A/N: Almost all of the linebreaks in the last chapter disappeared, but I fixed it. I usually use them to show the passage of time or a change in POV. Hopefully, it wasn't too weird to read.
I loved reading the feedback, thank you, everyone! I might make some art soon, so keep a lookout on my social media pages (link on my fanfic bio.)
Chapter 13
2 Orns later
Though Darkstrike had woken up a joor ago, she couldn't muster the motivation to get up.
It had been a while since she had a cycle off, and the urge to do nothing was strong.
Lanyard had punished her by adding more fights to her already-busy schedule. He'd also deprived her of energon for three cycles, forcing her to use her emergency stash.
The Owner wanted to ensure Darkstrike knew who was in charge; he assured her that if she ever tried to make a move against him, he would know. She didn't understand why he'd said that to her, but it was enough of a threat to make her avoid Megatronus.
It was clear he knew that RocketShield had invited her onto a mission. She didn't have a clue what'd been revealed in that room, but she knew Lanyard had gained a lot of information from it.
RocketShield had also been missing since.
Darkstrike could only suspect Soundwave had something to do with it.
She still had so many questions; Out of anyone, why did the Owner ask Soundwave to take them to him? What connection did they have with each other?
Darkstrike initially thought it had been a power play against both of them, but he seemed oblivious to her relation with the mech. She couldn't think of any other reason besides Soundwave and the Owner being work partners.
It confused her more, considering Soundwave had never shown any liking towards him. He'd even warned her about Lanyard's spies— it made no sense that he would be one himself.
Unless he had said that to throw me off.
When she first arrived, Soundwave had inscribed her, given her first upgrade, and offered to be her mentor.
Darkstrike suddenly found herself questioning his intentions.
She shook her helm.
No… It's my own foolishness I should be questioning. After all, no one had forced her to get involved with him.
She sighed.
Since he'd fired her from Project Laserbeak, everything in her life had been chaotic, and Darkstrike struggled to settle into her old routine.
Sometimes her fights took place first thing in the morning, late at night, or both. Almost every cycle involved fighting and training. She had only lost one match so far, but she paid the consequence in form of battle damage.
Her wounds had been fixed several times over by the medic—only for them to become undone by her next battle. It weighed down her spirit more.
Whenever Darkstrike wasn't fighting, she stayed in her room, either reading or resting.
The first few cycles, she slept a lot, feeling little to no motivation aside from her Gladiator duties.
Sometimes she would stare at the ceiling and reflect on her life.
She found herself doing that a lot.
The second orn was different.
She had put off returning his datapads; given that he made himself scarce, she decided facing him again would be too humiliating.
If he wanted them, he would have to make an effort.
And he did.
Soundwave seemed to notice her defiance because one cycle after returning from a fight, she entered her room and found it slightly out of order.
Looking on her berth, she saw a digital note that said, "Return datapads at once."
When she still chose not to, he began making appearances during the second orn. He always seemed to show up when she was alone, whether in the hallways or coming out of a battle.
Though Darkstrike couldn't deny that it was a relief to see Soundwave again, she'd repeatedly chosen to avoid him and flee in the opposite direction. It had worked a few times, but Darkstrike knew she'd have to face him eventually.
Until then, she'd hold onto those datapads as long as possible.
It was her last tie with Project Laserbeak. Doing revisions was her only other past-time besides training and sleeping; Darkstrike wouldn't let him take away her last source of joy.
It was undeniable that she missed being Soundwave's assistant.
Pathetic…
And yet, a part of her felt immense joy in creating and expanding her knowledge. There was satisfaction choosing a purpose, especially in something she was interested in.
For once, Darkstrike felt like she wasn't forced to do a job.
His work inspired her and showed her that innovation had a place, even in somewhere like the Pits. She would never have imagined being fascinated with mechanics without him.
Despite all her doubts about Soundwave, she knew deep down she missed him.
She liked his company and even felt comfortable in his silence. He didn't say much, but he was a good listener; even if Soundwave didn't always show it, he paid attention when she spoke. He had even opened up to her about his past— something she never thought possible.
Even though she'd come far with him, it had all crashed down on her because of one mistake.
Darkstrike regretted her actions that cycle.
In hindsight, there were a lot more ways she could've taken care of RocketShield; what she'd done had been impulsive, and it made her realize that she'd been letting her temper get out of control.
Even though she was prepared not to let it happen again, it was too late.
Her biggest fear had come to pass…
She was truly alone.
It was difficult to cope with at first, the first thirteen cycles being the hardest.
His rejection felt as strong as any breakup— except it probably couldn't be considered that.
Soundwave had avoided her completely, and since he knew her routine, it was likely he made sure they didn't cross paths. Darkstrike had accepted it, but it didn't stop the anger and sadness from brewing inside of her.
None of it made any sense to her— not Soundwave, not Lanyard, and not this repetitive, lonely existence she was forced to endure.
It was foolish of her to think she could have more in life.
Being a Gladiator was a tireless job, and it was instilled in her that she should be lucky to be still alive.
Darkstrike still couldn't help but want more.
She sighed loudly, rolling over on her berth.
That will never happen.
The femme closed her optics, prepared to go back to sleep.
Anything was better than being alone with her thoughts.
As she let herself relax, her mind began drowning out her surroundings.
…
"Today's the cycle!"
Suddenly loud yells emanated from the hallway.
She jumped up.
Mechs cheered with a mixture of "whoots" and whistles. They stomped through the corridor, knocking on the wall as they paraded.
Darkstrike glared at the door.
She stood up and pressed her audio to it, trying to figure out why they were making such a commotion.
The mechs knocked on several doors, and before she realized it, they banged on hers too.
BANG!
Darkstrike jumped back, clutching her audios. They rang for a few nano-kliks.
She opened her door, eager to see who the perpetrators were.
When the femme came out into the open, they were already gone.
Sighing, Darkstrike decided she would finally exit her room and start her cycle.
After going to the rec room to refuel, her mood had eased considerably.
She'd only stayed there for about ten kliks because of all the excitement going around.
While eavesdropping, Darkstrike discovered that Megatronus had a big fight today. His fight date must have slipped her mind; she really only checked the fight boards for her own matches— and sometimes Soundwave's…
About 80 percent of Gladiators were going, the rest not having enough credits for the ticket entry. Unfortunately, she fell into that category.
It didn't matter, though; she was saving her credits for a much less crowded fight, anyway.
