re_alignment | [video] backdated to several days ago

Jetfire, they are going to trace this signal!

I'm coming just give me a bit. [He's fast, but he can't teleport. Doesn't make him wish any less that he could right now. Starscream's tone is just... wrong.]

Who, they? Keep talking, Starscream.

I can't talk any longer they'll find me ...

[He's just going to hang up again]

[He has the time for an exasperated (if worried) noise right before Starscream hangs up. But since he does have enough he knows exactly where Starscream is, Jetfire doesn't attempt to call again.

All he wonders, as he ends up standing in front of the closet, is if Starscream has been here the whole time.]

Starscream, I'm... er, alone out here. Could you come out?

[He could force that closet open, of course, but that might not be the best course of action.]

[Jetfire might hear a muffled scream from inside the closet as soon as he starts speaking.]

Jetfire?! No! I'm staying in here where it is safe ... they'll get me out there.

[he's never going to admit it, but he actually jerked at Starscream's... shriek, half a step back and took his rifle out, looking around for actual threats - nothing here, of course.

What in the name of Cybertron had Starscream so spooked, and why? It just... didn't make sense. With a frown, he put the rifle back and laid a hand on the door.]

What'd get you? I can't actually help keeping whatever... ah, it might be unless you tell me.

The piranacons ... they're out there ... waiting for me. DON'T LET THEM IN.

[Even though Starscream was still in the closet.]

The... [Things in that tank Fracas had gotten? Why was Starscream so affected by them? Even if it's obvious this level of... outright fear is, on some level, anomalous. He shook his helm slowly and eyed the controls to the closet, then decided to be patient for a bit more.]

Starscream, I'm alone in the room and the door is closed. There is no... er, piranacons out here, and they won't get in either. I promise. It's safe to come out.

[This is the oddest conversation he's ever had with Starscream, and it's just all wrong.]

No, it's not. They are out there! Waiting.

[Nope. Not coming out. Not ever.]

Edited 2014-04-14 05:20 (UTC)

... Right. [This was utterly bizarre and it also made something sort of ache in the circuits around his spark chamber, like the cyberstatic energy flowing through it at each pass of his spark pulse was slightly too much.

It was very uncomfortable hearing Starscream be like this. Shaking his helm, Jetfire eyed the closet again. He had a few options here; force the closet open, which would most probably require it be repaired, he could just wait Starscream out, try to talk him out slowly, or he could do something to make him get out himself.

Ideally, he should choose the second option, but how long had Starscream been like this? Jetfire wasn't sure he could, should wait Starscream out.

With that thought in mind...]

Starscream, I... er, hate to point this out, but have you properly... ah, inspected the closet? What if they've managed to get in there? Or are in the process of getting in?

[This was pretty mean, but, well. He was pretty sure that if he bent the closet up that would also distress Starscream, so whichever method chosen didn't precisely matter.]

[Oh Jetfire you are truly a terrible person because as soon as he says that Starscream starts to consider the idea.

What if.

What if they are in there with him!?

So the door flies open and he just slams into Jetfire with a shriek.]

[Yeah, that wasn't nice at all, but he'd apologise later and just catch Starscream as he came barrelling out, staggering back a step with the surprising force used.]

It's okay.

[Wincing, because that didn't seem enough at all, Jetfire hesitated for a moment, hands sort of... hovering above Starscream as he tried to figure out what to do and what would be needed to do.

He didn't know.

Because Starscream simply didn't act like this - must be something like what was going around. But that didn't make this any less real right now. So in the end he simply lifted Starscream up, hugging him to his chestplates as well as he could and crossed the room, sitting down on the berth.]

There's nothing out here, Starscream.

[Well. That was okay since Jetfire wasn't a piranacon. Unless he was a piranacon in disguise. But that would be silly. Right? Right?]

They could get in! I need to ... Barricade the doors.

[And that was when he'd start to try and get out of Jetfire's grasp in order to go do that. If they didn't lock things down something might get in!]

[Yes, very silly. Very, very silly.]

You're staying right here!

[Jetfire tightened his grip around Starscream and contemplated simply claiming the door was locked (which it wasn't), but decided for another course of action instead.

Standing up from the berth, he deposited Starscream on it, pressing Starscream down with a hand on his cockpit. He wouldn't really mind Starscream locking the door if he didn't have a sneaking suspicion Starscream would get another flash of paranoia/fear and run to hide elsewhere.]

Stay, please. I'll go lock the door. Just sit... ah, still.

[And if Starscream can remain still, he'll do exactly as he said he would, locking the door.]

[Starscream doesn't respond, instead just stares at Jetfire.

