Of Flesh and Metal Chapter 25, a transformers fanfic

Megatron huffed impatiently to himself as he passed two curious looking human females, both rather amused and interested in his half dressed state. So he didn't have time to put on shoes or a shirt, surely it wasn't interesting? He scowled to himself as he heard them giggle before he turned a corner.

Stupid fragging women.

Purely out of the desire not to run into more giggling females Megatron took the stairs rather than the elevator, taking them two at a time in his rush to get back to Starscream.

He'd been in such a good mood that morning, what with lingering memories of Starscream withering under him, crying out in submission, still fresh in his mind. Now though, there wasn't an inch of the damn city covered in a thick blanket of snow, ice, cold everywhere. He had been loath to go outside before, now however, he wasn't leaving the safety of the hotel until it had all melted. All of it. He didn't care how long they'd be stuck in the city, how much time they might waste, he was the leader and if he said they weren't leaving until the weather improved then that was what was going to happen.

And that was final.

He roughly pushed the door to his suite open, smirking slightly as he saw Starscream slouched on the sofa in front of the TV, completely naked. He smirked at the seeker.

At least now that's he'd talked to Soundwave he knew where they'd gone wrong last night. It was a rather odd thought to think he'd need to 'stretch' Starscream before mating with him.

"Megatron!" Starscream called out, holding up the black television remote, "The remote isn't working!"

Megatron walked into the kitchenette and rifled through the cupboards, looking for something quick to eat. "And?" he called back.

"I can't change the channel!"

Megatron pulled out a random bag of something, the colourful packaging somewhat appealing, "Then get up and change it!" he said, struggling with the bag for a moment before finally figuring out how to open it.

"I can't!" Starscream moaned, "Change it for me!"

Megatron walked around the kitchenette to see Starscream still sat miserably on the sofa, glaring at the TV. He took a handful of the crispy, salty snacks and shoved them into his mouth, "No."

Starscream threw his arms out, the remote slipping from his hand and bouncing onto the floor, "Megatron!" he moaned again pulling a face.

Megatron ignored him, "You might want to get dressed," he told the seeker, "as much as I am enjoying the view we might have visitors in a while."

Starscream scowled, still watching the drivel that played on the screen in front of him, "Well they can frag off," he muttered nastily, "I'm not moving."

Megatron smirked, "Suit yourself, but I asked Soundwave up here to-"

Starscream made a loud noise of frustration, "You just saw Soundwave!" he barked slumping on the sofa, "Why does he need to come up here?"

"To irritate you," Megatron grumbled under his breath, finishing off the rest of his salty snack and striding towards Starscream.

The seeker looked up, "What was that?"

Megatron smirked as he reached him and leant down towards the sofa. Starscream leaned back slightly, a wary expression on his face, his smooth white legs shifting to cover his nude condition, "What?" he said, eyeing his commander suspiciously.

Megatron slipped a hand down to the sofa and grasped the edge of the bag of frozen peas Starscream was still sat on. He rather ruthlessly ripped it out from under him, and Starscream shirked, jolting up from the sofa. Megatron tossed the bag over the back of the coach where it hit the floor with a crash, the bag splitting and tiny green peas rolling out in all directions.

"Megatron!" Starscream snapped at him again, staring at the peas with a dismal expression.

Megatron wasn't at all remorseful, "Get up and stop moping," he growled, already walking back to the kitchenette.

"You're so insensitive!" Starscream snapped, getting up and pointlessly throwing one of his pillows to the floor with the spilled peas. "That was the only frozen thing we had."

Megatron ignored him, after Soundwave's reassurances that Starscream wasn't morbidly injured, and his human body was just unused to the rough kind of treatment it had received last night, he no longer had much patience for his whinging. Not in the face of all that snow building up outside.

As if he could read his mind, Starscream hissed spitefully, "You're just fragged off because of the snow."

Megatron's eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't test my patience if I were you Starscream," he called from the kitchenette to the seeker, "Not when you're in such a... vulnerable state."

Starscream scowled, glancing down at his naked state before turning on his heel back towards the bedroom, "Aft!" he called back to him.

