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Megatron walked across the old battlefield, trying not to pay attention to any of the mechs staring at his back. He itched to turn around and stare directly into their faces, daring them to say anything to him at this point.
He was doing this.
Megatron and Optimus Prime were ending the war.
Prime was already waiting for him in the middle of the field, staring at him with that solemn look that said so much and yet gave nothing away at the same time.
“The war is over, my friend,” Prime said, holding out his hand first. Always first to reach out, this one. Megatron’s mouth twitched, letting his anger simmer for another moment. He drew the moment out, his last rebellion against the Prime, dragging out annoyance and fear in all the watching mechs for one second more.
Then he gave a curt nod. “It is over.”
And he clasped Optimus’s arm with his, shaking it in agreement.
A jubilant cry rose from the watching Autobots and maybe from a few Decepticons behind him. Frankly, Megatron couldn’t quite make out individuals in the throng as loud as it was. Time seemed to slow down around him, and everything somehow became muted.
This… this was how it ended? It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Never in his wildest dreams would everyone be alive?
The sound of Seeker engines running at full burn filled his audials, and his tanks flipped. That was Starscream coming up behind him at break-neck speed- what, was this an assassination attempt? Here? Now?
Megatron turned angrily, warming his fusion cannon on his arm, the purple glow lighting the ground under him. He snarled, looked for Starscream, and saw him approaching like a bullet. Megatron laughed, lifted his cannon-
And Starscream overshot him.
Megatron turned, confused to see Starscream transform in midair and sail into Skyfire’s waiting arms.
Skyfire spun him around, arms around him close in an embrace. Starscream was laughing, his helm back in mirth, and his optics closed in bliss. Skyfire leaned in to touch their foreheads together, and Starscream rose his blue hand up to caress Skyfire’s cheek.
“I think you can deactivate your cannon now,” Optimus said with amusement.
Megatron did, but not because the Prime had said anything. It was because he was dumbfounded.
Starscream looked… happy.
He never looked happy.
Why did he get to be happy?
He frowned and started to walk towards the embracing mechs, but suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. “What are you doing?” Optimus asked.
Megatron opened his mouth but closed it, unsure how to reply. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he would do something.
“Megatron,” Optimus said, his tone serious. “This is what we wanted. The war is over. No more factions. This is a good thing.”
Megatron turned his glare to Optimus. “This clearly was happening during the war.”
Optimus raised an optic ridge. “Yes. And?”
Megatron was incredulous. “How can you- they were clearly meeting in secret! They were disobeying our commands and potentially trading intelligence! They might have prolonged this war with their treason!”
Optimus tilted his helm, then gave Skyfire and Starscream another long look. They were whispering to each other, utterly oblivious to the world around them and everyone staring at them. Most of the onlookers gave them soft and knowing looks, but some didn’t look as pleased with the development.
“Somehow, I doubt that,” Optimus said flatly.
Megatron narrowed his optics. “Did you- did you know about this?”
Optimus met his angry gaze. “Megatron, why does this bother you so much? Truly?”
Unfortunately, something about Optimus’s voice made his anger abate just enough that he actually considered his question. He took another look at Starscream, soft and bright, basking in Skyfire’s presence.
Optimus stepped closer to him, looking at the happy couple and then again to Megatron. “Did you desire Starscream for yourself?”
Megatron thought it over. “Starscream is mine to command,” he said hotly. “But… no. Not in that way.”
Optimus nodded sagely. “Then this is about control. You will have a lot less of that now that the war is over. Can you handle that?”
Megatron watched as Starscream traced along Skyfire’s cheek with his digits and followed his cheek down to touch his lips. Starscream never looked that kind and gentle- Megatron didn’t even know he was capable of it. He was morbidly fascinated by it as much as his tanks twisted.
Why did it matter if Starscream was happy? Optimus was right- Starscream could dally with whomever he chose now, but seeing him now made him...
Envious.
“Starscream,” he called, keeping his voice neutral. “Come here.”
Starscream snapped out of the happy haze he had found himself in, and his face took on that wary sneer he often wore when he didn’t know Megatron’s intentions. He gave a brief look to Skyfire, who looked worried and was shaking his helm. Starscream replied subvocally, reaching up to grasp Skyfire’s chin and plant a chaste but longing kiss on his lips. He then pulled away and used his thrusters to descend to where Megatron and Optimus were standing.
