Universe/Continuity: G1, pre-war
Rating: PG
Warnings: angst
Pairing: Soundwave/Jazz
Prompt: Let me help you
The apartment was wrapped in silent darkness when Jazz came home. Concern flooded Jazz’s circuits when he saw the state his home was in. There was never a time when the apartment was absolute silence. Between his love of music and Soundwave’s work and two cassettes there was always something going on somewhere. The lack of light and sound could only mean one thing; something was wrong with Soundwave.
Jazz hurried to the cleanser, hoping he wouldn’t find Soundwave there. When he came close to the door, Jazz heard the solvent running. Jazz took and intake to steady himself and opened the door and felt his spark break. Soundwave was crouched under the flow of solvent, his head in his hands and his frame shaking. Ravage and Laserbeak sat next to their host, heads down and fields wrapped around Soundwave.
Sadly, Soundwave’s breakdowns had become a familiar sight to Jazz. While no one could deny that Soundwave’s gift of telepathy was an extremely powerful and useful gift, it was also a costly one. Soundwave couldn’t turn his telepathy off. Every waking moment of his life Soundwave had to listen to the thoughts of others. And some days it was just too much for the young telepath.
When the chatter was too loud, Soundwave would work on his composing or song writing, and turn his music up as loud as he could. The times when nothing could distract Soundwave from his burden were the times when Jazz would find the navy mech like this, huddled under the shower in a desperate attempt to use the white noise of falling solvent to drown out the noise in his mind.
“Soundwave,” Jazz said to alert the other of his presence, while reaching out with his field.
Soundwave’s field shimmered in shame and tried to pull away from Jazz’s.
Jazz walked into the cleanser and knelt in front of Soundwave. When Jazz reached out to touch his partner, Soundwave tried to push him away. His voice spat static as Jazz resisted him. “No… Jazz. Please no. Soundwave: doesn’t want Jazz to see him like this.”
“Sounders, shu,” Jazz crooned. He gently pulled Soundwave’s hand away from his helm and laid his helm against his partner’s. “It’s okay, lover. I don’t think any less of ya for this. You’re a strong mech to deal with his day in an’ day out. Just let me be here for ya when you’re hurtin’. Watchin’ ya hurt makes me hurt too.”
Soundwave shuddered. After a long moment the telepath buried his face into Jazz’s neck and clung to his smaller partner. Laserbeak uttered a low whistle and pressed closer to his carrier.
Ravage moved to rest his head on Jazz’s thigh, offering thanks and support to the monochrome mech. Jazz brushed his field against the cassette’s to convey his acceptance and gratitude, but didn’t make any moves to let Soundwave go.
Time seemed to stand still as Jazz, Ravage, and Laserbeak knelt on the cleanser floor with Soundwave. Holding onto him as the telepath tried to put himself back together.