Bad Code - redseeker - Transformers Animated (2007) [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Shockwave had had the worst journey imaginable. It had taken decacycles longer than it should have, due to a malfunctioning transwarp drive. Curse those incompetent Autobot mechanics and their creaking, pre-war vessels.

He had spent much of the voyage pacing the command deck, his processor a mess of fraught, frustrated thoughts. The ship's transwarp drive had bounced him half-way around the universe before eventually – and possibly only by fluke – popping him into the correct galaxy. He had then switched to more conventional means of traversing said galaxy toward Earth's solar system, in case the accursed ship glitched again and he ended up lightyears away once more. The craft's thrusters were slower, but they were adequate.

He mutely sent a prayer to the Allspark as the ship finally, at long, long last, entered the little planet's atmosphere. He landed close to the co-ordinates he had on file for the organic city of Detroit. He knew Megatron's base was located somewhere in the rural area surrounding the city, so it would only be a matter of time now before Starscream was beaten back down into his place.

*

Blitzwing met him at the entrance to the mine. He was relieved to see it was the cool-headed personality in attendance today, and as such the triple-changer showed him what he felt was the appropriate level of deference and professionalism.

“Lord Megatron has been expecting you,” Blitzwing said.

Shockwave gave a small, involuntary chirp of surprise. “He has? I mean... of course he has.”

“We picked up your energy signature as you entered the atmosphere.” Blitzwing gestured that Shockwave should follow him, and turned and began to walk deeper into the dark, subterranean tunnel. “He mentioned there was something he wanted to discuss with you.”

“I'm sure...” Shockwave clasped his claws behind his back and followed his guide. When he said no more, Blitzwing turned back and glanced at him once. Shockwave thought he saw a tiny, knowing smirk on the other mech's face, but Blitzwing had turned away again before he could be sure.

He led him down a gently sloping shaft, going deeper into the hillside. The ground was smooth and cleared of rubble, and he could see where the walls had been repaired, and here and there inset with lights and touch-sensitive computer panels. It wasn't the grandest headquarters his master could have occupied, but it did at least seem functional, and not in total disrepair. He supposed Megatron had chosen it primarily for its advantageous location.

The corridor grew gradually broader, until Blitzwing eventually led him into a huge, shadowy cavern which Shockwave immediately saw was the control room to this rudimentary base. There was a large bank of consoles off to the left, various dark corridors leading off the central chamber, and straight ahead – the throne.

Shockwave stepped forward, and Blitzwing nodded respectfully and hung back.

Shockwave instinctively sank into a fluid kneeling bow. Megatron was seated in the high-backed throne with his legs elegantly crossed. In his hand he held a goblet of oil, which he swirled absently as he watched his subordinate enter and kneel before him.

“My lord...” Shockwave began. As he spoke he raised his head. His optic pulsed a brighter red. Megatron was seated half in shadow, the glow of his optics visible in the gloom. But there was another set of optics illuminating the shadows to the right of Megatron's throne. Shockwave refreshed his optic, and the shadowed mech came into focus.

It was Starscream. He was standing to attention, as he had once done as a matter of course – serious, straight-backed, and very much at Megatron's right hand.

Where Shockwave belonged.

Megatron let Shockwave squirm silently for another moment – Shockwave poised in his bow, his frame prickling with tension – before he spoke. “Shockwave. To what do I owe this... unscheduled visit?”

“...My lord Megatron, I can only apologise. Under normal circ*mstances I would never leave my post-”

“I should think not.” Megatron's tone was crisp and sharp. He held out his goblet and Starscream took it from him. The seeker kept his optics straight ahead, and his movements small and fluid. Megatron rose to his feet. “Please tell me the Elite Guard has been disbanded and your presence upon Cybertron is no longer necessary, as I can think of no other plausible reason why you would have failed me so... uncharacteristically.”

Shockwave's talons curled, and he waited a few beats before replying. “Lord Megatron. My cover is in no way compromised by this short visit. I merely needed to speak with you in a secure environment. I believe the encrypted Iacon channel may have been compromised.” It wasn't a total lie, Shockwave told himself. It was simply a delicate way of putting the truth, in light of present company. His optic flicked briefly to Starscream again. The jet remained by Megatron's throne, holding his lord's goblet in one clawed hand. Only this time, Starscream dared to look at Shockwave. Their optics met for a moment. Shockwave's held a challenge. Starscream's gaze was placid.

