Domestic Disturbance

Chapter 10 : Questions

Optimus stayed true to his word and brought the seeker a new cube of energon every day. And everyday it would be ignored.

The Prime was stubborn though, and each and every morning he would enter the cell, the Decepticon slowly showed some progress. If only to spare himself the semi's idle one way chit chat for the day. He even tossed his own tid bits of information regarding the current subject. While Prime was going on about the phenomenon known as the Aura Borealis, the former scientist in the Con couldn't hold back an explanation of how earth's atmosphere could produce such a variety of colors. Commenting himself that he too found them beautiful.

Starscream was indeed warming up to him to the point were he would be found casually sitting on the edge of the berth at the same time each morning, awaiting his visitor. Snippy comets where still being thrown back and forth between the two, however their odd conversations moved from across the room, sitting on the floor, to Prime actually being able to sit on the farthest corner of the berth. Starscream still attempting to block out most of what the Autobot was saying, and Optimus trying to slowly pry into more and more personal issues. Like the one about the pile of energon cubes that was growing on the floor. However the concern the Autobot was dealing, after the fifth day of prodding, finally wore on Starscream enough that he stood from the berth, snatched a cube from the top of the pile, and drank it down. If only to shut the other mech up.

Progress was progress though, and bit by bit, Prime wore away at the seeker. However he was growing concerned. While digging into Starscream's personal life, he had produced odd reactions in the mech. Particularly his initial anger fading into something like remorse. Whenever Optimus had brought up the incident in the canyon, or Megatron at all really, the jet's first reaction was that to shove Optimus away. Anger, frustration. Starscream threw up his defenses and showed no other emotion but ire at the Autobot. After a few more mornings of prying, he noticed the anger was slower to come. Starscream began to look away, gnawing at this bottom lip and a flicker of sadness traceable for only an instant before the usual haughty little ball of ego would return. An insult tossed his way, and the subject would be dropped until the next day.

After a few more days, Prime arrived to find that all the cubes had been drank during the course of one night. Starscream was intolerable the next morning from waking up after such a massive over energizing. Optimus had his fair share of dealing with post overcharged mechs in the past, but never one of Starscream's caliber. Decepticon's were down right nasty when they were hung over. After chastising the mech for what he had done, and finally wrestling the thrashing, but extremely uncoordinated, seeker to the berth, he asked the mech why he had done such a thing, expecting the usual stand offish responses.

The thrashing ceased. Starscream relaxed into the berth, still trapped beneath the Autobot's hold. His helm sank into the soft material and an overwhelming sadness made itself known. Prime was no longer staring into the optics of a maddened Decepticon, but those of an emotionally weakened and tired bot. Something Starscream had never truly shown him before.

"All your prying, Autobot....I can't stand it any longer..."

Guilt flooded his systems. The semi felt his spark clench in it's chamber for a moment. Had he pushed the mech too far? He released the seeker and moved quickly away from the berth, watching as the exhausted Con heaved himself up and looked towards Optimus with an imploring stare. Starscream's crumbling defenses collapsing in the blink of an optic.

"There's only so much I can take" Starscream lowered his head sadly. "The memories are painful."

The Autobot General's initial guilt was replaced by a gnawing curiosity. One that only grew when he saw how miserable the Decepticon was. Was the seeker finally opening up to him? If not, it could turn ugly any moment. Optimus had to be sure. A part of him, worried what he might come to learn. Did he really want to know, and for what purpose? Was this really about gaining the tactical advantage against Megatron anymore, or was this because he was beginning to understand his prisoner more and wished to save him from a situation he never understood? Was this for Starscream's sake, for the sake of the war, or for his own morbid curiosity?

"I'm sorry, Starscream. I will leave you alone."

"No." The jet shook his head, trying to sit up, beckoning the other mech to come back. "Sit. It's your fault I'm in this state. Now you're going to stay and listen to what I have to say."

The Prime seemed to radiate a mixture of guilt and fascination. Just what Starscream wanted. He was luring his target in perfectly. The fake overcharging, the sudden bouts of sadness. Everything was getting under Prime's skin more than the Autobot was getting under his own. However, unfortunately, the jet couldn't conceive another sob story for Optimus to buy. He would have to tell the Autobot the truth. It was easier to act when drawing on real experience for inspiration.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't wish to." Optimus moved closer to the berth, slowly sitting down on his preferred corner. Starscream inched closer than he have had before.

"Well now's the time to ask, Prime." The Con frowned. "What do you want to know? I'll tell you anything."

