The Pawn (TFP) (PredakingxFemme!Autobot!Seeker)

Eight

Predaking took (Y/N) to the landing deck.

It was in the early hours of the morning on Earth. The sky was black and stars littered the sky by the millions. The Nemesis was far enough into the atmosphere that the clouds were below them, hiding the view of the world below them.

With her restraints, (Y/N) would be unable to transform, and therefore she could not escape. But she was grateful for this kind gesture of his. To feel the cold night air on her frame, to look at the glittering stars once more.

She closed her optics and vented. The air was fresh and cool, much better than that in her cell. Her cell had become rather warm and somehow it grew smaller and smaller over the past few weeks. A change was very welcome.

Her wings bore no restraints, so she stretched them out a bit. Oh, it felt so good to be outside again.

Familiar yellow optics trailed over her frame, pleased to see her enjoying the opportunity. He once again admired her wings and her lovely coloring. When she opened her optics again, her optic color stood out brightly in contrast to the darkness around them. A strange feeling of warmth grew in his chest, gentler than the fire he breathed, but somehow twice as fierce.

"When I started to gain consciousness, after being created by Shockwave, one of the first things I ever noticed was the stars," Predaking spoke, his optics turned to the skies.

(Y/N) looked over and up at him. He looked rather beautiful in the pale light of the moon. It made his colors appear softer.

Yellow optics came to focus on her own and she looked away. After a moment, he joined her again in looking at the stars.

They would blink. The stars would blink back.

"Were there stars like this on Cybertron?" He asked.

(Y/N) hummed. in affirmation.

"Before the war, there were so many that you couldn't even see the space between them," (Y/N) smiled, remembering home.

There was a moment of quiet between them. (Y/N) remembered seeing the stars centuries ago, when she was younger. Maybe one day she would get to see them again when the war ended.

Then again, maybe she would not.

"What's wrong?" Predaking asked, sensing her change in mood.

"What if I can't carry sparklings? I mean, what if there's something wrong with one of our systems or maybe we're just not compatible? What's going to happen to me?" She looked at him.

He looked back, thinking. A look was in his eyes, but (Y/N) couldn't quite place it.

"I will not let Megatron harm you," he stated.

His servo moved and she looked down as he took hers in his own.

"Something has changed in me these past weeks. I once relished in every ounce of pain I could inflict upon you, but now, I would rather avoid bringing you pain. I seek your happiness as well as mine."

(Y/N) looked up at him with sad optics, "But if you wanted or needed to, you would hurt me. For your own goals."

The king was silent. They both knew it to be true. Predaking was madly devoted to his own missions, his own kind. Although he had a sparkmate now, another attached to him by mystical ancient bonds, she was not someone he was ready nor willing to be devoted to. And neither was he to her. They were sworn enemies and likely always would be.

This bond forced them to come together, though both sides were certain that they would never come to love one another as sparkmates should. Their bond was created by force and through force it would continue to push them together. This was a permanent mistake.

(Y/N) sighed, "We're a tragic couple, aren't we? Our bond was formed on selfishness and vengeance. You're still only using me to get what you want," her digits tightened around his servo.

"I indeed want sparklings from you, but I wish for you to want them too."

"I do want sparklings. Eventually. Not now, during all this. Maybe post-war," she ventured, "But you want them now. Your master wants them now. He wants an army."

"He is not my master," he let go of her servo.

"You'd better tell that to him. I'm not so sure he believes the same as you."

Predaking looked around, brows furrowed, dermas pressed tightly. Was she right? Or was this another Autobot trick to deter him?

"You don't believe me."

"Why would I believe you?" He raised an optic ridge.

"I... don't know," (Y/N) glanced away, "I was just trying to warn you."

She froze. What was she saying? Warn him? He looked back at her with a confused expression.

"Why would you want to warn me?"

"I don't know," she repeated.

"Why would you care? Your kind destroyed my family. You would surely try to destroy me."

"I don't know!" she snapped defensively. He was beginning to annoy her by bringing up what had started this whole situation. She turned the tide back to him, "Why would you bring me out here? Why not just leave me in that cell?"

"Because the physician informed me—"

"No. Why did you bring me out here? What made you decide to be merciful?"

Predaking stared at her for a long time. Why did he decide to? If it had been anyone else, he would have ignored the suggestions and let them rot in the cell. So why had he?

"You were miserable," He spoke, "And I could feel your suffering and frustration throughout the day for weeks. When I first arrived, I would be confined to a room to contain me. I felt trapped and I remember the anger that I would feel from being confined for so long."

(Y/N) had nothing to say, so he continued.

"My confinement was merely for a few hours. Your confinement had lasted far,  far longer than mine ever was. You needed to be let out," he paused, "I feared you might offline, had I kept you in there for much longer. The thought of seeing your optics without their brightness and your colorings fade to grey..."

He trailed off and broke eye contact.

(Y/N) knew what he meant to say. She had seen the same image countess times dung the war.

He looked back up at her after several minutes of silence.

Her optics were glossy from coolant tears forming, her dermas opened just slightly. She was shocked by hearing what he had to say. Who knew such a violent mech could be so vulnerable? And to his enemy of all bots!

"I—"

"You don't have to say anything," she told him softly, stepping close enough that she had to crane her neck to look him in the optics.

He nodded and held her gaze. Slowly, he leaned down and, in return, slowly, she rose onto the tips of her pedes. Their optics closed.

Their dermas brushed aginst each others'. Then, a small kiss, hesitantly made. After a brief moment of uncertainty, unsure if they should continue, they came together again. A more passionate kiss spoke more than words ever could. Sparks humming in unison, they shared more kisses, losing themselves in the night, in their sparkbond.