This is slash! Based on the song "Two Sisters" which is a musical rendition of an old Irish folk tale. AU Setting with one common and one rare pairing. You are warned!

I own neither the song nor Transformers!

:~*~:

Slipstream looked out the window of her home at her two sons working in the yard. Both of them had grown up well, becoming fine young mechs. But there was one problem…

She didn't know where she had gone wrong, but it was clear to any observer that her eldest, Starscream, was unbelievably jealous of his younger brother. Starscream was stunning, just as stunning as his younger brother, Thundercracker, but for some reason, his spark was tainted with jealousy for the blue Seeker. And even worse was the fact that Thundercracker knew that his brother hated him…

Thundercracker had tried time and time again to make up for whatever he had done to deserve his brother's hatred, but nothing seemed to lift the veil of malice from the tri-colored Seeker. And Starscream certainly didn't make it easy on him. Never did he say what exactly was bothering him, and he never dropped any hints. He just left his brother to try and make an invisible wrong right.

The female Seeker sighed. She knew what was wrong. She had known ever since the two of them were of age to be courted. Potential partners always asked for permission to court Thundercracker first. In his short time, he had had more suitors ask for his hand than most mechs had in their whole lives. And it was due to his personality.

Thundercracker was quiet, but polite and charming when one somehow got him out of his shell. He had a certain draw to him that Starscream just didn't have. It had been stripped away over time. Mechs knew that while Starscream had a pretty face, he was loud, brash, and sometimes rude. Word of the second Seeker's much more agreeable temperament had spread and it made him the most desirable mech this side of Iacon.

Turning her attention back to her sons outside, Slipstream couldn't help but feel that it was such a waste. Starscream was just lonely, but just too damn prideful to let anyone close. He had been hurt one too many times and blamed his little brother for everything that went wrong in his life. It wasn't fair to Thundercracker and it certainly wasn't fair to Starscream.

The femme was startled out of her reverie by a knock at the door. Giving one last glance to her offspring, she turned to answer the door. The door opened to reveal… A chest plate. Just a big white chest plate filling the space outside her door. The smaller femme took a step back to try and get a better look at her gigantic visitor.

Seeming to sense that the femme couldn't, in fact, see him, the enormous mech took a step back and bent slightly at the waist allowing his face to come down into view. He was a shuttle by the look of things, white paint, red accents, large, sweeping wings and a broad chassis that clearly showed an alt-mode of considerable size, and the clearest blue optics Slipstream had ever seen.

"May I help you, sir?" the older femme asked. The new mech smiled warmly at her and nodded.

"I believe you can. My designation is Skyfire. I am from a far off city and my Creator sent me to find myself a suitable bondmate. After coming to your fine city, I asked around for the designations of a few eligible mechs. Your sons came up almost immediately. I would like permission to court your eldest, my lady."

Slipstream was thunderstruck. This mech had traveled a long way just to court her son? She wasn't sure whether to be excited or nervous. This wasn't the first time this had happened, someone approaching her for permission to court her eldest. It almost always either ended with them either running off after being verbally ripped apart by her son's volatile temper, or they switched their interests from Starscream to his brother.

Perhaps, this time would be different, she tried to reason with herself. The mech before her exuded an aura of calm and patience. Perhaps this mech would be able to deal with and soothe Starscream's ire and mistrust. It was worth a shot, she supposed.

"Before I give you permission to court my son, would you like to meet him?" she asked, almost hesitantly. The new mech- Skyfire, she recalled – nodded and bent down lower to make it through her door. She led him through the house, stopping just shy of the door to the backyard and turned to look up at her guest.

"I must warn you, Starscream can be… trying. I at least ask you to give him time to warm up to you before judging him."

"Of course, my lady. I understand."

Nodding once, Slipstream opened the door and walked through to the yard. Her sons both looked up at her entrance, Starscream looking annoyed, Thundercracker looking curious. Once Skyfire stepped through the doorframe and stood to his full height, Slipstream gestured to him as she addressed her sons.

"My children, this is Skyfire. He has traveled from a far away city," she paused and looked Starscream dead in the optics, "And he wants to court you, Starscream."

Starscream just stared at her for a moment. His face was unreadable and his silence was obviously making Thundercracker nervous. The blue Seeker was glancing between his brother, his Creator, and the new mech, and all the while his wings fluttered uneasily. After a moment of truly nerve wracking silence, a nasty sneer appeared on Starscream's pretty faceplates.

