Gladiator

by the-spoon-of-doom

Megatron Origins AU- Due to unfortunate circumstances a very young Starscream finds himself in the clutches of a fearsome Gladiator; who turns out not to be so fearsome after all. Eventual Slash.

5. Chapter 5

X

"Megatron!" Starscream burst out excitedly from the floor where he was engrossed in his new data-pads. Megatron inclined his helm in his direction, humming to show he was listening. "It says here that in just a few million vorns we could start finding planets with intelligent organic life."

Megatron snorted and shook his helm, how ridiculous. "Really?" he murmured good-naturedly.

Starscream nodded, tiny thrusters kicking in the air as he read on, "It says that studies have shown if an organic ecosystem is strong enough to support such a life form, cell based life will eventually evolve-"

"Starscream," Megatron cut across him, "I thought you were reading about Astronomy."

Starscream nodded, "I am, but this is more interesting. It says we may even find organics advanced enough to even have their own languages."

Megatron hummed again, "I doubt that. There is no evidence for such an occurrence. How can anyone claim organics will ever be advanced enough to be communicated with on any level. No one has ever proven such a theory."

"Not yet." Starscream said, still enthusiastic despite Megatron's pessimism, "But someone will... I will."

Megatron looked up, "You will?"

Starscream nodded, "If I were a scientist I'd prove and disprove all these theories. I'm smart enough."

Megatron nodded in agreement, "Yes," he said quietly. But without the proper education and enough credits the little seeker would never get the chance to explore the universe as a scientist. There were no decent academies in Kaon and no one from anywhere else would take him

He checked his internal chronometer. It was late. He had to leave, soon.

Standing up from his seat he stepped over where Starscream was lying on his cockpit on the floor, still reading, to reach the large metal crate in the corner of the room. He lifted the heavy lid -thankfully too heavy for Starscream to ever lift- and rifled through until he found his swords and the once disregarded blue medallion.

He frowned at it before placing the chain around his neck.

"What's that?" a little voice asked from behind. Megatron raised an optical ridge and turned to face Starscream.

"The symbol of this arena," he said, bending down to scoop some of Starscream's data-pads up before walking forward to press the door panel, which, since it was still broken, didn't open at first. Megatron punched it, hard, and the door swished across to the reveal the darkened corridor.

"Come," he murmured.

Starscream's mouth fell open, "Are you going to fight?" he asked in wonder, "Are you taking me with you!?"

Megatron scowled at the youngling's excitement, "No," and used his foot to nudge Starscream out into the corridor, "I'm going out, and you are staying here."

Starscream pulled a face, "Going where?"

"Never you mind," Megatron growled, "but since the door doesn't seem to be working-"

"Because you broke it," Starscream muttered.

Megatron pretended not to have heard, "You will be staying with Steelstrut."

Starscream's optics widened in something akin to horror "What?!" he whined, "but he's an idiot."

"He doesn't have to be intelligent," Megatron rumbled, striding down the hallway, "He just needs to keep you restrained."

"When you will be back?" Starscream asked, checking his internal chronometer. It was already late, later than it usually was when Megatron left to go somewhere, "Are you going to be gone all recharge cycle?"

Megatron frowned, "Possibly."

Starscream's face fell, he looked quite worried. Megatron slowed his pace to look at him, "What's the matter now? You have plenty of data-pads to occupy yourself with. You don't even have to speak to Steelstrut if you don't want to."

Starscream still looked miserable, but shook his helm. He started to wonder to himself how he was going got get any recharge if Megatron wasn't there. What if he had another dream? What if his sire was in it? He swallowed. No, he was nearly a mech now; he didn't need to have Megatron or anyone around. He could look after himself.

"Fine," he hissed, resentfully scowling ahead of him as he was led to Steelstrut's boring, empty quarters.

Megatron's pace slowed even more until he was walking behind the seeker, almost sheepherding him along. "I will be back." he said firmly, reassuring the seeker.

Starscream didn't seem to care, "...Whatever." he muttered.

Megatron decided to put it down to sparklings -or younglings- strange mood swings. Despite once being one himself, he'd never understood younger mechs. Frag, he didn't even understand Steelstrut half the time.

Once they'd reached said Gladiator's quarters Megatron carelessly kicked the bottom of the door, and waited. After a few seconds and a loud crash from inside, the door whooshed open to reveal a flustered looking Steelstrut.

"Oh," he gasped out of breath, "It's you," then he spotted the smaller seeker dwarfed by Megatron's larger frame, "Oh hey little buddy! What's up?"

Starscream's expression was beyond murderous. Megatron huffed in sympathy, glad he wasn't spending the recharge cycle with him. He wordlessly shoved Starscream's data-pads into the younger gladiator's arms. "I'm not sure when I'll be back," he growled, "but I will be expecting to see a fully functional seeker in the morning when I come to collect him."

Steelstrut nodded, "Oh yeah, sure Megs- I mean, Megatron, sir." he gulped at the older mech's narrowed optics, "I'll keep him safe. I used to look after my little brothers-"

Megatron held up a servo to silence him, not caring in the least about Steelstrut's babysitting experience. Starscream stomped forwards into Steelstrut's quarters without a word to him, arms crossed and expression moody.

Megatron exhaled heavily, "I will see tomorrow." he called after the youngling.

Starscream didn't reply or turn around, and Megatron rolled his optics and gave it up as a lost cause. He gave Steelstrut one last warming glare, "Don't let him out.' he warned. The other gladiator nodded again, smiling slightly.

"Anytime Megatron, sir! I'm always free to help-"

But Megatron was already walking away.

X

Megatron hissed in pain, and then pushed through it. He was almost home –or the arena at least. He wouldn't go so far as to call it his home... but it was the only place he had, and it was where Starscream was.

He supposed he should have felt some sort of elation. He and won after all, easily, and earned both his pay from Clench and a portion of the winnings for the match. Of course he would have more, had Clench not taken his customary seventy percent. That extra seventy percent could have brought Starscream a larger berth so he'd stop harassing him...

It mattered not. Things could only go up from here.

