"Good afternoon, Thundercracker," said Skywarp, walking into the bedroom. Thundercracker was drifting off into sleep again, but he jerked up when he saw his brother walk into the room.
"So, how did things go with Moonbeam, lover boy?" he said. Even though he hadn't done it intentionally, a little sarcasm crept into his voice.
"Well…it was all just a misunderstanding," Skywarp explained. "I guess she was mad that we left for the Decepticlub without letting her know first. I got her that diamond necklace, though, and some pretty flowers, and now we're all better."
"Lucky you," Thundercracker grumbled.
"Are you okay, TC?" asked Skywarp innocently, sitting down onto his bed. "I mean…you just haven't been acting the same, lately."
"What are you talking about, moron?" Thundercracker demanded. "Why would you think I changed? I haven't changed!"
"You're meaner," Skywarp whispered.
"Meaner!" Thundercracker stood up and looked down at Skywarp, who was staring down at the floor; he didn't look angry, just a little confused. "I can't believe you just said that!"
"Well, you are!" Skywarp stood up too. "I just want to know why! You're so…so distant!"
"I'm distant?!" yelled Thundercracker. "We hardly even see you any more!"
"If that's what you're worried about, there's plenty of me to go around, friend," Skywarp told him.
"No, Skywarp, you don't—" Thundercracker watched Skywarp, still refusing to look anywhere but the floor, his hands behind his back, a pensive expression on his face.
Why does Skywarp get Moonbeam? Thundercracker thought to himself furiously. Look at this fool! It's not fair!
"I don't what?" asked Skywarp calmly.
Thundercracker's cover burst.
"You don't deserve her!" he yelled in Skywarp's face, pulling him by the wing. "You just sit there, being the stupid little excuse for a jet that you are, and Moonbeam comes into your life and fawns all over you! Why you? You didn't do anything! What's so special about you?"
Skywarp was just standing there, looking gobsmacked, but Thundercracker wasn't even looking at him.
"Do you think it's easy to start relationships, Skywarp?" he hollered. "Do you think love comes no matter what you do? Well, it doesn't! It DOESN'T! SO JUST GIVE UP! GIVE UP!"
Thundercracker leaned over, one hand resting on the bedpost, while Skywarp just stood there, his mouth hanging open. Thundercracker didn't notice it, but Skywarp's eyes were filling with tears as he ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
…
Starscream was sitting at the table, casually drinking some medium-grade energon with a straw, when Skywarp ran past him, hands over his face, eyes streaming with tears.
"Skywarp?" Starscream called. "What the slag happened? Did she dump you?"
"No, we're all made up." Skywarp sunk down onto the couch and tried to wipe tears away, but they kept coming; he couldn't understand why Thundercracker had been so mean to him. Thundercracker was being mean all the time. Why?
"So why are you so upset, then?" Starscream asked, getting up from the table and sitting down next to Skywarp.
"It was Thundercracker," Skywarp said quietly. "I just…I asked him why he was being so mean to me and Moonbeam…and he said the meanest things. Like that I don't deserve her. I-I think he hates me now."
"Oh, no," Starscream whispered. Thundercracker had finally let his jealousy get the best of him.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER…
Skywarp was still angry with Thundercracker, and Thundercracker was still angry with Skywarp. Starscream knew Thundercracker loved Moonbeam, and he knew that Skywarp was clueless to this fact (and thought he was being mean for no reason), but he didn't know what to do.
It was getting hard to handle. Starscream already had underlying suspicions about Moonbeam's true motives, and now Thundercracker, who had been trying to hide his jealousy the whole time, had let it all explode like a volcano, the lava falling onto poor Skywarp and melting him to ashes. The only thing that made him happy was his relationship with Moonbeam.
"I love you, sugar daddy," Moonbeam was whispering to Skywarp as she ran her hands up and down his wings. "Are you ready for our big night out tonight?"
"Of course," Skywarp said. "I love you too, kissy-wissy."
"I'm glad you bought me those new earrings and bracelet to go with my necklace," she told him. "I can wear them tonight!"
"You're beautiful with or without them, hon," Skywarp replied, and kissed her.
Moonbeam giggled. "Who's my little sugar daddy?"
"I am!" said Skywarp, and they kissed again.
Thundercracker, at that time, was sitting in front of the TV, pretending to watch it but really watching Skywarp and Moonbeam, deeply in love, making out on the couch.
