[FoF] Scars of Yesterday 13

[dracoqueen22]

Scars of Yesterday
Chapter Thirteen

The story was stupid.

Sunstreaker hated every bit of it, though the rest of the flock seemed enraptured by Orion Pax’s retelling. Tragic romances were not Sunstreaker’s thing, and they weren’t Sideswipe’s either, apparently, as he’d started to snooze while leaning against Sunstreaker’s chest, tucked under his chin. He kept twitching in his sleep, being adorably distracting.

Between him and the story, it was almost enough to keep Sunstreaker from noticing the looks he and Sideswipe had started to draw. They were surrounded by Soundwave’s siblings, and so no one dared sidle too close, but their gazes were hungry, and the smell of lust rose in the air like a heavy, spicy, musk.

Sunstreaker’s stomach roiled.

The fighting pit had smelled strongly of rut this time of year. It was unavoidable. Sometimes, their captors liked to shove them in random cages, pairing winners and losers or whomever they wanted to see how it would resolve. Other times, they’d shove all of the harpies into one big cage and let them sort themselves out.

Sunstreaker couldn’t remember a rut where he was left to enjoy himself in peace, where he’d been able to choose his partner. He had the opportunity now, but hungry eyes circled like the bigger harpies in the arena, eager to bend he and Sideswipe over any chance they got.

It was what they were meant for, one of the harpies had boasted. Smols like them were meant for rutting.

Sunstreaker hadn’t known what a smol meant, but enough ruts had gone by for him to reason it out. Smols were pretty and weak. They were smaller and meant to be used. Smols submitted, if they knew what was good for them.

He and Sideswipe never knew what was good for them. They fought and clawed and bit and scratched, and never surrendered. Every rut was hard won for the bigger harpies, and Sunstreaker took pride in it, even when he was choking on his own blood.

Ugh.

Sunstreaker’s stomach roiled again.

He closed his eyes, buried his face against Sideswipe’s crest and breathed deep, inhaling Sideswipe’s familiar scent, the comfort and warmth of it. Like this, he could barely sense the reek of the other harpies around him.

Sideswipe stirred. “Sunny?”

He tightened his arms around his twin. “I don’t want to stay for the party,” Sunstreaker murmured.

There would be laughter and chatting and socializing and mingling. The harpies would want to talk to him and Sideswipe. They might try and make moves, or invite themselves, or flirt, and Sunstreaker wanted none of it.

He could only keep Sideswipe safe if they left now, prevented anyone from even trying. They were, Sunstreaker knew, technically smols. While Soundwave had promised they would be safe, Sunstreaker couldn’t be sure.

The hunger thickened the air like a threat.

"If you don't want to stay, then I don't either," Sideswipe whispered, laying his hand over Sunstreaker's and tangling their fingers.

Guilt rose up in a heavy wave. "You were looking forward to the party though."

"Not if it means you'll hate it." Sideswipe squirmed in his arms, radiating heat, and he smelled so damn good, like love and home, and Sunstreaker hated every whiff he caught of the other harpies around them.

Well, except for Soundwave’s siblings. He didn't mind them so much. For one, none of them smelled like the rut. Frenzy and Rumble a little bit, but Laserbeak didn't at all. Ravage smelled of it the strongest, but it wasn't directed at Sunstreaker or Sideswipe in the least.

Sunstreaker was hesitant to call them safe, but a part of him wanted to believe it.

"Hey, kiddo," Sideswipe said, nudging Rumble with his foot. "Think anyone will care if we skedaddle?"

Rumble shoved his foot away and rolled his eyes. "It's mating season. You're kind of expected to."

"Good. Let's go." Sideswipe squirmed out of Sunstreaker's arms, but he wasn't very stealthy about it.

Sunstreaker glanced guiltily at the other harpies, but at most, they seemed to garner amused looks rather than irritated ones. The crowd was also noticeably smaller. Others must have already snuck away to get some privacy.

He let Sideswipe take his hand and tug him through the crowd, keeping perhaps unnecessarily close but some of the larger harpies were leering at him, and it made Sunstreaker's feathers crawl.