Perhaps once his thigh had been welded and he'd refuelled he would feel a better sense of victory.

He limped awkwardly to the hidden door, one of many entrances and escape routes in and out of the arena. He jammed in his access code and stumbled down a few steps before leaning against the wall for a moment, collecting himself before starting again.

He'd go straight to Axel, it was too early to go and collect Starscream anyway. The youngling would probably still be in recharge now anyway.

X

Starscream tied to stifle his increasingly loud intakes. He'd wake Steelstrut if he carried on like this. He buried his face into the berth, clenching his optics shut. He didn't want it be here.

He wasn't sure what he wanted, whether it was his sire or Megatron or just to go home, but he just didn't like it here. It was too warm in Steelstrut's room, too dark and didn't smell right. And it was too quiet. Had he not been looking right at the recharging gladiator he wouldn't have known he was there at all. It was not like when he was with Megatron, his loud intakes constantly filled the room with the rushing of air. Now all he could hear were creaks... and echoes...

He buried his face in his arms. He wasn't scared, it was just annoying.

He hadn't been able to recharge at all yet, wondering where Megatron had gone, when he'd come back, if he came back. And he hadn't even said goodbye, he realised with growing horror. Why hadn't he said goodbye?!

Lubricant gathered in his optics at the thought of never seeing the gladiator again, and him thinking that Starscream hadn't cared enough to even say goodbye to him, when they might never see each other ever again...

He felt guilty, after all Megatron had done with him today -excluding the part where he'd eaten his rust sticks- getting electrocuted and not taking it out on him even when he laughed - like his sire used to do- taking him to the library, listening to him when he told him about his data-pads. His sire had never wanted to listen, never cared.

He'd never liked it when he mentioned science either, always said he was too stupid, said he'd never get a job at anything.

He pushed up out of the berth, furiously wiping the lubricant that had gathered away from his optics and rushed over to Steelstrut's berth. He shook him awake.

Steelstrut didn't quite have the reflexes Megatron did though, "Who's dere!" he mumbled, flapping his arms about as he rolled into a sitting position.

"Steelstrut!" Starscream shouted at him, tugging in his leg, "It's me! Wake up!"

The young gladiator onlined his optics and looked around the room before looking down where his gaze settled on Starscream's large bright optics, he jumped slightly before remembering who was sharing his quarters tonight.

"Oh, hey," he said pleasantly, too pleasantly for this early in the morning, "What's up, ya had a nightmare?" he asked casually.

Starscream inhaled deeply, forcing back his indignity. What was it about these gladiators that made them all think he suffered from nightmares, or other such sparkling-like things?! And why did they think that any disturbance in the middle of the might was a nightmare? Why didn't they ever act like it was something important?

"I want to go back to my quarters."

Steelstrut looked confused, "Ya mean Meg's quarters?" he asked eventually.

Starscream scowled, he'd been living there a cycles! It was his room too. He decided not to correct Steelstrut though, wanting to remain on his good side. He nodded his helm.

Steelstrut bit his lip component, "I don't think he's back yet-"

"Can we look for him?" Starscream persisted, tugging as hard as he could on his leg, "Now."

Steelstrut watched him for a moment before sighing and sitting up, but not getting off the berth, "What's the matter?" he asked again, catching Starscream's servo when he tried to pull him again, "Ya can tell me, I won't tell anyone. I won't even tell Megatron."

Starscream sneered at him, "Nothing," he insisted, "I just don't- I want to be- I want Megatron!"

Steelstrut's expression shifted to understanding, and Starscream nearly slapped him. He didn't mean it like that.

Steelstrut smiled at him, "I'm sure he's fine, ya can see 'im in the morning."

"It is morning," Starscream growled, before abandoning his efforts at pulling Steelstrut out of the berth and heading towards the door, "I'll go look for him myself then."

There was a loud clang and a lot of shuffling noises and Steelstrut was looming over him in seconds, "Megatron said not to-"

"I don't care!" Starscream snapped, already slapping the door panel to exit the room, "I can't recharge here anyway."

Steelstrut followed him out into the corridor, "Starscream, I really think ya should go back to recharge." he tried to reach out and place a reassuring servo on the seekers wing only to be shrugged off, "You'll get us both in trouble."

Starscream didn't care and wasn't listening. He rushed down the hallway as fast as his short legs could move, heading towards his and Megatron's quarters, secretly suspecting that the gladiator hadn't gone anywhere at all, and just wanted to get rid of him. Well he couldn't! Starscream didn't even like Steelstrut and he liked his smaller quarters even less.

He had to jump to enter the access code -that he wasn't supposed to know- to his and Megatron's quarters; Steelstrut arrived just as the doors swished open.

It was empty.

And Starscream felt a rush of misery. But he couldn't recharge without Megatron...

"Maybe- maybe he's in the Med-bay," Steelstrut's awkward voice announced behind him.

Starscream looked up at the younger gladiator, "Why... Why would he be there?" he asked quietly.

Steelstrut's expression morphed into one of unconvincing reassurance, "I er- ha! No- no reason. No, he just- no. I-" he looked down the seeker's scowling face, "We should go back to recharge now." he finished quickly.

But Starscream took off in a direction that most definitely was not his quarters.

"Er Starscream?" He called out following the seeker, "You're going the wrong way!" Starscream carried on walking, more rushing now, down the corridor towards the med bay.

"Starscream. Starscream!" Steelstrut shouted behind him, "You're gonna get me trouble!"

Starscream didn't care, nor did he care whether Axel would be there or not. All he wanted was to see Megatron, and if he was in the med bay, he wanted to know why. He wanted to know what he'd been doing whilst he'd been out.

He flew through the doors before they'd even fully opened, and gasped as he made it halfway into the room.

Axel's dark red optics burned into him, and he felt the unconsciousness need to cover his more intimate parts with his servos, and protect them from the creepy mech's gaze. The large silvery gray mech he was tending to turned halfway to consider his visitor, and his optics widened at the sight of him.

That was enough a sign as any for him to tell that Megatron was not happy to see him.

