In my world Starscream x Skyfire and Starscream x Megatron are/were canon at some point in the timeline. If it leaks into the story; well. It's there. Though it's doubtful we see Skyfire in this story. I think instead things'll get complicated with Megatron. Yay!

Rumble's strength comes from an episode in G1 where he tossed Skywarp easily.

Oh. And this chapter refused to be written so you get what you get and I'm thankful for your time. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Chapter 11

Starscream put a hand over his optics as he leant against the door frame. Back at the base for less than a human's earth hour and he was dealing with this. It was probably karma for having so much fun on his week off and being able to avoid Megatron's smug face when he got back to base. Though he assumed the worst of the backlash would be Megatron whining Starscream didn't immediately report for duty upon his return. "What are you doing, Rumble?"

"Waitin' for you." Rumble smirked as he lounged on Starscream's bunk. He heard from a little birdie that Megatron was in a particularly foul mood today which could only lead to one conclusion: Starscream was due back at the base. A short time after receiving the news, Rumble made himself ready. This was going to be fun and all his work was finally going to pay off. "Sure took your sweet time."

"Forgive me if I was unaware I should be expecting," Starscream paused for the right word, "company." Starscream took a moment to look around his room and frowned. There were little wire…things decorating his walls and his furniture was moved around. And were those candles? "And what in the name of Primus did you do to my room?" Starscream stopped as something more important came to mind. "How'd you even get in!?"

"Considerin' my job current job description is spy, I would have thought you'd realize I was good at breaking and entering." Rumble sniggered little when Starscream frowned. 'Screamer hated to be proven wrong; especially about things that are usually obvious. "And my size makes it really easy to slip through maintenance panels."

Starscream looked down his nose. "I'd think that means you'd also be good at going unnoticed."

Rumble sat up and pinched out a candle that had been sitting next to him. The smoke wafted up into the air. "I think after all the trouble I went through to decorate I'd want to be noticed just this once."

Starscream stared as Rumble sat on his berth, smirk firmly in place. Candles, little wire things made to resemble earth flowers, miscellaneous equipment and data pads that had gathered around his desk moved out of the way; all clues pointing to a larger goal. A thought was lingering on the edge of Starscream's mind but he wasn't quite sure what it was. The smaller bot was still sitting there expecting some sort of a reaction. But how was he supposed to react? What exactly did the pipsqueak want?

Starscream's optics fell on the bottle of oil and cleaning rags sitting next to the berth and he suddenly had a flash of memory from his moment of weakness in the storage room and a 'con far too eager to help polish. A 'con who had hinted on occasion he'd like a chance to do it again and get his greasy little hands all over Starscream's plating...Oh. Oh. Starscream started to chuckle to himself. "This can not possibly be what I think it is."

"And what do you think this is?" Rumble was pretty surprised Starscream hadn't commented on the overly cliché decorations as of yet. Rumble didn't take him for the romantic type. "'Cause I'm pretty sure I've made things pretty obvious."

"And what makes you so sure you even have the right," Starscream plucked a flower from the wall and twisted it in his fingers. There was a detail there that was, dare he say it, beautiful for something mimicking an organic life form. Rumble either took great care in making it, or he was very bored. "I'm not exactly easy you know."

Rumble flashed his optics. "If you were I wouldn't have spent all this time warmin' up to ya'."

"I knew there was a selfish motive in there somewhere when you volunteered to hang out with me all the time." Starscream smirked and cocked his hip out to the side. "Most self respecting Decepticons wouldn't dream of spending so much time in the presence of someone not in their personal cliques without one. Still doesn't explain why you think you have a chance."

"I like ya'." Rumble admitted and shifted a little, nervous to finally admit it out loud. And now he got to fill in the blank of just how he liked Starscream. "And since you haven't shot me yet I think ya' kinda like me too. Seems good enough reason to go for it if you ask me. 'Cons have done things for less, I've noticed."

"I'm not one of those 'cons." Starscream huffed. Why did everyone seem to think he was an easy lay? Outside of his two wing mates he'd had what? Three? Maybe, six flings? At least Rumble was attempting to work for it. Though, this did explain why Soundwave had been breathing down his neck lately. Change of topic already settled in his processor, Starscream asked. "Does your 'daddy' know you're here?"

Rumble frowned and crossed his arms. Soundwave was a topic he was hoping to avoid like a virus. "It's really none of his business."

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" Starscream muttered while his personal preservation skills kicked in. Soundwave was throwing a fuss just because they had become somewhat…companions? The seeker didn't even want to know what would happen if he and Rumble took things a step further. "Which by the way, is my answer. So why don't you pack up your things and let me prepare for the upcoming doom that is meeting with Megatron to catch up?"

"No?" Rumble almost pouted feeling a clench in his chest. But he didn't. "Why not?"

I like living. "Do you really have to ask?" Starscream smirked. "Really, I had thought you were smart enough to know better but apparently not."

"That ain't an answer." Rumble snarled and shoved a finger up towards the Seekers' face. This was not how his evening was supposed to go. Starscream was supposed to make fun of him and be in a good humor so Rumble could jump him. Not dismiss him completely as if he was nothing. "If you're going to turn me down you can at least give me a real reason."

Starscream aimed for nonchalant as he continued twirling the little metal rose between two fingers while taking that final step into his room, door shutting behind him. He strode up next to the berth to fully look down at Rumble, who while sitting was still only up to his chest. "You're not my type."

"Your type?" Rumble asked, knowing the confusion snuck in his voice. "What the hell is your type?"

A smirk and a roll of the shoulders as he thought of his previous partners. "Taller."

Rumble threw a quick pile driver into Starscream's torso sending the flyer to the ground.

