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It was an easy enough plan: go in, gently threaten the guys who owed them, get their money, and then leave, but Rocket was learning that his plans almost never went off without a hitch.
Starscream was kneeling outside in front of the only way in and out of the pub, arms crossed and an optical ridge lifted. One guy had already tried to make a run for it, but he was currently sitting slumped in the corner, still unconscious from when Starscream backhanded him into a wall.
“Let me ask this again, slowly so all of you can understand me.” Rocket said, looking around. “I’m looking for a guy. Tall, brown hair, got some cyber tech on his leg? This guy owes us money. Now, owing me money is bad enough, but owing him money?,” he pointed to Starscream. “Might as well start diggin’ your grave now.”
Several pairs of eyes shifted to give the mech outside another look. He sneered at them.
“I don’t wanna have to start actually threatening you all, alright? I just want what belongs to me.” Rocket said, hefting his gun higher on his shoulder. Silence covered the pub and he sighed.
“Alright if we gotta do things the hard—“
“WAIT.”
Rocket and Starscream turned to see a man and a woman come forward. They shot Starscream a cautious look when he unfolded his arms.
“We know who you’re talking about,” the woman said, “and he hasn’t been around in weeks, but we know where he is…”
Rocket returned his gun to his shoulder, and for the first time, Starscream spoke up.
“Go on.” He purred, making the two people nervously look at him again.
“Last I heard from him,” the man said, “he was out in the south part of this star system on Kremos, a couple days from here. Said he was gonna be there for a while. You might be able to catch him before he leaves.”
Rocket nodded to them with a grin.
“Appreciate it. We’ll be on our way now.”
Starscream stood up so Rocket could walk outside. He pretended not to notice how many people got up and came to the windows, wanting a better look at him. Cybertronians were a rare sight given how scattered to the wind they were, so he expected the attention. He put his hand on the ground so Rocket could climb onto his palm and crawl up to sit on his shoulder.
“Alright let’s go. Timer’s counting down. We’re on the clock now.” Rocket said, reclining back against Starscream’s large shoulder armor. Starscream rolled his eyes at his companion but started walking anyway. He could easily transform and fly them to their ship, but he still wasn’t comfortable with the idea of Rocket sitting in his cockpit, even if the mercenary would fit perfectly. That was a little too… intimate for his liking.
He was affectionate towards Rocket and Rocket felt the same towards him, but he was still wary. After all, this had started as a business companionship, and now it was that with something else entirely mixed in.
Confusing, that’s what it was. The thought stuck with him as he made his way to their ship.
Walking through the market that made up most of the town, reactions to Starscream were the same as they had been back at the pub. People would stop and look at him as he passed, sometimes whispering to one another. Normally he’d make a show of himself, strutting more than walking—a habit that Rocket often saw fit to tease him for—but he was too interested in getting his money to bother with them.
Starscream approached their ship and waited until Rocket had lowered the docking ramp to walk inside. One would think that an alien robot that could turn into a jet wouldn’t need a ship, but the truth of the matter was, not all Cybertronians were equipped to survive in space for extended times, not even if they were a Seeker like him.
“Kremos, here we come.” Rocket said as he punched in the coordinates and set the ship on autopilot. He hopped down from the captain’s chair and walked back into the main area of the ship, finding Starscream where he left him, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and wings dropped so they didn’t brush the ceiling. This time however, something was off. Starscream was slouching and looking at his claws, something he did when he was thinking too hard about something. Rocket approached him and tapped on his shin, getting his attention.
“Hey. Something bothering you?” He asked. Starscream raised an optical ridge at him.
“No.”
“Why are you lying?” Rocket asked, sitting down in front of him, copying Starscream’s seated position. The Cybertronian looked away from him, studying the wall.
“Because I don’t feel like discussing trivial matters with you.” He said. Rocket huffed and got up, climbing up Starscream’s leg and sitting on his knee.