Darkstrike walked down the hall, heading towards the training grounds for some extra practice.
Given the event, she figured not many mechs would be there. At this point, all she wanted was some peace and quiet.
As the femme continued walking, she noticed three figures ahead.
At first, she was prepared to ignore them, but one of the mech's voices sounded familiar.
"Please, I do not want any trouble," the blue bot threatened.
"Trouble's what you're gonna get if you don't hand over your credits right now."
"You heard him, pal, what's it gonna be?"
Orion stood up straight, looking at the Gladiators straight on. They both stood taller than him, trying to push him back toward the wall.
He didn't budge.
Darkstrike couldn't help but remember when she was being cornered, trying to hold her own against RocketShield and his gang. She remembered when mechs passed by and ignored them, some even stopping to watch.
Clenching her servos, the femme walked forward.
"What's going on here?" Darkstrike came to Orion's side, giving him a subtle look. He appeared relieved.
"Mind your own business, femme!" The mech snapped.
"Back off."
His partner and him exchanged glances.
"You gonna make me?"
Darkstrike quickly analyzed the situation to find the easiest way to make them go away.
"Me? No," she shrugged, "But that's Megatronus' associate right there. It'll be your sparks on the line if you do anything to him."
Both bots seemed to backtrack, the one in front of her glancing at Orion.
"Him? Megatronus would never work with a high caste!"
"Then, maybe you don't know him as well as you think," she retorted, "If you want to take your chances, be my guest."
Darkstrike went into a fighting stance, "I don't mind doing this the hard way, though. I'm willing to do anything for my leader, Megatronus."
She was lying, but they didn't know that.
The mechs exchanged glances, seeming unsure of the situation.
After about a klik, they seemed to resign.
"Whatever."
Red optics glared at them.
"Of course it's a high caste defending a high caste."
Both Gladiators walked away, throwing them contemptuous glances as they went.
After glaring at them, she turned to Orion, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, thank you," he exhaled in relief, "I'm glad you were able to de-escalate the situation without violence."
"Would you have been prepared to fight them if that hadn't been the case?"
He looked down, "If I truly had no choice…"
"Well, luckily you have Megatronus on your side. No one's foolish enough to mess with him."
He chuckled nervously, "I suppose not."
"It's nice to see you again, Orion," she gave a nod.
"Likewise, Darkstrike," he said, "I have not seen you in a while."
"That's right, ever since you and Megatronus were headed off to a conference."
"Yes…"
"How did it go?"
"It went well!"
He glanced away, "I think."
"You think?" she raised an optic ridge.
"Well, Megatronus' followers successfully joined his cause, but…" Orion nervously looked down, "As a Gladiator, I'm sure you'll find this laughable, but it makes me a bit uneasy how much Megatronus talks of brutality and death."
"I see."
Darkstrike remembered her first or there and how jarring the violence around her seemed.
"It's not laughable; I'd say that's reasonable to think, especially if you've never been exposed to things like that," she reassured him.
"That is a bit relieving…"
"But I wouldn't go saying it out loud, if you know what I mean?" The femme advised, "It's hard to accept, but that's the way Kaon is. We're all a product of our environment; you can't blame Megatronus— or any of his followers for wanting retribution."
Darkstrike couldn't deny that she wanted it too.
Orion nodded, "You have a point. I suppose there is still much I don't know about Cybertron."
"That makes the two of us."
"Then, at least I'm not alone," he said, "That reminds me; earlier, you mentioned Megatronus being your leader. Does this mean you have joined his cause?"
She backstepped, "Oh no, I only said that to intimidate those mechs."
"That is understandable. If I may, though, what did they mean by "high caste defending a high caste?"
Darkstrike scoffed, "They're referring to me. I used to be what they call a high-caste. Some mechs hold it over me."
"I apologize! I did not mean to pry."
"Don't worry. It doesn't phase me anymore; I have pride in who I am today."
"I'm glad," he said, still appearing embarrassed.
"Coincidentally, I used to live in Iacon's bordering city, Altihex. You're from Iacon, right?"
Orion perked up, "Indeed. I've been to Altihex; it's a beautiful city."
"Yeah, that's what everyone says," she remarked.
He appeared confused for a moment before seeming to understand.
"Though, I also admit my first experience was dampened by all the law enforcement I encountered."
Darkstrike laughed, "You're not wrong there!"
"Anyways," she changed the subject, "What brings you this far into the Pits? Are you lost?"
"No, I am supposed to meet Megatronus outside, but those mechs stopped me."
"I see. Would you like some assistance, or can you handle the rest of the way yourself?" she teased.
"I'll be fine, thank you," he blushed, "Though…"
He made optic contact.
As they stared at each other, she suddenly noticed how blue his irises were.
"I'm listening."
"I am attending Megatronus' fight later in the evening. Would you like to accompany me?" he requested.
Darkstrike thought about it.
"I'm not sure I can afford to go to his match. Tickets might even be sold out by now."
"I was not aware tickets were hard to come by. The only reason I'm going is because Megatronus insisted, going as far as arranging a free seat for me," Orion said, "If you'd like, I can ask if I can bring a guest with me."
Darkstrike's optics widened.
"I couldn't ask that of you."
"Please, I insist."
"Well…"
She thought about it harder.
It was a harmless invitation with no malintent behind it. This was the companionship Darkstrike longed for, and for the first time in cycles, she'd have someone to talk to.
Except…
Ever since her talk with Lanyard, she had tried to stay off Megatronus' radar. Darkstrike didn't want to be involved with his associates; by interacting with RocketShield, she'd been threatened and punished.
Despite Orion being different, it was best not to take that chance.
She also supposed that some of her still heeded Soundwave's warning to stay away from Megatronus and his followers.
"I appreciate the offer Orion, but I wouldn't want to bother Megatronus on the cycle of his fight. I do have money; it's just that I was saving it for another match," Darkstrike explained, "My mentor, Soundwave, has a fight tomorrow. The tickets are about the same price."
Though it was true that she had already planned to go to his match, she lied about the mentor part.
"Ah, I completely understand."
"Thank you."
He smiled at her, bringing out his servo, "Then, I best be on my way."
"I hope you enjoy the match," Darkstrike brought her servo, returning the friendly gesture.
Orion sweatdropped, "Well, I am not sure about enjoying it."
"I think you'll gain something from it," Darkstrike grinned.
When Orion let go of her servo, his optics drifted to the left, behind her. They lingered there for a few nano-kliks.
