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“Breakdown, how do you think seekers court?”
The blue mech looked in Knock Out’s direction and lifted an opticbrow. “Why do you ask? You’re thinking of finally doing something about that massive crush you have on Commander Starscream?”
“It’s not a crush! And how did you know about it anyway?” he has tried so hard to conceal it after all. Made sure he didn’t stare too long and such.
“We share a room, doc.” Breakdown shrugged before continuing, a small smirk on his lips. Teasing Knock Out was a rare opportunity and his friend did make the best reaction faces. “You moaned his name ten too many times in your recharge.”
Knock Out wasn’t one to be easily embarrassed but he still turned his helm to one side and avoided optic contact for the rest of the short conversation. As predicted, Breakdown didn’t know anything about seekers. Though his guess was just the same as Knock Out’s – seekers most likely used their wings to flirt. Breakdown has jokingly suggested Knock Out made a pair of faux remotely controlled wings. Knock Out stomped out of their room quickly after.
Asking anyone else on the Nemesis would be too awkward. Especially Soundwave. Awkward and kinda creepy most likely. And there was nothing about seeker’s courting in the database of the Nemesis either. So in the end, Knock Out decided to just try the grounders’ approach and hope Starscream would recognize it.
Starscream didn’t recognize it. The first attempt Knock Out made on him was not simply unnoticed. It got horribly misunderstood. For grounders, rumbling an engine while looking someone in the optics was a very loud “I’m interested in you!” sign. One that Knock Out thought would be obvious even to seekers. Apparently seekers didn’t do that when flirting.
And Starscream simply frowned at Knock Out when the red mech gave him the datapad he has requested. “Something wrong with your engine, Knock Out? One would think you’d give as much attention to your interior components as you give to your finish.”
Knock Out was too busy not believing what his audio receptors were hearing to notice the faint flutter of Starscream’s wings. What a pity he had no idea seekers’ courting often includes jabbing comments like that. Usually having a secret compliment hidden underneath and always followed by a flutter of wings.
And Knock Out totally missed that. It flew right past him. And all he could hear was Starscream being a rude aft once again. And he almost gave up.
***
“Can you believe it, Breakdown?!?” the red mech was stomping around their room, which wasn’t really big enough and it irritated his even more. “He asked me if there was something faulty with my engine! And then he made fun of my desire to keep a shiny finish!”
Knock Out finished his rant with a loud puff of his vents while Breakdown simply listened through all of it with a skeptical look on his faceplates.
“Are you sure that’s what he meant? Maybe you misunderstood him like he did you. And rumbling engines is kinda rude, don’t you think?”
Knock Out went silent for s few seconds before mumbling “Fine. I’ll try again tomorrow” and fall into his berth and straight into recharge.
***
The next day was even worse. Showing one’s skills in driving was highly flattering gesture to the one being courted. Especially if the one showing was as good at driving as Knock Out was. He has woken up early that day and has set up a nice race track with several difficult obstacles in one the Nemesis’ corridors that he knew Starscream used when he was going to the bridge in the morning.
When he heard Starscream’s heels clanking nearby, he started his little show, avoiding obstacles, showing the best of his skills and finishing transforming just a few steps in front of Starscream with a smile on his faceplates. He has performed even better than the usual and he took pride in that.
But his smile quickly fell when he noticed Starscream’s stormy expression and deep frown. The seeker grabbed him not too gently by the shoulder and towered over the shorter mech.
“Do you not find it enough to leave the Nemesis for your races without permission?!?” Starscream then pushed the medic aside and kept walking. “And clear that up!”
Knock Out wasn’t sure how to feel – insulted, frustrated, surprised…
His audio receptors lowered in rejection.
***
“I take it today’s courting attempts didn’t end well?”
“Gee, Breakdown, what made you think that?!?” Knock Out’s sarcastic tone was muffled as he was laying face down on his berth.
“So what, you give up?”
Knock Out sighed tiredly. “Yeah… he made it clear he’s not interested… I’ll just.. wait till he finds a mate and then hate on that damn glitch and purposely frag up his wires when they come for a check up.”
“Smooth.” Breakdown tried to not let too much disapproval get into that word. “Why don’t you just tell the Commander you like him?”
“Millennia of carefully created courting rituals have made sure one doesn’t have to make such a confession when not sure how the other would react and then feel awkward if rejected. Come on, Breakdown, I’ve been rejected enough for those few days. I’m not telling Starscream anything.”
Knock Out liked when others appreciated him. And he didn’t fare well when he was ignored or rejected. Needless to say, Starscream’s unintentional rejection hasn’t been the best of motivations for the red mech.
But Breakdown didn’t want to watch his friend miserable. So he decided to act, even if what he was about to do may cause Knock Out to be very angry with him. It was a risk he was willing to take.
The next day Starscream has come to check up on Knock Out’s and Breakdown’s progress with a project they were given a few weeks ago. It was a time to act! The blue mech waited just before the Commander was ready to leave before he spoke.
“Commander Starscream, do you know what rumbling engine and showing driving skills are?” the confused face that the seeker gave him was a clear answer that Starscream had no idea. “They are courting rituals.”
Knock Out’s optics have widened to a ridiculous size and he has frozen in his spot and what was Breakdown thinking!?!! Starscream, on the other hand, was not so confused anymore. Realization slowly came to him. Breakdown simply smirked a little and continued.
“You see, doc Knock Out here was trying to court you but it backfired. He really likes you though.” a friendly pat on the back for Knock Out was all Breakdown did before quickly leaving the Med. Bay with the lame excuse he was late for ‘something’.
Knock Out followed the retreating blue frame with a slightly crazed look before he snapped his attention to Starscream.
“Is this a joke?!”
The seeker was angry. Knock Out could tell as much. But now was the perfect moment for him to get out of an awkward situation and tell Starscream that yes, it was a joke. But his mouth was faster than his processor and he ended up saying ‘no’.
Starscream was skeptical. But at least the angry face was gone. “So you were courting me?”
“Well, I was trying to but you didn’t seem to get it.” Knock Out crossed his arms in front of his chest plates.
“What a coincidence. Because I was courting you as well. And you didn’t seem to get it either.”
“What?”
Starscream got into Knock Out’s personal space in a second. “It doesn’t matter now, does it.” A pair of long clawed servos cupped Knock Outs helm and brought his lips to Starscream’s in a kiss. The medic’s confusion was shortly lived and he quickly melted into the kiss, his arms sliding around Starscream’s waist.
And if the two weren’t so busy turning the small kiss into a full -blown make out session they would’ve heard the faint sound of a camera taking a picture. Breakdown decided to leave them alone shortly after taking a photo of their first kiss.