AN: Credit for ideas goes to Riley, Iwanita, Hedgie-Chan, HighxOnxCrack and Grimlock47.
"GET. BACK. INSIDE!" Megatron bellowed at the defiant seeker as he continued to walk away from him, "STARSCREAM! I MEAN IT!"
The seeker glanced over his shoulder and although it was too dark and wet for Megatron to see his expression, he knew he was miserable; and probably heartbroken as well. He exhaled heavily and chased after the seeker. The pouring rain quickly soaked his clothes and chilled his skin, he brushed wet hair away from his eyes, "Starscream, stop!" he tried again, jogging to catch up with the seeker.
Starscream quickened his strides, and Megatron reached out and grasped his shoulder. It was ripped off as Starscream turned around, "I hate you!" he screeched. Megatron froze, taking a step back, having no idea what had upset him so much so quickly, "Stay away from me!"
He turned and started walking again. Megatron waited just two seconds before making chase again, "I can't!" he shouted to his seconds back, "and I'm about have this argument out here! Starscream! You'll freeze to death!"
"Good!" Starscream shot back, still walking, "I hope you freeze with me!"
Megatron scowled to himself, "I'll drag you back myself if I have to!"
Starscream stopped and turned on his heel, his menacing glare ruined by the wet hair covering his eyes, "You wouldn't dare."
There was a small standoff, before Megatron took a step forward and Starscream torn between making a run for it and trying to murder his leader for even thinking of such a thing, was quickly ensnared, "Bastard!" he howled, legs kicking out as his arms were restrained at his sides and he was lifted off his feet, "Rusting, stupid, ugly, fragging glitched up fucker!" he shirked the human curse last, most likely for maximum effect, "leave me alone!"
Megatron struggled to carry him back, the rain and Starscream's thrashing not helping, "stop fighting!" Megatron snarled.
Starscream wriggled an arm free and managed to slug Megatron right in the face, he automatically dropped him and let him fall to the tarmac panting.
Megatron held his aching jaw and glared down at him, "I'm not letting you freeze out here you fool!" he snapped, "I don't care what drama you're out to cause tonight but it can wait at least until it's stopped raining!"
Starscream glared up at him with red eyes, and if it hadn't been for the rain Megatron might have noticed he was crying earlier. Starscream sniffed and rubbed a hand across his face, and Megatron deflated, offering a hand to help the seeker up. Starscream unwisely took it, falling into his trap, and Megatron held him captive in his arms once more.
And Starscream wailed.
Megatron sighed and rubbed his arms comfortingly as he steered him back up the street. The seeker was soaking and shivering against his chest. He cursed under his breath, "If you've made yourself sick don't except me to act as your nurse."
Starscream hiccupped, "Go-good!" he snapped, "I hate you!"
"Yes I've heard." Megatron shouted over the wind as it picked up, blowing more freezing rain into their faces. Starscream turned in his arms and tried to hide against his chest.
"You're such a fragging pig!" the seeker shouted hoarsely against his chest. "You're so selfish!
Megatron nodded and started walking faster. "Which is why I came out after you," he reminded the seeker.
"Because you have to shove your nose in everyone else's business!" Starscream snapped, pushing against his again, "Don't act like you came out here out of any sort of attachment to me. You just can't stand the thought of me doing something without telling you!"
Megatron narrowed his eyes, "You're hardly a child Starscream, why would I care what you do?"
"Because you never let me do anything!" he shirked, kicking out at him, "You're always shoving me back and telling me to stay behind and- and just get the frag off me!"
"So you can run off again!?" Megatron snapped back, he spun the seeker around in his arms and glared into Starscream's wide blue eyes. "What is wrong with you? Why are you so upset and what are you blaming me for now?"
Starscream's face twisted into something aghast, and he stared down at the dark watery sidewalk, tears mixing with the rain. "I hate you so much," he moaned, dark wet hair covering his eyes as his head bowed, "Because you think of me as nothing other than a- a liability."
Megatron frowned; he'd been calling his second useless for vorns. Why would Starscream suddenly get so upset about to now when he'd spent so long shrugging it off and swearing at him behind his back in the past, "That's not what this is about, is it?"
Starscream's leant forward, his forehead bumping Megatron's chest and brushing against it as he shook his head. "I hate you, and you don't care about me..." he mumbled dejectedly.
Since most of the fight had gone from the seeker Megatron relaxed his hands on his arms and wrapped them around the smaller shivering seeker. "If I didn't care about you I wouldn't be out here with you now, would I?"
There was a loud sniffling noise before Starscream slowly lifted his head, Megatron leant down towards him. "I hate you," he murmured again, and Megatron smiled slightly.
"So you've said."
