Chapter Text
Taking everything into account, life was pleasant for Starscream and the cassettes. There was no need to worry about new arrivals after Frenzy had finally been reforged. The cassettes had all adjusted to living with the seeker as he did them. They had all found friends and companions while Starscream was finally on good terms with his coworkers. For the first time since the war began, all of Cybertronian-kind was thriving and Starscream was proud to be one of the main bots responsible.
The only thing missing from his life was Soundwave, and that wasn’t for a lack of trying. There had been talks of freeing the Decepticon’s chief communication officer but, after an attempted coup, all had been put on hold as the greater population had distrusted the ex-Decepticon population for a time. While in the past he may have lost his cool at the delay, at this point Starscream was well aware of how unpredictable and inconvenient his position was.
In fact, it was slightly relieving. He had his desires but a part of him feared the change freeing Soundwave would bring.
Would they enter a relationship? Would Soundwave want nothing to do with him for mistreating his cassettes at times? For taking so long to save him? Would the mech even agree to peace?
Above all else, he feared losing the cassettes. The scoundrels had invaded his spark and processor to a point the seeker thought about little else other than them and work. He would never admit it to them but they truly improved his life and he was eternally grateful. They kept him active when he would have buried himself in administration work. They kept him social instead of letting him isolate in his office. They had even convinced him to pick up a hobby, something his trine had always struggled to do.
They really were the best part of his life… when they weren’t causing mayhem.
Starscream looked up from the report he was reading to the sound of arguing from the cassettes’ room. He had been sitting with Ravage on their couch as the cat relaxed in the sunlight coming from their newly installed window. It had been peaceful, until the noise began.
For a second the seeker was confused. As far as he remembered, the only other occupant in the apartment was Rumble. Buzzsaw had some artist club meeting and had left an hour ago while Frenzy had run out to see his friends the moment he finished his morning fuel. Judging by the sound of two distinct voices coming from the room, one of them must have returned while Starscream was distracted and he had a pretty good idea of who it was.
“Rumble, Frenzy. Cease this behaviour at once,” the seeker called through the wall. “Don’t make me come in there,” he lightly threatened before returning to his reading. There was new information on potential terrorist groups that required his immediate attention.
For a few moments the peace returned and Starscream sighed in relief. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t last as the twins picked up their fight again with even more energy. He set his datapad aside to go and scold them again but, before he could get up, Rumble stormed out of the room and rushed over to him.
“‘Ya need to do something, Screamer,” the small bot demanded. The seeker refreshed his audial sensors in confusion, trying to understand the fear laced in Rumble’s voice. “Do something about what?” he asked slowly, trying not to set off the others. “And don’t call me that.”
Before the cassette could answer, he was tackled by his blue twin and the two started tussling and yelling nonsense.
This seemed to be Ravage’s tipping point as the feline jumped off the couch, annoyed, to drag Frenzy off his brother by grabbing the bot’s arm with his mouth. Starscream used the separation as an opportunity to pick up Rumble in order to prevent a repeat performance.
Frenzy attempted to free his arm but Ravage held steady. Starscream returned his attention to the cassette in his arms. “What exactly is the problem, Rumble?” he asked again. “You know I don't tolerate your fights as much as your creator.”
“It’s nothing Screamer,” the blue bot yelled from the ground. “That aft’s just poking his helm in places it doesn’t belong!”
“I’m the aft you dunderhelm? You’re the one stealing ‘ma things!” “Well you’re the one not using them, scrapheap!” “Why you-”
“Enough!” the seeker commanded. “Didn’t I ask you both to cease this behaviour?”
The two squabbling cassettes stopped. Ravage dropped Frenzy’s arm and retreated into Starscream’s room, likely wanting to return to his nap instead of dealing with his siblings’ drama. Traitor.
The seeker shifted Rumble to free one of his servos in order to rub his helm. “You two are giving me a helmache. Rumble, explain the issue to me. Frenzy, be quiet.”