Before much more than a menacing growl could escape the gladiator's vocaliser, Steelstrut came skidding into the Med Bay. He took one look at Megatron before trying to scoop Starscream up and run for it.

Megatron rolled his optics as Starscream kicked the gladiator in the pede to avoid capture.

"Steelstrut," he growled, "Leave. I will speak with you later."

Steelstrut gulped but nodded. Megatron's tone did not bode well for him. He bent to take Starscream by the servo only for Megatron to shake his helm, "Leave him." Starscream turned back to him and smiled slightly. Megatron didn't return it.

Axel stood up, opening his mouth as if he was about to say something, no doubt inappropriate and perverted. "Out," Megatron snapped before he could. Axel scowled, lifting a finger, about to protest when Megatron picked up the welding torch that had just been on his thigh and made a threatening gesture at the medic with it. Axel was quick to retreat then.

And Starscream was left alone with him.

Megatron, still frowning in anger, annoyance, disappointment, waved him forwards. Starscream took small awkward steps closer, moving around the gladiator to stand in front of him so Megatron didn't have to keep craning his neck to see him. His more innocent optics brightened and widened as his gaze was instantly stolen by the long, deep gorge half welded, running up the length of Megatron's thigh, from knee joint to just inches from his groin. It was still oozing thick, dark energon, dripping down his leg and onto the floor.

He recalled the dents he received on his first attempt at flying, how hurt he thought he'd been- that was nothing compared to this. And yet Megatron was sitting there as casually as he always did.

The wound dripped, and he stared.

"Starscream," Megatron growled to regain his attention, Starscream looked up quickly.

"What happened?" he burst out before he could stop himself, still somewhat focused on the drip, drip, dripping of Megatron's energon.

"Silence," Megatron ordered, glaring down at him, "What are you doing running about the arena at this time?" he sounded angry, and possibly a little worried.

"I was looking for you." Starscream said confidently, and then felt the need to add, "I wanted to make sure you weren't trying to leave me."

Megatron's gaze did not soften, "I told you before I left that I was coming back. I told you when I'd be back and I told you I would come to collect you when I returned."

Starscream scowled at the condescending tone, "You didn't tell me where you were going!"

"Because it is none of your business!" Megatron barked.

Starscream jumped at his sudden yell. He'd run off unattended around the arena lots of times before. Megatron had been a little annoyed with him those times, but not this angry. "I- I-"

"I do not want to hear your excuses." Megatron growled, shifting lightly on the berth and wincing, "I want to be obeyed when I give you an order."

Starscream didn't follow orders, "But I-"

"Be quiet!" Megatron cut across him again, "I have already said I do not want to hear your excuses."

Starscream shut his mouth, shouting in his own mind at Megatron about how it wasn't fair, and how he should at least get the chance to explain himself; explain that he couldn't recharge and Steelstrut's room smelt... different.

"Now," Megatron continued, "You are going to sit there," he pointed at the berth against the far wall, "and wait until I have these repairs finished." Starscream glared at the floor, "Starscream?" He looked up defiantly, and deflated slightly at the look Megatron gave him. He nodded, only slightly. "I will deal with you properly afterwards."

He continued to glower at him expectantly until Starscream moved off towards the berth, plonking himself down and glaring at the wall resentfully, barely fighting back tears of utter fury at his situation. It wasn't his fault! How dare Megatron criminalise him like this? He wasn't doing anything wrong!

Megatron summoned Axel back in, and the medic made sure to give him a dirty leer as he slivered back over the Megatron, continuing his welding work.

Starscream couldn't help but watch from afar at how expertly the creepy medic managed to seal of the energon flow and patch Megatron back together flawlessly. He might have respected the medic to a degree purely for his medical talents, had he not been so... devious. Megatron pushed the red mech away almost immediately, the welding still slightly red, and definitely still hot.

"Starscream," he growled, shoving Axel well out of the way as he gestured for Starscream to come towards him. He grasped the small seeker firmly by the shoulder vent and steered him out of the room.

After a while Starscream saw the perfect opportunity to defend his innocence again, "I still don't think-"

"Silence." was all Megatron said, servo gripping him that much tighter.

The rest of the walk -admittedly slower than usual probably due to Megatron's leg, which must have still really hurt- was done in silence. Megatron entered the code into the access panel outside their quarters and pushed him in before him. Starscream wordlessly stood in the middle of the room and waited.

At first Megatron ignored him, throwing down his weapons and ripping off the pedant hanging from his neck with an air of resentment. He threw it down too. Now that the gash on the gladiator's leg wasn't distracting him, Starscream could see the energon splattered across the larger mechs frame, there seemed to be more and more every time he looked.

Megatron turned around, red optics narrowed at him, and Starscream averted his gaze. He stared at the floor and listened as Megatron snatched a cleaning rag from his desk and began to clean away the purple splotches. Starscream glanced up see most of it had dried and wasn't coming away. He jumped when Megatron made a frustrated noise and threw down the rag.

"Why can't you do as you're told?" Megatron's voice growled at him.

Starscream stuck his chin out in defiance, "I was looking for you!"

"You knew I wasn't here."

"But you were!"

"Starscream!" Megatron rumbled, "You need to stop doing this."

Starscream pulled a face, "Doing what?!"

"Running off!" Megatron barked, "I had you stay with Steelstrut because I wanted you to stay out of trouble"

Starscream felt indignity rise up in him again. He hadn't gotten into trouble; he hadn't been doing anything wrong! Why was he so angry? It was starting to give him a processor ache -or that could have been the lack of recharge. "I don't like Steelstrut," he muttered dejectedly.

Megatron clearly didn't care who he liked, "I can't trust you to behave on your own, and now it seems I can't trust you supervised either."

"Well I don't trust you!" Starscream fought back, "You never tell me where you're going!"

Megatron's optic twitched, "that is because you are a sparkling and I am a mech and these are my quarters."

"I'm not a sparkling!"

"Then stop acting like one!"

Starscream stopped and just glared, trying to communication all his hate and resentment for Megatron through just a look. Megatron glared back solidly.

