Emptiness Machine
Author note: Hey all! Thanks for sticking with this story! Little TW for this one. Talk of newsparks. Other than that enjoy!
It spoke Cybertronian. Albeit rude Cybertronian but of course only the autobots would teach a pet like this something so vulgar. Starscream narrows his optics at the creature as it squirms in his servo. The feel of it soft and warm in his digits sending an uncomfortable shudder through his frame. It turns its gaze on him staring up at him with those uncannily Cybertronian features. Intelligence in its face he wants to forget. If it can speak, it can understand him surely. He records its speech as it chatters up at him, translating the files and creating a program so that he can communicate with it. It takes a moment but he clears his vocalizer before speaking.
“You are bold for such a little thing. You caught me off guard speaking intelligently like that. Here I thought your kind were just miserable little insects.”
•••
That deep voice rumbles through you as he speaks, finally a language you can understand. You can’t even be offended at the way he spoke about you, the shock of the interaction bleeding into fear as you feel the grip of his servos around your ribs. You remember the autobots describing the things that these bots had done during the war. As his crimson optics gaze down at you with contempt you can’t help but wonder why he hadn’t crushed you yet. When you speak, your voice comes out shakier than you’d hoped.
“What did you want with me.”
The mech ponders for a moment. Still studying you as if you were some sort of exotic animal. After what felt like an uncomfortably long pause, he turns his head towards the body of your mech. Now deactivated, her optics dim from the prematurely severed connection. He doesn’t directly answer your question.
“What were you doing with that femme? Were you like some weird pet to her?”
He sounded disgusted when he said the word pet. Raising a tiny hand, you point to the mech. Your voice still shaking a bit but filled with determination and a shocking courage.
“You think you’ve killed her but you haven’t.”
You take a moment to think. Maybe you could throw him off so much that you could escape. You remember the reaction of the autobots when you had first been scanned by Ratchet and Firstaid. It had been one of horror, comparing the way you scanned to that of a newspark. From what you understood, Cybertronians were born one of two ways. Through a spark bond or from a hot spot. The fragile things appearing as a newspark and transferred into a waiting protoform.
“You scanned a newspark signature didn’t you?”
He looked taken aback by that. Either your intelligence was scaring him or the way you knew exactly what had transpired despite not understanding him. You speak again trying to appeal to him. Though you had a feeling it was all for not.
“Did you give any thought to the fact that we might not be so different?”
You wave your hand towards your mech, back to yourself, and then to him in a sweeping gesture. Just then, the door burst open to reveal a new boxy looking blue mech. The red visor covering his optics practically glowing as he looked around. Despite having a mask covering his face, his frame was tense and he radiated an agitated energy. His voice tonal and growling as he spoke urgently in his own language to the mech holding you.
•••
Starscream stared down at you as you gestured to him. Not so different? You were nothing. An insect. The only reason Megatron hadn’t already glassed your planet was the fact that your species might be useful for the creation of synthetic energon. The energon unfit for consumption for anything with a spark. But very useful for powering drones and weapons. The distillation process recently discovered by Shockwave some cycles ago. He had discovered that the organic creatures could be drained of their life force and condensed into this synthetic monstrosity. Personally, Starscream found this absolutely abhorrent.
He didn’t get time to process his thoughts though as Soundwave came bursting through the door. Looking frantically about the room, his visor falling on the body of the mysterious femme on the table.
“Starscream, query, where is the newspark?”
Starscream rolled his optics, the communications officer had always been much too sentimental for his taste. Letting his emotions get the better of him when it came to the care of his cassettes. Worrying over them and keeping much too close an eye on the life down on the planet below.
“There is no newspark you fool. Only this organic creature. Did you know they were intelligent?”
None of this was sitting right with Starscream as he looked back down at your confused face. The communications officer only nods as he walks over to the scanner. Seeing the signature for himself. Turning the screen towards Starscream, he points to the outline of your body and the origin of the weak signature. His voice a deep tonal growl as he addresses the SIC.
“Not just an organic.”
Those words made the energon in his lines grow cold again. Turning slowly to see the look of almost triumph on your face as if you had won. He makes the connection.
“What the pit have those Autobot fools done?”
please, please can we have some more of The Emptiness Machine 😭
✨❤️ANYTHING FOR YOU SWEET ANNON. YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND ❤️✨ part 1 is up! It’s a Starscream X human mech pilot reader fanfic so go check it out!