Worse, they were leering at Sideswipe, too, no matter how much Sunstreaker bared his teeth or growled at them. Their lust was cloying, and Sunstreaker wanted to wash his mouth out with soap just to get to the taste of it off the back of his tongue.

“Not Soundwave’s nest,” Sunstreaker said as he tightened his grip on Sideswipe’s hand, hard enough to leave pinpricks with his talons. “I don’t want to-- I can’t--”

“I get it, Sunny. No worries.” Sideswipe squeezed his hand back. “Just you ‘n me, heart of mine.”

Warmth rose up around Sunstreaker’s face. Honestly, Sideswipe had no shame, saying things like that where anyone could hear them.

They made it to their nest without incident, though Sunstreaker noticed that there were no few harpies who didn’t care for the privacy of their own nests. Little nooks and crannies were filled with harpies wrapped together, rutting.

“There,” Sideswipe declared once they were behind the curtain and he’d pinned it into place. It wouldn’t keep out anyone determined, but polite harpies would leave them be. “Now we’re alone.”

“Good.”

Sunstreaker pounced, tackling Sideswipe into their nest as Sideswipe squawked and thrashed, more instinct than genuine fear. They always tussled.

“Sunny!” he complained, but Sunstreaker had him on his chest, wrapped around him from behind, Sideswipe’s delicious rump cradled against his groin.

He buried his face against the back of Sideswipe’s neck and inhaled, shivering as the familiar and welcome scent of his brother washed out all the rest. Sunstreaker’s mouth watered and he nuzzled the back of Sideswipe’s neck, rocking his hips in a slow, steady rhythm against his brother’s rump.

Sideswipe’s tail twitched. “Oh,” he purred, and went warm and pliant in Sunstreaker’s arms, pushing back, head tilting to bear the side of his neck. “Never mind. Carry on.”

Sunstreaker nosed behind Sideswipe’s ear, nipping at the delicate flesh. Sideswipe jerked, and the smell of his arousal thickened in their nest, sweet and enticing. Sunstreaker groaned and slid one hand down, cupping Sideswipe’s groan, getting a handful of slick, Sideswipe’s di-- clava nudging against his palm.

“You said… I could go first,” Sunstreaker panted as he rubbed his palm over and over the head of Sideswipe’s clava, smearing the slick around, knowing how much it drove his brother crazy.

Sideswipe twitched, trying to both rock forward and back against Sunstreaker all at once. “Wanna see your face,” he said, talons kneading at the pillows.

Sunstreaker nuzzled into Sideswipe. “Then roll over.”

An obedient Sideswipe was a rare occurrence. Sideswipe twisted over onto his back without hesitation however, grasping at Sunstreaker to pull him back into place, thighs spread and welcoming.

Sunstreaker leaned just out of reach, wanting to admire. Sideswipe’s clava curved rigid, seeping at the tip, and his featherdown was visibly slick, the plump rim of his antrum peeking from behind the softer feathers. His brother was the prettiest smol in all of Kaon, and no one could convince Sunstreaker otherwise.

His mouth watered. He made a low sound of want, dragging the back of one knuckle over Sideswipe’s antrum, slick immediately soaking his finger. Sideswipe groaned and bucked up against his hand, little nub as rigid as his clava. Sunstreaker couldn’t remember what Ratchet had called it, not that it mattered. Anatomy lessons weren’t important right now.

He knew what he needed to know, and that was if he put his mouth on that nub, Sideswipe would sing for him.

Sunstreaker wrapped his hands around Sideswipe’s hips and lifted him up, planting his mouth on Sideswipe’s antrum and giving it a deep lick. Sideswipe moaned and threw his thighs over Sunstreaker’s shoulders and ground down against his mouth.

“More,” he demanded, and Sunstreaker gave it to him, licking and sucking and nipping ever so gently on the swollen flesh. He laved hot and heavy over that throbbing nub, and Sideswipe arched and shrieked, thrashing in the nest.

More slick spilled from him, sweet on Sunstreaker’s tongue, and he licked deeper, trying to get more, as Sideswipe’s heels drummed on his back. Gasps and moans poured from Sideswipe’s lips, some of it not even words so much as it was inane babble of praise and encouragement.