The blue bot glared at him as his twin went on a rant about how his brother had been stealing things from his stash of snacks and trinkets. Apparently today’s fight had started when Rumble caught Frenzy trying to take the special edition rust sticks the seeker had bought for the red bot a few days prior. Also apparently, this was not the first time such an occurrence had happened but all prior confrontations the two had were during times Starscream was at work.
When Rumble finished, Starscream looked down at Frenzy who was seething. “I get you all things in equal amounts. Why in Primus’ name do you feel the need to take more instead of asking me?” the seeker asked. The cassette, pointedly, refused to answer. Instead, he clenched his servos and looked away in defiance.
The room was silent as Starscream waited for an answer. “Sobeit,” he eventually said. “If you have no explanation then I assume you will have no problem spending the rest of the week accompanying me to the office.” There was no response so he continued, “for now, however, you will go to my room and try to come up with a proper explanation for your actions.”
The seeker then set Rumble down, “You may go back to what you were doing, Rumble.” He then paused, suddenly remembering the way the cassette sounded earlier. “Unless you have anything else to add?” he suggested, narrowing his optics. Given the current explanation, Starscream couldn’t figure out why Rumble had a reason to be afraid.
He watched as the cassette panicked and looked at his twin, who was now glaring at the other. He then rushed out a small “no” before promptly running back to his room, shortly followed by Frenzy stomping into Starscream’s.
‘How curious,’ the seeker thought to himself as he sat back down. He could have analyzed the interaction more but he had to get back to his work.
A few weeks passed without much happening. Following his grounding, Frenzy started spending almost all of his time out of the apartment. Rumble had complained but Starscream chalked it up to the blue cassette being mad at getting “busted” and was simply refusing contact with his siblings and their guardian as a result. Starscream had been busy anyways, planning raids on those who were threatening the planet’s peace had taken precedence over petty arguments.
What the seeker had noticed, however, was that Frenzy looked awful, Dirty, tired, sometimes limping, and he couldn’t figure out why nor did he have much time to dedicate to the matter. He and Ravage had still attempted to question the bot, but the troublemaker would always blow up in anger and excuses before running out of the room. Starscream had also attempted to pry information out of Rumble, who he suspected knew the specifics of what was going on, but he too became avoidant.
The situation came to a crux, finally, when one day the blue cassette returned home three hours past curfew. With all the drama going on, Starscream did not want to risk another delay to Soundwave’s return nor did he wish to stir up more political tension. So, instead of running out to chase Frenzy, he spent those hours pacing back and forth through the main room waiting to hear back from Ravage, who had been sent out in his steed.
Upon the two’s return, the seeker was furious and tired. He scolded Frenzy again but it did nothing as the cassette simply shrugged the yelling off and dragged himself to berth. The only lesson learned that night was that Buzzsaw was still sensitive to the idea of bringing up Soundwave in negative connotations.
Starscream was beyond confused, concerned, tired and angry by that point so he did what he did best.
The next day started off as normal as it could have. Tension filled the room as Starscream prepared everyone’s morning energon. Typically the mornings would be filled with light chatter as all their systems’ online but today was silent. Frenzy was frustrated with everyone, Buzzsaw was furious and Rumble was so nervous he could have been mistaken for being Knock Out’s cowardly sparkling. Something had to be done and, thankfully, Starscream had stayed up for most of the night formulating a fool-proof plan.
When Frenzy eventually finished his energon and ran out of the apartment, he was finally able to put it into action.
“Rumble, go to your room,” he demanded. Before the cassette could protest, Starscream sent him a convincing glare that made him go without question. He watched the red bot walk away and waited for the door for the cassettes’ room to close before shifting his attention to the other two at the table. Buzzsaw looked as though he was ready to attack the seeker so he wasted no time divulging his plan.