Chapter 1
Yelling at him. He probably deserved it…. I love him sm
Emptiness Machine
Author note: y’all have patiently waited for juicy interactions between Starscream and reader and now next chapter we will have one! :3 I am so excited. Anyway here’s the next chapter.
‘Where is it? where is it?’ Starscream thought as he dug frantically through a drawer in his habisuite. His wing hung painfully by the few lines that Megatron didn’t rupture in his anger. His frame was wet with energon as he searched for his stash of medical supplies. This was one of Megatron’s worst tempers yet. Usually Megatron let him free with only minor injuries. Something to keep the bots under his command afraid of him. This time he made Starscream an example. Taking his time and making a show of humiliating Starscream in front of his subordinates. He bared his denta in fury and agony as he thought about what he would do if he could fight back. If those imbeciles didn’t respect and fear their leader so much, if they wouldn’t turn on him if he stood up to Megatron. He wanted their respect and their loyalty just as much as he wanted to lead them. Though he wouldn’t lead them with falsehoods and intimidation as the warlord saw fit to.
Throwing the drawer aside that he’d emptied searching for an energon patch, he looks around frantically. There must be something he could use to stabilize his wounds. He’d planned for this, stolen medical supplies so he could take care of this himself. He didn’t need anyone else. Especially those mindless idiots who idolized that brute of a warlord. The first time something like this happened, he was refused help at the makeshift med bay. Hook locked the door on him, shaking his helm and telling him it was Megatron who ordered him to refuse to aid the injured seeker. He started taking supplies for himself then. Finding ways to treat his own injuries.
Finally in the last drawer he found it. A single energon patch and several welding rods. He could use an old polishing cloth as a line clamp if necessary. The wound in his side pulsed with pain as he applied the patch. Gritting his denta in pain, he activated the patch and it pulsed to life. Immediately he felt the numbing relief of the infusion. Medical grade energon was hard to come by these cycles. All mining efforts were redirected to the production of the synthetic energon used in the production of drones. Another one of Megatron’s plans that Starscream sneered at. He knew way too much of his leader’s attention was in the wrong place. Thats why the war had gone on so long. His priorities were backwards. Focusing on the power he gained and not the mechs he had under his command. Starscream knew he’d be a better leader. But Megatron made sure no one would respect him. They’d see him as a coward.
For a moment he just sat there on the edge of his berth. The nerve sensors in his injured wing had been so heavily damaged that they had all but gone numb. Taking a deep vent in he leaned forward and rested his helm on his fist. Balefully he stared down at his peds. Was this what he’d been reduced to? Cowering and taking the blame for something he wasn’t responsible for? It hadn’t always been like this. Before the energon on cybertron ran out, before the discovery of the thirteen worlds, he was respected. Megatron shared his plans and knowledge with him. Trusted him with important duties as his second in command. He gave him honor and encouragement. This was altogether different. A desperate Megatron who had begun to go mad with grief over a world lost.
Energon still leaked from his torn wing, dripping into a small puddle at his peds. It shook him from his spiraling thoughts as it ran sluggishly down the plating of his servo. His vision started to blur and he knew he’d have to at least temporarily patch up his wing before he bled out. Standing on unsteady peds, he limped over to his desk and grabbed the welding iron. The few rods he had would be enough but it would be hard to reach it on his own. His pride had broken most of the relationships he had with other bots on the Nemesis. Even his own trine had distanced themselves from him as he took out his anger at Megatron on everyone around him.
Taking a deep vent in against the inevitable pain and balling his servo into a fist, he sent it into the wall. A shout of frustration escaped his intake to hide the despair that welled up in his optics. Ignoring the aching, self inflicted, loneliness in his spark; he loaded the rods into the welding iron and set his wing as best he could. White hot pain seared through him and he bit back a groan as the iron touched his injured mesh. He clenched his denta and screwed his optics shut as he welded the torn joint back together in a crude line. It was grotesque looking to say the least. At least he wasn’t leaking energon anymore. One of his shoulder joints was strained and he had a few other minor injuries that his nanites would eventually take care of. Setting down the iron he gripped the edge of his desk and tried to control the shaking in his limbs. All this pain and for what?
