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Unending.
That's what this war had become.
Same conflicts arose, same battles were fought, and the same threats spat out.
Only the bodies of the fallen differed.
Even when alterations happened, and mechs changed, the tide of war remained the same.
Even when the ex-Decepticon air commander turned views, and the Seekers followed; Megatron’s reign stood equal, ruling with the very same strength.
He was beginning to see why even the Autobots struggled. With, or without the full support of the Vosnian flight frames.
The Warlord’s dominion held firmly.
“Decepticons, crush this facility! Take no prisoners!”
A load of scrap.
They took prisoners when it suited Megatron. Just how the Autobots received the Seeker’s support when it suited Starscream.
The requests even becoming more frequent; Optimus often contacted the newly-deserter jet. At first, Starscream ignored it — steering from the Autobot belief. But over the next few meetings, he found himself meeting up with the former enemy commander. Acting as two faction politicians rather; they met up alone, and just talked. From discussing the war, to the Seeker’s departure of his former faction, and how he stood alone now, with many of his mechs following him.
Many, not all.
But enough for Vos’ remains to be their own standing again; and Starscream was reminded of his earlier war days. And after that, they discussed Megatron’s own rule and what the Decepticon’s cause fought for. Their ex-Second gave the Prime some info — keeping it limited; the mech was no fool.
He went as far as explaining his thoughts on the matter, even telling his never-ending, personal conflict with the Warlord was what it was. And Optimus listened. Just sat there, and watched the other mech for once be heard.
It was a missed feeling.
Once he understood, the Autobot even agreed. And then gave his own opinion on the matter. As it turned out, the Prime was willing to simply meet up with the Seeker, and more often than not, simply talk things out. Not discuss; but just talk. Lend his audial to the mech very few chose to listen to.
And Starscream;
Starscream let his pedes walk towards that kindness.
As with many others, the Matrix-bearer’s kindheartedness lured one in. Maybe even more than those red optics saw it. That’s why during the prompted meetings with the Prime, Starscream regularly spared his time to attend them.
Only when it was the two of them, though.
The few times the rest of the Autobots got involved, the tension and hate swayed heavy in the air. There was no calm and sincerity that Optimus’ presence brought. There was nothing that he could soothe in the Seeker, contrary when it was just the two of them.
So Starscream stopped coming.
He had nothing to discuss with the Autobots. Unless the Prime offered a scheduled meet-up, neither faction would have relation to the Vos’ mechs.
But when Prime called, Starscream did show up.
Just as he did now. Finding himself back on the battlefield’s playground. Amongst that same accursed growling, and the same sounds of projectiles that shot one another.
Shot his Seekers, shot him;
Shot the Prime.
Shot this planet and its residents. Shot the retreating mechs that were falling back to the Ark and left them both for dead.
It seemed so bizarre; that the honorary Autobots would leave their Prime fallen on the battlefield for Megatron to get up and personal and tear his spark core with sick delight.
Red optics turned towards the damaged truck;
He wasn’t offline. Immobile — likely, as Optimus preserved his functions to remain functional to some extent.
So would they really abandon their living Prime as the enemy prize, or was this some tactical ploy Starscream was unaware of?
Or was it simply a case of ‘Optimus would’ve wanted this’.
The thought fueled up a nasty feeling in the Seeker, and he forced his frame to stand up with a snarl.
“What a pathetic sense of justice that is,”
Alarms swarmed his H.U.D, and the mech disabled his notifications as the pain made itself known across his back. Another growl, and even those sensors were shut off.
Not that he would be needing them without his wings.
Red optics glanced back, the sore sight only making his expression frown further. The process of re-attaching them only brought more sour reminders, and Starscream forced his attention to scan over the remains of a dissipating battle. In ruins; abandoned of all bots except the result’s unfortunate victims. He recognized some of the Decepticons, but no feeling came with it.
This was, like all the others, just another battle of beliefs. Although this time, Starscream saw it from another perspective.
It didn’t change much, but it confirmed one suspicion;
“Incompetent Autobot morons,”
His vocalizer spat out loudly as the Seeker began walking his way over to the fallen Prime. Through the rubble of the facility, and debris of mech remains; it was far more effort than flying over all of it. The thought brought back up that unwelcome fact, and earned a hateful grunt out of the mech struggling his way through the mess.
