[TF] Uncharted Territory 03/28
Jul. 11th, 2019 06:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracoqueen22Title: Uncharted Territory
Universe: Transformers AR, Flights of Fancy AU
Characters: Blurr/Starscream, Original Human Character(s), Sari Sumdac, Miko Nakadai, Ratchet, Megatron, Rodimus, Red Alert, Others
Rated: M
Enticements: Sexual Content, Harpy/Human Sexual Content
Summary: There were a lot of things Blurr knew with great certainty: his path, his future, his happiness. Then Starscream swooped into his life and turned everything upside down in the best possible way.
Uncharted Territory
Chapter Three
They waylaid him on the second day of the first week of the fall semester.
Blurr stepped out of Machada Hall, shielding his eyes from an unrelenting sun, his thoughts twirling from the size of the paper he’d be expected to write for his historical economics class. He still didn’t know why he’d taken the class. He wondered if it might be better to drop it.
The bushes rustled, and he swore to Primus, Sari and Miko leapt out of them like they were bullies scaring children on All Hallow’s Eve.
“Blurr!” Miko waved wildly. Her camera swayed from the strap around her neck, lens cap millimeters from popping off.
“We finally found you!” Sari said, nearly tripping over a visible root as she readjusted her bag strap.
Blurr stopped and sighed. “Hello, ladies,” he greeted. “Welcome back to the university. How was your summer?”
Miko rolled her eyes. “You don’t actually care. We both know that.”
“Where’s Starscream?” Sari asked as she caught herself and trundled up beside her partner in crime. Her matching ponytails bobbed with the motion. “Is he still around?”
“Well, he lives in Kaon now so I’m sure he’s still around. Whether or not he’s coming back to the university, I don’t know,” Blurr lied.
Earlier attempts to meet with Starscream for an interview had failed. The day Blurr sent Starscream to the library, the women had been busy, and since then, they’d been chasing Starscream’s tailfeathers to try and get that interview.
Starscream, meanwhile, had changed his mind about whether or not he was interested in the interview. Blurr wasn’t sure why, and suspected it might have had something to do with what the other harpies in the aerie had decided. So until Starscream made a decision, Blurr would continue to be the locked door between him and H.A.R.P.
He was, in fact, meeting Starscream for lunch in a few minutes. It was all the time he had to spare today, and while they could have rescheduled, Wednesday was traditionally Starscream’s day. Plus, Blurr had no way of contacting him ahead of time.
Miko and Sari exchanged a glance. Blurr peered at the bushes, but couldn’t see anyone else hiding in them. He didn’t know if Red or Richard or whatever he called himself was lurking around.
“Could you ask him about the interview again?” Sari asked, clasping her hands together, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Blurr sighed. He checked his watch. If they delayed him too much, he’d miss the meeting with Starscream, and then Starscream would come looking for him no doubt, and then all of his H.A.R.P wrangling would be pointless.
“I’ll ask him,” Blurr said. “But that doesn’t mean he’s going to say yes.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Miko asked. She swung her backpack off one shoulder and slipped it around, starting to dig around in the larger pocket. “I mean, who doesn’t want a feature article and a picture of themselves and--”
“He likes attention,” Blurr interrupted as he impatiently shifted his weight. “But not that much, I don’t think. Besides, you two can be a bit much sometimes, you know?”
Both women leaned back, hands to their chests, echoing a dramatic gasp. The huge smiles completely ruined the effect, however.
“We have to admit,” Sari said.
“It’s part of our charm,” Miko finished.
Blurr wasn’t sure charm was the word he’d use.
A shadow flicked by overhead.
Blurr went still. He checked his watch again. Damn it. He’d run out of time. He didn’t want to look up, because he knew what he’d find, but he did it anyway.
Starscream soared above, circling the courtyard in the middle of the small quad that housed several minor departments of the university, most of them specialized. In fact, the Avian Studies departmental office was just on the other side of the Founder’s Fountain, in the Uraya Building.
Sari and Miko noticed the shadow as well. They looked up and squealed with excitement. Miko readied her camera.
"There he is!" Sari pointed as though it was difficult to miss Starscream flying overhead. One hand dug into her backpack, probably for a pen and a notepad, or her phone.
Blurr sighed.
Starscream spotted him, as Blurr knew he would. It was easy enough to do. There was nothing in the quad to conceal Blurr, not like in others where large trees provided shade. A tingle licked up Blurr's spine when he caught Starscream's gaze and the harpy's bright, excited smile.
He circled around and came back, landing with an acrobatic twist and fold of his wings near Blurr. "You were late," Starscream said by way of greeting. "I got worried."
"Sorry. I was ambushed." Blurr tilted his head toward Sari and Miko, both of whom looked like they were barely withholding their glee as their attention pingponged between Blurr and Starscream.
The harpy blinked as he came up to Blurr's side, one hand smoothing down his feathers. He glanced at the two ladies with evident curiosity. "Oh. Hello."
"They're Sari and Miko," Blurr explained as he caught sight of a twig Starscream had missed in his preening and plucked it free, prompting a murmured thank you from the harpy. "I've told you about them."
"Ah." Understanding dawned in amber eyes. "The humans who wanted the interview. I remember." He bobbed his head. "Nice to meet you."
Miko whipped out a pen and notepad and tumbled them into Sari’s hands, just as Sari made a sound of disappointment with her bookbag search. "You're beautiful," she breathed, her eyes wide and excited, like she’d met a celebrity. "Can I take a picture? Please?"
Starscream, predictably, preened, his crest feathers raising and spreading out in a pretty display. "Of course you can," he all but purred. "And thank you. In my community, I am what is known as a smol. As a rule, we can be quite attractive."
"But you're one of the prettiest, I'll bet." Miko fiddled with the controls of her camera before lifting it up, and Blurr heard the telltale click of several shots being taken in quick succession.
"Do you fly here to visit Blurr often?" Sari asked, pen hovering over her notepad, eyes squinted at Starscream with obvious intent. "How long of a flight is it? Do you find it tiring? Are you a fast flyer?"
Starscream blinked.
"Whoa." Blurr stepped between Starscream and the ladies, holding up his hands. "You're not doing an interview right now. And by the way, it sounds more like an interrogation. So chill."
