Triviality

by ShatteredPerceptions

Bonded by accident. Betrayed by those closest to him. Soundwave is forced to take up a title he never thought possible, with friends and foes in both factions. OP/SW. Graphic sticky. G1/AU.

9. Chapter 9

Warnings!: Dubious consent, explicit sticky sex, dark!Prime. And an exxxxxxxtra long chapter!

Also, we had to upload the chapter again... document manager has been munching on random words here and there. And screwing up the formatting.

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Chapter nine

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Optimus Prime stood awkwardly outside of Soundwave's temporary medical quarters, hesitant if he wanted to go in or leave it for another day. It'd been quite a few days already, and according to Ratchet, Soundwave's health had progressed quite well, and everything seemed to be going good.

Prime's baleful gaze flashed over and he watched Blaster playing with Rewind for a few moments. The Autobot telepath was stationed there to block anything Soundwave might be transmitting, and Optimus knew just by what Blaster had told him that Soundwave wasn't too pleased by it. Telepaths did not do well in each other's mental presence.

The dermal metal of Prime's jaw flexed as he gritted his denta under his mask, and his hand passed over the chime before he put in the codes to open the door. Blaster acknowledged him with a wave of his hand, and Optimus dipped his head in appreciation. The red and yellow mech would be surveying everything.

The door opened and before Optimus' admittedly weak courage to see his mate left him, he stepped inside and palmed his hand over the lock, bringing his helm up to observe the scene. The room was mildly decent and sanitary definitely by the smell of it. There were small bits of shredded bedding and little puzzles were scattered all over the floor. At least, that's what it appeared like. Prime carefully stepped over them and looked up, right into Soundwave's visor. His spark twisted painfully and fretfully in his chassis.

"Hello," he said tersely, halting so he could cross his arms behind his back.

Soundwave had been staring at the berth situated next to his. He was not expecting Optimus to actually step through the threshold of the door that separated him from the outside world, despite feeling his bondmate's presence waver outside many times. His spark would pull, cry out for a merge and then Optimus would leave, leaving his spark crying out for more. It was an uncomfortable feeling of need that was deeply seated within his very core that had nothing to do with lust and everything with closeness. Already he despised it; forcing himself to a state of indifference because he knew that that emotion of weakness would forever haunt hurt just to look at the Autobot.

"Optimus Prime," he greeted cordially, straightening his body up on the berth he was confined on. "Your visit: highly expected. I have many things to discuss with you."

Frenzy's visor flickered as he roused from recharge. He lay curled up at his brother's prone form and his helm lolled to the side, giving the Autobot leader a bland, unimpressed stare. "Wow. Prime. A lil' late for that info, dont'cha think?"

Optimus curled his hands together behind his back, squeezing them. "What I do is none of your concern, symbiote," he said coolly. "Of course, you've all been granted asylum in cooperation with the Autobot Accordance Act."

The law made it nearly impossible for Optimus to deny any Decepticon asylum unless they were deemed too dangerous and there were several ways around that. Prime's gaze roved over Soundwave's form and he wasn't sure if pity or anger was the strongest emotion he felt.

"Speak," he said simply, motioning to Soundwave.

"My utmost priority: Cassettes," Soundwave immediately stated. "Incentive: Decepticon information. Access codes and frequency encryptions: would have changed since my escape—"

Soundwave wished it was in him to finally break down and start screaming until his vocaliser shorted out.

"—however, as former third-in-command and communications officer, I am privy to information that Megatron specifically entrusted me with. Other confidant: Shockwave. Not Starscream."

Soundwave stopped, the tips of his fingers curling into the berth's surface. The freshly repaired ruby-visor flickered and he continued to talk.

"I, personally, will submit to whatever verdict you and the Iacon Council pass over. Again, I repeat, utmost priority: Cassettes. Preference: Cassettes to be safely transported to your secured Neutral territory on the planet Tespin."

Not even Megatron knew of Tespin's secret. Soundwave never deemed it necessary to inform him of it either. Ravage, previously unmoving on the floor, raised his helm and Frenzy's protest was quite vocal.

"We never agreed to that!" Frenzy hissed as he levelled a glare at Soundwave. "Ain't gonna be shipped off to some dumb-aft Neutral planet while ya stay here with them."

"Tespin: safest alternative." Soundwave said, still staring resolutely at his bondmate. "Earth: dangerous for you. Megatron will not stop."

"I dun fuckin' care! Yer his bonded now...ya didn't get all the way here just to give up. Pit, I didn't shoot at Megatron just so I can bum around with Neutrals! We stick together, remember?"

"Frenzy. Silence. I have made my decision."

At that, Frenzy did shut up and petulantly presented Soundwave with his back.

Prime leaned against the wall as he watched the two argue. His optics were on the length of the berth and he refused to meet Soundwave's gaze.

"If that's what you want, we can take your symbiotes to Tespin. I can arrange a transport for them in about three weeks," Optimus finally said, his voice a deep rumble.

Frenzy made a rude-sounding snort, indicating what he thought of that. Prime ignored him and crossed his arms over his red chassis while he contemplated.

"Yes the Council will have to be informed about…all of this," the Autobot said, gesturing between himself and Soundwave. "I…could very well lose position of Prime. They are not nice, even to me. They'd rather rip the Matrix out and give it to someone more capable. And in that case, neither of us might get very far."

Of course taking the Matrix out meant certain death.

Prime's spark wrenched again in his chassis, painfully calling for its mate. It hadn't been that long since they'd bonded, and it felt like it'd been eons. Hopefully sensations like these would wear away over time and repeated merging, or they'd drive him mad.

Soundwave twitched, obviously feeling the effects of their desperate sparks. "Your Council is redundant and unneeded," he remarked.

"But until then, all of this needs to be kept quiet," Prime finished off, deliberately not allowing Soundwave to bait him into another argument.

A tingle ran up his backstrut then, like an unseen hand, and Optimus found himself being compelled to step forward. Prime's blue optics seemed to soften when he allowed himself to rest a hand over his mate's chassis, fingers sliding along Soundwave's neck, and after reaching up to remove his mask, he leaned down to let his lips follow their wake.

The life fluid pulsed erratically underneath the Autobot's lips, cables taut with stress and apprehension and yet Soundwave obligingly tipped his helm back.

"Did you not wish to allow this bond to erode?" Soundwave accused quietly.

"Being close like this…makes me unable to resist," Optimus replied.

The cables pulled tight along the line of Soundwave's neck strut, giving Optimus uninterrupted access to his throat. He lazily glanced over Optimus' shoulder, temporarily mollified by the much needed attention his mate was currently giving him. Buzzsaw, partially hidden by the Autobot's smoke stack was perched by the room's only chair. The narrow helm was tilted to one side, beak pointing down and the one optic that was staring back at them was bright with allegation.

"I will keep quiet of our... predicament," Soundwave settled with a soft sigh from his vents, his visor dimming with pleasure.

For now, of course. He was too numb from the recent events to muster enough enthusiasm to care about his own future and Optimus' hand felt so good – the simple touch radiating warmth that soothed his internals and made his spark yearn for more. As one who was more experienced with bonds, Soundwave knew that it was recommended that they merge again; to affirm their link as mates and calm their sparks down until their need to be close to each other mellowed down.

Soundwave grabbed the other mech's hand and pulled it up, the blue palm scraping ever so slightly against the repaired glass of his chest as he guided it over to where his spark was.

Despite how…sexually compatible they were, how well they played off of each other's desires, there was no doubt in Optimus' mind that Soundwave didn't want what they had just as much as Optimus himself didn't want it. Who would, honestly? A bond was taken into careful consideration after a couple fell in love.

Optimus sighed quietly, not out of exasperation, but of the…weird comfort being close to his bondmate brought. While at the same time, it filled him with irrational anger. The farther away they stayed, the more level minded he was. But, for now, he could indulge himself. Get rid of the itch.

Smoothly, Prime drew himself up on the berth, placing one knee on either side of Soundwave's thighs. He sat up, straddling the Decepticon's waist and gazed down at him for a moment. With a grunt Optimus settled over him, curling his arms to rest above Soundwave's shoulders. He rubbed his chassis against his mate's, dipping his head down to nip at Soundwave's jaw, kissing him.

Drawn by the sounds, Frenzy rolled on his side to look at them, just in time to watch Soundwave's arms wrap around Optimus' broad shoulders, one of the telepath's hands stealing up to rub affectionately at a blue finial. His mask retracted, the full lips immediately latching onto Optimus' own neck, denta scraping on one of the main energon cables before soothing it with an apologetic lick.

"Damn it, get a room!" Frenzy snarled, sounding absolutely scandalised.

