[TF] Uncharted Territory 11/28
Sep. 5th, 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 Eleven
It snowed on New Years Eve. Thick, heavy clumps of snow that piled up fast and draped everything in huge drifts of white. It clogged the sky, turned it gray and silent, until the only splash of color was Starscream going out for his daily flight while Blurr followed along below on his daily run.
It was more difficult now, since the groundskeepers and janitorial staff were also gone for their holiday. Snow crunched beneath his runners and bits of it trickled in to attack his ankles. It was bitterly cold, no matter how fast he ran, and he had to watch out for underlying ice slicks. He couldn’t afford to fall and break something.
It would be really hard to explain Starscream to whatever ambulance crew came to get him.
Blurr spent all afternoon peering out the window, hoping the snow would stop in time for the show tonight. He and Starscream had plans he didn’t want the weather to ruin.
Luckily, he got his wish.
It was ridiculously cold, but at least the snow had stopped. The air was crisp and icy, and the tip of Blurr’s nose was freezing.
It was a stupid idea to come out here.
“I’m going to have so much laundry to do tomorrow,” Blurr said as Starscream yanked him down into the pile of blankets they’d hauled up onto the roof, and wrapped him up in heavily feathered arms.
Starscream chuckled. “That’s your fault for leaving it all until the last minute, isn’t it?” He pressed his head against Blurr’s, his exhalations all warm and sweet.
“And your fault, too, for being such a distraction,” Blurr grumbled, wriggling around until he was comfortable, leaning back in Starscream’s embrace at the sky, still gray, though stars peeked through breaks in the cloud cover.
Starscream purred – literally. “Then it just comes back to you again, for being so irresistible. Though I can’t hardly get to you in all these layers.”
“That’s because it’s freezing out here,” Blurr grumbled with a theatrical shiver. But it’d be worth it, he decided.
Starscream had to return to the aerie in the next few days. It was the start of a brand new year. From the roof, they would be able to see the midnight fireworks show from over the mountain. Blurr couldn’t imagine a more romantic setting.
It was still freezing. Which was why they’d waited until the last possible moment to take up a perch out here. Five minutes to midnight.
The last thing Blurr wanted to do was catch a cold before the Spring semester started.
“Then let me keep you warm.” Starscream tightened his embrace around Blurr, his lips tickling into the barely visible hollow beneath his right ear.
Blurr shivered. It had nothing to do with the cold.
They still hadn’t done much more than kiss and a little fondling and the dry (wet) humping, but a single touch from Starscream made him flush hot all over. Inevitable progression, his brain reminded him, and Blurr hoped when it got to that point, he’d be ready.
“If I get any warmer, I might have to start taking off layers,” Blurr said with a little laugh. His heart was beating ridiculously fast. “Besides, save your lips. We gotta wait until midnight.”
Starscream chuckled into his ear. “I’m nowhere near your mouth, Blurr.” Teeth and tongue became a hot pressure against the side of Blurr’s throat.
He swallowed down a groan. “Tease.” He unburrowed a hand and glanced at his watch. Two minutes to go.
“Says the man dressed in so many layers he knows I can’t remove,” Starscream retorted with a little nip.
Blurr jerked and shivered, heat gathering in his groin. One of Starscream’s hands rested on his right thigh, and the weight of it felt like some kind of erotic promise.
“Defense mechanism,” Blurr murmured even as he tilted his head to give Starscream more access. “You’re so curious sometimes.”
Starscream outright laughed. “Can you blame me?”
“Can and do.”
Lights danced on the horizon, capturing Blurr’s attention. There were small bursts of color, preludes to the real show, and an announcement. Less than a minute now.
Starscream’s mouth left his neck and his head tucked against Blurr’s. “Never spent New Years with anyone before,” the harpy said quietly. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“There is no one else I would rather be here with,” Blurr replied, his face heating at the confession, no matter how true it was. “Thank you for being here, by the way. It’s… nice to not be alone.”
“I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be,” Starscream replied as he lifted a hand, one knuckle gently scrubbing over the bottom curve of Blurr’s jaw. “If it were possible to stay here forever, I would.”
Blurr’s throat felt tight all of a sudden.
Inevitable futures, came the unnecessary reminder. The discussions they hadn’t had. Questions that needed answering. Where was this going? Could it last?
The pop-flare of the fireworks increased in earnest. Blurr’s watch started beeping, counting down the final ten seconds of a year that had seemed to whirr by with more happiness than he could have ever imagined.
He nuzzled Starscream’s face with his own, no longer tickled by the soft brush of feathers against his bare skin. For all that the wind was bitter cold, he didn’t feel it. Not in the warmth of Starscream’s embrace.
The fireworks increased, faster and larger and brighter, explosions of color against the dark. A large one shrieked into the sky, climbing higher and higher, until it burst into a rainbow with a boom so loud Blurr felt it in his chest. His watch skittered into an alarm.
Midnight.
“Happy new year,” Blurr said as he tilted up to face Starscream.
“I love you,” Starscream said, in return.
Blurr’s breath caught. And then Starscream was kissing him, soft and sweet and warm, the pressure of his mouth, his lips, the barest sweep of his tongue.
The firework show continued, louder and bigger and brighter, and each boom rattled through Blurr, but still with less power than the echo of Starscream’s words in his ears. In the end, it was once again, Starscream who was much braver than him.
Blurr cupped the back of Starscream’s neck with his hand and pressed their foreheads together, his eyes clenched shut. “That was unfair,” he murmured.
“Because I didn’t give you a chance to object?”
“Because I wanted to say it first!” Blurr drew in a heavy breath and lifted his gaze, meeting Starscream’s. His insides tightened when he saw the flash of worry and hesitation on the harpy’s face. “I do, too. You know. Love you, I mean.”
There were a lot of things Blurr didn’t know. Questions they had yet to answer. Uncertainties about the future. But this thing. This one thing, he knew for certain.
He was happiest when he was with Starscream. And if that wasn’t love, then Blurr didn’t know what else it could be.
“And I wish you never had to leave, too,” Blurr added, because as long as he was making embarrassing confessions, he might as well go all out, right?
Starscream made a sound at him, a cross between a purr and a hum. “I promise I’ll come back. I always will.”