Megatron followed the line of Shockwave's sight. “Ah yes. My wayward second... Shockwave, there are matters we should discuss. Seeing as you're here.”

“I would be most receptive to them, my liege.”

Megatron nodded. He gestured to Starscream. “Starscream, where are your manners? Get Shockwave a drink. “

“Sir,” Starscream said with a nod. Shockwave was stunned. Starscream's act was flawless.

“Rise,” Megatron said to Shockwave, and Shockwave stood. Megatron linked his hands behind his back. “Report, while we wait.”

“Sir? Ah, the... Autobot stronghold. Nothing much to report, my lord.” He stood to attention. He noticed Starscream's attitude became more relaxed as he moved behind the throne to retrieve a goblet of oil for Shockwave. His heels clicked lightly as he approached, and Shockwave stiffly took the offered fuel. Starscream gave the very tiniest of smirks and Shockwave very nearly crushed the goblet in his claw. To distract himself, he launched into a dry description of the Elite Guard's recent movements. As he tried his best to recount the situation accurately, Starscream poorly stifled a yawn and sashayed back to Megatron's throne. Shockwave followed him with his optic, which burned an intense crimson.

Starscream draped his arm on the top of the throne and leaned. His optics were sleepy and challenging now, his pose insouciant. Shockwave looked at Megatron, not believing the seeker's blatantly disrespectful behaviour.

To his surprise, Megatron only glanced at Starscream and his mouth quirked into a small, asymmetrical smile. As though he were amused by the jet's attitude. Not possible...

“Perhaps we should retire to somewhere more comfortable, and I can brief you on the, ah, developments here,” Megatron said. “Since you've come all this way.”

*

They moved to Megatron's own suite of rooms. Shockwave was honoured to be invited into his lord's sanctum, of course, but the elation was somewhat dampened by Starscream's presence. He kept close to Megatron like a bodyguard, even though Shockwave noticed he had removed his weapons. Or they had been confiscated.

Megatron led him into a kind of ready room, furnished with sleek, functional seating and a table. Megatron set his goblet down on the table and sank into the largest chair – almost another throne. Shockwave hesitated, then took up a seat opposite. Starscream sat in the chair to Megatron's immediate right and crossed his legs.

There was a long, tense silence.

Megatron reclined in his seat and cycled a smooth, deep intake. He shuttered his optics for several seconds, and then finally reopened them and fixed his gaze on Shockwave.

“As I'm sure you have noticed, there has been a change in the command chain,” he said. Finally, Shockwave thought. He'd been afraid Megatron would continue as though Starscream's presence were nothing out of the ordinary. “Starscream has decided to return to us. He is... repentant.” As he said this, Megatron looked at Starscream and extended his hand, almost instinctively, and Shockwave caught the fond look on his face. “Obviously he is no longer in the running for my throne, which is another matter I had hoped to communicate to you through more official channels.” Megatron looked back to Shockwave. “Congratulations. You are my new second in command. I doubt it comes as a surprise, but you deserved to know. I hope that your loyalty and dedication may prove an excellent example to our more wayward Decepticons.” Another sidelong look at Starscream, who actually rolled his optics. Shockwave was having more and more trouble figuring out what was going on.

“I am honoured, naturally, my liege.” Shockwave wondered if he should kneel again. “If I may-... Please, sir, I really feel I must speak with you in private.”

Megatron chuckled. “I know why you're here, Shockwave.” He lifted a hand and stroked his knuckles over the bottom edge of one of Starscream's wings. The seeker's engines purred softly, and the look Starscream gave Shockwave was revoltingly smug – and Shockwave was powerless to do anything about it. He carefully set his goblet on the table to prevent himself from breaking it. “Yes, Starscream has been somewhat tamed...”

“My lord, I really feel-”

“Silence.” There was an edge to Megatron's vocals that Shockwave had only rarely heard directed at him. It chastised him and filled him with shame. “Starscream has been allowed to remain online on the condition that he makes himself useful. He is paying his dues...” Shockwave saw the two mechs' optics meet. He felt like purging his fuel tank. “He is under my supervision and... guidance. The rest of the troops here already understand that to challenge me on this matter is tantamount to treason.” Megatron spoke laconically, as though only half serious, but Shockwave knew better than to try his luck.