Sunstreaker’s clava throbbed.

This was way, way better than being downstairs. All he could smell and taste was Sideswipe, the hot-sweet of him, the familiarity, Sideswipe’s need and love, it flooded Sunstreaker’s nose and mouth, dropped heavy and wanting in his belly.

He wrapped his mouth around Sideswipe’s nub, and he sucked. Sideswipe arched and keened, writhing as he came, gushing with slick, his thighs pressing in on Sunstreaker’s head.

Sunstreaker grinned, licking Sideswipe gently through the spasms. He could do this all night, just pin Sideswipe down and eat him out until he was a limp, sated mess.

“Sunny!” Sideswipe gasped, and his knees knocked against Sunstreaker’s head. “Please. I want you in me.”

Sunstreaker licked Sideswipe instead, flicking his tongue over the sensitive nub, making Sideswipe twitch and howl. He thrashed, and Sunstreaker was all set to get back to his meal when a pillow thwapped him on the side of his head.

He blinked and looked down the length of Sideswipe’s body, idly licking Sideswipe’s slick from his lips. “Seriously?”

“Seriously!” Sideswipe huffed, with that grumpy-sexy pout of his Sunstreaker found hopelessly endearing. “The rut is not the time to indulge in your oral fixation.”

“Someone’s been paying attention to Perceptor,” Sunstreaker muttered, but he immediately lowered Sideswipe’s back into his lap, rubbing his palms over Sideswipe’s splayed thighs. His clava seeped liberally, his antrum visibly twitching. “That’s a big word.”

Sideswipe wiggled, and Sunstreaker grabbed his hips to keep him in place. “Are we gonna discuss my vocabulary, or are you finally gonna fuck me?”

Sunstreaker tugged Sideswipe further up the slope of his thighs, until his clava nudged at his brother’s antrum, the rigid head brushing against Sideswipe’s nub. “I’m going to fuck you,” he said, and rocked his hips, grinding rhythmically.

“I’m going to come so much I’m going to leak out of you, and then I’m going to bite you,” Sunstreaker added, and astounded himself by how much he meant it, how he bared his fangs and hissed.

Sideswipe’s eyes widened before he smiled a slow, dopey grin. He put his arms over his head, and wiggled his hips in a manner that should be illegal. “Gonna stake your claim, Sunny? Make sure none of the others around here even think about it?”

Sunstreaker growled.

How many hungry gazes had he counted? How many eyes had fallen appreciatively on his brother? How many spikes of lust had risen in their wake?

Too many.

He flexed his claws into Sideswipe’s hips, feeling the slight give of flesh beneath his talons, and then he tugged, yanking Sideswipe onto his clava. Sideswipe’s back arched, head tossing back, as he keened, and his antrum clamped down on Sunstreaker’s, squeezing tight enough it made his vision spark.

“Yes!” Sideswipe crowed and rolled his hips, thrusting down against the eager push of Sunstreaker’s clava. “That’s it, Sunny. Harder. I wanna feel you for the rest of the week.”

Sunstreaker groaned and shifted his weight forward onto his knees, pulling Sideswipe into him by the hips and bearing all his mass into thrusting, burying himself deep into Sideswipe with the near-violent push. Sideswipe had a filthy mouth, and Sunstreaker hated how much he loved it.

Sideswipe grabbed at him, fingers locking around Sunstreaker’s upper arm, hard enough that his talons pricked at Sunstreaker’s skin. “More! Harder!” he chanted as his antrum rippled around Sunstreaker’s clava, like it was trying to milk him for his spill.

“So demanding,” Sunstreaker huffed and dug his knees into the nest, slamming into Sideswipe. His twin keened and shuddered, thighs tightening around Sunstreaker’s waist.

“Bite me,” Sideswipe snapped.

Sunstreaker rolled his eyes. “What? It’s true!”

Sideswipe’s claws dug into his arm, and they pierced his skin, the sharp tang of blood joining the scent of lust in the air. “I meant that literally, Sunny,” he gasped out and tried to pull Sunstreaker closer to him, his head throwing to the side, baring the column of his throat.

