Pairing: TFP Megatron/Smokescreen/Soundwave

Rating: Teen

Details/Themes: Courting attempts, love triangle

Requested by Skyress98

The feeling of the air rushing past his frame was still present even after he was grounded. That was an experience he was never going to forget. Plus there was some brashness left over from how he also out flew Megatron skydiving. At one point though, he thought he heard the tyrant laugh and speak his name tauntingly which considering he had just robbed him seemed unlikely. But that didn't matter now. He had the Omega Keys and the Decepticons were weeping keyless. Smokescreen: two! Decepticons: zero!

A few days had passed from his daring escape and so far, nada on Con movement. They were probably still upset by their loss. Within that time, Optimus had approved for him to go back to scouting though he checked in every other five minutes with concern it seemed. To get away from the base and the hassles of dealing with the other Autobots, Smokescreen often fled to a hillside where the dawn was the most awe-inspiring thing the world could provide him. He never showed anyone it on account of his private memories with the place since he first arrived on Earth. A perfect hotspot.

He rested under the tree there, its autumn coloring so vivid and beautiful to match its rising sun. But his moment of peace was interrupted when its leaves abruptly shook angrily as something bounced off the branches before hitting the ground with a surprising thud. He didn't reel back but he also didn't hide his fear. A silver box lied in wait beside exposed roots gleaming ever so jeeringly. He peered up into the tree and back down again in wonder. Somebody apparently knew he visited here on occasion but whether it was a trap or not was undetermined. Against his better judgement, he carefully brought the box to his lap and opened it.

"Primus! There's no way!"

Optics grew wide at what they saw: stunning purple crystals shined bright that almost made him let go of the box in shock. Purple core crystals were not just rare but they were only found in Kaon and used for expensive accessories mainly. Only the wealthiest could ever afford to get a single crystal much less a bunch of them. Mining and production had halted during the war to use its factories for military industrial items but the fact that they still existed in pristine condition amazed him.

But who would give them to him of all people? Surely there had to be a mistake? Narrowing his optics in confusion, Smokescreen closed the box and put it in his subspace. He then transformed and headed home, not realizing someone was watching from afar.

A screen lit up in the shadows tracing his every move, watching him speed away. A comm. link activated as a baritone voice echoed.

"It seems our little Elite Guard likes our gift. I wonder if he knows core crystals are used for courting one's future mate, or in this case 'mates'. Such a brave, perfect consort deserves the best, wouldn't you agree Soundwave?"

The spymaster nodded to himself, moving across the rocks like a panther as he still kept his eye trained on the fleeing Autobot. The panels on the side of his visor twitched in response.

"He is absolutely worthy of more than the Autobots can give. If only he could see how our sparks yearn for his. Keep him close, my dear. We will soon have him for ourselves."

Smokescreen drove into base later that day but was careful not to show his fellow teammates the gift he had received. He even hid its presence best he could from the humans since knowing Miko, the girl would accidentally rat him out loudly even if it was only because of sheer curiosity. When he got to his room, he quickly reopened the box just to smile at it. What great lengths his admirer must have gone through to get them was unfathomable. He honestly appreciated the effort, Bot or Con.

He rubbed the top of the box delicately. "Whoever you are, just know I will take care of them. Thank you."

The following night, the speedster raced to his favorite spot again. This time he had snuck out without Optimus' consent so hopefully the boss bot wasn't monitoring the scanners tonight. Ratchet usually did but recently the low Con activity made the medic less prone to watching the screens intensely so his discovery was practically risk-free.

He rested upon the ground again but saw in the corner of his optics another object, this time a bit more octagonal in shape as well as clear to where something was visibly moving inside but it too looked like a container. Grabbing it, Smokescreen gave a sincere laugh as he saw what lied within. Various colored Kaon Kropids, fish-like Cybertronian fauna, swam in the makeshift tank full of transparent non-carbonated oil so peacefully. Their bio-lit metallic scales shimmered like the stars above. He had thought they had gone extinct since the war wiped out their natural habitat in the oil fields but apparently someone had saved a few of them. He could hear their little chirps as they briefly broke the surface before settling back down among their fake objects that lied at the bottom.

The crystals were one thing but Kaon Kropids alerted him to the pattern. Both were from Kaon and that was the Decepticon capital so his admirer had to be one in order to have had both items. No Autobots could get near the city once the war became an idea so it was extremely unlikely someone from base or an Autobot undetected would have acquired them.

As unusual of a notion that was for him, Smokescreen still held his smile. He had a good concept of who it could be. Knockout only loved Breakdown so he was out. Starscream hated pretty much everybody and Dreadwing had no interest in pursuing any relationships so that left Soundwave and Megatron. It made sense for the third in command to have been watching him the entire time but it was Megatron who spoke his name so chillingly while he jumped from the Nemesis. One problem: Megatron and Soundwave were together. It was common knowledge so did they both become enthralled by him?

Keeping the tank steady, the rookie carried it back home with him despite it would take about thirty minutes walking. But he paused after a few feet and turned towards the cliffs lingering in the backdrop of his spot's view. A small dash of black or maybe purple sat in the far distance and slowly, he tilted his helm. His admirer was here. Soundwave was here.

He only gave a shy nod knowing the communications officer could see it and continued on, one digit caressing the Kropids' container softly.

AN: I couldn't really think of extremely rare gifts so I bullshit them and figured if they cam from Kaon (Megatron's home city), it would be rare enough. I noticed Smokescreen also has a knack for Earth wildlife so he may have had some interest in Cybertron's.