A blank cheque. Anything at all that Optimus wanted to ask. He couldn't pass up this opportunity. Even if his spark was heavy with a guilt for it. Optimus had planned to get Starscream to talk about his situation with Megatron, in hopes that the animosity the jet felt for his leader would be common ground that they could both share. If he could drag Starscream's frustration with the tyrant out, then perhaps he could convince the mutinous air commander to give up some vital information. Or even switch sides. But something had changed. Less and less of Starscream's frustration was surfacing. The seeker was getting depressed. To the point where he overcharged and crumbled in front of his very own optics. This was less about interrogating a Decepticon, and more about whether a fellow Cybertronian was in need of assistance.

"What changed your mind?" The red semi asked.

Starscream sighed, crossing his legs and sitting on the berth, facing the Autobot. Servos fiddling in his lap.

"I recharged last night for the first time with my higher level functions active. I haven't done that for years."

Optimus couldn't hide his shock. "You mean you recharge on a regular basis in complete disconnection?"

"Yes. It keeps the dreams away. There are things I don't wish to live twice, Prime. But while overcharged and stupid last night, I fell into recharge and forgot to disconnect. I dreamed."

Starscream paused for a moment to let the Autobot really take it in. Dramatic effect to lure the semi closer.

"So ask your first question Prime. Do it now before I change my mind."

What did the seeker dream of that prompted such a dynamic change? A million question's circled in his processor for a moment before the General decided to start at the beginning. When this whole mess started. It may be safer than trying to go for the jet's vulnerable emotions.

"What happened that day in the canyon, Starscream?"

Just the question he suspected Optimus to ask. The Autobot was truly acting the gentlemen and not pressing into sore spots right away. Avoiding the dream was a comfort for a moment, for he hadn't dreamt at all the night before and did not want to drag up old dreams. He had spent the night however burning the energon. Small amounts caught fire to a small spark and didn't burn out of control. He didn't wish to be truly intoxicated for this. Starscream knew he would be diving into his, until now, silent sufferings. It would be easier to control the situation sober.

"I angered him." Starscream replied. "Mocked something that I know he didn't wish me to find out."

"Something that he'd kill you for?" Prime couldn't hide a worried tone.

"Oh he never tried to kill me, Autobot." The red and white mech waved his servo. "I seem to have the uncanny ability to, how to put this, make Megatron lose his processor for moments at a time. He simply acts on his sudden urges without any fore thought."

"He's done this before than?"

"Of course he has." The jet sneered contempt, but not in the Autobot's direction. "He is a thick headed, megalomaniac, egotistical bastard who does whatever he wants without any concern for others."

Optimus thought for a second, replaying Starscream's words through his head, trying to piece together bits of Autobot gossip and memories from the old days with observations from the present. Megatron had obviously done wrong by Starscream in the past. Considering the two Decepticons were an infamously dangerous pair at one time, Optimus had to guess that the rivalry started then. But what could Megatron have done to the seeker?

"So what happened between you two? I thought that you were once....close?"

"Megatron and I aren't fools, Prime." The jet suddenly looked aggravated, fixing the Autobot with a cool stare. "We know what you all say about us. Autobots, Decepticons. You all have your own versions of gossip. While some of it is false, most of it is true and Megatron and I ignore it, pretending like we don't know what you whisper about behind our backs. So don't play innocent with me. Ask me what you really want to know and spare us both your feigned ignorance."

Optimus was taken slightly aback. He had no idea that the trivial gossip he had heard over the course of the war had any standing at all. Nor that Megatron and Starscream were aware of it. Seeing as this may be his only chance, Prime asked the question that he really never cared to know the answer to. Until now.

"Starscream, forgive me if this is too bold a question. But were you and Megatron lovers?"

The jet gave him a scandalized look for a moment, crimson optics wide and fearful. His mouth fell open in a silent gasp before a grin tugged at the corners of his lips and the seeker burst out laughing. Optimus would have frowned if he could. He didn't find it funny at all.

"Lovers?" He almost choked on the word. "Not hardly!"

"But you two were close once. It's pretty common knowledge." Prime challenged. "If you were not a couple, then what were you?"

Once the seeker's fit of giggles calmed down, he shook his head. "A couple? Yes. Lovers? No. We never made it that far."

"But you two were involved?"