Blurr kissed him again, deeper this time, indulging himself in the press of their bodies, and the taste of Starscream on his lips.
They stayed up on the roof for far too long. Until not even the shared warmth of their bodies, Starscream’s feathers, and the thickness of the blankets could keep them from shivering. Blurr couldn’t feel his nose, and his fingers were stiff, and there was a tickle in the back of his throat which better not be the start of a cold.
Begrudgingly, they went back inside, where the warmer temperatures made their limbs tingle and their faces itch. Well, Blurr’s anyway. Starscream shook off the cold, feathers fluffing up, and unfroze with far more ease.
Blurr showered alone and indulged in filling the room with steam. All the hot water in the world, actually, since Blurr was one of the few remaining in the dorms and didn’t have to fight anyone else for it. He didn’t take too long, because Starscream was waiting for him, and he snuggled into warm pajamas, toweling his hair dry as quickly as possible.
His dorm room was dim, lit only by a few candles here and there, mostly unscented that Blurr had bought on a whim. Starscream waited for him on the bed, already nestled in the pile of cushions and pillows and blankets, and Blurr eagerly joined him, crawling into the warm, feathered embrace.
Starscream kissed him, soft and sweet and tasting faintly of chocolate.
Blurr hummed and snuggled under Starscream’s chin. “Did you drink the last packet of my hot cocoa?”
“I might have.” Starscream laughed, his voice vibrating against Blurr’s head. “You were taking a long time in the shower.”
“Not that long!”
“I was thirsty,” Starscream swept his arms around Blurr, palms sliding up and down his back, sending shivers up Blurr’s spine. “I didn’t make it like you do, though, so it was pretty disappointing.”
Blurr chuckled and tangled his legs with Starscream’s, snuggling more into his chest fluff. It was not unlike laying on a feather pillow. “That’s what you get.” His jaw cracked in a yawn. “We’ll go shopping in the morning. Get more.”
“Shopping?” Starscream’s voice lifted at the end and excitement ran a tangible shiver through his body.
“Yes, shopping. At the grocery store.” Blurr closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion tug at every limb. “It should be pretty quiet. Most people will be nursing hangovers.”
“I’ve not been to a human store yet. It should prove interesting,” Starscream murmured.
Blurr hummed an affirmative. “Sleep now.”
“Yes. Sleep.” Starscream stroked a hand down his back, like one might pet their cat, and Blurr had to admit, it was very soothing.
He fell into dreams just like that, tangled up with the harpy he loved, and though it was a situation more complicated than anything he’d ever fathomed, he was happy.
~
Morning came, but by the time Blurr willingly dragged himself out of the warm nest he and Starscream had made, it was better approaching noon. Breakfast was the last two packets of pop-tarts divided between he and Starscream – strawberry flavor, of course, because they were Starscream’s favorite. They also finished the bottle of orange juice, because it was about to expire, and Blurr needed room in the fridge.
“You know, if I wasn’t out of food, I’d have stayed in bed all day,” Blurr said as he pulled on his winter gear. Last night smelled of snow and a quick glance out the window confirmed a fresh fall.
“I would have preferred that.” Starscream came up behind Blurr, nuzzling into the nape of his neck before Blurr threw his scarf over his shoulders to cover himself. "Aww. I was enjoying that."
"And pop-tarts aren't part of a balanced breakfast," Blurr laughed. "We have to go shopping, Star. Or at least I do. I can't live on take out alone." He paused and amended, "Well, I mean, I could, but my wallet doesn't support that kind of lifestyle."
Starscream chuckled and helped zip him into his winter jacket. "Fair enough." He tugged Blurr close and dipped his head for a brief kiss. "But we should definitely make it a quick shopping trip."
"Why do you have plans?" Blurr asked.
"Oh, so many." Starscream planted a kiss on Blurr's nose and then purposefully backed away. "But if we don't leave now, we won't."
A flush of heat crept over Blurr's skin, and it had nothing to do with the layers of winter gear covering him. He tugged on his gloves. "You'll be okay in the cold?"
"I don't grow a winter coat for nothing." Starscream cocked his head, preening.
"And a gorgeous coat it is." Blurr opened the door, gesturing for Starscream to precede him. "Come on then. It's time for another new experience."
And what an adventure it would be. Blurr was sure of it. He hadn't taken Starscream to Safeway yet, as it was more of a franchise than a locally owned business, but it was the closest grocery store to Blurr's dorm, and he didn't fancy trudging across campus for the local store. If the ground wasn't covered in ice and snow, he probably would have. But not this morning. Not with it cold enough to see his breath, and the sidewalks covered in a fresh coat of precipitation, making it for treacherous walking.
Though Starscream seemed to handle it just fine. Blurr was a bit envious of how easily his talons seemed to help him keep his balance in the slippery slush. The cold didn't bother him either. His steps were far more jaunty.
A few blocks away, the neon sign of Safeway gleamed, bright against the winter gray sky. There were only a half-dozen cars in the parking lot, most of them employees Blurr was sure. This was a college town. Most people were still asleep.
Blurr passed a sign on the door 'No Pets Allowed' and he chuckled a bit. Did Starscream count?
Holiday music still spilled from the speakers as Blurr grabbed a cart and peeled off his gloves and spark. It was suffocatingly hot in here, unsurprisingly, and his face tingled at the shift. Starscream perked up immediately, head swinging left and right to take it all in, but eyes narrowed at the bright, overhead lights.
Blurr angled them toward the hot bar, stomach grumbling appreciatively at the scent of cooked foods, especially their Asian-inspired dishes. Fried rice, fried chicken nuggets, egg rolls and spring rolls -- what a perfect lunch. Starscream peered over his shoulder, into the hot display case.
"Oh, I recognize that stuff," Starscream said, nose almost pressed to the glass. "Are we getting some?"
"If you'd like."
“I would. I like the rolls. They’re crunchy.” Starscream tilted his head, carefully tucking his hands behind his back. “The vegetable ones though, not the ones with meat in them.”
Blurr chuckled. “Yes, I remember.” He lifted his head, caught the attention of the worker behind the counter.