“Watch yourself,” Optimus murmured. “Things are different now that we are in peace, Megatron.”
“I just want to talk,” Megatron replied quietly. “Such little faith in me.”
Optimus huffed his vents but stood his ground as if he planned to intervene.
Starscream landed gracefully in front of them. His wings twitched, betraying his unease. “Yes, Megatron?” he asked sweetly.
Megatron glanced up at Skyfire, who had a dark look, staring directly down at him. He looked pretty fierce, and if Megatron wasn’t a hardened warrior, he might actually be intimidated.
Starscream leaned so that he was now filling Megatron’s vision with his smug face. “You called for me, Megatron, not Skyfire.”
Megatron clenched his denta for a moment and made a fist but stopped himself from punching the look right off his face. “Now that the war has concluded,” he started, “I wondered what your plans were?”
Starscream gave a quick side-glance to Optimus as if confused by the question and sought help interpreting Megatron’s mood. Optimus was just staring at Megatron, still poised to intervene.
“I would help rebuild Cybertron, along with the other scientists,” he replied, folding his arms over his cockpit. “We’ve already discussed forming a coalition, and combined with the knowledge Skyfire and I have over the galaxy, we would be able to find other energy sources that would be more-”
“No,” Megatron growled. “No, I need you for one last mission.”
He could feel Optimus’s gaze harden at his side.
“I…,” Starscream started, surprised. “I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how this works now,” he said slowly. Starscream tried to pour calm into his field as if trying to explain to Megatron he was not picking a fight. “I am not sure you still command me.”
“The army still is intact,” Megatron replied. “You have not been honorably discharged, nor has the army disbanded. Do you want to deliberately disobey my orders now?”
Starscream looked to Optimus as if seeking help. Optimus sighed, looking down at the ground, knowing Megatron was right. Starscream was still his.
Starscream’s optics paled, finding no help from the Autobot leader. He turned to Megatron, bitter and raw. “What would you have me do then, master,” he spat.
Megatron smiled. “There are some Decepticons we could not reach with the news of our peace talks. I would hate for them to find Autobots, and things escalate to threaten our established peace.”
“You want me to find them?” Starscream asked, incredulous.
“You are my second-in-command. Delivering the news in person will make things smoother, don’t you think?”
Starscream looked up at Skyfire with some regret on his face. “And what if they don’t like the news I bring them?”
“Then convince them. Violently, if necessary. Nothing must interfere with this peace.”
Starscream sighed, his gaze falling back to stare at Megatron. He looked tired, but most importantly, he looked defeated. Which meant Megatron was winning.
That strange sensation in his tanks lessened a little, and he smiled. “It shouldn’t take you too long. Maybe a decade or two.”
Starscream snarled, turning on his pede to stomp away.
“Where are you going?” Megatron growled after him.
“I’m going to find volunteers! I’ll at least give them a choice!” he called over his shoulder. He sounded angry, which made Megatron’s spark sing in contentment.
He turned to head back to his army but was arrested by Optimus’s cool stare.
“Something to say, Prime?”
Optimus arched an optic ridge. “We are going to discuss disbanding our armies tomorrow at 0800. I look forward to your participation.”
He turned and walked away, leaving Megatron alone in the middle of the field.
Skyfire was still looking down at him, his face dark and angry, but the fool said nothing. Megatron leered and actually gave him a wink. He chose not to resist the temptation to rub his victory in the mech’s face.
Skyfire transformed and jetted off in the direction Starscream had gone in.
Megatron stalked the halls of their base that evening, watching mechs celebrate with a lot of high grade and renditions of bawdy Decepticon drinking songs from earlier in the war. They laughed raucously and filled the hallways with their jubilance.
He came across Starscream in an alcove, clearly in a comms call with someone. He had his back to Megatron, and Megatron decided he wasn’t above eavesdropping, especially on his cunning second.
“…I realize that, but it’s too dangerous for you to go. There’s a reason these mechs aren’t with the main army, Sky- they are even more unhinged and damaged than even this rag-tag group is.”
Megatron bristled at his main army being called rag-tag. He nearly interrupted Starscream and his disparaging conversation but stopped himself. Starscream could say what he wanted; he still had to obey Megatron's will. There was a long pause, and presumably, Skyfire raised all of his objections again.
