Notes: No notes this time.
There is one unspoken rule among the Predacons:
To show feelings, especially love, is to show weakness.
There's no room among the ranks for sentimentality or emotion. To wear your spark on your sleeve is to be no better than a Maximal, for only those goody-goodies will let others know their innermost thoughts and feelings. Private thoughts should be exactly that - Private.
When everybody is your potential enemy, you don't want others knowing your vulnerabilities. To admit to caring for some one is the same as signing their death warrant. They become a liability, some one who can be used to hurt you. If you yourself can't be harmed, they certainly can. And the other Predacons know that will hurt you far more than any injury they can inflict on you. The Maximals are living proof of this.
No one ever talks about it. It is unspoken, yet known and accepted by every Predacon.
Except Waspinator knows that rule is meant to be broken.
He knows he's at his best when his partner is in danger.
Terrorsaur is vain and stupid, with numerous faults of his own. He is a proud mech, with an ego the size of a planet. He thinks he is a genius and doesn't have any problem crowing this for all the world to hear.
He can't keep himself from running his mouth or criticizing others or goading Maximals when he's already down for the count. Because he is so certain of his own intelligence, he's always saying stupid things or speaking without considering the outcome.
And when he tries to play the big mech and show up Megatron...
He tries not to let his own weakness show, but every one knows. It is easy to see. Terrorsaur can't help getting in trouble, or damaged, or coming up with moronic schemes, because his ego is always his downfall.
And who is there to keep him online? Waspinator. Always Waspinator.
The silly bug wears his heart on his sleeve, as easy to see as Terrorsaur's faults. Every one knows that where there is one, there is the other; that when Terrorsaur gets himself in trouble, Waspinator will be the one to pacify Megatron, take hits from the Maximals, drag the pteranodon's sorry red aft back to the base for a dip in the CR.
And Waspinator doesn't do it for the reason most Predacons would; he doesn't do it for blackmail or so that Terrorsaur will owe him or so that he'll look better by comparison.
He does it simply because he feels something for the other mech, something that compels him to try harder, for how can he keep Terrorsaur safe if he messes up or gets damaged or is too scared to act?
He knows it is a lie that love is a weakness. He knows that there is no reason to follow that unspoken rule. He knows that his feelings make him strong.
Because Waspinator's love for Terrorsaur keeps him alive.