Starscream's hand rested on his shoulder as Starscream leaned over his other one. "It's all right. I don't blame them for their curiosity." His feathers tickled the side of Blurr's face. "If you'd like an interview, I think we can set one up. Only it's just right now, we're supposed to have lunch." He dropped his voice into a whisper and patted Blurr's shoulder again. "He gets cranky when he's hungry."
A slow smile spread over Sari's lips. She exchanged another glance with Miko and they quietly giggled, a sight which set off alarm bells in Blurr's head.
"That is not even what's going on here," Blurr muttered. He folded his arms over his chest. He half-turned his head, hoping to speak quiet enough only Starscream could hear him. "You told me you weren't interested in the interview."
"Well, people change their minds all the time," Starscream said brightly. Blurr spotted the smug curve of his lips from his peripheral vision.
Click! Flash!
Miko took another picture. Her grin was absolutely sharkish. "You two look good together," she said, her tone careful and light. "A good, hmm, contrast of colors." She clucked her tongue loudly.
"Oh. Definitely." Sari nodded vigorously and held her pen poised above her notebook. "So about that interview? Can we set a date now?"
"If you don't, they'll just ambush me again," Blurr sighed.
"How about Friday?" Miko asked. She bobbed on her heels, ponytails bobbing with her.
Starscream shifted a little. "Blurr has practice on Friday. I wanted to watch."
"You can still watch," Miko was quick to say. "And then I can take pictures of Blurr, too. Since he's pretty famous." She winked. "Everyone wants to know more about Kaon's fastest man on campus."
Primus, no.
Blurr's been avoiding a tell-all interview from the moment he won his first race and earned something of a reputation. He'd turned down everyone who asked. He was willing to talk about his achievements, his athletics, his potential for the future. But when it came to personal matters, he kept his lips sealed. He didn't want anyone digging into his family or the details involving them or why he lived on campus year-round.
Some things were better kept private.
"No, thanks," said Blurr.
Sari shrugged. "Suit yourself." She turned a beaming smile on Starscream. "What about you? Does it sound like an okay plan?"
Starscream straightened and tapped his bottom lip with a finger. "I suppose so. But you have to bring me something, too."
"Name it," Miko said.
Blurr groaned. He knew what Starscream was going to ask for before the word even left his mouth.
"Cinnamon rolls," Starscream declared. "They're my favorite."
Miko gigged. "Sure thing. Whatever you want."
"And espresso!" Starscream declared.
"No." Blurr shook his head, giving them both a glare. "Not on a Friday afternoon at least." Never, never again. He'd never known harpies could behave like excitable puppies until the morning Blurr had indulged in a cappuccino and shared it with Starscream.
"Fair enough," Sari said. She stuck her hand out toward Starscream. "It's a date. Friday. During track practice. With cinnamon rolls and coffee." She winked.
Blurr sighed.
Starscream shook on it. The deal was struck. The ladies said their goodbyes and wandered off together, heads close as they giggled and looked over the pictures Miko had taken. A sense of impending doom sat on Blurr's shoulders like a heavy gargoyle.
"They seem nice," Starscream said as he watched them go.
Blurr snorted. "They're fine in small doses. I don't pity you the hour long interview they're going to want."
Starscream shrugged and tucked his hands behind his back. "Well, it's as much part of why I'm here as anything else. The more humans know about us, the less misconceptions they have, and the better relationship we build."
"Oh. That makes sense." Blurr's stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. Considering he'd skipped breakfast this morning because he'd overslept, this was no surprise. Still, his face reddened.
Starscream grinned. "We should get you lunch now. You were starting to get a bit grumpy."
"I absolutely was not."
"You very much were." Starscream laughed and gently nudged him with an elbow, careful not to topple Blurr over as he had once before. “So what’s for lunch?”
Blurr started toward the archway, with Starscream falling in step beside him, matching his pace to Blurr’s as he so often did. “Taco truck?” he suggested, mostly kidding.
He just wanted to watch Starscream’s face scrunch up with distaste. It was a sight that should not have been so adorable.
“That food is cursed,” Starscream said, his nose twitching as he cringed. “Can’t we have sandwiches instead? I liked those.”
And the chocolate chip cookies he could get alongside them, Blurr was sure. Starscream had something of a sweet tooth, and he always gravitated to the sweetest item on the menu no matter what new place Blurr introduced him to.
“Sandwiches it is,” Blurr said.
Starscream’s grin, wide and beaming, made it all worth it.
~
Blurr absolutely was not jealous. He didn't have an explanation for why he couldn't focus during practice, or why his eyes kept wandering toward the stands where Starscream was surrounded by a small army of admirers, but it didn't have anything to do with jealousy. Not one bit.
Miko and Sari got their interview. Starscream got his cinnamon rolls and a chai tea -- they'd wisely not brought him coffee -- and Blurr had nothing to be jealous about.
He was, however, definitely distracted. And Coach Sylvester let him know, loudly, in a series of angry, berating remarks.
"What the fuck’s the matter with you?" she demanded as she wrote down yet another timed sprint, and it was the worst he'd had all day, which was saying much. "I haven't seen numbers these low since you caught that cold your freshman year."
Blurr wiped at his forehead with a towel. "I dunno. Just can't seem to get in the right headspace, I guess."
Coach's eyes narrowed. "Why? You feeling okay?" She reached for him with the back of her knuckles, and Blurr quickly ducked out of the way.
"I've been running, of course, I'm hot," he spluttered.
"Well, fine. What is it then? Are you thirsty? Hungry? Tired?" She paused and squinted. "Horny? Do you need to get laid or something?"
Blurr's eyes widened and he backpedaled. "Coach!" Horny!? Really!? He might be dreaming about feathers and sweetness and warmth, but it had nothing to do with lust.
Nothing at all.
"It's a legitimate question,” Coach Sylvester protested without a hint of embarrassment. She threw up her hands, nearly tossing her clipboard away. “I can't be worried when my star runner starts acting like he’s wading through molasses?”
Blurr sighed and hung his head. He stared at the ground, wondering if he sped away from this conversation, if she’d re-evaluate her position.
“It’s just an off day,” he muttered.
“Right.” Coach snorted and patted the clipboard against her palm. “Doesn’t have anything to do with the episode of Ellen going on in the bleachers, does it?”
