TFP - Freezing Absence

2. Cruel, But Loved

“How come you don’t like to talk, SoundWave?” Flare looked up at the guardian-esque mech, tilting her helm. “I mean, I know sometimes people can be mean, but most of ‘em can be super nice! Okay, Daddy isn’t that nice all the time, but he’s just sad. It’s okay to be sad because if you’re not sad, then you won’t heal. I was sad about Mommy, too, I still am sometimes, but I remind myself that I still have Daddy and things will be okay, you know? Are you sad, SoundWave? Is that why you don’t talk so much? You can tell me if you’re sad, you know. I won’t be mean to you. Promise.”

The dark mech glanced at her from beneath his visor, emotionless, aside from the slight incline of his helm giving him a hint of curiosity. Flare had lived with his tiny gestures her entire life. Interpreting them now was second nature, and she looked down. “I was searching the web again. I got bored. Sire doesn’t like the words. Said he’ll hit me if I use them again. I just like them, SoundWave. They’re nice. They sound pretty. Don’t tell him I was using them again. He said he’ll hit me.”

“And yet you still adore him, don’t you, Femme? Such a pity. You’d be a wonder on the field if my hunch is correct. But all you ever do is pander after your sire, praising him and loving him no matter what he throws at you.” The new voice scoffed, shaking his slender helm. “Such a fool to adore him at all.”

Scatter glanced over at the mech who’d entered. She’d recognized his slick vocalizer the second he’d begun speaking, as had SoundWave. “Well, you stick around, too, StarScream. I don’t really think you can talk about me. He’s my father and I love him. You don’t even like him, do you? You’re not very nice that way.”

StarScream laughed harshly, stalking over to the pair, glaring at the small femme with his scarlet optics. “Oh, I stick around, all right. I am a loyal Decepticon, after all, Flare.”

“You’re mean, StarScream. I see the way you look at him and I don’t like it.”

“Well, what are you going to do about it?” StarScream challenged, grinning. Flare frowned, speechless.

~~~

“Daddy! Dad-!” Flare bit her lip, swallowing the words as she ran down the halls, her smile back in a matter of moments. “Sire!” She came to a screeching halt in the main gathering hall, currently occupied by Megatron, KnockOut, BreakDown and StarScream.

“Are your tasks understood?” Megatron questioned, looking every single one of them over critically, leaving no room for doubt in his processor, or theirs. “You will scour the mine with the drones and bring back whatever scraps those slagging Autobots haven’t gotten their hands on yet. If you see the Autobots, do not hesitate to execute them.”

“Understood, my liege,” StarScream replied too smoothly, bowing in front of Megatron, the other two following suit. “We shall return successful or not at all.”

“Then get going,” Megatron said curtly, motioning for them to leave. After calling SoundWave for a bridge, the trio left to oversee the mines and prepare for a possible Autobot ambush. Only after they’d been gone for a few moments and the bridge had closed did Megatron look down at ScatterFlare. “What is it, Flare? Don’t you have other things to do? Did SoundWave not draft a day of tasks for you?” He began stalking away, shifting his processor through other things that had to be done. The energon reserves had to be counted, the ship needed maintenance, the training area had to be cleaned.

Scatter nodded quickly. “Yes, Sir. I finished my tasks early so I could come see you.”

Megatron huffed, shaking his helm. “Why on Cybertron would you want to do that?”

She smiled sheepishly, shrugging. “Because I missed you, Daddy. Did you miss me?”

He frowned, turning away from her. “No.”

“Oh . . .” Flare glanced down, then back up, hope filling her optics. “Is that because you were so busy you couldn’t miss me? I know I missed you a lot, but I don’t focus as well as you do, Daddy. I try though, promise. You’re just so good at that stuff, Daddy. It’s part of the reason why I love you.”

Slowly, Megatron vented, collecting himself. “I do not love you, Flare.”

She smiled, walking over, gripping his digit in her servo gently. “That’s okay, Daddy. I know you still hurt. I still hurt, too, but you need me to hear that I love you more than I need to hear that you love me. It’s okay. Promise.”

A lash of anger whipped out of him for a moment and the warlord lost control, his hand whipping back, striking Flare across the cheek, sending her stumbling back against the metal floor as she crashed onto her back. A loud ‘clang’ resonated, speaking plenty for the pain she felt on the impact.

For a moment, Megatron scowled, pure contempt crossing his faceplate. Though once he realized what exactly he’d done, he froze, watching her, unable to bring himself to move to her or away. He wasn’t sure what to do.

“Ah . . .” Flare whimpered, shifting her weight so she sat back up. “I . . . I’m sorry I forgot you warning, Sire . . .” She rubbed her cheek where he’d struck, wincing slightly at the pain. I’ll be better. I love you.”

Megatron frowned, watching her, unable to speak. Even if he could, he didn’t think he’d know what to say to her. Flare stood, a blue splotch working it’s way onto her cheek. She walked over to him slowly, wrapping her arms around his leg tightly. “I’ll give you a little time to miss me this time, okay? Sorry I messed up. I’ll let you take care of your business-y stuff now.”

Flare let go, then walked out of the room, taking off to find SoundWave, who had become her primary caretaker since her carrier had passed. It was obvious why Megatron had designated the silent mech the caretaker of the small femme -- he just didn’t have the patience to care for a sparkling. Not when that flicker of mischief in her optics was so much like her carrier’s, even if it was involuntary.

Megatron wondered how much Flare would take after her carrier; he wondered how much she would take after him. Of course, there was that constant trait of hers that didn’t seem like it belonged to either of her parents: her consistent affection. Even her carrier had been bitter, and Megatron was just as much so. Her behavior was illogical, more so considering where she’d spent her entire life cycle as of yet.

ScatterFlare had never left Nemesis. The Autobots didn’t even know of her existence, at least not yet, and Megatron planned to keep it that way. He didn’t need the noble Autobots intervening with Flare, tempting her with some life that would require her to change loyalties, and for her to fight him, for him to fight her on the field of battle. If the time came and fate pressed them to the wire, would Megatron be able to slay his own offspring?

She belonged with them, didn’t she? Flare belonged with the Autobots. Her behavior suggested she was one of them, at least. Megatron decided he would speak with Flare, and see how she reacted to the information about the Autobots. If she wished to go to them . . .

He would cross that bridge when it came. But if it came down to it, it wouldn’t hurt quite so much to send her away as it would be to have her turn her back on him and be blindsided. Megatron huffed, striking his fist against the cold metal wall.

She was too young to think about things like this.

She was his . . .