Before Darkstrike could turn around, he spoke,
"I believe that's your mentor Soundwave, isn't it?"
Her spark sank.
The femme slowly looked back, confirming that Soundwave stood at the end of the hall.
A dreadful feeling crept up.
She gulped, "Yes, it is…"
He nodded, "I don't want you to keep him waiting. I hope you have a great cycle, Darkstrike."
"Likewise, Orion," she waved.
As he walked away, he glanced back at her and Soundwave, a concerned look in his optics.
She gave Orion a reassuring nod, confidently raising her helm. Her optics trailed after him as he faded into the hallway.
Darkstrike knew she couldn't avoid Soundwave this time; it would look strange after telling Orion that he was still her mentor.
She turned around, ready to face him.
Soundwave walked over to her, stopping when he was only a mechameter away. The closer he came, the more it felt like his figure cast a shadow over her.
It had been almost two orns since she'd seen him this close.
Her optics rose hesitantly at him.
"Soundwave?" she questioned. A part of her was hopeful.
"All datapads are required," he stated. The mech extended a servo.
Darkstrike was suddenly reminded of how cold his presence could be. Her conflicted feelings for him began to resurface.
"I don't have them on me." Her tone came out a bit sharp. She hid her rejection behind a wall of frustration. "I left them in my room, or maybe you'd like to look for yourself again?"
She noticed Soundwave clench his servos.
The femme unconsciously stepped back.
"Excuses," he said, "Femme has avoided this long enough."
"I'm telling the truth," Darkstrike replied defensively, "And if anything, you've been avoiding me!"
"You know where to return datapads. Contact is not necessary."
"I've been very busy dealing with your boss, Lanyard, and I haven't gotten around to it."
"Those are your consequences."
"So I've been told," she threw him a spiteful look, "Why do you need those datapads, anyway? I would imagine my work being too insufficient for your standards. If you're so intelligent, why don't you do your own research?"
"Enough."
Suddenly, he glided over to her, backing her into the wall. He slammed one arm on the surface next to her helm.
Soundwave kept her trapped, leaving a small space between them.
She froze, feeling her spark pound against its chamber.
"I grow tired of these games."
Her optics shakily met the reflection of his visor.
"Do not prolong inevitable. Return all research or action will be taken," he commanded.
Darkstrike gulped, knowing it wasn't an empty threat.
Still, she couldn't help but feel opposition at his command.
The femme looked away, hiding her anger.
"Alright," she said, "I'll give it to you tonight."
"Evening. Before Megatronus' fight," he specified.
"Okay."
Darkstrike thought he would immediately leave after making his point.
When she tried to move, Soundwave only stepped closer, blocking her path.
She held her breath.
"Do not come to my fight," he said, "This is a final warning."
Darkstrike opened her mouth to protest but stopped when he snapped his helm toward her.
Thinking harder about his threat, she realized that he'd eavesdropped on her earlier conversation with Orion.
"You… you heard everything, didn't you?" she asked.
"I hear everything," Soundwave replied ominously. Giving her a final look, he walked away, leaving in the direction he came.
Darkstrike stood in the middle of the hallway, her shoulders sagging in disbelief.
She looked at the floor in defeat, suddenly feeling too tired to train.
Evening
A part of Soundwave suspected the femme wouldn't come.
He would only give her five more kliks before he left for Megatronus' fight. If she avoided him again, he'd eventually have to take his datapads by force. Soundwave didn't want to confront her again, but it seemed he wouldn't have a choice.
Frustrated, he took a seat at his workspace.
The mech looked down at his scattered tools.
He hadn't been organized lately, too focused on gathering information in Central Kaon.
Laserbeak had hardly been touched during that time, but even if he had, Soundwave was missing vital information from the datapads Darkstrike had taken. Stopping construction for 26 cycles had greatly set him back.
The mech had many plans, many of them relying on the creation of his drone; until then, he was bound to this Gladiator Pit.
If Megatronus' plan to take over Kaon failed, Soundwave would leave and venture to other cities; it was undeniable that staying there only limited him, and given all the problems Darkstrike had caused so far, he decided it would be best to leave her behind.
Aside from today, it had been two orns since he'd last spoken with her.
He'd kept his distance, drowning himself in his spy work and ignoring all else; it was easier to forget about her existence when constantly distracted.
Soundwave had given her that time to return the textpads.
When she actively refused, he'd realized taking the initiative would be necessary.
The mech had raided her room while she was away, attempting to avoid contact. When that proved unsuccessful, Soundwave resorted to confronting her privately, taking extra precautions to ensure they wouldn't be seen.
At the time, he hadn't known how she would react to seeing him again— a part of him couldn't help but feel anticipation.
He still remembered how it happened; Darkstrike exited the arena after a fight and leaned against the wall to rest. Her frame had been covered with energon.
When the femme finally noticed him, she'd frozen up.
They stared at each other for a klik or so before Darkstrike finally moved.
To his surprise, she responded by fleeing the scene, going back into the arena instead of facing him.
After that, she reacted the same way every time she saw him.
Though mainly frustrated, a small part of him took pleasure intimidating her; it reminded him of the fear she showed him when she'd first arrived at the Pits.
At first, Soundwave allowed her to run away. He hadn't chased her to prevent calling attention to themselves. Given that he was still busy traveling Kaon, he didn't find it necessary to deal with it yet.
It wasn't until Soundwave had seen her talking with the mech named Orion that he recognized he'd been prolonging their back-and-forth encounters. He realized that continuing to let Darkstrike flee defeated the purpose of distancing himself.
When the moment finally came to approach her, he'd only intended to retrieve his datapads and leave.
Except, when he'd seen Darkstrike up close, face expensive and optics hopeful, all his thoughts about her had come rushing back.
Despite this, Soundwave feigned indifference.
In response, the femme had abandoned her timidity and faced him unabashedly. Darkstrike claimed to have left the tablets in her room, and although it was true, Soundwave couldn't help but feel unforgiving.
Her quick remarks only stirred him more, and despite his efforts, she managed to get to him.
Frustration influencing his actions, Soundwave had stopped her retorts by physically intimidating her. It worked, but it also seemed to spark more defiance within her.
It only roused him more.
Seeing her again ignited the same primitive feeling he'd desperately tried to get rid of.
He truly underestimated her significance to him; he prided himself on being self-aware, but he'd unknowingly fallen victim to his desires.