“I am aware that my words last night were out of line but can you be angry later,” he started. “You are concerned for them both are you not?” Buzzsaw flinched at the question and processed Starscream’s change in attitude. After a moment he relaxed and the seeker took it as an opportunity to continue. “Good. I will need both of your cooperation if we want any chance of resolving this conflict.”
“We all know that I can’t afford to take any additional time off with the coup still on everyone’s processors. That is why I need you both to help me confront those two buffoons.” He waited for confirmation of this fact and, after receiving two nods, he continued. “I know we have already been attempting to do so but we need to take drastic measures.”
“Ravage, I need you to come with me today. We can try interrogating Rumble again in my office. We will likely be more successful as it will be harder for him to leave my office than to leave one of the room’s here. This will also give us the opportunity to try simultaneously pushing him at the same time.” Ravage nodded again, understanding the logic, but Buzzsaw chirped angrily at the suggestion of another verbal assault against one of his brothers. “We will not push too hard,” Starscream assured the bird, “but it must be done.”
Buzzsaw deflated again and, after a moment, fluttered his wings in anticipation for his own job. “Very well then. Your task will be simple. Follow Frenzy and investigate what he keeps leaving for. With how things have become, I believe it is safe to assume that he is not spending his days playing nice with other bots.”
The small flier took off almost immediately after Starscream finished but was quickly stopped by the seeker. “Be careful,” he warned before shooing the bird away. He took a deep vent before asking Ravage to grab Rumble to start their end of the plan.
The flight to the office was quiet. Rumble’s nervous energy was getting worse by minute and despite Ravage attempts to soothe his little brother through pets, the younger cassette’s mood did not improve.
The misery continued in Starscream’s office. Both he and Ravage attempted to casually converse with the younger cassette but Rumble refused to speak. Instead, he opted to hide in a corner as the others failed to reach out. Intermittently Buzzsaw sent Starscream reports on Frenzy. Nothing was abnormal, he was simply with friends apparently.
The seeker buried his helm in his servos as he let out a groan. They were getting absolutely nowhere. He could push Rumble harder but he didn’t want to do anything that could potentially upset Buzzsaw if he found out. There were seemingly no options and that “fact” was beyond frustrating.
“What would Soundwave say about your behaviour Rumble?” a voice broke through Starscream’s tizzy. His helm shot up almost immediately as he looked at Ravage and wordlessly asked the feline to back down. Either his plea was unnoticed or the other just didn’t care, Ravage continued his line of questioning. “Would he really approve of this? This hiding, this cowardice ?”
“I’m not a coward!” Rumble yelled at his brother, not facing away from the wall. “I’ve never been one and I never will.”
With this reaction, Starscream finally figured out the perfect option. He was slightly peeved that Ravage had figured it out first along with a way for them to use it without possibly offending Buzzsaw, but he was mostly relieved.
The seeker smirked. “I don’t know little one. As someone who’s been called a coward for millenia, your behaviour matches up with all the other things I’ve been called.” He watched as Rumble finally snapped, turning out of his corner and making a run to the larger bot in a fit of rage.
“I could never be as pathetic as you, Screamer! And I am not little!” the cassette yelled as he punched Starscream’s legs. He cackled in response to the meager hits, theatrics being overdone to distract Rumble from Ravage’s approach.
“Is that so? In that case, why don’t you share what is going on with Frenzy,” the feline asked from behind his brother. The red bot halted his assault, seeming to have remembered why the others were prodding at him. He looked up at Starscream and then behind at Ravage.
The two watched as the smallest bot shrunk in defeat. Not completely sure of what to do next, and looking at Ravage was of no help, Starscream knelt down to face the confusing cassette. “Rumble, we need to know,” he asked in a gentle tone.
They received a mumbled response that neither Starscream or Ravage could understand. Before the seeker could ask Rumble to speak up, however, there was a ping to his commline. “One second,” he stated before moving away from the cassette siblings to take the message.
A broken line of text popped up on his HUD.