“Of course not,” Blurr said, and flushed, because he’d spoken a little too fast for it to be believable.
The look Coach gave him said as much.
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, rubbing her thumb and forefinger across her cheekbones. “Blurr--”
“Seriously. Off day,” he said.
Her lips pressed together. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. “Blurr,” she said, “give me five laps of cool down then hit the showers. In this state, you’re going to pull something or trip on nothing, and then I’ll really be angry. Do you want me to be angry?”
Blurr’s shoulders sank. “Of course not.” He lifted his head, gaze flicking to the bleachers where Starscream was posing with two others for a picture.
He wasn’t jealous. But something twisted and churned in his belly nonetheless.
Blurr whipped off the towel, tossing it in the general direction of his bag. “Five laps, then hit the showers,” he confirmed.
“Get to it,” Coach Sylvester said. Her eyes were on him, narrow and cutting, and Blurr hated when she looked at him like that. It reminded him too much of his mother, who seemed to always know when he was lying.
Blurr nodded and without another word, set off into a leisurely pace. It was achingly, boringly slow. But it was necessary. If he wanted to avoid another night of painful muscle cramps, he needed to cool down.
He forced himself not to look in Starscream’s direction. He pretended Starscream and his gaggle of interested onlookers wasn’t taking up a large chunk of the bleachers. He kept to the inner practice track, away from his teammates who were in the middle of their practice heats, performing far better than he did.
He focused so hard, it took him a long moment to realize someone had jogged up beside him, easily keeping pace.
“Lost in thought there, aren’t you, Dae?”
Blurr flushed and tossed his teammate a smile. “Sorry, Tee. I’m a little off today, I guess.”
TJ chuckled, his deep voice reverberating through the air. It sent a tingle down Blurr’s spine, like it always did. “Yeah, I think everyone’s noticed. Nijam was talking about making your bird friend our mascot.”
Blurr snorted. “Yes. A harpy. That’ll really work considering we’re supposed to be the Cavaliers.”
“Our wonderful football team of a losing streak are the Cavaliers. We can be whatever lucky name we want,” TJ reminded him, jogging close enough to give Blurr a bit of a nudge. "Besides, he's pretty good at drawing a crowd, and more fans equals more money, right?"
"Right," Blurr said.
Starscream definitely excelled at drawing a crowd. Every time they were out in public, Starscream drew admiring glances, curious onlookers, and the like. Bolder individuals came right up to them, asking for pictures and peppering him with questions. Starscream took it all in stride, but sometimes.
Sometimes, Blurr hated the attention. He wished he could keep Starscream for himself. Starscream was his friend, after all, not just a point of curiosity for everyone else.
But Coach was right, too. Starscream was a distraction. It was hard to think around him, hard to want to do anything but soak up Starscream's presence.
"Blurr."
"Hm?" He looked at TJ who smiled back at him with amusement dancing in his eyes.
"You were spacing out again." TJ chuckled and shook his head. "I guess there's no point in asking if you're free tonight, hm?"
Blurr flushed to the tips of his ears. What was it Coach asked him about? Thirst, hunger, sleep and sex? TJ was always good for the last one. It was casual, nothing more than two teammates blowing off steam to keep their stress levels reasonably low.
"Starscream wanted to go to Films on the Field tonight," Blurr said with an apologetic smile. "Otherwise, I'd be totally free." A part of him desperately wanted to be free.
"I figured as much. What are they showing?"
Blurr shrugged. "I have no idea, but he'd seen the flyers and asked me about it, and he looked so excited so you know..." He rolled his shoulders, tried to play it casual. He didn’t know how well he succeeded.
"No worries, man. Bros before hos, right?"
"TJ!"
His teammate laughed harder and put on a burst of speed, spinning to jog backward so he could face Blurr. "You're cute when you blush, you know."
Blurr rolled his eyes. "I'm jogging in the sun. It's hot. I'm sweating. It's not a blush."
"It's a blush." TJ grinned before a look of guilt flicked over his face. "Uh oh. Coach is giving me the stink eye. Guess that's my cue."
"I'll call you if anything changes," Blurr said as TJ started to slip off the track, into the open space in the middle.
"Sure you will," TJ threw back over his shoulder. "I won't hold my breath."
Blurr watched him go with a tiny curl of regret. TJ was gorgeous and playful, and sharing a mattress with him was a guarantee of a good time, one without any strings. But there would be other opportunities. He was more interested in seeing Starscream experience Films on the Field.
Speaking of...
As Blurr rounded into his fifth and final cool-down lap, he glanced at the bleachers. Starscream was still surrounded by his admiring army, but he'd climbed a bit higher in the stands, and sat heads taller than everyone else. He seemed to be looking around, searching, and when his head turned in Blurr's direction, he grinned and waved. Blurr's heart went thumpa-thump, and it had to be because of the exertion. There was no other explanation.
Blurr ducked his head and studied the track, tracing the lines with his eyes, until he finished the last lap. He glanced at Coach, who gave him a nod of dismissal, so Blurr swung by the benches, scooping up his water bottle and towel. He took both with him, ducking into the locker room. He showered quickly, washing the sweat from his body, and toweled off haphazardly, his tank still clinging to his wet back as he dressed.
Blurr grabbed his bag, threw his dirty clothes into it, slung it over his shoulder, and hurried out of the locker room. Sharp whistles pierced the afternoon air, and Coach shouted at Blurr’s fellow teammates – including TJ. At least she had someone else to direct her ire at, now that Blurr had finished disappointing her.
He jogged out of the locker room and hung a left to the stairs, noisily clomping up the old metal. He only had eyes for the clump of Starscream admirers, which had not lessened in his absence.
Starscream noticed him first. He stood and waved, the feathers around his face fluttering in the breeze. “Blurr!”
The heat returned to Blurr’s cheeks. If anyone asked, he would blame it on the sun and exertion. He didn’t know why he reacted to Starscream like this. It didn’t make any sense.
Blurr jogged up the steps and threaded through the crowd, which obediently parted to make him a path toward Starscream. The harpy was aflutter with delight, his feathers fluffed and shining as they usually were when he was showing off. His eyes were bright, his tail swishing back and forth behind him.
Miko and Sari sat nearby as well, Sari with a notebook full of scribbles and Miko clicking frantically through the preview images on her digital camera. Occasionally, her eyes would light up, and she would show something to Sari, who would nod approvingly.