And to think Starscream had been bothered to feel guilty for being rude to him earlier, had bothered to miss him. "Fragger," he muttered under his breath.

Unfortunately Megatron heard him and his servo was grabbed, and squeezed. He jumped and tried to pull away. "You speak to me like at again and I'll have your mouth washed out with solvent."

Starscream pressed his lips together, still scowling and refused to look up at him.

"Do I swear at you?" Megatron snapped.

Starscream pulled another face, "You swear!" he answered back.

"Do I swear at you," the Gladiator repeated himself.

Starscream fought for a memory, anything he could use to counter Megatron and fight back, "You call me other things! Like sparkling and minibot."

Megatron dearly wanted to answer that that was because he was a sparkling, but felt that this argument was quickly deteriorating. "I'm not arguing with you anymore." he said firmly, "but you have to learn you can't wander around this place. It isn't your home, it isn't even mine. The only place you are truly safe here is in these quarters. There are other gladiators-"

"I'm not scared of them."

"You should be," Megatron growled darkly. Then with no warning whatsoever, he reached out and picked Starscream up, lifting him to face level and glaring at him from arms length. Starscream kicked out in a panic. "How can you fight back?" Megatron asked him, "How can you defend yourself if one of them just decided to pick you up and carry you off?"

Starscream wriggled more frantically in his servos, but Megatron needed to make no effort in keeping hold of him.

"Put me down!" he gasped, "stop it!"

Megatron lowered him back to the floor, grip easing from where he held him under the arms but didn't let go. He kept Starscream close and stared intently into his optics, hoping the message would be clear. "You're too small and too young to be around most of these mechs. It could even be an accident." he said, tone softening slightly, "Think of all the times I've nearly stepped on you."

Starscream wrapped his smaller servos around one of Megatron's larger digits, and bowed his helm.

"I don't intend to make you miserable; I just don't want to have to deal with you getting hurt." Megatron finished finally, and somewhat awkwardly, looking like he wanted to pull his fingers back out of Starscream's grasp.

And Starscream started feeling guilty again. "I didn't do it on purpose," he mumbled, "I was only - I just wanted to..." he trailed off. Now that his anger had been defused all he could feel was his exhaustion. He tried to stifle a yawn.

"Perhaps you should go to your berth," Megatron said, and his servos span the seeker around and nudged him towards his berth. He shook his helm.

"No," he whined, "it's morning now anyway."

Megatron decided to let him do what he wanted, for now. With any luck the little seeker would just fall asleep somewhere anyway, and he'd put him back in his berth then. Now though, the seeker was curiously poking at the specks of dried energon covering his frame.

He brushed him off, "I'll need to go to the wash racks," he said dismissively, "this'll need solvent to come off."

Starscream's optics widened in amazement, "You have wash racks? A big one?"

Megatron nodded, somewhat amused by the strange little things the seeker could get excited about, "Shared ones, but I doubt anyone else would be using them at this hour. Come on."

Starscream blinked and looked down at himself. He wasn't dirty was he?

"I can't trust you to stay here on your own, you're coming." Megatron said, smirking slightly at Starscream's excited bounce to the door and was bemused at how quickly his mood could change.

The wash racks weren't too far from Megatron's quarters, but in a part of the underground halls that Starscream had never wandered into before. Megatron pressed the access panel and checked the wash racks for any of gladiators before allowing the seeker to hop in excitedly. He stepped in after the seeker, and fought the smirk at his face as he watched Starscream jump up and down, trying to reach the button to activate the solvent, his tiny blue digits not getting anywhere near them.

Megatron sighed and stepped forward, unsubspacing credits -because Clench made them pay for everything- and slotting them into the panel before slapping the button. Solvent came spraying out and Starscream made an indignant noise.

"I wanted to press it!" he whined, pouting and folding his arms over his chest plates, "you ruin everything..." he muttered.

Megatron scowled and wordlessly slapped the button off again. Starscream perked up and reassumed his bouncing, not getting anywhere. Megatron was quickly running out of patience, so he bent down scooped the seeker up, who -unusually- didn't make so much of a squeak as he did so, and held him up in front of the panel. Starscream awkwardly leant forward and batted the button back on again.

He grinned as if it was an accomplishment and held out his servos, letting the solvent fall onto them and slip through his seams. He'd never experienced anything like this before. All he ever had with his sire was a rag, and concentrated bottled solvent that he had to ration carefully.

He flexed his wings, tilting his face up, even as Megatron lowered him back down to the floor. He stepped in front of him, taking up most of the spray.

Starscream scowled, why did Megatron have to be so big, why couldn't they share?

He wriggled his way through the gladiator's legs back into the spray again, and was nearly knocked over as Megatron shifted his footing.

"Starscream!" the larger mech snapped at him, bending down to nudge him away and out of the solvent, "You're in the way!"

Starscream pouted again. What was the point of coming down here if he didn't get to have a go?

Megatron glanced over his shoulder at the sulking youngling and sighed in relent. He as getting soft, frag it. He caught Starscream's gaze and inclined his helm in a silent gesture for him to come back over.

Starscream's expression brightened and he bounded over, leaping between Megatron's pedes into the solvent spray. Before he could properly enjoy it, two huge servos wrapped around his side and hosted him up until he found himself being held against Megatron's chassis.

He scowled at the gladiator, opening his mouth to tell the old fool that he wasn't a sparkling and he shouldn't be picked up like this because of it. It was embarrassing.

"I'd rather not step on you," Megatron said over the rush of solvent, poking Starscream in the cockpit gently before turning his attention back to cleaning the dried energon off his frame.

Starscream decided to drop it in favour of enjoying the spray of fluid, trickling down his wings pleasantly, that, coupled with Megatron's warm -comforting- chassis and his own exhaustion was very soothing. He couldn't help but lean his helm against the gladiator's chest just to rest his optics for a moment.

Megatron rubbed solvent over Starscream's wings carefully as the youngling snoozed on him, his little frame hopelessly limp in his arms. He shook his helm. He had told the seeker he should have gone to his berth. The solvent slowed to a trickle and he stepped out, Starscream mumbled in his recharge at the vibrations of movement.