Suddenly the walls of his habisuite felt confining. He had to get out of there. Go somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t here. Perhaps a flight would do him some good. There was something beautiful and peaceful about this miserable planet. He turned and stalked out through the sliding door and past several drones who watched him with emotionless faceplates. He pushed past a trio of constructicons who wouldn’t look him in the optics. Whispering amongst themselves as he tried his very best to hold his injured wing just as high as the other. Finally making it to the flight deck, he transformed and took off. Going nowhere in particular, just away from the Nemesis.
•••
You sat with your legs dangling off of the medical slab listening to Dr. Antonov as he explained the life support apparatus he was installing in your cockpit. Bee, who had somehow pushed his way into the med bay past Ratchet, looked on with a worried expression. Looking down at the limp form resting in your chassis, you couldn’t blame him. By all appearances your body was dead. All ashen features and lifeless limbs. You looked peaceful, the only thing that gave any sign of life was the occasional twitch of an eye or a digit. These were signs of a strong connection to your machine. Dr. Antonov finishes hooking up a milky looking bag and needle to the inside of your arm and mech. Looking up at you with a furrowed brow, he speaks.
“Seraphim. These, I am adding to keep your body alive. This nutrient IV drip will supplement the energon infusion and keep your body functioning. This is temporary just until I figure out how to disconnect you safely. Remember this is your body. Take care of it and don’t forget who you are in this time you are stuck.”
You nod solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation and how easy it would be to forget you weren’t Cybertronian. You had already struggled in the past with separation from your mech and now you were permanently fused with it. At least until the good doctor found a way to get you out. The realization that this could very well kill you set in like a heavy fog over your form. Dr. Antonov nods and steps back. Giving you permission to leave if you wanted to. Taking a deep vent in and closing your cockpit around the vulnerable body within, you stand.
“I’m…going on patrol. I’ll be back later ok. You’ve got my location. Comm if you need anything.”
Turning to leave without looking at Bumblebee, even as he started to protest, you make your way through the sliding door of the med bay. The doctor raises his hand as if to silence the yellow scout.
“It’s better if she figures this out on her own.”
Outside the bay, several of the others were out on patrol. You pass Michael, who gives you a sympathetic look but doesn’t speak. Standing next to his mech on one of the many platforms surrounding it. The Autobot base and base of operations for Project Archangel was situated in a remote mountainous location. Far away from the prying eyes of Decepticons and humans alike. It was peaceful and as the bay doors opened to let you out, the cool breeze hit your faceplate and grounded you in reality. The lake a few miles below was quiet and tranquil. A perfect spot to sit and think. A deck officer offered you a ground bridge to wherever you wanted to go. You politely declined, just wanting to walk for a bit and think.
This area of the world was a protected wildlife preserve. One of monumental significance to earth. The trees were dwarfed even Michael’s heavy mech. It always made you feel small in a humbling way. As if your problems were just a tiny ripple in the vast ocean of the universe. It was comforting in a way. The musty smell of damp leaves and fresh scent of evergreen drifted past as you tread along the forest. The gaps between the massive trees were plenty large enough to allow for your Cybertronian-like frame. It wasn’t long until you reached the edge of the lake. A soft breeze fell over its surface, disturbing the perfect mirror that reflected the afternoon sky. Settling yourself among the rocks, you let the sunlight hit your faceplate and silently thank Dr. Antonov for the addition of nerve sensors so you could still experience warmth.
Thinking of warmth made you recall the feeling of warm servos on your frame as the Decepticon communications officer carried you to the holding cell. Why had they been described with such hate by the Autobots? Weren’t they all the same species? They hadn’t killed you. Just mishandled you out of ignorance. At least the ones beneath the ruthless warlord. You shuddered at the memory of being in Megatron’s grasp. His cold and indifferent optics focused on your helpless form.
A sound from above rattles you out of your thoughts. The scream of jet engines. It wasn’t uncommon to hear near the base as two of the Autobots were flight frames. But this didn’t sound like either of them. You focus your optics and catch a glimpse of a startlingly familiar color scheme. Red, white and blue with hints of grey and an orange cockpit. What was the second in command of the Decepticons doing here? Looking closer you saw a worrying trail of black smoke from one of his wings. Maybe he was chased all the way out here by an Autobot patrol? You didn’t see anyone in pursuit when you scanned the horizon. Watching as he landed clumsily to your left and transformed. His face a mask of pain that told you he was in fact injured. Limping forward, he lowered himself heavily to his knees at the waters edge. This was something you had to investigate for yourself.