“With respect, my lord, have you considered that he may be... and I mean this as no challenge to your wisdom, sir... he may be putting on an elaborate facade in order to win your trust?”

Megatron sighed, and his lip curled slightly. “Of course I have. I know Starscream better than any mech, after all.”

Shockwave tilted his head as his internal comm unit activated. “Be careful what you say in Starscream's presence,” Megatron said, using a secure comm channel – enabling him to speak to Shockwave without Starscream hearing. “His programming has been altered, but it wouldn't do to jog his memory core.”

“Of course, sir,” Shockwave replied, using the same frequency. He thought he understood, now. Starscream's processor was scrambled. He probably had some awareness left, just enough to still be an irritating glitch, but not enough to reassert his real identity. Shockwave let out a slow sigh of relief. Starscream was just the shell, just the frame. Just a drone. Megatron had already assessed the threat – he'd had no cause to worry.

He still couldn't shake his suspicion of the seeker, though. Long hardwired feelings were difficult to delete.

“Now, if that is all cleared up,” Megatron said, his tone noticeably brighter. “Perhaps a toast. To Cybertron's bright future.”

Shockwave saw the wry smile on his leader's face, but the diversion still had the necessary effect – Shockwave began to relax. They raised their goblets in unison, and drank. Shockwave's fuel filter on the lower part of his helm had trouble absorbing the thick oil, as opposed to refined energon, and he put the goblet down again swiftly. Megatron, however, drank deeply.

They sat together late into the cycle. Megatron drank, and Shockwave politely sipped the occasional bit of the rich, Earth fuel. They both relaxed, and after a while even Starscream's presence was forgotten. The seeker sank from his chair to the floor and spent the rest of the evening kneeling at Megatron's feet. Shockwave didn't question it – for the first time, Shockwave felt Starscream had learnt his place.

They discussed Shockwave's ongoing work in Iacon, and Shockwave was able to pass on some useful tidbits of intel he had gathered. Megatron, in turn, spoke about his trials on Earth – he talked at length about his humiliating incarceration, which led Shockwave to believe, with a start, that his leader must trust him wholly in order to be so frank with him. Granted, by this point Megatron was mildly over-charged. Megatron's current schemes, and his plans for the future of both Earth and Cybertron formed central topics, and Shockwave was filled with renewed hope and warmth at the images his lord's words conjured. A bright future for their kind, after millennia of hardship.

Hours later, their conversation reached a lull. The base was silent around them. Their goblets were empty – Shockave was stunned to see that his own fuel had disappeared in addition to Megatron's. The unfamiliar substance had a heady effect on his system, and not one he'd been aware of while he had been drinking.

The lighting in the chamber was soft, the room dark. Their optics lent the purple light a crimson tinge. Shockwave sobered a little when he realised there were still three sets of optics in the room.

Starscream had remained silent the entire time. His expression was sleepy, and he rested his cheek on Megatron's knee. Megatron didn't seem to mind. He saw Shockwave looking at the jet, and set a hand on Starscream's helm. He refreshed his optics slowly. Starscream shuttered his.

“...He still bothers you,” Megatron said.

Shockwave leaned his elbow on the table, holding his helm in his hand. He felt lazy, his frame heavy, drowsy with the nutrient-rich fuel he had imbibed. He saw Megatron stroke Starscream's helm vent with his fingertips.

“It will merely... take some getting used to,” Shockwave managed. Starscream seemed to be regarded and treated as a favoured courtesan rather than a cheap 'facing drone. Surely Megatron could do better than Starscream, though?

“Once I'm assured of his loyalty, I anticipate Starscream will become a valuable asset in battle once more...” Megatron's vocals had a slight lag to them, a sign of his over-charged processor.

“But how can you ever be sure he is loyal?” Shockwave said. The excess charge clogging his system made him bold enough to ask it.

Megatron did not seem offended. “By giving him reason to remain so.”

“...Sir?”

Megatron cycled a short sigh and gestured vaguely with the hand not still stroking the docile seeker's helm. “He can have safety and protection, if he chooses to. Fuel and a soft berth. Along with other benefits...”

Shockwave used their private comm channel to reply, “The old Starscream would never accept such terms.”

“No,” Megatron said aloud. “Nor better ones...” He looked wistful for a moment, but by the time Shockwave had refreshed his optic the expression was gone. He must have imagined it.

