I hate plot bunnies, you get rid of one nibbling menace and another takes its place.
Title: Key to a Lock
Chapter One: The Rut
Characters: Starscream/Skywarp/Thundercracker
Verse: G1
Summary: With Seeker populations diminished, Trines are forced together no matter what their programming.
Warnings: mentions of rape, seeker heat, domination struggles, mech on mech, possible mech preg.
Word Count: 4,001
A/N: Hopefully got all the mistakes out and it wasn't supposed to be this long so I have divided it into chapters, I might make it into a series depending on how well it is received.
It had been hard, their life, ever since Megatron had thrown them together. Frustrating. Trines were supposed to be chosen by the members. One dominant and two submissive. Their Trine was made up of three Doms. It was a wonder how they were still alive, having not already ripped each other apart in some of their more violent conflicts. True, there weren't many seekers left after the bombing of Vos at the beginning of the war, more Doms then Subs, but their Trine was an all out failure.
Thundercracker grumbled to himself as he sat back against the wall, wings stiff. His rut cycle had been going strong for weeks now, Skywarp's too. Tensions were high between them, painful attempts at dominating the other would end in long visits to the medics. Even now, tired after a particularly hard battle they stared at each other. It was somewhat lucky that Starscream had always decided never to room with them, three Seekers in rut would be a very dangerous recipe for disaster.
The blue Seeker growled low as Skywarp narrowed his optics, his intentions of dominating clearly felt through his energy field. The purple seeker grumbled back.
"I wonder which Conehead it is?" He suddenly asked, optics unfocussed.
Thundercracker grumbled as the tension eased slightly. "I don't care which one. Why hasn't Ramjet done anything?
Skywarp could only hum his agreement.
As Ramjet was the Dom in his Trine it was his duty to attend his Subs whenever they went into Heat. Only a Seeker in Heat could trigger another Seeker's rut cycle. Heat cycles only lasted for a few earth days at most when the Dominant mech done his job but whoever was in heat Ramjet had obviously not gone after him. Surely Ramjet himself was suffering? And his two Subs, how could they stick it?
Thundercracker huffed. "If he doesn't do anything soon I might not be able to control myself."
Skywarp nodded his agreement, then frowned, as if he suddenly remembered something. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, frown deepening.
"What?" The blue seeker asked, curious and eager to have a distraction.
"Screamer never seems affected."
Thundercracker stared at Skywarp. He had to admit, Starscream never did seem to react as strongly but there were times when Starscream became dangerous, nearly always during these long drawn out ruts. He'd become highly aggressive whenever another came too close to him, wings spreading out in a very daunting and colourful display of dominance.
He and Skywarp may have had their occasional quarrels and dominance displays but never had they been as violent as Starscream's. He and Skywarp had interfaced before, hard and rough, always trying to gain the upper hand but they were still Trine, they cared for each other despite their programming. Starscream had never integrated with them.
"No," he sighed "he's just better at hiding it until he is provoked."
Skywarp sighed and gave a small nod. "Yeah, I suppose." Then he laughed. "How could I forget that time when Ramjet challenged him for Command Trine Rights. That was scary!"
Thundercracker hummed deeply before stretching, Skywarp becoming wary and watching him. "I am going to the wash rack, try to take the edge of this."
Skywarp settled down on his berth, resting his helm on his arms. "Don try to be quiet, I love hearing you groan."
A buffing cloth landed on his faceplate.
XXX
Weeks later and Thundercracker was going mad. He and Skywarp had fought, interfaced and fought again. This time it had been worse and Thundercracker, no fool, recognised it for what it was. There was a Sub out there who had yet to be claimed. Their ruts had intensified and had driven them to challenge each other. Now, with himself crowned as alpha, they went on the hunt.
Skywarp, obviously sore about losing, remained silent as they stalked through the Nemesis. It bothered Thundercracker that this hidden Sub could just randomly appear. And how they had got past Shockwave was a mystery.
Ramjet had been visibly frustrated when they had finally gone to confront him. Dirge and Thrust had stood firm that neither of them were in Heat and that Ramjet was constantly in a rut, although not as strong as the blue and purple Seekers as he had his two Subs. Ramjet had turned to them both, confused, saying that he had thought that one of them had snuck another Seeker onto the Nemesis in order to control their urges.
They hadn't and that only left Starscream, who, as Thundercracker suddenly realised, had access to the space bridge and could have easily snuck another Seeker over.
The fire in his circuits surged as they neared Starscream's qaurters. Skywarp frowned when his blue counterpart slammed a fist on the door of their Air Commander's room.
A muffled cursing could be heard from inside and the door swished open. Starscream stood, shocked for a moment as he looked them over, optics flickering.
"What the frag do you want?" He snarled wings rising along his back.
Thundercracker's stance grew stiffer. "Where is he?"