IDW Starscream X Reader
Rating: 18+ (TW: blood, reader hits their head hard)
Frag. Could this day get any worse? He can’t throw it back into the lake now. Starscream just stares at the tiny frozen organic clutched in his servos. Looking around he tries to think of a way to get rid of it without having to deal with it, when it suddenly whimpers. A pitiful sound as it comes to and begins to shiver. It’s unsettling the way it weakly tries to squirm in his grasp. He grimaces lifting it closer to his optics again. That’s when he noticed the gash on its forehead. It’s leaking. Oozing dark red liquid from where he assumed was it’s processor. He could feel its weak heartbeat against his palm and he knew he had to do something fast. Or he’d have a bigger problem on his hands. Running a hand over his faceplate in exasperation, he decides the best course of action would be to get it somewhere warm first. Maybe he could figure out how to get it to stop leaking. Carefully he transformed around the little thing and took off towards the base. He knew he’d have to be careful. If the others saw his mistake, that could mean a fate far worse than freezing to death for you.
Light and sound were the only discernible sensation besides a deep, bone jarring chill. Your teeth chatter as you try to rouse yourself. ‘Don’t fall asleep.’ You think as you feel a warmth envelop you. Someone must have found you and drug you out of the lake. This was rural Appalachia. It was a miracle anyone was within fifteen miles of where you were. You reach a shaky hand to your forehead, bringing it away sticky with blood. Confused you try to get a sense of where you are. Your eyes won’t cooperate, everything is fuzzy and unfocused. The faint sound of a jet engine made you scrunch your brow. Perhaps you were being airlifted to the hospital? You reach up a hand weakly resting it on the canopy above you. Silently thanking whatever gods were watching over you this night. Your eyes grew so heavy you feared you’d slip away forever. Head throbbing and clothes still soaking wet from your fall into the lake, you shiver until exhaustion takes you.
Returning to base, Starscream lands in his alt mode carefully keeping you hidden in his canopy. He transforms, aware of your limp body resting against the inside of his frame. Shuddering at the sensation, he tries his best not to jostle you around as he strides inside. Luckily the hallways are mostly empty and he arrives at his quarters with no uncomfortable questions asked. After gently lifting you from his canopy, he places you on his desk. Kneeling so he can assess the damage. You flop alarmingly limp from his servo onto the hard surface. Your jacket, still full of water, makes an awful squishing noise. He grimaces, trying his best to figure out how to get you out of your soaked coverings. His servos much too big as he fumbles with the clasps of your jacket. After struggling for awhile he family manages to shake you free of your jacket. He jumps a bit, his wings flicking when you let out a pained groan from being handled. After gently putting you down again he begins to pace in front of the desk. What was he thinking bringing you here? He didn’t know slag about humans. He let out a frustrated growl slamming his fist onto the desk next to you. This roused you enough to lift your head and stare blearily up at him. Clearly your optics weren’t working correctly because you actually reach out a tiny shaking hand towards his fist. He watches intently as you mumble incoherently to him. Needing his help. Needing him. His optics widen at the realization. One thing was clear. He has to find a way to save you.
I can’t stop thinking about this comment I got on AO3. One of my readers told me they saw Reader’s mech, in my fanfic Emptiness Machine, as similar to an Ingram from Patlabor.
So yeah I’m drawing this now because I love Patlabor.
IDW Starscream X Reader
Warnings: none
Synopsis: While on patrol, the SIC discovers a quiet place he can get away from it all. Unfortunately, so did a certain troublesome little human.
Author note: (I’ve never written fanfic before but I wanted a slow burn romance with no smut only fluff so here I am. I am not a professional writer and this is my first time posting fanfic!)
It had been one of those days you felt like running away from it all. You drove furiously down the winding road you took to work every day. Music blaring and fists clenched on the wheel. Snow had fallen the night before making the foliage glisten as your car screamed past the quiet trees. You needed more time to yourself. Just a few more hours until you had to go home. It’s not like you wouldn’t be alone anyway. You lived by yourself in the middle of nowhere, in a house given to you when your mother passed away last year. The memories in that house plagued you almost as much as your idiot coworkers. Taking a deep breath in, you turn onto the unmarked path that led to the lake. The moon was full, casting ethereal silver light over the icy water. This time of year you knew it was frozen solid. Enough for your favorite passtime, ice skating. It had been years since you had been here. Good memories began to surface as you parked the car and got out. Breathing in a lungful of painfully fridged air. A smile crawled its way across your lips. This was exactly what you needed.
