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Grimlock was pretty happy that the war was over now, a little disappointed that Optimus had managed to get himself dead, but his Dynobots were all alive. Even that little twerp who’d gone and become a Decepticon. When that fool finally made it back planetside, Grimlock Jr. was gonna get an audial full.
Most of the high ranking ‘cons had been located or confirmed offline, and the ones willing to come peacefully had been — in most cases — allowed to integrate into society again. They needed as many hands as possible on hand in the rebuilding, with their numbers so reduced. The newsparks were just kids, after all, they needed mentoring and time to gain useful experience.
In the meantime, Grimlock looked around the halls of Darkmount, trying to orient himself so that he could continue his search. Starscream was one of the few mechs that had(n’t) been accounted for. Grimlock was determined to rectify that before the crazy jet got any big ideas.
Supposedly, Starscream had been offlined by angry predacons. He'd known Starscream a long time, since before the war had even been a twinkle on the horizon. The mech had terrible — and self generated — luck with almost everything except staying alive.
As for the others…
Soundwave was refusing to come out of the Shadow Zone unless he was allowed to search for Megatron. Shockwave had holed up in one of his labs, and when contact was attempted, refused to budge unless they needed help with planetary defense. At least Deathsaurus and Strika were being reasonable, they’d come back and negotiated like the professionals they were.
No one knew what had happened to Starscream for sure, last reports had him running scared from some cloned predacons. No one had looked for a frame. Grimlock sighed loudly through his vents, of course Starscream could manage to take perfectly good mechs and alienate them badly enough they wanted him dead. He hadn’t been himself since Megatran intimidated him into joining the Decepticons.
Grimlock was probably getting close though, up ahead he saw some grey frames. When he finally reached them, Grimlock was more than a little relieved to find that they were predacons. Good, Starscream's chances were much higher now, then. A few breems later and he’d begun to pick up the faint sounds of active machinery, and followed them deeper into the fortress.
Finally he’d arrived at a lab, and there at the back, was an active CR chamber, and inside it was Starscream. At least, it looked like a CR chamber, maybe it had additional functions? Grimlock had to reset his optics a couple times, the mech in the chamber looked nothing like Starscream had at the end of the war. He looked more like he had in the past.
Grimlock’s musings were interrupted just then by the chamber making a chiming noise to indicate it’s cycle was complete, and the mech inside was ready to be woken and released. He watched as the nanite solution drained, and cables disconnected themselves. The chamber door slid open and slowly Starscream’s optics came online.
Standing out of Strascream’s direct line of sight, Grimlock was treated to the sight of Starscream looking first at his new-old hands with wonder, and then checking out the rest of himself that he could see. He was smiling the terribly attractive sharkticon grin he used to when he thought he’d come out on top.
It was very cute, but Grimmlock didn’t wanna give him too much time to start scheming, if he could route it early…maybe he could get Starscream to come back with him bar too much fuss. To that end, he scuffed his ped on the floor to draw Starscream’s attention to him.
Even if Starscream had been a dangerous enemy for a long time, it still pained Grimlock to see how he reacted to the gentle startle. The way Starscream’s wings immediately dropped as he curled in on himself, optics wide and bright, posture defensive, it was hard to look at. Starscream was supposed to be all prideful confidence, even if he had to fake it.
“WHO—” Starscream started, and immediately stopped, frozen seeing who had invaded his sanctuary.
“Hey, Starscream, long time no see.” Grimlock said.
Starscream shook off his surprise like a champ, and narrowed his optics, face plates going blank. “So, they sent someone to finish the job, did they? Or do the Autobots want to drag me back to parade around as a symbol of their victory? Put me in Spark prison for everything I’ve done?” He said, voice smooth and low. Nothing like the screeching he was famous for.
“No. I’m not here on anyone’s orders but my own. It’s time to come home, Starscream. The war’s over now, Megaton’s buggered off, Optimus is offline, we’re trying to rebuild. The only thing stopping you from coming with me and building a new life, is you.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible, Grimlock. I’m too high up in command. And besides, I don’t see what you gain from doing this, what’s the catch, what do you want?” Starscream looked more relaxed, but his wing posture was too stiff.
“Don’t you remember? The promises we made before the war, that no matter what, our sparks belonged to each other. I promised to never leave you if I could help it, I promised that I would always be yours if you would be mine.”
“Well, well, how sentimental! But as I recall, we both broke those bonds a long time ago. Much as you have a soft, gooey center, you’re like me, you don’t forgive that easily. I chose the Decepticons, you chose the Autobots.”
“Of course I chose the Autobots, Megatron was too consumed by his own darkness, an ambition that deep and twisted only devours everything in its path. He’s gone now though, declared defeat and everything, you should know, I hear you were there.” Grimlock said.
Starscream's sneer at that was poisonous, finally, his wings moved, hiking up and vibrating with contained rage. “Yes, my dear master, in the final seconds…had the audacity to claim he’d been ‘wrong’ after everything!!! ”
Grimlock took a chance, and stepped closer. Starscream watched him closely, but didn’t pull away when he slowly reached up to put a large hand on Starscream’s shoulder. This was it, the make or break moment.
“I know, and I know it must chew you up inside, but this is a chance. Why let him continue to hold power over you by being consumed by your resentment for him? Break the chains he wrapped you in. Start again. It won’t be easy, and progress might be slow, but you can take that first step here, come home , Starscream. Come home, and we’ll work on it together, we’ll grow past this and you can become so much more than Megatron ever wanted to let you be.”
Starscream was starting to shiver under his hand, but he wasn’t lashing out, which was a good sign.
“How can you say that? You can’t really believe…There’s no way they’d let me just come back and remain free…Why would you even want to be there with me after….”
Starscream’s trembling was getting stronger, he was starting to rattle. Grimlock carefully wrapped him in a hug, and his spark was feeling too much to interpret just then when Starscream latched onto him in return.
Vocalizer rough, Grimlock said quietly, “It’s not going to be a fairy tale ending, there will be conditions if you return, but you’ve persevered through worse. Strika and Deathsaurus have actually managed to negotiate pretty fair terms for Decepticons who return are committed to laying down arms. But Starscream, your absence in my life has been a gaping wound, and finally you’re right here where I can reach you again. I let you get away to a place I couldn’t follow once, I won’t let the same thing happen this time if I can help it.”
Grimlock was pretty sure he felt solvent tears dripping onto his chest, but didn’t mention it, he was pretty sure he was crying too. They stood quietly in each other’s arms for a long time, but once Starscream’s shaking died down, and they were no longer crying, Starscream pulled away a little to look Grimlock in the optics.
“Alright,” he said softly, “Let’s go home, Grimlock.”