Oh.

Sunstreaker curled over Sideswipe, pushing deeper as a result, and Sideswipe moaned, clutching him closer. He nuzzled into Sideswipe’s throat, the vibrations of Sideswipe’s noises against his lips, and his tongue finding the indentations of his previous claims. He traced them, counting the ridges of his own teeth, the circumference of his bites.

Sideswipe shuddered, making an incoherent noise, his antrum squeezing tight and rippling as he moved up against Sunstreaker, wordlessly begging for more. His pulse beat frantically against Sunstreaker’s lips, and the need in his scent drove Sunstreaker to distraction.

He growled and bit down, teeth notching into a previous bite and working deep. Sideswipe keened and writhed beneath him, talons digging into his arms, more blood oozing free.

“More!” Sideswipe gasped, and Sunstreaker dug in harder, until he tasted blood, until Sideswipe sang and thrashed, his antrum rippling in rhythmic orgasm. He went rigid all over, breath caught in his throat, the hot spurt of his spill against Sunstreaker’s belly.

Sunstreaker moaned. He dragged his mouth to Sideswipe’s, stealing his lips for a kiss, and Sideswipe licked into his mouth, holding him in place, the kiss turned bruising. His legs locked around Sunstreaker’s waist, and Sunstreaker couldn’t do anything more than grind hard and deep, until the release was pulled out of him and he spurted helplessly into his twin.

It seemed to go on for far longer than usual as lights danced in the back of Sunstreaker’s eyes and Sideswipe clutched him close, breathing heavily. His hips twitched in little jerks, and Sideswipe rippled around him, like he wanted more, more, more that Sunstreaker’s half-hard clava couldn’t yet offer.

Their ruts had never felt like this. Sunstreaker wondered if it was because, for the first time, they were actually safe.

Sideswipe nipped his bottom lip hard enough to sting and he grabbed Sunstreaker’s cheeks, pressing their foreheads together. He panted, damp wet over Sunstreaker’s lips, as little shivers ran up and down his body.

“My turn,” he said.

“Hnngh,” Sunstreaker managed. His limbs felt like noodles, and he wanted to collapse onto Sideswipe, wrap himself around his twin, and fall asleep just like that.

Sideswipe bit Sunstreaker’s lip. “Sunny, come on, my turn.”

He didn’t dignify that with a response.

Sideswipe growled. “Fine.”

Sunstreaker’s world spun, and he landed with a thump in the nest, Sideswipe on top of him with a fanged grin. “Don’t you go to sleep on me yet. I want my turn.” He ground down, his soaked antrum dragging over Sunstreaker’s half-hard clava, which twitched in growing interest.

“No one’s saying you can’t take it,” Sunstreaker said, resting his hands on Sideswipe’s hips and laying his clawtips over the marks he’d left earlier.

Sideswipe shivered. Sunstreaker dug his talons in, deepening the cuts, until his claws taste blood once more, and Sideswipe rocked harder against him. So they liked a little pain? So what? Sunstreaker would stop if Sideswipe told him to.

Not that Sideswipe ever had.

Sideswipe looked down at him, crooked grin and hunger, his palms gliding up Sunstreaker’s belly as he rolled his hips, grinding the slick of his antrum along the length of Sunstreaker’s clava.

“Good,” he purred. “Because I plan on making the most of you.”

Sunstreaker licked his lips, energy returning tenfold. “As long as I don’t have to do any of the work.”

“Lazy bum,” Sideswipe teased and rocked his hips again, driving a strangled noise of want out of Sunstreaker’s throat. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

~

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe snuck away before the Tale had finished. Soundwave only knew because Buzzsaw wouldn’t cease grumbling about their disrespect for the most important mythology of their people.

“Peace,” Soundwave told him. “This is their first free mating season. Let them enjoy it as they wish.”

“They barely know anything about who they are,” Buzzsaw muttered, shifting on Soundwave’s shoulder and digging in with his talons just to be a pest. “It’s not all about rutting.”

“It is at their age,” Soundwave said. Though Ratchet had done his best to approximate their age. They were all certain Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were adults, but beyond that, could only guess.