Megatron smirked before downed a bottle of orange juice, knowing Starscream's volatile behaviour was just a farce to make up for his slightly more affectionate mannerisms earlier that day in bed, when he hadn't been shouting demands to be pounded through the bed, that is.

Frenzy woke up.

It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness of the room but as soon as they did he was able to locate the reason for his waking.

"Soundwave?" he whispered quietly so as not to wake his brother, "What's wrong?"

Soundwave's dark head lifted to gaze softly at him, "I was merely watching over you." he answered quietly, but Frenzy could sense something was troubling his creator from his tone.

He sat up, Rumble still asleep next to him rolled into the warm space on the bed he had just vacated. Soundwave sat on the floor, leaning up against the wall by their bed. He looked so out of place slumped down there.

Frenzy shifted across, gently nudging his younger brother until there was more room, "Do you wanna sleep here?" he asked his solemn creator.

Soundwave shook his head, slight smile tugging at his lips at his creations concern, though it was barely visible in the dark. "Thank you, but I have a meeting with Megatron in a few moments."

Frenzy sat up that much straighter, "Can we come?" he whispered, gesturing to his still sleeping twin.

Soundwave tilted his head back, his hair brushing across the wall, "It is late."

"We've been asleep all afternoon," Frenzy argued, "and its boring stuck in here."

"Your brother is still sleeping," Soundwave pointed out, "and you have plenty to occupy yourselves."

Frenzy slumped, "But it's..." he paused looking around the dark, silent room, "it's too quiet." he finished pathetically, "I don't like being in separate rooms."

"You were in separate accommodation at the last hotel." Soundwave reminded him gently.

Frenzy laid his head back in his pillow and fiddled with the covers, "Yeah but, we were closer."

"I am still close."

Frenzy pulled a guilty face, "It was kinda... kinda fun with the others though. Not that you're not fun Soundwave," he said quickly, "but... we miss Starscream and-"

Soundwave's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, "You miss Starscream?" he repeated, wondering if his hearing was impaired.

"And Skywarp and... it was just better with the others because there was always someone doing something, or making noise."

Soundwave watched his creation shift awkwardly in his oversized bed; Rumble mumbled something in his sleep. "Even Megatron was okay, sometimes."

Soundwave sighed heavily, and Frenzy's eyes widened at his uncharacterised behaviour, "Are you sure you're okay?" he whispered again.

Soundwave's soft brown eyes glinted up at him, "You can come with me to see Megatron."

Frenzy sat back up in bed, an expression of triumph on his face.

"-But," Soundwave cut across before he could say anything, "Should you make a nuisance of yourselves and irritate Lord Megatron, you will be sent straight back to bed." Frenzy nodded enthusiastically, "With no TV."

His creation's smile faltered, but he nodded anyway. Before Soundwave could stop him he clambered up and jumped on top of his slumbering brother.

"Wake up!" he shouted in his poor twin's ear.

The small form curled up in the blankets made a noise discomfort and frustration as Frenzy continued to bounce on the bed next to and on top of him. Soundwave pushed himself up against the wall and deftly scooped Frenzy up before an argument started. Rumble's dishevelled hair made an appearance above the covers just before his disgruntled face.

"Wha?" he moaned, frowning at the dark figures hovering over his head with squinting eyes.

Soundwave allowed Frenzy to slip out of his grip and onto the floor, where he rushed off to find his shoes. Soundwave reached out to brush Rumble's hair away from his eyes. "Frenzy and I are going upstairs to see Lord Megatron, you are welcome to come but if you would rather-"

Rumble was up in a shot, all previous sleepiness gone. He threw the covers away and bounded past Soundwave, already shouting at his brother to get his shoes. Soundwave sighed and followed after them, only feeling slightly guilty that he was forcing his excitable creations on his leader, especially after what he'd heard about Starscream's behaviour.

"I don't care." Starscream said loudly, still limping about naked, "I'm not dirtying anymore clothes."

Megatron, head placed in his hands in exasperation, exhaled heavily. "Then put the clothes you were wearing earlier back on."

