A/N: Here, have a Seeker chapter!

Arc 3: Springing fresh from the world

Chapter 2: We stop existing and start living

*Skywarp, knock it off.*

*Aww, c'mon, TC. Don't ya wanna have a little fun?*

Starscream would have sneered, had he been in root mode. As it was, he contented himself with ignoring both his wingmates thoroughly.

It was a good day for flying. The weather was clear, crisp cold season giving way to slightly warmer temperatures, and the sun on his plating felt heavenly. Thundercracker, a quiet and steady presence on his right wing, was easy to ignore. Skywarp, trick-flying in front of both of them, was less so.

The dark jet was spiraling slowly, tightening his turns gradually before angling up into a lazy loop. Instead of completing it, he flew towards them, upside-down, only turning down when they'd overtaken him. Then he put on a burst of speed, passing beneath them.

*Skywarp,* Thundercracker said warningly.

*What?* If Skywarp had been in root mode, he would have been pouting.

*Knock it off with the fancy flying.*

*Why? I'm behaving, just stretching my wings a bit. Not even leaving this 'designated flight corridor' the Prime got for us, am I?*

*Skywarp, fall in,* Starscream said, his lost patience apparent in the grumpy tone.

To Skywarp's credit, he fell back to his position on Starscream's left wing with only a little grumbling. It made him slightly easier to ignore… But the quiet and calm soon had Starscream in a tizzy for different reasons.

*Star, I can feel ya thinking all the way over here,* Skywarp complained. *What's got your thrusters in a knot now?*

*He's nervous,* Thundercracker replied before Starscream had a chance to snark at his trinemate. *Star's worried that Prime's changed his mind in the last month. Out of sight, out of mind, right?*

*I am not,* Starscream replied in an insulted tone. Honestly, who'd have thought that peace would make Thundercracker so astute and observant? *I merely tire of your antics. And I dislike the thought of going back to the Ark – last time I was there I was a prisoner, and it wasn't exactly pleasant.*

*I thought you and Prime talked almost every day,* Skywarp said in confusion, losing his focus again and drifting gently from side to side. *How could he forget about you? Taking into account that you're pretty slagging memorable.*

Starscream was sure there was an insult in there. Even with Skywarp's neutral tone.

*I'm nervous, too,* Thundercracker admitted. *Not about Fireflight. But about staying there, with them, for who knows how long it takes to get the Nemesis dismantled. About taking orders from Prime and Prowl.*

*About sharing a residence with those pit-spawned twins,* Starscream muttered.

*Oh, c'mon!* Skywarp giggled. *It's going to be fun! There's a treaty in place! Besides,* and Starscream knew his trine brother would have winked had he been in root mode, *we can stay out of trouble. TC and me can just stay in our quarters or the sky, always surrounded by pretty little jets, and you...* His tone was positively sultry. *You, my dear Screamer, get to move between your two favorite things: the science lab and Optimus Prime.*

*Oh, shut up,* Starscream grouched, speeding up until he was ahead of them. *And don't call me that.*

For the rest of the flight, he really did ignore them. He also tried his hardest to ignore the nervous ache to his tanks and the way his processor kept looping over the same thought tracks – often several at the time.

Optimus happy to see him. Optimus less happy to see him. Optimus coming to greet him at the entrance with a smile on his face. Optimus having forgotten that they were supposed to come today. Optimus having arranged for all three of them to stay with the Aerialbots, where TC and Warp would go away with their respective paramours and leaving the rest of them – rude, hostile and arrogant that they were – to stare and poke at Starscream. Optimus arranging lodging for TC and Warp, but forgetting him, leaving him to board in a broom closet. Or outside on the mountain. Optimus looking at him with surprise from his berth, one terror twin on each side.

That last one made Starscream's spark lurch.

Most of them made no sense at all. As Skywarp said, they had been talking, almost every day. And every day, Starscream was told how much Optimus missed him, how he couldn't wait until they met again.

Words were cheap, though. Words meant little.