"Oh, that's rich! You think that after all this time, there is actually someone on this worthless scrap pile that we call Cybertron that wants to court me?! I'm convinced that he must be horribly misinformed. These last few stellar cycles have made it abundantly clear that that has never been the case," the red Seeker spat. His optics narrowed into slits and he locked them with Skyfire's. "Let me save you some time, my good mech. I know what you're really here for, so please don't let me stop you." He jerked a condescending finger in Thundercracker's direction. "Feel free to take the whore and go."

Slipstream was actually mildly startled. She had known from the time that Starscream could formulate a sentence that he had a mouth on him, but he rarely ever went as far as to insult his brother in front of a potential suitor in such a manner. She felt a pang in her spark as she watched her youngest flinch at the scathing words. Thundercracker had his optics trained on the ground in front of him and his wings were quivering in obvious distress.

Suddenly, without any word, Skyfire approached the still seated Starscream. He knelt down to the ground, putting his height about on par with the Seeker's, and stared into the angry crimson lenses. However, instead of seeing reciprocating anger, shock, or disgust, Starscream saw only calm and peace in the deep blue orbs, and somehow that caused his sneer to soften a bit.

"No, Starscream. I'm not here for your brother. I'm here for you."

The words were spoken in such a soft voice that Slipstream had to strain to hear him from her place in the center of the yard. Taking the fact that Starscream hadn't started screeching at the large white mech yet as a good sign, she tried to improve her son's chances even more. Reaching through the creation bond to Thundercracker, she motioned for him to come stand next to her. The blue mech left his place and silently moved to stand at his mother's side. Slipstream stroked her son's wing in comfort for Starscream's earlier words before they turned back to the scene before them.

"Don't speak to me like I'm an idiot," they heard Starscream almost hiss, "I've seen plenty of mechs stand right where you now kneel, and all of them did the exact same thing. They spent less than three joors with me and then they ran! I am not falling for it again!"

"I'm not interested in hurting you, Starscream. I want to get to know you better."

"Ha! You think that you're the first one to say that to me? Do you honestly think that you're the first mech to try and get under my plating?! I can see right through you! I know I'm not the one you want! I know that you're just extending the invitation to me first because I'm the first born! And I can guarantee that as soon as I'm done turning you down, you'll pivot on those big clumsy pedes of yours and use this exact same routine on that little blue abomination behind you!"

Starscream was nearly screaming by the time he finished his tirade. He had stood up from his seat at some point during his speech and was now looking down at Skyfire with optics like blazing infernos and wings hiked so high they were almost vertical. And yet, through it all, the Shuttle hadn't so much as flinched. He just looked up at the fuming red Seeker with a sort of calm acceptance.

Slowly, as if trying not to agitate the Seeker further, Skyfire stood and reached into his subspace. When his hand reemerged, it was clutching a small box. Opening it, a small, slender obsidian band was revealed. Skyfire plucked it from the box and extended his hand to take the Seeker's smaller blue one in his own. For once, Starscream didn't say a word as the Shuttle former placed the band on his middle finger, a traditional symbol of a mech claiming their intended.

"Starscream, this is me extending my token of courtship to you," was all he said.

Starscream was stunned. For as much as he had ranted about other mechs doing the exact same thing Skyfire did before fleeing from the premises, not one had ever made the courtship official in this manner. This was the first time a ring had ever been on his finger. And for a mech like Starscream, for whom actions spoke louder than words, that meant the universe to him.

Sensing his opening, Skyfire spoke again.

"I'll give you a cycle to think it over. I will return tomorrow and get your answer," he said softly. He started to back away when the red Seeker held out his other hand and stopped him, never once taking his wide optics away from the band around his middle finger.

"No. There is no need for that… I accept."

Never before had Slipstream or Thundercracker heard Starscream speak in such a soft, almost reverent, voice. It was almost as if he was afraid that if he were to raise his voice, the illusion would shatter and he would end up with Skyfire laughing in his face.

Skyfire nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Starscream. I will return tomorrow and give you and your creator time to work out specifics for the courting and requirements for me." Without warning, the Shuttle reached out and grasped the hand with the courting band, pulling it to his lips and kissing the back of it. "I will return for you, my intended."