Starscream's expression clearly said that wasn't going to happen, "Don't be disgusting," he snapped, "they're filthy. They've got... stains on them!"

Megatron couldn't stop himself from smirking, taking a perverse pleasure at being the source of said stains. "You have to wear something. Soundwave will be here soon."

"I don't care!" Starscream shouted again, arranging the pillows on his now favourite spot on the sofa for maximum comfort before flopping down. "He can stare all he wants."

Before Starscream could lift the repaired –with the batteries the right way around this time- remote to flick through the channels his wrist was caught. He jumped to see Megatron leaning over the back of the sofa, bowing close to him. "No one stares at you but me," he said sternly, no amusement in his tone or expression, leaning closer at every word, "not even Soundwave."

Something fluttered in Starscream's stomach at the possessive tone. He relished feeling of being so wanted, and the fact that Megatron considered him too special too share in any concept, it inflated his ego and rekindled his arousal. He leant closer, mouth moving to Megatron's strong stern jaw, lips fluttering across the scratchy skin-

When there was a knock at the door.

"Frag off!" Starscream shrieked across the room, right in Megatron's ear.

His leader pushed away from him, even as Starscream jumped up and tried to pull him back down, and strode towards the door. There was more knocking, too frantic and annoying and unnecessary for it to be Soundwave.

Starscream sat up frantically, "Frag," he hissed to himself, his pillows falling off the sofa and to the floor, "he's brought his brats."

Megatron paused, his hand on the door handle and watched as Starscream ran as fast as his limp would allow him back into the bedroom. He waited and listened until he heard the bathroom door slam shut and lock before opening the door to their suite to allow Soundwave in.

The twins rushed past first, not offering any greeting other than incoherent excited rambling as they went through into the living room, throwing themselves at the sofas.

Megatron turned to Soundwave, "You brought company." he said, but it was without irritation.

Soundwave inclined his head as he stepped through. He glanced about the room quickly, "Starscream?" he inquired. Though it wasn't exactly in his nature, he was somewhat curious to see the extent of this limb the seeker had required, even if only to amuse himself.

Megatron gestured towards the left wing of the suite, "Locked himself in the bathroom," he said calmly, because it was that normal an occurrence, "And refuses to put on clothes." he added as an afterthought.

He walked with Soundwave to the kitchenette and sat himself upon one of the stools where they were just out of earshot of the twins.

"Public transport will likely be unavailable if the snow gets any deeper." Soundwave pointed out before he had even taken a seat, "If we leave now, this evening, we may be able to get out of the city before we are stuck here."

Megatron shook his head, wanting to do the opposite. "I would rather remain 'stuck' in the city until the weather improves; there is a chance we could get caught in a later snow storm. We will attempt to move on in a few days time."

Soundwave nodded, but added, "There is no telling how long the snow will last. We may have to remind here for as long as a week."

Megatron nodded. A week wasn't too long. They could wait a week. He defiantly could, especially if it meant avoiding snow.

There was a loud burst of stupid sounding music from the television as the twins turned it up, followed by annoying human voices before the twins burst out laughing. Megatron glanced over his shoulder, frowning as a high pitched voice echoed out of the TV.

"I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!-"

What the frag were they watching?!

"Frenzy," Soundwave called over the blasting television, "Turn it down."

The twins scowled at them before reluctantly complying, turning the volume down only a minimal amount.

Megatron opened his mouth when there was another knock on the door. More frustrated than he had any right to be, Megatron slapped his hands down on the kitchen counter. He stomped across the door and ripped the door open to reveal... more seekers, and a dog.

"Where's Starscream?" Thundercracker asked before he was even over the threshold.

Megatron scowled at the elder seeker's impertinence, but stepped aside anyway. Thundercracker strode past, followed by... a soggy Skywarp, a soggier Fluffy, and then a miserable Slipstream. He shut the door behind them, deciding they could deal with themselves and harass their remaining family member to their hearts content as he walked back to Soundwave, only to see his second getting up out of his seat.