*Elite trine, you're crossing into Autobot territory,* a voice said over his comms. It was a bright, chipper voice he didn't recognize. *Keep your current course and speed, and you'll be here in a few minutes. The welcoming committee will be waiting for you.*

*Thank you, Autobot comm officer,* Starscream replied crisply. *Staying course and speed.*

*Oh, it's Rewind, sir,* the Autobot replied. *We're looking forward to having you. See you in a few.*

Starscream toyed with the idea of just turning around. He was so nervous, he was sure he would be trembling if he were in root mode. It was unacceptable. And he couldn't seem to get himself back under control.

The mountain that hid the Autobot ship was visible on the horizon.

*Hey, Star,* Thundercracker said thoughtfully. *How many volcanoes do you think there are on this hemisphere? Can we convert enough of them to revive Cybertron? How much energon do you think that would take?*

Starscream spared a moment to send a grateful glyph at his trinemate. *I must think on that.* Which was what Thundercracker had intended, of course – something to occupy Starscream's busy mind until they'd landed.

By the time the ugly-orange spaceship was visible, Starscream was running calculations of energon expenditure, balancing the need to revive Cybertron with the need to move it into a new, stable orbit. He barely paid attention to where he was flying, following the cues of his trine and landing almost on autopilot.

That lasted until a white and red jet tore out from the Ark entrance with a loud squeal and threw himself at Thundercracker. Behind him, a taller, calmer jet walked out, grinning widely, not stopping until he and Skywarp stood forehead to forehead and staring at each other.

That was it.

No one else came out.

Starscream took hold of those calculations again with all his considerable mental acuity, running the calculations faster and harder than before, pushing his emotions as far down as they would go. He would not react out here, slaggit. He spared enough focus to give his trinemates a condescending smirk, then walked past them and into the Ark proper.

Maybe if he looked determined and confident enough, no one would guess he didn't know where he was going. It had worked before.

He followed the wide hallway, ignoring the smirks and unfriendly stares of the Autobots he passed. The hallway seemed to go on forever, though that might have had something to do with the fact that he always turned away from the noisier corridors at every intersection. Eventually, he found himself in a long, somewhat dark corridor with a reinforced door at the end. In front of it stood a familiar white shuttle-former.

Skyfire stared at him. "Starscream?"

"Hello, Skyfire," he replied tartly. "It is good to see you. Are you surprised to see me?"

"Yes, well no, I knew you were coming," the other scientist replied. "I had just expected that you would – well…"

"Yes?" Starscream prompted, in a tone that dared his old friend to say another word.

Skyfire, it seemed, remembered that tone. "Never mind," he said hastily. "Would you like to see what we're working on? I would appreciate the chance to pick your processor about my latest project."

"Of course," Starscream said, with what he thought was his pleasant smile. Judging by the look on Skyfire's face, he hadn't quite succeeded. "Please lead the way."

He managed to let go of his energon calculations after a few minutes, immersing himself in Skyfire's lunar energon harvesters. The idea was interesting, and a series of smaller energon harvesters set up on Earth's solitary satellite would have an equally high input as a larger one set up on the Earth proper.

Time went faster than he had anticipated, though, or he really had interrupted Skyfire when the shuttle-former was ending his work for the day. Because sooner than Starscream liked, Skyfire began packing his tools away. "Would you join me for some evening energon?" he asked politely.

Starscream couldn't very well refuse, much as he would like to. Much as he would prefer to stay in this lab for the foreseeable future. There was even a small collapsible cot along the back wall – a bit on the small side for winged mecha, but it would do in a pinch. Considering that it seemed as though Optimus really had forgotten about him coming today.

That thought hurt, and he shied away from it. It took him a moment to realize that Skyfire was still waiting for a response, and to realize that there actually was a low fuel warning blinking in the lower corner of his HUD.

"Yes, I would appreciate that," he lied. Poorly. Skyfire frowned at him, that's how bad of an actor he was. And he turned to make sure that Starscream was following as they headed to the door. Starscream must have been very unconvincing.