“I’ve been fighting for a lot longer than you! I have the skills to keep myself out of trouble, don’t you worry. I’ll contact you as often as I can with updates.”
Megatron wrinkled his nose, knowing that Starscream would be so remote that his updates would be quite delayed.
“Skyfire,” Starscream said incredibly gently. His voice was soft and fond and sounded as if it should be accompanied by a cheek caress. “We have survived being apart for this long; we can last a little longer.”
Megatron rolled his optics, choosing to turn around in the hallway instead.
Megatron sat at his desk, pouring over datapad after datapad that the Autobots had sent over about the peace negotiations. Megatron knew he would just sign them all, but he was taking his time to run out the clock (and Prowl’s patience) to read over every word. He still hadn’t found a word or phrase out of place or something other than could be construed as fair.
There was a soft ping at his door. A distraction would be most welcome at this juncture. “Enter,” he said without looking up.
But the entire light of the hallway was obscured by the visiting mech, making Megatron look up in confusion. He saw the large white frame of Skyfire slowly stepping into his office.
Megatron arched an optic ridge. “I believe you have the wrong office. Starscream’s lab is that way,” he said, pointing behind the shuttle. Who even let this giant into the base anyway? It wasn’t as if he were forbidden, but surely someone would have alerted Megatron that they had a visitor.
Skyfire nodded. “I know where his lab is,” he said flatly. “May I have a moment of your time?”
Megatron frowned at that statement, wondering if Skyfire had ever been snuck into his base under his nose. Did he and Starscream liaise together when they were supposed to be fighting a war?
He gripped his datapad so firmly that he heard it strain and almost crack. “Of course,” Megatron replied with faux sincerity. “What can I do for you, Skyfire?”
Skyfire flicked his optics up from looking at the datapad and then regarded Megatron coolly. “I will cut straight to the chase, then.” He took a deep vent and lifted his chin. “I’m requesting that you call off the mission.”
Megatron snorted. “Denied. Anything else?”
Skyfire frowned. “Why do you insist on being a complete irrational aft?”
“I beg your pardon?” Megatron replied, standing slowly from his seat. “What did you just say?”
Skyfire took a step forward. “Why do you insist on sending Starscream on this mission? Everyone can see you are just being petty! You want to separate us because we managed to keep our relationship a secret-“
“I am sending Starscream on this mission because he is the best mech for it. I am not the one clouded by such foolish emotions as sentiment!”
Skyfire bared his front denta in a rare show of aggression. “I can’t tell if you are delusional or just that bitter, Megatron. In the beginning, Starscream sought me out just for friendship because of his frustrations with you,” Skyfire spat. “He had no one to talk about how he sought your approval, but instead, you heaped verbal abuse and vitriol upon him.”
“He was so weak he couldn’t take a little name-calling, eh?” Megatron said, smiling wickedly. He leaned forward on his desk, placing his palms flat. “That’s pathetic.”
Skyfire rolled his optics. “You forced him into my arms. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. If you hate our relationship so much, you only have yourself to blame.”
Megatron blanched, and then anger started to boil through him. “Get out. I don’t have to talk to you and hear this foolishness.”
Skyfire didn’t budge. He glared down at Megatron, his blue optics sharp and angry.
He also didn’t look the least bit intimidated.
“No one else will tell it to you straight. Starscream has tried for years but has given up on you. Soundwave has found you easier to deal with when he’s agreeing with you and then changing your mind after the fact. Optimus desperately wants this truce and peace to work that he doesn’t feel like he gets a say in how you conduct your soldiers.” Skyfire took a menacing step forward with his broad wings hiking up higher behind him.
Megatron had to steel his nerves not to step back.
“But I have no reason to keep my mouth shut. You are jealous that Starscream found happiness despite your best efforts to keep him as miserable as you. Call off this mission- there is no need to send anyone. Any renegade Decepticons who refuse to heed the call for peace are acting rogue and will be dealt with by the combined might of all our forces. If you send Starscream on this mission, he will be gone for years with no end in sight. And you will lose Optimus’s respect.”
Megatron’s optics hardened. “What makes you think I want his respect?”
Skyfire tilted his helm to the side, staring at him. “I take it back. You’re not only delusional but dense as well.”
Megatron glowered. “You complain about how I mocked Starscream for years, yet you come in here and do the same thing? Are you a hypocrite as well as a liar and a thief?”