"Where are you going?' he asked, confused. They had barely spoken at all.

Soundwave looked a little... sheepish, and seemed to be trying hard not to look across the room at the seeker's that had just arrived, "My apologises lord Megatron, I-"

He looked up, locked gazes with Slipstream, and just stopped talking. Completely confused now, Megatron looked over his shoulder at Slipstream, and then back at Soundwave. And with that Soundwave simply strode out of the room without another word.

Megatron just stood there stunned. Another loud noise from the TV drew his attention to the horrifying reality that was that Soundwave had just left... without his spawn.

And any ideas as to what exactly he was supposed to do with the two of them did not come from his remaining subordinates who were, Thundercracker, who was still glaring at him, for reasons completely unknown to him, Skywarp, who was wet and smelt not unlike a wet dog, Slipstream, who rather uncharacteristically, had yet to throw a thinly veiled insult his way, and Fluffy, who, as a dog, really shouldn't have been counted in his thought process at all.

"Where is Starscream?" Thundercracker's deep voice asked –demanded- again. Megatron frowned at the accusation he heard in his tone. Nevertheless he pointed vaguely in the direction of the bedroom.

Thundercracker didn't stop to confirm his brother's location and simply stormed off in that direction, Slipstream following wordlessly. Skywarp was too distracted by whatever the twins were watching to notice their absence until Megatron cleared his throat. Skywarp jumped, looking around him frantically as he noticed he was alone with his leader, before bounding off into the bedroom after the other seekers, leaving Fluffy behind.

She stared up at him, craning her neck so much to see him that it must have hurt. Seeing he'd noticed her she yipped happily, tail thudding on the floor. Barely able to contain her excitement she jumped up onto her hind legs, front paws scrapping his legs.

Megatron scowled at her, unrelenting, "Go away."

Her mouth opened and a long, flat tongue fell out. She panted heavily between excited bounces. Megatron shook his head, having no idea what drew her to him so much. He was no known source of food or affection. What did she want? He moved away, hoping his disinterest would bore her as walked to the sofa. Thinking that perhaps the twins would know where their creator had run off to. Fluffy patted after him, blunt claws scrapping the wooden floor. She was persistent for one thing.

The twins were staring at the screen so intensely they didn't even acknowledge Megatron's presence. He narrowed his eyes at the obvious lack of intimidation he had over them. Maybe he should hit them every once and a while, just to remind them who he was.

"Rumble," he growled, stepping around to stand in front of the television, "Where has your-"

He stopped as -to his outrage- the twins leant to the side and tilted their heads so they could see the screen from around him. He inhaled deeply, turning around to glance at the screen. Whatever it was it couldn't be that interesting.

It was...

Thundercracker knocked on the door loudly, "What are you doing in there!" he shouted.

There was no reply from within.

"Thundercracker, he's probably in the shower." Skywarp reasoned, looking worried at his elder brother's aggressiveness... again. What was wrong with him?

"I can't hear any water," Thundercracker snarled as he banged his fist on the wood hard enough for the door shake, "Starscream! Open the door!"

"Frag off Thundercracker!" Starscream's voice came from within, finally, "Since when do I answer to you!"

Thundercracker scowled and Skywarp took a step back.

"Don't start that," Thundercracker growled against the wood of the door, hands twisting into fists. "What are you doing? What are you hiding?"

Skywarp was worried that if Thundercracker didn't get a grip on himself this would escalate into another bad argument. Bad like it had been in Iacon, bad like it had been just after Starscream had joined the Decepticon's, bad like when they followed after him.

And Starscream was too stubborn to back down; it was always Thundercracker's levelheadedness that fixed everything in the end, but that calmness had gone, and Thundercracker seemed to be causing the problem this time.

"I said I'd be out in a minute!" Starscream shrieked, "Just get out of the bedroom!"

Thundercracker didn't move and Skywarp looked to Slipstream desperately, wondering why she hadn't intervened yet either. "You are hiding something aren't you?!" Thundercracker accused. "What is it? What have you done?"