While he placed their order, his stomach grumbling all the while, Starscream examined all of the display baskets arranged in front of the case. Blurr watched out of the corner of his eye as Starscream poked at the bundles of butter rolls, the packs of donuts, and the boxes of weird, cheesy straw crackers. He picked up the little bottles arranged across the top of the hot display case, reading the labels, his lips moving silently to himself.
It was unfair for a harpy to be this adorable.
Blurr thanked the worker and tucked the hot food into the cart. Starscream still diligently examined labels.
“See something you like?” Blurr asked.
“I don’t really know what this is,” Starscream answered as he set the bottle of barbeque sauce back down. “I can’t understand half the ingredients.”
“To be fair, neither can most humans. We buy it anyway.” Blurr steered forward. He figured he might as well make this an experience and wander up and down every aisle.
He had a list at the back of his mind, but with Starscream tagging along, he had a feeling he’d end up with a lot of random things.
“That doesn’t sound very smart.”
“It isn’t.” Blurr steered them down the aisle against the far right wall, the dairy section, and he picked up a carton of milk and two tubes of instant cinnamon rolls. “But we’re a long way from growing our own produce, and raising our own livestock, and making our own foods from scratch.”
“Hmm.” Starscream tucked his hands behind his back, head bobbing as he looked left and right, taking in the rows upon rows of different brands and flavors of dairy products. “What is yogurt anyway?”
Blurr paused by said product. “I honestly have no idea. It’s like curdled milk with flavoring and bacteria that’s supposed to be good for your stomach.” He squinted. “Or something. Some of it has fruit in it. Want some?”
Starscream squinted. “Bacteria? You never told me it had bacteria in it!”
“The good kind, I think.” Blurr scanned the shelves and found the ones with strawberries on the bottom. “Here. You like these, don’t you? They’ve got loads of sugar in them.”
Starscream snorted, but obediently peered at the label. “I can’t read some of these ingredients either.” He gave the package a sniff, not that he’d be able to smell anything through the plastic and foil. “I should have paid more attention before.”
Blurr grabbed a box of go-gurt and tossed it into the cart. “You don’t have to keep eating them if you don’t want to.”
“I need good bacteria, I guess,” Starscream said and carefully added the small cup into the basket, and his eyes lit up when he saw the tubes of cinnamon roll dough. “You can buy these like this?” He scooped up the tube and peered at it intently.
“Yes. They’re not as good, but they’re decent for a lazy day in.” Blurr gave the cart a push, and it squeaked onward, passed the cheese and butter and eggs, to the deli/bakery in the back corner.
Starscream trailed behind him, tumbling the tube of cinnamon rolls back into the cart. Blurr kept half an eye on him as he was on a lookout for his own needs, so he noticed when Starscream slowed and stopped. Blurr tumbled two pre-made sandwiches into the cart, and backtracked.
The harpy was holding a fresh pasta kit, the spinach and feta stuffed ravioli pillows that required only a pot of water and a stove, plus sauce if you were so inclined. Blurr had eaten them before, when he’d had the energy to cook for himself.
"You want to get those?"
"Are they any good?" Starscream asked. "I'm intrigued by their design." He turned the package over and over in his hands. "And they have no meat, unlike just about everything else you humans eat."
Blurr chuckled. "Well, we're omnivores. It comes with territory." He tilted his head toward the cart. "They're decent enough. Throw it in. We can make it for dinner tonight, if you want."
"I want." Starscream added the pasta to their cart. "What's next?"
A lot, as it turned out.
Starscream found something of interest on every aisle, and he peppered Blurr with questions he didn't know the answer to. He honestly never thought much about where his food came from, beyond knowing that he'd bought it at the grocery store. He also didn't pay too much attention to labels or ingredients. If it tasted good and was affordable, he ate it.
"I'm going to buy you a nutritionist book," Blurr grumbled as several packages of canned fruit joined the growing stack of groceries in their cart, landing with a thunk on top of a few bags of various dried nuts. "That way I can stop pretending I have any idea what I'm talking about."
"You should know what you're eating," Starscream said with a sage nod, as if he didn't spend the occasional Saturday morning scarfing down an unhealthy amount of cinnamon rolls. He didn't ask where those came from, did he?
Blurr eyed the harpy and pointedly tossed a pack of double-stuffed Oreos into the cart. "I know that these are cookies, and they taste good. That's what matters to me."
They spent an absurd amount of time in the produce section. Starscream hemmed and hawed and examined each piece of fruit or vegetable with a scrutiny Blurr tended to reserve for complicated questions on his Calculus exams.
Pineapples, in particular, fascinated him.
"I’ve never seen such a fruit," he said as he carefully held it up, turning it this way and that. "It's definitely not native to Vos, and I'm quite sure, to this area."
"They probably ship it in. It's a pineapple." Blurr grinned. "People like putting them on pizza and in smoothies and on holiday hams."
Starscream's face scrunched in that cute way he did when he was perplexed by human behavior. "That's a wide array of uses."
"It's versatile. Want to try it?" Blurr wasn't much a fan of pineapple fresh like this, but for Starscream, he was willing to drop the cash. He had a feeling it was going to be a great source of amusement.
Besides, the cart was a confusing mishmash of groceries he'd eat, and groceries Starscream wanted to sample anyway. What would one more odd thing matter?
Into the cart the pineapple went.
It was also the last thing Blurr added. They were already going to have a good deal to carry back to his dorm, and he didn't want to shell out for a taxi. Anymore was pushing it.
He guided them toward the checkout lanes, thankful that even with only one cashier, there wasn't a line. Checkout lanes were designed for impulse buys, and Starscream was the definition of an impulse buyer when it came to anything of fascination.
The cashier didn't even blink at the sight of Starscream. She actually offered him a warm smile as she started to ring up the assorted items. "Good morning, Starscream."
Starscream looked up from unloading the cart, and his feathers ruffled with delight. "Cherise! You work here?"
Cherise, apparently, laughed. "Well, if I don't, I've been doing this for free all morning." She grinned. "I have to pay the bills somehow. Not all of us get by on our looks."
"I'm a kept smol," Starscream said with an exaggerated bow, puffing up with pride.
Cherise's gaze slid to Blurr. "This must be Blurr then." Her smile stayed warm and friendly. "I've heard so much about you, not just from featherbrain over there, but I read the school zine, too."