He brushed a hand through Starscream's dripping black hair, and encouraged him to tilt his head up that little bit more.
"I hate you..." Starscream whispered quietly, eyes beginning to close, droplets of rain water glistened as they rested on his eye lashes.
Megatron pressed his damp forehead to Starscream's, their noses bumped and Starscream's hot breath tickled his cheek. "I know you do," he said soothingly, his lips brushing Starscream's as he spoke.
Starscream then shook his head, his eyes opening again, "...I don't- I love-"
Megatron cut off his next words when he pressed their mouths together. Starscream instantly pushed back, hands grasping and pulling at Megatron's clothed chest. Their bodies came together, creating the slightest bit of warmth between their soaked clothed. Starscream shuddered as he kissed him, and Megatron pulled back, only to get smacked on the shoulder. "You didn't let me finish." the seeker muttered resentfully, looking down and away to hide his growing blush.
"I knew what you were going to say," Megatron answered coolly, wrapping an arm around the seeker's shoulder, shielding him partially from the rain with his taller frame as he began to lead him quickly towards shelter.
"You presume too much," Starscream ground out, "and I don't like you." he added quickly.
Megatron raised his eyebrows; it was certainly an improvement from hate.
Megatron could barely stop himself from glaring hateful daggers at Soundwave once he'd finally made it back to base. His spark was telling him he should turn the communications officer inside out for leaving his bondmate behind, trapped in that dark Autobot brig, but his processor was reminding him to keep calm, because he wasn't supposed to care about the little glitch.
He forced a smirk onto his face and strengthened his mental blocks.
He had been relieved to come back only to discover -contrary to his own beliefs- that Prime hadn't mentioned anything about the position - buried deep in Starscream's port- he'd found him in when he'd been taken prisoner to Soundwave or any other Decepticon during whatever negotiations there were for his release. The Autobot commander was softer and nobler than even he'd assumed.
"Start negotiations for the return of Air Commander Starscream," he announced to his third.
Soundwave's visor flashed but he nodded and began establishing a visual link to Autobot high command.
A smirking Jazz appeared on screen, "Fancy seeing you again!" he said happily as he saw Megatron's scowling face, "I'd say I was surprised, but considering what I was witness to earlier... I'm not."
Megatron's optics widened and then narrowed again, he looked sideways a few rather confused looking mechs. "I request an audience with Prime." he growled stiffly.
Jazz smiled, "He's busy, seems your... second made a mess of our brig."
Megatron's left optic twitched, his spark nearly having stopped at the long pause he'd had to endure before Jazz had said 'second'. For a panicked moment he was so sure the saboteur had been on the verge of announcing to his entire faction that Starscream was his bondmate. "Good!" he snapped, "why don't we help each other out then, let me take the glitch off your servos."
Jazz shrugged again, "I dunno, its kinda fun teasing him..."
Megatron's energon was nearly at boiling point in his very fuel lines, both with the Autobot third in command's attitude and the very suggestion that someone had been teasing his Starscream; because that was his job.
"Prime! Now!" he snapped.
Jazz held up his servos, "Alright alright!" he said, taking his time to get off his seat, "Cool it man, I'll get him now..."
During the wait Megatron took the time to glare at those Decepticon's wandering about his command centre aimlessly, telling them with nothing short of a look to stop enjoying the show and get back to work. Even Soundwave diverted his gaze to a blank, upside-down data-pad, staring at it intently. Megatron rolled his optics, and before he knew it the customary blue and red paint of Optimus Prime appeared on screen.
"Megatron," his deep baritone announced, "I hear you're looking to negotiate."
Megatron exhaled heavily, "Yes," he snarled.
Prime dared to smile calmly at him, "You understand of course, considering the circumstances, that wagering for Starscream will cost you a lot more than it has previously, don't you?"
Soundwave tilted his helm sideways in confusion and quite a few Decepticons looked between each other, wondering what the Autobot leader was talking about.
Megatron breathed heavily as he fought desperately for the right thing to say. If he argued, Prime might 'accidentally' let slip that he and Starscream were bonded, if he didn't and just accepted his enemy's terms, he risked losing the respect of his mechs, and raising suspicion.
"Elaborate on this increased cost Prime?" he snarled.
The Autobot leader smiled, "Energon," he announced, "the energon you stole from the human government not a stellar cycle ago."
Megatron bit down on his glossa, "We need that energon," he hissed.
Optimus nodded, "Which is why I'm only asking for half."
"HALF!" Megatron burst out, optics widening at the screen, "You can't be serious-"
"If the conditions are too steep Megatron, I'm sure we can keep Starscream for a few more cycles?"
Megatron shook his helm, "That won't be necessary Prime; he is to be released today."