Skywarp bit his lip. He doubted Starscream had done anything, and even if he had, this wasn't the way to go about it. He desperately wanted to tell Thundercracker to stop it, to just leave Starscream alone, but he couldn't. He just could say anything.

Slipstream was still watching everything with an air of indifference, like her mind was elsewhere.

"I'm naked," Starscream tried to reason, sounding as panicked as he was flustered, "Just let me get dressed!"

But still Thundercracker pushed, "I've seen you naked hundreds of times! What's the difference now?"

Skywarp grabbed Slipstream's arm, shaking her slightly. Finally she looked up, "Slipstream," he hissed, "Please."

Her confused eyes swivelled over the scene at the bathroom door.

"Pervert!" Starscream could be heard shrieking inside at his elder brother.

She shook her head and then lifted it high, seeming to become herself again. She strode forward and gave Thundercracker a good shove out of the way, knocking on the door in a light feline way, "Starscream!" she called against the door, "Do you need any help?"

There was a pause, a long pause, but Slipstream stayed where she was. Then the lock clicked.

Thundercracker moved forward but Slipstream was too quick, wrenching the door open and slipping through, slamming it again before Thundercracker's hand even touched the handle. It locked again almost instantly.

Thundercracker glared at the offending door almost hatefully, and Skywarp moved back to sit on the edge of Starscream's very messy bed. He glanced down at the clothes strewn across the floor. Not all of them were Starscream's; quite a few looked like they're belonged to Megatron, which would explain their commander's half dressed state. Perhaps he'd forgotten he'd left them in here?

Thundercracker stopped glaring at the bathroom door long enough to come and sit with him at the end of the bed, silently stewing in the anger Skywarp could feel throbbing at the other end of their vague bond. They waited in silence until Thundercracker sniffed, and then sniffed again, loudly. He turned to Skywarp, "Do you smell strawberries?"

Skywarp sniffed, turning, "Yeah." he murmured softly, surprising himself as he looked back at the bed.

They stared at it for a few moments in curiosity, before turning back around again, glancing at the bathroom door and wondering just what their cousin was doing with Starscream in there.

After rudely shutting out his brothers, the first thing Slipstream did was pull him close and kiss his cheek.

He froze, and stared.

"What's happened?" he asked immediately, already lifting a hand to wipe away the phantom sensation of her lips against his cheek.

Slipstream's chocolate brown eyes -for the first time in a while devoid of any makeup- seemed almost empty of their usual spark. But he might have been imagining things. As soon as their gazes met she turned away again, bowing her head so he couldn't see her face as she busied herself with something. "What's the matter Starscream?"

Starscream decided to put aside whatever little concern he held for his normally volatile cousin in favour of dealing with his own problems.

"What do you think?" he asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head back, waiting for the femme to look up and see the huge bruise marring his neck.

She was still digging through a cabinet, not looking at him, "The room smelt distinctly of strawberries so I know that's not the problem." She said before finally looking up. Her eyes landed on the large purple bruise covering most of Starscream's neck. Well, Megatron was always one for being thorough when it came to claiming his property.

"Oh, I see." she said, placing a finger to her lips as she thought.

"I can go out- they'll see!" Starscream barked gesturing out the door before turning around and running a hand through his hair, clearly stressed out over this.

Slipstream frowned. Perhaps Starscream would need more than one night with Megatron to really unwind him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'll go downstairs get some makeup, cover it up, and your clothes-"

"Clean clothes!" Starscream cut across her, moving back and sitting himself on the edge of the bathtub.

She nodded, rolling her eyes. "Yes clean, and then you can come out and we'll tell Thundercracker..." she looked towards him.

Starscream scowled, "That what I do is none of his fragging business."

Slipstream's mouth drew into a thin line, "I don't think Thundercracker will appreciate that."

Starscream placed his chin in his hand, "I don't care," he muttered resentfully, "What the frag is his problem anyway? I'm not Skywarp!"

Slipstream shook her head, "He's probably just stressed out." Slipstream muttered, "Like you were, so just be a little-"

"I have never been stressed out" Starscream snapped, crossing one leg over his knee, "Well, go on! Get me some clothes."