Skyfire’s optic ridges rose in surprise. “Thief? What did I- ugh,” he said, putting his face into his hand. “Starscream does not belong to you.”
“But he belongs to you, does he?”
Skyfire sighed. “Starscream belongs to himself. Let him go so that you too can pursue what you really want.”
Skyfire took another half-step forward, leaning down to glare at Megatron.
“If you are bitter about the life you have chosen, don’t blame those who have chosen to have a better one.”
Megatron shivered in rage and started to charge his fusion cannon, letting Skyfire see the purple light begin to glow. Still, Skyfire stared at him, unflinching, before he turned his back on Megatron and exited his office.
Megatron stared at the door, considering blasting it anyway.
Starscream gathered with a few Decepticon volunteers the next day. Megatron kept changing the departure time, but somehow Skyfire was still able to show up and say goodbye.
It would have been sweet if Megatron didn't still hate them as a couple to his core.
Starscream was a warrior! He was hardened over so many millennia of fighting at Megatron's side- he didn’t need this softness and kindness that Skyfire seemed to turn him into. Megatron had always noticed that Skyfire was a distraction for Starscream and was not impressed with how Starscream acted with the shuttle around.
He was… soft.
They kissed tenderly, whispering something to each other. Megatron resisted the urge to gag, looking around to see if he could catch the optic of someone suffering like him. Instead, he saw Optimus watching them with a gentle, thoughtful look.
He glanced at Megatron and then looked away pointedly.
Megatron clenched his jaw and was about to yell at them to get a move on, but they had separated, and Starscream had entered the small ship that would convey them across the galaxy. He hadn’t found many volunteers- mostly low-level Decepticons still itching for a fight. Prime had insisted on at least one Autobot representative to attest that the war was over. Ironhide had been the one that decided to go, despite his personality potentially clashing with Starscream, he was high-ranking enough that his voice would carry weight.
Optimus gave him one more piercing glance.
“What?” Megatron snarled.
Optimus sighed, stepping closer to him. “Don’t do this,” he said softly. “Don’t make this mistake. Since the war started, we’ve made so many- can’t we start off peace differently?”
Megatron could feel Optimus’s field trying to reach him, almost caressing him. Megatron’s lips parted slightly in surprise, and he had to stifle a shiver at the intimacy. “You think this is a mistake?” Megatron asked.
“I think you have spent a lot of time in the war trying to keep the things you have rather than allowing yourself to pursue the things you want.” His optics softened, and he looked like he would reach out to touch Megatron’s shoulder, but he hesitated, letting his arm fall down at his side.
Megatron realized how desperately he wished he had just touched him instead.
He sighed and stepped forward, entering the ship himself.
“Halt,” he called. “Halt, there is something wrong with your engine.”
“What’s that?” Starscream called from the bridge. His black helm peeked around the corner, and his red optics narrowed in confusion. “I checked the ship for flight myself- she’s spaceworthy.”
Megatron growled. “It’s sputtering- there must be an intermittent fault. I’m calling off the mission.”
Starscream threw his hands up in the air. “Make up your damned processor!” He angrily stood from the captain’s chair and stalked down the hallway to look up and glare at Megatron right in the face. “I guess we’ll get it fixed right away, then?”
Megatron sighed. “I was discussing things with… Optimus,” he said, tracing his glossa over his denta. “Perhaps we don’t need to send you on this mission after all.”
Starscream blanched but was not a complete idiot. He still looked suspicious and confused but instead just slowly nodded. “As you… command, Lord Megatron.”
Megatron merely nodded and left the ship with Starscream following behind.
Skyfire slowly smiled, looking excited with such sincerity that… well. It didn’t really bother Megatron as much as it had before.
Optimus’s optics were glittering slightly in the light of Earth’s sun. “I thought I saw something wrong with the engines too. I’m glad you caught it.”
“Well. I suppose it pays to be more observant these days,” Megatron said flatly, folding his arms across his chest. Starscream and Skyfire were talking to each other animatedly before taking to the air simultaneously.
“Would you care to talk more about the mission over some energon?” Optimus asked gently.
Megatron watched the two fliers spiral into the sky, doing a flying dance around each other before heading off towards the rising sun.
“I would be honored,” Megatron said, turning his back from the flying lovers and focusing on Optimus instead.