Soundwave couldn't decide if he'd merely accepted her into his daily routine or actively wanted her to be in his life.
Want wasn't a word he often used, especially considering he did everything out of need.
He'd personally never thought of the words as opposites, only believing that you only truly wanted what you needed. Soundwave didn't understand the difference between the two until now.
His mind from drifting to the night after Darkstrike's fight.
He clenched his servos.
Soundwave shook his helm.
He tried to convince himself that besides temporary pleasure, there was nothing else he could gain from Darkstrike.
From all standpoints, it made sense to cut all contact with her; her inexperience had caused many issues for them.
Darkstrike had disobeyed him, both in her rash decision-making and inconspicuity. She risked further injuring herself and gaining more attention throughout the Pit.
Many rumors circulated her name by this point. Disassociating with her would eliminate any issues caused by their partnership. Neither Lanyard, Megatronus— nor any Gladiator for that matter, would be able to reach him.
Soundwave would no longer have to burden himself with Darkstrike and the results of her actions.
…
And yet, deep down, he knew there had been another motive in his actions— other reasons he wanted to stop seeing Darkstrike.
Reasons he didn't want to acknowledge.
Soundwave stood up, angrily brushing an arm over the table and knocking over all his tools.
Enough.
He decided he wouldn't waste any more time thinking about the femme.
The mech made his way to the front, ready to leave for Megatronus' fight.
Before typing in the passcode, he stopped, taking a deep breath in a feeble attempt to compose himself.
Putting in the numbers, the door slid open.
Behind it revealed a smaller bot in the hallway.
Darkstrike held his datapads in her servos.
At first, neither of them moved or spoke.
It was apparent both of them were not expecting to meet like this.
Soundwave's optics drifted down, unable to help himself from giving her a complete once-over.
Her claws clutched the devices in her servos. There were many patch-ups on her frame and signs of past injuries. Dried-up blood strained her black armor, and it looked like she hadn't made an effort to buff her scars.
"Soundwave…" Her optics appeared harsh, but her voice held a soft tone.
Every time she said his name, it invoked a strange feeling inside of him. Unable to identify it, he decided to associate it negatively.
Without acknowledging Darkstrike, he took the datapads from her servos.
Turning them on, he quickly scrolled through to ensure there wasn't any missing information. After a klik or so of careful revision, it seemed to be the opposite; the femme added more notes, completing the datapad research.
Despite his command, she continued to work on it.
Obstinate.
"You are finished here," he said.
"What about the rest of Project Laserbeak?"
"That is none of your concern."
Darkstrike appeared taken aback.
"Leave." Without waiting for a response, Soundwave entered his room.
An arm stuck through the opening, preventing the door from closing, "Wait!"
When he turned around, he saw Darkstrike shoving her way inside.
The door closed behind her.
"I'm not done talking to you," she pressed. Her hesitation seemed to have worn off.
"There is nothing to be said," Soundwave confronted her.
"I'm not leaving until you answer my questions."
He tilted his helm in warning, "You have no authority."
"I do if you want this," Darkstrike brought out a third datapad.
Soundwave glanced at it and back at her.
"These are my extensive notes and every adjustment you've made to Laserbeak since we started working together. Everything we did right, wrong, useless, I have it recorded here," she claimed, "It's yours if you answer my questions."
Darkstrike held it out so he could see it, demonstrating images of all previous versions of his drone.
Unable to ignore such an asset, Soundwave weighed his options, deciding if he'd humor her one last time.
Though he could easily take the datapad from her, he wanted to avoid conflict if possible. He didn't want to deal with Darkstrike as an obstacle during Megatronus' match. It would be better to take the easy route and accept her deal.
He had a suspicion of what questions the femme would ask. Soundwave would give her the closure she desperately wanted, and he'd make sure she'd leave him alone for good.
After another klik of silence, he said, "Ask."
"Why did you offer to be my mentor in the first place?" she asked.
"Deal with Swindle affected me," he replied, "It was necessary to rectify situation."
Darkstrike frowned, seeming unsatisfied with his response, "What about when you gave me the fighting datapad after my very first fight?"
"Owners ordered your first upgrade after fight. Your existence provided entertainment. Datapad ensured you would survive longer."
She seemed to freeze up at his words, "Then… it's true that you work for Lanyard?"
He didn't respond.
Darkstrike looked away, "You looked after me when I was overcharged instead of leaving me in the hall. You even agreed to let me be your assistant the next cycle."
"Intention was to leave you in own room. Owners would have been displeased leaving you on floor. Assistance for Laserbeak was never required. Begging allowed you to stay."
She glowered.
"Darkstrike: has outlived usefulness."
The femme raised her helm at him, both servos clenched.
"Is this finished?" Soundwave questioned.
She breathed deeply before regarding him.
He held his guard up.
"Why did you kiss me back that night— even after I backed away?" Darkstrike asked.
This was the first time they had ever acknowledged that occasion. He didn't think she would be bold enough to bring it up.
Soundwave didn't want to think about his actions— not when he'd avoided thinking about it for two orns.
But judging by her stance, the femme wasn't backing down.
He narrowed his optics, feeling his frustration grow,
"It is a weakness I will always regret. Primitive desires mean nothing to me."
Darkstrike took a step back, her optics widening in disbelief.
Both of them stood still.
The femme looked at the door and then back at him. Soundwave wanted her to leave, but he couldn't bring himself to force her.
When they locked optics again, he noticed her irises glowed a deeper color.
Her crestfallen face faded into an indignant scowl. She grit her denta visibly,
"I don't believe you."
Outrage filling his spark, Soundwave stepped forward, "Your opinion does not matter."
"Leave," he pointed to the door, "Do not return."
The mech raised his helm, daring her to disobey him.
For a moment, she hesitated; Darkstrike recoiled, nervously flexing and curling out her claws.
Suddenly, she appeared to change her mind, the same determined expression from earlier returning.
"No."
"I will take action," he threatened.
"You're not my mentor anymore," she declared, "I don't have to follow your orders."
"Is that a challenge?" Soundwave went into a guarded stance.
She copied him, crouching down, "And if it is?"
He felt an unusual amount of anger emanate from his spark.
Indignation filled him at the idea that the femme would dare to overstep her place. He'd been more than patient with her delay in returning his datapads, even going as far as humoring her bargaining offer.
Soundwave decided that he'd tolerated her disrespect long enough.
He glared at her from behind his visor, "You are no longer my student; I will not hold back."