Soundwave suspected Rodimus was closest to them in years, but compared to the longevity of harpies, that still made them painfully young. Older than Frenzy and Rumble, but still young.

Yet another reason Soundwave would keep whatever attractions he might carry to himself. The twins deserved mates who were equally energetic, not a harpy who had seen far too much, and let his responsibility bear him down.

“I’m glad I don’t have to put up with all that nonsense,” Buzzsaw said with a huff. “You tall harpies have all the bad luck.”

Soundwave chuckled. “So it seems we do.”

Buzzsaw kneaded at his shoulders again, only to abruptly tug on his crest feather. “I’m going to find Laserbeak. Drift and Perceptor are heading your way,” he said before he took off, leaving Soundwave adrift in the sea of laughing, dancing, members of their flock.

It was hard to be angry with him. Laserbeak had been devoting most of her time to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker as of late. Buzzsaw missed his sister.

Besides, he was correct. Drift and Perceptor both were easing through the crowd, the familiar bright gold hues of Perceptor’s curiosity and the steady navies of Drift’s determination easy to pick out from the myriad of colors permeating the main hall.

"How unusual to find you alone," Perceptor said by way of greeting, his vocal tones warm, with only a hint of the mating rut around him.

"Though it works in our favor," Drift said, equally warm and inviting. "Where is everyone?"

Soundwave made a vague gesture to the celebration as a whole. "Enjoying themselves," he said. "Sideswipe and Sunstreaker sought privacy elsewhere."

Perceptor hummed understanding. "I assumed they might. The Festival can be a lot, especially for a harpy unaccustomed to it." He had his arm looped about Drift's, the two of them interlocked as they often were.

There were many love matches within Kaon, but there were none so intertwined on an emotional level as Drift and Perceptor. Oh, Soundwave did not doubt the other matings, the love between Orion and Shockwave for example, or Megatron and Rodimus' affections for one another. But whatever was between Drift and Perceptor operated on a level beyond mortal understanding.

Soundwave envied them.

"They are not keen to share," Soundwave said.

Drift chuckled. "Oh, we're not interested in them anyway. Anyone who pays attention can see they only want each other."

"We actually wished to ask if you were interested this season," Perceptor said, with that casual bluntness Soundwave greatly appreciated. Perceptor never danced around an issue, something he carried with him from Tyger Pax.

Soundwave hesitated.

Perceptor and Drift were reliable, and it would not be the first time he had joined them. It would be a fun, fulfilling way to spend the rut without worry, and yet...

"Offer appreciated," Soundwave said.

"But not this year," Perceptor said with a hum of understanding. "Fair enough. Though if I might beg your indulgence, has someone caught your attention perhaps?"

Drift leaned forward, eagerness wafting from him in waves. "One of the new arrivals? Or maybe someone that's been here all along that you've grown closer to?"

Soundwave sighed. "Negative." It was only a little white lie. His burgeoning interest in the twins was something he intended to quash, therefore it would be true soon enough.

"Pity," Perceptor said. "You have spent so long caring for others, Soundwave. We hope one day you can meet someone who will care for you in return."

"Romantically or not," Drift hurried to add.

Soundwave's lips twitched. "Romantic interest still a possibility," he said. "Time will tell."

"We need to start recruiting harder," Drift said with a playful nudge to Perceptor's shoulder. "Soundwave's never going to find his one true love if we don't increase the population."

"Something to suggest to Megatron perhaps," Perceptor demurred. He pressed a kiss to Drift's cheek before his attention returned to Soundwave. "Will you indulge either of us in a dance later at least?"

Soundwave inclined his head. "If you are not otherwise spoken for."

"We'll make time," they said in an eerie tandem that reminded him far too much of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.

Soundwave chuckled, and the two wandered off, no doubt to try and pester Ratchet into joining them for once, rather than suffer in silence under the belief he needed to be available for everyone on the off chance there were injuries or mishaps. Ratchet was another harpy who could benefit from allowing others to care for him, though he'd never expressed interest in anyone in the aerie.