“I thought you had practice for another half hour,” Starscream said as he tugged Blurr to sit down next to him, almost pulling Blurr into his lap.
Blurr stumbled, but caught himself, his bag thumping to the ground beside him. “Head’s not in the game, I guess. Coach made me hit the showers before I hurt myself.”
Starscream frowned. “Are you sick?” He looked Blurr up and down, eyes narrowing with concern. “I don’t know how to tell if humans are sick.” He tucked a knuckle under Blurr’s chin and tilted his head up, though what he was looking for, Blurr had no clue.
“I’m not sick,” Blurr assured him.
Starscream withdrew the finger.
“How do you know when a harpy is sick?” Sari asked, leaning forward and flipping to a new page in her notebook. “Do you have doctors?” Her pen hovered over the paper.
“We do,” Starscream said, briefly shifting his attention to her, though a flicker of irritation darkened his eyes. “The best of them train in Nova Cronum, but most aeries have their own healers, and they often choose and train a successor.”
Sari obediently scribbled down the information. Flash! Went the camera as Miko snapped another picture. The sun beamed down at them, and sweat slicked down Blurr’s spine. Primus, but Kaon was always so hot.
“What kind of medicine do harpies have?” one of the swarming fans asked from a row below. Blurr didn’t know the kid, didn’t care to know the kid, but was pretty sure after today, HARPs roster was going to swell.
Starscream shrugged. “The usual kind, I guess? We rely on natural remedies more than humans do. Our diagnostic equipment is here and here.” He tapped his nose and his temple, next to his eyes.
The crowd giggled in unison. It was an eerie sight.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Starscream asked, and it took Blurr a moment to realize Starscream had directed the question at him. He felt more than a little superfluous, like maybe he should take his human ass home and leave Starscream to his bevy of admirers.
Surely Starscream would rather stay here than go see some dumb rerun at the field. Blurr could call up TJ instead, and it would be a more normal night.
Not that Blurr really knew what normal meant anymore.
In all likelihood, wasn’t that the rational explanation behind his weird behavior around Starscream? He hadn’t had much time for TJ lately, and his dick had only seen the comfort of his own hand. Maybe Coach was right.
Maybe he was just horny.
“I’m sure.” Blurr made a point of checking his watch, though technically, he would have still been in practice by this time. “It seems they’ve got a lot of questions left to ask you though. So I think I’ll just head home and you can stay here.”
Starscream frowned. “But we had plans, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, but--”
Starscream abruptly stood, his tail flicking and nearly taking out someone behind him. Someone who had been reaching for feathers he had no right to touch anyway. Blurr glared at the stranger, who wisely backed up, shoving their hand under their thigh.
“I’m done with the interview,” he declared.
Sari and Miko managed matching crestfallen looks. “But I had other things I wanted to ask you,” Sari said.
Miko gestured with her camera. “I wanted to get some video of you flying.”
“Another time,” Starscream said. He shooed Blurr ahead of him with a little push, and started to make his way toward the aisle.
Blurr obeyed, the crowd once again obediently parting for him, though their looks of disappointment were almost comical. Blurr wanted to crow with victory.
“I’m going to keep coming back here,” Starscream added as the two women looked as if they might protest. “Blurr’s here, and I want to learn. You can interview me again later. And record me flying, if you really want.”
“I do.” Miko clutched her camera, swooning a little where she sat, Sari leaning in behind her to rest her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Do you think you could convince others to visit, too?”
Starscream snorted. “Doubtful. But I can try.” He gave Blurr another nudge and finally, they were free of the crowd.
Blurr started down the stairs, Starscream following after him without delay.
“I’ll call you, Blurr!” Miko shouted.
Blurr pretended he hadn’t heard her.
“Thank you!” Sari added.
“Come back soon!”
“Goodbye!”
“See you later!”
A chorus of commentary rose from the group of a dozen or so people behind them. Blurr didn’t look back, and neither did Starscream, not even when they stepped off the stands and onto the grass.
Blurr started for the exit tunnel, Starscream hot on his heels. A soft sigh spilled out of the harpy’s mouth.
“I never realized humans were so inquisitive,” he said. “And I thought I asked a lot of questions. Sari will make a good reporter some day.”
Blurr adjusted the strap of his bag. “You could have stayed.”
Starscream looked down the tip of his nose at Blurr. “I didn’t want to,” he said, blunt. “We had plans. You were taking me to Film on the Field, and I want to go.” He paused, and his voice dropped into something edging with hurt. “Unless you don’t to. I know you have a life outside of our friendship. Perhaps you’ve made other plans?”
Blurr peered up at him. Starscream’s expression gave away nothing, as it often did. Weeks of a friendship and Blurr still couldn’t read his expressions as well as he could another human. He’d learned a few things. What the twitch of a tail meant. The fluffing and smoothing of feathers. The rise and fall of a feather crest.
Starscream, however, was still something of an enigma.
Had he noticed Blurr’s conversation with TJ? Had it bothered him?
“I wouldn’t do that.” Blurr patted Starscream on the shoulder, his fingers moving over the unexpectedly soft plumage. “Especially not to a friend.”
Starscream’s feathers ruffled before settling again – a sign he was pleased. “If you say so. Does that mean we’re going to watch the movie?”
Blurr chuckled. “Yep. Though not yet. We’ve got a few hours until sundown, and I think the football team is still practicing at this point.” Or at least what counted as a football team for their school.
The Cavaliers weren’t very good, and were better known for their losing streak than any sort of trophy win. But they had a dedicated, ever-hopeful fanbase, and wasn’t that the definition of a true fan?
“We could watch them?” Starscream asked.
“I guess. If you want.” Blurr had never been to a Cavaliers game in the entire three and a half years he’d spent at the university. “I doubt they’d mind.”
“As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”
Blurr scratched at the side of his face, trying to hide the heat in it. Starscream was absurdly perceptive some times. “We can watch them. But first, snacks. I’m starving.”
“You always are.” Starscream laughed.
Relief flooded through Blurr before he could stop it. They left the track field behind, and Starscream’s gaggle of admirers, and a tension Blurr hadn’t realized he’d carried, left his body.
It wasn’t jealousy, Blurr reflected. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it couldn’t have been jealousy.