“It is fortunate, then,” Shockwave said, “that his coding has been... cleaned up, in this way.” Shockwave spoke aloud, and used the euphemism for Starscream's benefit. Just in case.

“Starscream...” Megatron tilted Starscream's chin up with his fingertips, and the jet looked at his master. “Up.”

Starscream stood. Shockwave observed the fluid grace of his movements. When relaxed, the seeker was beautiful to watch. He had none of the twitchy, awkward tension he exhibited when agitated – his usual state. Megatron pulled the seeker gently into his lap, and Shockwave's claws bit into the tabletop as he watched the two of them kiss. Megatron was gentle with Starscream – he pulled and guided him into place with easy authority, and Starscream followed his lead as a good subordinate should.

Starscream arched his back, and Megatron slid his hand down, following the curve. His fingertips rubbed at the rear seam of Starscream's pelvic panel, and Shockwave paused his intakes – he didn't want to move or make a sound that would stop the scene in front of him. He hated Starscream, but the seeker looked so good draped across his leader's thighs.

Megatron kissed the line of Starscream's cheek, and met Shockwave's optic over the seeker's winged shoulder. His expression was prideful but mild – not gloating or cruel, more like a mech who was pleased to show off and share something he treasured.

Megatron lowered his optics again and nosed against Starscream's helm vent. His fingers pushed at the seam, and Starscream made a soft sound.

“Starscream...”

“Yes sir.” Starscream had lowered his vocals from their usual harsh tone to a sultry purr. The mechanisms in his panel whirred smoothly, and the curved metal slid away to reveal the valve beneath. Shockwave realised he had risen to his feet and was leaning closer. Starscream's valve was small and the same light grey as his thighs, framed by the red of the surrounding armour. Megatron's fingers moved lower and stroked firmly across the soft rim. Starscream hummed and lifted his hips.

Shockwave wanted to say something, but he was still afraid to break the silence. It seemed even Megatron felt the same. He threw Shockwave a heavy look and gave his head a tiny jerk – beckoning Shockwave closer. Shockwave moved, stealthy, wary of startling the captive seeker.

When he stood before Megatron's chair, Shockwave lifted his hands. He was close enough to touch, and his talons hovered above Starscream's gently curving hips. Starscream had one arm draped over Megatron's shoulder, his other curled between his co*ckpit and Megatron's chest, allowing him to lean his weight upon his leader and keep his aft lifted up.

Shockwave looked to Megatron for guidance, for approval. For permission.

Megatron nodded. Starscream exhaled softly, bucking his aft up as Shockwave rested his hands on Starscream's hips. He held them there, still, for a moment, and then gingerly squeezed. All his fantasies, every glitched-up scenario he'd thought up in his most fevered orbital cycles alone – all of them were good for precisely nothing in that moment. He hated himself for his awkwardness, and told himself it was only because Megatron was there – Megatron – that he was so unsure of himself.

He rubbed Starscream's aft with his thumbs. His spark gave a dark little curl of pleasure when the jet made a high-pitched sound, and he looked down to see small scratches left by his pointed claws.

“Careful,” Megatron said. His rich voice cut through the tension of silence, and stunned Shockwave into obedience. How dare he mark his master's possession? Such disrespect...

“I apologise, my lord...”

Starscream pressed his face into the crook of Megatron's neck and swayed his hips. He didn't seem to mind the scratches, and indeed Shockwave could now see the soft outer rim of his valve glistening with pinkish, translucent lubricant.

Shockwave inched his thumb-tips closer to Starscream's valve, being careful this time, and used them to spread the very outer edge. His optic pulsed a deep, vivid red, and he toyed with the idea of taking a holo-scan to keep for later. Starscream's tight little valve twitched, and he could see the tender, inner rim. Megatron's hands held the tops of Starscream's thighs, and he lifted him, then moved one hand to the small of Starscream's back to make its arch more pronounced.

“My lord...?” Shockwave's spike throbbed within its housing. Was his master really offering Starscream up for him?

Megatron kissed Starscream's throat, and Starscream tilted his head back. His wings fanned slowly back and forth.

Starscream had remained conspicuously quiet throughout this entire meeting. Shockwave wondered if that was his permanent setting now, or had he decided silence was his best strategy in Shockwave's company. Or perhaps Megatron had simply ordered him not to speak.

