Chapter Text
Out of all the parties Soundwave crashed over the course of his life, this was by far the strangest. Don’t get him wrong - he loves earth parties almost as much as Cybertronian festivities - but did he have to participate in the Conjunxing Ceremony of his former leader and his least favorite ally?
Soundwave knew Megatron and Starscream had boiling hot chemistry. He always knew. Having been infatuated with Megatron for a few good orns, nothing ground Soundwave’s gears more than seeing him get handsy with the world’s whiniest wimp of a seeker. What did Starscream have that he didn’t? The Decepticons would do just fine without him! They might have won the war, even. But ever since Megatron abandoned their faction for the Autobots, remaining on neutral ground felt like walking on rust for Soundwave. Though he had to admit, maybe Starscream’s rather enthusiastic agreement to bond with Megatron was something to be grateful for. Peace was restored. For now at least.
It was weird seeing the Autobots in the same room as the Decepticons. Thankfully the Terrans were out of the picture in the after party. There was enough sappiness in the ceremony. If it wasn’t for Megatron’s reassurance, and the seekers trapping him in a group hug, Starscream nearly walked off the stage after hearing childish awes from the audience after he and Megatron kissed. Soundwave buried a quiet snort behind Ravage as he carried her then.
Next to the speakers, Soundwave monitored everyone’s activity alone. Somewhere along the way, he lost sight of Ravage wandering around the room, but it did not bother him. Oddly enough, he trusted everyone who was present. For once there was no tension; no silence nor dread. Everyone seemed to be having a good time during the after party!
Seeing Megatron be the defuser in Starscream and Optimus’ squabble was definitely a first. The femmes started a playful sparring competition, where Elita wiped out the seekers with a single sweep of the leg. Soundwave tilted his head fondly at Frenzy, who laughed as the whole scene unfolded.
“Coming through!”
“Watch your pedes!”
Soundwave quickly stepped out of the way when he spotted Bumblebee and Breakdown neck-and-neck at a race around the room, followed by Swindle and Hardtop. On the buffet line, Grimlock and Skullcruncher appeared to have collapsed from an energon comatose in their alt modes. Soundwave shook his helm. Serves them right for hogging it all.
Lastly, Soundwave found Shockwave bonding with Wheeljack over their shared penchant for science and logic. Please, Soundwave thought. Nobody worshipped logic more than Shockwave. When Soundwave lowered his gaze, he found Ravage purring and rubbing her cheeks on Shockwave’s legs. Soundwave twitched. Why that cheeky little traitor! He nearly burst out laughing when she hissed at Wheeljack for trying to touch her.
“Woah! I see she only favors you guys, huh?” Wheeljack chuckled.
“She doesn’t favor anyone but her fellow cassettes and her carrier,” Shockwave deadpanned.
“Sure seems into you though.”
Shockwave glanced down at the minicon walking in a figure-eight around his legs and stared at Wheeljack.
“I’m fairly sure she’s trying to tip me over.”
Wheeljack scoffed in amusement.
“Whatever you say.”
Soundwave’s visor remained fixed Shockwave. Throughout the ceremony, the latter remained silent, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. When the sun set, he stared at the night sky while the others cheered at the bonded couple in front of them. Clearly, Shockwave longed to return home. On Cybertron. Where they belong.
“Sup DJ?” Frenzy greeted, “trying to blend in with the sound system?”
Soundwave simply stared back at her in silence. Frenzy’s smile disappeared.
“I’ll take that as a maybe?”
Again there was silence.
“What’s up?”
Nothing. Soundwave looked away and vented out deeply. Frenzy followed his gaze and held back a grin once it dawned on her.
“Oh, I see. Comin’ up with a strategy to make Shockwave dance with you?” she teased, “I can help!”
“No,” Soundwave ordered.
“YO SHOCKWAVE! YOU WANNA GO DIRTY DANCING WITH SO-“
Soundwave knelt down and grabbed her by the mouth.
“Shut up or I’ll shove you back inside me!” he threatened.
“Did somebody say dancing? Drop a beat, Soundwave!” Bumblebee chimed in.
“No.”
“No?” Bumblebee repeated, “since when does Soundwave Superior turn down the chance to dance?”
“He probably conceded to the world’s best breakdancer: me,” announced Breakdown.
Soundwave growled and rose to his pedes.
“I concede to no one!”
“Wanna bet on it?”
As Breakdown challenged him, Soundwave glanced over the former’s shoulder and caught Shockwave leaving the room. His hardened stance wavered as he took a step away from Breakdown, his autotune vocalizer humming lowly. The stunticon grew worried and extended his servo. He knew Soundwave. If the spymaster’s attention was elsewhere, it often meant trouble was coming.
