FEAR THY STING

           — NO LULLABY IN THIS NOWHERE LAND     ;     TF OC KILLERHORNET

                                                   As loved by Charles

star saber’s helm transforms back to reveal the saber helm before his gaze falls.

he makes no secret of the regret in his face.  he’d never wanted to hurt stinger, emotionally nor physically–  but there was no taking back a severed head, even if it could be reattached.  that he survived at all was a feature of the brainmasters for having their second-most-vital organ in their chest instead of the cranium.  in that way alone, they’d been lucky.

but again;  physical wounds were more than physical, when the mech that was hurt was a victim of star saber’s failures.

“i’m sorry,”  star saber says with distressed sincerity.  “i should have known better.  i should have been more observant.  please believe me when i say that if i had known…  you never would have been drawn to the decepticons.  i would have helped you, and i will do whatever it takes to salvage things now, if you would let me.”

He waits for his answer, not with patience, but with aggravation. Killerhornet awaits some heroic speech, something about learning a lesson, or some other boring subject. His arms are crossed, optics hidden by the in-built visor as he prepares for the grand speech.

What he recieves instead, is honesty, for the first time in fifty years. He may have joined the Decepticon’s, yet he knows far too well how easily the truth can be bent, especially by them.

Taken aback by Star Saber’s remorseful gaze, Hornet’s tightly-crossed arms slowly unfold. Of course he blamed Blacker, and Braver, not to mention Laster, but, Star Saber? No. He couldn’t bring himself to blame Star. It was never Star Saber’s fault that the others forced him to keep quiet.

The apology was too much. The distressed tone was even worse. It hurt.

Emotionally overwhelmed, Hornet sighs, feeling his resolve begin to crack. Not by much, however, one crack, overtime, can make any wall collapse. “...For a Supreme Commander, you’re pretty thick in the head.” A servo pushes up the visor that Hornet built into his helm. 

His optics looked as exhausted as he felt. His anger, for now, had been quelled by Star Saber’s honesty.

“They silenced me. For as long as they could, they kept my mouth shut. This isn’t on you, you hear? I blame Blacker. I blame him, and the two fucking morons that claim to be smart-asses. I’ve ALWAYS blamed him, but never, and I mean never, Star, have I thought that you were ignorant on purpose.” If the Breastforce saw this, they’d have his head (not that he really needs it to live, mind you). 

Revealing secret desires

“I...” He blames a lot on the Autobots, claiming over and over how they did nothing but belittle him, but Hornet, for once, pauses as he tries to think about his answer carefully.

Biting his lower lip in thought, Hornet tries processing the events that transpired. In every fight, in every argument, one thing reminded the same. Star Saber was to never find out about the fights, nor the arguments, not even about his idea.

“...I didn’t join the Decepticons because I thought Deszaraus was a decent leader. Hell, ask Leozack, and he’ll tell you how shit the ugly ass-chicken is. Truth is, Star Saber wasn’t meant to know. Blacker made that clear enough to Braver and Laster. I heard ‘em, when they thought I wasn’t listenin’.” 

          “you know, you can just say these things to my face.”

Cringing as Hellbat spoke out, Killerhornet couldn’t help as he flexed his wings, feeling phantom pain in sympathy for Hellbat.

“Drillhorn said I needed to train more, but I didn’t think Queenie would attack you while training.” Hornet held onto his weapon warily, his visor pushed upwards to stare at his foul-tempered breast animal. 

Looming over the fallen Spy Master, Queenie buzzed furiously over Hellbat, but upon noticing Hornet’s stare, the bug flew a small distance away, clearly not sorry for denting Hellbat’s wing in the first place.

He heaved a sigh at Queenie’s behaviour, but really, she’s always been like it to most of the Breastforce. Deciding not to dwell on things, Hornet allowed his weapon to fall to the ground. He swiftly approached Hellbat, and soon knelt down beside the often-bullied jet when close enough to properly see the injury. 

“Here, let me just... I can bend it back, If- if that’s okay? It’ll hurt for a moment, but I did... study some medical stuff. Back when-.” He stops, trying to force the memories back down. He wasn’t Stinger. Not anymore, yet, even after fifty years, his kindness still remains. His face contorts, flashing glimpses of pain as he tries to shove his forgotten heart back down. “...Just stop whining and stay still, dumbass.”

          “you both deserve it.”

Placing a hand over Queenie's docked form, Hornet feigns shock and hurt as he gasps.

“Is this really how you’re gonna treat your best scienctist, old mech? C’mon, you know that I MORE than make up for my little moments with my inventions.”