"Frenzy..." Soundwave said as he pinched lightly at the finial he was fondling. "Watching is not mandatory."

"I can still hear, ya know!"

When he realised he was being ignored yet again, Frenzy huffed indignantly and turned away. Soundwave raised his knee, the bottom of his pede sliding onto the berth and arched his back. The flat expanse of his chest bumped against the windshield above him and Optimus' wipers caught slightly onto the lining of his tape deck. His spark swelled within its casing, pulsing in slow, deep beats. A tiny whimper, barely audible, escaped his wet lips as they smeared oil across Prime's mouth, hot puffs of air pouring out from his vents.

"I need to feel you inside me," Soundwave confessed with a throaty tone that he knew Optimus enjoyed.

It was horrible, feeling such emptiness within themselves. So famished for each other's sparks.

Soundwave could feel his lasercore shifting up within his chassis on its own volition, the plating covering it aching to open and bare itself. With a haze-covered processor and a feral growl emanating from his vocaliser, Soundwave snagged Optimus' bottom lip with his denta and bit down hard until he could taste the sweetness of his mate's mechblood. He then kissed him hard, practically trying to devour his mouth with his insistent glossa that forced itself past the bleeding lips.

Mollified somewhat with the task at hand, Prime ignored everything else and groaned into Soundwave's mouth. It was wet and sloppy and he shifted over onto his right arm so he could run his hand up and down Soundwave's side. He toyed with the seam of the telepath's hip, rubbing his fingers in a circular motion over the exposed wiring. Optimus felt Soundwave's glossa curl around his own, and he groaned again, surrendering himself to the feeling.

"Yes," Optimus replied in a muffled moan, rubbing his chassis down harder.

Prime could feel heat building in his spark, and the seams to his chassis parted. The Matrix glowed brilliantly, shielding Optimus' spark, and for some reason…it looked healthier. The glow of Optimus' spark in his lasercore underneath was a healthier colour. Brighter, and different somehow. The eye of the Matrix sparkled, but it didn't move. Optimus hummed deep in his throat, taking his mouth back. He shifted lower, running his mouth and glossa over Soundwave's chestplate, his fingers following across the golden seam that outlined it.

"Open," Optimus demanded, kissing along the outside.

Optimus pinched at the edgings, his hips unintentionally rubbing against his mate's.

"As my Prime wishes..." Soundwave murmured.

With a short grunt, the telepath placed both pedes flat on the berth, the tops of his legs pressing against underneath Optimus' thighs and pushed his pelvis up. He rolled his hips in the air, mimicking a dance that they both knew well and their hot panels bumped against each other. But his main focus was to hastily bare his eager spark to his bondmate; it was all he could think of and all he could ever want at that moment.

Soundwave's hands slid up Optimus' chassis, fingers tentatively hovering over the Matrix. Despite his fog-addled processors, he could honestly admit that the artefact filled him with unease… and with good reason too. It was powerful, dangerous and Soundwave was aware that he would have never approached Optimus Prime if it had not been the Matrix's reformat. But what was done, was done. So he dug his fingers impatiently into the twisted tendrils, stroking the circuitry and the hidden lasercore underneath. The Matrix vibrated when he touched it, its mysterious power tingling through the tips of his fingers.

"Give it to me," Soundwave groaned.

The smooth surface of his own chestplates split into four different sections, sliding and rotating out of the way to tuck in nearly against his chassis. Pale lip components twisted into a snarl, the visor dark and his lasercore was already up and front, its protective plates quivering briefly with expectance. Soundwave pulled Optimus back down towards him by his chest, cupping the Matrix against his hands until the light spilled between his digits.

Optimus grunted and recoiled, wincing as a flash of pain travelled through his neural net. The Matrix stirred and released another zap of energy, one that made Optimus hiss and lurch, and it finally started to slide up in its protective compartment above his spark chamber. He swallowed and brought himself down, down to kiss the hot glass of Soundwave's lasercore. Optimus shifted his weight over and cursed the small size of the berth when he nearly slipped. Fingers screeched down the glass of Soundwave's spark, and Optimus grinned as he saw his bondmate's golden spark flare because of it.

"Someone's eager," Prime muttered, grinning. He latched his lips on the edge of the small seam where Soundwave's lasercore would split and trailed his wet glossa along; slurping at it, rubbing his hips back down on Soundwave's in short, unintentional thrusts. "I'm going to have to teach you patience. Decepticons just want to get fucked right away…" he chided, curling his lips back so he could run the tips of his denta around the seam he had just licked.

Frenzy snorted into the plating of his arms, muttering underneath his breath. "Stay classy, Prime."

An undignified whimper gurgled past Soundwave's gasping mouth, optics flickering with pleasure. Who cared about patience when he felt his entire being gravitated to that one seam on his lasercore, the one that Optimus was so cruelly teasing him with his mouth. Everything was so sensitised and just one scrape, one lick, one brush of those lips was enough to render him almost incomprehensible; a wanton creature needing to be satisfied.

"Give it to me," Soundwave repeated urgently.

Neither of the larger mechs noticed how Frenzy had turned back to watch them, the small visor distinctly brighter with interest.

"Sounders can have all the patience in the world but he ain't got any when it comes to ya, Prime," came Frenzy's petulant contribution.

"Decepticons: do not...ah!"

Soundwave's hands trembled against the Matrix, wordlessly urging it with earnest caresses to let him touch the spark within. His chassis was on fire, every cable, and tube inside him thrumming and his spark, oh Primus, his desperate, blazing spark demanded its other half. But Soundwave was determined to keep Optimus hanging a little longer.

"Decepticons: do not want to wait to get what they want," he finally managed to gasp out.

"Never saw him pull spike before or play with his valve... until ya two started fuckin' that is. He sure gushes a lot of lube though...but heh, ya probably know that already."

The telepath's words were husky, laden with static and lust. "Frenzy: keep your commentary to yourself."

Frenzy propped himself up onto an elbow. His gaze travelled from the trickle of oil that escaped Soundwave's lips and then stopped to blatantly stare at Optimus' open chestplates, or rather the twisted form of the Matrix residing inside. He didn't remark about that particular aspect however, choosing to follow Soundwave's movements as the telepath trailed blue hands down the Autobot's sides and up again, as if his fingers were magnetised back towards Optimus' still covered lasercore.

It wasn't often Frenzy heard Soundwave call out – to anyone – in such a needy way. "Prime…"

Soundwave was canting his hips upwards, pushing them hard against the mech prostrated above him, their groins grinding against each other and no doubt stimulating their interface components from the pressure. Frenzy would bet anything that Soundwave's valve was already wet and clenching in on itself, needing to be penetrated and that his spike was aching to be released. The Cassetticon already felt himself heating up fast from the erotic display the two were giving him.

The small mech then smirked widely. "I mean, he usually lets Ravage lick him whenever he wants to blow off steam anyways..."

Ravage lifted his helm with an ominous glare but Soundwave's vents cycled deeply, the heat pouring off his dark chassis in waves. The glass of his lasercore did part at that moment as he admittedly was at the end of his tether. Almost immediately, the energy of his spark seemed to leap out, blurring the slowly widening crack with its vivid light.

Optimus had never felt such a powerful force in all of his existence. His vents choked off with the rush of desire and lust that slammed through him so thoroughly that his panel opened and his spike was instantly erect. He jerked his hips forward, the underbelly of his spike sliding up against Soundwave's closed panel. Prime's spark chamber split open in a hurried rush and he could feel the magnetic pull of their sparks urgently trying to merge. The pressure was so great that Prime bent low, curling his backstrut so he could slam their chests together.

As far as Prime was concerned, this was the purest form of bliss there could possibly be. The pleasure vibrated through his circuits and all of his joints, filling the very fibre of his being with meaning. Everything was hot, and it felt so good, so intimate. And while he was not actively sharing memories with Soundwave, the mech's presence swirled around him in a miasma of emotion and lust. His hips jerked forward again, and Prime was at a loss with no wet valve to thrust into.

'Let me fuck you,' he pleaded with Soundwave over the bond. 'Let me fill you up with cum until you can't take it anymore,' Prime said, his disembodied voice echoing across the swirling torrents of energy.

It was that that broke Soundwave; the unfamiliar voice through his spark that shouldn't be there. It was the first time he had ever experienced anyone talk to him through his very spark, over a bond that shouldn't fucking be there. Reality smacked him in the face then, that uneasy and uncomfortable feeling that everything was so wrong even if it felt so right. Soundwave was so rattled by that fact, especially when the faceplates of all his previous Masters, all cruel in their own way, flashed before him…was Optimus Prime to be the new one?