Megatron had not answered him. Shockwave could only take that as assent. He unsheathed his spike, let it pressurise and grow to its full, hard, length. Well, in truth he could decide its length, given his peculiar ability, but he usually kept it at its default. He nudged the tip of it against Starscream's opening, and his engines gave a deep rumble as Starscream reacted – a gasp, and he looked over his shoulder. He met Shockwave's optic with his own, which were bright scarlet, glowing in the soft light. There was a curl to the corner of his mouth – Shockwave wasn't sure if he was goading him, or simply eager. Perhaps both, knowing Starscream.

The look on Megatron's face was one of warm pride, Shockwave thought. He pulled the jet's thighs open wider with the air of one showing off a prized possession. He then slid his hands back up and used the pads of two fingers to manipulate and gently spread the seeker's valve rim, leaving Shockwave's hands free to grasp Starscream's tiny waist instead.

“Now Shockwave,” Megatron purred, his vocals very low and quiet. His optics were on Starscream now, but his tone was almost businesslike. “I don't normally allow other mechs to share my toys. Even seeing him like this...”

“I understand, sir,” Shockwave said quickly.

“Do you.” Megatron shuttered his optics and kissed and lightly bit at the line of Starscream's cheek.

Shockwave inclined his head. Unable to better control himself, he eased his hips forward. His spike slid slowly into Starscream's valve. He felt Starscream tighten around him, and then the valve seemed to relax, open up, and draw him in deeper. He let out a breathy groan and sank his spike in up to the hilt. When his hips bumped against Starscream's aft he stilled. He held on tightly to Starscream's waist and concentrated on his intakes. His face was close to Megatron's, their bodies almost touching with Starscream pressed between them.

Shockwave shifted, altered his balance on his pedes and, haltingly, placed one of his hands one on the back of the chair above Megatron's shoulder. He wrapped his other arm tightly around Starscream's waist. He couldn't look at Megatron. He offlined his optic and rocked his hips. Starscream cooed beneath him and moved, his body all smooth curves and sinuous, rhythmic motions. His valve was hot around Shockwave's spike, and his internals rippled and pressed against the hard metal.

Shockwave gave a start when he felt a touch to one of his antenna. His optic flared online in a nanosec, only to register Megatron watching him over Starscream's shoulder, his expression even. Shockwave's optic darkened, then, and his antennae angled forward. He placed both hands on the arms of the chair and rose up a little. The new angle pushed him deeper into Starscream, and allowed him to move more easily. He held Megatron's optics now – his leader's gaze was unreadable, intent. Shockwave thrust into the seeker with shallow, steady movements, sliding his spike back and forth and slowly building up a sweet, warm friction. Starscream mewled and panted against Megatron's throat. He held onto the bigger mech's shoulders and kept his knees on either side of Megatron's thighs, his aft up, rocking back to meet Shockwave's thrusts.

In Shockwave's CPU phantom images flitted past. Images of a less wholesome union than this, conjured by his own processor in his frequent daydreams... His spike swelled within Starscream's valve and the seeker made an interesting noise – part yowl and part purr. He pushed against Megatron's shoulders and, when his back was as arched as it could be, moved one leg and then the other so that his toes were on the floor. Shockwave kept his arm around Starscream's waist and ground into him deep, his face close by the side of Starscream's helm.

Megatron watched them for a few beats before rising to his feet. He used his bulk to force Starscream to stumble back, and consequently Shockwave also – they remained connected as Shockwave stepped backward, and Starscream circled his hips like the slagging whor*-bot he was.

“I believe,” Megatron purred, crowding the both of them, chest against the swell of Starscream's co*ckpit glass. “It's time to move this to a more appropriate location.”

“I, ah... “ Shockwave tried to force his vocaliser to obey him. “I couldn't agree more, s-ah... sir.”

He reluctantly pulled out of Starscream. He felt a pleasant rush of satisfaction to see the seeker sway, unbalanced, once Shockwave was out of him and had stepped away – Starscream held his hands out as though reaching for him, and his legs and wing-tips trembled.

Megatron held the back of Starscream's helm and pulled his head back. He kissed him hard and pawed at the jet's co*ckpit. It had never escaped Shockwave's notice that the glass was semi-transparent. Starscream's frame made a pretty curve as he was arched, and when Megatron released him it was only to grab him and lift him to his chest as though he were a slight, weakling femme.

