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

EPISODE 21 - A Lover

Shockwave slouches, his spinal strut ridged. His optics strain on his feet below, watching little blades of grass rub against his toes in the wind. He is settled upon a rock outside of the house, his back to the home. Ryo ambles out of the house and approaches Shockwave. Shockwave looks up at the baby blue mech, his white face cheery and curious. Ryo cocks his head in response to Shockwave's invesitgative stare.

Shockwave turns back to observing the hairline scratches on his knees and shins, and Ryo plops down beside him before offering up a root. Shockwave slowly looks at the spindly brown root in Ryo's clutches.

"I'm not going to get high like you delinquents," Shockwave grumbles. "Absolutely low-brow behavior."

Ryo shrugs his shoulders before placing the root between his teeth and chewing, extracting the intoxicating fibers. His brillaint red eyes gaze up at the clouds sluggishly pattering by. He sits down beside Shockwave, extending his legs and letting them swish through the waves of silver grass. The wind cascades across their tips, causing them to move in unison and make the whole field before them undulate pleasantly. Shockwave's gaze burns into the back of Ryo's helm, which he has decorated with little doodles of smiling faces and floral markings.

"May I ask something of you?" Shockwave mutters.

Ryo turns around and nods enthusiastically.

"Well, I'll get your answer later, when you aren't under the influence. But I will ask you now so you can think about it. May I interest you in a...cortical psychic patch procedure?"

Ryo slowly removes the root from his mouth, obviously processing Shockwave's startling proposition. His furrowed brow beckons Shockwave to elaborate.

"The CPP procedure connects our minds through a cord. It will allow direct transference of your language to my brain module, so I can understand every word in an instant. It won't remove anything from your mind, nor will I take more than I need. Your thoughts and memories unrelated to language will remain hidden to me."

Ryo's eyes remain steady and locked onto Shockwave's singular optic, desperately trying to get some inkling of an emotion out of the former Decepticon.

"I know it seems like a disturbing proposition, but it would be great for all of us to speak fluently together."

"Do you want to speak with me...or do you find my otherness worthy of your science?" Ryo whispers, his voice lithe upon the air.

Shockwave's voice catches in his throat. "Y-you speak Neocybex?"

"Of course I do. I have a universal translator as well." Ryo places the root back between his lips, and his tongue moves it about as his optics scower Shockwave. "But maybe I want to keep my language to myself. And maybe share with someone like Starscream, who just wants to get to know me for me, not for my tongue."

"Oh, I...I do want to get to know you."

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to speak with you, and learn your language through who you are. Like asking your name, where you live, what your favorite color --"

"You are terrible at this."

"What?"

"Terrible at flirting."

. . .

"Give it a chance?" Starscream echoes. "Megatron, ugh, I..." Starscream curls his knees to his chest and places his pointed chin upon them. His shiny eyelids slip over his optics, shielding his gaze from the world facing a creeping destruction. "I just want to sleep on it, mull it over, but I don't know if we have time."

"You're welcome to rest. I can keep thinking about a plan." Megatron flops on his back on the floor, observing the paneling of the ceiling and the vegetation starting to edge into their home. His white pupils dialate with interest as Starscream's face suddenly sweeps into view.

"I...I know I just broke up with you..." Starscream whispers, keeping his voice down so the duo outside cannot not stalk their conversation. "But I have to admit the feelings sometimes return. I know it's confusing, but may...may I kiss you?"

Megatron studies Starscream's gently parted lips, his spark screaming for affection and repair. "I don't know."

The ceiling returns to full view as Starscream settles back on his knees, no longer on all fours as he hovered over Megatron's vulnerable body. They stew in a painful silence.

"What are you thinking?" Starscream asks.

"I'm not sure. I'm, uh, confused. Just hours ago you were crying about how you want to break up, but now you want to kiss me."

"Sorry. I'm confusing both of us."

"Don't be sorry. This is an awkward and turbulent stage in a relationship, especially with what else is happening." Megatron sits up and flashes a warm grin to Starscream. "I want to go up there. I want to enter it again. You don't have to come with me, but I think it is the best shot we have. We can't push it away, and I know Shockwave says, 'Oh, it's not alive, it can't think'. But I don't know if that is true. I mean, it must be made of something that sparks are made of because two sparks made it, and we're alive, right?"

Starscream nods a bit, somewhat confused about Megatron's logic.

"So, it has to be alive. I want to know."

"Megatron, it might be suicide."

A big grin spreads across Megatron's face. "But something beautiful could happen as well."