He would definitely need to perfect his act if he was to stay here. Maybe he could talk Skyfire into letting him have his own desk so he wouldn't have to look at anybody. Between that and the cot in the corner he might be able to get through it. Something could probably be figured out for future runs for energon. As long as he could get through this one.

But when Skyfire palmed the door open, another tall mech was waiting outside, hand raised to knock.

"Skyfire, have you seen – Starscream?" Optimus stared from the shuttle to the Seeker, and Starscream found himself scowling and looking away.

Skyfire looked from one to the other. "I… I will let you two have some privacy."

Optimus stepped back to let the scientist leave, and then walked into the lab. Starscream still refused to look at him, but it was hard to miss a mech Optimus's size crowding into his personal space.

"Oh, Starscream," Optimus murmured, and Starscream flinched slightly as one large digit stroked gently down his cheek. "You have every right to be upset with me."

That… was different. He had expected – not to be struck, not by this one, but at least to be ranted at for being in one of his snits. Maybe laughed at and insulted for being too full of himself. Not to be told that he was actually entitled to what he was feeling.

"I was in a command meeting," Optimus continued. "I had every intention to be there when you arrived. I was pacing back and forth in the control room, pretty much ready to run out at a moment's notice. But then the humans had something they found critically important that we absolutely had to discuss there and then, and before I could get away you had already arrived and disappeared. I ran around looking like a mad mech trying to find you before I pinged Teletraan 1 for Skyfire's location, hoping he could lead me to you."

"The humans had something that was critically important to them," Starscream echoed, daring to look up at Optimus and frown at him. Even though facing the mech made him slightly weak in the knees.

"Yes," Optimus replied, caressing Starscream's cheek again. "And I was stupid enough to let it get in the way of something that is critically important to me."

Starscream blushed. Fiercely. He could feel it.

Damn Prime and his sweet-talking.

"Words are easy," he muttered, looking away again.

"Yes, they are," Prime agreed, letting his hand move until he cradled Starscream's chin. "Will you let me prove it? Make it up to you?"

Starscream straightened, pulled dignity and arrogance around himself like a cloak, and tried to stare Prime down.

And caved. Utterly and completely.

Because Optimus had removed his blast mask, his handsome face fully visible and wearing a look of concerned contrition. Vibrant blue eyes were staring into Starscream's own, and the Seeker suddenly knew exactly how sorry Optimus felt. It was about as upset as he himself felt, if not more.

And the affection. Oh Primus, the affection. Apparent in every look, every gesture.

It was too much to resist.

With an almost-shiver, he let himself melt against Optimus's broad chest. The Prime's arms enveloped him immediately, pulling him close. He could feel gentle nuzzles against his helm vents.

"Will you let me take you for energon?" Optimus asked softly. "In the rec room?"

Starscream lifted his head again, looked up at his face. "Are you asking me out on a date, Optimus Prime?"

"No," Optimus said, kissing his helm again. "If it was a date, I'd take you to the concert halls. Then a walk in the crystal garden. And we would end the evening on the highest balcony in the Academy towers, where you could point out to me all the stars you'd seen up close and I could watch you."

Starscream drew a shuddering breath, leaning against the taller mech. "I would have liked that."

"Yes," Optimus agreed. "As it is, all I have to offer you is simply processed energon from a standard dispenser, in the company of mechs who are rowdy more often than not and probably louder than you appreciate, and cramped ship quarters. We can still watch the stars, if you like."

"You forgot something," Starscream said, feeling brave.

"Oh?" Optimus asked politely. "What did I forget?"

"You've offered me yourself," Starscream whispered. He'd meant to have more volume to it, really he had, but his vocalizer just didn't work right.

"Yours always," Optimus said simply. "Never doubt that."

"Show me?" Starscream asked, voice still softer and more doubtful than he'd intended.

"Gladly," Optimus breathed, tilting his head down towards Starscream's, eyeing his lips.

