Chapter Text
Ever since Starscream woke up from Megatron’s latest beating, he hasn’t been the same…
Usually, Starscream acts more anxious around Megatron but after a while he returns to his grumpy self…
But not this time… this time something just… broke inside of his mind.
The moment the seeker woke up, his crimson optics were a dull, lifeless grey.
He was quiet and agreed with everything he was told with a blank, tired look on his face.
His wings always hanged low.
He worked almost endlessly with his tasks, acting like a simple machine.
Almost everyone was both disturbed and concerned for him, especially Knockout and Breakdown.
Neither of them weren’t exactly Starscream’s BFF, but they knew better then anyone about how much damage Megatron truly gives to his Second-In-Command’s body.
And yet Starscream always acts like it’s not a big deal before…
In the end, it was too much for his mind to handle.
The Commander has lost so much over the years…
His best friend…
His brothers…
His home…
His world…
His dignity…
All he had left was his desire to survive and the hope that the war would be over…
...But it never will be.
Because Megatron and Optimus has made sure of that.
One refuses to kill the other, even though it would ensure their side’s victory.
Starscream was so close to ending the war.
He was so close to killing the Prime.
He was so close to finally go back home.
But because every world sees him as a joke, of course tyrant would wake up from his coma in time to save Prime and put Starscream in his own coma.
When Starscream lied there, in a dreamless state he finally realized this truth.
And so, his hope faded as did his will to live.
He doesn’t care about anything anymore, not even himself.
He had become an empty, broken shell.
A stringless puppet for the Warlord to use.
Starscream finally learned his place.
And yet for some reason, Megatron was angry about this…
No matter what he did, Starscream would not react anymore.
The jet would take every criticism, insult and hit without even a flinch or a whimper.
He would simply agree with everything with that same tired face.
Even when Megatron threatened to make someone else his Second, Starscream only blinked at him and said “...Okay.”
Megatron punched him and the commander simply stands back up and tries to get back to work.
This enraged Megatron even more for some reason.
And so, in the Warlord’s desperation for Starscream to return to his old self… Megatron tore off Starscream’s wings.
Starscream didn’t make any sounds throughout the process and his face remained the same, except for the tears silently streaming down those dull grey optics.
The usually apathetic vehicons all felt sick to their tanks.
Breakdown rushed Starscream to Knockout as fast as he could.
After the medic fixed his wings, Starscream gave them both a sad smile, the stains of tears still on his face.
“Thank you Knockout and Breakdown… I know you only fixed me because it’s your job, but I am still grateful… even though I never said it before…”
Starscream stood up.
“I… hope to see both of you later…”
The jet walked out of the Medbay, ignoring Knockout’s insistence to stay and heal.
Starscream had no idea what he was doing, it was like his body had a mind of it’s own.
One moment he was in the hall, the next he had a piece of that accursed dark energon in his claws and then next he was in the desert, near Skyquake’s grave…
Starscream slowly removed the giant rocks to reveal Skyquake’s corpse and pierced the body’s chest with the shard…
...And then he lied on the ground to wait…
Slowly Skyquake awakened growling and hissing, as he walked over to Starscream to tear his spark out…
Starscream smiled peacefully and closed his optics…
Skyquake’s claws were grazing where his spark is almost gently…
“Skyfire, Skywarp, Thundercracker… I’m coming home…”
Just when the beast was about to strike, a shot of light blasted it’s arm off.
Followed by many more shots that brought Skyquake down.
“...What?”
Next thing he knew, Starscream had guns aimed at him from the Autobots.
Oh… I guess it doesn’t matter how he died, as long as the deed is done.
Starscream relaxes and smiles again.
This seemed to disturb the Autobots.
Were they all expecting him to cower?
To beg for his life?
Had he truly become that worthlessly pathetic?
… He already knew the answer, but he still didn’t care.
He simply wanted it all to end.
He was tired and he missed his family.
He wanted to go home.
The cuffs on his wrists jolted him from his own thoughts and horror embraced his spark for the first time in days.
The Autobots were going to take him as a prisoner.
They were going to torture him for information.
They were going to beat him in revenge.
They were probably going to destroy what’s left of his broken mind with the patch.
They were going to keep him alive!
… Unless…
“… I destroyed Cliffjumper… he’s dead because of me.”