Chapter Text
She can’t help but stare at herself in the mirror of their shared habsuit. Honestly, she can’t help looking at herself in any reflective surface. Others called her vain. Sideswipe teases her for caring too much. Sunstreaker never bothers to correct them. It's not entirely false anyway, she does care too much about what she looks like. Because what she looks like isn't right.
Sunstreaker can’t figure out what it is, nothing she tries to improve her appearance ever fixes the off feeling she gets when looking at herself. And it’s so annoying. She always ends up taking that anger out on someone else and spending a night in the brig. At least there, she doesn't have to deal with the staring.
Mechs might avoid her because of her anger issues but it certainly doesn't stop their staring when they think she won't notice. She notices. She always does. It feels like their eyes are burning holes into her plating. It’s disgusting and almost makes her give into the regular urge to rip off her plating. Sunstreaker is pretty. It’s a fact, and she knows it. But that doesn't give them the right to stare, she attempts to explain to Prowl after punching a fellow Autobot square in the face and sending them to Ratchet with a broken noise and split lip. (Sunstreaker only regrets giving Ratchet more work.) She could’ve done worse anyway. She kind of wishes she did do worse considering the egregiously long lectures she got from both Prowl and Ratchet.
It’s late by the time Sunstreaker gets out of being scolded and she gets to head back to her shared hab. Sideswipe is mercifully silent as she trudges past where he’s lounging on the berth with a datapad. She walks over to the scrap-awful energon dispenser and clicks it on. Sunstreaker decides against the shower she probably needs and plops down next to Sideswipe. She’s staring at his face again, Sunstreaker knows it's hypocritical considering she just punched someone for doing the same thing to her but she doesn't really care. Sideswipe tries to not squirm under the intense glare as she studies his features and focuses on his datapad instead.
“Sooooo, got in trouble again, huh?” Sideswipe asks as casually as he can manage. Which is very little. “Was it worth it at least..?” He prompts quietly.
Sunstreaker sighs in response and rolls over to face away from him. Sideswipe makes sure his gaze doesn't linger. “I guess.” She mutters bitterly. “Maybe it’ll send a message. Maybe it’ll stick this time.” Sunstreaker sighs again, she knows she's being disgustingly hopeful (Like Optimus.), they always go back to staring. They both go quiet after that. It's not tense but it's not exactly peaceful either. Sideswipe turns off his datapad and sets it on the side table, lying down with his back to Sunstreaker, who’s pretending to be in recharge. Sideswipe knows better but he doesn't comment on it, and he ends up slipping into recharge long before Sunstreaker even closes her eyes.