Inchoate

[niyazi-a.livejournal.com]

PG-13
Bayverse, Sky and Ground AU
Barricade, Skywarp, Onslaught
no warnings

 

Barricade vented slowly.  Starscream had left him, knowing that he needed time to prepare himself, time to get ready. Skywarp would return and want…answers. And Skywarp had a right to them. Anything Barricade had that Skywarp wanted, Barricade would give.  No matter how much it hurt. Now that the secret was out, there was no point in holding anything back. He’d only choked out what he’d could to Thundercracker, clutching his hands helplessly over his grille, communicating in nods and half words. As if the words didn’t want to come.  

Well, it had been Thundercracker. No surprise that Barricade hadn’t wanted to spill all the humiliating details. He still didn’t want to, but…Skywarp had a right. 

Right.  Rehearse.  He almost wished Starscream was here, to be a calming, comforting presence, to listen without judgment, to ground him to reality with his touch.

No.  Skywarp had the right to be first. Barricade already felt bad enough that he hadn’t spoken to him first about it. 

Rehearse.  Say it now and maybe it won’t be so hard to say later.

“All right.”  His voice quavered.  You can do this. “S-skywarp.  What happened was…Soundwave.  He…,” the words stopped.  Barricade blinked, tried to push on.  Get over it. You have to!

“Soundwave.  There was a meeting. And I…input rods…and….”  The same cutting out.  He couldn’t get the words out.  Couldn’t.  They wouldn’t come. 

He ran a panicked systems diagnostic. 

Oh.  Frag.  A programming block, high encryption. Beyond his ability to crack. 

He…literally couldn’t tell anyone.  When he most wanted to.  He’d thought it was just nerves, just…Thundercracker’s blank judging stare that had choked the stream of words from him before.  Thundercracker had managed, through inference, through ‘yes’ and ‘no’, to figure it out, but…Barricade wanted to tell Skywarp the whole truth. Anything he wanted to know. And he couldn’t.

What if Skywarp didn’t believe him?  What is the block was designed to go malignant?  What if…too many what ifs.  He sank back, overwhelmed, the cold metal of the chair the only thing keeping him upright.

[***]

Skywarp flung himself into his bipedal mode the instant he hit the hangar, holding to his resolve. He would speak to Barricade. He would be calm.  He would not show his hurt, would not let it burn into anger.  He would pretend to be Starscream if he had to, imitate the unflappable, patient one, aware it would be an act but an act they both desperately needed.

“Skywarp.” The deep, gravelly, familiar voice, from the doorway.  “A moment of your time.”

“Busy,” Skywarp said, knowing Onslaught would understand, if anyone outside the Quaterne could.

“I know.” Onslaught turned to fall into step beside Skywarp. He tapped his audio, flickering one of the optics behind his visor.  “Kind of important.” 

Something clicked in Skywarp’s processor, penetrating the mass of his own anxiety and emotion.  He gave a quick nod.  Onslaught wouldn’t bother him if it weren’t important. And the tap to the audio? An old signal.

His private comm freq chimed.

//Took you long enough,// Onslaught’s voice was wry.

//I can’t believe you had to ask.// Skywarp actually couldn’t believe Onslaught had remembered his private comm. After all this time.

//It’s called manners, Skywarp.// Aloud, Onslaught said. “Heard some…interesting rumors while you were gone.”

“Interesting?”  Both levels of meaning in the word. //Heads up what this is really about?//

//Someone trying to stir up trouble.  It’d be obvious if I didn’t play my part.//  And uglier, no doubt.  Skywarp felt a faint wash of relief.  Onslaught was, in his own way and for his own reasons, loyal to the memory of what they once had. “Yes.  About your…little grounder.”  Onslaught pitched his voice to ominously quiet. 

//Someone…who can overhear.// Soundwave, Skywarp thought, as though there were any doubt.  Onslaught nodded, one small downward jerk of his chin. Thundercracker was right.  This was no great news, but the level to which Soundwave was sinking was…new and unsettling. “About Barricade?” His mouth curled with hostility. He couldn’t help it. He tried to fight the expression off his face.

//Just as well to get angry with me,// Onslaught said.  //Let him feel you’ve destroyed an alliance.// “Barricade and Megatron, apparently.”

//Please, don’t give me the details. I can’t…I can’t bear it right now.// “Ridiculous,” he spat, at the same time that his processor was spinning wildly.  Thundercracker had mentioned Soundwave as the cause. And now…Megatron? Was this a deflection? An attempt to shift culpability? That would fit Soundwave’s methods.  But Skywarp felt an acute unease that he did not have the whole story.  And would not, could not rest until he had. 

//The following is what I was ‘leaked’ to tell you. // “He did it behind your back. He’s…,” and Onslaught had to wrestle with getting the words out at all, they were so ridiculous, “obviously negotiating for a better position.”

“Negotiating.  With Megatron.” Primus, this sounded so strained and far-fetched. Was this the best Soundwave could come up with?

“To betray you. Of course.”  Those not familiar with Onslaught—not with Skywarp’s long, long intimacy—would not have caught the sarcasm in the words.  //I saw him. Right afterwards.  He was…not negotiating anything.//  Offering confirmation.

Skywarp’s optics darted keenly to Onslaught’s face. //You saw him?  How was he?//  “The slaggin’ bastard,” Skywarp muttered.  Thinking of Soundwave.  Let the eavesdropping slagger hear what he wanted in the words. 

//Hurt. Humiliated.//   “It took me by surprise,” Onslaught said, blandly.  “Didn’t seem the type.” 

“I’m going to kill him for this.” The truth of the words burned past any misunderstanding.  Soundwave would die.  //Did he tell you?//

//No.  And he didn’t want to tell you.// “Wait.  Not yet.  Watch and wait, until he can’t deny it.”  Words of wisdom.