Featherbrain?
Starscream snorted. "Read, she says, as if she's not responsible for turning Miko and Sari's garbled issues into something coherent."
"Guilty as charged," Cherise sang, her brown eyes twinkling with humor. She winked at Blurr. "I also happen to be the safety net between Star and a pair of nosy reporters who sometimes ask questions they shouldn't."
"She's a lifesaver," Starscream said.
Blurr didn't know how he felt at the moment. Starscream had never mentioned Cherise, and Blurr certainly didn't recognize her, other than in passing on previous shopping trips.
"Nice to meet you," Blurr said, because that at least was true. Cherise was always pleasant, always had a smile. "Glad you've been taking care of my bird.”
Starscream puffed up like Blurr knew he would, releasing an outraged noise that definitely resembled a squawk. "I'm not a bird!"
Blurr chuckled and slid the cart ahead of him, moving to start bagging as quickly as he can. "I know." He grabbed his items, and frowned when he caught something unfamiliar. “I don’t remember picking this up.”
He snagged the tiny, stuffed animal – it was a panda – and lifted his eyebrows at Starscream, who immediately coughed and made a big deal of rearranging the items on the conveyor belt. He didn’t meet Blurr’s gaze.
“Do you not want that?” Cherise asked, reaching for it.
Starscream’s feathers twitched. He very pointedly didn’t look at Blurr. Cans of soup became a haphazard stack on the rubbery belt.
Blurr sighed and tucked it into the bag. “I must have forgotten it was on the list,” he said. “Keep going.”
Cherise gave him a long look, her lips curving into a brighter smile. “Understood.”
She kept scanning.
Starscream coughed and tucked his hands behind his back. He sidled up to Blurr’s side, head tilted like a bird’s, as he watched the items spill down and Blurr bag them.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
Primus, but he was adorable. Blurr would buy him every stuffed animal on the shelf if that was what he wanted. He didn’t care that it was overpriced, if it gave Starscream the happy wiggle of his feathers.
By the end, they had four heavy bags to carry between them, and Blurr’s wallet was a lot lighter, but he had enough groceries to get him through the first half of the month, and Starscream had a new toy. It was worth it, so worth it.
“Come by the office sometime,” Cherise said as she handed him his receipt. “I know Miko and Sari haven’t asked yet, but we’d love to do an interview with both of you.”
Blurr blinked. “Both of us? Like at the same time? Together?”
“Well, that is how we can usually find you.” Cherise laughed and patted down the curly poof of her hair.
Another customer walked up and Cherise briefly greeted her before gifting Blurr and Starscream with a wink. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? Just think about it.”
She went back to work before Blurr could think of a suitable retort. Not that he was sure one was needed. Was he overreacting? It wasn’t that big of a deal. Everyone knew he a d Starscream were friends. She couldn’t have been implying anything else.
Blurr grabbed the heavy bags, slinging one over a shoulder, and gestured for Starscream to take the other two. There was pep in Starscream’s step as he lifted them with ease – the reason Blurr had given him the heavier ones – and they walked out into a brisk, sunny noon. It was still bitterly cold.
“You want to do that interview?” Starscream asked as he audibly inhaled, chest expanding to suck in the fresh air. He always seemed so much more alive when they were outside, as opposed to being indoors.
Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. “I suppose it depends on what kind of questions they’re planning to ask.” He gave Starscream a sidelong look. “You know how invasive Miko and Sari can be.”
“Yes, but just because they ask doesn’t mean we have to answer.” Starscream shrugged, shoulders lifting in obvious unconcern. “I trust Cherise to put her foot down if she has to. She’s all business when it comes to editing and producing.”
And that brought Blurr back around to the fact Starscream knew someone Blurr didn’t, that he’d befriended yet another person who wasn’t Blurr. He shouldn’t have felt so insidiously possessive, but he did somehow. Because every moment Starscream wasn’t with Blurr, he was with one of these other, possibly more intelligent and fascinating friends.
People who had their futures decided, who were more than just useless lumps on society.
Primus.
“I’ll think about it,” Blurr allowed, and coughed over the lump in his throat, grateful that he could bury most of his expression in his scarf. “So? What do you think of grocery shopping? Is it anything like your aerie?”
Starscream hummed thoughtfully. “Very different from Kaon. We are too small to bother with currency. All of our food and supplies are communal.”
The bags swung as he walked, while Blurr had to re-situate his for the sake of his aching hand. Well, until Starscream reached out and took the one from his fingers, leaving him with only the one on his shoulder.
“My home aerie of Vos had a functional economy, however,” Starscream continued as he walked easily through the slush and snow, Blurr moving along a bit more clumsily beside him. “We had merchants, but our shops were more contained. Less packaged and fewer varieties, but still quite a selection.”
Blurr nodded, absorbing the details to distract himself from everything else. “It sounds very interesting. Very different.”
“I still plan to take you some day,” Starscream said. “If you want to go. Maybe not to Vos, because they aren’t fond of humans there, but to Kaon at least. You’ll be one of the first humans to ever see it.” He paused and tilted his head. “Or you might be the very first period. I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask Perceptor.”
Blurr moved closer, bumping shoulders with Starscream. “I want to go. I want to see your home.” He grinned, his heart swelling with warmth. “I want to eat your food and sleep in your bed and leave a mess in your room, and I want to meet your friends, and I want to see how you live.”
He wanted to know Starscream, most of all. Know the harpy he loved beyond the filter of a human experience. He wanted to see Starscream in his natural element, to find out all the little details. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Starscream.
Starscream stopped, and Blurr stopped with him. He tilted his head with curiosity while Starscream made a big production of looking around them. He nodded to himself as if deciding something before he swooped down, lips pecking over Blurr’s in the briefest of kisses.
“Then I’ll take you,” Starscream said as he nuzzled Blurr’s cheek. “And you can sleep in my bed, and eat my food and leave a mess for me, and you’ll be welcome whenever you like in my home.”
“Sounds perfect,” Blurr murmured. He nuzzled Starscream back before he forced himself to draw away, lest they attract too much attention. “But for now, we have to go back to my home, before the yogurt freezes.”
Starscream laughed. “Agreed.”