And like Soundwave, Ratchet could hardly be lonely. He had far too many friends, too many folks to look after. Even now, Soundwave could hear the healer laughing on the other side of the room, exchanging pleasantries with the quieter tones of Rung who had a mischievous side few rarely saw.

Perhaps Soundwave didn't have a romantic partner at the moment, but he was scarcely alone or lonely.

"Did you refuse because of Buzzsaw or because you lied?"

Soundwave startled. With all the other noise -- the conversations and the music and the laughter -- he'd not heard Ravage approach him when he might have usually sensed his eldest sibling.

"It wouldn't be the first rut I've spent alone," Soundwave said, avoiding the question. It was none of Ravage's business.

Ravage flickered with doubt. He hummed noncommittally and said, "Do you want me to fetch the twins for tonight?"

"They may not wish to attend," Soundwave said, thinking of the traditional evening of rest where every harpy in the Aerie slept in a tangled pile before mating season officially began the next morning, though not all would have had their rut triggered by that point.

"The proof is in the asking," Ravage said and something like mischief swirled around him. "I'll go see if they are decent."

He loped away before Soundwave could protest otherwise. Ah, well. Ravage was at least correct. The twins needed to be invited.

Soundwave drifted off to the food tables, perusing the plates piled high with enough treats and goodies and fruits and prepared meals to last the aerie for the next couple of weeks without too much strain. Lucky he was not so picky about his food since none of his siblings were present to point out what he’d prefer. He had to choose by scent alone, though Whirl was kind enough to hand him a plate piled with the bite-sized muffins he knew Soundwave appreciated most.

Food acquired, Soundwave tucked himself into an unoccupied nook, and set himself to observing. He trusted himself to walk anywhere alone, but keeping track of the dancing, swirling bodies of his flockmates would only result in a headache. Best if he kept to the side, watching out for trouble.

An approaching heat mingled with fireberry wine could often spell trouble even for those harpies who could generally be relied upon to be reasonable and polite.

Fortunately, passions remained calm and no tempers flared. Soundwave worried most about their newest arrivals, but Skids was content to be the life of the party while Lockdown stood nearby, growling at anyone who came too close.

Vortex had finally been released from the medical ward, though with firm orders from Ratchet to take it easy. He lounged in a nearby chair, Roadbuster and Maximus near enough to react should he cause any trouble. Soundwave detected nothing from Vortex but curiosity.

Time would tell if he would be an asset or a liability.

Soundwave finished his food, indulged in a single cup of fireberry wine, evaded both Drift and Perceptor, and turned down two more offers of companionship before the evening started to wind to a close. Those who couldn't ignore their urges any longer drifted off to their nests, while those whose instincts hadn't quite kicked in began accumulating in quiet clumps, eyeing their Liege, waiting for him to announce that the Festival was coming to a close.

Ravage had not returned. Soundwave did not expect him to.

Laserbeak found him, however, and was now drowsing on his left shoulder while Buzzsaw perched on his right, voice a low murmur of commentary of everything pertinent he'd overheard. Some of it was useful, most of it was not.

The current song came to an end, and quiet fell throughout the atrium as Megatron rose to the dais and immediately gathered everyone's attention.

"It's late," he said, barely disguising the fatigue in his voice. "For all who wish to join, I think we can agree sleep is in everyone's best interests." He gave them all a stern look. "And for those of us who are not interested in sleep, the privacy of your nest is more appropriate."

Soundwave's lips twitched toward a smile. There were quite a few harpies in their flock that last comment was directed toward. Tracks had the decency to appear sheepish, while Drift radiated smugness.

"A few final announcements," Megatron continued as many harpies listened with half an ear, some drifting off to return to their nests while others busied themselves with tidying a few items before it was time to sleep.

It was the same as it was every year, Megatron reminding the whole flock about privacy and consent, where food would be located, asking those who were unaffected by the heat to pitch in for those who were, so on and such forth. There were a few subspecies of harpies who did not reproduce through heats -- pygmies like Laserbeak and Buzzsaw, for example -- and other harpies whose heats would not trigger as they'd recently been with egg or had hatchlings of a certain age.

They would, unfortunately, take on the burden of flock care for the next couple of weeks as the flock cycled in and out of the rut.