It was something.
He’d worry about defining it later.
For now, they had a movie to go watch.
*
Universe: Transformers AR, Flights of Fancy AU
Characters: Blurr/Starscream, Original Human Character(s), Sari Sumdac, Miko Nakadai, Ratchet, Megatron, Rodimus, Red Alert, Others
Rated: M
Enticements: Sexual Content, Harpy/Human Sexual Content
Summary: There were a lot of things Blurr knew with great certainty: his path, his future, his happiness. Then Starscream swooped into his life and turned everything upside down in the best possible way.
Chapter Three
They waylaid him on the second day of the first week of the fall semester.
Blurr stepped out of Machada Hall, shielding his eyes from an unrelenting sun, his thoughts twirling from the size of the paper he’d be expected to write for his historical economics class. He still didn’t know why he’d taken the class. He wondered if it might be better to drop it.
The bushes rustled, and he swore to Primus, Sari and Miko leapt out of them like they were bullies scaring children on All Hallow’s Eve.
“Blurr!” Miko waved wildly. Her camera swayed from the strap around her neck, lens cap millimeters from popping off.
“We finally found you!” Sari said, nearly tripping over a visible root as she readjusted her bag strap.
Blurr stopped and sighed. “Hello, ladies,” he greeted. “Welcome back to the university. How was your summer?”
Miko rolled her eyes. “You don’t actually care. We both know that.”
“Where’s Starscream?” Sari asked as she caught herself and trundled up beside her partner in crime. Her matching ponytails bobbed with the motion. “Is he still around?”
“Well, he lives in Kaon now so I’m sure he’s still around. Whether or not he’s coming back to the university, I don’t know,” Blurr lied.
Earlier attempts to meet with Starscream for an interview had failed. The day Blurr sent Starscream to the library, the women had been busy, and since then, they’d been chasing Starscream’s tailfeathers to try and get that interview.
Starscream, meanwhile, had changed his mind about whether or not he was interested in the interview. Blurr wasn’t sure why, and suspected it might have had something to do with what the other harpies in the aerie had decided. So until Starscream made a decision, Blurr would continue to be the locked door between him and H.A.R.P.
He was, in fact, meeting Starscream for lunch in a few minutes. It was all the time he had to spare today, and while they could have rescheduled, Wednesday was traditionally Starscream’s day. Plus, Blurr had no way of contacting him ahead of time.
Miko and Sari exchanged a glance. Blurr peered at the bushes, but couldn’t see anyone else hiding in them. He didn’t know if Red or Richard or whatever he called himself was lurking around.
“Could you ask him about the interview again?” Sari asked, clasping her hands together, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Blurr sighed. He checked his watch. If they delayed him too much, he’d miss the meeting with Starscream, and then Starscream would come looking for him no doubt, and then all of his H.A.R.P wrangling would be pointless.
“I’ll ask him,” Blurr said. “But that doesn’t mean he’s going to say yes.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Miko asked. She swung her backpack off one shoulder and slipped it around, starting to dig around in the larger pocket. “I mean, who doesn’t want a feature article and a picture of themselves and--”
“He likes attention,” Blurr interrupted as he impatiently shifted his weight. “But not that much, I don’t think. Besides, you two can be a bit much sometimes, you know?”
Both women leaned back, hands to their chests, echoing a dramatic gasp. The huge smiles completely ruined the effect, however.
“We have to admit,” Sari said.
“It’s part of our charm,” Miko finished.
Blurr wasn’t sure charm was the word he’d use.
A shadow flicked by overhead.
Blurr went still. He checked his watch again. Damn it. He’d run out of time. He didn’t want to look up, because he knew what he’d find, but he did it anyway.
Starscream soared above, circling the courtyard in the middle of the small quad that housed several minor departments of the university, most of them specialized. In fact, the Avian Studies departmental office was just on the other side of the Founder’s Fountain, in the Uraya Building.
Sari and Miko noticed the shadow as well. They looked up and squealed with excitement. Miko readied her camera.
"There he is!" Sari pointed as though it was difficult to miss Starscream flying overhead. One hand dug into her backpack, probably for a pen and a notepad, or her phone.
Blurr sighed.
Starscream spotted him, as Blurr knew he would. It was easy enough to do. There was nothing in the quad to conceal Blurr, not like in others where large trees provided shade. A tingle licked up Blurr's spine when he caught Starscream's gaze and the harpy's bright, excited smile.
He circled around and came back, landing with an acrobatic twist and fold of his wings near Blurr. "You were late," Starscream said by way of greeting. "I got worried."
"Sorry. I was ambushed." Blurr tilted his head toward Sari and Miko, both of whom looked like they were barely withholding their glee as their attention pingponged between Blurr and Starscream.
The harpy blinked as he came up to Blurr's side, one hand smoothing down his feathers. He glanced at the two ladies with evident curiosity. "Oh. Hello."
"They're Sari and Miko," Blurr explained as he caught sight of a twig Starscream had missed in his preening and plucked it free, prompting a murmured thank you from the harpy. "I've told you about them."
"Ah." Understanding dawned in amber eyes. "The humans who wanted the interview. I remember." He bobbed his head. "Nice to meet you."
Miko whipped out a pen and notepad and tumbled them into Sari’s hands, just as Sari made a sound of disappointment with her bookbag search. "You're beautiful," she breathed, her eyes wide and excited, like she’d met a celebrity. "Can I take a picture? Please?"
Starscream, predictably, preened, his crest feathers raising and spreading out in a pretty display. "Of course you can," he all but purred. "And thank you. In my community, I am what is known as a smol. As a rule, we can be quite attractive."
"But you're one of the prettiest, I'll bet." Miko fiddled with the controls of her camera before lifting it up, and Blurr heard the telltale click of several shots being taken in quick succession.
"Do you fly here to visit Blurr often?" Sari asked, pen hovering over her notepad, eyes squinted at Starscream with obvious intent. "How long of a flight is it? Do you find it tiring? Are you a fast flyer?"
Starscream blinked.
"Whoa." Blurr stepped between Starscream and the ladies, holding up his hands. "You're not doing an interview right now. And by the way, it sounds more like an interrogation. So chill."