No one else had ever managed to ignite such strong feelings in him. He regretted his actions up until that point, and although he had no one to blame but himself, he couldn't help but feel resentment for her.
Soundwave took the first move and struck at Darkstrike.
There was no taking it back; Darkstrike would have to fight him until either of them dropped.
The middle-ranker already had a suspicion on who it would be.
She'd started this, and by her own principles, she would see it out to the end.
Soundwave came at her without stopping— true to his word on not holding back. She deflected and dodged many of his punches, the worst ones aimed at her previous injuries.
The femme jumped up, creating distance between them.
He jumped towards her and jabbed her torso, knocking her back a mechameter. She barely dodged his next blow.
Darkstrike crouched and tumbled past him, landing in the middle of his room.
The mech turned around, launching at her again. She met him halfway, using her forearm to block his attack.
He pushed back hard, flinging her onto the ground.
It was difficult keeping up, Soundwave always preparing for his next offense.
Not wasting a nano-klik, she stood up in one jump.
He attempted to trip her, but Darkstrike flipped in the air, high enough to go over him. Once right above him, she grabbed the crown of his helm and knocked his balance.
Soundwave fell on a knee but quickly moved out of the way before she could kick his helm. Darkstrike improvised, spinning around to punch his chest.
Before she could aim another one, he caught her fist, twisting it 180 degrees.
"Ahh!" she yelled.
The femme pulled her servo away.
Darkstrike momentarily rubbed her sprained wrist. Too distracted to think about the pain, she carried on, deciding that she would deal with her injuries later. Knowing who she was facing, she was sure there would be more.
The middle ranker suddenly realized how different this was to their past spars; he fought with more ruthlessness than she anticipated, and even then, Darkstrike could see he held back.
This was clearly a test of her strength.
She ran towards him.
Bright sparks emanated from their armor as they collided into each other. Soundwave refused to back up, pursuing her forward. It was noticeable that he was trying to corner her into the wall.
He leaped forward, swiftly striking her back and knocking her off balance. Darkstrike did a handstand and flipped back on her pedes.
Her wings twitched in pain.
Getting into a defensive stance, she looked at Soundwave.
The mech stood up straight as if daring her to continue.
It was likely he was giving her a chance to back down; if the match had gone on for this long, it was because he had allowed it.
It's too late; I can't give up easily.
Pride weighing over self-preservation, Darkstrike launched forward, another series of blows exchanging between them.
In the moment of the fight, they had begun to destroy a large part of his chambers. Gladiator rooms weren't all that big, and even small battles like these required lots of space. The walls cracked, small belongings had been thrown across the room, and lots of furniture ended up broken.
Soundwave seemed to ignore the damage done to his room completely.
It didn't escape her that his tools had already been on the floor when she arrived. It was undoubtedly strange he would accept her challenge in the first place, in his room of all areas.
She was shoved towards the wall, unable to stop herself from falling to the floor.
Darkstrike glared up at him.
The mech walked towards her, his silhouette creating a long shadow.
She could sense his anger.
He had the upper servo, but something seemed odd about his movements— something different about his demeanor. The mech wasn't sloppy, but he was moving differently.
Soundwave lacked his usual grace, replaced by a slower, more ruthless Kaonian fighting style she'd only gotten glimpses of.
Before she could make another move, he shot out a tendril. Soundwave connected it to her chassis and lifted her high.
She wrapped her servos around it, but he responded by sending volts of electricity into her frame. Darkstrike convulsed for a few nano kliks.
She kept her optics closed as she composed herself.
Suddenly, a cold sensation crept into her mind. The femme shook her helm to try to get rid of it.
Her processor began to ache.
"No," she grunted, "Stop that!"
"You are powerless."
His voice was clear and recognizable.
A shiver ran down her spine.
"Fight me like a real Gladiator!" she spat.
"Accept defeat."
She needed to escape from this.
"No escape."
He didn't even try to hide his presence; it meant Darkstrike would have to come up with a plan and execute it before he had a chance to realize it.
Soundwave suddenly raised her higher.
"It is futile."
"Stop reading my mind!" she yelled internally.
Without drawing attention to herself, Darkstrike continued struggling. She allowed the heat to spread throughout her system and then focused on drawing it to her servos.
Within an instant, she grabbed his tendril and yanked it hard. The heat of her claws made him release her.
Darkstrike bounced from the floor and launched at him, extending her servos.
Soundwave didn't move fast enough, giving her a chance to strike his chest. Blue electricity burst from her servo, encompassing all of his body. He fell on a knee, withstanding it until the sparks died down.
"You're not the only one with power," she seethed.
The femme looked down at him, and without warning, she sunk her claws into his shoulders. More electricity coursed through his system as a result.
Her ability appeared to strain him, but it didn't appear enough to take him down.
Soundwave rigidly raised his helm at her, showing that he could endure it.
It angered her more, making her rise in temperature. He made no noise when she increased her power.
Unexpectedly, the electricity reached his helm towards his visor. There was a loud noise as the clasps on his visor broke off. Big shards of metallic glass popped out, exposing over half of his face.
Darkstrike gasped, suddenly backing up.
At that moment, time slowed.
Soundwave stood up, servo reaching up to his face. The rest of his visor unclipped, and he completely removed it from his helm. He looked uninjured aside from the newly formed scratches on his armor.
Her optics widened in disbelief, the heat in her system dying down.
Darkstrike had never seen anyone tolerate her ability like that. His movements weren't slowed anymore, and he seemed to have total control over his body.
"T-that's— that's impossible!" she exclaimed.
Soundwave locked optics with her.
He appeared livid.
The femme couldn't process what happened next.
Her back slammed onto the wall, and she felt something digging deep into her chassis' armor. Opening her optics, she saw his tendril holding her up at his optic level.
She seized up, all words dying on her tongue.
Soundwave's white pupils bore into her.
His thick brows furrowed, and he scowled, exposing his denta's pointed incisors.
Darkstrike never thought she would see his face again, especially like this.
His constantly moving optics let her know he was thinking— likely was considering his options.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find it within herself to look away. Darkstrike tried to keep calm, doing her best to hide her pulsing spark.
"Just do it," she grit, "Get it over with."
Her voice seemed to snap him out of his thoughts.
Soundwave neared her, "You do not deserve the luxury of a painless defeat."
His unfiltered voice made her jump. Again, she was reminded of how deep it was without the visor.
