Starscream's optics brightened. "Flying?" His wings twitched. "Really?"

Skywarp grinned. "Yes! We are going to take you flying. Permission from Megatron and everything. We're going to have guards watching us- it's all arranged."

Starscream's faceplate had definitely lit up more. "I'm so- why am I so excited?" He sounded slightly confused.

Thundercracker chuckled. "You were made to fly, Star. We should have done this earlier, but we needed to find a way to do it safely."

"Was I… good at flying?" Starscream asked. "I don't want to embarrass myself."

Skywarp shrugged noncommittally. "I mean… you were passable," he said giving optics to Thundercracker who looked like he was going to contradict. "But I mean, we don't know what your frame will remember or won't… so it's fine."

TC either didn't get the hint or was deliberately ignoring him. "Skywarp is being facetious; you were more than passable. But he's right, we won't know for sure until we get you up there. And even if you aren't naturally good at flying, it is a skill that you can develop over time."

Skywarp narrowed his optics at Thundercracker but nodded slowly. "Riiight. Let's get going then!"

They took the elevator up. Skywarp was practically vibrating with impatience, feeding off Starscream's excitement. It was like the first flight of a sparkling who had just upgraded into a new frame. The eagerness to get into the sky was infectious for seekers, and Starscream's engines were practically thrumming with zeal.

They reached the top of the mast, and Skywarp felt the orange morning sun warm his dark wings. The air was briny and humid, but it was shaping up to be a beautiful day. The water around them was not very choppy; the waves were gentle with occasional splashes as they hit up against the platform. His flight protocols came online once they were out of the elevator, starting to take wind measurements, temperature and pressure readings, and general sensor data for weather predictions.

He stole a glance at Starscream who had offlined his optics and was similarly absorbing the warmth of the sun with a light smile.

Skywarp sighed.

"We'll start with thrusters in bi-pedal form," Thundercracker said.

They went through the general training, but Skywarp could tell that Starscream was trying to hide his impatience. He was able to move through every command issued to him with ease and grace. Finally, once they had gotten through the basics, TC gave Starscream permission to transform.

He was beautiful.

He shot into the air, and Skywarp quickly fell in behind him with Thundercracker observing and offering suggestions from below on the elevator platform. In all honesty, Skywarp knew that TC didn't have much to say. Starscream was almost as good as he had ever been.

Skywarp was so in awe he almost missed the sound of Thundercracker opening a comm to him. "Ramjet," came his trinemate's voice. "Thank you for offering your assistance here."

Skywarp swept his sensors down and noticed TC in bi-pedal with Ramjet hovering next to him in the sky. Thundercracker had made the decision to use the Coneheads as guards for Starscream's flight, apparently at Starscream's insistence. TC had likely opened the comm so that Skywarp could hear in case things got heated.

Starscream made a cheeky quick turn to the right and Skywarp had to quickly adjust. His attention was divided and Starscream, the glitch, was noticing.

"He's still so talented," Ramjet said. Skywarp couldn't agree more. It looked like Starscream had been flying for ages, and his sheer love of sky was palatable.

"I made a mistake earlier," Ramjet continued. "I appreciate the vote of confidence you have in us to guard him."

"It wasn't my idea," TC replied. "Starscream said he trusted you. And I trust him."

There was a pause. "Should you be doing that? He doesn't… understand everything."

"We have to start somewhere. He's still incredibly intelligent. Managed to get you to behave, which was something he couldn't seem to do before."

Skywarp did a twisting loop at that statement rather than burst out in laughter. Starscream must have seen it because now he was doing loops, rolls, and other fancy maneuvers.

"Yes he's… different now." Skywarp heard the hesitation in Ramjet's voice. Skywarp had never been particularly fond of Ramjet, but right now he found himself liking him just the tiniest bit. "He is… enthralling."

Actually, he didn't like Ramjet's tone at all.

"Yes, his flying is still… extraordinary," he heard Thundercracker say. He had a slight strain to his voice, and Skywarp knew he was thinking the same thing.

"He's still taking up point," Ramjet observed. "Trineleader's position."

"I think that's just because he's eager for sky," Thundercracker replied. Skywarp felt a little pang of sympathy in his spark at that. If Thundercracker couldn't establish himself as trineleader within their trine, he was going to have a hard time convincing the Air Corp that he deserved to be Air Commander, no matter what Megatron said. Thundercracker was trying so hard to keep everything together and Skywarp wasn't sure he was helping enough.