The room melted away. Everything melted away. The last month apart faded. The only thing Starscream was aware of was the heat of Optimus' frame against his own, the arms holding him, the lips moving against his.

It was endless and far, far too short.

"You're forgiven," he whispered as it ended.

"You're amazing," Optimus whispered back. "So will you join me? Energon," he hesitated, looking down, "and then my quarters?"

"Absolutely." Starscream grinned. "Lead the way, my Prime."

Optimus beamed at that. It was enough to make Starscream's knees misbehave again. "Yes, my Star."

Oh yes, he could get used to this.

Skywarp looked up at the mech sitting across the table from him. Silverbolt, sensing his gaze through some sixth sense or other, looked up. As their eyes met, they both blushed a bit and looked away. Then Skywarp looked up again to find Silverbolt looking at him. This time the blushes were accompanied by matching grins, before they both looked away again.

Skywarp's spark was fluttering.

He looked up again, and this time neither of them looked away. Skywarp drank in everything about the other mech – the way his optics crinkled in the corners when he grinned, the blush spreading across angular cheeks, the way he worried at his lower lip even as he was grinning.

Silverbolt was adorable. Skywarp couldn't look away.

"Oh, get a room," someone snarked. "Slagging fliers. Slagging Decepticon, schmoozing up to our Aerials."

Silverbolt's face fell slightly, and he looked down. Skywarp couldn't have that.

"Why," he said, turning to the little red minibot, "ya jealous? Upset that Megatron sent us here instead of the Coneheads? Oh, don't worry, shrimp," he grinned as the minibot sputtered angrily. "I'll talk to the old Slagmaker for ya, see if he won't send Rams and his trine here next. Or maybe we can arrange for ya to take a quick holiday at the Neo, huh?" He leered at the small bot. "I'm sure Ramjet can soothe those crinked cables of yours."

The 'Bot sputtered and shook, snarling wordlessly at him, before turning and stomping out.

Silverbolt giggled. "That was brilliant. And much nicer than Cliffjumper deserved. He's completely insufferable." He lifted his cube and peeked up from behind it. "Thanks for not starting something on my behalf. I don't want you spending your days here in the brig."

Skywarp shrugged. "Hey, if he can dish it, he can take it. Besides, we're at peace now. I won't risk that." He smiled a bit as he met the other's optics. "There's too much at stake."

"Yes, there is," Silverbolt agreed softly. Then he smiled. "You done? Want to see where you and Thundercracker will be staying?"

"Absolutely." Skywarp stood up. "Lead the way."

Silverbolt did fall in in front of him as they left the rec room. That gave Skywarp an excellent view of that very fine aft, and he had to resist the urge to touch – but this time, with this mech, he wanted to do it right. No fragging it up with Silverbolt. He meant too much.

So when the Aerialbot fell into stride next to him as the corridor widened, Skywarp took his hand and didn't mind the lost view. He'd be quite happy for a good long while just from the way Silverbolt's fingers intertwined with his own.

"I'm afraid there aren't that many spaces here big enough for fliers," Silverbolt said, thumb rubbing smooth circles over the back of Skywarp's hand. "Even Skyfire's forced into cramped, too-small quarters. When we onlined, there wasn't anywhere for us, so we ended up fixing this place up ourselves. It was a hangar back when the Ark was a spaceship, but it got smashed up in the crash. It's the only place big enough for all five of us together – well, almost the only place. The Protectobots fixed up a hangar of their own too, but they only have one flier so it's easier."

Skywarp was happy to let Silverbolt chatter on as he led the way, but what he said was intriguing. "Wait, so we're staying with you? In your room?"

"Yes," Silverbolt said, shooting him a glance. "As I said, it's the only space that's big enough. Is… Is that a problem?"

"Problem?" Skywarp's optic ridges shot up. "No, it's most definitely not a problem. I'm just surprised, is all. That you would trust us that much."