Shockwave was suddenly very conscious of his exposed, hard spike, but Megatron didn't even spare him a glance.

“Follow,” Megatron said as he made his way toward, Shockwave assumed, the berthroom.

Megatron deposited Starscream on the wide, low berth, face-down. Shockwave joined them, very aware that this was Megatron's berthroom...

Megatron grabbed Starscream's ankles and pulled him to the edge of the berth. Starscream stretched out and pushed his aft up.

“Yes,” he hissed. At Megatron's silent prompting, Shockwave crawled onto the berth and moved to Starscream's head. He held Starscream's helm in a similar way to how Megatron had just moments ago. He had intended to guide Starscream to his spike, but in fact the seeker needed no pursuading. The eager little slu*t found his spike-head and instantly licked over the broad tip, drawing a shudder from Shockwave. Shockwave heard a short, pleased “hm” from Megatron, and he tilted his head back as Starscream took his spike into his throat.

Megatron knelt on the berth between Starscream's legs, hiked Starscream's aft up a little higher, and let his spike extend. He slipped into Starscream's valve and began a slow, hard rhythm that he seemed to know would make the seeker purr.

Starscream curled his claws into the soft foam of the berth and kept his knees wide apart, his wings pushed forward. He couldn't take all that much of Shockwave's spike into his mouth, Shockwave realised, disappointed. Perhaps if he decreased the size... but then, it was so nice to watch the seeker stuffed with the thick appendage, trying to swallow it and choking.

Megatron's engines hummed, and the vibration ran through Starscream's body and into Shockwave's. Shockwave looked up. Megatron's body was curled, and tensed with each forward rock. Starscream's valve made soft, wet sounds each time his leader's spike sank into it. Shockwave's own spike throbbed. He tensed his fingers, one hand gripping Starscream's helm while the other held a wing, and with a great amount of willpower he downsized his spike just enough to be able to slip into Starscream's throat, all the way.

Starscream began to gag and move back, but Megatron leaned over his back and placed one hand over Shockwave's on the seeker's helm. He pushed him down, and Shockwave trembled to feel Starscream's throat open and take him in, to see Megatron forcing him to swallow Shockwave's spike. Megatron glanced up with a small smirk, and Shockwave bucked his hips. Between them, Starscream whimpered and tried to writhe, but he was too tightly pinned, both mouth and valve deeply speared. He could only move back or forward, either way he would be moving onto one of their spikes.

They found a rhythm between them, Shockwave and Megatron, Shockwave happily following Megatron's lead. Shockwave lost himself in the heady, liquid pleasure, the surreal and unexpected union, Megatron's very presence. He moved his hips and f*cked the seeker's mouth, first slowly, and then with gradually greater speed. Megatron helped him along by moving Starscream's helm, pushing him down and pulling him back, while Starscream mewled and choked and made the most obscene noises. Megatron ground into Starscream's valve, and his speed seemed to match that he set for Shockwave. They held onto Starscream for balance, grabbing his wings and waist and helm; at some point Shockwave's hands found Megatron's shoulders, and they were both leaning over the lithe mech in between them, close enough for Shockwave to feel Megatron's breath against his shoulder. Megatron kept one hand on Starscream's helm, while the other found Shockwave's antennae again and fondled, leaving Shockwave helpless. Shockwave's thighs were wet with Starscream's oral lubricants; he wondered fleetingly if Megatron's were similarly slicked with fluids leaking from Starscream's valve.

They were both f*cking the seeker with unchecked ferocity now, rutting deep and fast, their intakes punctuated with grunts and moans, their processors operating on base coding alone. The charge of an oncoming overload had been building in Shockwave's systems slowly, like a storm, and his frame was tense and desperate, his movements jerky and insistent, aggressive. He didn't realise it, but his vocaliser kept emitting breathy pleas, wordless, short cries almost lost beneath the whirring of their fans. He bucked into Starscream's wet, hot mouth, f*cking as deep as he could and relishing every ugly sound the seeker made. He felt slim, long fingers squeeze his thigh – Starscream was holding onto the berth with one hand, but his other crept up between Shockwave's legs. His rhythm became shaky and erratic as Starscream rubbed over his valve while sucking him hard. Shockwave tried to grind down on those fingers whilst keeping up his punishing back-and-forth. Starscream growled and pushed a finger into Shockwave's valve. Shockwave panted, bore down on the slender digit. At the same moment, Megatron leaned in and licked at one of Shockwave's antennae. The combined sensations undid him. He came with a shocked, loud cry, jamming his spike fully into Starscream's mouth and holding him there by the helm – both his hands, and one of Megatron's – and circled his hips to grind down upon the seeker's finger. He leaned into Megatron's touch, and gave a long, raw moan as he pumped his transfluid deep into Starscream's throat.