Slipstream narrowed her eyes but did as he asked. She would have weeks of teasing ahead of her to pay him back. Weeks of dropping hints in front of Thundercracker and watching Starscream squirm as he tried to explain, it would be worth it. She'd just have to hope Megatron was energetic enough to fuck almost three months worth of sexual frustration out of the seeker. Maybe then he'd be a little more approachable.

Fluffy was filthy up and on the sofa, getting muddy streaks over both him and the expensive looking fabric, but he didn't kick her off, too enraptured by the pure drivel playing on the television. In the back of his mind he was vaguely aware that he was probably being brainwashed by the humans but couldn't bring himself to care.

He'd turned the volume back up, simply because the twins kept fussing and shifting about with Fluffy. He was thankful that neither Soundwave nor Starscream was here to see him at that moment, lounging across the sofa, lap covered in puppy paw prints, one twin cuddled up against his side as if he were some sort of pillow, the other laid across his legs... and then Fluffy who seemed determined to clamber up onto his face.

The creature had no boundaries, and after the fifth time of shoving her to the floor still didn't look like she was going to give up.

The suite door opened again and Slipstream strode in, holding a little black bag in one hand and a bunch of clothes in the other. She didn't seem to notice their scrambled heap until she was halfway across the room. She paused before entering the bedroom, eyes narrowing as she took in the three -no, four including the dog- four forms lumped together on the sofa, all staring brainlessly at the television screen. For the twins and the dog, it was perfectly normal behaviour. They were brainless after all, but Megatron...

The most horrendous music Slipstream might ever have heard before blared out of the surround sound speakers. She detoured from the bedroom and walked around to see what had them so enraptured.

"Who lives in a Pineapple under the sea!-"

"What," she hissed as she took on the crudely drawn pictures flicking across the screen at fast enough speeds to create animation, "Are you doing!?"

The twins didn't answer, but Megatron frowned and waved her off, "Human cultural research." He lied.

Slipstream stared. "Bullshit," she said, moving to stand in front of the screen to scrutinise it better. She watched the idiocy for a moment, "What's a piece of cheese doing under water?" she snapped.

Something hit her side and shoved her out of the way. She was met with the twins disgruntled expressions and Megatron's snappish tone. "It's a sponge!" he grumbled, as if it was obvious and looking quite offended that she had dared gotten it wrong.

She huffed in annoyance, glaring at the square yellow thing as it had a hysterical fit over... something.

"Sounds like Starscream," she muttered under her breath as she left.

Megatron had to fight away a smirk. It did sound like Starscream. That was why he was watching it.

Slipstream shook her head. Either Megatron had taken some sort of drug or lost all sense of decorum due to overexposure to the majority of idiots in their faction. Perhaps that was her fault. She had been taking up a lot of Soundwave's time, and all Megatron had been left with for company were seekers, twins and a dog. She shook her head, not wanting to think about him right now.

Thundercracker and Skywarp were where she'd left them, and both got up when she entered. Thundercracker reassuming his customary intimidating older brother act. She poked him in the chest as she passed. "He'll be out in the minute."

Thundercracker of course didn't back down, "What's he done?" he snapped, eyes locking onto her small black makeup bag, "and what's that for?"

Slipstream gave him a more forceful shove, "Primus Thundercracker, looks like someone else needs to get laid."

Thundercracker frowned, the word going completely over his head, "What?"

She scowled, knocking in the door for Starscream to let her in, "Why don't you go and ask Soundwave." she growled venomously, "Knowing my luck all he wants is a pretty little seeker boy after all."

Thundercracker looked flummoxed. The door clicked and Slipstream tossed one last venomous comment over her shoulder before entering, "And might as well take Skywarp with you. He could use a good fucking as well, might finally grow some balls."

And with that she slammed the door.

Skywarp fiddled with his fingers awkwardly, trying to grasp the meaning of several of the words Slipstream had used. Thundercracker was just glaring at the door still. Neither decided to comment on what she'd said, or think about what it could mean.