"Then I will send coordinates for a mutual meeting place. You bring the energon and I will return you Air Commander."
Megatron nodded reluctantly and cut the comm. link, resisting the urge to groan out load. This had been one of the reasons why they had kept their relationship hidden, so the Autobots couldn't use it against them like this. Now Starscream was likely to be their number one target on the battle field. Shooting him down would take Megatron out as well... and therefore most of the high command. He was starting to consider locking Starscream in his own brig to keep him safe once he'd gotten him back.
He didn't have time to consider such things however; he had most of their energon to ready for transport, and a lot of funny looks to avoid as he did so.
Not three joors later he was stood in a deserted plane of land in the middle of frag-knew-where. He scowled. The Autobot's were late, which was rather rude since this was their meeting.
After what seemed like an age, figures appeared on the horizon, cars, vans and a truck. Megatron narrowed his optics as he watched Prime approach, pulling his trailer behind. Since he could see no sign of the seeker anywhere he amused that must have been where they'd shoved him. He felt a rush of fury at their ignorance or carelessness. Didn't they know seekers were claustrophobic?! He could only imagine what a state Starscream might have been in trapped in there and how long had he been in there for?
He barely stopped himself from stamping over there and punching Prime in the faceplates because of it.
The convoy came to a halt and two familiar Autobots were quick to open the back of the trailer and drag a shrieking and noticeably upset Starscream out of the back. Megatron felt another rush of anger at his bondmate's treatment and the insane urge to rush over and comfort the seeker until he calmed down again, whilst shouting curse words at Prime.
"Megatron!" Prime announced, "Have you brought the energon?" Megatron rolled his optics, and glanced at the huge pile of energon cubes being loaded into Astrotrain. Wasn't it obvious?
"Return my Air Commander!" Megatron ordered, dermas gritted in fury. His expression softened as he saw Starscream look up and around at sound his voice, looking for him. When his panicky optics finally focused on him he cried out in relief and tried to leap forwards out of his captors servos to get to him.
Megatron glanced sideways at his mechs, hoping they'd pass the behaviour off as Starscream just being Starscream
He'd just have to hope the seeker wouldn't act under the assumption that the Autobots had informed the faction of his and Megatron's relationship and fling himself into his arms as soon as he was free. They would have to wait, just a few more breems until they were alone and he could embrace him as much as he wanted then.
Starscream was nudged to walk forward as Astrotrain made slow progress across no man's land between his comrades and the Autobots, carrying the forfeited energon.
As soon as the seeker crossed the half way point however, he broke out into a sprint, and Megatron sighed, knowing what was coming. He took a moment to say goodbye to his previous reputation and the respect he commanded from all his mechs as he braced himself to catch the madly grinning Starscream.
The seeker jumped, soaring through the air for seconds before crashing into Megatron's frame, knocking them both to the dusty ground as he wrapped his arms and legs around his torso, and proceeded to press frantic, desperate kisses over every inch of Megatron's frame he could reach. And there wasn't a lot Megatron could do to stop him.
He finally managed to catch the seeker's mouth with his own, and unfortunately missed what must have been a highly amusing moment as Soundwave's processor sparked and shut down when he opened his bond with Starscream in the telepath's close proximity, waves of previously hidden love and desire overwhelming the poor mech.
Surprisingly, there were several loud cat calls and cheers, most likely from the Constructicons, and Skywarp's voice saying very loudly that Thundercracker and all the Conehead's owed him twenty credits, "...told you! So thank you very much aft heads! Now who's the stupid one!?"
There was laughter and clapping and all in all it wasn't as bad as Megatron been dreading such a thing would have been.
That was, until the next cycle when Skywarp started giving his bondmate name suggestions for future sparklings.
At first, Megatron had put it down to typical Starscream dramatics. The seeker was always asking for attention.
He was able to ignore it for a while, a feat in itself as he was not at all a patient mech, but Starscream rolling around on the floor outside the med bay clutching his chest and squawking was just intolerable.
"What are you doing?!" he snapped, optics flaring in fury at his imbecilic Air Commander, he drew his pede back and kicked him.
Starscream didn't seem to notice, "Knockout!" he squeaked, "My spark- it's going to explode mah- master!"
Megatron rolled his optics and bent down to grab one of Starscream's delicate thrusters, "Pathetic," he spat, "You're an embarrassment, not even drone's act like this!"
Starscream moaned again, his frame scraping the floor as he was dragged into the med bay. Knockout looked up, and barley fought off the smirk threatening to take over his face. He tilted his helm, considering Starscream, "He's undamaged," he commented out loud.
Megatron's lips pulled back to sneer to the medic, "Clearly. Yet he still sees fit to squirm around on the floor like a worm!"