"Not a criticism, I promise. At this point, I'm the least of your worries."

Still, Skywarp turned up his thrusters and crowded Starscream so that he was forced to take up position behind him. "Try and ride on the upwash from my wingtip vortex," he said. Starscream seemed agreeable to follow the command, falling into the space to the back left of Skywarp's wing.

He was so amendable, it almost hurt. He had no idea the implications of the power dynamics Skywarp was forcing upon him. This maneuver was effectively taking him from Trineleader to third in formation, which had previously been Skywarp's place. In seeker culture, this was a little bit like slapping him to get him to stay in his lane. The former Starscream would have been shrieking in anger about now.

But the new Starscream was so content and happy to accept his trinemate's instruction.

"I swear to you, Air Commander," Ramjet said. "I will help him in any way I can."

The comm closed and Skywarp saw that Ramjet had transformed to take to the sky, likely to do a sweep.

Starscream had sped up a little and was now alongside Skywarp, their wingtips almost touching.

"This feels amazing," Starscream said over his shared comms. If he had noticed Ramjet's presence, he didn't mention it. "There are parts of my processor that are now awake that I didn't even know were there."

Skywarp snickered. "It warms my spark to see you so excited. Nothing like a seeker finally getting his sky." He then had a marvelous idea. "Starscream, transform for a klik," he said as he turned into bi-pedal. Starscream expertly transformed and hung in the air next to Skywarp.

"Thundercracker, I wonder if he's ready for a little game," Skywarp said, stretching and eyeing Starscream who tilted his helm in a return smile.

"I think that's a great idea," TC replied over comms. "Chase or race?"

"Oh, chase for sure," Skywarp said. He turned to Starscream who looked far too adorably curious. "All you have to do is avoid me for five minutes. If I touch you, I win."

Starscream smirked. "What's the catch?"

Skywarp leaned forward on his thrusters so that he was now face-to-face with Starscream, their noses almost touching. "Anything goes, sweetspark," he said, arching an optic-ridge.

"Ah. Your ability." Starscream squinted a little, clearly trying to puzzle his way to victory despite his disadvantage. "How would I counter that?"

Skywarp winked. "You'll have to figure it out. TC, do you mind being the referee?"

"Not a problem. We have about ten minutes of flying time left."

"Better get a move on, Star," Skywarp said reaching out a servo. "I don't intend to play fair."

Starscream snorted and flipped back into a transformation. He then turned on his thrusters and twisted into the air. Skywarp found himself admiring the view.

"Clock has started, 'Warp. Maybe you should get moving?"

"Right," he said, transforming after him.

Starscream was still incredibly clever. He knew that he could win in a straight speed contest, but he still wasn't sure about the extent of Skywarp's abilities. Instead, he allowed Skywarp to keep pace, and should Skywarp try to warp closer, he likely would try to bank quickly away.

But Skywarp had a little more experience.

He did a flip and started going in the opposite direction. Starscream was clearly unnerved, not understanding the logic behind Skywarp's actions. He slowed down trying to gauge his trinemate's next move.

Skywarp then warped ahead of Starscream and flipped into bi-pedal, his arm outstretched and reaching.

Ah, but Starscream maybe expected this? He also flipped into bi-pedal and cut his thrusters, falling gracefully backwards.

Fear gripped Skywarp's tanks as his servo missed grabbing his trinemate. But Starscream's falling face just arched an optic-ridge and laughed.

He heard snickering from Thundercracker in his comms.

Skywarp transformed back into jet mode and put his thrusters on max. Damn cheeky seeker and his fancy flying. He decided to pull out the best moves he had.

He started a series of warps where he jumped across the sky as he dove after Starscream trying to confuse him as to where he was going to appear. Starscream's face furrowed in confusion as his optics tried to track Skywarp as he fell backwards. Unable to predict his movement, he transformed and shot off, still with a downward trajectory.

Skywarp warped again, knowing all of Starscream's blind spots and using them to his advantage. He appeared next to him and immediately reached out, trying to grab a wing. Starscream ducked by transforming into bi-pedal again, Skywarp's servo missing by microns.

Skywarp smirked and warped one last time, predicting where Starscream was twisting. He caught Starscream in his arms, and his quarry looked so shocked with wide optics. But then Starscream melted into a laugh.

"You caught me," he said, panting. "How did you know where-"

Skywarp kissed him deeply. Chasing Starscream always keyed him up. Catching Starscream almost sent him to the absolute edge.