***
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 Eleven
It snowed on New Years Eve. Thick, heavy clumps of snow that piled up fast and draped everything in huge drifts of white. It clogged the sky, turned it gray and silent, until the only splash of color was Starscream going out for his daily flight while Blurr followed along below on his daily run.
It was more difficult now, since the groundskeepers and janitorial staff were also gone for their holiday. Snow crunched beneath his runners and bits of it trickled in to attack his ankles. It was bitterly cold, no matter how fast he ran, and he had to watch out for underlying ice slicks. He couldn’t afford to fall and break something.
It would be really hard to explain Starscream to whatever ambulance crew came to get him.
Blurr spent all afternoon peering out the window, hoping the snow would stop in time for the show tonight. He and Starscream had plans he didn’t want the weather to ruin.
Luckily, he got his wish.
It was ridiculously cold, but at least the snow had stopped. The air was crisp and icy, and the tip of Blurr’s nose was freezing.
It was a stupid idea to come out here.
“I’m going to have so much laundry to do tomorrow,” Blurr said as Starscream yanked him down into the pile of blankets they’d hauled up onto the roof, and wrapped him up in heavily feathered arms.
Starscream chuckled. “That’s your fault for leaving it all until the last minute, isn’t it?” He pressed his head against Blurr’s, his exhalations all warm and sweet.
“And your fault, too, for being such a distraction,” Blurr grumbled, wriggling around until he was comfortable, leaning back in Starscream’s embrace at the sky, still gray, though stars peeked through breaks in the cloud cover.
Starscream purred – literally. “Then it just comes back to you again, for being so irresistible. Though I can’t hardly get to you in all these layers.”
“That’s because it’s freezing out here,” Blurr grumbled with a theatrical shiver. But it’d be worth it, he decided.
Starscream had to return to the aerie in the next few days. It was the start of a brand new year. From the roof, they would be able to see the midnight fireworks show from over the mountain. Blurr couldn’t imagine a more romantic setting.
It was still freezing. Which was why they’d waited until the last possible moment to take up a perch out here. Five minutes to midnight.
The last thing Blurr wanted to do was catch a cold before the Spring semester started.
“Then let me keep you warm.” Starscream tightened his embrace around Blurr, his lips tickling into the barely visible hollow beneath his right ear.
Blurr shivered. It had nothing to do with the cold.
They still hadn’t done much more than kiss and a little fondling and the dry (wet) humping, but a single touch from Starscream made him flush hot all over. Inevitable progression, his brain reminded him, and Blurr hoped when it got to that point, he’d be ready.
“If I get any warmer, I might have to start taking off layers,” Blurr said with a little laugh. His heart was beating ridiculously fast. “Besides, save your lips. We gotta wait until midnight.”
Starscream chuckled into his ear. “I’m nowhere near your mouth, Blurr.” Teeth and tongue became a hot pressure against the side of Blurr’s throat.
He swallowed down a groan. “Tease.” He unburrowed a hand and glanced at his watch. Two minutes to go.
“Says the man dressed in so many layers he knows I can’t remove,” Starscream retorted with a little nip.
Blurr jerked and shivered, heat gathering in his groin. One of Starscream’s hands rested on his right thigh, and the weight of it felt like some kind of erotic promise.
“Defense mechanism,” Blurr murmured even as he tilted his head to give Starscream more access. “You’re so curious sometimes.”
Starscream outright laughed. “Can you blame me?”
“Can and do.”
Lights danced on the horizon, capturing Blurr’s attention. There were small bursts of color, preludes to the real show, and an announcement. Less than a minute now.
Starscream’s mouth left his neck and his head tucked against Blurr’s. “Never spent New Years with anyone before,” the harpy said quietly. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“There is no one else I would rather be here with,” Blurr replied, his face heating at the confession, no matter how true it was. “Thank you for being here, by the way. It’s… nice to not be alone.”
“I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be,” Starscream replied as he lifted a hand, one knuckle gently scrubbing over the bottom curve of Blurr’s jaw. “If it were possible to stay here forever, I would.”
Blurr’s throat felt tight all of a sudden.
Inevitable futures, came the unnecessary reminder. The discussions they hadn’t had. Questions that needed answering. Where was this going? Could it last?
The pop-flare of the fireworks increased in earnest. Blurr’s watch started beeping, counting down the final ten seconds of a year that had seemed to whirr by with more happiness than he could have ever imagined.
He nuzzled Starscream’s face with his own, no longer tickled by the soft brush of feathers against his bare skin. For all that the wind was bitter cold, he didn’t feel it. Not in the warmth of Starscream’s embrace.
The fireworks increased, faster and larger and brighter, explosions of color against the dark. A large one shrieked into the sky, climbing higher and higher, until it burst into a rainbow with a boom so loud Blurr felt it in his chest. His watch skittered into an alarm.
Midnight.
“Happy new year,” Blurr said as he tilted up to face Starscream.
“I love you,” Starscream said, in return.
Blurr’s breath caught. And then Starscream was kissing him, soft and sweet and warm, the pressure of his mouth, his lips, the barest sweep of his tongue.
The firework show continued, louder and bigger and brighter, and each boom rattled through Blurr, but still with less power than the echo of Starscream’s words in his ears. In the end, it was once again, Starscream who was much braver than him.
Blurr cupped the back of Starscream’s neck with his hand and pressed their foreheads together, his eyes clenched shut. “That was unfair,” he murmured.
“Because I didn’t give you a chance to object?”
“Because I wanted to say it first!” Blurr drew in a heavy breath and lifted his gaze, meeting Starscream’s. His insides tightened when he saw the flash of worry and hesitation on the harpy’s face. “I do, too. You know. Love you, I mean.”
There were a lot of things Blurr didn’t know. Questions they had yet to answer. Uncertainties about the future. But this thing. This one thing, he knew for certain.
He was happiest when he was with Starscream. And if that wasn’t love, then Blurr didn’t know what else it could be.
“And I wish you never had to leave, too,” Blurr added, because as long as he was making embarrassing confessions, he might as well go all out, right?
Starscream made a sound at him, a cross between a purr and a hum. “I promise I’ll come back. I always will.”