One piece went flying with unnecessary force as a result of his anger, and Starscream shoved the last remains blocking his path until the other came within range.
He could get here, but an entire faction couldn’t.
The Seeker dropped down, studying the shut-down frame for some moments until he realized exactly what the other did with his systems. Put them on standby — by the looks of it. He could online them back, but--
A quick lightning bolt passed at the said moment, and the corner of red optics caught it. Starscream glanced up; the planet’s sky still clear, but that little flash undoubtedly signaled some form of rain that this planet had.
Which was a problem.
At least one he didn’t want to deal with later on. It would make the repairs on his frame far more unpleasant. He searched the area across, and spotted a cover of the facility ruins still standing; it was wide enough to cover both of them. He would just need to carry the Prime’s larger frame over to it. Not a particularly easy task, but Megatron forced him to carry more than a one-ton chunk of metal between his servos. With a grunt and some colorful grumbling, the mech made his way to the covering.
And the moment he settled the other down, the said rain started.
Delicious irony.
But it was a done deal, and Starscream focused back on the Prime. Within a few short passing kliks, he carefully cross-connected their frames. By opening up a wiring panel over their individual pieces, until a charge went through and initiated a reboot in Optimus’ systems. Although it loaded up at a rather slow rate, and the Seeker realized it would take some time until the other mech had his senses back.
In the meantime, he opened up his com-channels, and searched for the local Autobot one the Prime had given him; for one reason or the other, its purpose came.
::Autobots, this is Starscream. I’ve situated Prime, he’s secured at the facility’s interior with me. Coordinates 46.4910047.::
The message seemed to go through, and he waited.
::S—r-sc---m, t--- is Ra-ch-t, w—r—ab— Arkz-zz-bzzz::
Whatever, and whoever was attempting to contact him back, wouldn’t be doing so, and the mech ex-vented; their signals were completely jammed. Whether his, or the Ark’s, that plan flew out the window. He tried once more for good measure, and received nothing but static. Thankfully, a small light alerted the Seeker’s attention back, and he turned to be greeted with Optimus’ finished reboot; the large bot likely organizing his onslaught of notifications.
Once finished, those blue optics reset one more time until they refocused on the nearby Seeker.
“Starscream... Thank you,”
The Prime lowly hummed as he readjusted some of the last minorities over his frame. But the latter merely scoffed.
“Your Autobots left you. Someone had to do it,”
“Ah, no. It’s not like that,” Came the somewhat hoarse answer. “I’ve ordered a retreat. There is little need for more to follow should I perish,”
So those earlier suspicions were true. It was some form of a tactical retreat.
Or a direct one to be precise.
“Except you didn’t,” The Seeker began, locking his stern gaze to the other’s. “And none of them thought to come save their precious leader they hold so much respect for?! The bots you call a ‘team’ only listen to orders when it suits them!”
Which was something they were all guilty of. But with the Decepticons, that went with great consequences.
“They—”
“They LEFT you! If they don’t listen for scrap anyway, they could’ve turned around!” Starscream turned to shouting, and the other mech watched with surprise; puzzled over the unexpected reaction. “Is there a reason you are so upset over this?” Because one of them was clearly taking this harder than it should be.
“Is there a reason—” The smaller frame repeated, and Starscream fully turned around now, giving Optimus a full view. “Of course there’s a reason! I could drag my Primus-forsaken frame over, yet you lead a batch of incompetent imbeciles that cannot!”
And only then did the large Autobot realize what exactly the other meant.
“Your wings—”
“—Yes they’re gone, Prime,” The Seeker lowly murmured, calming the ablaze anger down. “Yet I still came for you,” His frame stilled, and the Seeker crossed his servos as silence followed behind his vocalizer. “Starscream… I’m truly sorry,” The cause of that outburst was now understood, and it clawed at Optimus’ spark that the consequences befell another due to him. “I didn’t mean for this-”
“You never do,” He would order the Seekers to retreat too, if he could. “That’s the problem,”
“Too many mechs died for me,” Optimus turned his gaze, taking in the battlefield around them. “Do not fault me for not wishing more of that,” He earned himself a sneer. “Don’t get your hopes going. I have no plans on dying for you Prime,” That sharp expression pierced him through regardless. “Issue is, you would for me,”
The power of that silent sentence easily muted out the rain around them. Words were heavy, and the blue optics dropped.