What in Primus? Starscream gasped to himself as he stared at his ceiling. Did Rumble actually think he could get away with striking the Second in Command of the Decepticon forces!? Starscream attempted to stand again, but Rumble followed with a second hit, this time sending him a few feet across the room. Where did all that strength come from!?

"You know, it never ceases to amuse me how often everyone forgets me an' Frenzy are heavy weights just 'cause of our size." The much smaller 'con remarked calmly as he jumped down. Rumble hadn't gone through all the trouble of playing nice, and putting up with his brother's teasing and Soundwave's nagging to have Starscream dismiss him because he was 'short.'

Starscream winced when Rumble landed from the berth to straddle his waist. His circuits were still aching from being thrown. He opened his mouth to make a remark but didn't get the chance when Rumble punched his gut again. Little brat was leaving a dent!

"I mean," The smaller mech continued, "it's not like I could take on Devastator or nothing, but I'm still strong enough to throw a fly boy like you." Rumble leaned down and smirked while Starscream gained his bearings. Being caught off guard was a real jolt to his systems: good. "It's like they forget me and Frenzy used to be miners. Like I told you before - Industrial equipment. Perfect for digging deep under the surface."

Starscream was pretty sure something had short circuited. Rumble's hand had buried itself completely in between the seams of his plating. This wasn't like the teasing of fingers just beneath the surface like Skywarp was so fond of or the slight tug of wires out to the surface Thundercracker favored. Rumble had found a way to slip all the way down to his framing, tugging and teasing until Starscream wondered if he'd ever be able to connect his thoughts to his mouth between the sensations.

"And they think size matters." Rumble smirked as the Seeker below him squirmed. Outwardly, Rumble was playing it cool. He was a Decepticon, not taking no for an answer and showing just who was boss here - rank be damned. Inwardly, he was feeling an odd mixture of nerves and excitement. He was nervous because there was a slight chance this would backfire and he'd be facing a null ray blast in a few moments. Excited because if 'Screamer's reaction was anything to go by, he'd finally hit pay-dirt. "So what was that about your type?"

Starscream did not like playing games. He did not submit. He was second in command of this entire army and Megatron would hear about this total violation and- "Do that again." Starscream gasped.

"Do what?" Rumble played innocent. "This?" He wrapped his fingers around a port hidden beneath the surface. Starscream let a tiny noise from his vocalizer. "Or were you referring to the part right after that?" Rumble pulled it out halfway and heard Starscream moan. Rumble could get used to this teasing thing. Normally he got down to the fun stuff and just started pluggin' and switching wires. "Or I could just stop. You did say you didn't want to and that I wasn't your type…"

Starscream's eyes burned red and he screeched. "You stop and even Soundwave wont' be able to put your pieces back together once I'm done with you."

Rumble laughed and removed a hand from Starscream's warm insides to give a salute. "You got it, boss."

Starscream was plotting something against him.

It was the only explanation Megatron could think of to explain why his traitorous, yet oddly loyal, Air Commander had yet to get in his face concerning his prolonged exile from the base. It didn't matter what loss or punishment he received, Starscream always found someway to either complain profusely making his grievances known or gloat about how his punishment had been a joy. It was refreshingly predictable.

However, Megatron looked to the control monitors where Soundwave was working diligently and frowned. They'd had an entire staff rotation since the Seeker was noted having re-entered the base with his team and their was still no sign of the 'con on the bridge. It was a deviation from the norm and Megatron did not like it. "Soundwave."

"Yes, Lord Megatron?" Soundwave answered without pausing in his data entry.

Megatron drummed his fingers on his arm rest impatiently. "Where is Starscream?"

Soundwave winced inwardly. Megatron's voice left no doubt their leader was furious already. Best to tread carefully, even in his monotone. "Unknown. Shall I locate?"

"Yes. Find out where that seeker is hiding!" Megatron smashed a fist on his arm rest. "And then make sure he finds his way here, now!"

"Miss me that much, oh glorious leader?" Starscream crowed from the doorway. It seems his timing was perfect, as always. Late enough to cause Megatron grief but not so late that he had already been blasted by the fusion canon. "After being gone for a week, I wouldn't think taking a few extra hours to myself would be noticed."

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear, is it? Megatron glared at the over-confidant Decepticon strutting towards his throne. "I think you of all people could appreciate the punctuality of checking in on time."

"Ah, but you see due to my little," Starscream refused to call it a 'loss,' "training session I'm not actually required to be anywhere at the moment." Starscream stretched his arms and wires a little and smiled. He was in such a good mood. Rumble was good in the berth; better than his wing mates even. Who knew? "You should be grateful I came to place myself back on the schedule at all."

Starscream was too happy, Megatron decided. His grumpy subordinate should be sulking still from his forced exile. Even if he made the best of it by training his troops and getting wasted (he was reminded yet again how fond he was of Lazerbeak for keeping tabs on his Seekers), his pride wouldn't allow him to let it drop so quickly. In fact, he looked practically relaxed and had yet to say anything further. When his Second-In-Command went over to the Duty Rosters to reassign himself and his team without another word, Megatron became confused.

Until he looked the Seeker over one more time. Starscream was relaxed and moving more fluidly than usual. There was even a tiny smile on his face and was he...humming? Megatron hadn't heard Starscream hum like that since...

Megatron narrowed his eyes.

Starscream had been out interfacing when he should have been reporting for duty. The nerve! Whatever the hell he did with his brothers while out alone in the middle of nowhere was one thing but now he was back and he had a job to do. Megatron's voice was tight. "Starscream."

"What oh mighty leader?" Starscream looked over his shoulder. For once not even his grumpiness could put him in a fowl mood.

"Who was it?"