Blurr kissed him again, deeper this time, indulging himself in the press of their bodies, and the taste of Starscream on his lips.
They stayed up on the roof for far too long. Until not even the shared warmth of their bodies, Starscream’s feathers, and the thickness of the blankets could keep them from shivering. Blurr couldn’t feel his nose, and his fingers were stiff, and there was a tickle in the back of his throat which better not be the start of a cold.
Begrudgingly, they went back inside, where the warmer temperatures made their limbs tingle and their faces itch. Well, Blurr’s anyway. Starscream shook off the cold, feathers fluffing up, and unfroze with far more ease.
Blurr showered alone and indulged in filling the room with steam. All the hot water in the world, actually, since Blurr was one of the few remaining in the dorms and didn’t have to fight anyone else for it. He didn’t take too long, because Starscream was waiting for him, and he snuggled into warm pajamas, toweling his hair dry as quickly as possible.
His dorm room was dim, lit only by a few candles here and there, mostly unscented that Blurr had bought on a whim. Starscream waited for him on the bed, already nestled in the pile of cushions and pillows and blankets, and Blurr eagerly joined him, crawling into the warm, feathered embrace.
Starscream kissed him, soft and sweet and tasting faintly of chocolate.
Blurr hummed and snuggled under Starscream’s chin. “Did you drink the last packet of my hot cocoa?”
“I might have.” Starscream laughed, his voice vibrating against Blurr’s head. “You were taking a long time in the shower.”
“Not that long!”
“I was thirsty,” Starscream swept his arms around Blurr, palms sliding up and down his back, sending shivers up Blurr’s spine. “I didn’t make it like you do, though, so it was pretty disappointing.”
Blurr chuckled and tangled his legs with Starscream’s, snuggling more into his chest fluff. It was not unlike laying on a feather pillow. “That’s what you get.” His jaw cracked in a yawn. “We’ll go shopping in the morning. Get more.”
“Shopping?” Starscream’s voice lifted at the end and excitement ran a tangible shiver through his body.
“Yes, shopping. At the grocery store.” Blurr closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion tug at every limb. “It should be pretty quiet. Most people will be nursing hangovers.”
“I’ve not been to a human store yet. It should prove interesting,” Starscream murmured.
Blurr hummed an affirmative. “Sleep now.”
“Yes. Sleep.” Starscream stroked a hand down his back, like one might pet their cat, and Blurr had to admit, it was very soothing.
He fell into dreams just like that, tangled up with the harpy he loved, and though it was a situation more complicated than anything he’d ever fathomed, he was happy.
Morning came, but by the time Blurr willingly dragged himself out of the warm nest he and Starscream had made, it was better approaching noon. Breakfast was the last two packets of pop-tarts divided between he and Starscream – strawberry flavor, of course, because they were Starscream’s favorite. They also finished the bottle of orange juice, because it was about to expire, and Blurr needed room in the fridge.
“You know, if I wasn’t out of food, I’d have stayed in bed all day,” Blurr said as he pulled on his winter gear. Last night smelled of snow and a quick glance out the window confirmed a fresh fall.
“I would have preferred that.” Starscream came up behind Blurr, nuzzling into the nape of his neck before Blurr threw his scarf over his shoulders to cover himself. "Aww. I was enjoying that."
"And pop-tarts aren't part of a balanced breakfast," Blurr laughed. "We have to go shopping, Star. Or at least I do. I can't live on take out alone." He paused and amended, "Well, I mean, I could, but my wallet doesn't support that kind of lifestyle."
Starscream chuckled and helped zip him into his winter jacket. "Fair enough." He tugged Blurr close and dipped his head for a brief kiss. "But we should definitely make it a quick shopping trip."
"Why do you have plans?" Blurr asked.
"Oh, so many." Starscream planted a kiss on Blurr's nose and then purposefully backed away. "But if we don't leave now, we won't."
A flush of heat crept over Blurr's skin, and it had nothing to do with the layers of winter gear covering him. He tugged on his gloves. "You'll be okay in the cold?"
"I don't grow a winter coat for nothing." Starscream cocked his head, preening.
"And a gorgeous coat it is." Blurr opened the door, gesturing for Starscream to precede him. "Come on then. It's time for another new experience."
And what an adventure it would be. Blurr was sure of it. He hadn't taken Starscream to Safeway yet, as it was more of a franchise than a locally owned business, but it was the closest grocery store to Blurr's dorm, and he didn't fancy trudging across campus for the local store. If the ground wasn't covered in ice and snow, he probably would have. But not this morning. Not with it cold enough to see his breath, and the sidewalks covered in a fresh coat of precipitation, making it for treacherous walking.
Though Starscream seemed to handle it just fine. Blurr was a bit envious of how easily his talons seemed to help him keep his balance in the slippery slush. The cold didn't bother him either. His steps were far more jaunty.
A few blocks away, the neon sign of Safeway gleamed, bright against the winter gray sky. There were only a half-dozen cars in the parking lot, most of them employees Blurr was sure. This was a college town. Most people were still asleep.
Blurr passed a sign on the door 'No Pets Allowed' and he chuckled a bit. Did Starscream count?
Holiday music still spilled from the speakers as Blurr grabbed a cart and peeled off his gloves and spark. It was suffocatingly hot in here, unsurprisingly, and his face tingled at the shift. Starscream perked up immediately, head swinging left and right to take it all in, but eyes narrowed at the bright, overhead lights.
Blurr angled them toward the hot bar, stomach grumbling appreciatively at the scent of cooked foods, especially their Asian-inspired dishes. Fried rice, fried chicken nuggets, egg rolls and spring rolls -- what a perfect lunch. Starscream peered over his shoulder, into the hot display case.
"Oh, I recognize that stuff," Starscream said, nose almost pressed to the glass. "Are we getting some?"
"If you'd like."
“I would. I like the rolls. They’re crunchy.” Starscream tilted his head, carefully tucking his hands behind his back. “The vegetable ones though, not the ones with meat in them.”
Blurr chuckled. “Yes, I remember.” He lifted his head, caught the attention of the worker behind the counter.