"Of course." Starscream spoke as if really was common knowledge. "Megatron was to be ruler of the cosmos. Cybertron would be a great throne in the universe wide empire that the Decepticons would build. Every king must have a queen. I suppose if things had turned out the way he promised, that would have been me."

"What changed that?" Prime regarded the seeker, noticing the tiny shifts of his expressions.

Perfect. Prime was now reeled in. Hook line and sinker. Starscream tried to keep the grin from his features as he prepared himself to strike. The Autobot was so absorbed in anything that he had to say now, he wouldn't expect a sudden attack. He could overpower Prime in one quick burst of unexpected energy. His body had, days ago, recovered. He was full of energy and Prime thought he was still chasing off the affects of overcharge. He could end this charade now and spare himself this trip down memory lane with the red and blue mech.

"He...wasn't patient enough for me." The red and white bot's gaze fell to the floor, just at Prime's pedes, letting his entire being droop with agony, really laying it on thick.

While his optics had been trained on everything but the bot sitting next to him nearly this entire time, Starscream didn't really look into the Autobot's face. He hadn't seen that Optimus had never stopped watching him. Not even for a second. So when he looked up from his pretended sorrowful confessions to the General, body suddenly tense and ready to spring from his position to wrap his servos around a brittle neck, he found something he really wasn't prepared for. Concern. True, genuine concern in those bright Autobot blue optics. Concern, just for him. He felt his spark clench.

Unaware of the impeding attack, Prime could only stare back in horrified wonder. Starscream suddenly tensed and looked up at him, distressed expression warping into something just short of amazement, like he had just been punched in the mid section. He was worried, actually worried for the seeker. Something terrible had happened to him, at the hands of a mech he had trusted. His trust and loyalty obviously betrayed. Prime couldn't imagine the life that Starscream had lived. No wonder the jet was such a self centered, treasonous little monster. No wonder he hated Megatron so. And as he looked into those terrified crimson optics, Optimus forgot that this was a Decepticon he was talking with. He could only see a victim. A victim who had not seen justice for his suffering.

"What did Megatron do to you, Starscream?"

It was like a nail in the coffin. Optimus knew it was Megatron's fault and not his. The first time anyone ever put the blame on the right mech's shoulders. Suddenly, the seeker was deflated. His entire being locked up and he couldn't bring himself to move, or to tear his optics away from those suddenly beautiful azure ones. His spark twisting in a way that he hadn't felt in a very long time. All because this Autobot was looking at him.

"Are you ok?" Prime reached out and touched the mech's shoulder. Starscream had been staring at him with an unreadable expression for entirely too long now. "Starscream?"

It was then that the seeker suddenly noticed how warm the Autobot's servo was, and how he really shouldn't be noticing that at all.

"Let go of me!" He lashed out, smacking the other's servo away and scooting as far back into the corner as he could. "Leave!"

"Starscream." Optimus tried to reach for him again, realizing that something had gone too far. "What happened? What's wrong?"

The seeker suddenly panicked as he watched with wide fearful optics as the Autobot General grew close enough to touch him again. His own body betraying him as his dermal plating itched to feel that warmth once more. What was happening to him? Why did his perfect plan fall apart? What had changed?

"Just leave Autobot." He pleaded, desperate for the Prime to leave, hoping it would take that sudden sick desire with him. "Just let me be."

He curled up in his corner, not daring to look into those blue optics again. Thankfully the other mech respected his wishes and left without another word. When he was alone again, Starscream didn't relax. He remained where he was.

He was so close. Only a split second away from killing that infuriating Autobot, but he hesitated when he saw how Optimus felt for him. His spark suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of relief that he had never felt from another mech since before Megatron had ruined their relationship. Talking to Optimus felt good. Like relieving a heavy burden from his shoulders. And it only felt good because the Autobot was concerned. No Decepticon would ever have given Starscream any kind of sympathy, even if they knew the truth. Living with all of that pain bottled up and no where to direct it, and then finding a mech who he could vent to. It was overwhelming. A sudden attraction had bloomed and the seeker just couldn't bring himself to end the Autobot's life.

Sudden impressions of warm servos caressing him did nothing to help the state he was in. Often Starscream would feel those lingering touches on his structure for hours after Megatron was through with him. It would burn him inside and out where ever that bastard had ran his servos or pried at tender seems. Those ghost like sensations would always make his core twist in disgust. He was feeling it now, but it didn't hurt. It felt pleasant, and that had him even more distraught.

"Primus..." Starscream muttered to himself, shaking his head in disappointment. "You always did have a thing for powerful leaders..."