Work Text:
Oh, Primus. What has he done to himself right now? Of all the miscalculations that could occur in the lab, THIS was the one that has occurred.
“Illogical. Highly, highly illogical.” Shockwave cursed himself harshly after accidentally transforming into a cat feline. Just unbelievable. Now, what was he supposed to do in this form? Nothing. There was nothing the scientist himself could do in this situation. Even if he could, reconducting everything as a feline would require a significant amount of effort. It wouldn’t do for him.
Confused on what to do now, Shockwave’s audials—wait no… His 'ears' twitched when he heard his lab door opened, and there was also—
“Soundwave!”
“Meow!” That was what Soundwave heard.
And, surely, Soundwave was startled by the unexpected purple cat appearance in Shockwave's laboratory. Because the scientist was well aware that keeping any creature, beast, or pest in the laboratory would be troublesome. Except Laserbeak. Moreover, Soundwave looked around and saw that the scientist was nowhere to be seen. Though the more he tried to search for him, the cat kept meowing even louder. While Shockwave had been screaming internally to call out Soundwave’s name, he didn’t respond to him or even recognize him. Could it be that Soundwave didn't hear his voice and instead heard his meowing the entire time? Primus, this was a disaster for Shockwave. Soon after, he felt Soundwave pick him up in the air with both servos. They were both face-to-face.
“Soundwave, it’s me! I’m Shockwave!” He tried again.
“Meow! Meow! Meow!”
“Hmm?” Soundwave wondered as he scanned the purple feline. “You have no designation. Did Shockwave create you, little kitty? Or are you his pet?” He questioned the cat in uncertainty.
“Meow!”
Soundwave tried to consider again. “Then again, I do not think Shockwave would own a pet like you. Are you a subject for his experimentation perhaps?”
The cat meowed again in a defeated way this time after Soundwave mentioned the experimentation subject part. Perhaps because it was not. Duh.
“So you're Shockwave's creation after all. Given that your fur resembles his armor and has the same red eyes as his optic,” Soundwave lowered him a bit and checked around him before returning to the cat. “I am assuming Shockwave has other responsibilities elsewhere. Do you know where he went?”
“I’m here, Soundwave.”
On the inside, Shockwave has given up. The moment Soundwave sought him out instead of paying attention, he realized his partner didn't recognize him. He came to the conclusion that continuing to meow would be pointless. Soundwave, on the other hand, interpreted it differently.
“Did he leave you alone, then? Poor little kitty.” Unexpectedly, Soundwave brought the cat to his chassis. The exact point where Laserbeak would usually dock on his frame. He cradled the cat, letting it rub and nudge against him.
As for Shockwave, he did. He could practically hear his partner’s spark beating. He could feel how warm Soundwave was just being this close and the smooth, delicate plating on his frame. Shockwave clung to him. He clung to Soundwave to feel his sparkbeats and his warmth in the most comfortable way. That said, he didn’t even realize he was purring. A soothing one that was audible for his partner to hear.
Soundwave chuckled as he heard the soft purring from the cat. His servo gently petted the fluffy fur. Making it clung more to him.
“Do you want to spend the day with me?” Soundwave questioned it with a gentle tone.
Shockwave instinctively gazed up at him. The pupils in his eyes dilated with excitement. He had never thought about admiring Soundwave this closely. Especially when he’s in this feline form, Soundwave has never been seen so large in comparison to him. Even if he only saw his visor, Shockwave already knew what kind of expression the mech had. After a moment, Shockwave moved to reach his shoulders with his front paws and nudged his head against Soundwave's helm in approval. In which earning him a few scratches on the back of his head.
As they spent their day together, Soundwave carried him to his workspace. The mech stared at the cat and scratched its head before putting him back on the ground. In return, he rubbed himself against his legs back and forth. As if marking his owner and simply wanting more of his attention. Soundwave secretly smiled at his behavior. These kinds of felines were certainly adorable at times.
“Now, now, little kitty, I will be doing my duties for now.” He extended one of his tendrils, which alarmed the cat for a moment. Soundwave swiftly explained. “Do not worry. I assure you that this will not harm you. In fact, you could play with it while I work.” His own voice was gentle and surprisingly soothing for Shockwave to hear.
It was then that the tendril wiggled playfully on its own. The movement itself triggered Shockwave’s feline instinct to catch it. From Soundwave’s point of view, the cat was trying to catch it with full excitement and playfulness. Soundwave then slowed his tendril a little so it wouldn’t exhaust the cat too much as he worked. His back was now facing the cat as he was typing the keypad on his console. The cat behind him still played with his long, wobbly tendril. His pupils were still wide. Soundwave heard every sound the cat made. Those cute chatters, meows, and purrs really warmed his spark on this day. It’s unfortunate that Shockwave wasn’t here to see it play.
It’s unfortunate that Shockwave wasn’t here to see it play. Yes, Soundwave still wondered where his partner had gone.