Starscream stalked through the halls of the base. His wings flicking irritably. Another unfruitful scout for energon had left him with the fury of his glorious leader. He flexed his servos itching for something to take his frustration out on. He shouldered past Thundercracker, the other seeker raising a hand in greeting but stopping when he saw the look on his face. He missed the days when he and his trine had been able to spend more time together. But those feelings were currently overshadowed by the unyielding rage he felt. He tried to ignore the sting in the side of his helm where Megatron had drove his fist, making it clear once again that failure meant pain. Venting his frustration to the cold night air, he transformed wanting to be anywhere but here. Flying his usual patrol route he spotted the perfect place far enough away from those miserable humans. A lake, surrounded by mountains and covered in ice. A clearing of large rocks sat underneath a cliff nearby. Perfect to take out his grievances on. He landed skidding so a halt, nearly bowling into one of the big rocks. Instead he sent his fist through it, shattering the massive stone and yelling his frustration to what he thought was an empty night sky.
You had since donned your old skates and a heavier coat. Pulling on the leather skates felt like coming home. Something familiar and exciting. You had taken lessons in your teens and still remember it like it was yesterday. Putting on your favorite playlist, you slide gracefully onto the ice. The moon is bright enough to light the entire lake as you enjoy the solitude. Your breath billowing in eerie curls from your mouth as you remember the steps to a routine you learned. Spinning gracefully, forgetting the awful day you had at work. Peace didn’t last long though as a massive boulder comes hurtling from behind you. Narrowly missing your head and plummeting straight through the thick ice. You barely have time to react before you are sent flying. A scream of fear cut short as you plunge below the ice into the inky water.
Starscream swung his helm around at the sound of your shriek. A human? Or an animal? Something was here with him. He stalked through the trees towards where he had sent that stone flying. He hoped it would land satisfyingly in the middle of that frozen lake. On his approach he saw it in fact met its mark. That’s when he noticed the human vehicle parked near the shore and a small pale hand scrabbling at the edge of the ice. For a moment he thought about just flying away. He wouldn’t have to deal with whatever it was. It was just a human. Right? But something made him stop and reach out a massive hand, scooping you from the water. When he lifted you towards his face to examine you, he noticed something alarming. You weren’t moving. A tinge of guilt gripped his spark. He hadn’t meant to cause harm to the thing. All these years on earth and he hadn’t let himself get this close to its squishy little inhabitants. It looked startlingly like a Cybertronian sparkling. His optics narrow as worry grips him. Poking you with a servo gently to push you over onto your back in his hand, he presses it cautiously to your chest. Your little heartbeat is there, but it’s faint. He vents in exasperation. The night wasn’t meant to go like this.
Emptiness Machine
Author notes: thanks again for being patient with me. Still going through it but here is the chapter I was most excited for 🙊 (also I don’t know how actual welding works just go with it.) enjoy!
The setting sun cast long eerie shadows before Starscream moved visibly again. You had settled yourself about ten yards away from his kneeling form. He just sat there motionless. Every once in a while you’d see a wing twitch, hear a muffled murmur from him. Other than these small signs of life, he was utterly still, seemingly made of stone. You hadn’t announced yourself and it was easy enough to sneak up close to him when he first landed. You’d had ample time to study his frame. From the looks of it, he’d suffered a great deal. Could have been from the battle, but after he ran off into the smoke you hadn’t seen him again. You wondered who, besides Optimus, had the strength to deal such wounds.
A wound in his side was covered by a familiar energon patch. It’s light pulsing indicated it was still working on drawing the nanites closer to the injury. This meant the patch had been applied not too long ago. His wing hung at an odd angle at his back. Your optics focused on the crude welding job and you winced. It looked as if someone had done it with a non dominant hand. Were the Decepticon medics that terrible at welding jobs? You look down at your own chest plate and the welds, still fresh, that adorned it. No they were neat and clean. This looked as if he’d done it himself. Though that would be foolish wouldn’t it? Isn’t that dangerous?
The more you looked at him, the more you wondered what the hell happened to him. There was scraped paint along several dents that looked like it could have come from the hallways of the Nemesis. You leaned forward a bit trying to see better.