Starscream frowned. "He?"
"There is a Sub on this blasted wreck and we want to see him."
The tri-coloured seeker stared dumbly at them for a moment, and Thundercracker realised that Starscream had no clue as to what they were talking about. Even still, his circuits buzzed stronger. Starscream expression changed from confused to downright furious.
"I have no idea what you are talking about!"
Thundercracker, riled, began to pace, never taking his optics off his Trine leader. His urge to take, claim and own was becoming too much, Skywarp not faring any better, wings twitching.
Starscream seemed to sense this, wings fanning around him and his claws sliding out.
With a frustrated growl Thundercracker turned and left, he was not going to challenge Starscream. He and Skywarp had never unsheathed claws, in fact, he had never heard of Seekers unsheathing claws in Dominance matches. He didn't dwell on it, he had too much energy to burn. Skywarp followed him to their qaurters but didn't dare follow him into the wash racks.
XXX
His systems slowly rebooted, his optics on-lining last. He gazed around his surroundings. Stone, lots of it. It was dark too with the only source of light coming from a small energon lantern placed in front of him a few feet away. He grumbled as he brought his knees under him and pushed himself up. He was sore, covered in a few shallow dents, but nothing major seemed out of place, no sharp pains as he got himself to his peds.
He was in a cave with a sand covered floor. The entrance appeared to have been behind him but it was covered in rocks that sloped into the cave. He took another look around. He couldn't have been alone, he never set up that lantern. On-liningg his own lights he found tracks in the sand with the distinct impression of a turbine heel. So he was trapped with another Seeker.
He tried his com link to be met with static, there was a light dent on the side of his helm where his com systems were located. He was about to call out when his rut decided to kick back in, his turbines howling loudly. He cursed his programming.
"Hello?" He called out through gritted denta. Nobody answered but suddenly his spark jumped, jumped so strongly that he placed a servo over his cockpit in fright. The pressure on his interface systems grew as his rut cycle programmes seemed to sing through him. He couldn't understand it, and then he knew.
The scent was sweet, exciting. He inhaled through his olfactory sensors, running the air over the delicate circuitry.
There was a Sub here, a Sub in Heat.
Excited, he followed the scent, noting that he was also following the Seeker tracks as he went, confirming that they both belonged to the one mech. He crouched down at one point to examine the tracks more closely, noting that the mech walked with a limp. Using his own lights, as he had left the lantern behind, he pressed on, uncaring of the cave wall that held him from the sky.
In the silence he began to notice small sounds, like stressed intakes, as the scent got stronger. Turning a long round corner, he switched off his lights as he noticed the warm glow of another lantern ahead. The stressed intakes sounded like whoever was making them was in pain. Limping, he reminded himself as he crept closer.
When he was close enough, he could see that the lantern had been set down in a larger cavern that was dotted with large boulders. He could see the tracks, dark shaped shadows on the ground, making their way around and behind one of the larger boulders. There was a long shaky out-take of air. He moved towards the boulder, silently, his own tracks mingling with the others.
There was a curse as he placed his servo on the boulder, not fully around it to be able to see the mech. He paused.
"Hello?" He asked quietly and the stressed intakes came to abrupt halt.
Thundercracker frowned, and stepped around the grey barrier.
Everything narrowed down to the curled form staring back up at him.
"Starscream?"
The tri-coloured Seeker stared at him, vents gasping. Thundercracker shook his helm as the powerful scent wafted up to him from where his Trine leader sat. He could only stare back.
Starscream's frame visibly shivered. "Thundercracker, go back to the entrance!" He had tried to be assertive but his voice wavered.
Thundercracker, working over his shock, glared at him. "All this time..." He felt his spark tighten. "What the frag were you thinking!" He yelled, the smaller Seeker flinching as his voice was amplified. Thundercracker couldn't believe it. All this time they had struggled by when life could have been so much easier. He tired to say something, but so many things wanted to be said that he couldn't say anything at all.
Starscream looked away. "Thundercracker, I..." Starscream paused, bit his lip. "You don't understand."
Thundercracker began to pace. "What isn't there to understand? You are a Sub! Knowing this earlier could have saved us all so much pain!" Starscream looked away. "What the frag Starscream!"
Starscream remained silent, wouldn't raise his optics to look at him. Thundercracker thought he wasn't going to answer when he suddenly spoke. "I couldn't."
Thundercracker waited but that was all Starscream said. He took a moment to try and calm himself, halting his pacing, rubbing his forehelm. "You have been driving myself and Skywarp crazy."
Starscream snapped his optics to him, wide and panicked. "No! Please don't!" Starscream cringed at his own words and sank in on himself, turning away again.
Thundercracker watched him, noting his position. If he didn't know any better he would have said that Starscream was scared but... surely he wasn't? Looking over the small form he noted the energon, only a small amount, that had dried on Starscream outer thigh and on his hands, noted the small, but very obvious, puddle of lubricant just under his folded knees.
