Chapter 4

"Whoa, hold on, Bee," Hashtag quickly said before she stepped directly between the two and raised both her hands. "We invited Starscream to hang out with us."

Bumblebee's gaze shot at her in shock. "You guys did what?!"

"You heard her," Starscream drawled, his tone dripping with mock amusement. "Or perhaps your processor needs a check-up."

Bumblebee growled at him. He took a menacing step forward. "The one who has some loose screws is you, Screamer. Everyone knows that."

"Okay, enough from both of you," Twitch intervened, fluttering between the two with a determined stance, making sure Hashtag wasn't the only one to keep the two from getting into a brawl.

"Hey, he's the one who started it," Bumblebee argued, motioning at Starscream with his blaster.

"You're the one who first pointed a weapon at me!" Starscream barked back, not daring to lower down his weapon. "I was merely defending myself."

"Guys, come on," Hashtag spoke up with a frown before looking at Bumblebee with confusion. "I thought you said you were going to be gone today because you had some race to go to."

"The race was canceled," Bumblebee said before blinking at Hashtag. "Hold up. Were you guys making sure I wasn't here so he could come over?"

"Well, we didn't think you were going to like the idea of him being here," Twitch said. "And well… we were right."

"Of course you were right!" Bumblebee exclaimed; irritation evident in his voice. "No bot in their right mind would be fine with you guys hanging around with this sociopath!"

Starscream hissed at him menacingly, glaring at him as if he was ready to tear the Autobot apart.

"Bee!" Hashtag raised her voice with annoyance at her mentor. "That's uncalled for. Apologize to Starscream right now."

Bumblebee gawked at her for a moment before he shook his head, as if trying to shake off his shock. "Look, guys, I get what you guys are trying to do here, and that's very nice of you, but you need to trust me on this. Starscream is the last bot you should trust."

"Hey!" Starscream interjected sharply. "I'm right here, you know!"

The Decepticon leader despised being discussed as though he were absent, especially when they were uttering negative things about him. Then again, he had grown somewhat accustomed to it.

He was a bot that both Autobots and Decepticons loathed, though for different reasons. This stemmed from how dangerous he was in the field and the extreme measures he took to ensure his victories. He hadn't risen to second-in-command among the Decepticons simply due to being the fastest seeker.

Truth be told, he had grown somewhat indifferent to all the name-calling thrown his way. Liar, coward, traitor, monster… He had heard these labels and more countless times. Even when Thrash had accused him of being selfish back at the tunnels, he felt nothing.

He had taught himself not to care about others' opinions. He had done what he needed to survive against both Autobots and his fellow Decepticons. That had been his primary concern for most of his life. He didn't care if others judged his 'terrible' actions.

Yet… There was something about Bumblebee telling the Terrans not to trust him that struck a chord.

"Is it because he's a Decepticon?" Jawbreaker asked Bumblebee with confusion. "But you trust Breakdown and Megatron."

"They're different," Bumblebee explained. "You all should know not every Decepticon deserves a second chance. Remember Swindle?" He turned to Thrash as he asked the question.

Thrash looked away, a frown forming as he remembered how Swindle had gained his trust and then betrayed it entirely. But then again…

"I mean… he did come and help us out when we needed him and the other Decepticons the most," the Terran admitted, casting a glance back at Bumblebee.

"And they came thanks to Starscream," Twitch chimed in.

"And I have yet to hear a thank you from you," Starscream retorted to Bumblebee in a mocking tone. "You're welcome, by the way."

Bumblebee narrowed his optics at him, wanting to wipe off that smirk that Starscream had plastered on his face.

"Starscream…" Hashtag frowned at the Decepticon. She gave him a certain look, similar to the one she had given him back at the underground tunnels that had compelled him into aiding them against the Dweller.

She hadn't anticipated for Starscream to be friendly with the Autobots, but she didn't approve of his taunting manner towards Bumblebee. Not that Bumblebee was playing nice, either.

Starscream rolled his optics at Hashtag's gaze before he put his blaster away.

