AUDIO;

[inferiordude]

All right, so.

That was... a thing that happened, yeah? Eh-heh. Look...

I got no excuse for my behavior. I could blame the page I wrote on. I don't think I can. Not for me. I know what I said and did.

So I will say, I'm sorry for, uh. Bein' a downer.

Not too sure about singing right now. But I do got a piece to play for you all.

S'all I got. Take care, dudes. I'm gonna work on finishin' up the recreational center.


[ooc: Characters, if they listen to the piece, could feel inspired to be more determined!]

Comments

[ex_dishonestly997]

Are you calling me a liar? [he is so amused by the prospect he's trying not to lose it, keeping his face carefully composed.] Sure I'm looking out for you. While you wear that badge, you're not just one of His, you're one of ours.

[oh the telepathy, bummer. Yeah.] --I didn't handle that well. I'm not much of a ...I like my privacy, but I'm not excusing that I was a real aft.

[he pauses at that thing about Blurr, genuinely delighted by the prospect of having mech-candy for each arm] I should charge admission.

[inferiordude]

[He scoffs a little.] Psh, whatever. ... But I appreciate the sentiment, dude.

...I know. But you had good reason to be.

[That earns a nervous laugh.] Yeah, well. I'm just sayin', it's worth a point to see and make sure that ... I ain't gonna make this worse. With what I did, and. Sang.

[ex_dishonestly997]

[levelly, walking around the bar] Someone has to make sure you don't go jumping in front of any psychopaths.

Yeah, that's me. Mr. Justified.

[coming up close to him, almost helm-to-headband] Let me worry about Blurr. I can take care of all the dopy blue martyring mechs in my life.

[inferiordude]

I don't go jumpin' in front of them. ...Do I?

[By the time Soundwave realizes he's being approached, it's a little late; they're close. Very close, and his visor is brightening up in surprise. Haha, was that his internal fans kicking online or what?]

I... well. Yeah, okay, I... yeah, I trust you with that. [Of course, that makes sense.]

[ex_dishonestly997]

[his voice is low, silky, encouraging.] You like to prove you're more than just a nice guy, that you're brave. A fighter. You don't have anything to prove to me.

[he reaches out with both hands to stroke the little horn tips of Soundwave's helm, on either side. If this isn't genuine (and how could it be? Who could believe in Starscream the way he can't believe in himself?) it doesn't matter, he wants to take as much as he can from the fantasy that he's desired, and wanted, and cared about. It looks for a second like he's trying to decide whether he wants to kiss Soundwave silly or say something else, and he struggles for a second before deciding to make words, but it's a very near thing.] I'd sing to you, but I can't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow-alt.

[inferiordude]

[He's not much for arguing, but even if he was, Soundwave legitimately can't think of any reason to say that Starscream's wrong. Because... he's not.] Well, I... I guess that's true.

[The touching causes him to go very still. It feels like a long moment of fingertips tracing up, exploring his helm and it feels so nice. No one's touched him quite like that in awhile. His ember feels like it's burning a little more strongly.]

Eh-heh, just leave the singin' to me... [Gently, he leans into one hand, nudging towards it. Not quite a nuzzle.]

[ex_dishonestly997]

I still owe you, though. [and Starscream feels more than a little enthusiastic about paying back debts. The fact that Soundwave is nuzzling at his hand makes it easy for him to lean in and steal a kiss across the side of the morale officer's face.]

There. Now you can stop feeling guilty.

[inferiordude]

For what-- [Oh. Oh!

There's a soft surprised noise at the kiss; he holds still for the brief contact, and when Starscream moves away, his hand instinctively goes to touch the spot in disbelief.]

Th-thanks. So, um. This is okay?

[Soundwave is sort of waiting for it -- some kind of bummer news. He can roll with it, usually. Something like Starscream is already seeing someone, going to see someone, maybe it's Blurr, who knows, or... Starscream will disappear again.

That's sort of been his luck. He feels awful for expecting it.]

[ex_dishonestly997]

If my Megatron shows up, you have to be a little ...flintier around me. It's bad enough I'm spending time around Autobots and humans, I think he'd blow a gasket if he knew I was playing around like this.

[For Starscream, these interactions are a series of motions, corrections, compensations, a little like flying. Wrong moves threaten graveyard spirals, overcorrects are just as bad as no action at all. It's ...delicate.]

If you're okay with being my dirty little secret.

[inferiordude]

...I'm hoping he won't.

[Soundwave's tone takes a brief dip for the darker. He knows enough about that Megatron. More than he wished he ever did.

If he did show up... Soundwave isn't sure what he'd do. That'd all depend on what he remembered.

He shakes his head. Ah, no. Don't think about any of that. He has something good to celebrate here.]

Heh, I can deal with that. Not somethin' you wanna flaunt really, then?

[Gently, he takes on of Starscream's hands in his own. Not as shyly.]

[ex_dishonestly997]

[Starscream delicately discards the idea of digging around for Soundwave's thoughts on his Megatron. Better to let stasis-titans lie, for now.]

When I rule the world, I'll have you decked out in everything you ever wanted. You'll be so proud.

[it's hard to tell if that's a joke or not, the way he says it--the way his hand in Soundwave's curls, goes to grasp a little needily. You'll be so proud.]

We'll help finish the bar first. Little steps.

[inferiordude]

[It seems for Soundwave, he takes it as something humorous. He laughs quietly, raising Starscream's hand to kiss his fingers.]

Sounds like a good start to me. I'll keep it hush-hush, then.

[He might not be able to lie, but he can... uh. Obscure some things as needed.]