Archive of Our Own ^beta

"TRAITOR!!"

Starscream pointed his digit at the large shuttle before him, hissing through gritted denta. Optical ridges narrowed as the Seeker stared up at Skyfire, who looked down with...an amused smile.

"Star," Skyfire spoke softly, his vocaliser quieter than the other's. "You are overreacting. As usual."

"Don't give me that scrap! You are a traitor, and that's final!"

"...Over choosing Iacon?" Skyfire raised an optical ridge, finding no issue in his decision. He had the right to choose, even if it made him look like a traitor in his conjunx's point of view. He shook his helm, smile still present as he explained his reasoning. "The city-state with better statistics thus, higher chances of winning?"

Starscream's wings flapped in a rise of anger, fists down his sides. Ohh, Skyfire was in for it now.

"Over not picking Vos!" He folded his arms, huffing in disgust. "You are very well are that Vos is my homeland, and I expected you to take my side on the matter!"

"Star...," Skyfire's warm blue optics dimmed before lighting up again, unbelieving on Starscream's attitude, though it was to be expected. "...You don't even watch Basketrek games."

"I don't care!" the Seeker huffed, taking further offense at Skyfire's truth. "You still should've picked my city-state, Skyfire!"

"They are doing terribly at the sport, Starscream."

"How dare you!" the Seeker then flew up to Skyfire's faceplate, forehelms meeting. But before any rebuttal could come from either conjunx, a small sound from below was made from a new addition to the conversation.

"Mother?" questioned the small Scatterwing as they looked up at their parents. "Are you fighting with Father...?"

The question from the curious sparkling caused Starscream to quickly panic, as he flew down to reach Scatterwing's height.

"No! No, no...," he knelt down, with Skyfire soon joining him. "No fighting here, young one, just... a disagreement."

"A disa-what?"

Skyfire cleared the static in his throat before explaining. "Your Mother and I have chosen different teams to win for the next Basketrek match-"

"I know!" interrupted Starscream as he hatched a so-called brilliant plan in his processor. "Scatterwing, choose a city-state to win. Vos or Iacon."

"Um...," Scatterwing raised a digit to his mouth in thought, unsure of who to pick. The little sparkling liked to watch various Cybertronian sports (and introduced Earth games) on their home system, but was still learning the rules and names of teams. "...Turn?"

"Turn?" Starscream repeated his child's statement, scoffing at Scatterwing's still-developing processor. "There is no 'Turn', young one."

"I believe they are referring to 'Tarn', dear."

"Wh-I didn't even mention Tarn! And Tarn, of all places?! Ohhh, my entire family is full of traitors!"

He may have sounded upset, but Starscream's vocaliser grew less harsh and more dramatic to match his arms flailing in the air, much to Skyfire's amusement.

"Yes yes, Starscream," the large shuttle chuckled with a servo accompanying his faceplate, before realising it was past his sparkling's berth time. "Now, please move on from your dramatic performance, we have more important matters at hand."

"Hmmm?" the Seeker turned to his family before acknowledging the situation, with a tiny smirk directed at his sparkling.

"Scatterwing," he approached with folded arms, looking down at his young one. "What are you doing up so late, anyway? You are aware its past recharge time, correct?"

"Umm...," the sparkling tilted their head before grinning innocently, his wings fluttering. "No...?"

Both Starscream and Skyfire recognised that facial expression and gesture; the behaviour of a mischievous sparkling. But before Skyfire could grab his child with gentle servos, Scatterwing flew down the halls of their home, avoiding their responsibility to recharge.

"Get back here, you traitor!" called out Starscream with a smirk before taking flight to follow Scatterwing, his mood improved by the interruption. It was a good thing he was interrupted too, or else Starscream may have escalated his disagreement to new heights.

"Star, you won't believe who won the Basketrek match!"

"Oh, who?"

"Iacon."

"...I hate you."

"Love you too."