“Look at me.” He said. Starscream ignored him so he stood up.
“Hey. Look at me.”
Starscream sighed but did eventually look at Rocket, who cocked his head with a smile.
“Come closer.”
Starscream rolled his eyes but leaned down, his face inches from Rocket. The mercenary reached out and rubbed his hand over Starscream’s crest, or the bottom of it anyway. It was the only piece of it he could usually reach. The Cybertronian’s optics slid closed and Rocket heard the rumble of his engine kick up. No matter how irritated Starscream got, that always did the trick.
“You think a little crest rubbing is going to get me to talk to you?” Starscream mumbled, cracking open an optic. Rocket grinned at him.
“Is it working?”
Starscream hummed and moved away from the tantalizing paws, just out of range but still pretty close.
“I’m not sure I understand what we are anymore.”
Rocket looked confused.
“What we are? What’re you talking about?”
Starscream looked irritated again so with some effort, Rocket reached out and gave his crest some more calming rubs, and Starscream leaned into the touch.
“This. What is this about? We started this as business partners.” Starscream said, his usually loud voice soft because of his proximity to his much smaller companion. “Now I don’t know what to think.”
Rocket paused, taking a few steps forward so he could press his face against Starscream’s helm, the warm metal thrumming beneath his cheek.
“Who cares? I’m pretty happy. Got a great partner who knows how to get people to do what he wants, he’s a big robot, and he’s like a personal heater when it gets cold in this ship. I could give a damn really.”
“Well when you put it like that.” Starscream chuckled.
Rocket lifted his face from the plating, seeing himself reflected in the shiny metal and smiling.
“If you don’t know what to think, that means you’re thinking too hard. Does it mean that much to you, having a label?”
Starscream leaned back a bit more so he could look at Rocket fully. The mercenary had his fists on his hips, head cocked in question.
Starscream was extremely unnerved by the way his spark rolled around in its chamber when he looked at Rocket. The last time he felt that, it had ended badly and he had swore he’d never let himself feel that again, and yet here he was…
He liked being around Rocket in spite of how much he complained. He liked being on a ship again, he liked that he was allowed to push people around a bit, and he liked that Rocket didn’t treat him as anything less than an equal.
“No,” he answered Rocket’s question, “it doesn’t.” He said slowly. Rocket was reaching for him again so instead of moving closer, he scooped Rocket into his hand and held him up at eye level. He expected the renewed petting on his crest, but he didn’t expect the feeling of a nose pressing against his face, nor did he know what to do when he felt a mouth kiss his crest.
“I’m not so good with feelings and shit,” Rocket said, sounding embarrassed, “but I do like ya, Scream. You mean something to me, and I think I mean something to you too. I try not to overanalyze it you know? That makes things complicated.”
Starscream actually smiled and gently nuzzled Rocket back, chuckling at the indignant ‘hey’ he got in return.
“What, so you’re allowed to kiss me but I can’t do that?” He said, chuckling more when Rocket crossed his arms and mumbled something. Starscream shifted so he was lying down and placed Rocket on his chassis, right over his spark chamber. Rocket had long since figured out that it was the warmest part of his frame and enjoyed napping there.
The small mercenary smiled down at Starscream before curling up and yawning.
“Wake me up in a few hours.” Rocket said, pillowing his head on his arms. Starscream carefully stroked the back of a finger down Rocket’s back, delighting in the smile it got him. Rocket would deny to the end of time that he liked being petted, but Starscream knew the truth.
“No. You can wake me up.” Starscream said with a snort, lying his head down and preparing for a stasis nap. He heard Rocket mumble something at him.
“What was that?” He said.
“Said high heel wearing jerk bot.” Rocket repeated louder, smirking. Starscream gently poked him with a knuckle and Rocket made an annoyed noise.
“Devious, scheming wretch.” Starscream said affectionately. Rocket opened an eye and smiled at him before settling down again.
Starscream set an internal alarm for 3 megacycles.