Starscream's optics widened further as he watched the Shuttle excuse himself and bid farewell to his family. The red Seeker stood there in shell shocked silence with his hand pulled to his cockpit, staring at the vacant space in the doorway that the Shuttle disappeared through.

His reverie was broken into when his Creator entered his field of vision, smiling at him. She motioned with her hand for Starscream to follow her back into the domicile. Almost numbly, the elder Seeker followed the femme back inside, too stunned to even throw his customary glare at his younger brother.

As they passed, Thundercracker couldn't help but smile. His brother may treat him like the vile sludge one would scrape out of their turbine after a trek through a swamp, but that didn't stop Thundercracker from feeling happy for his brother. After all this time, there was finally a mech that was calm enough and steady enough to get past all his brother's brash and offensive behavior. A mech that could very well make his brother happy.

That thought in mind, Thundercracker turned to follow his family back into the domicile and start on dinner while his Creator talked with Starscream.

:~*~:

It had been a decacycle since the day that Skyfire had come and extended his courtship. In that time, things in Slipstream's household had been surprisingly quiet. It took almost 3 cycles for Starscream to come out of his little dazed coma and get back to interacting with others, and even then, he was still surprisingly quiet. He still wasn't on very good terms with Thundercracker, but over the last decacycle, they had had their first civil conversation in vorn. Thundercracker had asked what Starscream would like as a courtship gift from him, and the red Seeker had responded with a somewhat sarcastic snort, followed by a request for new polish or wing ornaments. All in all, this new courtship with Skyfire had done a lot of good for the whole family.

But as fate would have it, all good things must come to an end.

Or at least, that is what Thundercracker would have said as he saw Skyfire approaching the domicile. Slipstream had taken Starscream down to the market square for a few things to put toward the courtship, leaving Thundercracker behind to keep an eye on things. The blue Seeker stood from his tending of the crystal beds and strode to the gate, intending to tell his brother's intended that no one was home.

As the Shuttle approached the gate, Thundercracker gave him a wave and a friendly smile, which Skyfire returned. The white mech stopped on the other side of the gate, glancing around the yard. Thundercracker just shook his head slightly as he answered Skyfire's unspoken question.

"He's not here, Skyfire. He went with Creator to the market and probably won't be back for some time."

Skyfire didn't look at Thundercracker. He just kept scanning the yard even as he responded. "Is that so?"

"I can let him know you stopped by, if you wish."

"That won't be necessary," the Shuttle spoke slowly. The blue Seeker cocked an optic ridge at that. If he wasn't here looking for Starscream, then why was he here?

"I don't understand. If you're not looking for Starscream, then why-," Skyfire cut off Thundercracker's question.

"I didn't come here looking for Starscream, but that doesn't mean that my trip here was pointless. I actually came here looking for you."

Thundercracker's optics widened at that. He was so confused. What would his brother's intended want with him?

"I've done some thinking and I've come to the conclusion that I just can't stand it any longer. As much as I pledged myself to Starscream, I can't seem to get you out of my processor." Thundercracker's optics cycled even wider. "I don't love Starscream, but I do love you, Thundercracker."

Thundercracker took a step back, away from the gate. Away from the mech that was spouting these horrible words at him. He didn't want this. He wanted Starscream to be happy! The two of them were finally on speaking terms for the first time since they were younglings! And here this mech was, trying to ruin it again!

"No. No! You can't just go and back out now! Not after everything you promised him!"

"Thundercracker, you don't understand. I never loved him. I never expected to find a mech I loved on the first try and it was required of me that I asked the first born, but I can't deny the feelings in my spark. It's telling me that Starscream is not the one for me to bond to," Skyfire spoke softly, slowly, trying to console the blue Seeker.

"I don't care what your expectations or intentions were! And I don't care what your 'spark says' either!"

"Thundercracker please. No one has to know. Not my Sire, not your Creator, and certainly not your brother."

"I would know! And I wouldn't be able to live with myself! I can barely live with myself for being the cause of my brother's anguish for all these vorn, however unintentionally! How would you expect me to cope knowing that I willingly put aside my brother's happiness and my Creator's wishes and ran away with a mech that just can't seem to keep his promises?!"

Thundercracker was fuming. His optics were bright, wings hiked and trembling, and his fists were clenched at his sides. He would not let this mech ruin this. He would not let this mech break his brother's spark again. He had already caused Starscream enough pain and now that his happiness was so close at hand, Thundercracker was going to fight to make sure that Starscream still got it.