Read so easily.
“I cannot help how my frame was built,” Optimus gently spoke, looking to meet back with the cruel red pair. “Is that so wrong? To believe there is still some good left within mechs barring this war worth preserving?” And Starscream had an argument ready at his tongue, but the last part of that stilled his fire;
“Did you not come here with a similar intention over me?”
Because he did.
In some way, some cruel and merciless way, he did. He ignored his critical warnings — shut them off — and crawled his way over to the truck frame with the sole intentions of aiding it.
“Doesn’t matter,” He tried stepping into contact with the Ark, even. “I’m not a mech worth dying for,” That cruelty within Starscream's words worked both ways, and his own expression dropped; as if on reflex. Though a pair of servos moved to gently pick it back up, tone following;
“Neither am I,”
Red optics stared back at Optimus, as if mellowed out of that raw character the deep crimson withheld. Their owner softly chuckled; dry humor at the ironic situations that often found him, and the Prime merely watched. Cherishing the gentle gesture likely witnessed by few, mask slipping down as his own genuine smile showed.
That deep vocalizer lightly hummed as blue servos gently cupped the Seeker’s face, rubbing tender caresses across the dark cheek. It was an uncertain gesture, and despite the innocence which guided it, Optimus tread carefully; ready to retreat at the slightest implication if it crossed any boundaries.
But those fierce optics simply gazed at him, lips leftover with the lingering smile so rare, that it could warm even the coldest depths of Cybertron. Their own charm enticing the Prime as Starscream leaned into the touches, letting his face fall into the large servos. The Seeker even shut his optics, gently massaging his face against the petting strokes.
It was still so very new and curious, but now, one gained reassurance over those unknown acts — and the Prime neared a little closer in order to progress that interest with better reach.
Each of his servos tenderly brushed down in a rhythm. When all five went up, they traced a line down Starscream’s cheek as each individually fell; followed by the next, and the next, and Optimus made sure they all carefully treated the mech’s delicate face. With the closer distance, he could even press a bit more confidently, and the Seeker’s earlier smile returned in a wider frame, nuzzling back with equally gained confidence.
The sight sent such a pleasant signal over both the Matrix and his spark.
“You’re rather fond of this,” The Prime hummed out, and Starscream snorted some through his pet-session. “Shut up,”
Not that it stopped either of them.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite enjoying it myself,”
Optimus reached up with his other servo as well, cupping the dark face in-between fully, and the latter onlined the red optics up at him.
“Are you now Prime,”
The new gesture easily invited Starscream, and he rested his chin onto the weight, letting out a low hum of enjoyment. Optimus left the conversation at that though, watching those optics go off again as the Seeker pressed into the other servo, desperately demanding a treatment over on that side as well.
One that the Autobot all-too-happily gave, his beaming expression meekly growing each klik’s passing.
Subconsciously or not, he put great care into the affection of the moment that he was granted;
Watching for every small feature that the other’s face made, looking to repeat the ones that the Seeker most enjoyed. Listening for the soft sounds that both — Starscream’s vocalizer, and his spark — hummed out in approval. And how the smaller mech fully relaxed into his hold, leaned forward to the point of falling flat up-front if Optimus let go.
Not that the thought ran across his processor even momentarily.
But with his frame bent forward, one had a better look over the Seeker’s back — and how brutally the pieces of missing wings were sliced off. Despite the sincere actions they were having, seeing the injury for what it was immediately brought up a different mood, and the larger mech dimmed his expression; unknowingly pausing his touches.
Starscream easily caught up though, glancing up only once before he pressed his whole face into the blue servo to earn back the attention — from rubbing his nose-ridge into it, even optic, and then dropping down to the lips. There was no pushing there; Starscream gently pressed his lips across, merely brushing over the palm and allowing himself to linger in that pose for only a few nano-kliks as the other noticed.
Optimus looked down, and he returned to his previous position — the one that was safe.
