Title: Experiments in Chemistry

Universe: G1

Characters: Wheeljack, Starscream

Content: angst

Wordcount: ~1770 words

Prompt: 9. You think because you understand 'one' you must also understand 'two', because one and one make two. But you must also understand 'and'.

Notes: This is for tf_rare_pairing's Rumi challenge, March, 2012.

"What are you doing?" The voice slid through the mech's processor easily.

Wheeljack looked up and smiled. "Well, I was going to mix…"

"Yes, I'm sure you were. You are aware that one is sulfuric acid, and you were going to add the dihydrogen monoxide to it, right?" Starscream, a mech a couple years ahead of Wheeljack, entered the lab fully. Wheeljack had been told about the acerbic older student, warned, really, to stay away from him.

Wheeljack looked back down at the workbench and said, "Yes?"

"No. You always add the acid to the dihydrogen monoxide." Starscream moved next to Wheeljack and put the beaker of water down on the table top, then deftly removed the test tube of acid from the clamp and handed it to Wheeljack. "Smaller volume to larger volume, 'Jack."

Wheeljack shrugged. "Does it really make a difference?"

Starscream stared at him momentarily, then took the test tube, put it back in the clamp, and drug Wheeljack away from the lab table, pushing him into a seat.

"Does it make a difference? Yes, Wheeljack, it does. Tell me, which of the two is denser?"

Wheeljack answered, "The acid."

Starscream nodded and continued, "So, if you add the less dense substance to the one of greater density, where does the chemical reaction occur?"

"Uh, on top of the denser one…oh." Wheeljack appeared to have finally gotten Starscream's point.

"Exactly, the reaction occurs on top. It's an exothermic reaction, 'Jack. It will blow up in your face. Very bad for you." Starscream said.

Wheeljack slumped in the seat. "This would be so much easier if we were allowed to keep the preprogrammed modules active during laboratory sessions."

Starscream laughed. "They want you to actually learn this stuff, and it's been shown that mechs relying upon the programs don't learn the material well enough to save themselves from damage. Which is why you're starting with basic chemistry this semester, Wheeljack, so you learn proper lab procedures and experimentation techniques."

Wheeljack huffed out air, then clambered to his feet and headed back over to the lab table to finish his experiment. "Gotcha, Starscream. Thanks for the help." Starscream's explanation had made more sense than anything his instructor had said.

"You're welcome, Wheeljack." Starscream watched for a little while as Wheeljack finished the experiment and wrote his lab report. He pulled his own work out of subspace and worked on it until Wheeljack was finished.

Stretching his wings, Starscream asked, "Would you like to get some energon with me?"

Wheeljack, having been absorbed in his work, was startled by the other mech's question. "Oh! You're still here. Uh, yes?"

Starscream laughed, pleasant and low. "You are a delight. Let's go, then."

Wheeljack put away the last of the clean silica containers and moved over to Starscream, sliding before his wings and preceding him out of the lab.

That was the start. Wheeljack had noticed Starscream, of course, but was surprised by the tacit offer of friendship from the mech. Starscream, in his turn, seemed to enjoy Wheeljack's unconventional patterns of thought. Wheeljack exceled at bursts of inspiration that seemingly vaulted him over most of the logical steps and landed him at the right answer with absolutely no idea how he'd gotten there. Under Starscream's tutelage, Wheeljack learned how to lay out some of his thoughts, enough to explain how he'd gotten to his endpoint. Wheeljack put himself in the biology track so he could take courses that delighted Starscream. He did as well as he did because they spent a lot of time together and Starscream loved to talk about his passion. Wheeljack simply paid attention to Starscream and learned more than enough to do well in his classes. He entertained fond hopes of doing well enough to partner his friend. The two years between them at university didn't seem a barrier until…

"What do you mean, you need to go off-planet?" Wheeljack craned around, peering up at Starscream. They were sprawled on Wheeljack's berth in the dormitory. Starscream had his back against the wall and Wheeljack was using Starscream's leg as a pillow while he read through his texts in preparation for a test the following cycle.

"I mean, I got paired up with another xenobiologist, and now we have to go out and do a semester of field camp where we'll be taught proper procedures for all sorts of things. We'll be learning from the best, the ones who've gone out there and come back. It's a great opportunity for me, 'Jack. I thought you'd be excited for me." Starscream told him, looking down at him.

"Well, I am excited for you, but I'm also going to miss you. I'm just starting xenobiology, and I was hoping you'd be able to help me." Wheeljack told him, sitting up and turning so he was facing Starscream.

Starscream looked at him quizzically. "Is that the only reason, so you can pick my processor for your class?"