A quick slip of your servo on the damp trunk of a tree suddenly unbalanced you. The sudden movement made a sickening crunch that echoed off the clear water. The next few clicks reminded you exactly why Starscream was second in command of the entire Decepticon army. As soon as the sound reached his audials, he’d spun around and taken several steps in your direction. His posture was that of a mech who was immediately ready to take on a serious threat. Frame stiff and weapons powering up as he raised them. The dual null ray blasters mounted on his forearms were trained in the direction of the sound. His optics narrowed as he scanned the thick vegetation that hid your crouching form.
“Show yourself!” He spat, stalking forward a few paces.
You don’t make a move but instead call out to him from your prone position. “You look worse for ware. The Autobots give you a run for your money?”
Recognition flashed in his optics and his blasters lowered just a fraction. He hadn’t quite pinned down exactly where you were yet. In the waning light you could make out the faint glow of his biolights. Yours would soon make you visible amongst the foliage. It was better to stand up now and reveal yourself before he had a chance to find you. You moved, rustling the fallen leaves beneath you. There was a risk associated with trusting him not to blow your helm off. With the care he and the communications officer had shown you, there was a sense that he would hear you out.
“Listen. I’m going to stand up now. You know I don’t possess weapons on my frame. I’m unarmed.” You say clear enough to be heard.
Rolling from your back onto your belly, you slowly get to your peds. Palms out to show you don’t have anything with which to fight back. His optics found and trained you with a cold stare.
“Is it a habit of yours to patrol unarmed? Those damn fools can’t even train a proper army.” He grumbled almost quiet enough that you didn’t hear.
He vented in exasperation, though he didn’t lower his weapons as you stepped out from behind the foliage that had previously hidden you. You shook a ped to get rid of the loose leaves that covered it. The damp smell of moss and loam covered your frame and you were suddenly glad for the fact that your mech was an earthier color. Disguising the smears of earth from your clumsiness earlier. Your optics fell on his damaged wing once more. It trembled slightly as he tried to hold it at the same height as his uninjured one.
“Did one of us do that to you?” You asked, gesturing with your chin towards his injured wing.
“As if an Autobot could inflict such injures on me.” He scoffed and flicked his uninjured wing in annoyance.
Though he quickly realized his error in ruling out the Autobots as the source of his injures. That left only one mech who could have inflicted those injuries. You slowly reach up to flick your visor out of the way, exposing your golden optics. The battle mask you usually wore retracted, allowing him to see the serious expression on your faceplate. His optics widened ever so slightly. He didn’t know what to expect when he saw what was under that mask but it wasn’t something that was as close to a real Cybertronian femme as he had seen in eons.
Cybertronian femmes were rare during the war, most of them fled off world and met horrible fates or disappeared without a trace. The rest joined the Autobot cause, with a few frighteningly unstable exceptions. His gaze lingered on the frown that was set in the malleable metal mesh of your faceplate. How the humans were able to come up with technology like this was beyond him. Though it sent an uncomfortable shiver up his spinal strut. It was unnerving. He started when you finally spoke again.
“Then it must have been Megatron. I’m not deaf. I heard him threaten you.” Speaking so boldly was also a risk but you had to know. Something about the way he held himself. The way he had tried to get you away from that awful scientist back on the Nemesis. You felt like you owed him your life. An uncomfortable feeling when it came from the enemy.
His lip twitched and he refused to answer. Instead choosing to deflect the question with one of his own. “What the scrap are you doing out here in the woods alone. You were in bad shape when I last saw you.” His voice was harsh and there was a staticky edge to it. Perhaps a nervous tell.
“I could ask the same of you. I thought Decepticons didn’t venture to the surface. Something about it being ‘contaminated by the native life’ or something.” You almost smiled at the affronted look he gave you.
As if he, the second in command of the Decepticon army would be scared of a few squishy humans. Slowly, you reach into a compartment on your side that contained a field medical kit. Inside you knew you had at least a couple of welding rods and a field welding torch.
“If you want, I could help you with the welding on your wing. You are still leaking energon. It couldn’t have felt good to fly like that.”
Extending your servo with the tools, you try to look as sympathetic as possible. “You helped me. I’m still functioning because of you and I owe you for that.” You splay your free servo over the chest of your mech. Over the tiny body hidden inside.