"I don't want to go with you. I will not go with you. You already pledged yourself and your spark to Starscream and as his brother, I expect you to stand by that. If you can't do that, then you can come back when Starscream is home and tell him that yourself."

With that, Thundercracker turned to go back inside the domicile. He had almost made it to the door when a large white arm wrapped itself around his waist, turning him around and pulling his smaller frame close to the broad white chest he now faced. The blue Seeker let out a small sound of alarm and started to struggle. The arm did not budge, however. Instead, it just pulled him even closer as another white hand came up and gripped his chin. His helm was forced up and wide red optics met deep blue.

"Don't turn your back on me, Thundercracker. I was being genuine when I told you that I loved you. I can make you happy, I promise," he paused, "Please, come with me."

Thundercracker didn't reply. He kept struggling against the larger mech's hold on him. Starscream could come home at any time. If he came home to see Skyfire standing in the yard holding him, there would be the Pit to pay. And Thundercracker knew it.

"NO! Let me go!"

"Please, I need you. You'll be happy. You'll be fed, sheltered, loved. You'll want for nothing!"

"What I want is for you to let me go! Why can't you understand that, you great, stupid –!"

Thundercracker was cut off by a pair of lips crashing over his own. His optics cycled to their widest settings and he let out a small gasp of surprise. The second his lips parted, a glossa invaded his mouth, plundering and caressing every surface of his intake. The white mech's hand slid around to the back of his helm and held him in place, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't free himself. The blue Seeker pressed his optics shut to try and fight off the fluid rising behind the lenses. This couldn't be happening. Why couldn't Skyfire just leave him alone?

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. Skyfire pulled back and stared down into the blue Seeker's misty optics, running a digit down the seam under the lens. He leaned down and pressed one more kiss to Thundercracker's forehelm before stepping back.

"I'm leaving for the planet of Aldorine 9 in three cycles. The morning of, I will return for you. Be ready to leave, because I'm not leaving without you," the Shuttle said. His gaze was stern, but soft at the same time. With a nod, Skyfire pivoted on one pede and strode back through the open gate. Thundercracker watched in a kind of stunned daze as the white mech ran a few steps before jumping and transforming, shooting off into the sky and away from the domicile.

As he watched the white shuttle become a white dot on the horizon, Thundercracker sank to his knees, anguish filling his spark. What was he going to do? If he said anything, Starscream would hate him again. If he didn't say anything, he would be abducted by the crazy mech posing as his brother's intended. Either way, he ended up losing.

Cradling his face in his hands, Thundercracker started to silently weep. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow hid behind a nearby crystal tree, watching. A winged shadow.

:~*~:

"Starscream, I need you to go get a few things from the market for supper tonight. If I give you the credits, would you mind going to get them for me?" Slipstream called down the hall to her eldest son. A moment later, the red Seeker came out of his room, nodding to his Creator.

Smiling, Slipstream handed him a list and a few credit chips. Subspacing the credits and list, Starscream turned to the door. Before he could leave however, Slipstream spoke again, "Oh, Star. Why don't you take Thundercracker with you? He hasn't left the house in a few cycles and I think a flight would do him some good. Would you mind terribly?"

Starscream was silent for a moment, seeming to mull it over. At first, Slipstream thought that he was going to decline. Maybe the two of them just weren't to that point yet…

The femme was just about to take back her request when the red Seeker turned to face her, nodding slowly.

"Sure, I'll take him along."

Trying to hide her surprise, Slipstream called down the hall again to her youngest. A few kliks later, the blue Seeker emerged, looking tired and upset. The femme approached her younger son, optics tinged with worry.

"What's wrong, Thundercracker? Are you feeling unwell?"

The young Seeker shook his helm. "No, Creator. I just haven't been recharging well these last few night cycles. I'm sure a flight will help though," he tried to reassure her, a small shaky smile making its way onto him lips. Slipstream frowned and stroked her creation's wing in a soothing motion.

"If you think so. Stay with Starscream and try to be back before the night cycle, alright?"

"Yes, Creator," the two younger Seekers said in unison. With that, the two jets left the domicile and took off in the direction of the market.

About a joor later, they were walking along one of the famous Electric Canals. The channels were filled with a kind of molten energon byproduct that absorbed and conducted electricity very well. The result was a sort of silver/white liquid with visible arcs of electric charge jumping from the surface.