Starscream was indeed in Heat, but how had he not noticed before?
Starscream seemed realise he was being examined and curled in tighter on himself, sending a warning glare Thundercracker's way as he moved to hide the small pool and the dried energon.
"You're hurt." Thundercracker stated.
Starscream only glared at him.
He huffed his vents loudly and settled down on his haunches to appear less intimidating. "Aren't you not going crazy? It's been months, and I am guessing this ain't the first time. What? Do you have a Dom and just can't get to him?"
Starscream released a shaky intake. "You wouldn't understand." He repeated.
Thundercracker shook his helm. His systems were still active but now, seeing the Sub they desired not willing, they were begining to die down enough for him to think. He still wanted to claim but his concern easily trumped his primitive desires. That and Seekers never did resort to rape. Their mates always consented before being claimed. Didn't mean he was going to give up though. "Try me."
Starscream only looked at the floor. "I don't..." He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to."
Thundercracker nodded. "Okay, I got that, but why? Every Seeker hunts for their respective mates during a Heat or rut."
Starscream frowned, still not meeting Thundercracker's gaze. The blue seeker sighed when he received no answer.
"At least let me look at your injuries." He tried.
Starscream looked at him for a long moment. "Try anything and I will kill you." He hissed.
Thundercracker nodded even as he wondered just what the hell was wrong. He had never met a Seeker so against interfacing. Seekers were notorious for their hunger for interface. It was very strange for a Seeker to say no, especially to another Seeker.
Slowly making his way over to the smaller Seeker he displayed his servos and then moved them towards the dried energon. Starscream watched warily as Thundercracker straightened out his leg. Th damage wasn't too bad, but was in the wrong place. Starscream had a nasty tear in his hip joint, not deep, but painful. Thundercracker followed the tear around with his optics when he felt his systems stall for a moment. The tear stretched around the front, ripping away part of Starscream's interface panel. The protective cover had been peeled back slightly but enough that some of the lubricant from Starscream's valve had leaked out. That explained why the scent had been so strong, as it originated from the lubricant excreted.
Starscream must have felt he stared too long for a growl made him look up.
"Can you still walk?"
Starscream nodded slowly, glaring, daring him to do something. He sat back and Starscream visibly relaxed.
"We should head back to the entrance." He said, holding his arm out to Starscream. The smaller Seeker hesitated but took it, allowing Thundercracker to take most of his weight.
They slowly made their way back, Starscream setting the lantern down beside the first one once they arrived and Thundercracker settled him against the wall. Starscream remained silent.
Hours later, with still no sign of rescue, and Thundercracker felt the return of his rut. Starscream watched him warily. Only when he got up to pace did he say anything.
"You wouldn't want me anyway, would you?" He said, more suggestive then an actual question.
Thundercracker just looked at him. "Even before we were forced together I had been planning on courting you only to discover that you were apparently a Dom. That was the only reason I didn't."
Starscream pulled a face. "Why though?"
Thundercracker was stunned by his sudden loss of ego. "Because you are one of the best fliers around, you are beautiful and I was drawn to you."
Starscream looked away, biting his lip.
"How'd you hide this long anyway?" He asked, something that had been eating at him since he had found Starscream.
Starscream sighed. "I'm a scientist, I injected myself with a chemical that neutralised the scent of Heat and I merely acted like I had seen other Doms do." He looked up at the blue Seeker. "You aren't going to do anything, are you?"
"You made it obvious that you don't want to."
Starscream grunted, looking away. "You won't tell Skywarp?"
Thundercracker looked at him. "Starscream, this could make our lives so much more easier."
The smaller Seeker snarled. "Yeah! For you maybe! I am not gonna be some one's berth warmer just because of my programming!"
The harsh answer made Thundercracker's step falter. He was used to random outbursts from Starscream, but never before had he ever heard such naked fear in the normally snarling voice.
Starscream stared at him with wide optics, surprised at himself.
"What happened to you?" Thundercracker asked gently, crouching.
Starscream just huffed, rubbed at his forehelm. "Nothing."
Thundercracker snorted. "Yeah right!"
Starscream snarled at him. "Nothing happened!"
"Then why won't you let me help you!" Starscream just shook his helm. "You won't become any one's "berth warmer", specially not mine. That's not how it works and you know it!"
"Funny, cause that's what he said too!"
"Who?"
Starscream scoffed. "You wouldn't know him, he's dead."
"That's a good thing."
Starscream looked at him, optics narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I get the distinct impression that I wouldn't like him." Thundercracker sighed offlining his optics. "He hurt you, didn't he?" He onlined his optics to see Starscream's expression soften.
The smaller jet shook his helm "I am never letting anyone have that control over me again. I... I don't want to belong to anybody."