"No...no, no, no, no—" Soundwave abruptly whimpered, somehow impervious to the sharp jolt of pain that charged up his systems in the most unpleasant way when he pushed Prime away to the foot of the berth, breaking the connection between their chests. His spark screamed, empty and wounded but Soundwave rolled to the side, trying to get away. The berth was too narrow and he crashed to the floor, panting hard for a moment before he scrambled up to climb onto Rumble's berth.

For a brief, passing moment there was fear. The symbiotes were alert, ready to defend Soundwave but he held an arm up to silence Frenzy from opening his mouth. Frenzy's jaw snapped shut with an audible click.

"I will submit willingly to your verdict," Soundwave hoarsely reiterated his earlier words, hands skimming over the tips of Rumble's pedes, as if to affirm that he was still there. When it was apparent that he had left his spark exposed to everyone in the room, he hastily had his chestplates snap shut and turned his face to the side in an attempt to hide his shame and vulnerability.

Optimus straightened himself up, only the edges of his knees left on the berth. With his spike still out, and his chest opened and exposed, he blankly stared at Soundwave before turning away. His spike retracted and his panel shut. The Matrix, however, wasn't pleased. It sent several painful jolts through his systems, and Optimus whimpered in pain as he tried to urge his lasercore shut. He would not be reduced to self-stimulation in the current situation. Optimus jerked as more white-hot pain assaulted his neural net, his lips curving in a grimace. After a brief struggle with himself, Optimus finally got his lasercore to shut. He turned back to Soundwave as the Matrix slid back in place over his spark, the crystal sizzling with angry energy, singeing the circuitry in the surrounding area. Prime then allowed his chassis to close.

Without saying a word, Prime turned on his heel and left, the door snapping shut behind him.

---

Optimus Prime had dealt with a lot of dissatisfaction and frustrated mechs and femmes in his lifetime. He had suffered through harsh criticism and outright hatred, even handled the deaths of close friends. Comrades that he would never see until he rejoined the Matrix to be with them.

However, Alpha Trion's disapproval was hardest of all to take.

Optimus Prime rubbed at his bare face as the large, imposing holographic image of the oldest mech on Cybertron hovered in front of him.

"You mated with a Decepticon," Alpha Trion spoke. The mech leaned back in his chair, his ancient face closed and distant. His blue optics were cold. Colder than Prowl's.

"Yes," Prime answered.

"Soundwave…his file is interesting. I wasn't aware he was sympathetic to our cause."

Optimus looked away again, his optics focusing on the light begin emitted from Alpha Trion, the lines casting interesting shapes on Prime's black lacquer desk. Half the questions Alpha asked, Prime couldn't answer. He didn't know anything about Soundwave.

"He's not, sir," Prime replied.

Alpha looked up from whatever he was observing off-screen to glare at Optimus again. "Please, explain this to me again."

Prime sighed and worked his blue hands together. "It was…purely sexual. A tryst. A while back I was out on the battlefield…one of the mechs had disappeared and we were engaging in a search. Soundwave found me and we participated in sex. After that it continued until I—"

"The mighty ruler Optimus Prime. So distanced from the war that you think interfacing with the enemy would be acceptable behaviour? Others have been executed for less," Alpha Trion snapped. "You shame the Autobots. You shame me, and you shame the name of Primus."

"I know, and I understand, sir. I have fully accepted criminal penalties," Optimus replied softly.

Alpha Trion said nothing for a long while. He gazed at Optimus and tapped his elongated fingers on his armrests. "If this was before the Ark, I would have had you executed myself. Such worthlessness and traitorous behaviour is not tolerated. However, we have little choice now, and no one to replace you. You're going to fix this."

A bubble of emotion was suddenly drained from Optimus. He looked up. he had almost been hoping for the easy way out. No more pain. It would have been nice. But they needed him too much, and Optimus knew that. There wasn't any possible way they could destroy him. Who would take command? Prowl? Who was so cruel, it would be anarchy within a matter of months? Jazz, who was unstable in the processor? Or Magnus, who was too hesitant to give orders?

Optimus drew in a deep breath and nodded. "Yessir."

"Sentinel Prime never did things like this."

"Sentinel Prime abused Prowl and fucked around with every mech he could get his hands on, including me," Optimus snapped back. "I'm not the only fucking Prime out of all of them who's made a mistake. Or were you too busy in your laboratories to notice whenever Sentinel had one of the younglings from the district smuggled in for his personal entertainment? I never asked for this. I never wanted to be the Matrix bearer."

"You dare—"

"Sentinel was a horrible leader with tires too big for his rims. Why the slag do you think Megatron managed to kill him so easily?"

"Enough!" Alpha Trion shouted, the word echoing harshly off the walls of Optimus' room.

Prime seethed as he looked over the table at Alpha's hologram. "Or would you rather have me go on about Nova Prime as well? He was a really good leader wasn't he?"

"Optimus Prime, stop," Alpha said lowly.

Prime sat back in his own chair to stare away, his lips curved into a fierce scowl.

"None of the previous Prime compromised themselves like this. You've left the entire Autobot organization open for attack. What if Soundwave had killed you? Poisoned you? Ripped you to shreds in the middle of the night?"

Optimus shrugged one massive shoulder, a small puff of grey floating from his smokestacks. "I've grown indifferent to myself," he said softly. "Soundwave was fun and exciting. He was too obsessed to…really kill me."

A lie. Soundwave had tried, and failed.

"The Matrix, when we were together last, it took control of me, and it said Soundwave was my other half. It mated us together. I never wanted to," the Autobot leader continued quietly.

Alpha Trion's optics gleamed as he rubbed the pointed end of his chin. "That's what makes this so…unique. The will of Primus having you mate with a Decepticon…it makes no sense. Soundwave…must be the one, then."

"I don't understand," Optimus replied.

"None of your business. For now, you have troops to address. You need to cement this relationship before the rest of the Council decides to act negatively."

Alpha Trion leaned forward and the hologram in front of Optimus grew.

"You tell them," the older mech firmly said, "that Soundwave was an undercover spy. Prowl and Jazz must know the truth, along with Ratchet, but the rest do not need to know. The information is top secret."

Optimus laughed cheerlessly. "You really think that the rest of the Autobots will believe that?"

"Why not?" Alpha Trion countered. "We have several sleeper agents already integrated into the Decepticon ranks. Soundwave's commonly observed indifference will help."

Despite Alpha Trion's conviction, Optimus knew that his own soldiers stationed here on Earth would never truly buy the lie. Not when they all had personally fought against Soundwave. And he knew that Soundwave would make things difficult just by being who he was.

"All right," Optimus wearily acquiesced.

"Where is he now?"

"In a private medical room with his symbiotes. He is guarded at all times."

"What…is his stance?"

The split-second image of Soundwave's mismatched optics flickering with fear before the visor hid everything away flashed through Optimus' memory banks. The Matrix then roused briefly, reminding him that it hungered for the telepath's spark.

"He ah, prioritises his Cassettes," Prime answered, just managing to stop his voice from trembling as he forced himself to ignore the call of his spark. "He seeks for their safe passage to a neutral territory in exchange for information."

The disembodied visual of Alpha Trion's helm moved back and his age-worn features smoothed back down to contemplation. "No doubt as Megatron's third-in-command he will have much to offer in terms of information. Take advantage of that opportunity, Optimus. For now, I will converse with the Council and you will introduce him to your mechs accordingly. Make sure that he understands the dire situation you've both put yourselves in."

"Yessir."

"I will contact you as soon as I can. If you're lucky, I will have convinced the rest not to replace you by then." Alpha Trion paused and he scrutinised the other mech, the blue in his ancient optics fathomless in the wisdom and knowledge they held. The harsh stare then softened, though only minutely. "Be strong, Optimus."

The hologram vanished and Optimus' chambers was bathed in a dim, weak light that reflected just how miserable he felt at that moment. He buried his face in his large hands, shoulders shaking with emotion. The entire world as he knew it was crashing down on top of him. He had sinned and now he was deprived of the reprieve he had been hoping for; he owed it to his Autobots to carry on his duty as their unfaltering Prime.

However, he wondered whether they'd want him as their Prime after this.

---

While he had troops to address, business to attend to, projects to approve, Optimus had one main thing looming on his processor.

Ultra Magnus.

Troop commander Ultra Magnus, located on Cybertron, had been Optimus' friend before he had ever become Prime. As young mechs the two had known each other, and when they were working the docks, they even shared an apartment together. After many eons of being friends, they had taken it further when they both discovered a strong, mutual attraction for each other. It was fierce, powerful, and Optimus loved him more than he could explain.

However, despite the fact that Magnus was a pillar of strength and a beacon of mech-hood, he lacked… a certain…pizzazz.