Though he never failed to not notice how small and defenceless the seeker was, sometimes Megatron forgot how emotionally vulnerable someone that age was as well. Starscream had a bad attitude, and a sporadic one at that, but he had his suspicious that the seeker was still a sparkling; it was only his lack of knowledge about Seeker's that was keeping him in the dark now. He knew seeker's were sparked small, but Starscream was still ridiculously tiny.

He absently stroked the smooth flat metal of his wings as he walked back to his quarters, still musing about his new little seeker, where he'd come from, who he was, why he was here... because really, he knew nothing about Starscream, and had no idea how to go about asking him.

Starscream shuffled and turned his face into Megatron's chest, exhaling deeply; tiny servos clenching and unclenching in his recharge. Something melted in Megatron's spark chamber, and he scowled to himself, mentally shouting at himself to get a fragging grip.

Stupid Starscream...

He entered the code into his quarters, kicking the panel when it failed to open -fragging thing, now he'd really need Starscream to help him fix it- and strode in. He hesitated before laying Starscream on his small berth, looking between it and his larger one.

It wasn't like he was using it after all. Sighing again and shaking his helm at his own weakness- but then again he never let Starscream get his way when the seeker was awake. It was only now, when his small frame was curled against him, tiny servos clutching and wings twitching, that he couldn't resist his sweet little face-

He mentally slapped himself and began to lower Starscream onto his own berth, laying him gently on his front.

He then proceeded to watch him recharge for far longer than he had any right to. He slapped himself on the helm and threw himself down into the chair by his desk. To distract himself from turning around and becoming entranced by the youngling again he picked up one of the data pads on his desk. It was one of Starscream's.

He flicked through it for about two breems before deciding it was boring and he couldn't understand a word of it.

And so naturally his optics wandered to his berth again.

Primus, he was beyond help now...

X

Evening rolled around again, and Starscream was up, fuelled and bouncing off the walls. And In such an enclosed space, it was ten times more annoying; Megatron was going to lose his temper any click now.

"And! And!" Starscream bounced in front of him, holding up his most recently finished data-pad, trying to show Megatron a picture of some galaxy, "it's a barred spiral galaxy!" he said excitedly, poking at the picture. "See!"

Megatron blinked, and had honestly no idea what the seeker was talking about. All he really cared about was Cybertron, and what it was doing, and if it ever effected him. Every other planet, solar system, and galaxy; he couldn't give a slag about.

"And! And!" Starscream continued bringing up another picture, "This one's a Lenticular galaxy!"

Megatron leant forward and scrutinised the picture, "What am I looking at?" he asked, seeing nothing more than a large white blur in the middle of a lot of black.

Starscream looked between the picture and Megatron before pointing to the blur, "That," he said, "it's the galaxy."

Megatron snorted, didn't look like a galaxy to him. Starscream opened his mouth again and looked ready to show him another picture. He held up his servo quickly, "That's very nice Starscream, but we have to leave soon."

Starscream lowered his data-pad and pulled a face, "You're going to leave me with Steelstrut, aren't you?" he hissed resentfully.

Megatron nodded and scooped the blue pendant off his desk, looping it around his neck. He stood up and pointed to the door, "Move it."

Starscream muttered something under his breath and picked up some more data-pads before stomping ahead of him.

Steelstrut shrank away from Megatron fearfully when they arrived at his door. "This time," Megatron growled, poking Steelstrut in the chest with the end of his sword as Starscream stomped into the room moodily, "If you let him wander off and do what he wants, I will offline you."

Steelstrut gulped fearfully and nodded his helm, unfortunately Starscream from inside the room felt the need to stick his opinion in, "No he won't!" he called back, "he's just trying to scare you."

Steelstrut looked between the seeker and Megatron, "I won't let him," he said quickly, "I swear. Honest, I'll tie 'im to a chair if ya want?"

Megatron nodded, "Then see that you do." Starscream was sorely tempted to throw a data-pad at the gladiator's back as he turned to leave. "I will be back by morning." he called over his shoulder to him, and then the door slid shut behind him.

Steelstrut turned and clapped his servos together, smiling in that insanely over enthusiastic way only he could manage.

Starscream continued to stare at the door Megatron had left through, a plan already forming in his processor, before finally turning to Steelstrut. "I'm hungry."

Steelstrut blinked, and then smiled again, "Really?" he asked, "thought ya woulda been fuelled."

Starscream scowled, "I'm not his pet," he hissed.

Steelstrut held up his servo, "Alright, alright I know." he walked to the door, just as Starscream had planned, "I'll get ya a cube okay. Stay 'ere, I'll be right back."

He pressed the door panel and Starscream got up, stood near the door as he stepped out. Steelstrut tossed him a wave before starting down the corridor, and Starscream dived out just before the doors closed.

He started to sprint up the corridor towards the main exit he and Megatron had used the other cycle. He'd need to be quick to catch up. He reached the top of the stairs just as they were closing and managed to slip out just before they locked shut, nicking his wing as he did so.

He winced but it was just a dent to the tip, a delicate place yes, but not a noticeable injury.

He glanced about the dark, but surprisingly busy street. Megatron stood taller than most and Starscream could just see the back of his helm as he moved through the crowd. It was too dark for his bright colours or wings to be too noticeable, thankfully, and he was able to stalk Megatron without any hindrances; though it was a struggle to keep up with the larger mech's strides.

After what seemed like an impossibly long walk, Megatron disappeared into the side of a large curved building through a small black door. Starscream's optics narrowed. He had to find a way in there, find out what Megatron was doing that was so important that he had to be left with Steelstrut all night.

Another large mech was approaching the door, tall, a dark purple and black in colour. Starscream rushed up behind him, hiding behind his leg, and the mech grunted something in Kaonian to the door, which then opened automatically.

Luckily Starscream was too small to be seen as he ran in behind the huge mech.

The layout was not unlike that of Megatron's own arena, mostly underground, long hallways with doors either side... just larger.

So was this another arena?

Was Megatron moving away?!

He scowled to himself, no Megatron wouldn't do that, he wouldn't leave him... would he?