But unfortunately, he got a flash of paranoia just as Jetfire went for the door, which resulted in him bolting for it as well.

Because what if Jetfire left. Or what if Jetfire let them in?!]

[It's probably a good idea he's reasonably aware of whenever, and how, Starscream moves (self preservation and all), which has him turn around just in time to have Starscream clatter against his front, pushing him back against the door, instead of... whatever else might have happened.]

Starscream--- [Not sighing. Not exasperated, but what does he do with this? So he'll just wrap one arm around Starscream's waist while the other actually locks the door.] Why are you... er, the door is locked now, see?

[Gesturing aside to the door controls, Jetfire hesitates before running just the tips of a few fingers down the back of a shoulder vent and along the nosecone.]

You could have let them in!

[Starscream actually tries to get out of Jetfire's grasp because this could be a thing.

What if Jetfire let them in as he was locking the door and neither of them noticed?! It was possible.

Which is why he's also looking around the room in complete paranoia.]

Except I didn't. There's nothing in here except the two of us, so can you please... er, settle down?

[Not that he'd let Starscream worm out of his grip, because if he did Starscream would probably attempt to leave. ... Or lock himself in the closet again, or any number of other things.

So he just tightens the arm he has around Starscream's waist, thumb stroking the metal distractedly while he crosses the floor and gets back on the berth.]

How long since you recharged Starscream?

[Sure, like energon, they didn't need a lot at any given time, and could go longer without recharge than energon but it built up. And with how Starscream was, Jetfire wasn't sure Starscream had been able to relax and feel safe enough for a proper power-down and defrag.

And he also hoped the abrupt question would distract the Seeker.]

[Damnit Jetfire, why do you have to be so big and make it difficult for him to squirm out of your grasp. Which Starscream is still attempting to do the whole time Jetfire moves them.]

I ... Don't change the subject! I have to do something to keep them from getting in. They'll get through the door and then ...

[He needed to find a safer place to hide.]

[Forget it, Starscream, you're not going anywhere. He grunts quietly as Starscream continues to get away, and basically enscones the Seeker between his legs, arms around him and ankles around Starscream's.

Not going anywhere.]

It's a pertinent question considering I've been looking for you for several days, and with you being this... ah, agitated over the whole thing, it's not a change of subject since it relates to it.

And get through the door how? Do they consume building-grade material as well as our living metal? Not even scraplets do that, you're aware. [Jetfire's pretty much very grateful over the fact that he is as big as he is - obviously not the same size difference between the two of them as there is between Starscream and Skyfire, but it's more than enough to keep Starscream trapped.

So he just sighs into the back of Starscream's helm, leaning the front of his helm against the dark metal as he tries to stroke what he can of Starscream's armour without loosening his grip any.]

They might be able to. I am not taking that chance.

[Which is why he is not resting. Ever. Though at the strokes his frame relaxes ... for a few seconds before he tenses up again.

He can't relax. Not now. Not when they could somehow get through the door and consume his entire body. They were out there, waiting for him. He knew it. Why couldn't Jetfire understand just how serious this is?!]

Starscream... [At least there was a brief moment where he did relax, so Jetfire doesn't stop the caresses. Rather keeps them up as rhythmically and smoothly as he can, over Starscream's arms, down his thighs, back up and along the cockpit before he repeats the motion... and makes sure he's still keeping Starscream in place.]

I can keep watch for you.

Just a breem, maybe? [Jetfire's pretty sure that if he can just get Starscream to even begin recharge, he'll stay that way for a good while if he has been awake for as long as it seems.]

But if something happens to you, I'll be completely defenseless.

[Which means he needs to go crawl away somewhere and never go into recharge ever again. He can like .. rig himself up to a generator or something to keep from losing power.]

I'm not taking that risk!

If something happens to me, I'll wake you up. [Though that would doubtfully satisfy Starscream in his current state, so what... Ah. Shifting around a little so that he was properly leaning back against the wall, Jetfire let one hand continue up beyond the cockpit on the next pass.]

But if you're... ah, concerned about it and me being unable to... alert you in time, we could plug in.

[Touching the back of Starscream's neck and the hidden connections there, Jetfire hoped Starscream would agree. Besides actually working as a connected warning systems since any greater disturbance in his own processing would carry over to Starscream, he hoped that it'd be another way to make Starscream relax.]

[Starscream looks like he's about to protest, but then he pauses and ... considers the idea. Maybe. Just maybe that would work.]

Okay. I will do this ...

[He pauses again.]

But if anything goes wrong, all bets are off. I am not letting those things get me!

[Those very imaginary things that aren't really there.]

[video] backdated to several days ago

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