An hour had passed. Soundwave shut off his console and turned to find the cat behind him—nowhere. He gazed down and found him sitting in the most polite way a cat usually sits. Though his tongue was sticking out as if panting like a dog, Soundwave knew that this behavior meant that the cat felt hot, or maybe dehydrated. He picked up the cat as he went to the refuel station, where it was still empty. He placed the cat on one of the tables and went to grab a small cube of energon that was enough for the feline to consume. Deep down, Shockwave hesitated before sipping the energon like an animal he was now. Feeling humiliated but also settled as Soundwave sat before him and petted his back.
“You must have been really starving, little kitty,” he uttered soothingly. “I wonder if Shockwave would feed you in his lab. He’s always been so engrossed in his projects, you know?”
After the cat finished sipping his energon, Soundwave gave him a boop on his nose. His own servo came to rub around the cat’s head. “Perhaps… this experience wasn’t bad at all.” Shockwave leaned close to his servo, purring in content. Then he began licking him. In which Soundwave allowed it.
It reminded him so much of the time when he first bonded with his own minicon, Laserbeak. It wasn’t difficult for him to gain her trust. But it wasn’t easy, either, to form a bond with any minicons. If she were here right now, she would be very jealous observing him, like petting another minicon. But the cat wasn’t a minicon. Even if the cat was a minicon, Soundwave would not pick a favorite and care for them all equally. Shockwave, on the other hand, was a whole different story.
For the remaining hours of the day, Shockwave would follow Soundwave around as a cat, and Soundwave wasn’t bothered about it. When he went to work on his console or anything else, he let the cat jump and relax on the desk while also watching him. Occasionally he would talk to the cat, to which it would respond with a meow or a chatter. Soundwave was surprised by how calm the cat was near him. Even if they had to walk down the corridor and pass someone else, the cat would remain hidden with him, unnoticed by anybody else.
As the night came, both of them returned to Soundwave’s personal quarters. The cat turned to him first to ask his permission to jump on the berth. Soundwave nodded at it, and the cat hopped to the berth and laid down instantly, its belly showing and tail wagging. Soundwave also heard it purring loudly. Other than purring, he also heard some chirping coming from not far outside his quarters. Laserbeak entered his quarters before the door shut, and Soundwave caught her in his arms. His precious minicon chirped affectionately as he stroked her wings. That was until she took notice of the feline lying back on the berth.
Laserbeak flew above the cat. She chirped loudly, alarmed, and prepared to execute whatever it would do. Shockwave, who saw her, only remained calm. His fur stilled and didn’t hiss at her until Soundwave immediately alleviated her.
“Laserbeak, cease.” He instructed gently. “This cat is harmless. I found it in Shockwave’s lab while he was away. It will stay for a while until Shockwave returns.”
His minicon hesitated, and Soundwave knew she was dissatisfied, as he had thought before. He held her and whispered, “There is no need to be jealous of it. You, Laserbeak, will remain my favorite and always be.” His own spark sensed hers settling into the current ambience. She chirped in gratitude. After one last stroke, he set her on the nightstand beside his bed. “Goodnight, Laserbeak.”
As her systems shut down to recharge, Soundwave settled in his own berth with his visor off, looking at the cat rolling around him. Its own eyes were slowly closing too, and a front paw rested on his face. He smiled at it.
“Goodnight, little kitty.”
“Goodnight, Soundwave."
As soon as they all rested, Shockwave felt very warm with him this close. He realized that he almost broke Soundwave and Laserbeak's bond. He always understood and respected them well. Now, he hoped to transform into his usual self. Despite his contentment in this form today, Shockwave still wanted to hold Soundwave. But for now, it seems like he has to wait.
In the middle of the night, as they were still in recharge, Shockwave’s feline form began to shift. The feeling in his form was uncomfortable enough to wake him out of recharge. Shockwave instinctively jumped off the berth as he transformed quietly into his usual large form. His singular optic registered his own servo for a brief second before scanning his internal systems. All was restored as it was. He turned to see Soundwave, who’s still looking undisturbed in his recharge, and so was Laserbeak.
Without making any noise, Shockwave settled back beside Soundwave. He could see him fully now, like this, with his arm around him protectively. He knew that Soundwave would be very confused by his sudden appearance in the morning. It seemed like it didn’t matter anymore for him as his optic shut off.
Hours later, when the morning did come, a soundwave stirred first. His servo felt a metal that was roughly larger than him. His optics flickered on, and he was very surprised to see his own partner finally returning but confused as to where the cat from yesterday had gone.
“Shockwave?”
Shockwave instantly awoke, meeting Soundwave’s confused gaze. “Ahh, you’re awake now, my love.”
Soundwave interrupted, “where were you yesterday? Where did your cat go?”
“I was your cat.” He revealed straightforwardly.
“What?”
“Yes, Soundwave… It was an accident from my experiment. I apologize for making Laserbeak jealous.”
“Oh, you.” Soundwave teased. “You were quite clingy as a cat.”
Shockwave only vented. “It is good to be back for you.”
Soundwave responded back with his servo on Shockwave’s helm. “So do I.”