He looked at you with a mix of disgust and offense at the mere thought of your human made servos on his wing. He sputtered trying to get the words out for a moment. His vocalizer betraying him. You held up a hand and that silenced him surprisingly. “Please let me do this. We’d be even. They have no idea you tried to help me.”
Starscream’s curiosity was the only thing that made him slowly close his intake and nod. His denta set as he slowly lowered his weapons. He knew he wouldn’t be able to make the flight back to the nemesis without help. This was the first time in quite awhile anyone had asked to help him outright. It had been even longer since he allowed anyone to help him without lashing out. You smile and gesture for him to follow you to a fallen tree not too far along the edge of the water. There was just enough daylight left that you could probably get most of the welding done before the sun set.
“No tricks human. Even with that machine you are soft. I won’t hesitate to offline a femme.” He growled as he begrudgingly settled himself down on the tree.
You notice him watching your every move, frame tense as if he expected you to take that torch and use it for more sinister purposes. You vent softly and move around behind him to look at his wing. This close to him, you feel a staticky tingle that runs through seemingly every energon line of your frame. You shudder. You could feel his agitation, fear, and apprehension. But there was a hint of something else there. A feeling you couldn’t quite place. Something akin to curiosity. You shake your helm and try to focus on assessing the damage.
There were a few gaps in his weld lines that still leaked a bit of energon. You knew the mesh beneath contains many pain receptors. It was shredded at the joint and the tender mesh exposed. You cringed as you ran your optics over the crumpled mess. Of course he’d tried to fix it himself if Megatron was the one who did this to him. He’d probably done it to humiliate him. Reaching out a careful servo you go to brush a digit along one of the weld lines. As soon as your digit makes contact he flinches. His other wing twitching and you feel a wave of embarrassment and rage through his EM field.
“I don’t have all night Autobot are you going to get on with it or not!” He snapped trying to hide the fact that he’d had such a dramatic reaction to the contact.
You bite back a stinging retort and reach into the container at your side for a welding rod. You realize with a feeling of dread that you don’t have any nerve dampeners on you. Nothing like an EM pulse emitter that could nullify the pain being caused by the fresh welds. You chew your lip for a moment and speak. “I don’t have anything to help with the pain. Will you be alright?”
He doesn’t respond. Only nodding, giving you to go ahead to continue. You take a deep vent in. If he had done this earlier on his own, he must not have had anything to numb the pain then either. Bracing yourself with one ped on the ground and the other against the fallen tree, you place one servo between his wings and use the other to unset the welds he’d placed. Flicking down your visor against the blinding torch, you set to work. Once you began, he made no sound to indicate he was in pain.
Only the groan of strained metal could be heard as he clenched his fists against the white hot flame of the torch. You worked quickly, wanting this to be over just as much as he probably did. After unsetting the welds, you worked quickly to right them once again. This time taking care to align the joint properly and seal any severed lines. His uninjured wing trembled a couple times but otherwise he remained still.
Once you had finished you stood upright and flicked your visor back up to look at your work. It wasn’t as good as a medic could have done but you were the best in your class at field medicine. These welds would hold and his wing was on straight this time. You cross your arms over your chassis, proud of your work. “All finished. And the sun hasn’t even set yet.”
Pastel pinks and oranges had begun to fill the watercolor sky. Still he didn’t move. You cocked your head to the side suddenly concerned. Reaching out a servo you rest it in the middle of his back between his wings and feel him lean ever so slightly into that touch before he catches himself. Flinching abruptly away he stands and whirls on you. “You’ve already touched me enough insect. I’m fine.”
His EM field flared with that unidentifiable emotion once again. You stepped back palms up to show you didn’t mean to overstep. “Sorry didn’t mean to.” You mumble not knowing what exactly you were apologizing for. You had comforted Bee in a similar way once when he was seriously injured after a fight. The little scout seemed grateful for the gesture and you thought he might need something like that as well. Clearly not. You huffed out an annoyed vent. So much for him being grateful. At least you had made it through the entire process without him using those twin null rays to blast you back to the state you were born in.
He wouldn’t look you in the optics. His pride probably so thoroughly squashed for the day that he couldn’t possibly take another embarrassment.
“There. We are even.” Were the only words he spoke as he whirled around and stalked off. Transforming and taking off over the lake a few paces down. He wasn’t trailing that awful black smoke anymore and his wing seemed to be holding. You hadn’t realized just how stiff you’d been holding your posture as you finally relax. His alt mode disappeared on the horizon, not knowing just how close he had come to discovering the Autobot base.