Starscream's hand rested on his shoulder as Starscream leaned over his other one. "It's all right. I don't blame them for their curiosity." His feathers tickled the side of Blurr's face. "If you'd like an interview, I think we can set one up. Only it's just right now, we're supposed to have lunch." He dropped his voice into a whisper and patted Blurr's shoulder again. "He gets cranky when he's hungry."
A slow smile spread over Sari's lips. She exchanged another glance with Miko and they quietly giggled, a sight which set off alarm bells in Blurr's head.
"That is not even what's going on here," Blurr muttered. He folded his arms over his chest. He half-turned his head, hoping to speak quiet enough only Starscream could hear him. "You told me you weren't interested in the interview."
"Well, people change their minds all the time," Starscream said brightly. Blurr spotted the smug curve of his lips from his peripheral vision.
Click! Flash!
Miko took another picture. Her grin was absolutely sharkish. "You two look good together," she said, her tone careful and light. "A good, hmm, contrast of colors." She clucked her tongue loudly.
"Oh. Definitely." Sari nodded vigorously and held her pen poised above her notebook. "So about that interview? Can we set a date now?"
"If you don't, they'll just ambush me again," Blurr sighed.
"How about Friday?" Miko asked. She bobbed on her heels, ponytails bobbing with her.
Starscream shifted a little. "Blurr has practice on Friday. I wanted to watch."
"You can still watch," Miko was quick to say. "And then I can take pictures of Blurr, too. Since he's pretty famous." She winked. "Everyone wants to know more about Kaon's fastest man on campus."
Primus, no.
Blurr's been avoiding a tell-all interview from the moment he won his first race and earned something of a reputation. He'd turned down everyone who asked. He was willing to talk about his achievements, his athletics, his potential for the future. But when it came to personal matters, he kept his lips sealed. He didn't want anyone digging into his family or the details involving them or why he lived on campus year-round.
Some things were better kept private.
"No, thanks," said Blurr.
Sari shrugged. "Suit yourself." She turned a beaming smile on Starscream. "What about you? Does it sound like an okay plan?"
Starscream straightened and tapped his bottom lip with a finger. "I suppose so. But you have to bring me something, too."
"Name it," Miko said.
Blurr groaned. He knew what Starscream was going to ask for before the word even left his mouth.
"Cinnamon rolls," Starscream declared. "They're my favorite."
Miko gigged. "Sure thing. Whatever you want."
"And espresso!" Starscream declared.
"No." Blurr shook his head, giving them both a glare. "Not on a Friday afternoon at least." Never, never again. He'd never known harpies could behave like excitable puppies until the morning Blurr had indulged in a cappuccino and shared it with Starscream.
"Fair enough," Sari said. She stuck her hand out toward Starscream. "It's a date. Friday. During track practice. With cinnamon rolls and coffee." She winked.
Blurr sighed.
Starscream shook on it. The deal was struck. The ladies said their goodbyes and wandered off together, heads close as they giggled and looked over the pictures Miko had taken. A sense of impending doom sat on Blurr's shoulders like a heavy gargoyle.
"They seem nice," Starscream said as he watched them go.
Blurr snorted. "They're fine in small doses. I don't pity you the hour long interview they're going to want."
Starscream shrugged and tucked his hands behind his back. "Well, it's as much part of why I'm here as anything else. The more humans know about us, the less misconceptions they have, and the better relationship we build."
"Oh. That makes sense." Blurr's stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. Considering he'd skipped breakfast this morning because he'd overslept, this was no surprise. Still, his face reddened.
Starscream grinned. "We should get you lunch now. You were starting to get a bit grumpy."
"I absolutely was not."
"You very much were." Starscream laughed and gently nudged him with an elbow, careful not to topple Blurr over as he had once before. “So what’s for lunch?”
Blurr started toward the archway, with Starscream falling in step beside him, matching his pace to Blurr’s as he so often did. “Taco truck?” he suggested, mostly kidding.
He just wanted to watch Starscream’s face scrunch up with distaste. It was a sight that should not have been so adorable.
“That food is cursed,” Starscream said, his nose twitching as he cringed. “Can’t we have sandwiches instead? I liked those.”
And the chocolate chip cookies he could get alongside them, Blurr was sure. Starscream had something of a sweet tooth, and he always gravitated to the sweetest item on the menu no matter what new place Blurr introduced him to.
“Sandwiches it is,” Blurr said.
Starscream’s grin, wide and beaming, made it all worth it.
Blurr absolutely was not jealous. He didn't have an explanation for why he couldn't focus during practice, or why his eyes kept wandering toward the stands where Starscream was surrounded by a small army of admirers, but it didn't have anything to do with jealousy. Not one bit.
Miko and Sari got their interview. Starscream got his cinnamon rolls and a chai tea -- they'd wisely not brought him coffee -- and Blurr had nothing to be jealous about.
He was, however, definitely distracted. And Coach Sylvester let him know, loudly, in a series of angry, berating remarks.
"What the fuck’s the matter with you?" she demanded as she wrote down yet another timed sprint, and it was the worst he'd had all day, which was saying much. "I haven't seen numbers these low since you caught that cold your freshman year."
Blurr wiped at his forehead with a towel. "I dunno. Just can't seem to get in the right headspace, I guess."
Coach's eyes narrowed. "Why? You feeling okay?" She reached for him with the back of her knuckles, and Blurr quickly ducked out of the way.
"I've been running, of course, I'm hot," he spluttered.
"Well, fine. What is it then? Are you thirsty? Hungry? Tired?" She paused and squinted. "Horny? Do you need to get laid or something?"
Blurr's eyes widened and he backpedaled. "Coach!" Horny!? Really!? He might be dreaming about feathers and sweetness and warmth, but it had nothing to do with lust.
Nothing at all.
"It's a legitimate question,” Coach Sylvester protested without a hint of embarrassment. She threw up her hands, nearly tossing her clipboard away. “I can't be worried when my star runner starts acting like he’s wading through molasses?”
Blurr sighed and hung his head. He stared at the ground, wondering if he sped away from this conversation, if she’d re-evaluate her position.
“It’s just an off day,” he muttered.
“Right.” Coach snorted and patted the clipboard against her palm. “Doesn’t have anything to do with the episode of Ellen going on in the bleachers, does it?”
“Of course not,” Blurr said, and flushed, because he’d spoken a little too fast for it to be believable.
The look Coach gave him said as much.