Shockwave's overload seemed to fade too quickly. He arched his back and gradually slowed his hips. He let go of Starscream's helm and let his arms hang by his sides as he tipped his head back, his optic offlined. He felt Starscream swallow around him, and it made his engines purr to think the seeker was drinking down every last drop of him.

He flicked his optic back on when, an instant later, he felt Starscream's mouth abruptly pulled from his spike, the finger from his valve. Megatron had him by the helm still, and had slipped out of his valve. With hands on Starscream's wings, arms, and thighs, he manhandled the seeked onto his back with his head near Megatron. Shockwave now had a view of the jet's ruined valve – Starscream's legs were slu*ttishly splayed, and his entrance was a mess of lubricant, the formerly tight hole stretched and f*cked to throbbing tenderness by both their spikes. Starscream's spike was extended and hard, but there were smears of transfluid around his hips and abdomen that had to be his. Shockwave wondered how many times he had come without them even noticing.

Megatron was almost gentle as he tilted Starscream's head back. Starscream was pliant and exposed his throat with no complaint, lying spreadeagle on the berth. Megatron rubbed his wet, large spike against Starscream's cheek and swollen lips, and the seeker opened up his mouth and extended his glossa. His chin and cheeks were messy with oral lubricant, and Shockwave noticed the odd trail of his own come which had managed to escape the seeker's lips.

Shockwave shifted onto all-fours and hovered over Starscream so he could watch as Megatron slowly pushed his spike into Starscream's eager mouth, filling the space so recently vacated by Shockwave's own length. Megatron had to kneel with his thighs spread wide in order to slide in deep enough. Shockwave watched the movements of the taut cabling and tense artificial muscles. He reached forward and placed his hand on Starscream's throat.

Megatron sighed, with just a hint of his rich voice, and began to move. Shockwave held Starscream's neck, keeping his head tilted just-so to allow Megatron to repeatedly slide his spike in to the hilt. Condensation made Megatron's armour glisten, and Shockwave wished he had the necessary components to lick it off.

Struck by a sudden whim, Shockwave straddled Starscream, and then looked to Megatron for approval. Megatron gave him a smirk that showed off his fangs, and Shockwave let out a small moan and sank down. Starscream's spike slipped into him easily. He hadn't realised how wet his valve had become, though he supposed it shouldn't surprise him. Starscream moaned around Megatron's spike and seemed to try to say something, but Megatron only f*cked his throat a little faster. Shockwave got himself settled on Starscream's length, making sure it pushed against just the right sets of sensors, before beginning to move. He ground back and forth, then in a circular motion, then repeated. He watched Starscream's claws rhythmically tense and dig into the berth. The seeker's hips rocked up into him, pushing his spike deeper, but Shockwave would not allow the pleasure-drone to set the pace. He was focused on his own pleasure, not Starscream's.

Still on a high from his last overload, Shockwave knew he wouldn't last long. He managed to hold out until Megatron overloaded. Megatron grunted and shuttered his optics tightly, baring his teeth, and spilled his transfluid into Starscream's throat just as Shockwave had done. Shockwave watched him, watched his almost pained expression, the way his frame tensed up, and felt the way Starscream's throat worked under his hand and swelled with every one of Megatron's thrusts. Shockwave clamped his thighs tightly against Starscream's hips and his valve tightened sharply as his second overload took him. His hand inadvertantly squeezed Starscream's throat, and the seeker's helm and chest vents hummed to try and compensate. Starscream writhed and twisted under them both, and Shockwave felt the rise of his hips and the throb of his spike, and then the wet warmth of the seeker's transfluid gushing into him.

Shockwave let out a long sigh and sat back. Megatron rocked his hips once more and then drew his spike out of Starscream's mouth, only to rub it against the jet's cheek and vents, wiping off excess lubricant and leaving yet more smears on Starscream's flushed faceplates.