“Uh, you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I mean you don’t have to if you don’t wanna,” Bumblebee added, “we just didn’t want you to feel left out.”
Soundwave ignored what was left of Bumblebee’s rambling and walked past them. The two racers watched him leave and glanced at each other, shrugging.
“Soundwave?” Bumblebee called.
Breakdown scanned the room, squinting at any signs of danger. Everything seemed fine. Everyone was accounted for except-
“Ah,” he chuckled knowingly.
“What?”
“Don’t worry, Bee,” Breakdown placed his servo on his friend’s shoulder, “it’s a wave-wave situation.”
“Uh, don’t you mean a ‘win-win’?”
“Yeah!”
Bumblebee and Breakdown flinched at the unexpected voice and turned around. For a split second they saw no one. Then they looked down and saw Frenzy with her servos on her hips.
“Both of which will be mine when I whoop your sorry afts in a dance battle!”
“Oh, it’s on!”
As soon as he stepped outside, chill evening breeze swept over Soundwave’s frame. There he found Shockwave leaning against the wall with his arms and legs crossed. His helm was lowered, and his optic was dim. The way he stood still was almost petrifying for anyone who knew him. Either he was plotting a betrayal, or a way to revive Cybertron. Loafing peacefully right next to him was Ravage. Though she remained still, she batted her ears and purred softly to acknowledge her master’s presence. Shockwave quickly turned to the sudden change in Ravage’s behavior and immediately found the source standing ahead of her. His optic gleamed at Soundwave’s presence and tilted his head slightly as the latter came closer.
“I take it you forfeited the challenge?” he greeted ever so calmly. Ah, so he saw that huh? He gave no effort to mask the amusement in his voice, which startled the spymaster. Shockwave was not one to be so easily amused.
Soundwave stopped a meter away from the scientist and leaned against the wall right next to him.
.:You call that a challenge? - — - I’d rather - — - be - — - you, you, you, you~:.
For a split second of eye-contact, Shockwave could have sworn Soundwave was referring to him.
“Ravage. Recharge.”
If Shockwave had a face, it would have fallen by now.
Ravage’s ears twitched at the odd sing-song voice that finished the recording, yet she ignored Soundwave’s command to come forward. The spymaster’s faceplates grew hot with indignation. He knew the cybercat was messing with him. She knew he yearned for Shockwave. Soundwave opened his loading door and pointed inside, where Laserbeak happened to be recharging. Instead, she batted an ear at him. Soundwave nearly deflated from her defiance.
And Shockwave? He laughed.
Wait.
It wasn’t so much of a laugh as it was a lighthearted chuckle.
Soundwave perked up slightly.
“Has she always been that defiant?”
Soundwave fixed his posture and muttered, “negative.”
“Does this mean I can keep her?” Shockwave rhetorically asked.
“By all means.” I’d love to share her with you, was left unsaid.
Still, there was that laugh again.
“I must say,” Shockwave bent over to pick up Ravage and walked towards him. He cradled the minicon in his bulky arms and rubbed his digits under her chin. “I find it refreshing to hear you speak so casually instead of your usual curt commands. You’re more than some mere drone which everyone else claims you to be,” he added before offering Ravage back to her master.
Soundwave did not respond right away. He glanced back and forth between Ravage’s audacious purring and Shockwave’s glowing optic. He gingerly took Ravage in his arms, nearly shuddering as his servos lightly brushed against Shockwave’s during the transfer, and pulled her to his chest.
“The feeling is mutual.”
“Oh?”
“Permission for the Decepticons to evacuate the premises before detonation?”
Shockwave crossed his arms, shook his head, and shrugged.
“What detonation?”
“Correction: are you not going to eradicate the Autobots?”
The scientist averted his gaze in thought as he answered, “a logical solution. However, I couldn’t help but gain a sense of nostalgia from the Conjunxing Ceremony. It made me think of how we can redeem Cybertron.” And what we might have been.
.:There’s no place like home!:.
“Indeed. Earth will never be my home.”
“And if we can’t bring back Cybertron?” Soundwave asked.
“Mark my words: Cybertron will be restored, and we will get off this speck of rock.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“How soon?”
“How should I know!?” Shockwave snapped, “I mean sure I have a few theories but I barely have the resources to test them! So don’t blame me for being stuck in this miserable pile of rubble for one more day!”
Ravage jumped off Soundwave’s arms and cowered behind his shin guard. Shockwave saw right through his visor and turned the other way. His finials lowered shamefully as he stared upwards with a heavy ex-vent. His gun servo was on his hip, while the other rubbed what should be his temple.
“Forgive me. I shouldn’t have snapped.”
Shockwave apologized? Tonight just kept getting weirder. There must be a full moon back on Cybertron.