Unfortunately, they had an audience that decided to make themselves known by whooping and jeering at the display of affection. Skywarp pulled out of the kiss with a low growl even as Starscream just chuckled with more amusement. Looking down, Skywarp saw some other seekers, some of the Constructions, Rumble, Frenzy, Shockwave, and… Megatron.

Thundercracker looked a little sheepish. "Sorry, didn't want to break your concentration to tell you."

Skywarp allowed them to descend, gently putting his quarry down on the top of the platform around the elevator.

"That was amazing flying," said Rumble. Skywarp twitched his wings at the praise for his trinemate, both pleased for him and miffed that their private moment had been unintentionally shared.

Starscream smiled. "Thank you. I have excellent teachers."

"It seems some things have not changed," Megatron said. "You're still rather cunning."

Starscream bowed slightly to Megatron, and everyone's optics were on him. "I hope my mind will continue to be a service to you, my lord."

Skywarp grimaced but then quickly tried to smooth his faceplate. He had thought for millennia that if Starscream could just be a little loyal to Megatron then most of his woes would be taken care of. He wouldn't get hurt, he wouldn't be so cruel, and he might begin to be the trinemate that Skywarp had fallen in love with.

But now seeing it, it felt wrong.

Megatron too seemed slightly disturbed. He had frozen and was staring at Starscream as if not really seeing him. He then grunted and walked away back towards the elevator.

Starscream rose out of the bow with a slight smile on his face.

Hmm. What did that mean?

Thundercracker came over and pulled Skywarp into a side-hug. "You did wonderfully," he said, planting a kiss on Skywarp's cheek. The other congregated mechs came up to Starscream and were asking him questions and complimenting him on his flying.

"I barely caught him in the time-limit and he has never even flown before," Skywarp whispered.

"His frame remembered. And honestly, 'Warp. You were spectacular."

Skywarp finally allowed himself to relax in Thundercracker's hold. "I was well-motivated."

Some of the mechs had started to walk away, but Shockwave still stood there off to the side of the crowd watching Starscream intently. Starscream seemed to notice and brighten. He walked up to Shockwave and struck up a conversation, his wings flicking.

Skywarp frowned and was about to interrupt, but Thundercracker held him back. "Part of letting him grow up is allowing him be his own mech," Thundercracker murmured into his audial.

Skywarp blanched. "Surely he can be his own mech with anyone else."

Thundercracker chuckled. "That's not how this works, 'Warp."

Skywarp sighed and tried to move forward again, and this time TC let him go. Skywarp relaxed his wings, trying to will the tension out of his frame.

"…wonder if your roles were reversed, if you could have done the chasing? There is so much momentum involved in flying, I would imagine the program might have interfered," Shockwave said.

"Hmm. You think it would interfere relating to the potential for accidents? It would be so debilitating if that were the case," Starscream replied.

"Yes. You certainly weren't debilitated by any means up there."

Starscream's wings flicked ever so slightly at the praise. Or… maybe if you squinted, Skywarp supposed it was praise. But was this… cute? He wasn't sure.

Shockwave bowed his helm a little, acknowledging Skywarp had joined them. Starscream smiled at him, and more of his irritation washed away like rain off his wings.

"We will have to find a time to get you up there again," Skywarp said. "We just have to find the right schedule mix so that we can watch the skies for any Autobots. Then we can… test your theories."

"Oh yes, please! Excellent, Skywarp. I will come up with some things we can try, and Shockwave, maybe you could assist? I would appreciate your input."

Shockwave's shoulders hunched ever so slightly. "I likely will not be able to assist. I will be going back to Cybertron by the end of the week."

Starscream's smile faded just a little. "Oh, well then maybe we can record it and get your input? You've been… a big help in understanding how to navigate my condition."

Skywarp watched his trinemate try to keep a brave face, but he was clearly not pleased by this development. Skywarp just didn't understand how he had grown attached to Shockwave so quickly and without him noticing.

"I would be happy to assist in any way I can," Shockwave replied. Was that… gentleness in his tone?

What the frag-

TC suddenly joined them. "I think I can convince Megatron to let Starscream visit Cybertron at some point. He should get to see it given everything that has happened."

Starscream's entire face erupted in a smile. Shockwave seemed amused and nodded. "I think that would be a worthy initiative. Let me know if you need anything to assist you in your endeavor."

TC nodded and started to walk back to the elevator with Skywarp following. Starscream gave a reluctant goodbye wave and Shockwave awkwardly returned it with his servo.

Maybe this was cute.