Skywarp looked at Thundercracker and cried out, "Make sweet love to me, Moonbeam!"
"SHUT UP!" hollered Thundercracker. "Do you have no respect for your fellow Decepticons?!"
"You're one to talk!" Skywarp shouted. "I don't know ANYONE meaner than you!"
"Oh, what a fabulous retort," said Thundercracker sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "That's me outsmarted, isn't it?"
"At least I have a girlfriend!" Skywarp pointed out. "You're still single and lonely, aren't you, TC?"
"For your information, I prefer not to have a girlfriend!" Thundercracker lied.
"Oh, that's rich!" said Skywarp.
Thundercracker shouted an obscenity at Skywarp and they both started yelling simultaneously, with petty insults, profanity, and a whole lot of drama. Starscream was just hoping it wouldn't become physical.
Moonbeam must be uncomfortable with this, thought Starscream, knowing that he would've hated to be in her situation…but when he looked at her, she was sitting there safe on Skywarp's lap, grinning smugly. She was enjoying this. Every minute of it. And no one noticed. Not Skywarp, not Thundercracker.
No one but Starscream.
…
Starscream was lying down on his bed, watching Skywarp get ready to go on the date. Of course, Thundercracker was still in the main monitor room, hogging the TV, and Starscream assumed Moonbeam was in the guest room where she (and usually Skywarp) slept, getting ready for the date too.
When Skywarp was finally ready, he had some time to kill, so he sat down on the bed across from Starscream and asked, "So, how do I look?"
"Fine," said Starscream. "Want an energon cube?"
"Sounds great." Skywarp reached out for the energon and started drinking it. Starscream had several cubes with him; ever since the fight between Skywarp and Thundercracker earlier today, he had felt sick to his stomach, knowing what kind of femme Moonbeam truly was. At first he thought he could just drink the feelings away, but it didn't seem to be helping.
"So…how are things going?" asked Starscream nervously. Deep down, he knew that he had to do something, but he didn't know what. And he was too terrified, anyway.
"Moonbeam and I are in love again," said Skywarp dreamily. "I guess she was mad at me, but I got her the necklace and some flowers, and now look—our relationship's better."
Starscream winced. "I-I'm not sure that's such a good thing, 'Warp."
"What do you mean?" Skywarp looked confused.
WHERE is your courage, Starscream? Starscream was telling himself. Probably, he didn't have this much courage in him, and he didn't know if this would make things worse or better, but he had to say it.
"Moonbeam isn't the type of femme you think she is!" Starscream choked out.
"I think she's wonderful," Skywarp said.
"Listen, I know what kind of femme she is," Starscream insisted. "Have you noticed how she calls you 'sugar daddy'? Do you know what that means?"
Skywarp just shrugged. "I always thought it meant I was sweet."
"You are, Skywarp," said Starscream. "Too sweet. The term 'sugar daddy' means she's not in love with you…only the things you buy for her and do for her. She's the kind who'll sleep with anyone if he does what she wants."
"Th-That is not true!" Skywarp sputtered, pointing one finger at Starscream. "You're just jealous!"
"I'm not jealous!" Starscream told him. "I wanted you to be happy in this relationship…but can't you see what she's trying to do?"
"No, I can't!" Skywarp cried. "I know my girlfriend, and she would never do anything to hurt anyone!"
"What about that time she slapped you, then?"
"I deserved that."
"You did not deserve it!" Starscream walked up to Skywarp and shook him by the shoulders. "Who's letting a femme boss him around like a helpless little android? Who's putting up with her nonsense every time he doesn't do just what she says? Who's dating a femme who's just sleeping with him so he'll buy things for her? Open your eyes, Skywarp!"
"Oh, so this is how it's going to be, huh?" Skywarp pushed Starscream away. "Thundercracker is being a jerk, and now you're going to be one, too?"
"Of course not!" Starscream told him. "I'm trying to help you!"
"I don't need your kind of help!" Skywarp shouted, picking up his energon cube and throwing its contents at Starscream. "And if you can't accept my relationship and be happy for me, then that's your problem, not mine!"
"Well, if you're going to be that way, then get used by her! Get your spark broken!" Starscream looked down at the energon that had splashed all over his paint job and stormed out of the room. "See if I care!"
"FINE!" yelled Skywarp, slamming the door behind him.
"FINE!" Starscream yelled back.