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, rubbing her thumb and forefinger across her cheekbones. “Blurr--”
“Seriously. Off day,” he said.
Her lips pressed together. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. “Blurr,” she said, “give me five laps of cool down then hit the showers. In this state, you’re going to pull something or trip on nothing, and then I’ll really be angry. Do you want me to be angry?”
Blurr’s shoulders sank. “Of course not.” He lifted his head, gaze flicking to the bleachers where Starscream was posing with two others for a picture.
He wasn’t jealous. But something twisted and churned in his belly nonetheless.
Blurr whipped off the towel, tossing it in the general direction of his bag. “Five laps, then hit the showers,” he confirmed.
“Get to it,” Coach Sylvester said. Her eyes were on him, narrow and cutting, and Blurr hated when she looked at him like that. It reminded him too much of his mother, who seemed to always know when he was lying.
Blurr nodded and without another word, set off into a leisurely pace. It was achingly, boringly slow. But it was necessary. If he wanted to avoid another night of painful muscle cramps, he needed to cool down.
He forced himself not to look in Starscream’s direction. He pretended Starscream and his gaggle of interested onlookers wasn’t taking up a large chunk of the bleachers. He kept to the inner practice track, away from his teammates who were in the middle of their practice heats, performing far better than he did.
He focused so hard, it took him a long moment to realize someone had jogged up beside him, easily keeping pace.
“Lost in thought there, aren’t you, Dae?”
Blurr flushed and tossed his teammate a smile. “Sorry, Tee. I’m a little off today, I guess.”
TJ chuckled, his deep voice reverberating through the air. It sent a tingle down Blurr’s spine, like it always did. “Yeah, I think everyone’s noticed. Nijam was talking about making your bird friend our mascot.”
Blurr snorted. “Yes. A harpy. That’ll really work considering we’re supposed to be the Cavaliers.”
“Our wonderful football team of a losing streak are the Cavaliers. We can be whatever lucky name we want,” TJ reminded him, jogging close enough to give Blurr a bit of a nudge. "Besides, he's pretty good at drawing a crowd, and more fans equals more money, right?"
"Right," Blurr said.
Starscream definitely excelled at drawing a crowd. Every time they were out in public, Starscream drew admiring glances, curious onlookers, and the like. Bolder individuals came right up to them, asking for pictures and peppering him with questions. Starscream took it all in stride, but sometimes.
Sometimes, Blurr hated the attention. He wished he could keep Starscream for himself. Starscream was his friend, after all, not just a point of curiosity for everyone else.
But Coach was right, too. Starscream was a distraction. It was hard to think around him, hard to want to do anything but soak up Starscream's presence.
"Blurr."
"Hm?" He looked at TJ who smiled back at him with amusement dancing in his eyes.
"You were spacing out again." TJ chuckled and shook his head. "I guess there's no point in asking if you're free tonight, hm?"
Blurr flushed to the tips of his ears. What was it Coach asked him about? Thirst, hunger, sleep and sex? TJ was always good for the last one. It was casual, nothing more than two teammates blowing off steam to keep their stress levels reasonably low.
"Starscream wanted to go to Films on the Field tonight," Blurr said with an apologetic smile. "Otherwise, I'd be totally free." A part of him desperately wanted to be free.
"I figured as much. What are they showing?"
Blurr shrugged. "I have no idea, but he'd seen the flyers and asked me about it, and he looked so excited so you know..." He rolled his shoulders, tried to play it casual. He didn’t know how well he succeeded.
"No worries, man. Bros before hos, right?"
"TJ!"
His teammate laughed harder and put on a burst of speed, spinning to jog backward so he could face Blurr. "You're cute when you blush, you know."
Blurr rolled his eyes. "I'm jogging in the sun. It's hot. I'm sweating. It's not a blush."
"It's a blush." TJ grinned before a look of guilt flicked over his face. "Uh oh. Coach is giving me the stink eye. Guess that's my cue."
"I'll call you if anything changes," Blurr said as TJ started to slip off the track, into the open space in the middle.
"Sure you will," TJ threw back over his shoulder. "I won't hold my breath."
Blurr watched him go with a tiny curl of regret. TJ was gorgeous and playful, and sharing a mattress with him was a guarantee of a good time, one without any strings. But there would be other opportunities. He was more interested in seeing Starscream experience Films on the Field.
Speaking of...
As Blurr rounded into his fifth and final cool-down lap, he glanced at the bleachers. Starscream was still surrounded by his admiring army, but he'd climbed a bit higher in the stands, and sat heads taller than everyone else. He seemed to be looking around, searching, and when his head turned in Blurr's direction, he grinned and waved. Blurr's heart went thumpa-thump, and it had to be because of the exertion. There was no other explanation.
Blurr ducked his head and studied the track, tracing the lines with his eyes, until he finished the last lap. He glanced at Coach, who gave him a nod of dismissal, so Blurr swung by the benches, scooping up his water bottle and towel. He took both with him, ducking into the locker room. He showered quickly, washing the sweat from his body, and toweled off haphazardly, his tank still clinging to his wet back as he dressed.
Blurr grabbed his bag, threw his dirty clothes into it, slung it over his shoulder, and hurried out of the locker room. Sharp whistles pierced the afternoon air, and Coach shouted at Blurr’s fellow teammates – including TJ. At least she had someone else to direct her ire at, now that Blurr had finished disappointing her.
He jogged out of the locker room and hung a left to the stairs, noisily clomping up the old metal. He only had eyes for the clump of Starscream admirers, which had not lessened in his absence.
Starscream noticed him first. He stood and waved, the feathers around his face fluttering in the breeze. “Blurr!”
The heat returned to Blurr’s cheeks. If anyone asked, he would blame it on the sun and exertion. He didn’t know why he reacted to Starscream like this. It didn’t make any sense.
Blurr jogged up the steps and threaded through the crowd, which obediently parted to make him a path toward Starscream. The harpy was aflutter with delight, his feathers fluffed and shining as they usually were when he was showing off. His eyes were bright, his tail swishing back and forth behind him.
Miko and Sari sat nearby as well, Sari with a notebook full of scribbles and Miko clicking frantically through the preview images on her digital camera. Occasionally, her eyes would light up, and she would show something to Sari, who would nod approvingly.