With Starscream's weapon out of sight, Bumblebee felt an urge to take advantage and tackle him down to the ground. However, the serious gazes he received from the Terrans prompted him to retract his own blaster. This, in turn, caused the Terrans to relax, some audibly exhaling in relief.

These were the moments when Bumblebee wished the Terrans weren't so quick to extend kindness to others. He had hoped recent events would teach them that the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. What irked him most was how Starscream likely reveled in their naivety, likely scheming ways to manipulate them against the Autobots.

Of course, Bumblebee couldn't fault the Terrans for not maintaining distance from Starscream. They'd merely heard stories about him, never firsthand accounts of his atrocities. They hadn't felt the impact of Starscream's missiles or discovered their friends tortured or slain by his actions.

They lacked the personal experience of how much of a monster Starscream was, to the extent that even Megatron had to watch his back during his time as the Decepticon leader.

The Terrans had only 'good' experiences with Starscream.

"I got a great idea!" Jawbreaker spoke up suddenly, with a wide grin breaking across his face. "Why not have Bumblebee hang out with us today? So he can see that Starscream isn't all that bad."

"That's a terrible idea," Starscream was quick to say.

"Not gonna happen," Bumblebee added firmly.

"Have you two ever like… engaged in anything other than battling each other?" Hashtag asked both of the Cybertronians. "I mean, have you ever tried talking to one another?"

Starscream folded his arms on his chest. "Why would I try to be friendly with an Autobot?" he scoffed.

"Besides trying to manipulate them? Yeah, not sure why you would," Bumblebee shot back. "Do you even know how to hold a normal conversation with anyone?"

"I do," Starscream drawled. "But I don't care to waste my vocalizer on bots whose processors are the size of pebbles, much like yours."

Hashtag buried her face in her hand and let out an exasperated sigh.

They were not going anywhere except possibly having to witness Starscream and Bumblebee exchange blows.

"Hmm…" Nightshade mused, resting their chin on their hand while tapping it with their fingers. "This is quite troublesome, but I do believe it's the perfect time for Starscream to meet Fluffy Ears," they proposed.

One of the most effective ways for individuals to bond was discovering shared interests. The universal appeal of finding Fluffy Ears adorable was something that everyone could agree upon.

And so, the entire group found themselves in a grassy terrain, surrounded by a fence and a herd of cows leisurely grazing.

Starscream arched an optic ridge, his optics scanning the surroundings in search of the object that piqued Shockwave's interest. However, all he saw were worthless animals.

"Behold the most endearing creature in existence," Nightshade declared with a hint of amusement, approaching Starscream and then lifting up a young calf, cradling her gently. "Starscream, I'd like you to meet Fluffy Ears."

The calf emitted a soft moo in Starscream's direction as her fluffy ears bounced a bit.

For a fleeting moment, Starscream felt his processor halt as he stared at the calf, then shifted his gaze to Nightshade. "You must be joking..." he muttered before hesitantly accepting the calf from Nightshade, lifting her closer to examine the creature. He even turned her around, only to find a simple organic being.

Thrash stifled a laugh, finding the sight of Starscream examining the calf to be an unexpected source of amusement.

A suspicion tugged at Starscream that the Terrans were playing a prank. There was no way Shockwave would express any interest in something so feeble. Unless the Ghost organization had tampered with Shockwave's processor during his captivity.

A certain memory, a haunting recollection from his time as a captive in the Ghost facility, dared to resurface in his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside.

"You don't find her cute?" Hashtag's confusion was evident in her voice.

Starscream's gaze flickered between Hashtag and Fluffy Ears, feeling a bit insecure all the sudden.

The notion of cuteness had been foreign in their home world. Starscream had only recently come across the concept, thanks to Skywarp, who had shown him internet videos featuring creatures referred to as 'cats' and supposedly people found them 'cute'. Yet, he struggled to comprehend how something could be considered 'endearing,' capable of evoking tender emotions.

Holding the calf, Starscream could only sense an emptiness within himself. The calf tilted her head in what seemed like curiosity.

"Of course, he doesn't," Bumblebee said. "That would require Starscream to have any decent emotion. Man, I didn't think even Shockwave had more emotions than Starscream here."