Determination and worry written all over his faceplates he set off in search of his Gladiator, intending to give him a piece of his processor, being careful to hide in the shadows whenever he heard someone approaching.

And Megatron thought he couldn't take care of himself.

X

Megatron rolled his shoulders back to loosen them up as he took in his opponent to be. A native Kaonian by the looks of it; uneducated as well if his loud, bellowing accent was anything to go by, and aggressive, that much was obvious. He was staring at Megatron from across the room, yellow optics trying to intimidate him.

Megatron blinked slowly, never one to participate in staring contests, they were beneath him.

He closed his optics and tried to imagine how the fight would play out, how he could offline the other mech, quickly and hopefully painlessly. No matter if it was a 'game', or that his opponent probably wouldn't have granted him the same favour, he wasn't going to let the other mech suffer.

He tired to imagine this mech doing something terrible, like getting hold of Starscream. It was easier to focus on taking them out and destroying their spark if he didn't have to think of them as innocent. They never were of course, and this mech looked as if he'd been a in a few of these 'fights to the death' matches before. His opponent was already a murderer, but as of yesterday so was he as well -so this mech had to be worse for him to justify offlining him.

Once having suitably angered himself enough to be safe in the knowledge that he could offline the other mech in cold energon he walked around to his gate, standing and waiting for his opponent to do the same.

Through the bars he could see the crowd, shifting and humming in excitement before the match was about to start. The stadium was at least five times bigger than the one he had been used to, but crowds never made him nervous before, so it was fine.

There was a loud cranking noise and the gates began to lift, Megatron could see his opponent, pacing back and forth as he waited for the opportunity the rush into the middle of the stadium and begin tearing into his opponent. The crowd noise rose in volume and pitch as they grew excited at the first glances of their entertainers.

The gates clicked into place above them, Megatron stepped put, controlled, calm and lifted a servo up to the crowd, whilst his opponent rushed out into the centre of the pit, jumping up and down and roaring in unrestrained bloodlust.

Megatron allowed himself to smirk slightly; he might actually enjoy killing this fool.

Deep thundering bass rang out from unseen speakers to signal the beginning of the match and as Megatron had expected his purple opponent lunged straight at him.

He side stepped easily, allowing the other mech to fling his weapon through thin air as he jabbed him the in hip joint from behind. Not an effective hit, but it entertained the crowds.

His opponents enraged snarl was drowned out as the crowd roared in excitement.

He continued to dance around the other gladiator, dodging effortlessly, allowing his opponent to wear himself down. Once effectively slowed down Megatron went in for the attack, rushing forward to put as much force into a kick as he possibly could. The purple mech bowed over. The force of the blow must have ruptured something internally as a spray of thick energon spurted from his mouth.

He sneered at Megatron and spat the remainder of energon to the floor before straightening up again, poised for an attack. Megatron shifted his grip on his sword, more than ready to finish this quickly. It would have gone perfectly, had he not caught a glimpse of familiar colour out of the corner of his optics.

Distracted, he turned his helm, not sure what he was expecting to see, but it wasn't Starscream, clearly in shook, stood with his mouth hanging open at the entrance to the pit.

Megatron froze, Optics widening in pure horror. It wasn't possible. It had to be a bad dream.

Only movement to the left distracted him and he turned just in time for an energon sword to slash across his helm and cheek. He roared in pain, the shock and force of the blow knocking him down. His weapon slipped from his grip and skidded some way away.

The crowd was cheering, ringing in his audials, but Megatron still heard a high pitched shriek from somewhere next to him.

He looked up to see the gladiator's pede about to stamp down on his helm and rolled out of the way just before impact. He pushed to his pedes, wiping the thick stream of energon from his cheek and moving into a defensive stance.

He glanced left again to check Starscream, and the seeker was still stood there, terrified. Megatron hissed under his breath, frag, how could things possibly be any worse? And how the frag had the sparkling gotten into the pit?!

The other gladiator swung at him again and he ducked, but another sword came from the left and caught his side, cutting deep.

Megatron snarled, knees buckling, he stumbled to the side, disorientation starting to settle in from both the blow to his processor and the loss of energon.

A shadow moved over him as his opponent moved in again.

"NO!" there was another shriek, and it took Megatron a moment it realise it was Starscream again, closer this time. He turned and to his utter horror saw the seeker running towards him. His opponent saw too, and with a sneer drew his pede back, aiming to kick the tiny seeker.

And the mech was big enough for the simple kick to kill the sparkling.

With renewed energy Megatron threw himself forward, into the path of the other mech's flying pede and allowed the blow to land in his abdomen, winding him but saving Starscream.

He heard the seeker scream something again and out of the corner of his optic saw a coloured blur move off to the side. The other gladiator wasn't paying attention to him anymore; thank Primus, and Megatron rolled again before a sword could be buried in his chest.

His opponent barked out a laugh, stomping towards him again but then suddenly stumbled, expression twisting into one of pain, he roared and then looked down, ripping something from his pede. Megatron looked just in time to see Starscream run shrieking through the other gladiator's pedes, after apparently having stabbed the huge mech in the pede with Megatron's energon sword.

Infuriated, the other mech threw down the weapon, which came just close enough to Megatron, and stamped after the still screaming sparkling. Before he could take much more than three steps however Megatron forced himself back up again, and although he wasn't one for stabbing his opponents in the back, it was Starscream at stake.

He jabbed his sword in, making sure to twist in painfully into his spark before ripping it free. He mech froze, his weapons dropping.

He heard Starscream shriek again just before the now offlined opponent fell to a heap on the ground between them. And then Megatron, swaying on the spot, caught sight of Starscream hunched against the side of the pit, staring at him in terror.

The crowd was roaring, things were being shouted, but Megatron paid them no attention, rushing to the seeker. Starscream, splattered with the other mech's energon, tried to get away, but he scooped him up with one arm. He pushed past mech's shouting and pushing things at him as he strode out of the pit -grip still tight on a struggling seeker- and into the med bay.

