The Silent Light - Part 2 (A Megatron x Starscream (Megastar) Fanfiction)

EPISODE 17: A Change

"Do you want to sit down?"

Starscream shakes his head, smearing his tears across Megatron's back.  He hugs his partner tighter, trying to reassure himself that he is safe.  He lets out a soft sigh of relief as Megatron places a hand over his own, and Megatron's thumb rubs the back of his hand.  It gently moves up and down like a dove's wing, strong and limber yet serene.

"What's bothering you?"

Starscream squeezes his optics shut tightly as a splash of dread cascades through his body, and as the terrible sensation fades, his eyelids relax.  "I want to start by saying I'm scared to talk to you about this."

"Okay.  What's scaring you?"

Starscream lifts his head, gazing up at the back of Megatron's scratched and scarred helm.  "You."

Megatron remains quiet for a minute, and Starscream feels a hot flame of anticipation scourch his spark.  His foot fidgets.

"What are you worried I will do?" Megatron turns his head a bit to the left, and now Starscream can view the top of his brow.  His red optics remain hidden behind his massive shoulders, but a bit of their intimidating glow blossoms over the surface of his silver skin.  He wants to see his lover, feel his emotions, but Starscream wants to remain hidden.  And that is what shall happen.

"I don't know.  I...I'm afraid.  I'm afraid you'll...I don't know.  Revert?"

"Revert?"

"Like...go back to how you were." A dribble of shame falls down Starscream's back like an icy breath.  Maybe he is overthinking this all and accusing Megatron of things he would never do.  But...his trauma fuels his expectations.

"May I turn around?"

"No!" Starscream pulls Megatron in tighter, and the bigger bot lets out a small grunt of surprise and discomfort.  Starscream links his hands, creating a powerful contriction around Megatron's waist.

"Okay.  That's fine.  But," Megatron gently pries Starscreams fingers apart.  "you're holding me too tight."

"Sorry," Starscream whispers and loosens his grip.

"It's okay." Megatron gazes up at the reflected light the crystals cast over the ceiling.  The small shafts of color waver as the crystals slowly twist and turn at the ends of their strings.  "All of this is okay.  I...I would never hurt you again, Starscream.  Is that what you're afraid of?"

"Y-yes."

"And your fear is justified.  I was...a bad, bad mech, Starscream.  I did things that I reflect on now, and I just...feel myself recoil at who I was.  I don't love the bot I was; I hate him with all my being.  He is the scum of Kaon, a person that deserved to die."

"You don't deserve to die."

"That personality deserved to die.  I've changed; I feel whole again.  Even though I suffered in the mines of Kaon, I was sane and fought for the wellbeing of the people around me.  But...the allure of power brought me to my lowest.  I would do anything to take back what I did and how I treated people.  All the deaths I caused, all the pain and torture and destruction."  Megatron rubs his temple, as if trying to wipe away the permenance of his past.  "And I am trying to better myself, starting with treating you right.  You never deserved the pain I put you through."  

Prickles scatter through Starscream's servos as Megatron releases a sharp yet light scoff.

"But you were naughty sometimes." Megatron chuckles deeply, and Starscream feels the sound sweeping through his partner's abdomen.

"Like when?"

Megatron sighs.  "You would steal my snacks sometimes."

"Oh yeah." Starscream smirks.

"And no matter how many times I scolded you, you would still do it."

Starscream sighs and turns his head, his cheek now pressed to Megatron's skin.  "Are we sick, twisted people?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like...we were in an abusive relationship and now we are lovers?  That doesn't make much sense to me.  Why am I doing this?"

"I've had...similar thoughts."

"Ah.  Like I know this is the real you, but I can't help but think about the past.  We did so many bad things to the universe and to each other.  We hated each other.  I exploited your weaknesses so I could one day hope to become the leader of the Decepitcons, and you exploited my own hunger for power to keep me as your subordinate.  You beat me, knowing I would always come crawling back.  And...I don't know if I can forgive you."

"I understand...and agree.  And you tried to murder me countless times.  Did you feel this way since the beginning of our relationship?"

"I felt some hesitation, but my infatuation took over.  I'm just rethinking everything now.  I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but I don't know if it is appropriate anymore."

"Do you want to break up?"

"I think so.  At least take a break."

"Okay."

Starscream unwraps his arms and brings them to Megatron's back.  He rests his palms on the small of the mech's back, and his fingers silently rub slight cracks in Megatron's armor.

"What do you want to do about the living situation?" Megatron asks.

"I don't know.  I know someone who I might be able to --"

Starscream halts his words as an unusual tremor snakes through the ground.  The metal house emits a strange, inorganic clattering as the tremor lives on, and the racket exponentially rises to a startling, vicious degree.  It is deep and rumbling but also laced with a highpitched, skin crawling drone that gathers power as the world continues to reverberate.  Soon, another strange tone fills the air, sounding as if it is coming from far above.  It is as if a deraged, robotic beast is growling and groaning in the sky, its throat constricting and dialating as it produces the alien waves of sound.

Starscream releases Megatron and shuffles to stand beside him.  He wants to snag his now former partner's hand, squeezing it to demand reassurance that this is something Megatron had experienced before.  This isn't something new; ungodly sounds resonating from the atmosphere and the world shaking itself to its core is normal.  But after one glance at Megatron's usually neutral face, Starscream is reasurred of one thing: this is unfamiliar, and frightening, territory.

Megatron's optics stretch wide open, desperate to take in any visual clues about the source of the grumbling around them.  His lips are slightly parted, a subtle habit that Starscreamed had learned from eons spent with him meant Megatron was is a state of unbridled shock.

Despite his hesitation, Starscream stretches his arm out, curving his fingers around Megatron's.  Megatron escapes the void of his frightening trance and whips his head towards Starscream.  Immediately, his mouth zips itself shut and is replaced with a gentle smile.

"Megatron, what's going on?"

Megatron shakes his head, and without a verbal response, he lifts his head again to gaze ahead like an animal pursued by a mortifying predator.  Lips apart.

Soon, the world shifts back into its normal state, calming and returning to a soft slumber.  Suddenly, the power generator produces a whir as it comes to a halt, and the lights around them freeze into darkness.  A device on a nearby spurs to life, squealing and ringing with anticipation.  Megatron jogs over to it and lifts it to his face, reading the name of the contact trying to reach him.

Megatron looks over his shoulder at Starscream.  "It's Shockwave."