“I thought you had practice for another half hour,” Starscream said as he tugged Blurr to sit down next to him, almost pulling Blurr into his lap.
Blurr stumbled, but caught himself, his bag thumping to the ground beside him. “Head’s not in the game, I guess. Coach made me hit the showers before I hurt myself.”
Starscream frowned. “Are you sick?” He looked Blurr up and down, eyes narrowing with concern. “I don’t know how to tell if humans are sick.” He tucked a knuckle under Blurr’s chin and tilted his head up, though what he was looking for, Blurr had no clue.
“I’m not sick,” Blurr assured him.
Starscream withdrew the finger.
“How do you know when a harpy is sick?” Sari asked, leaning forward and flipping to a new page in her notebook. “Do you have doctors?” Her pen hovered over the paper.
“We do,” Starscream said, briefly shifting his attention to her, though a flicker of irritation darkened his eyes. “The best of them train in Nova Cronum, but most aeries have their own healers, and they often choose and train a successor.”
Sari obediently scribbled down the information. Flash! Went the camera as Miko snapped another picture. The sun beamed down at them, and sweat slicked down Blurr’s spine. Primus, but Kaon was always so hot.
“What kind of medicine do harpies have?” one of the swarming fans asked from a row below. Blurr didn’t know the kid, didn’t care to know the kid, but was pretty sure after today, HARPs roster was going to swell.
Starscream shrugged. “The usual kind, I guess? We rely on natural remedies more than humans do. Our diagnostic equipment is here and here.” He tapped his nose and his temple, next to his eyes.
The crowd giggled in unison. It was an eerie sight.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Starscream asked, and it took Blurr a moment to realize Starscream had directed the question at him. He felt more than a little superfluous, like maybe he should take his human ass home and leave Starscream to his bevy of admirers.
Surely Starscream would rather stay here than go see some dumb rerun at the field. Blurr could call up TJ instead, and it would be a more normal night.
Not that Blurr really knew what normal meant anymore.
In all likelihood, wasn’t that the rational explanation behind his weird behavior around Starscream? He hadn’t had much time for TJ lately, and his dick had only seen the comfort of his own hand. Maybe Coach was right.
Maybe he was just horny.
“I’m sure.” Blurr made a point of checking his watch, though technically, he would have still been in practice by this time. “It seems they’ve got a lot of questions left to ask you though. So I think I’ll just head home and you can stay here.”
Starscream frowned. “But we had plans, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, but--”
Starscream abruptly stood, his tail flicking and nearly taking out someone behind him. Someone who had been reaching for feathers he had no right to touch anyway. Blurr glared at the stranger, who wisely backed up, shoving their hand under their thigh.
“I’m done with the interview,” he declared.
Sari and Miko managed matching crestfallen looks. “But I had other things I wanted to ask you,” Sari said.
Miko gestured with her camera. “I wanted to get some video of you flying.”
“Another time,” Starscream said. He shooed Blurr ahead of him with a little push, and started to make his way toward the aisle.
Blurr obeyed, the crowd once again obediently parting for him, though their looks of disappointment were almost comical. Blurr wanted to crow with victory.
“I’m going to keep coming back here,” Starscream added as the two women looked as if they might protest. “Blurr’s here, and I want to learn. You can interview me again later. And record me flying, if you really want.”
“I do.” Miko clutched her camera, swooning a little where she sat, Sari leaning in behind her to rest her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Do you think you could convince others to visit, too?”
Starscream snorted. “Doubtful. But I can try.” He gave Blurr another nudge and finally, they were free of the crowd.
Blurr started down the stairs, Starscream following after him without delay.
“I’ll call you, Blurr!” Miko shouted.
Blurr pretended he hadn’t heard her.
“Thank you!” Sari added.
“Come back soon!”
“Goodbye!”
“See you later!”
A chorus of commentary rose from the group of a dozen or so people behind them. Blurr didn’t look back, and neither did Starscream, not even when they stepped off the stands and onto the grass.
Blurr started for the exit tunnel, Starscream hot on his heels. A soft sigh spilled out of the harpy’s mouth.
“I never realized humans were so inquisitive,” he said. “And I thought I asked a lot of questions. Sari will make a good reporter some day.”
Blurr adjusted the strap of his bag. “You could have stayed.”
Starscream looked down the tip of his nose at Blurr. “I didn’t want to,” he said, blunt. “We had plans. You were taking me to Film on the Field, and I want to go.” He paused, and his voice dropped into something edging with hurt. “Unless you don’t to. I know you have a life outside of our friendship. Perhaps you’ve made other plans?”
Blurr peered up at him. Starscream’s expression gave away nothing, as it often did. Weeks of a friendship and Blurr still couldn’t read his expressions as well as he could another human. He’d learned a few things. What the twitch of a tail meant. The fluffing and smoothing of feathers. The rise and fall of a feather crest.
Starscream, however, was still something of an enigma.
Had he noticed Blurr’s conversation with TJ? Had it bothered him?
“I wouldn’t do that.” Blurr patted Starscream on the shoulder, his fingers moving over the unexpectedly soft plumage. “Especially not to a friend.”
Starscream’s feathers ruffled before settling again – a sign he was pleased. “If you say so. Does that mean we’re going to watch the movie?”
Blurr chuckled. “Yep. Though not yet. We’ve got a few hours until sundown, and I think the football team is still practicing at this point.” Or at least what counted as a football team for their school.
The Cavaliers weren’t very good, and were better known for their losing streak than any sort of trophy win. But they had a dedicated, ever-hopeful fanbase, and wasn’t that the definition of a true fan?
“We could watch them?” Starscream asked.
“I guess. If you want.” Blurr had never been to a Cavaliers game in the entire three and a half years he’d spent at the university. “I doubt they’d mind.”
“As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”
Blurr scratched at the side of his face, trying to hide the heat in it. Starscream was absurdly perceptive some times. “We can watch them. But first, snacks. I’m starving.”
“You always are.” Starscream laughed.
Relief flooded through Blurr before he could stop it. They left the track field behind, and Starscream’s gaggle of admirers, and a tension Blurr hadn’t realized he’d carried, left his body.
It wasn’t jealousy, Blurr reflected. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it couldn’t have been jealousy.
It was something.
He’d worry about defining it later.
For now, they had a movie to go watch.