The one didn’t bring up too many questions neither of them were ready to answer.
And the subtle tactic worked; Prime softly ex-vented, choosing to let the topic on his mind go. Which Starscream appreciated — as would likely he, later on.
They had a moment going on. It was intimate, strange, and different.
It was a now that was too precious to be ruined.
They would yell, worry, blame, and confess later. But now;
Now it was just this.
And it was just them.
The large Autobot easily got reminded of that, too; watching the other nestle back into his hold, albeit lost of that earlier smile that warmed his spark. And as an apology, Optimus tried to make his motions even more delicate than before. To nurse and carefully fondle that face — yet his servos turned more eccentric, movements growing more rapid in their stroking; pacing around, touching without that earlier elegance, growing impatient.
They began yearning.
And still, the Seeker didn’t seem to pay it much mind. As if the change was merely an enlarged fear sprouting up in full volume that only he saw. And maybe it was, but there was confidence over one certainty:
His systems urged him to press forward, and Optimus carefully tested each step.
Though the gentle caresses continued, they changed. The Prime stilled all of his servos but thumbs, slowly rubbing both of them beneath the red optics that onlined — curious as he. They watched as the anxious Autobot cautiously brought the face between his hold back up; and even as it stood mirrored a mere distance away, the Seeker remained.
Letting that moment expand as far as it would go.
Which meant it was okay.
He could do this.
He could try.
He could lean towards the cupped face, and replace those touches with one through his lips.
Just one though; a reluctant and gentle brush that disconnected before any longing prevailed over it.
Doubt lingering — blue optics looked across;
At the gently held face. At the dimmed burning crimson. At the slightly agape mouth;
At the face disoriented as he was.
At the expression that thrived to see their little game to the end, with both players understanding very little.
But they played.
They played regardless, and Optimus leaned back in, with certainty this time. With lips pressing unto the other’s, dancing elegant steps each retrace. Every little retrieval coming back as confident servos pressed their faces further. And once they finally settled, the Prime could drag his lip's brushes across their partner, witnessing their own elegance and Starscream’s face; until they stilled over the Seeker’s bottom lip, and the Autobot passionately, albeit teasingly, pulled at it.
But his sensual playfulness reignited some heat back into the other, and Optimus easily had his efforts kicked into overdrive as that snarky smirk and sharp dentae assaulted him back.
His last pull had the Seeker push at him as a result, practically forcing his entry rather than the Prime’s gentle invitation. Their mouths opened, yet Starscream remained at their lips; and it wasn’t until he violated them some more — pushing and pulling until Optimus simply lost track of it all, and ending it with Energon trailing down - was he satisfied.
Their kiss stopped only for a moment. Solely so the Autobot could see the grin his partner eyed him with before he was pulled back in.
There was no doubt a part of this was to stroke the Seeker's ego, and disgrace the Prime of his high-ranking title.
Because both most assuredly happened.
Suddenly — and the Prime had to play around with his servos, letting them fall somewhere in order to keep up with their rougher pace — he had the other mech back on his lips, and this time, they took their passion further.
With intrusive perversions of tongues;
The ex-Decepticon initiated it — inviting himself into that personal space, reaching out for their host and pulling it along. Exchanging tastes, savoring what was given to him, and marking his own impact to remember. And then, exploring every new corner of what few had the chance to be part of. Hungering, ravishing, licking, sucking, biting—
Everything that he could greedily get, and everything that the Prime let him have.
And Primus, there was little he didn’t.
Though he did the same. Slower on the lusting hunger, but even Optimus Prime let that insatiable desire sprawl out and take. Just as the other — his tongue trailed over the edges, over the dangerous dentas, dragging along their sharp outlines and walking alongside that risk — choosing to trust, as the Prime often did. Because they could, as with everything else, drop down and mark an end to his blind faith.
And yet, it more often than not proved to be a good call.
A Russian roulette over their own war game; their tongues met once again. And just as before, they waltzed along in their mutual aggression. Willing, giving, marking and taking;
Optimus’ elegance, care, timidness and urgency. And Starscream’s greed, appetite, fervor — yet shrouded with an empty longing that reappeared from the depths within the Seeker.
