Dichotomy of Good and Evil

By: nightelfcrawler

Author's Note: M/M quite obviously here, along with non-consensual relationships, and violence. Another story I've had sitting around for a while I figured I would publish.

Once again, slow updates. IRL issues, lack of creativity, and new living situation = not much time for writing. But I haven't forgotten about the story, honest!

Chapter Seven

Waking was very interesting. He came online slowly, feeling warm and content, something that he had not felt in a very long time. He felt lethargic and heavy, and as he onlined his optics, his view was filled with a sleek curved helm nuzzled up against his chin. Optimus smiled lightly, optics lowering to stare at the curved frame of the Seeker snuggled up against him. Starscream had clearly either remained online longer than he, or had woken up once and slipped back into recharge, as he was laying almost on top of him, having reversed positions so he was face down, laying contentedly on Optimus' chest. There was a strange vibration coming from his vents which sounded strangely enough like an earth cat purring. Optimus couldn't help but smile at that. He had never seen Starscream content. No malice, no anger, no sneer, but a genuine warm smile on his slumbering face. Like this, he seemed so innocent, the war had never happened, they were just two mechs who had shared an incredible night.

Unfortunately, it naturally couldn't last. From outside in the main room, the door still cracked open, he could hear the buzz of the doorbell. Sighing, he let his head fall back with a small clunk. Honestly, for ONE slagging day could he not be left alone to enjoy himself?

"Mmmf. Who the frag is up this early?" Came a muffled moan from his chest.

"Someone who clearly has no sense of timing." Optimus replied, smiling slightly. "I should get that."

"Ignore them." Was the firm reply. "I'm comfortable."

Optimus chuckled. "I would love to…" the door buzzing turned to firm knocking. "But it seems that it's important."

"Oh fraggit." Starscream growled, rolling off of him grumpily, yawning widely. He hadn't even bothered to close himself up, something Optimus found oddly tempting. Instead, he flopped back on his berth with a frustrated snort, and seemed to drift back into recharge.

Optimus sighed and rose, closing his own personal parts and making his way to the door. Upon opening it, he saw Prowl looking a bit distressed. "Optimus, there's something serious going on." The tactician said quickly, not even seeming to notice that the Prime's face mask was retracted. "We need to talk immediately."

"Slow down." Optimus rumbled quickly, putting a hand on Prowl's shoulder. "What's going on?"

"The council has decided to make some rash choices. They're in a closed session right now, but we heard rumors about what they're planning from an inside source who came to us the moment he found out when they went in to deliberate. Primus, Optimus… it's bad."

"Bad as in how bad?"

"Bad as in taking matters into their own hands and circumventing you." Prowl said urgently. "They've been slowly cutting you out of their processes lately, but I think this is the final straw. I think they're going to remove you as our official leader."

Optimus' optics narrowed. "They cannot do that."

"Well they're going to."

Optimus sighed, pressing his fingers to his forehead. "This is not what I expected. I had thought they would be more reasonable rather than act on their own lust for power."

"Well apparently you were incorrect." Prowl said uncomfortably. "Prime, I'm afraid that they might overreact. If they come here and see who you've got stashed away…"

"Then we shan't let them find out this way." Optimus interrupted firmly. "It is time we addressed this problem head-on."

Prowl started. "What do you mean? You can't be thinking of confronting them?"

"If it isn't done now, it will never be done." Optimus said quietly. "This has gone too far. The slaves, the poisoned energon, the rules being set in motion, I can see a second war starting up all over again if we don't stop it now."

"You know you have most of the old teams' support." Prowl said quietly. "They aren't blinded by the council's empty promise of utopia, they see what's happening just as we do."

"Good. Can you arrange to gather everyone then somewhere for a meeting?"

"Yes, of course. We can meet at the club."

"Good. See if you can get everyone there in an hour."

Prowl stared at him intently. Then, with a completely straight face, "Good idea. You should probably clean that lubricant off yourself."

Optimus blinked, and felt his vents kick on as he became suddenly aware that he was indeed covered in dried lubricant on his lower portions, even though he'd covered up, it was stuck everywhere just the same. "Ahem… yes, thank you Prowl."

"Anytime."

It was only after the door was closed that Optimus put a hand to his face in rich embarrassment. Oh dear.

"What was that all about?" A tired question greeted his optics as Starscream wandered out of his bedroom, looking about as bedraggled as he himself no doubt was. "I felt you were upset."

Optimus sighed. There was no hiding anything from his bondmate, he understood, though now that they had made the bond technically officially, he found himself not minding. "The Council it seems has decided they are the ruling power of Cybertron. They are in deliberation, most likely to remove me from leadership."