One of Starscream's optic ridges twitched. He promptly handed the calf back to Nightshade, eager to distance himself from the creature and quell the negative emotions simmering within him from the fact he didn't share the same reactions the Terrans had for Fluffy Ears.

There was no way Shockwave would have more positive emotions than him…

Well, he thought Fluffy Ears was rather soft. Did that count for something?

"Well, you didn't care about Fluffy Ears either the first time you met her," Thrash pointed out nonchalantly. "You even said once that she was just a cow before."

"For reals?" Jawbreaker asked in shock as he looked up at Bumblebee.

"Quite interesting," Nightshade added, cradling Fluffy Ears in one arm while gently patting her head. "I never would have thought anyone could resist her charm."

"Hey, I like her now," Bumblebee swiftly clarified. "I was just too frustrated before with other things to have realized what I was missing out on."

"Yeah, I remember that," Twitch said, recalling how stressed-out Bumblebee was when he was trying to mentor them back in the day while they kept getting distracted with other things.

"Well, Starscream, perhaps you just need a little time to develop an appreciation for her too," Nightshade suggested to the Decepticon.

"Maybe..." Starscream's response trailed off into a grumble. His optics averted to the side, prompting concern from Hashtag while Bumblebee interpreted his reaction as sheer annoyance.

"He probably won't even bother to touch her again," Bumblebee remarked. "He probably looks at Fluffy Ears as insignificant."

"Don't put words in my mouth," Starscream hissed at him.

"Oh?" Bumblebee crossed his arms over his chest. "So, you're telling me you don't think she's insignificant?"

Starscream stayed silent, directing an intense glare toward Bumblebee.

He was usually adept at weaving falsehoods, but inexplicably, he found himself unable to utter any lies in the presence of the Terrans. Their collective gaze, particularly Hashtag's hopeful eyes, stifled any retort he might have offered, had he the nerve.

"That's what I thought," Bumblebee said after Starscream failed to respond. "Honestly, for the 'slyest' Decepticon, you're pretty predictable."

Starscream simply clenched his teeth, doing his best not to snap at the Autobot.

In truth, he surprised himself by holding his tongue. All the while, the frowns on the Terrans' faces deepened, but at Bumblebee's direction.

Hashtag, in particular, was going to have a word with Bumblebee later. Starscream was their guest. They all should be on their best behavior with him, and try to set a good example for him, despite him being older than them.

Based on her interactions, she had garnered Starscream's respect by affording him the same. Unfortunately, Bumblebee was failing in this regard.

Maybe having Bumblebee around was a terrible idea…especially by how Starscream seemed to be withdrawing from them all, at least, mentally by how quiet he was being.

"Hey, Starscream," Hashtag's voice reached him, redirecting his attention, hoping to fix this quickly. "Want to show us how fast you are against Twitch?"

"Oh, yes, please, let's race," Twitch grinned, her fists shaking near her face from uncontrollable excitement before quickly transforming into her drone alternate mode.

"I also want to join this race," Nightshade said, gently placing Fluffy Ears on the ground. "I'd like to witness your flight up close, even if only for a moment," they directed to Starscream.

"And don't take it easy on us," Twitch cautioned, her excitement palpable as she circled around Starscream. "We want the real deal."

Starscream regarded them both with puzzlement. At first, he didn't understand why they wanted to fly with him so badly.

Back on Cybertron, it was commonplace for aerial bots to relish the camaraderie of flying together. However, Starscream diverged from the norm. He typically preferred to do things alone, especially being in the air, since, well, the war had made him paranoid that someone nearby would shoot him down. Even flying alongside Skywarp and Nova Storm was a bit stressful.

Though… before the war, he felt rather at peace when Jetfire used to fly by his side all those years ago…

Perhaps taking to the skies with the two Terrans would indeed be enjoyable. Especially as he was completely certain they wouldn't harm him.

"Come on, Starscream," Twitch beckoned, soaring into the air while Nightshade transformed into their alternate mode and also began to fly up. "Let's see what you've got."

