Two sparks, One pulse

Chapter 2: Pasts

His helm leaned forward and banged against the crib as he started crying, tears running thickly down his face. Who was he kidding? He wasn't a killer. Sure, he'd ended the lives of monsters he was made to fight in order to get money but he did that for a cause. This, was for his own selfish gain.

Ravage and Laserbeak both nuzzled him, trying to cheer him up as he cried just like the sparkling had. He wouldn't end up like his sire! He refused to be like him! This child didn't end his carriers life, he did! Soundwave had just been too blind to see that this little femme was innocent. It wasn't her fault she'd been born.

The teen was dragged out of his thoughts when he felt his tentacles being picked up and a strange feeling came over them. He lifted his helm to see the sparkling had stopped crying and now... she was laughing, a sound he didn't even think was possible.

She'd grabbed one of his tentacles in her tiny servos and was snuggling it. Out from under her chassis, small hatches had popped open to reveal her own small set of appendages. They were so much smaller and delicate but wrapped around him tightly. She rubbed her chubby cheek against it, finally looking happy and peaceful with a small smile on her face.

He'd tried to kill her, yet she loved him. There was no denying the feeling he felt seeping through the bond forming between them. She could feel he was her older brother. She didn't even know his name more or less her own, yet the unconditional love coming from this child washed over him like a river.

Soundwave forced himself to his pedes, leaning on the rails for support. He hurriedly wiped his face and then leaned down. The sparkling looked at him curiously as he gently picked her up, treating her like she was made of glass. His free tentacle wrapped around the base of the energon drip she was connected to and brought it over as he sat down on the berth.

Ravage hopped up and sat behind him while Laserbeak peered from his shoulder. 'You're beautiful.' Soundwave whispered down to the sparkling, using his thumb to rub her cheek. She smiled up at him. He doubted she understood what he was saying, but she knew from the tone of his voice.

The small femme reached up for him so he brought her closer. Upon going where she wanted, small arms latched on around his neck and she snuggled into him, giving the cutest yawn before closing her optics and almost instantly falling asleep.

Soundwave looked over at her medical files on the table next to them. Their carrier had lived long enough to name her.

'I'm sorry, Enigma,' Soundwave whispered, holding her tightly and rubbing her small back as she quietly slept, 'I promise as your big brother that from now on, I won't let anything happen to you.'

Months later——————

Happiness had returned to Soundwave's life as quickly as it had left him. Money was still a priority to him, but now, Enigma had taken its spot as his top thing. To him, it was worth the hours spent dragging his berth across the house and into her room so he could keep an eye on her. Every energon cube he denied himself to give to her was like the most precious gift he could offer.

He didn't care he was hungry. All that mattered to him was his little sister.

But there was still the issue of paying for food for her.

Sure his sire paid the bills for the house and for electricity, but after his carrier's death he'd just started drinking more so even the luxury of lights had been denied from the two youngsters. So, Soundwave did what he could to buy enough to sustain the small femme.

He fought monsters in the Pits to entertain the crowds and most nights would come home, dripping in energon and in a world of pain, but he'd get shanix for surviving in the arena and so could bring back food, always just in time to feed little Enigma.