Starscream's optics sharpened. "They can't do that. You're the Prime."

"I know." He said calmly, straightening up. "And they will not change that. They can not change it. The Matrix chooses it's own host, or hosts in our case. But they can do something rash, if we do not take action first." He glanced over at the seeker, gaze sharpening. "I think it's time we act as Primus intended us to do."

Starscream studied him intently, then nodded once, a wry smirk crossing his lips. "If it's a rebellion you want, I'm quite skilled in that area. Having plotted one downfall of authority, I have more than enough experience to get you started."

"I'm not sure if that should worry me or not."

Starscream just snorted and turned towards the shower, pausing in the doorway with a cheeky smirk. "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Optimus' engines rumbled. "You are insatiable."

"Always."

It was a tight fit for both of them in the shower. While the unit was tall enough for Optimus to comfortably reach over his head when needed, it's width was barely large enough for Starscream's wings to allow him to turn around with the two of them in there. Optimus didn't complain however, standing behind him and passing a large sponge over Starscream's wings, gently rubbing at some scratches that he'd sustained during their previous night's romp. Starscream purred happily, leaning into the scrubbing with a contented expression. Optimus couldn't help but smile, scrubbing the grime free before Starscream turned around and stole the sponge returning the favor. Optimus did his best to keep his emotions in check, feeling the cheekiness leaking through the bond as Starscream noticed his temperature spiking. As much as he would have loved to dirty themselves again, he considered it inappropriate considering their mission. But it didn't mean he couldn't probe into some of the more curious aspects of their union. "You purr when you sleep, you know."

"And you snore."

Optimus blinked but chuckled at the smirk Starscream gave him, shoving the sponge in his face. He accepted it, pushing down on the seeker's shoulders, taking note in the pleased expression on the mechs' face as he massaged the cables there. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"As opposed to what we're doing now, impersonal interaction naturally?"

"Point." He paused for a moment then spoke quietly. "How many other mechs have you… been with?"

Starscream paused and then slowly glanced up at him, optics suddenly scrutinizing. "Why?" He asked finally. "Does it really matter?"

"I'm just curious," Optimus said quietly. "You were so adamant about using baffles, I figured that you had reasons."

Starscream snorted at that, and looked up at him with a clearly disbelieving look. "Honestly, Optimus Prime. For the leader of our society, one would think you might familiarize yourself with the varying types of subjects you oversee."

Optimus just blinked blankly down at him. "I don't understand…"

"Didn't you wonder why I have both inputs and outputs?" Starscream purred, squeezing soapy water against his mates' sensitive lower plating, which made him squirm in response. "Or did you just find it kinky?"

"Well I did wonder…"

Starscream snorted, and pushed against his chassis, leaning forward on his turbines to whisper in his audials, lips brushing the metal lightly as he did so. "There are no femme seekers, you delicious fool, you."

Optimus felt his systems stir unwillingly, but as he processed the words, he felt his systems lock up. "Wait… you mean that you could…?"

"Create sparklings?" Starscream asked coyly. "Yes. All seekers can."

Optimus felt his head spinning. "But…. How? You're a mech!"

"Yes," Starscream mused, obviously taking great pleasure in teasing him. "But I am also a seeker." He leaned backwards, idly pushing the sponge along Optimus's lower portions, washing the lubricant from his thighs. "Seekers were a unique experiment when we were created. Due to the fact we are all very… different… in our ways of thinking, femme sparks usually self-destructed in the womb before being born, since their thought processes are much faster than mechs, and the increased pace made them unstable. Their sparks always dissolved. So the designers of the line made all the mechs capable of carrying a second spark and accepting programming input. It took some time to actually get our sparks to be able to split to create a second one, but they succeeded eventually, and well there you are." He leaned forward, optics half-moons and gleaming up at Optimus. "All seekers can procreate one way or the other, and while a seeker can only spark another seeker, we can also spark non-seekers if we merge with a non-seeker."

"That is… quite possibly the most disturbing thing I have ever considered." Optimus managed. "The concept of a mech sparking a second spark is a bit difficult to grasp."

Starscream snorted. "Don't worry. I have no intention of ever becoming a creator. Honestly, could you ever see me being a kind and loving father? Please." He snorted. "As long as we both use baffles, there's no chance of THAT happening."

"Good to know."

"But if it makes you feel better," Starscream tossed the sponge over his shoulder casually and leaned forward, looping his arms around Optimus' neck. "You are by far the best frag I have EVER had."

Optimus felt his face heat up, and he didn't resist as Starscream yanked his face down by his retracted facemask and kissed him firmly.

Needless to say, they wasted more water that day.