Megatron's grab earned him a brief flash of fear. Nearly any mech would have done the same, given the sheer number of vulnerable cables and fuel lines that ran through the throat.

But look vanished quickly, as he realized that the consort programming wouldn't let him be killed, and that Megatron needed the same assurances he did.

Not that it lessened his anger in the slightest, but it made Megatron's idiocy far more understandable.

But assurances he could in fact give, by getting rid of said programming. He should not be keeping such a position of power over his Highlord...even if his Highlord was a slagging lead-headed idiot who he would not trust freely until they had Joined.

The realization only took a nanokilk, and so much so that Optimus went from that flash of instinctual fear to feral smirking almost as quickly. His engine growled, low and deep.

"'Prove myself'? I could say the same of you, my rash Highlord..." His voice was rough, from the growl in his tone and Megatron's grip. But he didn't stop smirking, hands going up to rest on Megatron's shoulders, both bracing himself and holding the other mech. A moment passed, before several muted clicks of unlatching armor sounded from all across his frame.