A flavour that Soundwave had been able to fill perfectly. If only somehow Optimus could combine Soundwave's sexuality and desirableness to Magnus' beautiful frame and charming personality…

That being so, Optimus knew he owed an explanation to his lover. A confession. He knew Magnus wouldn't take it well. Who would? The mech had no idea about Soundwave at all. Optimus had demanded communications silence from the mechs on Cybertron to those on Earth, omitting the officers of course. Rumours were not to be spread until Optimus could address the troops himself.

Optimus stared at the black screen in front of him where Alpha Prime's figure had been not long ago. A tiny green light flashed near the edge of the screen, and Optimus' spark twisted frantically for a moment as he worked up the courage to answer the call.

After a long moment, Optimus allowed the call to go through.

Even through the holographic image of the other commander, lines marred by the long-distance connection, the warmth was evident in Ultra Magnus' smile. "Optimus. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Too long, Dion," Optimus softly replied. The light from Magnus' image flashed across the surface of Prime's desk, cutting into the darkness. "I apologise for missing our last few scheduled…meetings. I've been busy with the Earthlings."

Optimus looked down, staring hard at his interwoven hands. "How are your forces holding up?"

"It's been…manageable. Elita reports an increase in Shockwave's warrior drones but nothing the femme squadron can't handle." Magnus' image moved forward and he lifted a fuzzy hand, as if to touch Optimus' face, though the hologram's projection was too limited. "And on your end? How have you been fairing?"

"We're doing well over here as well. Shockwave's stolen data has been most helpful to us. Skyfire and Wheeljack have almost completed a space bridge. Help will be on the way soon, my old friend," Optimus murmured, inclining his helm towards his lover. "It's been so long since I've touched you."

Ultra Magnus' square jaw softened when he gave a genuine smile at Optimus' words. "That's amazing news! We've had some Neutrals bolster our troop numbers, but you have no idea how happy I am to hear that you'll get that space bridge up and running." His voice then deepened with emotion. "That I will get to see you feel you close to me."

Optimus let a small smile curve his lips under his mask for a few moments before it fell away. "We have also had success extracting energon…I know the Autobots of Cybertron are desperately low. Soon things will start falling together. There has also been other…interesting news, but it can wait."

Optimus leaned closer to Magnus.

"Dion. How have you been? Find any attractive mechs over there?" Prime murmured, adding a chuckle afterwards.

The other mech smirked and as if playing a game, leaned back as the holographic image of Optimus on his end moved closer. "Come now, Orion. You know I'm not really all that interested in finding anyone. With the war and everything, I haven't really had time to look. But why would you ask?" The smirk tugged at one corner of his lips, widening. "Checking out the competition now that you might be seeing me…soon?"

Optimus would have died just to hear that Magnus had been interested in someone else. Even if it was just for interfacing. "A mech has needs," Prime said, shrugging his massive shoulders once. Magnus wasn't going to make this easy after all. Optimus suddenly looked away and put his head in his hands. "I've made a terrible mistake, Dion."

The playfulness etched on Magnus' faceplates slid away and he frowned, concerned at the remorseful tone in Optimus' words. "Come now, Optimus. I doubt it's anything that can't be worked through. We know you have a tendency to overreact and beat yourself over for things that usually are beyond your power," he gently chided.

Optimus laughed, and it was almost hysterical. Prime rubbed at his neck cables, his fuel pump making them pulse erratically. The Autobot leader looked up, his blue optics fixing on Magnus'. "I cheated on you."

Magnus' mouth tightened. "I don't expect you to remain monogamous to me, Optimus, you know that. Especially when you have such a burden to carry on your shoulders. I know your officers sometimes help you find…release." Despite the understanding words, it was obvious that Ultra Magnus wasn't particularly happy about it.

"It wasn't an officer, Magnus," Prime replied miserably. He took his hands away from his face and clenched them tightly together. "I…do love you Dion. I do. But you know as well as I how easily a mech can get bored here…especially me. Temptations everywhere."

Magnus' frown deepened. "I don't understand. Did you interface with one of your soldiers?"

Optimus' spark twisted into a painful, hard knot. "No," he whispered, barely audible.

And there it was, the concern completely leaving his old lover's face. "With the enemy then. For your sake, I hope it was during an interrogation session."

Optimus took his turn to look horrified. "No, Magnus…you know I wouldn't do that. I'm not like that. I'm…so sorry. I know you won't ever forgive me…but please understand this … isn't the way it was supposed to happen. It's not fair!" Optimus suddenly shouted before he looked away and slammed his fist against his desk, briefly causing Magnus's image to falter.

"I'll be the judge of whether you should be forgiven or not," Magnus snapped, and the frigidness in his voice could almost be felt through the connection. "So tell me, Orion, what have you done that's so terrible?"

Optimus looked at Magnus, his own optics growing cold. "I've been having sex with a Decepticon officer. He even has the codes to my escape door, so sometimes he'd sneak into my room at night and we'd interface. Want to know who it is? Or are you too above me to care?"

"Don't you dare say that!" Magnus yelled, the image of his face distorting as he made a rapid movement; presumably slamming his palms on the surface of his own desk. "Don't you dare fucking insinuate that I don't care, that I don't love you. I have always waited for you, always steadfast for you and this is how you repay me? By letting the enemy into your berth?" Abruptly, he stopped his tirade and his helm dropped, vents expelling heavily. When he glanced up again, his face had reverted back to an apathetic calmness. "So. Will you grace me with a name? Was it…Starscream?"

"No," Optimus quickly replied, sounding mildly offended at the thought. "And it wasn't Megatron either," Prime added on sarcastically. "Soundwave."

He could see how Magnus was trying to access Soundwave's file, and how the realisation of who exactly this Decepticon was and what he was capable of register on his face. "The telepath?" he hissed disbelievingly.

Prime laughed again. "And I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet!"

"Like the noble spark you are, you've fallen utterly and inexplicably in love with him," the other mech disgustedly replied. "And you hope to redeem him, and possibly yourself, by having him defect. Is that the worst part? Because I can't really think of anything worse."

Prime shook his head and pressed his face even closer to Magnus. "I felt guilty about the sinful pleasure I was getting from him. I could tell he was becoming obsessed with me, so a few days ago I decided to break it off and never think of it again."Optimus then leaned back and relaxed in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling. "Soundwave didn't like that. He wanted me for himself and only for himself, so he tried to kill me. We struggled for a little while until the Matrix activated. It took us and made us one. It said Soundwave was my match."

It was amazing just how many different expressions Ultra Magnus had shown since the beginning of their conversation. From joy, to concern and then to rage and icy indifference. Now he displayed an almost comical combination of incredulousness and horror.

The Autobot leader ripped off his facemask, sending it skittering across his desk and onto the floor. His lips were thin and flat, but they soon quivered. "The Matrix bonded me to Soundwave. We're bondmates. Alpha Trion has already agreed to the announcement that Soundwave was merely a sleeper agent."

"So you spoke to him already," Magnus hoarsely said. He covered his own mouth with his hand, as if unable to believe what Optimus was telling him, unable to deal with the implication of what he had lost. His features then twisted and he whipped his helm back to glare at Optimus. "He should have killed you, you fucking whore! You unfaithful piece of slag! You couldn't even keep your spike in your panel, you just had to go stick it in some Decepticon slut, didn't you! And now you're telling me that the Matrix bonded you two together? You expect me to fall for such a pathetic excuse?"

"I would only ever bond out of love," Prime said softly. "I don't love him. I barely even know him outside of sex—"

"Then why did you fuck him?"

"—I know I deserve your hatred," Optimus continued. "And I hope you do hate me for this, Magnus. I can't…can't – he's here right now you know. Off in the medbay in his own private room. The Decepticons tried to kill him when they found out. He has nowhere else to go—"

"He deserves to go to the Pit!"

"—and I have to protect him. If he was killed…the strain on the bond would probably kill me too."

"So what?" Magnus spat out bitterly. "Everything is going to fall into place now that he's there? He's suddenly now an Autobot, and now he's going to be introduced as your new bondmate and everything will be all right? Fuck you Optimus."

Prime fell silent, unable to look at Magnus in the optics, even though it was merely a holographic projection of his lover.

"I…no. Soundwave doesn't want this either. It would be best and in both of our interests if we could just split this new bond and move on!" Optimus reached out, his hands touching the holographic projection to that it flickered in between his fingers. "Please…Magnus…let me explain when I see you. Let me prove to you that I…I still love you. I've always loved you."

By now, the other Autobot seemed to deflate. The previous rage drained from his face and now he looked tired and just plain upset. "But your love for me didn't stop you from wanting to be with the enemy did it? What good will you proving your love to me be when clearly I wasn't enough?"

"You weren't here!" Optimus pleaded. "And the others…they weren't enough for me. Please, Magnus. At least take some time to think about it. Let me explain myself. It was an accident!"