Wheeljack looked offended, "No, of course not! You're my friend, and I enjoy spending time with you."

Starscream just looked at him until Wheeljack squirmed before giving his own crooked grin in return. "Of course. Well, I'm sorry I'll miss out on you and your xenobiology course, but I'm going to do this."

Wheeljack nodded, "Yes, I know you will. Good luck, Starscream."

"Thank you, Wheeljack."

After Starscream left, Wheeljack couldn't concentrate on his texts and flung them aside before flopping on his berth. He was happy to have Starscream's friendship and to spend time with the brilliant mech, but he knew that he was nothing special and that Starscream was destined for great things. Wheeljack could never match him, mentally or socially. He was doomed to watch from afar and wish the best for his friend. Discontent, Wheeljack slid into an uneasy recharge.

Getting up the next morning, he found his processor fragmented and scattered, unable to alight on one thought and carry it to completion. He dropped his datapads when he reached for his stylus, forgetting that he had the pads in his arms. Sighing, he dropped down and began picking everything up from the floor. A chime at his door had him setting the pads aside and getting up to answer it, since his roommate had already left. He touched the controls and opened the door.

Starscream pushed in as if he belonged there. Wheeljack fell back before his advance. Starscream was smiling, the full, brilliant smile that rarely came out. Starscream clasped Wheeljack's shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"'Jack! Be happy for me!"

Wheeljack returned the hug, always happy to be this close to Starscream. "Of course I am! What is it this time?"

Starscream pulled back slightly, so he could see down into Wheeljack's optics. "I'm to be paired with Skyfire!"

Wheeljack's pump stuttered for a moment before he ruthlessly overrode the feeling. "That's wonderful news! Congratulations! You'll make a great team."

Starscream danced away from him, laughing. Wheeljack simply watched, sending the datastream from his optics directly to a special partition in his processor for rewatching later.

"I've got so much to do – we're leaving in two cycles – but I wanted to share the good news with my best friend. Oh, and good luck on your test today. Oh, and here's a comm frequency for you," Starscream handed him a data chip and continued, "I won't be able to answer any comms you send me until we get back, but I'll be able to read the transcripts, so I hope you'll let me know how you're doing. Don't get too personal, though, because others get the message and transcribe it for me and I'll get everything all at once at the end, when we're coming back to Cybertron. They want us to concentrate on what we're doing and not get distracted by outside influences, and I hope you'll tell me what's going on in your life, and did I forget anything?"

"I don't think so," Wheeljack answered, used to Starscream's rapid-fire method of communication, "and thank you, I'll do well. You need to get everything together and get going, Starscream."

Starscream stopped and looked at Wheeljack. "You do understand, don't you, that this is the opportunity of a lifetime for me?"

Wheeljack nodded. "Yes, I do, Starscream, and I wish you the very best of luck."

"Wheeljack…" Starscream began.

Wheeljack held up a hand, halting the flow of Starscream's words. "If you come back and still feel that way, then we'll talk. Right now, focus on what you're doing."

Starscream nodded jerkily and rushed out, leaving Wheeljack standing, forlorn, in the middle of his room. He felt like he'd just let something precious slip through his fingers, but how could he stand in the path Starscream had set for himself and halt the brilliance that was his friend? It would be wrong and it would spoil the respect they had for each other.

Venting out the air from his systems, Wheeljack drew in fresh and chased out the old. He was never cut out for xenobiology; it was Starscream's forte, not his. Facing that fact solidly instead of dreaming of what might have been, Wheeljack accepted that he was created more to invent, his flashes of brilliance and intuitive leaps allowing him to see situations from a completely different perspective. Gathering his datapads, he headed out of his room. As he did so, he tapped into the university's systems, dropping all his biology and organic chemistry classes for the next semester and instead, enrolling in engineering and mathematics courses instead. He attended his test and to his surprise, completed it with the highest marks in the class. His instructor was also surprised and counseled him to stay in the biology track.

Nevertheless, he had removed himself from that path and set himself on a new course. He did as his friend had asked and sent Starscream a weekly communique. He chose to attend summer courses and catch up on the engineering track, which also allowed him to not fret over Starscream. Starscream was already off-planet, needing an orn or more to reach the planet where his field camp was to be held. Then he'd have an entire semester on that planet before coming back to Cybertron. Wheeljack loaded up on courses and kept himself too busy to brood over Starscream.

And it was to nobot's surprise, least of all Wheeljack's, when Starscream came back from field camp thrusters over wings in love with Skyfire, who returned his affections. Wheeljack smiled, congratulated them, and turned his face to the future.

Because sometimes, one and one did not make two.

Finis