Starscream turned over in the berth. All he wanted to was watch Optimus breathe in and then out. Such sweet and innocent movements. He looked like the sweetheart that rescued him days ago from certain doom. Mm why couldn't he have given him something in the return? He owed him and he knew it. But now the price was bigger; now he had to repay Prime for this home, for his love and trustworthiness to him. Implicit trust… never ending trust. Primus, why couldn't Prime leave him be like the rest of the Autobots, Decepticons too in fact; why couldn't he have been mistreated and left to decay and rust by himself? … Well because Optimus knew he didn't want that. By the looks of it, neither did he.

Goodness look at the time: 1:33.

He nestled his way into Optimus Prime's uncovered front, pulling the soft down-blanket up past their shoulders. He must have been too heated earlier.

Optimus sighed. It was 3:45 in the morning and he'd been coming online during the night these past solar cycles. It was awful. He thought his overload earlier would have sent him off to dreamland like they always did. Primus, they felt damn good.

But there was no way he would disturb his little seeker from his much needed rest. Optimus turned his helm away from the ceiling to watch the tiny frame next to him bustle in its slumber. He cooed to Starscream. He mewled and crooned. The occasional purr passed his lips, although considering his size, it was more like an engine turning over. Nonetheless, Starscream liked hearing it. He did too in his sleep.

"Mmm… 3:56. Time for recharge again, sweetspark," he said calmly. Starscream was clutching the sheets by his mouth, nuzzling the fabric at Optimus' words.

"I love you… good night." And with that, Optimus kissed his helm and curled to the berth with his arm around his beloved. This would surely help him rest.

Starscream whimpered and turned over. Feeling the sheets against his back was better than being faceplate down, but something was missing.

He shifted once again. Nowhere was comfortable. Starscream grew more upset and frustrated by the microsecond and he lashed out, clawing the berth and writhing against the mat. Slowly he calmed, his angers leaving him fragment by fragment until he nuzzled his helm into the pillow as he turned back around onto his front. This was such a rough night…

He writhed again, rubbing a little against the mat with his hips moving in a steady undulating rhythm. Mmmh that felt exquisite.

The heating flier let out a small sound before he recalled his partner in the berth alongside him. Dear Primus did he feel this? No… Optimus was heavily doused in sleepiness; he was so tired looking even now, that was until he smiled softly and turned over to his right side. He was still in deep slumber.

Starscream told his processor over and over to remain quiet. He had learned how to be silent in overload from countless nights in his room, berth next to the wall where Soundwave was asleep. A single peep and he would have come over to check him thoroughly. Such a worrisome bot, always on his game.

Keeping an optic on his lover, he slowly crept back down, spreading his pedes enough to press his panel against the berthmat. The best objects were ones that eluded grasp. Teasing oneself was just such a turn on to him. After all, he and Optimus would practice together late at night when both were restless. However, he seemed fairly quiet in his recharge. Hopefully, Starscream would not wake him.

Naughtily, Starscream kept his optics focused on the sleeping giant. He rubbed against the underlying mattress and buried his moans into the puffy pillow in front of him.

"M-mmh mmff!" he wailed, the sounds muffled incredibly by the faceplateful of fabric.

Try as he might have not to, he leaked. Everything he would make would most likely not dry by morning… but this was a risk he was willing to take. What fun was playing without making a mess?

Static crept along him, tingling his stick-like frame to its core before he let out a hardly concealed yelp. He was racing through this process; there was no time for allowing his sounds to escape. The Autobot would be scared to death to see this. Surely startled. Then again it was awfully dark and- no, how dare he think this. Optimus would smack him or something worse; he'd probably boot him out of the room for being… mmh for being a bad boy.

Curling at the thought, he bucked sharply before overloading. Starscream bit the fabric until it nearly tore a hole. Primus and Unicron that felt splendid. And all the while Optimus was fast asleep. The seeker lie in his mess and that bot would never know.

The following morning, perhaps 9 or 10, Optimus awoke. He felt quite hungry. Well no wonder; his systems were pinging him with several alerts from his low fuel gage. Pushing down flatly with his servos, he lifted himself up from his impression in the berth. A new bed was going to be needed… this slight back pain was getting to be a real bother.

Optimus rubbed his optics and glanced over at his berthmate who was cuddled cozily in the berth. He leant to the side, petting his helm softly, careful not to wake him. Lightly, ever so lightly he pulled the sheets up past his shoulders, keeping his heat close.

"Good morning," he whispered, before sitting all the way up and exiting.

Ratchet was in the main room when he arrived. He too was seated, downing his morning ration of Energon. Odd it seemed: Ratchet usually enjoyed eating alone...

This time, Bumblebee was seated directly beside him, making a strange noise. The yellow scout didn't have a ration to himself. Ratchet grabbed his and fed Bumblebee, tentatively giving him sips. Bumblebee gave coos of appreciation and nuzzled the medic's wide forearm. It… was a sweet gesture.

Optimus stood by and watched for a while as he leaned against the doorframe. The two of them together was not something unusual at all but it was rare to be able to witness it. Polar opposites they were, yet Ratchet treated that yellow mech as his own sparkling. Since the young mech's retrieval from an abandoned building, by no other than Ratchet himself, they had been inseparable at quite random moments. Not every minute was dedicated to one another, but the love was constant.

The smallest bot was chirping and the medic was cooing to him very quietly, obviously aware this was morning-ration time for all bots in the base.

"Hush, Bee. The others might be near."

Squeaking and beeping was what Bumblebee responded with. Then he turned his helm to the doorway.

Optimus nodded to him and left with his nearly empty Energon container. He wished deeply that he hadn't been caught; he should have been quieter, or something else. Optimus wanted them to bond and feed and play with one another. Friendship was growing more precious each solar cycle, and there was nothing he relished more than having his team be his family.

Once he returned to his quarters, he found his seeker cross-peded on their berth.

"Oh. Hello, little seeker. Are you in need of something?" Optimus queried, walking alongside the mattress. The flier didn't move immediately until he was into Optimus' servos as he brushed along the collar of Starscream.

Shaking his helm, he spoke inwardly, "You. B-but I heard your medic earlier… he requests your assistance."

"I understand… but you appear distressed."

He shook his helm, ending with his vision geared downward. "I'll be well."

"… I feel you are not speaking the truth," Optimus stated, sitting down and drawing the other mech into his arms. Starscream looked deep through his ruby optics, mewling to his partner.

"I… I…" he began.

Optimus pressed a digit to his mouth, silencing him as he kissed him. "Tell me when you are ready. There is no pressure unless this force is hurting you."

Nodding, the flier arched up into the blue bot's arms, remaining close to him as he was carried out for another day with the Autobots.