Several other mechs were in there, and backed away fearfully as Megatron snarled at them, he went it the far corner and placed Starscream not very gently on the med bay berth, holding him down with one servo on his cockpit. Starscream, too terrified to make any noise, stared at him with huge, watery optics, looking seconds away from bursting into tears. Megatron ignored them for a moment, quickly glancing over Starscream's energon stained frame for any evidence that he might have been injured.

And when he found none, his worry instantly manifested itself into uncontrollable, indescribable and unwarranted fury. He threw out his servo the smashed the tray full of medical equipment. He heard panicked gasps and shuffles behind him, but paid the other mechs in the room no mind as his optics bore into Starscream, whose face was now streaked in lubricant rapidly escaping his optics.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" he roared, servos bawling into fists. He urge to hit something rose in him and he span quickly to kick the life out of the opposite berth.

There was a sharp cry behind him and he saw Starscream shrink back into a shivering ball, his wings curling forward in an attempt to shield him.

But Megatron couldn't think of how scared the seeker was, how traumatised he might have been as he stormed around the room, cursing not only the seeker himself but, Steelstrut, whatever moron had been in charge of the gates, his opponent who'd gone after him in the first place, and himself.

Everyone!

He whipped back around to face Starscream who cried out and tried to jump off the berth. Megatron didn't consider the idea that he should at least try to calm down first, and take in mind that he was likely just as much the cause for Starscream's terror as his opponent had been as he snarled in fury, and grabbed Starscream's wing, pulling him back.

The shriek that filled the room shocked Megatron into letting go instantly.

As if fury had clouded his vision, he blinked, to see a tiny, energon splattered seeker, shaking uncontrollably and staring up at him as if he were the Unmaker himself, and there was a noticeable dent in his wing... the shape of his servo.

He only found it in him to move when Starscream finally broke their staring contest to sob.

He knelt down and reached for him, struggling to catch hold of him without hurting him even more before he tried to escape again, feeling a pang of guilt as the seeker began to whimper both in fear and the pain at his now bent wing. He glanced behind him to see a group of mechs, medics, gladiators, supporters, all staring at them. He needed to get out of here, deal with this somewhere private.

He left the med bay quickly, and then the arena, ignoring mechs, some he knew and some he didn't, coming forward to congratulate him, speak to him. Starscream was shaking against his chest, and some part of him knew it was because he'd terrified the seeker, killed another mech right in front of him and then accidently hurt him in his anger. It was one thing to push Axel or the other gladiators around back at their arena in front of him but impaling someone...

The seeker was drenched in the Kaonian mech's energon. They were in the middle of the street, halfway back to their arena when Megatron could no longer stand the rapid hammering of Starscream's little spark against his chest. He stopped by a building and relaxed his grip on the seeker, kneeling down to place him on the floor. Again Starscream tried to run, but he kept a firm grip on his small servo, and gently encouraged him back to him.

"N-no!" Starscream cried out, there were streaks covering his faceplates from where his tears had washed away the deactivated mech's energon. He used his other servo to try and prise himself free from Megatron's grip, "I'm sorry!" he gasped, "Do-don't hurt me, please!"

Megatron didn't let him go, he relaxed into the least intimidating position he could and sat back on his pedes so he wasn't towering so much over the seeker, "Calm down," Megatron said as soothingly as he could, frowning as he listened to the younglings hitching intakes, "You're going to make yourself purge."

Starscream didn't calm down; he thrashed in his attempts to get free. Seeing he'd failed he whimpered, a high pitched keening sound stung Megatron's audials, and for a moment he sounded just like a sparkling... probably because he was one.

Megatron reached forward with his other servo, wincing as Starscream cried out and tried to run to the side to avoid it, and caught the seeker's free servo. He stroked his palm with his thumb, "I'm not going to hurt you." he tried to reassure him.

Starscream shook his helm, frightful optics filling with more lubricant, "Y-you de-de-activated, that- him! I saw- you stabbed him!"

"He tried to hurt you," Megatron explained, hoping that perhaps he would be able to avoid the subject of those 'death matches' altogether if he could pass off what happened as a fluke, pretend that he wouldn't have run that scum through the spark with his sword if he hadn't been chasing Starscream around the arena. "I was trying to protect you."

The Seeker still didn't look sure, and Megatron realised then that the stupid little youngling thought he was going to hurt him like he'd hurt the other gladiator. He released one of Starscream's servos to detach his swords, and ignoring the seeker's panicked gasp, and tossed them to the side as he turned to look at the seeker sternly.

Starscream sniffed, no longer struggling, he took that as a good sign, but the seeker still hadn't come any closer to him.

The youngling swallowed, "Y-you were so angry..." he whispered, "You're not going to- to-"

Megatron frowned and looked at the floor, "I was angry because-" he cut himself off, unable and unwilling to say he'd never been so terrified in all his existence that moment he saw the other gladiator step towards the seeker. He had deserved to die. He shook his helm and decided a subject change was in order, "How in Primus's name did you get here?" he asked, trying very hard to keep the anger and frustration out of his voice.

Starscream lifted a servo and wiped his faceplates, Megatron carefully pulled him closer, the seeker didn't seem to notice, "I th-thought you were leaving me."

Megatron rolled his optics, what was it about younglings that made them so insecure? "I told you I'd be back in the morning." Starscream looked down and wiped his face again. Megatron's expression softened, "Why didn't you believe me?" The seeker remained silent, but Megatron was fairly sure he'd be able to answer his own question judging from what the seeker had already told him.

"Why were you at that arena though?' Starscream's question knocked him from his thoughts. "I thought you were going to leave me with Steelstrut." he spat the name like a dirty word and Megatron couldn't prevent the quirk of his lips.

It then vanished when he realised he would have to explain himself. He reached forward and tried to wipe away from of the filth from the seeker's faceplates and received a slap to the wrist and a dirty look for it.

"I need the credits." He explained.

"What for?"

Megatron gave the seeker a look, "What do you think?" he asked, reaching forward to poke Starscream in the fuel tank. The seeker pouted and folded his arms across his cockpit.

