hsv, Starscream's quarters and elsewhere, Talking...
Starscream: *quiet as she walks down the hall from the rec room and the wake, her mind far away as she thinks deep thoughts.*
Backwing: *chatting away to her toys in the playpen as Starscream comes in*
Starscream: *pensive expression changes to a soft smile as she goes to lift her tiny daughter and hold her close*
Sharpshot: *knocks on the door gently*
Starscream: *frowns* I don't want you around Backwing when you're drunk, Skywarp.
Sharpshot: How about me, when I'm sober?
Ridgeback: *clicking from where he's holding onto Mama's front*
Starscream: *startles and gives the door a wide-eyed look, then walks over cautiously and opens it* ....
Sharpshot: I came to thank you for coming to the memorial service... Showtime needed to see that she's not alone in getting through what happened...
Starscream: *frowns* I didn't come. I only looked in.
Sharpshot: It still counts. *quietly* She's not quite how she used to be... but she's getting there... the fact that she wasn't going balistic or trying to avoid those who have sparklets...
Starscream: *hand protectively covers the little clicker in her arms*
Sharpshot: *with absolute certainty* Your daughter is safe.
Ridgeback: Aunty Show's not actin' like a wall anymore...
Starscream: *nods to Sharpshot, but isn't certain of what to say to her or to Ridgeback*
Sharpshot: *chuckles a bit and gently nuzzles her son's head* Ridgeback's right... Like I said though, your daughter is in no danger from Showtime.
Starscream: *quietly* I know that. *awkward, and still certain that no one wants anything to do with her*
Sharpshot: *gently* Give it time. Even without Cliffjumper running around accusing me of being a Decepticon, it took awhile before everyone was comfortable with me being here...
Starscream: *frowns* *quietly* If they don't want me, I'll not force myself on them.
Sharpshot: There's a difference between forcing yourself on someone, and being social.
Starscream: I don't have time for that now. Backwing needs my attention.
Sharpshot: So bring her with you when you're in the common room... it'll give everyone a chance to meet her, and she'll have plenty of interesting things to look at... Plus, there're other sparklets that she can play with.
Starscream: *frowning and clearly unwilling. All she can see in most of the other Transformers here is the rejection that she met with when she first came*
Backwing: *squeaky sneeze and giggle, then more clicking*
Ridgeback: *Gleesqueal, clicking up a storm!*
Backwing: *peeks over Mama's hand* Oooooo *clicky click click*
Ridgeback: *Wiggles in Mama's arms and clicks* :D
Sharpshot: *amused chuckle, before she looks up to meet Starscream's optics* The only way things will change is if you take the steps towards helping that change along.
Starscream: *mental walls are up* *very quietly and emotionlessly* If they want me they know where to find me. But now it's Backwing's bed time.
Sharpshot: *bluntly* That may be the case, but you're going to miss out if you keep yourself secluded. *Turns and heads back down the hall*
Starscream: *turns away from the door expressionlessly, then goes to sit on her berth and speak gently to her daughter as she feeds the little one*
Backwing: *staring at the lights and occasionally sneezing her feeding tube right out of her mouth, or forgetting what she's doing and chewing on it, or getting excited and talking to it instead of eating*
Skyfire: *gently knocks on the door* Starscream?
Starscream: *rubbing Backwing's back as the sparklet finally settles down and shutters her optics* Yes?
Skyfire: May I come in?
Starscream: *absently* Of course.
Skyfire: *enters the quarters, and holds out a cube of flavored energon* Perceptor's alternate provided these... I wasn't sure what flavor to bring you...
Starscream: *looks at it distractedly* Put it on the table, please. *gently takes the feeding tube from the sleeping Backwing, and then tucks her into the playpen so that she can't get hurt or stuck somewhere if she wakes up in the night and starts to explore*
Skyfire: *nods and does so* *quietly* I heard about Fireflight... *even quieter* I'm sorry that he will no longer be a part of the team...
Starscream: *stops moving for a moment, her face freezing into an expression of loss as she looks down at her sparklet* *very quietly* Silverbolt feels it will be better for him to be with his combiner team.
Skyfire: *hesitantly moves closer to gently rub Starscream's shoulder, offering wordless comfort and sympathy*
Starscream: *straightens and says calmly* I wonder when someone will decide that they want you and Powerglide.
Skyfire: That will happen when Optimus Prime becomes a Decepticon.
Starscream: *looks up at him, the expression in her optics saying that the walls are up again and that she doesn't believe him*
Skyfire: *serious expression* Powerglide said something similar... just before he and Silverbolt had words with one another... *and before Skyfire politely informed Silverbolt that he was making a mistake*
Starscream: *blinks* Something similar?
Skyfire: *nods* Granted... his language was... rather coarse in comparison... but the sentiment is the same, I believe...
Starscream: Do you mean that he was telling Silverbolt that he wouldn't leave my trine?