"Don't you think we're beyond excuses now?" Magnus replied wearily, his tone defeated. He shook his helm, and the hand he used to rub at the crest was trembling…or perhaps it was an interruption in the connection. "Look…right now, I don't know what to say to you. I-I don't know what to think of all of this. You've betrayed me, Optimus. Just do what you think is best for our cause and hope that the Council readily forgives your…transgression."

Prime said nothing. He knew what Magnus thought and he was right. It would have been best if the Council decided to remove him. Optimus swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

"I understand. It is a lot to process. Go over what I've said…please. I'll call you again in a few days' time and we can go over it again if you'd like… if not, don't answer the call. I love you, Dion," Prime murmured softly before he ended the call, the holoprojector flashing dark and humming quietly as it powered down.

---

Rumble's bright red optics stared around the room in almost sparkling-like wonder, taking in every detail that the small private quarters offered.

"Autobots sure like ugly colours," he observed.

"Ya know, the colour on the Nemesis wasn't any better," Frenzy grumbled.

"At least it was stylish!"

Frenzy didn't offer anything beyond a derisive snort. He sat close to his recently-awoken twin, looking bored out of his processer. Soundwave sat perched on the edge of the berth and Rumble curiously picked up one of the wires that connected him to the medical machine that monitored the state of his spark.

"Leave that alone," Frenzy snapped, smacking Rumble's hand away. "Ya'll jinx it just by lookin' at it."

Rumble would have smacked him back but in his current state, he appeared confused instead. He then picked up another wire that was connected to him – though this time, it led directly into Soundwave's chassis.

"When can I merge with him?" Frenzy whined impatiently, his visor flashing with agitation.

Soundwave turned his helm to glance at the both of them. "Currently not recommended."

"Yeah," Rumble piped up. "Flashy-Helm Bot said that—"

"Autobot Chief Science Officer Wheeljack," Soundwave corrected.

"Whatever. Boom-Boom Bot said that Boss-Man and I should only stick with synchronising."

"Patience, Frenzy. Synchronisation with Rumble's systems will have to be repeated several times. Currently at 89%."

There was no warning chime. The door suddenly snapped open, and in the frame stood Optimus. He took in the scene for a moment before he stepped inside and allowed the thick metal door to shut behind him, the snap of the lock barely audible. Prime crossed his arms over his chassis and reached up to pry his facemask off. It disappeared into his subspace, and he started to speak.

"Soundwave, we have several things to discuss."

Then Prime's energy field washed over the room like a hot blanket, covering all of them with a fierce, no-nonsense sensation. Soundwave visibly stiffened and Optimus' optics glowed dark blue as he paced back and forth in short steps.

"Alpha Trion has agreed to your existence. He finds the Matrix's choice to be…interesting. The Council will be easily swayed by his opinion…so I am not too worried about their decision. However, once the spacebridge is fixed, we will mostly likely be required to…present ourselves. He also suggested that I announce your allegiance to the Autobots, or me, and insists I instruct the troops that you were a sleeper agent."

The Cassetticons remained wisely silent at the announcement, but they all looked at Soundwave expectantly, waiting for his answer. It was impossible to discern what sort of expression Soundwave had on his face, because unlike Prime, he chose to keep his visor and mask.

"I will swear my allegiance to you alone," he finally said and Rumble jumped a little, startled when Soundwave stopped their sync session and disconnected the wire from his access port. "Exchange: what we have agreed on previously."

"No!" Frenzy snarled.

"Silence," Soundwave said, without warranting his symbiote a glance. His visor was directly focused upon his bondmate.

Optimus looked confused for a few moments until he remembered. "You wanted your symbiotes to have safe passage into neutral territory?"

"Affirmative."

Prime stopped his pacing and came to a halt right in front of Soundwave. He rubbed at his jaw in contemplation. "This…cannot be allowed for…security reasons. Prowl would not agree to it. But it is something that can be arranged in the future."The large mech stepped closer until he was almost touching the telepath. "Why would you wish to be parted from your symbiotes?"

"It's his weird thinking that it's gonna keep us safe," Frenzy interjected, before Soundwave could reply. "What Boss? Ya think it's gonna make things up to us? We lost everything because of ya. No neutral territory is ever gonna replace what we went through because of ya."

"Beaky and Ratbat knew what they wanted," Rumble muttered.

"Yeah well, Soundwave's our Boss. We stick around, whether he likes it or not."

Frenzy's chin jutted out stubbornly and he turned his helm to look elsewhere, finalising his words.

"When I am terminated, I do not wish for them to follow me," the telepath quietly explained.

"Ch!" Frenzy said. "Fuck ya, Soundwave."

Prime covered his face with his hand and a gust of hot air flooded out of his vents, quickly heating the room. "I assure you, you will not be terminated. I have no reason to, and it would equally affect me. If your symbiotes staying would make you happier and easier to deal with, I would prefer that."

Optimus locked optics with Frenzy. "As long as they don't cause me trouble."

All Frenzy could do was just glower at the Autobot rebelliously.

The Autobot's blue hand reached out and Optimus gripped his fingers tightly to Soundwave's shoulder. "I've heard enough of your self-pitying words. Refrain from the language in my presence unless you want me to get very angry," the mech spoke, his words growled out. "I know life is so terrible for you right now, but it's far worse for me. I control a whole organisation. You do not."

The red visor flashed indignantly. "I do not—"

Optimus firmly planted his hand in the middle of Soundwave's chassis to push him on his back on the berth. "I'm sure Megatron will manage with just Starscream and Shockwave. Your existence has been diminished to the point where your only thought should be how to please me."

Soundwave's hands curled into fists and he gave Optimus a surlylook. "I will not be reduced to the status of a plaything. My function will be meaningless. Execution: preferred."

Prime chortled. The mech stared at Soundwave's body laid out before him and his optics rested on his chest where he knew it would part to reveal his spark. "You talk like you have a choice. I will tame you. Whether you make this easy or not, I will enjoy it either way. Open your chestplates now."

It had been unconceivable to the symbiotes that Optimus Prime would speak with such cold, unkind words and it was evident on their faceplates. But Soundwave hardly seemed fazed by this new display of Prime. He tipped his helm back, as if to stare at Prime from over the curve of his mouthguard in a contemptuous manner and pride overlaid his own swelling energy field. "Do not waste your words asking, Autobot."

Prime's lips twitched, but he did not look displeased at the reaction. "I thought I'd give you a chance to avoid some pain and humiliation. If your symbiotes interfere, I will harm them. And that would be a shame, because it would be too easy for me to do so with their inactive weapons systems. I always like a fair fight."

Optimus grinned and he drew his hand back to hit Soundwave across the face with a closed fist, causing the other mech's helm to snap to the side. He then ripped off the telepath's new visor and crushed it in his grip. "Again, I ask you to open your chassis."

"Harm them, and I shall kill you." The orange light in Soundwave's optics burned. He was practically vibrating with anger."If you are to violate me, at least oblige me by violating me as a Decepticon would."

Without preamble, he kicked the Autobot, shoving him backwards and away from the berth. "Do not interfere," he instructed his symbiotes.

"But Boss—"

All Soundwave had to do was throw a sharp glare at all of them. Even Ravage recoiled from the force of that look. Soundwave then gracefully slid off the berth to stand up to his full height, shoulders pushed back with his spinal struts ramrod straight. "Come, Autobot. Tame me if you can."

Optimus' own expression was cold and hard.

"As my bondmate, you will always refer to me as Prime, or Lord Prime. In private, you may call me Optimus."

Optimus squared his own stance and he glared down at Soundwave from his superior height. He threw the bond open suddenly and filled it with anger and frustration – everything he had been feeling for the past few days and lunged forward, his long fingers extended to grab Soundwave's collar ridge. With all the force he could muster he dragged Soundwave down to the floor until the telepath was hunched over on his knees with Prime looming over his other hand, Prime dug beneath Soundwave's back plating until he felt the smoothness of a tiny bit of exposed protoform.

"Do you understand?" he shouted.

Despite the position he was forced into, Soundwave uttered a ring of laughter that sounded like crunching metal. "I will not bow down to your oppression, Optimus Prime."

The assault of Optimus' negative feelings through their fledgling bond must have been draining on the Decepticon, and its sheer intensity made it impossible for Soundwave to block it. His vents made several choking hitches but he continued to stare upwards, his fierce optics always making direct contact to Prime's in complete defiance.

"Perhaps," Soundwave offered, "I can assist the soft-sparked Autobot on how to conquer his slave by offering advice."