Silverbolt gave him a shy smile and squeezed his hand. "It's a brand new day, isn't it?"

Skywarp just grinned and squeezed back.

They stopped in front of a door that was wide enough for Motormaster to drive through in alt mode. Silverbolt pulled at one of the door handles and shot Skywarp a grin. "Welcome to the Aerie."

Skywarp walked inside curiously. "Wow, this is big. Bigger than the Combaticon quarters on the Nemesis, even. You all have your own rooms?" He eyed the various doorways going off the main chamber.

"Now we do," Silverbolt replied. "I always did, but Flighty used to share with Skydive, and Raider used to share with Slings. That got a bit impractical when… well."

"When you started bringing other mechs home," Skywarp grinned. "I get it. I've tossed out TC when necessary, too."

"Exactly." Silverbolt smiled and squeezed Skywarp's hand. "It got easier to expand." He walked over to one of the doorways. "This is you and Thundercracker while you're here. Fireflight's moved in with me."

That had an air of specific planning over it. Skywarp couldn't help but think how much easier it was to redo the sleeping arrangements if either of them wanted privacy than if Silverbolt was sharing with Skydive or something.

Not that he was going to push. For once, he would do this properly and let Silverbolt set the pace. It wasn't very typical of him – Skywarp had always gone after what he wanted instantly – but then again, Thundercracker had already fragged Fireflight in every way possible and that wasn't typical of him either, so there. Nothing was typical here.

In fact…

"You know TC's going to throw me out of there as soon as he can," he pointed out. "He and Fireflight are pretty much inseparable already. I've never seen TC that into anyone." He focused on the trinebond for a moment, then pulled back. "Slag him, he didn't wait long, did he? We've only just arrived."

Silverbolt stared at him, then focused inward and flinched. "Pit. You're right about that. I know my brother; we're not going to be able to pry those two apart." He looked from the Seekers' room to another doorway. "Well, I suppose we could… That is, if you don't mind…"

Skywarp let his hand run over white wing plating. "I'm pretty sure there's not much you could come up with that I would mind."

Silverbolt met his optics, worrying on that plump lower lip again. "Well, I guess we could move Fireflight back into his own room. And you can room with me."

"You sure that's okay?"

"Yeah." Silverbolt smiled. "I trust you." That hand took his again, and Skywarp let himself be pulled in the direction of another room. "Besides, you're right. This would have happened anyway. And this way, we get a lot more time to talk and such."

Skywarp couldn't resist anymore. He pulled Silverbolt to a stop, cradled that surprised face in his hands and pressed his mouth against those plump lips.

After an eternity, they broke the kiss. Silverbolt leaned in to nuzzle against Skywarp's jaw. "I've been wondering when you were going to do that."

Skywarp grinned, pressed another kiss to Silverbolt's forehead. "I was waiting for the perfect moment. And then I couldn't wait anymore."

Silverbolt grinned back at him, and there was a definite wicked gleam in his optics. "Want to wait some more, or do you want to do it again?"

"Oh, I want to do it again," Skywarp purred. "As often as you want me to."

"Well," Silverbolt hummed, mouth already chasing Skywarp's, "I guess it's a good thing we already switched the rooms around."

Fireflight moaned and arched his back, giving Thundercracker better access to sensitive neck cabling. His back and wings were scraping against the wash rack walls, but he barely noticed. Not with Thundercracker lavishing all his attention on him like this.

"You're so beautiful," the Seeker breathed. "So gorgeous, Flight. Primus."

"Want you," Fireflight moaned.

Thundercracker chuckled. "Not here, loveling. Anyone can walk in and see. I just arrived, I don't want to have to leave just yet."

"Oh, they've walked in on worse," Fireflight giggled. "Sideswipe and Sunstreaker live here, you know. And don't get me started on Wheeljack."

"That's as may be," Thundercracker hummed into his neck cabling. "But they've never walked in on a Decepticon. I'd rather not test whether or not the instinct to shoot the purple symbol first and ask questions later has faded yet."