Thundercracker sighed and moved closer. He positioned himself beside Starscream, resting against the wall.
"You don't want me, I'm not worth it." Starscream whispered softly, though Thundercracker could hear his fans kicking up a notch at his closer proximity. Starscream was far more affected then he appeared to be from a distance.
"What happened?"
"I was young and stupid, he was much older then I was, bigger. He courted me. I don't know for how long but he eventually grew tired of dancing around. He just... took me." Starscream looked away. "It hurt. Every time it hurt. And I couldn't get away from him until Vos was bombed."
Thundercracker looked at him, his face, his optics, noted the pain there, the fear. All these years he pretended to be a Dom so nobody would court him, only to have Megatron force him into a Trine with two Doms. "It doesn't hurt when you are with somebody you want to be with."
Starscream tilted his helm back to rest it against the wall. "I thought Doms only went after non-claimed Subs..."
Thundercracker looked at him. "Did you ever overload?"
Starscream looked at him, shocked and confused, maybe even embarrassed. "I..." He trialled off, optics searching Thundercracker's own. "Don't know."
Thundercracker moved forward to look Starscream in the face. "Then you were never claimed. If you had overloaded, then you would know" He paused, reaching out slowly, Starscream could pull away if he wanted, and stroked the side of Starscream's face "We can't keep going like this. Skywarp and I will eventually end up hurting one another, and I mean badly. I won't force you but I know you're suffering. You aren't satisfying the Heat, it will becoming stronger."
Starscream just looked at him. "If I did... join one of you, wouldn't that mean the other would... get jealous or something?"
Thundercracker raised an optic ridge. "Well, there have been cases with two Doms and one Sub in a trine. It does work out as long as there is a ranking order firmly in place."
Starscream just gave him a look. "Guessing by the goofy smirk you already have that "ranking order" firmly in place?"
He nodded. "I'm alpha, you are still Trine leader but I am alpha. It won't affect orders or anything, out on the battlefield you are in charge but when there is a matter that concerns Trine I will probably the one who makes the final decision."
"Won't that mean you are Trine Leader?"
"No, Trine leaders are supposed to look after the Trine, be the representative, make a alot of the decision, yes, but not all. Remember that there were Subs who were Trine leaders before Vos was destroyed."
"I need to think on it."
Thundercracker turned to his Trine mate with a smile. "I'll be waiting."
XXX
He was relaxed, reading a data pad on his berth. Skywarp was on his across from him, cleaning his weapons. His rut had calmed, it still hung around in the back of his awareness, causing a slight discomfort but it was nothing like Skywarp's. His purple counterpart was not ignorant to his calmer nature and had pestered him about it. All Thundercracker told him was that a Sub either chose them or they didn't. After getting the same answer each time he asked, Skywarp merely resorted to pointed stares, nothing too bold as he didn't want to challenge Thundercracker's authority.
The blue mech had broached the subject of sharing a Sub. Skywarp had agreed, he did get on with Thundercracker, found himself more attached then he ever thought he would be. In turn he had broached the subject of sparklings. That was the purpose of a Trine after all, to procreate. Thundercracker had replied that it was up to the Sub, not them. Skywarp had nodded his understanding of that.
They were both startled when the door beeped, someone wishing to enter. Skywarp sent him a look, no one ever called around for friendly chats on the Nemesis. Picking up his weapons Skywarp headed towards the door, Thundercracker sitting up.
The door slid open revealing a familiar tri-coloured frame.
Starscream looked from Skywarp to Thundercracker and back again. Skywarp tensed , not sure what to expect, but Thundercracker relaxed once more.
"Skywarp, let him in."
The purple mech looked back at Thundercracker, shocked but obeyed him anyway. Starscream strode into the room with an air of indifference but when he sat down beside Thundercracker the blue mech could feel his nervousness.
"I've made my decision."
Thundercracker nodded and smiled, Starscream smiling back, letting Thundercracker get a deep inhale of air through his olfactory sensors.
Skywarp watched them both when his optics widened, wings stiffening. Thundercracker growled deep in his chest, just warning, and Starscream shivered beside him.
"You!" Skywarp began, pointing at Starscream. "You're a Sub!"
Thundercracker hummed an affirmative. "Long story, but that is for another time. We have a rut to burn off." Skywarp visibly shivered this time, thoughts of relief making him sigh, as Starscream purred. "We are going to do this right. You have ten minutes and then we're coming."
Starscream nodded and stood to leave. Skywarp watched him go then turned to Thundercracker.
"When did you find out?"
"About a week ago."
"And you never told me?"
"Delicate situation, Starscream wasn't very responsive at first."
Skywarp looked back to the door. "Why give him a head start? He is already faster then us both."
Thundercracker smirked. "He wants to be caught Warp, that I promise you."
Next Chapter: The Hunt