: : Compromised…West…Help : :
“Buzzsaw! What are your coordinates!” the seeker yelled, worry taking over his systems as he double checked the designation’s source. “Buzzsaw, respond!” There was no proper answer as the line filled with static and broken glyphs before cutting off completely.
He rushed over to his desk and activated his computer. He then attempted to trace the message's origin point but he was no Soundwave unfortunately. His experience with communicator technology was limited and, as a result, he was unsuccessful in finding any information. The seeker slammed his servos on the keyboard in frustration before swerving around to face the others. “Where are they Rumble!”
Less than ten minutes later the three found themselves in a western block of the city. Rumble finally cracked after hearing his two brothers were in peril and gave them this general location. It was an area fairly close to the apartment but it was also in a direction Starscream had never explored out of a feeling of nonnecessity.
“Let us out Starscream,” Ravage asked from inside the seeker’s cockpit. “We will be more likely to find them if we spread out and search individually.” His asks, unfortunately, meant nothing to the other. “Negative,” Starscream said firmly. “Two of you are already missing and I will not be risking more in the attempt to find them.”
“Then how do ‘ya think you're gonna find them, Screamer?” “Just because I do not want you in the field does not mean you lack a purpose,” he replied to Rumble. “I was under the impression that you cassettes were able to use sound waves to scan for signatures like your creator.”
He felt the two shift around for a moment. “It’s been a while since we’ve had to do that,” was the response he received. “Then I suggest you figure it out quickly then. The longer I spend roaming aimlessly, the longer they are in danger.” With no more to say, Starscream began searching the area.
This part of the city was compact, with seemingly hundreds of alleys and dead ends and even more hanging elements. It all made it so the seeker was unable to fly effectively in a situation where he had a lot of ground to cover. It was frustrating to walk but he had no choice.
He searched for what felt like hours before one of the present cassettes spoke again. Ravage gave him a direction and he bolted.
The trio ended up in front of a small warehouse. Starscream could hear taunting voices coming from the inside but not precisely what was said.
A normal bot would remain calm. They would survey the area, analyze their opponents and come up with an unflappable plan. Starscream could have acted like a normal bot but after hearing a clang and a pained cry that became impossible.
The seeker rushed into the building and punched the first bot that had the misfortune of being in his path. He let Rumble and Ravage out to aid, there was no need to hide any longer for all their enemies were in their sight. The feline darted to his damaged siblings who were laying at the pedes of the biggest bots while his brother activated his pile drivers to throw them off balance. Once the two were put in a safe location, the chaos began. Within minutes the trio had the entire street gang incapacitated.
He took a moment to cool his processors before rushing over to the injured cassettes. Ravage had placed them atop some crates in a corner of a room. Out of harm’s way while also being in a location the seeker could access easily.
The two were in bad, but not critical shape. Buzzsaw’s wings were battered, his beak was cracked and his optics struggled to remain online. Frenzy’s condition was much worse, having dents, cracks and even a slightly detached arm. The sight made Starscream’s spark lurch.
He tenderly picked the two up in a cradled hold and attempted to check them over. The worry he felt made him unfocused and flashed warnings on his HUD but he didn’t particularly care. Instead, he began humming an old Vosian folk song in the hopes the two would relax into recharge.
There was some stirring behind him. In a flash the seeker turned around and stepped on the rousing mech. His optics burned with anger as he watched the other online and cower. “Please. Please don’t sir,” the pathetic mech begged.
Starscream stopped his humming and growled while he dug his heel harder into the mech. “You will get exactly what you deserve disgusting scrap,” he threatened before kicking the mech one last time.
He walked back to the entrance and let his wings fan out as he addressed the room. “You have all seen what I am capable of,” he started, narrowing his optics. “If you wish for something worse to not happen then you will leave my sparklings alone! Is that understood!”
He did not wait for a response as he blasted through the doors, Frenzy and Buzzsaw still in his arms while the others trailed behind him.
