Contrition

Series: Transformers

Characters: Starscream, Megatron

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Angst

Warnings: Implied one-sided Starscream/Megatron. And basically Starscream being angsty.

Disclaimer: Yeah, so….my imagination would've never come up with giant robot-like aliens coming to earth…so I definitely don't own Transformers.

A/N: So, I started off with the intention of writing a songific to Linkin Park's "Iridescent" but the fic got a mind of it's own and morphed into this drabble which refuses to be more than just that - a drabble (a somewhat long drabble, but a drabble nonetheless).

I'd like to dedicate this fic to the first few reviewers of my first Transformers fic "Starscream to Megatron"...especially LionLover190, for being the first reviewer, and also to the-spoon-of-doom, whose wonderful review inspired me to work even harder on this one-shot.

Starscream slumped on the floor, feeling utterly defeated. He'd barely managed to make it to his private quarters before he'd collapsed in an undignified, shuddering heap, physically and emotionally exhausted. He gripped his helm and ground his dental plates as he tried not to let his anger and frustration get the better of him.

After vorns upon vorns of searching for Megatron, he had finally managed to find and rescue the old fool, only to lose him again mere moments later – all because of those wretched humans and the Autobots. He'd barely even had a proper conversation with the warlord before he had been taken from him once more.

"You've failed me yet again, Starscream…"

Megatron's last words to him replayed in his processor, over and over again, as if blaming him for what had happened – as if it had all been his fault. He couldn't help but think that if he had stayed to fight with Megatron, instead of flying off to save himself, then maybe the Decepticon leader would've made it out of the fight alive. But he'd been so furious with the slagging fool for completely disregarding his efforts to save him and calling him a failure yet again, that he'd left his leader to fend for himself in battle instead of fighting alongside him like a Second in Command should.

"You've failed me…"

It was his fault. He could've saved Megatron. He could've fought with him and saved him and proven to him that he was not a failure. After all, he was Starscream: Decepticon Air Commander; he could've dealt tremendous damage to the Autobots and the pathetic humans from the air without any of them even being able to touch him. Yet all he'd done was take down a few fighter jets before retreating from battle and leaving his fellow Decepticons defenseless against any further air strikes by the enemy. He'd wanted Megatron to realise how much he needed the support of his Air Commander in battle, so that he'd appreciate him more instead of constantly thinking him to be a failure.

The slagger had gotten himself killed instead.

Starscream sighed again. He'd always thought that he'd be glad to finally be able to take over Megatron's role as Leader of the Decepticons. After all, he himself had tried countless times to defeat the warlord so that he could rule over the Decepticons himself. But now that Megatron was gone – really and truly gone forever, all he felt was a dull ache in his spark. Starscream let out an anguished moan as the realisation of the events of the last few joors suddenly hit him; it was as though he'd only been experiencing everything from afar but was now thrust into the middle of the chaos. The ache in his spark went from dull to searing as he truly realised the outcome of the battle.

Megatron was dead.

The moan turned into a broken cry which then steadily became louder and louder until it escalated into a full-blown shriek of agony, and the Seeker soon found himself scratching and clawing at the ground as he screamed as loud as his vocalizer would allow, not caring if anyone heard him; because Megatron was dead, and it was his fault. He'd acted like a youngling and left him there on that wretched planet out of spite and anger and now he was gone and never coming back because he was dead.

It hurt.

Primus, it hurt.

Never in a million vorns would he have thought that he'd feel this much pain over Megatron's death. If someone had told him centuries ago that he would become a shrieking, broken mess the day the Decepticon warlord finally perished, he'd have beaten the scrap out of them for even suggesting such a thing, while secretly plotting his next assassination attempt on said warlord. Yet, here he was, sprawled on the floor like a useless pile of scrap metal, shrieking and whimpering and basically acting like a slagging femme in misery.

All because Megatron was dead.

And it was his fault.

"You've failed me…yet again…Starscream…"

Starscream let out a hoarse groan and gripped his helm again as he struggled to forget those nagging words.

This was not how he'd wanted it all to end. This was not how he'd wanted things to happen at all. He was supposed to be the one to kill Megatron – not those pesky humans. He was supposed to kill Megatron with one of his brilliant schemes and become the Decepticon leader at long last and be happy about it. He most certainly was not supposed to be lying on the floor, screaming and crying his spark out over the slagger's death. It was preposterous!

He was Starscream - the traitorous Decepticon Second in Command who had wanted nothing more than to overthrow his idiot of a leader. He should be elated that Megatron was finally gone. He should be thanking the silly humans for sparing him the trouble of coming up with yet another elaborate scheme to kill the warlord.

He should be pleased with the outcome of the battle.

He should be glad…

…so why in the Pit did it hurt so much?

"You've failed me yet again, Starscream…"

"You've failed me…"

Owari.

A/N: So that's it for my second Transformers fic. Thanks for reading, and please review! I love getting feedback on my work. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!

Peace Out! ^_^