After awhile of listening attentively to Slipstream and Starscream's hushed whispered from within the bathroom, the other two seekers reappeared.

And Starscream looked... alright.

"Happy!" he snapped walking forward with deliberate slowness. Slipstream stepped around him, zipping up her makeup bag.

Thundercracker leaned close, eyes narrowing as began to scrutinise his younger brother. Clearly he wasn't.

Starscream held his breath as Thundercracker's eyes flickered over his face, down his neck... and then to his hands. Starscream exhaled again in relief, but kept his chin down, just in case some of the bruising wasn't completely hidden by the thick layer of foundation Slipstream had smeared across his throat.

Thundercracker took a step back, "What were you doing earlier?"

Starscream grit his teeth, "Sleeping!"

Thundercracker shook his head, looking to Skywarp for back up, "You were shouting at Megatron." he corrected, "We heard you."

Slipstream interjected before he could interrogate Starscream any further, "He's always shouting at Megatron, Thundercracker." she said, pushing past, "and you two promised me I could stay with you tonight. We've seen Starscream, he's not dead. Can we go now please?"

Thundercracker opened his mouth to say something but this time it was Starscream that cut across, "Why is she staying with you tonight and not in a suite?" he asked suspiciously, recalling Slipstream's earlier behaviour and her denial to anything being wrong.

"Twins are driven me crazy," she said a little too quickly, already walking out of the bedroom, "C'mon boys!" he cried to her cousins, waving her arms dramatically, "Move it."

Starscream limped after her and then froze realising his mistake. He hoped Thundercracker hadn't-

"Why are you limping?" his brother snapped, striding around to stand in front of him, interrogation voice back in place.

"I slept on it funny," was all Starscream could think of to say back.

Skywarp's mouth fell open, "You slept on what funny?!" he burst out.

Starscream rolled his eyes, "Sweet Primus! Can't I just get some peace?!"

Slipstream was back to usher them away again. "We'll see you in the morning," she said, practically dragging Thundercracker with her. He opened his mouth to protest, "We'll see you in the morning!" she repeated herself more firmly.

Starscream watched with no small amount of relief as his brothers were finally removed from his presence. Hobbling out into the living space after them he watched just to make sure the door was shut firmly behind them. It wasn't that he didn't want them around, it was just that... he didn't want them around at this present moment in time.

And now that the room was void of all the annoying pests Megatron had just let waltz in, he could finally relax. He turned to face the sofa, and found that his previous assessment of pests being removed had been wrong.

There was Megatron, listlessly staring at the television with two small children and a wet dog sprawled across him. He scowled, stomping -limping with as much purpose as he could manage- across the room.

"Get out of the way! Shoo!" Starscream barked at the twins encroaching on his property.

They both pulled faces, tearing their gazes away from the screen, "We were here first!" they argued in whining voices, Rumble even tugged on Megatron's arms, "Tell him!"

Megatron wisely chose to say nothing, staring at the screen with disinterest.

"As an elite seeker I take priority over you. Move." he hissed, shoving them off Megatron.

Once they had been forcibly moved to the other end of the sofa he took his rightful place, falling back and landing on his leader heavily. There was a slight grunt from Megatron -the seeker may have been slim but he was still considerably heavily than one of the twins, and he was boney.

Megatron shifted awkwardly, only for Starscream to lean on him in an even more uncomfortable manner. Grumbling under his breath he sat up, and nudged Starscream into sitting between his legs and rest against his chest before lying back again.

Predictably, Starscream commandeered the remote, wrenching it from Megatron's hand and pointlessly flicking through channels. The twins groaned and flopped about the sofa.

"Staaaarscreaaam!" Frenzy moaned, "We were watching something!"

"My room my TV," Starscream answered, snuggling back against Megatron as he finally settled on something with plenty of explosions and gun fire.

Megatron hummed in agreement behind him, his face pressing into the back of his neck, mouthing wordlessly against his skin. Starscream relaxed into the sensations, lowering his shoulders and tilting his head back.

"What are you doing?" a curious voice asked.