Skyfire: *nods* Personally... I feel Silverbolt made a rather grievous error... I informed him as such.
Starscream: *shakes her head and turns away from him* They're a combiner team. It's right that they work together.
Skyfire: *frown* But Fireflight was part of your trine...
Starscream: Apparently he wasn't. I was only a convenient place to stick him while Silverbolt got the rest of the team in hand.
Skyfire: *quiet sigh* That's not how Optimus intended it... He didn't know about the Aerialbots having a link and being able to combine... and was only trying to provide a family of sorts for the mechs that nobody else wanted to work with....
Starscream: *shoulders hunch as she sternly tells herself not to cry*
Backfire: *little laugh in her sleep. It's a familiar laugh*
Skyfire: *Gently* It was Optimus's hope that you, Powerglide, and Fireflight would be able to work together as a team... regardless of what anyone else said or thought... and going by not only Powerglide's reaction to the news, but Fireflight's.. I think... that's more than what happened... you became a familial unit...
Starscream: *hand to her face, and she cries* A lot of good it did.
Skyfire: *moves to gently pull Starscream close for a hug*
Starscream: *goes stiff with protest, but then turns and hides her face against his chest* I don't belong. I will never belong.
Skyfire: *quietly* You're wrong... You do have a place here... *gently rubs Starscream's back*
Starscream: *shakes her head*
Skyfire: *quietly* If you didn't have a place here... would you be so upset about Silverbolt's request?
Starscream: If I actually mattered Fireflight wouldn't have been taken away from me.
Skyfire: Did you speak to Silverbolt about how you feel regarding his request?
Starscream: *very quietly and emotionlessly* I told him I felt that it would be a mistake to make Fireflight switch teams. He explained very carefully how it would not.
Skyfire: Only once?
Starscream: *shakes her head* He's part of them. *won't talk about it anymore, just draw up inside herself and feel rejected*
Skyfire: He was still part of your team. And I really don't understand why he couldn't be part of your team and go help the Aerialbots when they need his help.
Starscream: *shrugs and looks down*
Skyfire: *sighs quietly* Tomorrow... I feel we should go and discuss the matter with Silverbolt... *quietly* I just... don't like seeing you this unhappy...
Starscream: *woodenly and stubbornly* What does it matter how I feel?
Skyfire: Because you're a person as well, and nobody has the right to make another person feel unhappy without their permission.
Starscream: *shrugs again*
Skyfire: *halfway expecting to get shot for what he's about to do* *leans in close to Starscream and kisses her gently*
Starscream: *gasps and jerks back to stare up at him*
Skyfire: *Quietly* It matters to me how you feel. *moves to leave the room*
Starscream: Wait....
Skyfire: *stops at the door* Yes, Starscream?
Starscream: *sounds a little like a lost sparklet* Don't go away.
Skyfire: *turns and moves to stand next to Starscream* Alright...
Starscream: *trying to think of a reason for her request... and winds up glancing toward the empty rug in the corner where Fireflight had taken to recharging recently*
Skyfire: *Quietly* If you'd like me to stay... I will.
Starscream: I... would.
Skyfire: *nods and moves to hug Starscream again*
Starscream: *leans against him, barely daring to trust that he'll actually stay with her, but trying her hardest....*
Skyfire: *gently rubbing her back, trying by his very presence to banish her doubts*
Elsewhere in the base
Fireflight: *looks around* Silverbolt, I'm tired. I should go to bed.
Silverbolt: *gently* There's a berth in the quarters we all share...
Fireflight: *gives him a funny look, plainly not understanding* There are lots of berths in there.
Silverbolt: One of them is yours....
Fireflight: *stares that gentle blank stare, then shakes his head.* I sleep with Archie in Starscream and Backwing's room. Starscream's afraid of the dark, but having me or Powerglide there helps her to not be afraid.
Silverbolt: I think... Skyfire was heading to Starscream and Backwing's room...
Fireflight: He comes to see us sometimes. He's part of our quad... oh, wait.... *frowns with confusion as he remembers what Silverbolt told him earlier*
Silverbolt: *gently* You're an Aerialbot, remember, Fireflight?
Fireflight: ...Right. I remember. But... Starscream... she's my friend. She'll be sad.
Silverbolt: *frowns with concern* Sad?
Fireflight: Yes. She likes her friends. :\
Silverbolt: You don't have to stop being her friend. *gently squeezes brother's shoulder* But you don't have to worry about her tonight. Like I say, Skyfire's there. He'll take care of her
Fireflight: She's not really sure about him yet.
Powerglide: *walks past* Don't worry, kid. He knows what I'll do if he messes with Screamer.
Fireflight: *perks* Oh yeah.
Silverbolt: *BLINK* ..... *shakes head slightly* So... bed?
Fireflight: Okay! I guess I'm kinda tired!
((co-written with random_xtras))