Shockwave realised that the overloads seemed to have rebooted his systems somewhat, and dissipated much of the excess charge brought on by the fuel earlier. He wondered if Megatron was experiencing the same. He wondered if he regretted allowing Shockwave to share his toy like this – to share something this private, also.

Shockwave shuffled back off Starscream and tried to wipe some of the fluids off his spike. He felt an uncomfortable dampness between his legs, and was suddenly mortified that he had allowed Starscream to come inside him. Allspark knew what kind of inferior coding the drone was carrying. He only hoped his own nanites – and a hot solvent shower – would be up to the task of cleansing his system again. He touched his valve gingerly with the tip of a talon and lifted his finger away. A string of glistening transfluid came with it.

“Ugh...” Shockwave wiped his hand on the berth.

“I assure you I take good care of him,” Megatron said. Shockwave froze, but fortunately Megatron only sounded amused. “However, if you're uncomfortable... Starscream, clean him up.”

Starscream shakily pushed himself up on his elbows. His expression was dazed, his face covered in lubricant and come, his lips puffy and tinted. It was a rather appealing image, even Shockwave had to admit. Starscream wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then licked his hand. He refreshed his vocals. When he spoke he sounded hoarse, his vocals staticky. “Yes sir... Lord Megatron.”

Shockwave leaned on his hands and watched Starscream crawl the short distance to him. He appreciated the halting unsteadiness of his movements, the way his wings still trembled. Shockwave spread his legs; he was self-conscious now, as the effects of the oil and his passion eased off, but Megatron had ordered it... Starscream lowered his head. He spent a few moments licking and suckling at Shockwave's shaft before moving lower.

Megatron lay on his side, lazy and languorous in his afterglow, and amused himself by kneading and pinching at Starscream's upturned aft, pushing his fingers into his valve and collecting fluids which he then smeared in abstract, artful patterns all over the seeker's aft, thighs, and thrusters.

Starscream lapped at Shockwave's valve evenly, and gradually eased his glossa a small way inside the flexible rim with each lick. Shockwave began to relax again, and lay back on the berth, legs splayed. He shut off his optic, feeling pleasantly drowsy. Starscream worked on his valve, licking, flicking his glossa inside, then fastening his mouth over the rim and sucking the transfluid out. Shockwave moaned and moved dreamily. He felt peaceful, physically spent, his body hyper-sensitive.

“That's enough,” Megatron said, and Starscream lifted his mouth from Shockwave's valve. Shockwave sighed and gave his hips a small roll. Megatron crawled up the berth to lie beside him. Shockwave wondered what would happen now. Would he be asked to leave?

“Shockwave...” Shockwave didn't speak – he didn't trust himself not to say something inappropriate. Megatron yawned, then stretched. “Recharge here... You will return to Cybertron in the morning.”

“...Yes sir,” Shockwave said. He lay very still. Megatron seemed perfectly relaxed beside him. He could hear the steady rhythm of his intakes.

“...Starscream.” Megatron gave Starscream's shoulder a nudge with his foot. “The berth isn't big enough for three to recharge.”

Silence from the bottom of the berth, and then the berth creaked as Starscream crawled to its edge. “...Should I return to my cell alone, my liege?” Starscream said. Shockwave was too tired to try to gauge his tone.

Megatron drew an intake and pressed his finger and thumb to the front of his helm. “Just... There's room on the floor. Just keep quiet and don't wander off.”

“...Yes sir.”

Shockwave didn't sit up to watch. The berth shifted again as Starscream vacated it, then he heard the click of the seeker's heels. It sounded like Starscream had moved a short way from the berth and taken up a place on the floor within the same room. He waited for a further exchange – surely this would be the final straw were this an elaborate act on the seeker's part – but none came. The room gradually settled into silence, but for the gentle sounds of three sets of intakes. Shockwave realised Megatron had slipped into recharge. On the other side of the room, Starscream was quiet. Shockwave stared up at the carved rock ceiling. If Megatron was trusting enough to recharge in the same room as Starscream, then things had seriously changed. He had just experienced first-hand the extent of Starscream's reprogramming, yet he still couldn't let go of his unease.

He put his processor into a light stand-by state, and remained semi-alert for the remainder of the night.