(no subject)
Ratchet wondered how he ended up like this. He watched the boy sleeping beside him, holoform frowning. He was so old and the boy was so young. He knew the humans had a term for that… Cradle thief or something like that. He could search for the proper term, but he didn’t felt like it. The point was that he was even too old for even be allowed to steal cradles.
He’d only wanted to learn more about humans. The medic had gotten tired of hearing how he was smothering them or any other complaints whenever he tried to look out for their well being. Surely using his holoform to try to figure their behavior by blending in with them was not a bad idea. It hadn’t sounded bad when he thought it up. And by the Matrix, if Bumblebee and Jazz could do it, he could do it too!
Unfortunately, the medic overlooked two very important facts. Bumblebee and Jazz had studied the culture as much as they could before arrival. And their own programming was very adaptable to any situations they could encounter. He hadn’t studied as much during the trip to Earth and he wasn’t as adaptable.
Thankfully Bumblebee had taken an interest in the medic’s sudden interest in subterfuge and had volunteered Sam as Ratchet’s teacher of human behavior. The boy had been overwhelmed, but had taken the challenge.
A hundred and fifty seven solar cycles passed and Ratchet had been frustrated over the data collected. Things added up to humans having a self-preservation instinct fluctuating between nonexistent to all-encompassing. Sam had tried to explain that riding a rollercoaster was supposed to be fun, but Ratchet had not believed him… at least until the human had grabbed his holoform’s hand and made him join a ride.
Ratchet smiled at the memory, one of his hands moving to pet the boy’s hair lightly. He’d been right. It was fun. So far most of what the boy had shown him was of the dangerous to the health but fun category. There were things he will never do, of course.
Like that time Sam had wanted to teach him how to swim. Ratchet did not care to know how much fun it was for humans to voluntarily enter an environment they weren’t equipped to live in. He’d rather stay on the shore and watch the boy with his soon to be mate. Besides, no one had actually tested how a holoform would react to water. Ratchet did not relish the idea of being the first one to find out.
It was then, watching the boy with the human girl playing in the water that he realized he didn’t like Mikaela that much. The thought startled him. The girl was intelligent and was one of the few that actually considered his advice whenever he gave it. She wasn’t even intimidated by him and his temper. He had, in fact, started to teach her a thing or two about Cybertronian medicine. She might not be apprentice material, but she had the potential. And now, suddenly, he concluded he didn’t like her. He could not, in fact, stand her. He analyzed the feeling, trying to find the cause of such sudden dislike, when she looked back at him and her smile wavered.
Did she knew?
That was a question that bothered him from time to time. But she had no way of knowing. Neither he nor Sam knew what was happening. How could she?
He felt Sam’s hand snaking around his waist and he let the teen cuddle closer to him. Thinking back on that day. On the way her smile had wavered and she looked back at Sam, who simply wrapped her arms around her, said something in her ears and kissed her. Ratchet had hated her right then. She wasn’t good enough for him, he had thought… He still thought. And maybe she had known, because the look she gave to him after that kiss he now recognized as a challenge.
She had dared him to take the boy from her and he had unconsciously risen to the challenge. And Sam… Sweet, trusting little Sam had been so oblivious to it. Oblivious to the medic suddenly deciding to do things and explore at exactly the same time the human had scheduled a date with his girlfriend. Oblivious to the girl’s almost constant presence in the base when before she only went there from time to time. Oblivious to the reprimands and comments the others gave the medic. Oblivious to the support the girl had from the others, especially Bee. Oblivious to their polite yet frosty interactions when before they could’ve been considered friends. She no longer wanted to learn from him and he no longer wanted to teach her. A pity. She had so much potential for a human…
He was about to give up when Bumblebee had rushed in the medbay and proceeded to beat the slag out of him. The medic was stronger and had more experience, plus he knew how to immobilize the younger mech with a button, and soon had the Camaro subdued. That day Mikaela left Sam. That day, the same day he was about to give the boy up to the girl, was the same day he found the way to his goal cleared. Would it be hard to get the boy’s heart? He had wondered then, having no idea but not willing to contemplate giving up now that he was so close.
Six months later he was here, the boy cuddling after his holoform after a night of interfacing. He chuckled and Sam stirred slightly before settling in his sleep. The boy called it ‘making love’ and somehow the medic liked that term better. He had won. The boy loved him and, by Primus, he loved the boy back! The others might never understand why he did it, but he didn’t care. Maybe this was wrong and maybe he was too old for this, but after so much death, after so much sacrifice, the medic felt he was owed this little bit of happiness.
Of course, Ironhide had tried to reason with him, telling him that humans were short lived. Ratchet knew the amount of years will be painfully brief, but… There was a sliver of the All Spark in their possession and he had enough materials laying around to build a body. He was no Wheeljack, but he knew how to put a body together. When the time came, he would be prepared. He was not losing him without a fight. Not now.
Title: Memories
Rating: T
Pairing/Characters: Skywarp/Soundwave
Series: G1
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't make money from it.