“Ravage, I assume you have contacted the good doctor?” Starscream asked after having sufficiently left the vicinity of the building. There was a muffled sound in the place of a proper response so the seeker whipped around to check on the feline in a panic.
Said panic was quickly replaced with confusion as he watched the cassettes struggle to hold an emotion in. “Is there a problem?” he asked, tilting his helm in annoyance. “N-no Starscream,” Ravage stammered out. “Then have either of you contacted Knock Out?”
There was a moment of silence before Rumble broke.
“Sure have, Sire ,” he said in the most teasing voice Starscream had heard in years.
The two conscious cassettes then burst into laughter as the seeker took in what was said. His wings shot up in embarrassment and he turned away while opening his cockpit. “Cease this ridiculousness and get in. We have places to be,” he managed to say despite his flustered state.
The two continued laughing as they climbed in, only settling down slightly when they helped the seeker load their siblings in. During the entire flight and most of the hospital visit, Ravage and Rumble tormented Starscream about his slip up. He was beyond embarrassed but he was also slightly relieved that the two were focusing on this instead of worrying about the others
When Knock Out eventually gave them the all clear, the trio rushed into the room Buzzsaw and Frenzy were placed in. The bird was already flying about and, surprisingly, dove into the seeker as soon as he entered the room. He landed on the bot’s shoulder and nuzzled against his helm, flustering Starscream all over again. “T-there is no need for that Buzzsaw,” he said in a soft voice before guiding the cassette off him.
He then looked over to Frenzy who was sitting up in his hospital berth, pointedly looking away from everyone. A calm came over Starscream as he sat down on the edge of the berth and tried to get the troubled cassette to look at him. The others all crowded up on the room’s second berth and watched as the seeker continuously nudged their brother. Eventually he came to the realization the blue bot was not going to budge so he let out a sigh.
“You were brave for wanting to protect your siblings but if you expect me to punish or reward you for your actions, then I’m afraid you will be disappointed.” The statement made Frenzy look at him, confusion written all over his faceplate. “Why?”
“Curious are we?” Starscream smirked. “The moment your twin finally told us what was going on I almost laughed myself to offlining.” This only heightened Frenzy’s confusion apparently as the seeker watched him look over to his siblings for a sign of confirmation.
He laughed and continued, “It is absolutely ridiculous how much you lot act like your creator. The amount of times I’ve had to save his spark from some inane, risky, safety plan is beyond any count I know of.” He gestured for the others to join them as he laughed some more. “I think we all know how he cares far too much for anything under his care.”
“That does leave me in a dilemma,” he said in a more stern tone. “Do I punish you for being as ridiculous as him or do I celebrate the persistence of his kindness? It is a perplexing problem.” There was no response but Starscream could tell Buzzsaw had something to say. He pretended not to notice and continued on. “As you can see, I am at a stalemate.”
“One thing is clear, however,” he said, reaching his arm around Frenzy. He pulled the cassette closer to his frame and held him tight. “If anything like this happens again, tell me. I don’t care if I end up against the DJD because of something you do. I will keep you safe, it is my responsibility.” He heard a small “okay Screamer” before the blue cassette curled up tighter into him in response. He grimaced at the demeaning nickname for a second before smiling in relief.
The others, on the other servo, shared a look Starscream did not appreciate before promptly tackling the seeker onto the berth proper. Rumble ended up on his chassis, close enough to his twin for the two to hold servos. Buzzsaw was on the opposite side of them, closer to Starscream’s shoulder again and Ravage laid below the bird, his tail wrapping around Rumble protectively.
The seeker let out an exasperated sigh as the four cassettes fell into recharge. He ended up joining them not long after and the next day, when Knock Out sent him a picture of their “pile”, he decided to send a simple thank you in return instead of a rant. He had to develop the photo as soon as possible, there was an empty place on the wall outside the cassettes’ bedroom just begging for decoration.