The femme began to panic. "If y-you leave me unable to fight, the Owner won't be pleased—"
"There are other ways to make you suffer."
Her helm ache began to return.
She gasped.
"If I remove memories of past vorn, you will not survive the next fight." Soundwave threatened, "No one will know the reason."
Darkstrike struggled, "That's not possible… You can't do that!"
"You will find out what is possible."
"Wait, wait!" she exclaimed frantically.
He ignored her, prodding her processor's memories.
In a matter of nano-kliks, the events of the past vorn flashed through her mind. The voices, images, her feelings— it all poured back to her.
Much of it involved fighting, training, winning and losing. Her most significant memories were moments where she'd felt genuine excitement, a lot of them including Soundwave.
Darkstrike clutched her helm, doing her best to focus on blocking him.
It wasn't chronological, but Soundwave managed to sort through it quickly, fast-forwarding orbital cycles of her time in a single klik.
It was as if he was searching.
Then, the mech abruptly stopped on a particular cycle.
Darkstrike saw a memory of her past self looking into a reflection. At first, she couldn't figure out when it was, but then it all became clear when she saw Soundwave's visor.
"My optics! They're—they're red!"
Immediately, Darkstrike remembered the context behind those words; it was when he'd changed her optic color to red moments after being inscribed into the Gladiator systems.
Her life had changed forever the cycle she stumbled into the Pit. Given all the stress she'd experienced, it wasn't a memory she revisited often; the only reason the femme hadn't stuffed it down as far back possible was because it was also the cycle she first met Soundwave.
She forced her optics open.
Looking at Soundwave, she saw his concentrated expression— optics closed and ridges furrowed; he didn't move, almost as if something deterred him.
His hesitation gave her hope that maybe he wasn't so set on punishing her.
Mustering all the courage she could, the femme spoke up, "Soundwave."
His irises snapped open, directly looking at her.
"Don't go through with it," she pleaded.
He watched her intently.
Darkstrike uncurled her fists, laying them flat on the wall, "I—I give up."
Gritting his denta, the mech turned away and exhaled loudly. He ran a servo over his face, tiredly rubbing his optics.
Soundwave abruptly withdrew, but she could still feel his presence linger in her mind.
He stared at her with untrusting optics.
"I'll give you the datapad," she bargained, "I'll do anything you say. You win, don't wipe my memories."
He didn't appear convinced.
"Swear to cease all contact," the mech commanded.
Darkstrike looked away.
When he prodded her mind again, she snapped back, "Alright!"
She took a deep breath, "Alright, I promise to cease contact. I'll stop going to your fights as well."
Her words seem to appease him, his harsh stare easing.
"Retrieve datapad," Soundwave ordered.
Slowly, the flier brought her servo into her subspace, collecting the tablet from earlier.
He vanished from her processor, pulling out completely.
Before she could even offer the datapad, the mech took it from her, turning it on to confirm its information.
After scrolling through it, he placed it in his subspace.
Soundwave regarded her.
He kept his gaze on her but otherwise didn't say anything. Though no longer angry, his expression still appeared stern.
Darkstrike tensed up.
"I did what you asked," She gestured to his tendril, "Can you let me go?"
He narrowed his optics, "Not yet."
The femme raised her optic ridges.
"B-but—"
"It is my turn to ask questions."
She felt nervous suddenly, "Didn't you j-just go through my memories?"
"Would you prefer I search for it myself?"
"No, it's fine! I c-can answer your questions!"
It was likely the mech hadn't been thorough while rummaging her thoughts.
Soundwave loosened his tendril's hold, but he didn't release her.
"2 orns ago: what did Lanyard say?"
Darkstrike glanced away, remembering the conversation.
"He yelled at me for fighting without his permission. He went on for about five kliks, but I only really remember the end of his spiel," she said, "He threatened to sell me off to a brothel if I ever tried anything against him. He slipped out that RocketShield would set an example for any future traitors and that half of the Pit was already on his list."
Soundwave looked away, appearing in deep thought.
"Has Megatronus attempted contact?"
"No, but I figured the two were connected, so I've stayed away from him since," she replied.
"Have there been other interactions with Orion?"
Darkstrike noticed he was interrogating her quickly, getting straight to the point.
She shook her helm, "It was a coincidence that I bumped into him. I haven't talked to anyone else really."
"What rumors have been said about Lanyard?"
"O-oh, um, a lot of mechs speculate that the Owner left for "vacation" because he was scared about what Megatronus' followers would do to him today."
"Anything else?" he dismissed.
"For working with the Owner, it doesn't seem like you care about his well-being at all."
"There is much you do not know," he leered.
Darkstrike glanced away, "Do you have any other questions?"
"One."
The femme braced herself.
He didn't reply immediately, and the anticipation only made her more nervous.
Soundwave looked at her closely.
"What reason did you incite challenge?" he narrowed his optics, "Did anyone send you?"
"No! No one sent me!"
"Elaborate."
"It was just me," Darkstrike frowned, "My temper got the better of me, and I acted without thinking; none of it was planned."
He tilted his helm in disapproval. "As always, still unable to grasp self-restraint."
She blushed.
"Perhaps now you have finally learned lesson," he said.
Becoming impatient, the femme began to struggle against his tendril's hold.
"Are we finished here?" she fumed.
She grew more restless the longer her wings pressed against the wall. Out of frustration, she began shifting back and forth.
Soundwave didn't back away.
"Initiate challenge again, and I will eliminate you without care of Owner."
"Alright," she grit.
Darkstrike wondered why he continued to prolong their discussion.
Before she could struggle more, Soundwave shot out a second tendril.
It was so fast that she almost missed it connect to her shoulder armor.
Her optics widened.
"Submit," Soundwave commanded.
"I thought I did."
"Say it."
"S-say it?" she stuttered.
Darkstrike couldn't help but feel like he was intentionally trying to humble her.
She looked away, feeling both flustered and angry.
He reached out and grabbed her chin, bringing her back.
The femme jolted at the contact.
"Say it," Soundwave repeated. Judging by his unwavering expression, he was entirely serious.
Darkstrike sighed in frustration. Her breathing came out shaky.
He looked at her expectantly, and it made her face grow warm.
The mech stepped closer, his frame only inches away from her. She could see his features clearly, the dark outline of his optics, his broad optic ridges, and the careful plating of his face.
Darkstrike ran her glossa over her mouth. She saw his optics flicker at the movement.