"Will you get in trouble?" Starscream then asked, a contemplative look on his face for a moment before it became fearful, "Are you going to get arrested!?"

Megatron shook his helm, trying to come up with an excuse, "They- they won't catch me."

"All those mechs saw!" Starscream panicked, he moved closer to Megatron and wrapped his servos around his bent leg, apparently hugging it, all previous fear gone. Megatron stared at him, "We have to hide! Or they'll take you away from me too!"

Tears started to form in his optics again and Megatron realised he'd have to come clean and warp the seeker's perception of him forever onwards. It was either that or live with a seeker who had detachment issues because he was in constant fear that the only mech who fuelled him was going to get arrested.

"I was paid to deactivate him."

Starscream instantly stopped hugging his leg, he stepped back and frowned at him, "What?"

Megatron reached for him before he could attempt another escape, "That was the point of the match." he explained slowly, reluctantly, "Even if he hadn't attacked you, he would have had to be offlined anyway."

Starscream stared at him, and Megatron couldn't tell with what emotion.

"You- you killed him, you killed him!" he gasped eventually, optics so bright Megatron thought they might shatter. There was horror enriched into every part of his expression as he said, "for credits..."

And Megatron quickly found himself getting angry. He was fully aware of what he'd done, why did the seeker feel the need to shout it back at him, as if he were some sort of monster? "I don't know where you've come from Starscream," he growled at the seeker, "but that is life here."

Starscream shook his helm, clearly not understanding.

"Life isn't cheap," Megatron barked, "not in Kaon, and if you want to be kept fuelled, this is what has to be done."

Starscream sniffed, tears forming in his optics again at the harsh way the mech he had started to look up to was speaking to him, "Then why stay here?" he asked, "We can go somewhere else, we can go-"

Megatron's optics narrowed, "There is nowhere else, that is why I am here." he stared down at the seeker. "Why did you come here?" he asked him.

Starscream looked down, and Megatron knew he'd made his point, but that didn't stop him from feeling immense guilt as he saw droplets of lubricant drip to the floor. He sighed, reaching out to tilt the seeker's helm up, "I know it's not ideal," he began, but Starscream shook his helm, cutting him off.

"Wha-what if you are deactivated," he mumbled, optics wandering to the numerous injuries Megatron had already forgotten he'd had, wiping at his face again, "and- and I have to stay with St-Steelstrut forever?"

"I'm not that rubbish a pit fighter," Megatron told him lightly, "it'll take a lot more than some local thug to win a match against me."

Starscream didn't look convinced.

Megatron shook his helm and a rush of wooziness came over him. He needed to refuel, now, he'd lost too much energon and waited too long to have his injuries fixed. He glanced at the seeker before scooping him up without any warning, ignoring his indignant squeak.

"How would you like to go to a bar?" he asked the seeker.

And just like that, everything in Starscream's world was that much better.

"So," Starscream's usual little arrogant voice was rambling away in his audials not five breems later, "Now that I've seen you fight already, can I come and watch you train?"

Megatron rolled his optics, "We'll see." he rumbled. "But I don't think you're old enough to witness that sort of violence."

Starscream scowled at him, "I'm almost a mech." he said confidently, and it was a rather bizarre thing for him to say as he was small enough to held against Megatron's chest with one servo, and was at that very moment in fact. He seemed to realise this as he started to squirm around, "I'm too old to be carried around!" he complained, pushing on his captors arm.

Megatron shook his helm and walked faster, already seeing a bar ahead of him. He'd get a cube and get out again, hopefully without anyone spotting the seeker, if he could just shut up. "Too old to be carried, but too small to keep up.' he commented, and allowed himself to smirk in victory as Starscream muttered something resentful and stopped struggling.

And in typical Starscream fashion, because he couldn't win that argument, decided to start another one.

"Since I helped you fight that mech will you train me to be a gladiator?"

Megatron stumbled, "Helped?!" he said, stunned, trying to recall when Starscream had been any use between all the screaming and panic. He decided to ignore the 'train me to be a gladiator' comment to focus on this delusion Starscream had developed in the last few breems. "You did nothing but cry in the corner."

Starscream blushed through his dark faceplates, he smacked Megatron's chest, "No I didn't! I fought! I helped!" he protested, "Didn't you see!"

Megatron shook his helm, he'd been a little preoccupied with keeping his own helm attached to his shoulders, "All I could hear was you shrieking, a lot." he couldn't help the small smile to curl across his lips at Starscream's indignant look.

"It was a war cry!" Starscream argued back, crossing his arms over his cockpit.

"Of course it was," he humoured the seeker as they reached the bar. He tucked Starscream closer to his chest and murmured a quiet warning to him to behave as he stepped through the door.

It was dark, looked dirty but was not too crowded, and those whom were present didn't look like the types of mechs to even look in Megatron's direction, even if he did have a tiny seeker clutching his chest armour like a new spark did a femmes chest.

He set the excitable seeker down on the nearest bar stool and turned to order two cubes, one high grade, one regular.

Starscream surveyed the bar quickly, and found it wasn't nearly as interesting as he'd been hoping it would be. The walls were boring, the mechs, slumped over their cubes in a depressed manner, were equally as boring. The only interesting thing in the room was the vid screen playing away to itself in the corner.

He leant closer to listen better as the word 'Vos' was mentioned, and a tall, red and white seeker with high held wings and a stern, dark handsome face appeared on the screen. A royal guard, but he was strikingly familiar looking...

"Captain Starscream of the Royal Vosian Guard revealed earlier this cycle that although the suspect has claimed the missing heir has been deactivated, the search will continue. Many have growing concerns that spending so much public time and credits on what is widely considered a lost cause will-"

"Starscream." Megatron's gruff voice drew his attention away from the vid screen and to the cube that had just been placed in front of him, "Drink your cube."

Starscream glanced back at the screen, but another news story about terrorist preventions in Iacon was being discussed now. He pushed himself up and stood on his barstool so he could reach across the table for his cube. He looked between it and Megatron's, which was a glowing brightly. High grade.

"Can I try some?" he asked nicely. Megatron turned to glower at him, and that was answer enough.

X