnings of plans to create a second lab, as well? I was taken not long as the explosions that destroyed the first lab, however long ago that may have been.

In any case... [He circles this for a moment] It is fine. Optimus and I work well together on projects such as this that require cooperation. But thank you for checking in about that. Your thoughtfulness does not go unnoticed.

[thepurpleone]

Wha? No, he was... Well, we were working on fixing up the one you'd started, is all. But I talked to him earlier and he made it sound like he was just handing the project back over.

[disastertron]

[Another pause, this one filled with genuine surprise]

[He had honestly been more than considering giving up on the whole project after the first explosion, has only mentioned it now as a way to bond with Donnie. But hearing that Optimus had rebuilt it with Donnie while he was gone, when there was no guarantee that Megatron would return at all let alone anytime soon... It meant something. Something that loomed large in the background but that would be thought through at another time]

I have yet to speak with Optimus about it. I had no idea either of you have done this for me, it... it was very kind of you both, and that matters. Thank you.

As to whether he stays attached to the project... that is his choice. He is my friend, [he says simply] and we have weathered far worse for far longer than not working together on one thing. There will be others.

[thepurpleone]

[He has no idea why anything should be so complicated, nor surprising. But it's nice to be thanked, even if there seems to be a lot of things going on that Donnie hasn't any idea about. Maybe it's better he not get pulled in.]

Well, it was your idea, and it was a good one. I admit, we didn't get too much done but it's still farther ahead than it had been.

...did...something happen with you two?

[Asking is only fair, right?]

[disastertron]

[There was no real way of dodging the question gracefully at this point, it seemed. And he wanted to show that he respected Donnie enough to at least answer the question, even if not in detail]

[All the same, going on about personal betrayals at length to a teenager who is probably only trying to be polite was not his goal in this conversation]

...We are having a disagreement about something serious. It is still fresh in my mind, so forgive the lack of detail. I may expand upon it at another time, if you remain interested.

I will speak with him yet, but... Suffice it to say that even millions of years later, remaining close to someone can be a challenge when you have competing needs.

[thepurpleone]

[To him it kind of sounds like the way someone would simplify an explanation of something they believe to be too complicated for a child to understand. Donnie knows that's probably not completely the matter- it's not his business, but it still kind of rubs him the wrong way. But at least Megatron offers a chance to better explain things, and that shows he's not simply brushing him off.

Donnie can hardly call him on such things anyway when there are plenty of things he'd rather skirt around the details of, especially when they're fresh matters.]

...no, no. I get it. Just...sorry to hear it.

But okay, it's cool. We'll just...wing it and see how things go, yeah?

[disastertron]

[A soft rush of a vent out]

Thank you for understanding, Donnie. Your patience is... truly a relief after all that has occurred.

I look forward to seeing you. Spending time with a friend is a balm even under the harshest circumstances.

[thepurpleone]

Yeah...

[It helps focusing on who's actually here and not the absences, hard as they are to ignore.]

See you when I see you.