Her spark ignited at the way his gaze changed. It fueled her, once again awakening the heat in her system. She felt a surge of confidence fill her core.
This was it, her last chance to take a stand.
If he erases my memories after this, so be it.
Mustering up courage, she looked him in the optic.
"If you want me to submit," Darkstrike stated, "You're going to have to make me."
For a moment, Soundwave's optics widened in surprise.
Darkstrike relished in catching him off guard.
Immediately, he furrowed his ridges and tightened his hold on her chin. The mech looked at her determinedly.
"You will devour those words," he promised.
A fire ignited in her system, and she felt her body ache in anticipation.
Before she could respond, Soundwave closed the distance between them and overtook her lips in a rough kiss.
Darkstrike released a muffled sound, and when her lips parted, he pushed his way into her mouth. She gasped at the sudden wet feeling.
His tendrils retracted from her frame.
His servos took their place, sliding onto her waist and holding her up. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck for support.
The mech invited her to respond by biting her bottom lip.
Darkstrike leaned forward and kissed him with the same amount of fervor.
Soundwave pressed against her, pushing her against the wall. She remained unfazed, pulling the back of his helm closer.
For a few moments, the femme lost herself in the feeling; nothing else mattered, except the satisfaction of having him all to herself.
When he tried to break away, she tightened her hold.
He released his servos from her waist, causing her to lose support. Unable to find anything else, Darkstrike wrapped her legs around his waist.
She blushed, feeling his sturdy frame directly.
His fingers gripped her wrists and slammed them on the wall. He forced them to part, but before, Darstrike took the opportunity to bite his lip hard. The action caused him to flinch.
Soundwave grunted lowly.
The sound made her flush with heat.
She squirmed against his hold but stopped when they locked gazes. His dark optics were intense, nothing like the hesitation he showed the first time they kissed.
The mech let her servos go, sliding down to grab her thighs. He lowered her at first, causing them to grind their centers.
"Soundwave!" she gasped.
He hiked her back up and buried himself in her neck. His tongue dipped into her sensitive wiring.
Darkstrike began to feel dazed, breathing hard at his ministrations.
"W-what happened to making me leave?" she remarked.
"Do you wish to leave?" he whispered near her audio.
Darkstrike immediately shook her helm.
"Good." His tone was deep, vibrating through her chest.
It was startlingly enticing.
Soundwave suddenly bit down on a neck cable, causing her to yelp. He gently sucked over the area.
Darkstrike slipped out a small moan.
Soundwave jumped back, raising his helm to look at her. She immediately regretted making the sound.
The femme covered her mouth with her servos.
Soundwave stared at her, crimson orbs glowing brighter and pupils dilating. His optics looked like an endless abyss of thoughts— they gazed at her with clear intentions.
It was all becoming very real to Darkstrike that he wasn't stopping this time.
The thought made her body enflame with desire.
She brought a servo up to his face, softly grabbing the side. The femme greedily took his appearance in.
Her optics wandered towards his lips, grazing a finger over them. Darkstrike ran her glossa over her own.
He stared intently.
"What next?" she asked.
He dug his fingers into her thigh armor.
The femme bit her lip to prevent making any loud sounds.
Soundwave trailed a servo up her backside and towards her spine, where her wings began. Her spark caught his attention, and he stopped to touch the surface of her chassis.
Darkstrike leaned her back on the wall to expose more of her frontside. She kept her legs loosely wrapped around him.
Sharp fingers slid slowly over her chamber. She clenched her denta together and gasped when his fingers dipped in. Her spark pulsed even harder.
She squirmed more when his sharp fingers trailed down her torso. The femme bit her lip, trembling in anticipation.
Before Soundwave made full contact, he suddenly stopped.
Darkstrike opened her optics, looking at him questioningly.
She didn't have time to think when she was hoisted off the wall and thrown onto the berth behind them. She gasped, watching him loom over her.
Soundwave grabbed her legs.
Making optic-contact, he spread them slowly and settled between her thighs.
Her arousal hit her tenfold, and a pleasurable sensation pooled below her abdomen.
It felt like his whole frame overtook hers. Darkstrike couldn't help feeling embarrassed at her exposure.
Soundwave leaned down to her faceplates, taking her lips in another kiss.
He was a little more gentle this time but still quick.
Darkstrike attempted to keep up with his rigorous movements, only backing away to readjust herself.
When she opened her mouth, he pushed further. His taste was astringent yet sweet like last time, except without the hint of high grade.
Soundwave unexpectedly bit her lip hard, making her whine. She could feel his chest vibrate with a low groan.
Wanting to pleasure him too, Darkstrike shyly ran her servos over his upper body. He momentarily tensed up but relaxed as she massaged his torso. Her claws were long enough to spread out across his chest. He shuddered when the tips brushed over his protoform.
The femme took this as encouragement and ran them down to his waist. She could feel his chest expanding as he breathed harder.
Soundwave broke from the kiss and buried himself in her neck.
She closed her optics, allowing herself to get lost in the sensation. Darkstrike drew slow circles over his back as he sucked on her neck cables.
The femme could feel Soundwave trail a servo down to her lower region. Her whole body arched up in pleasure when he touched her sensitive area.
"Soundwave…!"
He gently rubbed the area outside her port.
"Ahh!" she gasped. Excitement and nervous anticipation filled her spark.
Before we continue, I have to tell him…
Snapping out of it, she took hold of the sides of his helmet, gently tugging him to look at her. His optics narrowed, appearing irked.
"I've—I've never done this before," she said. Her voice was quiet as she nervously spoke.
"Proceed?"
"Y-yes! But…" the femme trailed off. She felt too embarrassed to ask him to be gentle; the last thing she wanted to do was ruin the moment.
Darkstrike closed her mouth, but when she opened it, his lips moved onto hers.
It was a brief, reassuring kiss.
When Soundwave rose, he looked into her optics.
"I will go slow."
She could feel her face flush blue.
His servo drifted lower, but Darkstrike didn't interject.
The mech descended back onto her neck, and suddenly it was becoming hard to think about anything other than him.
Though she still wasn't sure what this meant for them, she was happy to indulge in it as long as possible.
Early Morning
Waking up, she felt more well-rested than she had in orns.
Darkstrike's optics flickered open slowly. When her vision cleared, she was met with a cracked, grey wall.
Looking up at the lights, the femme squinted.
It took her a bit to remember yesterday's events.
Then, it suddenly clicked, and yesterday's memories flooded in reminding her that it hadn't all been a dream.