"You're not even a slave, Soundwave. You're a useless whore whose life now has no meaning but to please me," Prime repeated slowly. "You are not a Decepticon anymore. You are not a communications officer anymore. You reside in my base, and drink my energon. You are mine," Optimus finished fiercely.

With a strong tug, Optimusdragged Soundwave forward across the floor and pushed on the back of Soundwave's helm until the mech's face was pressed hard into the floor.

"Very dignified now, aren't you Soundwave? All of this Decepticon pride in your energy field…it's amusing because as you know, they don't give a shit about you either. In fact," Prime leaned down as if he was whispering a secret, "I'm pretty sure they tried to kill you for being a traitorous bastard."

Soundwave trembled and the surface of the floor scratched at his mask, leaving dull scrapes across it. His energy field fizzed like a beast trapped behind a cage, shamed and yet simultaneously vexed and eager to maim. There was no appearance of his telepathy, but it rolled beneath a veneer of barely-there control.

"Megatron: derived amusement by invoking a gladiatorial survival game. I fought all of them," Soundwaveclaimed. "I fought all of them and I won."

Optimus laughed again, this time the pitch was higher and more pronounced. "Don't lie to me. You won with the power of the Matrix. I was there. I saw what you did."

The telepath's synthesiser distorted the purr he made, but the malevolence was evident enough. "Were you also there when he fucked me?"

Optimus' optics flickered in anger. "A pity good-bye fuck. How cute. Did it make you feel good? Did you love that Megatron finally decided to touch you again after so long? Did it make you feel wanted and special?"Prime's fingers which had previously been harmlessly enclosed around Soundwave's protoform now dug in harshly. "Because you're nothing special. You're not even that attractive. You're a slut who likes getting fucked. There's plenty of mechs just likeyou."

That garnered a reaction. There was a high-frequency shriek and Soundwave twisted, dislodging the fingers that had been wedged into his plating. It left a wound, but nothing that must have registered in the mech's hate filled optics. He grabbed Prime, his claws finding purchase into the various seams that made up Prime's chestplates and this time whatever control he held on his telepathy shattered. The telepathy flared out like an entity upon its own, though it was only for a brief moment before Soundwave's optics brightened with sudden shock.

The Matrix had intervened, using the bond to re-establish its presence back into Soundwave's spark and neutralise his telepathy.

Weakened by the abruptness of his most treasured skill taken away as if it was a mere toy, Soundwave stumbled backwards and crashed clumsily into the berth behind him.

"Foolish!" Optimus bellowed, advancing just as quickly as Soundwave had stumbled back. "You are a mere insect next to the power of the Matrix, no matter how strong your mind powers may be!"

Optimus was quick and decisive. He pulled Soundwave forward and dropped the mech onto the floor, and a moment later he swooped down to join him. "I will ask you to open your chestplates one more time before I force you! Do it!"

Soundwave's optics dimmed, the fire that fuelled them vanished along with his will. His helm rolled to the side and he saw his symbiotes from the corner of his vision. Frenzy had his knees drawn up, his arms folded over them and he was refusing to watch the debauchery that was going on right next to him. Rumble appeared horrified, unable to believe what he was seeing. The other two…were feigning disinterest, not wishing to be involved.

"Force me," he croaked with a burst of static. "Enjoy your victory."

"Gladly," Prime snarled back, as he straddled Soundwave and rested his core weight onto the telepath below. "Pity. You started off with such fury. Are you starting to realize that you are completely useless in this war now? You said yourself you were useless earlier."

With no more warnings, Optimus brought the brunt of his fist down on the glass of Soundwave's chassis. It withstood the impact, but cracks zigzagged everywhere, and it couldn't withstand a second hit, and shattered into small chips. The Autobot twisted off a larger one that was still mounted near the edge of the gold coloured band on Soundwave's chassis, then reached in and scraped the sharp instrument along the tiny seam in the back that would split to reveal the telepath's spark. He wedged the glass in with a squeal of metal, forcing the gears to work.

Prime paused and drew in a deep breath, concentrating. The Matrix was active already, eager, it could feel the desire of its owner, and easily obeyed the simple command. The foreign energy forced itself onto Soundwave's mind, searching for coding that would help Optimus.

After a few moments of nothing, the recognisable click of gears working filled the air, and Soundwave's chassis split apart in several complex manoeuvres and his spark was pushed up, flooding the room in bright gold.

Optimus had optics for nothing else, and his vents were expelling air even faster. It was obvious he wanted this, and still held the piece of glass in his hand, and with several gentle and harmless strokes, he drew it over Soundwave's lasercore. Prime's other hand disappeared into his subspace and he fumbled around for a few moments before pulling out a tiny black device with two buttons on it. One button was red, the other green.

"You're gonna love this," Optimus said, tensing for retaliation as he stuck the tiny device on the bottom edge of Soundwave's lasercore. "Wheeljack made it. If you attempt to remove it, it will shock your spark with a pulse of painful electricity. But mainly, it's for blocking telepathy." With nothing else that needed to be said, Prime flicked the green button with a digit, and then sat back on Soundwave's pelvic unit. "Open your panel."

For a brief moment, Soundwave lay there as he took in the implication what exactly Optimus had planted into his body. A short delay before the optics began to slowly brighten again as the realisation sunk in. The Matrix kept him from using his telepathy from harming Optimus but this foreign object sat inside him like a parasite, absorbing the energy his spark used to fuel the unique components that enabled his powers.

Optimus Prime had managed to exert the sort of control over him that Megatron could only wish he had.

Soundwave did retaliate then. He began to screech and thrash madly as his hands automatically went for his own chest, fingers scrabbling around for the device to tear it off. Static-filled garble that his synthesiser couldn't process escaped his vocaliser, mingled with unintelligible words and curses filled the small room. The mech screamed in pain when the device indeed did shock him, but it didn't stop him from trying to rip it off. He looked beyond any help; a wild, hapless creature that had been declawed and pushed into the corner.

"Stop it! Yer hurtin' him!"

Frenzy had jumped off the berth and he pushed himself between the two. He grabbed Soundwave's wrist, pushed it away to stop Soundwave from harming himself any longer, and then threw his body over the exposed cavity of Soundwave's chest, shielding it from the mech who trying to restrain his Master. Grounded by the sudden appearance of Frenzy, and perhaps fearful for his symbiote's safety, Soundwave quickly calmed down but he was visibly trembling and clicking.

"Frenzy, kzztt – interfering—"

"Ya think I'm afraid of him?" Frenzy addressed Soundwave with a snarl and then turned his burning-red visor back to Prime. "For all yer preaching of freedom being the right of all sentient beings, yer just like us Decepticonsain't ya?"

"Frenzy…stop…" Soundwave protested.

"Yer like the holy fucking light to those who agree with ya, but who gives a slag about them nasty 'Cons, right? They're all the scum of society anyways, right? Ya fraggin' twofaced fuck. At the end of the day, ya and Megatron are the same fucking thing. 'Cept, at least he's honest about it."

The small Cassetticon was sputtering with rage, and with his sonics disabled, all he could do was just shake as he glared up at the Autobot leader. Back on the berth, Rumble was kept from joining his brother by Buzzsaw and Ravage. His spark was too weak for him to even transform and the monitoring machine next to him was already starting to go crazy with his agitation.

Soundwave laid a servo on the symbiote's back, lest the small mech leapt up to attack Prime. "Cease," he tried to command, but there was no strength in his voice.

"No I ain't gonna stop! Sounders ain't worthless!" Frenzy screamed, parts of his face thrown in stark relief from the vivid light Soundwave's spark was emitting. "Ya don't know anything about him so who the fuck gave you the right to call him that? Plus that stupid Matrix didn't think he was soworthless, did it?"

Rumble spoke up quietly between clenched denta. "The Boss is the most useful mech I know. He's done stuff that none of ya could ever dream of doing and he sure as pit is more worthy than ya and all of yer rubbish Autobots put together."

"And for yer info," Frenzy added, practically spitting out his words. "Ya Autodorks look like the backend of a scraphaulin' truck anyway. And you—" He pointed an accusing claw at Optimus "—are a lying piece of slag. If there's so many other mechs just like him, how come ya were so into him?"

Their faces were so close, Prime could see the way Frenzy's optics cycled. However, the outburst had gotten him to stop, and he simply stared at the symbiote.

"He had worth. However, he abandoned that when he started interfacing with me, and Soundwave knows that. You can't get the best of both the things without consequences. A Decepticon such as Soundwave must be thoroughly dominated and humiliated before he is ready to submit to my will. Only then once he realizes his place will he be ready to slowly integrate to Autobot society. Soundwave must understand the rules, and he must abide by them."

Prime paused and sat back.