Skywarp nodded, grimly.  “I’ll know what to watch out for, now.  He won’t get away with this.”  //Why didn’t you tell me?//

//Not my place. Told him it was more trouble than he thought not to.// “Barricade may be suspicious now.  Watch yourself.”

//He thought he could hide it from me?//  Skywarp blinked over the name. Right—had to keep the appearance. They had been speaking very close to the surface. “He can have all the suspicions he wants, with his betrayal.  I have the bond with him.  I’ll force it if necessary.” Not as untrue as Skywarp would like; he’d considered forcing the bond for cycles now,  that desire growing sharp and keen the more he realized he didn’t know.  But no. He would force himself to stay calm.  He hadn’t lost control in combat; he wouldn’t now.  When the whole Quaterne depended on him. 

“You’d tip your hand. Lose your advantage. Wait. And catch him.” Skywarp got the distinct glint of amusement in Onslaught’s visor—that Soundwave could overhear every open word of this and be nodding along, thinking the bait was sinking deep.  //I think it was more of a fantasy—wanting to hide it from himself.//

Sometimes, Onslaught was too fraggin’ wise for his own good.  Skywarp growled. “I’ll catch him my own way. I don’t need YOUR advice.”  His optics narrowed. “And  anyway, what’s in it for you?  Why tell me?  Seems like you’re enjoying sowing a little discord.” //Sorry. Have to give you a motive.//

A tiny shrug. //Jealous ex?  New one to my repertoire.//   “Always told you he was no good.  Just thought I’d tell you before he…hurt you too badly.”

“Too late for that. And why should I believe you? Jealousy makes you ugly. ”

//Yes. I know. He didn’t want to hurt you.//

//Hurt me.// Skywarp snarled.  He was aware that any other moment, any other situation, he’d see it exactly that way: his little spike not wanting to bother him.  And he was aware that it was entirely his anger, his limitation, standing in the way. 

“Ugly. No, it’s the truth that’s ugly here. The truth you’re still not listening to.”  A warning for the future and the present.  A wry flicker. “And you’ll find out I’m right. And you’ll come to me. I’ve waited this long. I can wait again.” //I mean that. Just…not in the jealous innuendo way. And slag I am terrible at this role.//  He let his visor rake invitingly up and down the Seeker’s frame. 

They rounded the corner to the Quaterne quarters.  //You really are.// Skywarp’s anger was diffused, deflected.  Anger against Onslaught served no purpose. Served, in fact, Soundwave’s machination.  And anger against Barricade was more than unproductive. It…hurt.  It hurt physically, like a burning acid pain, more than it would hurt their chances for revenge. For unity. 

They stopped right outside the door.  “We ended because you were right. You think that will bring us back together.” Skywarp ducked his head down, nuzzling against Onslaught’s face mask, a promising, thanking, affectionate caress.  “You’re not the only one with practice using others.”

//Big enemies in this,// Onslaught said over the comm line.  His face mask slipped aside, a mouth seeking a familiar kiss.  //Soundwave figures there’s no way this won’t destroy you: either you’ll misstep against him and Megatron, or you or Thundercracker will tear the Quaterne apart.// His hands stroked at Skywarp’s folded wingflaps.

//Won’t they just have to be disappointed.// Skywarp muttered.  //And I do owe you.//

//Long tab, Seeker.// Onslaught broke the kiss, slowly, with unfeigned reluctance. //You need to be alive, and sane, for me to collect.//

//I’ll try.//  A thin flash of a hesitant smile on Skywarp’s mouth. 

//A Seeker’s ‘try’ is a fearsome thing.// An affectionate final nip. 

Skywarp’s smile flickered a bit brighter. 

 

 

Comments

[thepheonixqueen.livejournal.com]

Wow, this conversation has hopefully opened Skywarp's eyes!
Seriously though, wtf Soundwave? Proof that he truely has no imagination! lol, like anyone would believe that!

[shanfiction73.livejournal.com]

I've had to stop reading these at work because you make me laugh (and cry) and it is bad for my image.

I'm so proud of Skywarp for... growing up and being mature and listening to all the facets of what people have to say before he goes off half-cocked to try to kill his enemies.

And of course I love Onslaught - how could I not? "//Jealous ex? New one to my repertoire.//" I'll just bet that is true. ;D

Poor Barricade, but he is making it harder than it has to be. 'Course, that is what makes him himself.

[playswithworms.livejournal.com]

“And you’ll find out I’m right. And you’ll come to me. I’ve waited this long. I can wait again.” //I mean that. Just…not in the jealous innuendo way. And slag I am terrible at this role.//

Hee - your Onslaught is awesome :D

[cmdrtekk.livejournal.com]

Wonderful job handling the double conversation. And again, so much depth to the characters you make it easy to see them and visualize their relationships/interactions.

As always, thank you for sharing.

[crimsonseastorm.livejournal.com]

Oh really excellent writing here! But no worries! It always is! It just strikes me here because you managed to keep that all straight and easy to follow which can be difficult sometimes so really awesome job XDDD

I'm glad Skywarp took the time to listen to him, I only hope that he'll use it to form a little better of a plan than the one I'm sure he has (which goes something like DIE Soundwave DIE).

Onslaught is soooo awesome, I just want to drool whenever he shows up lol

[linnet-melody.livejournal.com]

I ache for all of them. Which means you did a kick-ass job of it. :)

Perfect title too.

[anontfwriter.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful!

[ithilgwath.livejournal.com]

*glomps Onslaught* he gave me a happy. :)

But oh man... Poor Barricade! I'm scared by that hack Soundwave left behind! I don't think good can come of it...