Darkstrike tried to move but found discomfort in the joints around her hips. As she shifted around, she realized her whole body felt incredibly sore.
Though her fight with Soundwave had lasted roughly 20 kliks, her whole frame felt the consequence.
And that wasn't including what they did after…
"Darkstrike."
She spun around, sitting up immediately. Though her body radiated with pain, she ignored it.
The femme saw Soundwave sitting on the other side of the berth.
Her optics frantically studied her surroundings.
She noticed his room had been cleaned, all the debris gone, save for the scratches on the wall. Only his broken table remained.
Looking back at Soundwave, she realized he had already replaced his visor and cleaned up his appearance.
She would've doubted yesterday's events if it weren't for the room.
He tilted his helm down at her chest and back to her face. Trailing his gaze, she suddenly noticed her state.
Darkstrike gasped, covering her exposed spark chamber.
Her face grew hot.
"I-I apologize…" she glanced away, "I'll leave immediately."
"That is not necessary," he interjected.
She stopped.
He remained silent for a few nano-kliks.
Darkstrike looked down, spotting her armor on the floor next to her. She didn't move as she waited for Soundwave's next words.
"Put on armor. There are things to discuss."
He must've noticed her urgency to redress.
"Okay…" Darkstrike nodded.
She wondered if they were going to talk about last night; just thinking about it made her feel dizzy. When the femme had fallen asleep last night, she assumed she'd wake up alone, not like this.
Taking a deep breath, Darkstrike swung her legs off the berth. Wincing at her aching frame, she leaned on the wall for support.
In the corner of her optics, she noticed Soundwave watching her.
Surprisingly, his visor pointed at the injuries on her side. Without her armor, the damage was completely visible.
She tried to cover it.
"This is old battle damage. I haven't had time to repair it," Darkstrike lied.
Though it was mostly true, there were also a lot of new wounds from their fight yesterday.
Making no more sounds, the femme bent down to pick up her armor and wasted no time attaching it to herself.
After finishing, Darkstrike nervously addressed him, "Why don't you tell me what we need to talk about? I don't want to waste your time any longer."
Soundwave stood up from the berth. Wordlessly, he walked over to her.
She straightened her posture.
"Pay attention."
Darkstrike bit her lip, mentally preparing herself.
"2 orns ago," he said, "RocketShield approached you with invitation."
She immediately felt relief in realizing what the topic was.
"Yes, he did. It was to be a part of a mission."
"When brought to Owner, RochetShield was revealed to be part of a team to eliminate Lanyard. Megatronus is suspected to be in charge."
"RocketShield directly told me he was leading the mission, though I'm not sure how reliable his word is," she said, "I rejected his offer to join; at the time, I didn't know what kind of mission it was."
"Even if you did not have a part in it, Lanyard is wary. Spies have been watching you."
"I don't think so. I haven't seen anyone."
"Mech is stationed in your hallway. Every morning, he watches you."
"But— How do you know?"
"Owner notified me."
"Then, you're in close contact with him?"
"Lanyard hired my services to spy on Megatronus," he said, "It is necessary to be aware of other spies' location in case of inference."
Darkstrike felt taken aback by his forthcomingness.
"Have you always been a spy for the Owner?"
"For Vorns, I have accepted Lanyard's jobs; assassination, bodyguarding, spying. Arriving as an ignorant miner, all opportunities were taken to gain information."
Soundwave was a lot more resourceful than she imagined.
"What are you going to do when you've gathered enough intel?"
"I will eliminate the Owner."
Darkstrike gasped.
Soundwave stood tall, completely unwavering. Seeing him like this, helm raised and servos clenched— there was no doubt in her mind that he would achieve his goal.
Darkstrike would've never thought this was his objective all along. She wondered how long he'd been planning it out, likely long before she'd come along. Everything started to make sense.
She was unable to find words to respond.
Suddenly, he took a step forward.
She looked at him.
He remained quiet.
Then, he spoke,
"Join me."
…
A part of her didn't process his words.
"W-What?"
"Become accomplice."
Her helm felt like it was spinning.
She backed up and sat on the berth.
"I… thought you would've wanted me gone?"
He appeared undeterred, "Decisions were made based on circumstance; believed you were unreliable."
"I understand I made a lot of mistakes, but then why would you risk that again?"
Soundwave lowered his helm, directly looking at her. Receiving his full attention like this made her spark beat quickly.
"I cannot trust anyone else," he said.
She averted her gaze.
"Is that true? Do you really trust me?"
"All information has been given to you," he replied, "Darkstrike: has proven loyalty."
Loyalty…
Is that what I feel for him?
Or is it be something else?
"Two orns ago, an error in judgment was made," Soundwave continued.
Darkstrike looked up at him with wide optics.
"The role of assistant is yours once again," he said.
"I'm… speechless."
It was all happening so fast for her.
Darkstrike would've never expected these confessions from him, especially how harsh his demeanor had been yesterday.
She wondered what had changed in his thought process.
Regardless, she couldn't deny feeling relief in receiving some validation.
"If I accept, do I risk being suddenly fired like last time?"
He took a klik to respond.
"If conditions are followed, there will not be a need to terminate you from role. However," he continued, "If rules are broken, I will exercise unbiased judgment to determine justification. All decisions will be decided fairly."
She felt satisfied with his response.
"I accept these terms."
"You must follow every order with minimal failure. You cannot disobey, challenge, or disrespect authority. I will share most information, but know it will not be everything."
"I understand."
"Are you certain?" Soundwave leaned closer.
Despite his intimidation, Darkstrike felt completely sure of herself.
"It's all I've been thinking about for two orns. I want to do this," Darkstrike declared, "I want to work alongside you."
She stood tall and offered her servo, "Then, we have a deal?"
Soundwave looked at it for a nano klik.
Slowly, he raised his servo to return the gesture. Without meaning to, she took a step towards him.
Only after, Darkstrike realized how close they were.
She quickly backed away.
Soundwave responded by gripping her servo and pulling her towards him. She gasped when their frames bumped against each other.
He didn't say anything, but he watched her closely.
Darkstrike stared back, unable to stop herself from imagining how his optics looked.
Her thoughts suddenly drifted to yesterday.
It had certainly been fervent; the night had started with a tense atmosphere, and Darkstrike feared the worst would happen.
Instead, the situation had taken a different turn.
Something had definitely shifted in their relationship, and Darkstrike could only wonder how far it would go.