Amusement tugged at the corner of Starscream's lips. The urge to impress the Terrans rose within his spark. He was on the verge of transforming and launching himself skyward when an abrupt pressure landed on his arm.

"You're not going anywhere with them," Bumblebee said, having acted quickly when he saw, in his optics, a sinister smile from Starscream. "If you think I'm going to allow you to go up there alone with them, then you have another thing coming."

Starscream tried yanking his arm free from Bumblebee's grasp, but the Autobot only tightened his hold. "Get your filthy servos off of me," he growled, his words dripping with venom.

"Bee, let him go," Hashtag intervened. Her hand on Bumblebee's arm urged him to release Starscream. "Starscream isn't going to hurt any of us." Starscream felt the pressure around his arm lessen. In one fluid motion, he tore himself from Bumblebee's grasp and leaped back, taking the chance to transform as he ascended into the sky, engines roaring to life.

Bumblebee shielded Hashtag with his frame due to his protective instincts kicking in. He thought Starscream would attack them, but after he didn't feel any sort of pain or heard any commotion, he straightened up, and scanned the horizon quickly. His gaze fixed upon the sky, where Starscream's form was suspended, almost as if he were gliding through the air in a non-threatening manner – slow as he had ever seen him go.

Nightshade and Twitch seemed to gather by the Decepticon's side, most likely talking to one another.

"Hey Bee, can we have a quick serious talk?" Hashtag asked him after she had made sure Bumblebee seemed to calm down.

The Autobot glanced down at her.

"Can you stop trying to antagonize Starscream?" she asked. Her voice was calm yet assertive. "I know he's not playing friendly towards you either, but you're not making things any better by aggravating him."

"I'm not antagonizing him." Bumblebee frowned, and only deepened further when Hashtag's narrowed gaze bore into him. "Look, Hashtag, Starscream was the second in command of the Decepticons for years and has done terrible things to me and the rest of the Autobots. He's a dangerous bot. Asking me to just play nice with him all of the sudden isn't possible."

Hashtag paused for a moment, taking in his words.

"It's like, as if I were to ask you to be all chummy with Mandroid right after we defeated him, while he still wants to kill you," Bumblebee said.

"Oh…" Hashtag let out when the clarity of his comparison set in. Her optics widened at the realization. After everything Mandroid had done to her and her family, even she would feel completely uncomfortable if she was forced to engage with him in a kind manner. Especially since Mandroid was adamant with getting rid of her and her siblings.

"Alright, I see your point," Hashtag admitted, now feeling guilty for expecting such unrealistic things from Bumblebee.

"But Breakdown has done terrible things too against the Autobots during the war, hasn't he?" Thrash decided to ask, catching Bumblebee off guard. Hashtag looked up at her brother, blinking while Bumblebee was quick to defend his old friend.

"Well… yeah… but he didn't enjoy doing them," Bumblebee said, his words holding a trace of conviction. At least, he imagined his friend wouldn't have enjoyed killing other bots like Starscream did. Breakdown had his own personal reasons for joining the Decepticons, and doing what he did to survive.

"And you think Starscream did?" Hashtag asked her mentor.

"Yes," Bumblebee responded firmly, blue optics locking with hers as he affirmed his belief that Starscream had indeed reveled in his terrible actions. "He absolutely did…" his gaze dropped to the floor, a shadow passing over his features as the echoes of Starscream's cruel laughter rang in his audials. He could vividly imagine the countless memories of all the bots and humans Starscream had taken down as if it was just a game.

In response, Hashtag's servos turned into fists, not wanting to believe Bee's words.

She admitted she barely knew Starscream, but he has shown her how protective he could be towards her. He had a soft smile that made her feel safe, just the same way her parents' smiles made her feel.

Her gaze returned to the sky, where her siblings hovered alongside Starscream in the tranquil expanse of blue. There was a sense of peace up there, a glimmer of hope that told her things would definitely be better from now on between Autobots and Decepticons.

Well… at least that's what she liked to believe.

Authors After note

Rest of the story is posted in archive of our own under the same name