IDW Starscream X Reader
Warnings: none
You stare open mouthed at the giant metal being that seemingly materialized out of thin air before you. Once a jet and now…you aren’t sure what it is. With its cannons and cruel looking fists clenched at its sides. Everything inside you tells you that you aren’t supposed to see this. Your heartbeat now in your throat, you begin to back away. Slowly trying to put as much distance between you and the terrifying government experiment as you can. Because surely that’s what it is right? The government had to have made this thing as some type of war weapon or surveillance drone. Testing it in a rural area where no one was supposed to be. You were in the wrong place, at the wrong time. But who would believe you? Turning to bolt, your foot lands heavy on a particularly dry twig. The loud snap makes you wince and you freeze. Breath shuddering as you turn your head to see if that thing had heard. It had. The deep sound of metal creaking sends shivers through your body as it turns its huge head towards you and scowls. Finding you with its gaze, bright red eyes cast an eerie glow over the snow covered ground. ‘Move! Move!’ Your internal voice is shrieking at your legs to run but you stand frozen under the gaze of that giant, gaping at it stupidly. Then it tilts its head. To your absolute horror it begins to approach, footfalls shaking the ground. Finally, whatever icy grip the fear had on your legs was broken and you tear off towards where you parked your car. Wind whipping through your hair as you try to outrun that thing. Too late as its hand comes down blocking your way. You try to skid to a halt and end up careening straight into its palm. You let out a shriek as fingers close around you. Your heart beats out of your chest as you are lifted into the air and held eye level with the giant. Its mechanical optics search your face before it opens its mouth and a deep rumbling voice speaks. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”
It’s that same meddlesome human again. Starscream knows he should just squish it and be done with the whole ordeal. It’s tiny fragile body all too easily crushed in his servos. He tightens his grip seemingly to test just how easy it would be. The human cries out, pitifully clawing at his digits, trying to get free. He growls, loosening his bruising grip to an uncharacteristically gentle hold. The human freezes staring up at him with wide scared eyes. It’s little mouth open as it breathes raggedly in his servo. He feels the pounding of its little heart as he holds it there. Frozen with fear and looking up at him as if it expected to be ended at any second. It starts to speak in a stuttering little voice that is almost as pathetic as it looks. “You aren’t supposed to be here either.” It lifts its head staring defiantly back at him. “What are you some kind of government experiment?” Cheeky little thing. Even in the face of certain death it stutters out a reply.
Your mind is racing at a hundred miles an hour but your body is frozen stiff with fear. Out of fight, flight, and freeze you’ve always thought you’d be a fighter. This scenario is so absurd that your brain can’t keep up. You glare up at it trying to appear bigger than you are. That thing doesn’t reply, leaning in closer to examine you. Looking much too closely for your liking. You cringe back holding your arms in front of your face and duck your head trying to protect it. The creature gives a heavy sigh and leans back to give you space. “You shouldn’t be here. You should have learned your lesson the first time.” He growls. It’s a he you decide. It’s deep voice reverberating through your tiny form. You tilt your head. What does he mean by ‘the first time?’ Does he know something about what happened to you. “What do you mean by the first time?” You manage to squeak out. Your voice sounding much smaller than you had hoped.
Starscream stops, considering his next words carefully. Clearly the tiny thing can’t remember what had happened to it. Honestly he didn’t expect it to be so intelligent in the first place. So capable of communicating and defiant as he holds its little life in his servos. It’s definitely the same human from before. The scar on its forehead evidence of his blunder from weeks ago. But it doesn’t know, doesn’t remember somehow. Perhaps he’d knocked its processor too hard and damaged its internal systems. Whatever the case. He could lie to it. Make it believe anything he wanted to. He thought for a moment before coming up with a perfect lie. “I am from your ‘government’ and about three weeks ago you got caught in the middle of a sort of weapons testing. We had a malfunction and you were unfortunately caught in it. If I hadn’t been here when it happened you’d have perished.” He smiled wickedly, preening a bit. His wings twitched, proud of the lie he came up with. But the little human just stared up at him with its round eyes. Little heart racing and its chest rising and falling as it breathed. Finally it managed a reply. “…t…thank you. For saving my life.”
Artist and amateur writer Star Wars and Transformers fanLevel 25 🎀She/Her
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