Both of their strong feelings clashed within the kiss, and every private bit of themselves had a piece given to the other. Some of it being the itch of their cravings, and some the excitement which guided it. But along with those ringing emotions within sparks came another. One that was heavier to bear. One of those which every mech kept hidden deep within themselves, as they put on a strong face and a sturdy frame.
One that was often reserved for someone you could trust.
And maybe a part of that longing, was wishing that they could be just that.
But as all things did, even this ended with unanswered mysteries, and the large Autobot pulling back — both of which Starscream chased after until he could no more.
And once they had distance again, the pairs of optics met.
Neither spoke; and the rainy drops alongside their creaking frames easily came to be the only sounds across the fresh battleground.
They didn’t move away either though.
Didn’t want to.
Instead, the Prime moved back; this time planting feather-light kisses across the dark face. Cupping it back, brushing over the Seeker’s helmet, cheeks, savoring another short connection of their lips, and making a loving pathway down the mech’s neck. Starscream made a face, optics following the affection as his fans turned on to a higher setting.
“Prime…”
His vocalizer gently murmured as a pair of servos embraced him, and Optimus’ trail continued down his neck, stopping at its edge as the mech planted his chin at the Seeker’s shoulder, resting his head. There was a low ex-vent, but other than that, Starscream received no response. He did the same though; and the hug over his frame tightened.
Perhaps they just needed this. Perhaps the stoic Autobot leader needed this.
Perhaps, even he needed this.
A reminder.
A single moment of kindness and long-forgotten devotion over their frames from a pair of gentle servos instead. That's what this was.
Speaking of, he should probably return that.
But just as Starscream reached to lock the Prime back in the warm gesture, his com rang and servos went up to his audial instead, in order to re-establish a signal.
He clicked, and the message came:
::Starscream, do you read? This is Prowl. We’re at the Ark and have received the earlier transmission, but couldn’t make out its exact coordinates. Is the Prime still with you?::
The Seeker paused, watching their moment start to fade as he gently signaled the other mech to let go.
::I read you. He’s still with me:: Optimus hesitantly did so, realizing the situation shortly after and straightening back against the wall. ::Coordinates are the same: 46.4910047. And hurry up::
::Confirmed. We’re sending a unit to you now. Keep Prime secured until then::
Prowl replied after a brief pause, cutting their conversation short after that.
And all Starscream could do, despite the 'good news', was sneer.
“ ’Keep Prime secured’…” His vocalizer repeated the irony, and Optimus’ audial picked up on his name. “Hm?”
Starscream waved it off, turning to stand back on his pedes and absentmindedly stare at the rain.
“They finally had the decency to send someone for you,” He said, but the reply came out rather blue. “Ah,”
The Seeker took the bait and looked over, watching the mech get up as well.
“Did they all make it back safely?” Starscream made a distasteful sound at the question. “All but you,” And Optimus lowly chuckled. “I think my case is a special one,”
As one too many times, he tried to warm the tension out.
“Please, come with me at least to have your wings repaired,” It was a genuine offer, but the other merely scoffed. “If it’s just for that, I think I’ll live without them,”
And that sliced a wound at the larger bot, because Starscream would rather live the lie than tolerate the presence of his Autobots.
“Well, that’s not all…” His tone hesitated, but after a moment of looking around, blue optics landed back on the other. “I’d also enjoy spending some more time together. If you feel the same,”
A part of the smaller mech knew it was coming, and the other part convinced it was too surreal for it to.
Neither part, however, thought upon an answer for either of these circumstances.
Or maybe they knew it all along. He just didn’t want to accept it.
“--Only for the wings,” Starscream blurted out as the red optics caught sight of that smile, and the latter replied him. “Of course,”
The subtle call-out would be one the Seeker would jump at, but despite his pride and formality, even he found humor in the whole thing.
Mainly on that one thing earlier;
‘Keep Prime secure’
He!
The mech who walked through the pile of carcasses for the said Prime! And that stupid Autobot had the audacity-
He would protect him more than any of the Autobots ever could.
Yet, he was told to ’keep Optimus safe’.
As if he wouldn’t do that regardless.
He may or may not just die for the mech, and that fool actually said that.
Imagine!