“Forgive you for what?”
“For breaking my promise. I was tasked to keep Cybertron alive. I vowed to restore our home to its former glory under our rule. Now the All-Spark is lost to us, and it’s my fault we’re stuck here!”
Shockwave punched the wall in frustration and refused to look back. He refused to be weak in front of Soundwave, yet there they were. He heard the other’s footsteps come closer and felt a wave of comfort emanating from his field. It was at that moment Soundwave threw caution to the wind and gently took Shockwave’s servo in his. Shockwave lifted his helm at the unexpected contact and faced the masked cassette carrier.
“As long as your spark keeps burning, I do not mind spending another million years on this Earth with you.”
Shockwave’s finials raised attentively. It was almost as if Soundwave was proposing to him. One could only hope though, right?
“But Cybertron-“
“Will be ours,” Soundwave cut in reassuringly, then raised their entangled servos to eye level, “but until then… you are more than enough.”
Shockwave thought he knew better than to mix in with feelings. They were for the weak and vulnerable. Expressing one’s emotions sounded like dying words, moments before the spark loses its light. Only the losing team would succumb to feelings over logic. That’s what he always believed anyway.
So how on Earth did Soundwave manage to prove him wrong?
Maybe he didn’t, though he could very well have been the final turning point.
“In all my years of failure,” Shockwave muttered as he slowly turned away, though he gripped the other’s servo in his, “I see no logical reason why you would praise me so highly, Soundwave.”
“Love does not need logic to thrive,” Soundwave confessed.
While Shockwave barely registered the confession, a loud crash echoed from workthe other side, followed by Frenzy’s cracked voice yelling, “Nailed it!” and the music changing into a slower and softer beat.
.:Care to dance, handsome?:. said a sultry, feminine, pre-recorded voice.
“I-I-I don’t-“
Soundwave ignored his strangely adorable protests and used Shockwave’s quivering servo to spin himself underneath. At the end of his spin, he landed in front of his partner and slowly locked his arms around Shockwave’s neck. Though it was impossible for their frames to meet, their chests were barely connected, intensifying the heat between them. While Shockwave stood eerily still, Soundwave swayed his hips and struggled to maintain eye contact. If they stared at each other for much longer, who knows what might happen.
Shockwave’s empty servo nervously rested on Soundwave’s side. He was not programmed to dance, so he allowed himself to be mesmerized by alluring spins and sways led by the mech he pined over for eons. Part of him wanted to copy Soundwave’s movements. He wanted to reciprocate the courtship but he did not know how. He wanted more, but had no clue how to give it, let alone ask. He doesn’t even have a mouth so what on Earth did Soundwave see in him? The spymaster delicately ran his servo over Shockwave’s insignia, causing the latter’s vents to hitch.
“Soundwave…”
The moment was quickly ruined by Frenzy stumbling outside to greet them. The two reluctantly pushed each other away before she caught them in the act.
“Hey boss! Breakdown and Bumblebee won’t stop calling you fat ‘cuz of your thighs in front of the others. They’re all kinda laughing in there,” she stated nervously.
Both mechs fumed at the announcement.
.:Oh hell naw!:.
Frenzy grinned at her carrier’s reaction and retreated into the room. Field filled with vengeance, Soundwave marched past Shockwave, only to be halted by the latter grabbing his servo. He looked at their locked servos, then back at the scientist.”
“Wait.”
Soundwave relaxed and stared back in anticipation.
“Thank you,” he stammered, “I… I never would have tolerated this evening without you.”
Heat spread throughout Soundwave’s face as he murmured, “you too.”
“If there’s any way I could return the favour-“
A servo rested on the side of Shockwave’s face, catching him off guard. He was especially caught off guard when a pair of lips brushed his optic before disappearing behind a mask in a split second as Soundwave pulled away.
“You already have, Shockwave.”
Soundwave slid his servo away from Shockwave’s face as he walked away, leaving the other speechless. Shockwave kept a mental note of his slender frame and his seductive way of making an exit. Then again that may have been an intentional tactic on Soundwave’s part. Ravage was their only witness, even though she was forgotten halfway through the conversation. She stared at Shockwave once more, then followed her master into the chaos.
He looked back and forth between the lit doorframe and the twinkling lights above leading back to Cybertron. He knew it was up to him to find a way back home. Until then, he was here. His spark was still aflame, and nobody is out to get him. His optic remained fixed at the now rippling doorway and thought of Soundwave. Then he recalled the reprobates who insulted the spymaster’s thighs and flexed his gun.
“Can’t let Soundwave have all the fun. I might as well enjoy myself while we’re still on neutral ground.”
With his gun set to stun, he walked back inside and pulled the trigger.
FIN? More like RIP.