Starscream moaned and curled around his chassis, "Master please!" he moaned, mouth falling open in a wordless cry.
"Examine him," Megatron rumbled eventually, "and if you find no fault with his systems report it so I may give him a real reason for being in the med bay!"
Starscream's optics cracked open, he reached for Megatron, "Not- faking!"
Megatron smacked him off, tugging him to his thrusters by his wing and shoving him onto the examination berth. "Stop attention seeking," he spat, flipping the seeker over onto his back so Knockout could examine him properly.
"What seems to be the problem Air Commander?" Knockout asked him pleasantly enough.
Starscream glared at him through the pain, his long, slim servos still clutching at his chest, "What do you think?!"
A menacing growl from Megatron made him fall silent and Knockout reached out to pry Starscream's servos away from his chest and shackle them at his sides. Starscream arched as another wave of pain burned his spark. "Arghhhhh! Hurry up!" he shrieked at the red mech.
Megatron raised an amused optical ridge at his second and waved a heavily armoured servo for the medic to continue. Knockout quickly overrode Starscream's chest plates to examine his spark chamber... and needed to look no further.
"Well," Knockout said calmly, glancing at Megatron, "there's your problem."
Megatron frowned in confusion at the glowing purple spark, "Dark energon," he murmured in wonder, "how can this be?"
Knockout rubbed his servos across the back of his helm, thinking to himself as Starscream began to oil against his restrains again, shrieking.
Megatron quickly got fed up and cuffed him on the helm, "Silence!"
Starscream made a few more pathetic whining noises before falling silent, frame still shuddering in pain.
"He must have been in contact with dark energon," Knockout told his leader, "Which is rather hypocritical of him... did you give him any?" he asked his leader curiously.
Megatron shook his helm and glowered, "Unless he stole it." he growled darkly.
Starscream squawked on the berth, "What use could I have for that poison!"
Knockout asked the seeker another question before Megatron could take a threatening step towards his patient, "When did the pain start?"
Starscream thought back for a while before answering, "...This morning? I came out of recharge with it," he whimpered again, "Make it stop! Make it stop!"
Knockout wrote something on his data pad, almost forgetting Megatron's presence, "Any idea what could have brought this on? What were you doing last night?"
Starscream opened his mouth and then shut it again, optics flying open. They flickered towards Megatron, who shifted awkwardly and turned away.
Knockout stood confused for a moment before it dawned on him, and shook his helm. He couldn't wait to tell Breakdown about this, "Oh... Oh I see..." he trailed off and wrote something else down, "My verdict," he announced looking between his Air Commander and Decepticon Lord, "is that Commander Starscream had been infected with Dark energon, through spark merging."
He gave Megatron a pointed look.
And inwardly smiled at the murderous expression on the seeker's face.
"You!" he hissed, chest rising and falling rapidly with his fury, all directed at Megatron. Knockout watched with interest but hoped the seeker wouldn't do something stupid, he was restrained after all, he wouldn't be able to run away if Megatron lost his temper, "Youuu."
To Knockout's surprise the Deception leader turned on him again, expression one of concern, "Why is it so painful?" he asked quickly, ignoring Starscream's threatening hissing.
Knockout blinked, he wasn't a dark energon expert. "I don't know." he answered honestly.
Megatron glowered, "What are you going to do about it?" he growled.
Knockout took a step back, "I... don't know my lord."
Megatron's servos squeezed into fists, "Do you mean to tell me," he began slowly, "that due to your incompetence in your chosen profession my Second in command is unfit for duty... for how long?" he asked.
Knockout took two steps back, "I don't-"
"Then you'd better find out!" Megatron roared, picking up an instrument and throwing it across the room, he then turned to Starscream, who was still calling him rude names as he withered on the berth, "and will you shut up!"
Starscream fell obediently silent, for about five clicks, "...This is your fault." he hissed.
Megatron's entire frame rumbled, as he turned slowly to the restrained seeker, "If I recall correctly my dear Starscream," he bent and brushed his lips over Starscream's shackled servo in a light kiss, his thick, sharp digits tapped around the seeker's spark chamber, "it was you who crawled into my quarters last night."
Starscream pulled on his restrains, optics wide as he watched his leader's servo fearfully, "I came to talk! You were the one to seducing me! Filling me up with high grade!"
Megatron sneered, and pulled back, "Seducing you? You were on your knees begging! Begging for attention, begging for my spark, begging for my spike in your worthless port!"
Knockout began to step out of the med bay slowly, leaving his commander's to work it out between them.
If anything he found it was quite entertaining how Megatron expressed his worry for his Second in Command; through arguing with him.
