It’s fine, they tell themself. It will be fine. The day was a troubling one, starting with the most heinous of Starscream tantrums to manipulated code going unnoticed by a distracted gaze. All while seekers and triple changers argued and squabbled over ration and attention. Petty things. But Soundwave kept their head, kept focused on the routine and perhaps because of that they missed the signs of something drawing closer in the dark of space.

Shockwave would call such a mistake “unacceptable”. He’d stand tall in the face of blustering error with strict shoulders and an even tone. A paragon of the logical.

Soundwave’s chuckle was cracked and broken from the split seam deep across their frame as they remember how very much Shockwave hated them those many years ago. How much has changed that above all others, he was the one Soundwave was using the last of their strength to reach across the stars. Just wanting a moment of connection before whatever was to happen would happen.

The signal is weak and fades quickly just as Soundwave finds something strains and struggles within. All the voices and once-soothing thrums of communications across this galaxy and the next fall to white noise as Soundwave tries once more to reach Cybertron. Servos clutching injuries now tacky with pink. How long have they laid here? Lost among the rubble and remains of the ambush. Forgotten by the charging forces as Autobot and Decepticon clashed. Would they always be forgotten here?

The connection chimes, a brittle hope trails across Soundwave’s conscious. Relief scatters pain far from their focus as a familiar voice answers, distorted with distance and desperation.

"Soundwave." Shockwave's voice is calm - but to Soundwave his conjunx might as well have been screaming. "Soundwave, your position is marked. A rescue effort will be retrieving you shortly. Remain where you are."

"Affirmative." Soundwave's response dances with amusement considering neither of their legs survived the initial crash. "Shockwave. Query?"

"Now is not the time for expending energy on questions." Shockwave begs, though it sounds no different than his usual tone.

Beneath Soundwave's cracked mask, they are smiling.

"Query: Shockwave's day, satisfactory?"

If their bonded could laugh, if Shockwave had the capacity, Soundwave wonders if it would be the last sound they heard.

"Only once you are safe will I deem it an acceptable day."

“Request: in case of failure to comply with such request...”

“Denied.” Shockwave cuts them off as the flaring lights of warning and panic take over Soundwave’s HUD. “There is no alternative course. You will return to me. Understood Soundwave?”

Servos are gentle as they adjust, bringing Starscream’s frame upwards where he can better cradle the smaller form. After all these years Megatron is accustomed to wings jutting and trying to slip past his hold. Knows how to manipulate and fold them, keep them from being damaged or strained as Starscream consents to being carried.

Normally Starscream would fight such inappropriate action...but it’s been battle after experiment, after battle. Energon runs through unmarked routes, time apart and time cramped together in the haze of war and leadership. Where petty arguments are pushed aside for the time being to best serve their faction: their goals together. 

So he allows it for the sake of his own exhausted body and the fact that Megatron is the only one allowed to.

He doesn’t have to keep optics online as they travel, half fallen to recharge in the cradle of Megatron’s grip. The familiar warmth and trailing vibrations of the powerful mech like a barricade against his body from the world. Knows every churn and chirp of the other’s machinery beneath worn yet unrelenting armor and it plays like a song beneath where Starscream rests his cheek. Nuzzling into the crook of chest plating and letting his wings relax. 

Starscream recalls the first time he was carried like this by the other - injured and unable to move - but that didn’t stop him from reflexively slapping the face of the mech who scooped him up mid-battle. The horror of realizing who it was moments later as Megatron personally kept his squirming aft alive as the world erupted in chaos around them. Starscream laughs at his younger self now, how naive and bitter, how far he would come from that flinching little seeker.

“You should be resting, not snickering.” Megatron rumbles from above as they travel, his servo curled beneath Starscream’s body as a thumb pad finds the room to pet behind the hinge of his knee.

“Shh, I’m asleep.” Starscream’s mouth flickers with a smile and yet he still keeps his sights offline, knowing he won’t need them. Trusting Megatron to deliver them to their suite which opens with the sound of familiar doors and the awaiting stillness beyond. 

He’s expected to be set down but finds that’s not to be as Megatron’s hulking form travels the distance of the room, crowding Starscream’s frame to him as he settles across the berth. Letting the weight rest across his lap as he still remains holding to Starscream. Adjusting to sweep a servo slow and fond up the side of Starscream’s back just beneath wing joints. Comforting and gentle with lethal hands trained not to disturb the delicate mechanics of wings. Well-acquainted with all of Starscream now that the seeker doesn’t need to do more than relax, purr and hum pleased at the sensation.

“I spoil you.” Starscream teases and battles the grin when Megatron snorts, both dismayed and amused at such a claim. Pressing to stroke a hand across the Decepticon insignia on Megatron’s chest that he can always find without looking. 

 Megatron answers with the smallest motion, engulfing Starscream’s form with more of his weight as the following sensation of reverent lips against his helm bring the seeker to sigh and press closer. Knowing no cruelty will ever befall Megatron when Starscream is in his arms.