"Without Soundwave understanding these rules, and by extension yourselves, I can only imagine there would be underhandedness and possible harm to my soldiers. I have no desire to hurt Soundwave. You heard me ask him to obey. Those who do not obey are punished. It is a universal fact."

The small symbiote's mouth twisted unhappily, not wanting to comprehend the harsh consequences of his Master's actions. "Ya can't expect him to follow ya blindly like that! He ain't an Autobot. It ain't what he believes in! An' he's more than some drone ya can program to do what ya want!"

"Frenzy, please. Cease," Soundwave insisted. "Go back to the berth."

Frenzy whipped his helm to beseechingly stare at the other mech. "Boss ya can't just lie back like that and take it. It ain't who ya are—"

"Go."

Defeated by the finality in Soundwave's tone, Frenzy's vents hitched and he hissed out a crude-sounding obscenity. But he obeyed and reluctantly stepped away. The gold light of Soundwave's covered spark flooded the room, and its energy rolled restlessly, the tendrils weaving around each other over the surface of the spark before being consumed inside the turbulent mass. Soundwave turned his helm after making sure that Frenzy rejoined his fellow Cassettes on the berth back to Prime and he said nothing, but just stared with resigned optics. His panel clicked open.

With Frenzy now gone, Prime had an uninterrupted view of Soundwave's spark. His own pulsed with desire and longing, curling up onto itself in a painful way that made Optimus whimper.

"Soundwave. You understand why I am doing this, correct?" Optimus asked.

The ocular balls beneath the telepath's optics swivelled upwards, indicating that he had chosen to fix his gaze up at the ceiling. His hand reached up and his fingers scratched down the windshield of Optimus' altmode, seeking the Autobot's spark that lay beyond his grasp.

"Optimus Prime: the new alpha who will collar me," Soundwave rasped. "My new master. You wish to ensure the safety of your mechs by placing an unbreakable leash upon my neck. I understand all too well."

"In the future, you will be allowed more freedom as you earn it. Now, however, I need to keep you close…until I know I can trust you."

Prime's own chestplates slowly started to transform apart, shrinking into his chassis and adding to his bulk. Over his spark the Matrix innocently glowed, but it soon slid up and back, disappearing into the cavern of Prime's chest.

The pull between the two sparks was fierce, and Optimus's entire body was jerked down towards Soundwave's with the connection. The two closed glass lasercores squealed against each other, and Prime's panel slid open silently. Optimus drew himself back, pushing Soundwave's legs open with his knees and easily asserted himself in between. His spike extended, the tip already glossy with precum.

"Last time I allowed you to push me off. That will not happen again," Optimus intoned. "Do you understand this? You must always submit to me in this way unless I say otherwise. You must always do your best to please me when we interface, and in all other areas."

This time, Soundwave allowed the mask covering his lower face to retract – the last barrier of his defiance gone. He was panting heavily, his vents working hard to circulate the air inside his hot chassis.

"Yes, Lord Prime. I will never deny your needs," he yielded and without the synthesiser to distort his voice, he sounded a little dazed; a combination of fear, acceptance to his fate and tiredness at having to be tugged left and right by this unshakeable bond they shared.

The Decepticon's white thighs widened further, sprawling out to give Optimus more room between them and this time he gazed at his bondmate with narrowed optics, almost as if he wanted this ordeal over and done with.

"Good," Optimus replied. "You will hold higher rank than my officers, even Prowl. However, you must still be respectful towards them."

Prime's hand drifted down and he experimentally touched the outer folds of Soundwave's valve, pressing his fingers inwards to find that the telepath was completely dry and not even slightly aroused. The bulbous tip of Prime's spike spread the protective folds as he positioned himself and slowly pressed himself inside the warmth whether Soundwave wanted it or not. His blue optics flickered when their pelvic units met when he was all the way inside, their lasercores again only a short distance away.

Soundwave stiffened, his knees twitching slightly as the large spike forced his too-hot, too-tight inner walls to spread wide around it. He made no indication that he was in pain, though the tightening of his hands gave him away.

"Show me your spark," Prime demanded.

Prime was instantly obeyed. The semi-transparent coverings that surrounded Soundwave's spark slid away, and almost immediately, the golden tendrils rose up in an attempt to touch the other mech's lasercore. Soundwave's optics flickered in varying brightness, mouth parting from the onslaught of emotions that his spark unleashed. One of his hands managed to unglue itself from the floor and it latched desperately onto the plating of Prime's arm.

Prime's hips were still. He could not resist the call of Soundwave's spark in favour for other pleasure. His own lasercore slid back in a circular motion to reveal his spark, and instantly jumped down to meet Soundwave's. The pain he had been feeling, the tension, the hatred, it all vanished as soon as the two sparks melded together, and Optimus jerked his hips up in a deep, instinctive thrust.

Emotions floated along over the bond. Combined 's humiliation. The anger they both held at the situation they had been forced into. However, the fledgling bond was singing with happiness and joy at the two halves been made whole again. The Decepticon's sharp and dangerous fingers held onto him, squeezing his arms, trying to bring him closer. The merging was sweet, temporary relief at that very moment and it gave Soundwave everything he could possibly hope for, everything his body wanted to feel. The Matrix had made sure that they were thoroughly bonded, and that there would be no chance that their sparks would ever wish to survive without one another.

Soundwave's hips finally rocked up to meet Prime's thrusts and when the spike dragged out of his valve, its heavy ridges were already covered faintly with the beginnings of fresh lubricant.

"I am not a worthless whore," Soundwave hissed, and his end of the bond gave a pulse of strong determination.

"Then prove it to me," Optimus snarled back, his body undulating as he thrust into the rapidly lubricating valve. "Prove yourself that I won't have to watch you every second of the day."

Prime slammed his palms on the floor next to Soundwave's shoulders, while his elbows held the rest of the weight from his upper chassis. He leaned down and mouthed Soundwave's lips, refusing to fully kiss him and in response, Soundwave pitched his helm to the side until Prime just breathed into his audio. Soundwave's optics bright and intense and focused only on him and his full, pale mouth was wet with Prime's oral oils, working open with each hard thrust Optimus gave him. His lips parted when the Autobot's large spike fully hilted inside his clenching valve, the tip of his glossa just visible when Prime withdrew and he uttered a quiet, needy moan when that spike's ridges bumped over the ribbed lining of his walls.

The symbiotes watched, their gazes laden with a mixture of accusation and concern. "Careful Prime," Rumble said, his unrefined accent lilting with mockery. "Ya dun wanna fall too deep when Soundwave does prove it to ya. 'Cause then ya won't want to get out afterwards."

Optimus hadn't heard Rumble. He wouldn't have cared even if he had, not even when Soundwave began to laugh – a hollow, broken laugh full of irony. The strong thrusts had stopped, and Prime stared down at Soundwave as their sparks danced with each other in a sweet oasis of pleasure and joy.

"How are you to refer to me as?" Optimus demanded, turning his hands up so he could grip tightly to Soundwave's shoulders.

"My Lord Prime," Soundwave whispered as the last of his laughter died into a gasping moan, his lips falling open from dual pleasure he was receiving from the mech above him. "My alpha."

Optimus thrust his hips up hard to reward Soundwave's correct answer. "Yes. You will never hurt any of my soldiers or manipulate them. You are allowed to interface with the officers as well, but you will never use your valve. It's mine. Now repeat what I have said," the Autobot hissed, burying his face into Soundwave's neck so he could bite at the mech's neck tubing.

"My Prime's Autobots: will not be harmed. My valve: belongs to you alone," Soundwave gasped, the energon running hot through the tubing of his throat.

Soundwave arched his back and his spark swirled around Prime's, staking its claim on it by encasing it completely in its possessive hold. The area between their conjoined interface arrays was already slick with lubricant, and wet sounds accompanied each motion Prime's spike made as it pushed itself in and out of the hot, soft hole it was fucking.

Optimus purred his approval, his lips finally searching out Soundwave's so he could kiss him. Pressure was building in his spark, slow but gradual and Optimus smoothed his glossa over the telepath's lips, moaning into his bondmate's mouth.

"Good mech," Prime breathed, his thrusts faster and harder.

Soundwave grabbed him then, pulling him down to continue their kiss. The pointed denta scraped across the thin dermalplating of Prime's lips and he locked his thighs around the mech's hips, forcing them to stop moving. A series of ripples ran through the Decepticon's valve, the numerous energon lines that ran beneath the thick lining pulsing rapidly and then the channel pulled tight, trapping the thick length deep inside. Each ripple and each clench pushed out lubricant that welled around the valve's rim from where it was stretched around the spike's wide base.

Optimus' thrusts became frenzied and erratic as the combined sensation of Soundwave's snug valve clenching around him and the deep, soulful pleasure of their sparks pulsing in harmony started to push him into overload. System warnings flashed on his internal display and Optimus groaned deeply, his face pressed tightly against Soundwave's as he thrust up a few more times, flooding Soundwave's valve with sticky transfluid.

