(no subject)

Aug 15, 2014 23:53

Title: Haunted
Universe: Prime
Rating: T
Warnings: none
Pairings: past Soundwave/Barricade, Soundwave/Skyquake, Soundwave/Dreadwing
Prompt: loyalty

If Megatron had to pick his favorite quality about Soundwave it would be his loyalty. But if you were to ask Soundwave, loyalty would be his greatest failing. Every word of praise from Megatron just filled with Soundwave with shame, for if Soundwave was a loyal creature, he would have stayed true to Barricade’s memory. He would not only honor his vow of silence, he would also honor his resolution to never have another lover.

But Soundwave was a weak mech. Instead of keeping his promise, he found solace in Skyquake’s embrace. For a time, he was comforted by the fact that Skyquake never wanted him until Dreadwing was gone. And that was fine, that was convenient. It allowed Soundwave to pretend that he wasn’t betraying his oaths to Barricade.

Soundwave told himself that what he had with Skyquake was petty relief. Nothing more and yet Soundwave would never seek out another mech when he desired company. Eventually, Soundwave learned that Skyquake desired him when Dreadwing wasn’t around so that the green and silver seeker wouldn’t have to share. This realization disquieted him for a time since it meant that he couldn’t pretend that he didn’t care.

The realization tormented Soundwave until moment Skyquake left on his scouting mission and disappeared. Before he left, Skyquake had asked Soundwave to keep an optic on his blue and gold counter-part. If Soundwave was a loyal lover, he would have honored Skyquake’s request. Instead he watched silently as Dreadwing slipped into isolation. He would have stopped the seeker from asking for an off-world mission on the off chance that he would find his missing twin. But Soundwave did none of those things. All Soundwave did was stand on a platform as Dreadwing flew off into the stars.

Several millennia had passed before Soundwave saw Dreadwing again. The telepath was elated to see the gold and blue seeker again. After a few days on the Nemesis, Dreadwing had come to Soundwave with the request to see how Skyquake died.
Soundwave showed the seeker the recording he made of Skyquake’s final battle.

If Soundwave was as loyal as Megatron said, he wouldn’t have forsaken Barricade’s ghost in the night. He wouldn’t have started a relationship with Skyquake. If Soundwave was loyal, he wouldn’t have ignored Dreadwing. He would have stopped Skyquake from confronting Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and their human, Fowler. And he definitely wouldn’t have gone to Dreadwing’s quarters after showing the mech the death of his twin.

Yet, Soundwave had and continued to return to Dreadwing when the ghosts of Barricade and Skyquake haunted him. Soundwave knew that Dreadwing suspected that he was using him as a replacement for Skyquake, but he never said anything so Soundwave let it go. And for a time all seemed well. Until Dreadwing learned of what had become of Skyquake’s remains.
Soundwave watched as the blue seeker stole Forge of Solus Prime. He watched as Dreadwing marched through the Nemesis, intent of destroying Starscream, knowing that it would mean his death.

Soundwave was many things, but loyal was not among them, for if he was loyal, he would have done more to comfort Dreadwing. He would have told the seeker that he was important to the telepath. He would have stopped Dreadwing from going over the edge. He would have done something to save Dreadwing.

But Soundwave had done none of those things. Nowhe was alone again with one extra ghost to add to his collection.

author: lithium223, challenge: july august 2014 lotto-thon, dreadwing, soundwave, rated: pg 13/t

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