He was a Prince once.
Starscream, Seeker, Scientist, Prince of Vos. Swiftest and smartest among his brothers. He had been mighty - ingenious - at the top of his game.
And then Vos had gone down in flames.
He had stopped pretending that his dazzling adoration of Megatron had been anything but. The extension of second in command was nothing he could ignore. The mighty High Protector had taken an interest in the slim Prince of Vos. Nobody could ever have denied Starscream the access to his pride, to his crippling devotion. He'd always wanted power, always yearned for it. But it had only been when his faithful leader had started down the path of crazed madness had his desires changed.
Once upon a time, he would not have been treated this way. Once upon a time, Soundwave would have not been allowed to touch him. But once upon a time, he would have not felt violence towards the other. Now, here they were, dangerous tenti around a long leg and a face against his own.
The Seeker was shaking - fear, rage, agony... it all pulsated through him, shooting a vicious glow within his spark. Desperation, adrenaline... That molten eye had him frightened, attempting to lean away. Soundwave was unpredictable, his loyalties absolute... and they did not lay in Starscream's hands.
A pathetic whimper leaves him the second a tenti finds his wing. Delicate touches were warranting of arousal, but anything beyond could have him screaming. Seeker's were built for swift flight and as a result the sensitivity of their wings was incredibly high. A simple bend in them, and they could not sore at optimal conditions. Soundwave's touch was ruining a few flight sensors, causing the silver mech to cease movement entirely.
"Soundwave...."
A desperate warning.
"No."
The agony the tears through him is not the worst that he has felt, but it runs a close second. The scream that rips from his vocoder is shrill and glass shattering, reverberating through his audials as white hot pain rips through his processor. Optics blacken almost instantly, bright energon oozing almost artistically from a stubbed wing and a torn leg. The sensors fall offline, and for the briefest of seconds - so does Starscream.
When he comes to it's with a gasp of pain. Crimson optics are dim, pained, as he glances towards his torn leg and finally upwards towards his wing. Had he not been in such agony, a shot might have been fired directly into stupid Razorbeak's direction. Finally, his gaze falls upon Soundwave once again, and he's shivering - almost cold. The pool around him is growing rapidly, one wing fluttering pathetically. He needs Knockout, and he needs him immediately. But strangely, the urge to call their Doctor isn't there.
"You don't understand."
He says it again, once commanding voice exhausted and in agony. Sensors are in overdrive, body working double time to preserve his essence.
"I was a Prince once. I was royalty. I adored
our... fearless leader. His cause was righteous.
His leadership absolute."
His helm connects with the wall behind him.
"He has been driven mad by his need to kill
the Prime. He has forgotten that all we want
is to go home. I have not. But it has changed me."
A wince, and he reaches outwards, one claw reaching to cover the oozing leg wound. He can't feel it anymore.
"Have you forgotten, Soundwave?
Have you forgotten home?"
He gestures towards the door, voice weak and uncommanding.
"Get out.
You are dismissed."