"We could switch places and I could drive you into the wall? Then they would see me before they saw you."

"Tempting. But no." The Seeker nuzzled his audial. "I'm sure there are better venues for this."

Fireflight pouted, thoroughly enjoying the effect the expression had on the handsome Seeker in front of him. "Oh, okay then. Let's at least do the actual cleaning up we came in here to do, though." He winked at the taller mech. "I'll do your wings if you do mine?"

"Oh, I'll do your wings all right," Thundercracker rumbled, and the deep timbre of his voice sent shivers all the way up Fireflight's back struts. "Turn around."

Fireflight obliged, letting himself be mech-handled until he was standing under the hot shower. He sighed in bliss as Thundercracker's strong hands worked circles across his wings and back kibble. "That feels wonderful."

"Consider it a sample," the Seeker said, hot exvents ghosting over Fireflight's plating. "To tide you over."

"Oh?" Fireflight grinned. "So I haven't already sampled everything you have to offer?"

"Not by a long shot." Thundercracker's glossa traced Fireflight's audial. "I have vorns of experience to share with you."

"Will you teach me?" Fireflight gasped, pressing into the Seeker's hands.

"Well, that is why he's here," a voice said cheerfully. "See, Ah can do double entendres too!"

"Hey, Jazz," Fireflight said with a smile. "What brings you here? Don't you guys have a private wash rack?"

"We do when th' twins haven't pranked it." The saboteur winked. "Ah don' feel like bein' neon yellow today. Hello, Thundercracker."

"Hello, Jazz." Thundercracker's touches became more professional and less intimate on Fireflight's wings, and he pouted a bit again, but it was probably understandable that Thundercracker wanted to restrain himself at this point. He didn't understand that Jazz – or Red Alert, or for that matter the rest of his gestalt – was always watching anyway. Fireflight never had privacy.

TC didn't need to know that yet, though. Flight didn't want to scare him away.

"So, TC," Jazz said conversationally, "how's peace treating the Decepticons?"

Thundercracker chuckled, and Fireflight shivered. "I think we're still shell-shocked. Many of the others have trouble adapting, that's part of why Megatron initiated the move to the Neo. And for mechs like the Stunticons, created to be soldiers in wartime, it's especially difficult. Megatron's sending them out racing regularly to burn their energy off, now that we have the resources to do so. And the others are settling, rediscovering what they used to enjoy doing back when we could actually do something other than fight and starve."

"It's amazin' what full tanks and safety can do," Jazz said contemplatively. "So you don't see any problems? No rogue elements?"

"Some are going to need more time and help than others," Thundercracker replied in the same tone. "The Stunties. Vortex and Brawl. Maybe a few of the others. But they're not willfully disturbing the peace, they're just…"

"Lost," Fireflight supplied helpfully, and was rewarded with a warm chuckle and a gentle squeeze of one wing.

"Yes, lost," Thundercracker said. "And then there's the whole situation with Cybertron. I don't know what's being done about the troops there."

"There's a whole section in the treaty," Jazz replied. "Prime an' Megs are workin' on it."

"That's good enough for me," Thundercracker said. "As long as they're working together."

"Who would've thought we'd get to see that," Jazz said, and his smile was as warm as Fireflight had ever seen it.

"Who indeed," TC replied. "I'm so grateful that we did. I wouldn't give this up for anything." His arms snaked around Fireflight's waist, leaving no doubt as to what exactly 'this' referred to. "I owe your mate more than I can ever put into words."

"We all do," Jazz agreed softly. And then his face split in a wide grin. "Which is why I'm goin' ta go find 'im and show 'im right now. Bye, mechs!" He dried off in a hurry and bounced out of the wash racks.

Thundercracker nuzzled Fireflight's audial. "Want to follow his example?"

"Pit yes," Fireflight breathed. He was more than ready. "Let's get out of here."

Maybe he would have to get Prowl a present or something to thank him. He could think about that later. Right now, he had a beautiful Seeker to please.