While he placed their order, his stomach grumbling all the while, Starscream examined all of the display baskets arranged in front of the case. Blurr watched out of the corner of his eye as Starscream poked at the bundles of butter rolls, the packs of donuts, and the boxes of weird, cheesy straw crackers. He picked up the little bottles arranged across the top of the hot display case, reading the labels, his lips moving silently to himself.
It was unfair for a harpy to be this adorable.
Blurr thanked the worker and tucked the hot food into the cart. Starscream still diligently examined labels.
“See something you like?” Blurr asked.
“I don’t really know what this is,” Starscream answered as he set the bottle of barbeque sauce back down. “I can’t understand half the ingredients.”
“To be fair, neither can most humans. We buy it anyway.” Blurr steered forward. He figured he might as well make this an experience and wander up and down every aisle.
He had a list at the back of his mind, but with Starscream tagging along, he had a feeling he’d end up with a lot of random things.
“That doesn’t sound very smart.”
“It isn’t.” Blurr steered them down the aisle against the far right wall, the dairy section, and he picked up a carton of milk and two tubes of instant cinnamon rolls. “But we’re a long way from growing our own produce, and raising our own livestock, and making our own foods from scratch.”
“Hmm.” Starscream tucked his hands behind his back, head bobbing as he looked left and right, taking in the rows upon rows of different brands and flavors of dairy products. “What is yogurt anyway?”
Blurr paused by said product. “I honestly have no idea. It’s like curdled milk with flavoring and bacteria that’s supposed to be good for your stomach.” He squinted. “Or something. Some of it has fruit in it. Want some?”
Starscream squinted. “Bacteria? You never told me it had bacteria in it!”
“The good kind, I think.” Blurr scanned the shelves and found the ones with strawberries on the bottom. “Here. You like these, don’t you? They’ve got loads of sugar in them.”
Starscream snorted, but obediently peered at the label. “I can’t read some of these ingredients either.” He gave the package a sniff, not that he’d be able to smell anything through the plastic and foil. “I should have paid more attention before.”
Blurr grabbed a box of go-gurt and tossed it into the cart. “You don’t have to keep eating them if you don’t want to.”
“I need good bacteria, I guess,” Starscream said and carefully added the small cup into the basket, and his eyes lit up when he saw the tubes of cinnamon roll dough. “You can buy these like this?” He scooped up the tube and peered at it intently.
“Yes. They’re not as good, but they’re decent for a lazy day in.” Blurr gave the cart a push, and it squeaked onward, passed the cheese and butter and eggs, to the deli/bakery in the back corner.
Starscream trailed behind him, tumbling the tube of cinnamon rolls back into the cart. Blurr kept half an eye on him as he was on a lookout for his own needs, so he noticed when Starscream slowed and stopped. Blurr tumbled two pre-made sandwiches into the cart, and backtracked.
The harpy was holding a fresh pasta kit, the spinach and feta stuffed ravioli pillows that required only a pot of water and a stove, plus sauce if you were so inclined. Blurr had eaten them before, when he’d had the energy to cook for himself.
"You want to get those?"
"Are they any good?" Starscream asked. "I'm intrigued by their design." He turned the package over and over in his hands. "And they have no meat, unlike just about everything else you humans eat."
Blurr chuckled. "Well, we're omnivores. It comes with territory." He tilted his head toward the cart. "They're decent enough. Throw it in. We can make it for dinner tonight, if you want."
"I want." Starscream added the pasta to their cart. "What's next?"
A lot, as it turned out.
Starscream found something of interest on every aisle, and he peppered Blurr with questions he didn't know the answer to. He honestly never thought much about where his food came from, beyond knowing that he'd bought it at the grocery store. He also didn't pay too much attention to labels or ingredients. If it tasted good and was affordable, he ate it.
"I'm going to buy you a nutritionist book," Blurr grumbled as several packages of canned fruit joined the growing stack of groceries in their cart, landing with a thunk on top of a few bags of various dried nuts. "That way I can stop pretending I have any idea what I'm talking about."
"You should know what you're eating," Starscream said with a sage nod, as if he didn't spend the occasional Saturday morning scarfing down an unhealthy amount of cinnamon rolls. He didn't ask where those came from, did he?
Blurr eyed the harpy and pointedly tossed a pack of double-stuffed Oreos into the cart. "I know that these are cookies, and they taste good. That's what matters to me."
They spent an absurd amount of time in the produce section. Starscream hemmed and hawed and examined each piece of fruit or vegetable with a scrutiny Blurr tended to reserve for complicated questions on his Calculus exams.
Pineapples, in particular, fascinated him.
"I’ve never seen such a fruit," he said as he carefully held it up, turning it this way and that. "It's definitely not native to Vos, and I'm quite sure, to this area."
"They probably ship it in. It's a pineapple." Blurr grinned. "People like putting them on pizza and in smoothies and on holiday hams."
Starscream's face scrunched in that cute way he did when he was perplexed by human behavior. "That's a wide array of uses."
"It's versatile. Want to try it?" Blurr wasn't much a fan of pineapple fresh like this, but for Starscream, he was willing to drop the cash. He had a feeling it was going to be a great source of amusement.
Besides, the cart was a confusing mishmash of groceries he'd eat, and groceries Starscream wanted to sample anyway. What would one more odd thing matter?
Into the cart the pineapple went.
It was also the last thing Blurr added. They were already going to have a good deal to carry back to his dorm, and he didn't want to shell out for a taxi. Anymore was pushing it.
He guided them toward the checkout lanes, thankful that even with only one cashier, there wasn't a line. Checkout lanes were designed for impulse buys, and Starscream was the definition of an impulse buyer when it came to anything of fascination.
The cashier didn't even blink at the sight of Starscream. She actually offered him a warm smile as she started to ring up the assorted items. "Good morning, Starscream."
Starscream looked up from unloading the cart, and his feathers ruffled with delight. "Cherise! You work here?"
Cherise, apparently, laughed. "Well, if I don't, I've been doing this for free all morning." She grinned. "I have to pay the bills somehow. Not all of us get by on our looks."
"I'm a kept smol," Starscream said with an exaggerated bow, puffing up with pride.
Cherise's gaze slid to Blurr. "This must be Blurr then." Her smile stayed warm and friendly. "I've heard so much about you, not just from featherbrain over there, but I read the school zine, too."