Starscream's eyes narrowed as the mouth on his neck froze. He looked down at the twins with a sneer to see them both staring at him and Megatron with big, curious eyes. "It's none of your business," he snapped.

Rumble and Frenzy eyed them suspiciously as Megatron reassumed his ministrations, nipping at Starscream's shoulder after a nudge of impatient encouragement.

Rumble then leaned close to Frenzy and stage whispered in his ear, "Maybe you were right about them wanting to eat each other."

Megatron lifted his head to scowl at them, an explosion from the television matching his movements perfectly to create a more intimidating aura. Frenzy pouted and Rumble settled back into his pillows, turning back to the TV as they tried to ignore the soft but very, very noticeable sucking, licking, wet noises from the other end of the sofa.

Eventually curiosity got the better of Frenzy and he turned again to see what could only be described as Starscream trying to eat Megatron's tongue. He turned back just as quickly, nudging Rumble and gesturing to them at the end of the sofa before sticking his tongue out and pretending to be sick. Rumble snickered quietly and did the same.

After a while Megatron and Starscream finally seemed to stop slobbering over each over long enough to get drawn back into what was being shown on the TV.

Soundwave still wasn't back but the twins didn't mind, Fluffy was sleeping between them and they doubted Megatron would let Starscream throw them out, because it looked as if the very thought had already crossed the seeker's mind as he glowered at them from the other end of the sofa.

Eventually, the programming got boring and their eye lids became heavy as adverts of more comfortable pillows played across the screen.

Hours later, half asleep, lounging across the sofa, the television still humming in the background, Starscream opened his eyes again. He lifted his head from its place on Megatron's chest and stared bleary eyed at the adverts flicking across the screen.

He glanced at the other occupants of the sofa, Megatron, sleeping deeply underneath him, and the twins, flopped over each other on the other side.

Where the frag was Soundwave and why hadn't he come back to take them to bed? He hadn't just left them here for him and Megatron to deal with had he? He couldn't do that!

He leant back and nudged Megatron gently until the larger man stirred.

Megatron exhaled deeply and turned his head, "What?" he mumbled under his breath sleepily.

Starscream picked up the remote and switched the television off. The room was instantly doused in darkness and complete silence, the busy city night not breaking through the sound proofed windows.

Megatron moved under him. "Coming to bed?" Starscream asked quietly, pushing himself up to stand.

He saw the outline if Megatron's head nod, and started in the direction he believed their bedroom to be.

Megatron followed and then paused, "...Where's Soundwave?"

Starscream turned around to see his leader looking down at the dark figures of the twins on sofa. There was a click from the left and light burst into the room again from a small table lamp. He glanced back at the twins.

Could they really just leave them there all night? They didn't look comfortable. He couldn't force down the guilt at the idea of going to sleep in a warm bed whilst they were cramped and cold on the coach.

Megatron must have been thinking the same thing, as he was already leaning over the sofa to lift one of the sleeping twins into his arms. Though still asleep Rumble sensed his presence, arms automatically winding around their leader's strong neck as Megatron lifted him up to his chest, allowing the child to press his face into his neck. Starscream sighed and walked ahead to open the bedroom door into the spare room for Megatron. He watched from the doorway as the other man walked past carefully and lowered the small, somewhat clingy, form amongst the plush covers, and waited as his leader went back for the second twin. Once both amongst the covers they automatically rolled close to each other, winding their arms around themselves.

Megatron wrapped his own arm around Starscream's waist as he passed, pulling him against his side before shutting the door behind them with a soft click. Starscream turned into him, leaning against him affectionately now that there was no one to see him.

"I hope Soundwave comes back," Starscream mumbled quietly, "What's to stop them coming into our room in the middle of the night."

Megatron frowned. There weren't any locks on the bedroom doors, just the suites and the bathrooms.

"I doubt they'd do that," Megatron reassured the seeker, though he wasn't sure himself. He switched off the small lamp as they passed it and had to almost remember a clear path back to their bedroom in the dark.

And of course, if they wanted to be sure they weren't walked in on; they could always take that well needed shower together.