Starscream passed, towing his human, and Soundwave wondered what Starscream intended to do with the man. Surely he didn't think the human could endure a harpy's rut? Not that it was any of Soundwave's business, but he suspected if the human came to any harm, their welcome in Kaon would sour.

He frowned, half-intent on going after Starscream, only to be intercepted by Frenzy, who grabbed his hand about the wrist and started to tug him in the opposite direction.

"Frenzy--"

"C'mon, Rumble picked out the perfect spot," Frenzy said with a forceful tag that nearly unseated Laserbeak from Soundwave's shoulder.

She squawked her displeasure, and Buzzsaw, ever ready to defend his sister, snapped, "Stop being rude!"

Frenzy ignored both of them.

Well.

Soundwave supposed Starscream would simply have to look after himself. He gave in to Frenzy's urging and found himself towed to the edge of where the flock was gathering for the communal sleep. Rumble had indeed staked out space enough for the lot of them, within a few paces of Megatron, but near enough to the wall to provide a bit of security.

"Wait," Laserbeak said as Frenzy and Rumble exchanged high-fives and Soundwave thanked Rumble for selecting the location. "Where are Sideswipe and Sunstreaker? They're part of the family, too."

"Nice to know you remembered me," Ravage said from behind, and Soundwave glanced over his shoulder to see both Ravage and the twins approaching, though the latter two fairly hummed with satisfaction only slightly tainted by unease.

How Ravage convinced them out of their solitude, Soundwave could only wonder.

Laserbeak huffed. "I figured you'd sneak in eventually," she said, but her voice turned warm and welcoming as she addressed their newest additions. "Sides, Sunny, come lay next to me, okay?"

"I could never say no to you," Sideswipe said, his voice warm with affection, but layers of fatigue wreathing his body. Both he and his brother looked exhausted, which meant they'd likely sleep the whole night, rather than sneak off to relieve themselves.

Good.

Soundwave wanted this to be a good communal experience for them. He wanted them to realize what joy there could be in community, and how much most of the flock wanted them to feel safe and happy.

"Come on, Sunny."

"Don't pull me!"

"Soundwave, sleep on their other side, okay?" Laserbeak said, in a voice that brooked no argument.

Soundwave went still. "Nega--"

"Works for us," Sideswipe said before Soundwave could manage to finish his refusal.

"Better than Buzzsaw's bony elbows," Sunstreaker agreed.

Buzzsaw squawked at them.

Soundwave swallowed down the protest. If it would make them both more comfortable, then Soundwave would do as asked.

His family settled down among the piles of blankets and pillows that had been assembled in the center of the main hall, spiraling out from their Liege in the middle, Rodimus tucked under one arm and Orion pressed to his back on the other side.

Their flock gathered in clumps of friend and family, with the unmated taking up position on the outer ring, guards for those in the middle, as was tradition. Feathers intertwined, and contentment rose from the assembled flock in such warm, heavy waves that Soundwave felt instantly drowsy.

Yet, he hesitated before sliding behind Sideswipe, despite it being clear such a spot had been left open for him.

"Hurry up and lay down, Soundwave," Sideswipe grumbled as he tucked his face against his brother's nape.

"Yes, brother," Ravage said, his voice thick with mischief as he gave Soundwave a bump, causing him to stumble toward the clump of his family. "Hurry up."

Soundwave would have glared, if he thought it any use. Instead, he lowered himself down and pressed gently to Sideswipe's back, trying to keep a respectable distance between himself and the other harpy's warmth.

He wasn't prepared for Sideswipe to grumble and swat him with his tail. "You're letting in a chill," he grumbled. "We don't bite."

Soundwave exhaled quietly and shifted closer, curving an arm over both Sideswipe and his twin, tucking them beneath the blanket of his wing. He waited for either of them to protest, for a spike of fear or discomfort to rise from them.

It never came

If anything, they seemed to settle with little trouble, radiating a sense of security and contentment.

Soundwave closed his eyes and tried not to think about how well they fit in his arms. Ravage pressed to his own back, and if he seemed smug, Soundwave tried to ignore that, too.

****