"Thundercracker?" Starscream quietly asked as he moved to kneel beside him. Thundercracker would just turn his face from the other, but Starscream snaked a hand around the blue mech's helm and forced the other seeker to look at him. Upon seeing the tears flow down his partner's cheeks, Starscream was dumbfounded. "What's wrong?"
"Nothin'..." He mumbled. "Don't worry about it."
"Really?" Starscream said with a hint of a sharp edge. "Is it that horrible to loose and to have to submit to me?"
"No," Thundercracker replied with his optics open as Starscream stood up and placed his hands angrily on his hips.
"Tell me what is is then," Starscream demanded with a scowl, however, that did not hide the hurt in his optics. "Tell me what would bring you to tears..." Thundercracker remained silent. "...Do I make such a terrible trine leader that you cannot submit to me?"
"It's not that," Thundercracker said and cowered a bit. He ran his fingers gently acrosed Starscream's pedes in hopes to calm him down. "It's not you Stars. It's me." Fingers pushed at the blue mech's chin and pulled up, leaving Thundercracker looking into Starscream's optics, which hinted concern.
"What's bothering you?" Starscream said and gestured for the other seeker to stand. Thundercracker did as he was told and was quickly embraced by the smaller seeker. "Talk to me. Keep no secrets."
Thundercracker didn't know how to say it, but he tried his best. "I was always told- by my creator, that is- that to loose this right would be to shame our units name."
Starscream started to laugh, but quickly muffled it upon seeing how serious his soon-to-be bond mate was. "Don't be ridiculous TC."
"I'm not-"
"Here is the deal," Starscream spoke as he rubbed his servos over the blue fliers chest. "What options do you have? You gave it your best shot- which was pretty amazing might I add- just like I knew it would be. Either you honorably accept to submit to me or we call off the bond."
"I don't want that," Thundercracker quickly said. "To call off the bond, that is. It's not submitting to you that got to me Stars, it's just what my creator always drilled into my processor."
"When did you ever really care what he thought," Starscream said. "Plus, he won't blame you for submitting once he sees how great I am."
"Don't be so cocky," Thundercracker said. "It's not very becoming of you."
The red and blue mech quirked a brow at the other before pulling him down for a kiss. "Don't worry so much about what your creators think Tc. Care about what your trine thinks. Skywarp and I are your family now. Care what we think, not what anyone else thinks, after all, I still agreed to bond with you with what I heard being said about you."
Thundercracker flinched in shock. "What? What's been-"
"I was warned about your, hmm... What's the word? Ah, yes, your ruthless desire to be the trine leader and your dominant nature." Starscream smirked and Thundercracker looked bemused. "But don't worry, that's one of the things I love about you. I'll still let you take care of me to a certain extent." Thundercracker rolled his optics. "We each have a roll to play to make our trine work, right?"
"Yes."
"There is no shame in taking your role under your winglord," Starscream smiled. "After all, what is a trine commander without their support?"
Thundercracker nodded. "Nothing."
"I know you'll play your part well," Starscream said while his fingers traced along blue wings. "I now I can always count on you."
"I'll always have your back Stars," Thundercracker spoke and pulled the smaller seeker close in an embrace. "Thank you... For... Well, understanding..."
Starscream interrupted with a kiss. "Of course TC anytime. But now, we have to get back."
Thundercracker was grateful to have cleared that hurdle with his new trine leader. However, that was just part of the mess he was in, but he had no way to breach the topic with Starscream. He just smiled and took off after the red and blue seeker, taking his rightful position behind and to the left and flew towards their home.
Come to think about it, Starscream was right; there was no shame in submitting to him. Reguardless what his creator told him throughout his life, when you meet the right mech, who was trine leader didn't matter. It would take someone much stronger, faster and smarter to beat him. And that mech was Starscream.
However, that was no longer the problem. The issue was with the bonding process. What the ritual entailed, he knew he couldn't do. Thundercracker could do anything Starscream commanded him: he just couldn't give him that one thing. And how in Primus's name would Starscream handle that?
Their tower came into view and the pair of seeker's descended to the balcony, transformed, and landed. Starscream threw a smile back at the blue mech and went for the door. Thundercracker, however, rushed in front of him and tsked.
"Allow me," He curtly said as held the door open and Starscream walked in.
Being oblivious to the two seekers walking in the room, Skywarp was raiding the energon cubby, fixing himself a plate of junk food. Upon grabbing one last pastry, he turned around and nearly tossed the food to the ground. "Hey guys!" He said, wearing a shameful expression on his face. He was told several times to not eat all the sweets, but clearly it fell on deaf audials.