His bondmate's overload followed simultaneously, triggered by the torrent of sensations that backwashed through the bond. Soundwavepressed his shoulders against the floor, pushing his chest out into Optimus' chassis. He keened, helm tipping back and throat cables stretched tight across the struts of his neck.

"Prime…" he called, optics lost at an indiscernible point past the other mech's face, the orange bleeding white at the edges.

The Autobot trembled, basking in the sweet sensation of Soundwave's valve clamping and pulsating around his spike. Steam hissed from his vents and he tilted his hips back, his wet spike dripping with a mixture of lubricant and cum. Prime shifted his legs so he was on the outside of Soundwave, then easily flipped the telepath on his front. The mech grabbed Soundwave's hips and pulled them up so his aft was sticking out at a high angle.

Optimus entertained himself by pressing his fingers into the stretched opening of Soundwave's valve so he could smear his transfluid over the mech's white thighs. Soundwave's hips jolted at the attention and he tipped his helm to the side, gazing over his shoulder at Prime from the corner of one slanted optic.

"Hold yourself up," Prime muttered, and shut his lasercore though a part of his spark was still visible.

Optimus grunted as he mounted his Decepticon bondmate, his spike sliding easily back into the drenched hole. With one hand on the ground to support his weight off of Soundwave, Optimus searched under the telepath until his fingers found his spike housing. Prime jerked his hips forward, grinning into the back of Soundwave's helm.

"Good. Now extend your spike."

The telepath made an irritated sound but he submitted to the order, his thick shaft obedientlyextending out into Prime's waiting palm. When Prime's fingertips touched the sensitive ridges of his spike, he pushed his aft back to seat Prime's spike deeper inside himself. More fluid was pushed out; a thick mixture of lavender-coloured transfluid and lubricant that streaked down Soundwave's thighs and dripped onto the floor.

"Big…" Soundwave praised as his claws scraped out in front of him.

At such an angle, Prime's spike pushed up to stretch his valve further and its rounded tip pressed insistently at the cluster of nodes at the top of his passage. With Prime's next thrust, that very same tip brushed against the opening inlet of his gestation tank. The sensation of that was intense and it sent a shudder through his circuits, causing him to cry out thinly.

Optimus' hand smoothed around the length of Soundwave's spike, his fingers tracing over the ridges until he came to the prominent head, and he allowed the tip of one finger to massage the slit. He moved his hips forward and started a steady circular motion, gripping Soundwave's spike tightly, the motion thrusting him through Optimus' palm.

"When you…obey me…I will always reward you with pleasure and attention. It will be the opposite if you displease me. Do you understand the simple rules I have laid out for you?"

There was a short muted squeal as Soundwave's knees slid further apart in the position Prime had him in. The wound Prime had inflicted earlier on his backplating was sticky with the mechblood that had dried around it and the paint on the metal was dull from where he had been taken hard on his back earlier. But Soundwave just moved with his bondmate's thrusts, fucking fervently back. Precum coated the Autobot's fingers, soothing the hot textured surface of his spike.

"I am not a pet," Soundwave moaned into his arms, unable to place any conviction or insistence in his panting voice.

Optimus stopped.

"You're right, you aren't a pet. You're my pet," Optimus breathed. He curved his neck and nibbled at Soundwave's jaw. "What are the rules I have been telling you during this entire session? Repeat them to me and I'll let you overload. If you do not, I will lock your panel shut."

Prime slid his hand along the length of Soundwave's shaft, squeezing hard at the tip.

"What do you say? Will you submit to me again in front of your symbiotes?"

"Cruel, cruel Autobot," Soundwave murmured, his body already trembling with the tension of his overload drawing near, and the high-strung pleasure that lay just beyond his reach. "Cruel Alpha. How you must enjoy subjugating me to your will. Very well. I will obey you. I will not harm your Autobots. I will never deny you. My valve is yours to fuck. I am a worthless, unattractive whore."

Optimus laughed, the sound vibrating through his chassis into Soundwave's back. "My…so full of malice. I love it," Prime breathed, the sound of their pelvic units scraping together filling the room.

Optimus drew his own knees closer together so he could fuck Soundwave at a different could feel Soundwave quivering on the edge, and Prime drew his spike out almost all the way, the rounded tip just inside the telepath's valve, and then slowly slid back inside.

"Do you want to cum?" he growled.

The valve throbbed, already constricting tautly around Prime's length and Soundwave's hips dropped a little lower, almost dislodging Prime from the wet heat that surrounded him. The device that he had implanted to block Soundwave's telepathy was not leaving him with enough energy but he held himself up with his sheer will alone.

"My Lord Prime's pleasure is my pleasure," he managed.

"Yes or no!" Prime shouted angrily.

"Yes!" Soundwave snapped. "I want to fucking cum!"

"Then do it!" Optimus snarled in reply, his hips jerking forward as he surrendered to his second overload.

Optimus' command was the trigger Soundwave needed, and he practically rubbed his faceplates into the floor's coarse surface, oils slicking around the corners of his mouth and down his chin. Unable to keep his body up, Soundwave collapsed.

Prime's weight landed on Soundwave too, and the pair panted in silence as hot air flooded the room from their combined systems. The Autobot slowly extracted his spike from Soundwave's valve and it slowly tucked away until Optimus could close his panel. He sat up on Soundwave's aft.

"You two behave," he warned Rumble and Frenzy. Optimus looked over at Ravage and Buzzsaw, but they still appeared to be uninterested in the entire event. "I'll be back later."

Prime stood up with no further words and left, leaving his bondmate lying on the floor.

For a few moments, there was no movement save for Soundwave's rapidly whirling fans and the light of his spark that moved around the various surfaces of the room. Then the button on the telepathy-blocking device switched to red and Soundwave lurched as his suppressed power surged forward. Overwhelmed by how much energy he had been expending just trying to break that hellish little contraption, Soundwave bent over and purged most of the energon in his tanks as his systems whined from the strain. Thankfully for him, it was merely a reaction from the negative effects of having his telepathy jammed so he didn't empty his tanks completely.

"Honey, yer new husband sure is romantic, ain't he? Watta dreamboat he is," Frenzymocked with a perfect imitation of one of the local drama shows they sometimes watched for amusement.

Soundwave spat out the last of the processed energon onto the floor at his pedes and then, in true Decepticon fashion that was more suitable for the likes of a Stunticon, spitefully kickedat the single chair in the room, and sent it spinning towards the regurgitated mess he had left.

"Shut the slag up," Soundwave growled back with an unpleasant tone that was full of grit.

But Frenzy remained unmoved and the corners of his mouth pulled down sullenly. "I can hear yer charming Polyhex accent comin' out there, ya know."

Soundwave snarled and dug his fingers into his own helm, gripping the angular finials viciously. His lips curled over his fangs, rendering the features of his face into something savage and primeval. The telepathy lashed around furiously and the symbiotes winced as they felt the effects of it, but then it steadily subsided as Soundwave's hands slid down to hide his face.

The navy-blue mech stood there for a long moment, vents expelling audibly. When he dropped his hands, he was noticeably calm again; mouth set in its customary neutral line and the optics dark and cool. He then promptly covered his extremities – chest, face and interface array. The visor lay broken further away from the berth.

"Rumble," Soundwave barked, turning around to face his symbiotes and crunching what was left of his tapedeck glass underneath his pede.

The still recovering Cassetticon flinched at the sharp call of his name. "Yeah Boss?"

"Rumble: requires further synchronisation sessions."

Said symbiote scooted further to the side when Soundwave sat down on the berth next to him and he gave the drying smears of fluids on the telepath's thighs a disgusted look.

"…sure," he said unenthusiastically and accepted the wire that Soundwave offered to him.

"Submission to the enemy is a small price to pay," Soundwave spoke directly into their minds via the telepathy. "Difficult, long path ahead. Integration in Autobot high command: ample compensation. Given more power than I predicted.I will secure a position. I will rise."

"Ain't no higher position than Prime's bonded?" Rumble tentatively asked over their synchronised connection.

The dermal plating around Soundwave's still-exposed optics crinkled a little and he sneered nastily behind his mask. He extended a finger and fondly stroked Buzzsaw's beak. "Precisely."

---

Now that's a long chapter! Thank you to everyone who reviewed last time. And look, this has been our new quickest update (and longest chapter) ever! Things will soon be gearing up in Triviality-verse, now that all (well, most) of the main characters have been introduced! Fierce mechs hold Optimus's attention...who will win!

Also, if you review anonymously and ask questions, I have no means of replying to you!