Starscream was watching these arcs leap across the surface of the canals while waiting for his brother to come back from a nearby stand. His faceplates were set in an unfriendly frown and one could almost hear his processor whirring as he thought. His optics dimmed a bit as he diverted his attention momentarily from the canal to the ring on his middle finger. Huffing, he dropped his arm back onto the rail and stared back into the churning silver liquid.

"Starscream?" a small voice called. Turning his helm to the side, the red Seeker could see that his brother had returned. He was standing about a half dozen paces off, almost clinging to the bag he was holding. Starscream almost sneered at him, but kept himself in check as he pushed his weight off of the railing and motioned for the blue Seeker to lead the way.

As they walked, the two Seekers ended up switching positions. Thundercracker ended up walking next to the rails lining the Electric Canals while Starscream kept pace further in. As they walked, Starscream thought. And as he thought, his face got darker. His brow plates dipped low and his lips curled, contorting his pretty features into a nasty grimace. His sour mood only seemed to thicken the longer the silence between him and his brother continued.

Suddenly unable to take his brother's unnatural silence, Thundercracker tried to speak. "Starscream? Is there something wrong?" the younger Seeker whispered. At the other's quiet inquiry, Starscream almost seemed to jerk as if struck. He halted in his steps and whirled to face his brother with raw fury blazing in his optics. Thundercracker dropped the parcel he had been clutching and took a few steps back, away from the picture of animosity that had become his brother. Starscream ignored the panicked look on the blue jets face and advanced on him, driving him backward.

"S-Starscream? What's happening? What are you doing?" came the frightened question. Starscream didn't answer. Instead, he launched himself forward and threw his weight against his brother's frame. Thundercracker cried out as he stumbled. The red Seeker persisted, pushing them both back until they came to the railing. Thundercracker tried to push Starscream away from him, tried to get enough space between the two of them that he could take off and flee while he waited for Starscream to calm down.

He never got the chance.

Starscream gripped one of Thundercracker's legs, hoisting him bodily off the ground and, using the rail as a pivoting point, tipped the blue Seeker over the edge and into the Electric Canal.

There wasn't enough time for Thundercracker to activate his thrusters. He landed, front first, into the churning silver channel. And screamed.

The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The charge in the canal arced over his plating, scorching his paint and causing his systems to seize. As he thrashed, he started to sink. Thundercracker tried desperately to keep his helm above the surface, but he was quickly losing ground. In a last effort toward salvation, he gazed pleadingly up at his brother.

"Starscream! Please, help me!" the blue Seeker cried. To his horror, the other Seeker just shook his helm.

"No, Thundercracker. I'm done. I'm done being second to my younger brother. This is what you get for trying to take Skyfire for yourself."

Thundercracker was shocked. Starscream had figured out that Skyfire had tried to take him away. Except he had it backwards! Thundercracker never tried to steal him! Skyfire had come onto him. Had tried to convince Thundercracker to run away with him. This was all wrong!

The blue Seeker tried to plead with his brother, but only got a mouthful of charged fluid for his efforts. The liquid scorched down his intake, blistering lines, corroding tanks, and causing Thundercracker an unbearable amount of pain. He choked out a pained cry, gazing through freely weeping optics as he continued to sink. The surface was just past his lips when Starscream spoke again.

"I'll hope you enjoy your stay in the Pit, brother."

With those mocking last words, Starscream turned and disappeared from the edge of the Canal. Thundercracker mentally whimpered once more before his helm dipped past the surface and his systems finally gave out.

I'm sorry, Starscream….

Then… Blackness…

:~*~:

Late update is late… And what the Hell is wrong with me? Why can't I write happy things?! I mean seriously! I've killed off Thundercracker twice now! Twice! And Skywarp twice, Starscream once! I think my life needs some reevaluating…

And just for the record, I don't really like Skyfire. I don't know why. He's just kind of a... bleh… character to me. But I do like it when people play around with his personality and make him either naive to the point of facepalming embarrassment, or just a closet crazy. I took a shot at him being the unfaithful fucktard. Originality. I has it. XD

And I also borrowed the idea for the electric canal from the G1 episode "The God Gambit". Although it is referred to as "electric lava", I just played with it a little bit. It worked well in the context of the story.

For those interested in the folk tale this is based on, here the title of the song is "The Cruel Sister" by Old Blind Dogs.