"Skywarp," Starscream started to speak, but just dropped it.
"So, who won?" Skywarp chirped as he tossed his plateful of treats on the counter and walked toward the pair.
"Yours truly," Starscream said. "TC is my second; you're my third."
"I see," Skywarp said, shooting a glance at the blue mech. "Must have been one slag of a fight."
"Yeah," Starscream replied with a grin. "It definitely was a challenge."
"So, now you get to boss us around?" Skywarp laughed.
Starscream cocked his helm to the side. "You got a problem with that?"
"No," the purple and black mech replied. "After all, I think we are kinda used to it, you know? You're always telling us what to do."
"Speaking of which," Starscream grinned.
Skywarp returned the grin. "Now you get to claim your prizes, huh?"
If Thundercracker's spark could jump out of his chassis, it would have. Starscream turned towards the blue flier, walked up to him and a pair of hands lewdly rubbed over the blue mech's hips. TC could feel himself tremble, and could only hope his leader wouldn't notice. He played along, caressing his partner's wings, then letting his hands travel down to a red aft while the shorter seeker licked at his cockpit.
"TC," Starscream whispered as he led the way to the berth. "It'll be OK, remember?" He gently pushed Thundercracker to sit on the berth, then he straddled the blue mech's hips.
Thundercracker nodded and had to kiss Starscream to keep his lips from quivering. He was so scared: he knew what Starscream would want- his carrier told him of the bonding ritual, and Thundercracker never wanted to feel like that again. With the way Starscream's hands were running down his body and over his interface panel, he knew the nightmare was about to begin.
Starscream's fingers gently massaged in circles over the valve cover, coaxing it to open. Kisses danced around the blue fliers neck while another hand traced the glass of the cockpit. The valve cover didn't budge. "TC, open for me," Starscream whispered.
The blue seeker closed his optics and held back a grimace as he attempted to find the coding to release his valve. He felt impatient fingers pushing at the cover and tried to relax enough to comply with the other seeker's command. It had been ages since he opened his valve cover for anyone. The last time...
"TC," Starscream removed all his hands from the other mech's body and gave the other mech a worry-filled glance.
"Sorry," Thundercracker replied, but thankfully his valve cover snapped open. He bit his lip and glanced away from his lover. He couldn't bare the look of disappointment in Starscream's optics.
But his lover said nothing. Instead, he brushed a finger over the exposed port, gently tracing around the outer folds in a slow movement. Making their way inward, they encircled the outer rim. The fingers then brushed over the port and played with the solo external node above.
"Hmmm, TC" Starscream lewdly spoke. "You're gonna really make me work for it, aren't ya?" Thundercracker just watched as Starscream slipped off his lap and knelt on the floor in front of him. The red and white seeker pushed the other's legs apart and gave a crooked smile right before pressing his lips to the valve.
Thundercracker could feel the tongue lap along the outer fold of his valve, then to suck at the external node and to finally gently press inside. He knew what Starscream was doing should feel good: he done it enough to tell the other knew what he was doing. But instead of pleasure, Thundercracker felt dread. And when Starscream gently pressed the tip of his finger inside, he yelped and pulled his hips back: he felt pain.
Starscream gave a concerned look up. "You're dry."
"I...know..." Thundercracker shamefully replied.
"Am I not doing good?" Starscream asked.
"It's not that," Thundercracker answered. He could tell by the edge in Starscream's voice that the other took offense. "You don't-"
"I want to bond with you Stars," Thundercracker said. "I... I just can't do this part." He flinched as Starscream's lips pressed together in a tight line. "It's not because it's you or anything. I... I can't explain it Stars."
The red mech let out a sigh and stood up. "Would watching Skywarp get claimed first make it any easier for you?" The sharpness in his voice dulled down a bit, but the seeker was still miffed.
Thundercracker nodded his head yes. "Please. Stars, I didn't mean to-"
Starscream held up his hand. "It's alright Thundercracker. Hopefully, once you see Skywarp go through the ritual, you'll get over whatever it is that is bothering you. Because in order to be with me and part of my trine, you do have to give yourself to me completely. Understand?"
Thundercracker nodded yes, hoping that the next time around he wouldn't feel the way he did. He truly loved Starscream and wanted to submit to him, but what happened in the past was too much, and it ruined his ability to give himself over to his partner.
A/n: sorry for the shorter chapter- but I did decide to break this up into 2 chapters. It may be a while before I can continue on because of school, so I figured to post what I have to give you something to read. But the next chapter will be the last of this story. Then, to start up the next story in the series. :D Hope you all enjoy!