Memories
Skywarp sat on the corner nursing his daily ration of low grade. He was thinking about it again. He should just wipe out his memory. But he knew he would not do it. If he did, it would be as if those years never happened and he couldn’t bring himself to forget the best moment of his life. Besides, this might as well be his punishment. He was so close and at the same time so far.
He grimaced, taking a swig from his energon. Maybe he should reconsider a reformat. Starting new sounded slightly tempting. But Skywarp liked the way he was, he just could do without the slagging memories.
Memories of a life long destroyed. Memories of a lover long lost. Memories of selling a spark to Megatron and memories of promising to serve the tyrant until the last pulse of his spark.
He watched from his corner as Soundwave and his cassettes entered the room to get their daily rations. The mech didn’t even glance in his direction, while he couldn’t tear his optics away from the Communications Officer. The flier could feel his spark calling out and he growled softly, annoyed at his body’s betrayal.
The only hint that the other had heard the flier was a slight pause in the blue mech’s movements. Figures, he wasn’t even important to warrant the full attention of the masked mech anymore. If only he knew…
Skywarp met Soundwave at the Academy. The Seeker had been failing one of his classes and Professor Perceptor had seen it fit to give him a tutor. Soundwave had been… Well, meeting him had been something. Back then, the blue mech had feelings. Skywarp remembered a shy, soft spoken mech telling him he was to be his tutor.
Skywarp had always been a glitch. He knew it. He was proud of it. And the timid mech screamed ‘abuse me’ to him. Soundwave was a nerd and Skywarp the bully. Or that was the way it was supposed to be. The fact that he found himself protecting Soundwave from the other students was ignored. Just like finding himself actually listening to what the blue mech said.
True, Skywarp knew he wasn’t made for all the science, geeky stuff, but he had listened. Primus, he’d wanted to understand what the other said. He wanted that shy mech to look at him as if he was more than a brainless Seeker. How they ended up making out during tutoring sessions was something Skywarp treasured.
They didn’t do more than heavy petting though. Both were still so young back then… It hadn’t stopped them from talking about the future. Soundwave was intelligent and had a few professors willing to sponsor him. Skywarp didn’t exactly had the brains, but he could fly, plus he came equipped with a warping device. He knew any trine would want his skills. He might not be leader material, but he was a good follower.
Then, the attacks started. Skywarp knew things weren’t good. Specially in his hometown, Kaon. But he wanted so much for his creator to meet Soundwave. It was a silly thing. He shouldn’t had done it. Soundwave himself had told him things weren’t safe there. But Skywarp didn’t listen and Soundwave loved him enough to follow him there.
The explosion blew his creator’s house. Skywarp didn’t remember much of it. Only the pain of having his wings torn by the blast. He had a vague memory of seeing his creator’s body already grey in death, but he wasn’t sure if it was real or not. He remembered moving… crawling really… to the prone body of Soundwave. His Soundwave…
Skywarp finished the last of his energon, wishing for a klik it had been high grade. He seriously needed to get slagged. At least until the memories stopped haunting him. Taunting him with what he could’ve had if he had listened.
But he hadn’t... He hadn’t listened and it had costed him everything. His Soundwave. His shy little soft spoken mech had been dying. The explosion tore off the lower part of his cranial unit, along with his left upper extremity. His chest plate had this nasty looking gash and Skywarp had been sure that was his spark casing he was looking at. He didn’t had any medical knowledge. All he could do was hold on to the dying mech… at least until the shadow engulfed him. He remembered looking up to meet the red optics of the Slag Maker himself.
“And what do we have here?” - He asked. Voice cold, ruthless and Skywarp still shivered at the memory.
“Please.” - He’d said. Why? He wasn’t sure why. He just remembered hugging Soundwave closer to him and saying that.
“Weak little Seeker” - He’d taunted. - “Too bad we need more of you. Either join our forces or die.”
“Save him. Save him and I will serve you until all are one.” - He replied. Mighty brave of him to demand anything from Megatron. The mech must’ve been impressed, or in a good mood, because he had accepted.
He’d been so happy. So what if he was now a Decepticon? Soundwave would be alive, right? All the happiness vanished when he saw his mech again.
His spark told him it was Soundwave. His optics told him he was not. A facemask covered his face. His vocalizer had either been too damaged, or replaced by a more mechanical sounding vocalizer. There was no feeling in this Soundwave. No recognition. And Megatron watched his reaction to meeting his new Communications Officer with absolute glee behind the glowing red optics.
He sighed tiredly, maybe Thundercracker had some high grade he could steal. Primus knew he needed it! He stood up from his corner and went out of the room. Heavy steps marking his departure. He chanced one last glance at Soundwave, surprised to see him looking back at him. Head tilted to the side in what he knew was curiosity. Maybe… Maybe his Soundwave was still alive. Or maybe some part of him survived the reprogram that he’d been subjected to… Silly dreams and hopes nothing more.
He never noticed the red visor flashing dangerously behind his back. Soundwave may not remember much about his past, but he was sure of one thing. Skywarp had been important. He just needed to know why?