Featherbrain?
Starscream snorted. "Read, she says, as if she's not responsible for turning Miko and Sari's garbled issues into something coherent."
"Guilty as charged," Cherise sang, her brown eyes twinkling with humor. She winked at Blurr. "I also happen to be the safety net between Star and a pair of nosy reporters who sometimes ask questions they shouldn't."
"She's a lifesaver," Starscream said.
Blurr didn't know how he felt at the moment. Starscream had never mentioned Cherise, and Blurr certainly didn't recognize her, other than in passing on previous shopping trips.
"Nice to meet you," Blurr said, because that at least was true. Cherise was always pleasant, always had a smile. "Glad you've been taking care of my bird.”
Starscream puffed up like Blurr knew he would, releasing an outraged noise that definitely resembled a squawk. "I'm not a bird!"
Blurr chuckled and slid the cart ahead of him, moving to start bagging as quickly as he can. "I know." He grabbed his items, and frowned when he caught something unfamiliar. “I don’t remember picking this up.”
He snagged the tiny, stuffed animal – it was a panda – and lifted his eyebrows at Starscream, who immediately coughed and made a big deal of rearranging the items on the conveyor belt. He didn’t meet Blurr’s gaze.
“Do you not want that?” Cherise asked, reaching for it.
Starscream’s feathers twitched. He very pointedly didn’t look at Blurr. Cans of soup became a haphazard stack on the rubbery belt.
Blurr sighed and tucked it into the bag. “I must have forgotten it was on the list,” he said. “Keep going.”
Cherise gave him a long look, her lips curving into a brighter smile. “Understood.”
She kept scanning.
Starscream coughed and tucked his hands behind his back. He sidled up to Blurr’s side, head tilted like a bird’s, as he watched the items spill down and Blurr bag them.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
Primus, but he was adorable. Blurr would buy him every stuffed animal on the shelf if that was what he wanted. He didn’t care that it was overpriced, if it gave Starscream the happy wiggle of his feathers.
By the end, they had four heavy bags to carry between them, and Blurr’s wallet was a lot lighter, but he had enough groceries to get him through the first half of the month, and Starscream had a new toy. It was worth it, so worth it.
“Come by the office sometime,” Cherise said as she handed him his receipt. “I know Miko and Sari haven’t asked yet, but we’d love to do an interview with both of you.”
Blurr blinked. “Both of us? Like at the same time? Together?”
“Well, that is how we can usually find you.” Cherise laughed and patted down the curly poof of her hair.
Another customer walked up and Cherise briefly greeted her before gifting Blurr and Starscream with a wink. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? Just think about it.”
She went back to work before Blurr could think of a suitable retort. Not that he was sure one was needed. Was he overreacting? It wasn’t that big of a deal. Everyone knew he a d Starscream were friends. She couldn’t have been implying anything else.
Blurr grabbed the heavy bags, slinging one over a shoulder, and gestured for Starscream to take the other two. There was pep in Starscream’s step as he lifted them with ease – the reason Blurr had given him the heavier ones – and they walked out into a brisk, sunny noon. It was still bitterly cold.
“You want to do that interview?” Starscream asked as he audibly inhaled, chest expanding to suck in the fresh air. He always seemed so much more alive when they were outside, as opposed to being indoors.
Blurr nibbled on his bottom lip. “I suppose it depends on what kind of questions they’re planning to ask.” He gave Starscream a sidelong look. “You know how invasive Miko and Sari can be.”
“Yes, but just because they ask doesn’t mean we have to answer.” Starscream shrugged, shoulders lifting in obvious unconcern. “I trust Cherise to put her foot down if she has to. She’s all business when it comes to editing and producing.”
And that brought Blurr back around to the fact Starscream knew someone Blurr didn’t, that he’d befriended yet another person who wasn’t Blurr. He shouldn’t have felt so insidiously possessive, but he did somehow. Because every moment Starscream wasn’t with Blurr, he was with one of these other, possibly more intelligent and fascinating friends.
People who had their futures decided, who were more than just useless lumps on society.
Primus.
“I’ll think about it,” Blurr allowed, and coughed over the lump in his throat, grateful that he could bury most of his expression in his scarf. “So? What do you think of grocery shopping? Is it anything like your aerie?”
Starscream hummed thoughtfully. “Very different from Kaon. We are too small to bother with currency. All of our food and supplies are communal.”
The bags swung as he walked, while Blurr had to re-situate his for the sake of his aching hand. Well, until Starscream reached out and took the one from his fingers, leaving him with only the one on his shoulder.
“My home aerie of Vos had a functional economy, however,” Starscream continued as he walked easily through the slush and snow, Blurr moving along a bit more clumsily beside him. “We had merchants, but our shops were more contained. Less packaged and fewer varieties, but still quite a selection.”
Blurr nodded, absorbing the details to distract himself from everything else. “It sounds very interesting. Very different.”
“I still plan to take you some day,” Starscream said. “If you want to go. Maybe not to Vos, because they aren’t fond of humans there, but to Kaon at least. You’ll be one of the first humans to ever see it.” He paused and tilted his head. “Or you might be the very first period. I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask Perceptor.”
Blurr moved closer, bumping shoulders with Starscream. “I want to go. I want to see your home.” He grinned, his heart swelling with warmth. “I want to eat your food and sleep in your bed and leave a mess in your room, and I want to meet your friends, and I want to see how you live.”
He wanted to know Starscream, most of all. Know the harpy he loved beyond the filter of a human experience. He wanted to see Starscream in his natural element, to find out all the little details. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Starscream.
Starscream stopped, and Blurr stopped with him. He tilted his head with curiosity while Starscream made a big production of looking around them. He nodded to himself as if deciding something before he swooped down, lips pecking over Blurr’s in the briefest of kisses.
“Then I’ll take you,” Starscream said as he nuzzled Blurr’s cheek. “And you can sleep in my bed, and eat my food and leave a mess for me, and you’ll be welcome whenever you like in my home.”
“Sounds perfect,” Blurr murmured. He nuzzled Starscream back before he forced himself to draw away, lest they attract too much attention. “But for now, we have to go back to my home, before the yogurt freezes.”
Starscream laughed. “Agreed.”