Starscream has been careless and she’s just being thorough trying to catch his mistakes before he lives to regret them. Nothing sets Starscream off like feeling one is picking at him, his pride more fragile than the precarious state of Cybertron. It’s almost impossible to get through to him when he gets worked up, wings high as his voice. Temper flared and panic peeks through the cracks of his distant and uncaring armor. Sometimes Windblade wonders if Starscream realizes just how scared he is half the time, and other times Windblade fears he truly has no idea…

But they’re fighting and Starscream is being impossible as usual and maybe, just maybe, Windblade just needs him to be quiet. 

So she kisses him.

Grabs him by the squawking face and pulls him into her mid-complaint. snapping his mouth closed beneath her own as she feels Starscream’s entire form stutter and tense in her grasp. The shocked noise vibrating where lips meet through the crooked, poorly timed kiss. Starscream’s mouth goes slack in surprise as Windblade holds him in place and kisses him to stillness. Tenderly, quietly, both things she knows he cannot comprehend and it works. He falls silent against her mouth with optics blown wide and bright when she finally retreats, victorious, and spiraling over her impromptu actions.

Her servos still encase Starscream’s wide and sticken face that watches her without the usual suspicion and all that’s left in it’s place is a very raw seeker struggling to catch up to his own processor.

“I like you much better like this.” She speaks, though not certain where the playful words came from. Her own thoughts wild with doubt and urgency to run - scrambling to recall exactly WHY she thought that was a good idea in the first place! 

Windblade goes to issue an apology, a justification? Were there any words she could utter that would make this alright!? 

She doesn’t get a chance.

With a softness one might not believe Starscream capable of, he bows to reconnect their mouths. Their lips brush light and quiet, the bright stare of before dimming as Starscream tests the space. Pushing forward with the smallest tilt when she doesn’t withdraw. 

His kiss is much better than hers. There is no rush or alternative motive that she can find while her own form falls prey to the warmth of a sigh. The almost feather light trail of a claw against her chin as Starscream edges her face closer. Pressing quiet and deepening the kiss with a simple nudge. It’s simple but startling as he doesn’t force or bite as might be expected of his usual behavior - an almost shyness overtaking her as Starscream brushes a knuckle down her cheek and –

“Lord Starscream! Are you in there?!” The door rattles with a bang causing them both to yelp, servos pushing and shoving at one another. Windblade stumbles back, but Starscream trips over himself. Falling graceless with a shriek over his own pedes, crashing into the nearest table. Datapads scattering as he curses, the one waiting at the door going suddenly very silent at the echo of Starscream’s ire.

“We’ll finish this meeting later.” She utters quickly, ignoring the sorry state of Starscream trapped beneath his own work on the floor. Instinctively reaching to wipe her mouth with her hand, pausing at the lingering weight in her spark at what just occurred. 

Optimus Prime was the last creature in all the galaxy that Starscream was expecting to see.

Especially here, now. While all the world seemed to be falling in beneath the weight of a crown which never seemed to fit right. Which mocked him in the passing reflections as Starscream paraded across his new empire, hoping that if he pretended to be happy, maybe he would be.

Starscream had a lifetime of experience with that, he’s not sure why he keeps trying. It never works.

“Are you kidding me?” He laughs but it sounds as broken as it feels, claws digging into the balcony railing where he thought he was safe. How did Prime even find him? How did Starscream let this hulking mech sneak up on him? “Of course, I’m practically glowing aren’t I?!” 

Optimus doesn’t flinch at the scathing tone, in fact, his expression doesn’t change in the least from that open concern. Something bent and round and Starscream can’t handle it. He wants to throw something or punch something, he wants to fight! At least then there would be somewhere to put…*all* of this anger. Now he was left scrambling, no exit, no escape. It left him sputtering and drowning in his own frame.

So distracted by his own screaming nerves he doesn’t realize Prime is advancing until he’s being smothered. Panic rises as his body tenses with the weight of arms wrapping his body. The sudden warmth and nearness, the vibration of another’s form as Starscream is dragged into Prime’s embrace and held there. Pressed almost neatly against the hardline of the mech’s torso, his face tucked just against the angular frame where he knows the matrix once resided. 

“What are you doing?!” Voice is high, but he doesn’t fight as Prime takes the full weight of him. Holds Starscream still as large servos press gently down the length of Starscream’s back where the wings slump and fall heavy.

“Seeking comfort. It’s been a hell of a day.” Prime’s voice is a strange chuckle, a tender rumble against Starscream’s cheek where he finds it is impossible to fight this engulfing shadow of his former enemy. He feels hidden, swallowed whole, where none can take note of his failings and Primus help him - he didn’t want to fight it. “I hope you won’t tell anyone.” 

“You-” Starscream decides to swallow his words, almost shaking now as Prime holds him, hides him. Even spares his pride with a simple statement and how effortlessly the other does it too. It would be horrifying if Starscream didn’t need to scramble his own servos up the Prime’s body, find anywhere to cling to and shift his weight fully onto the other. Have someone *else* carry this for him if just for a brief second. “Fine. But only because I pity you, Prime.” He manages to strangle out as he buries his face deeper into Optimus’ side and pretends it’s not him who’s shaking.