Work Text:
Soon after his arrival on Earth, Jazz began to take part in many missions. This one would have been a normal raid for him if it wasn’t for the familiar minicon flying overhead.
Jazz’s breath quickened, and his processor went blank. The only thing he could think of was to follow her.
Transforming into his new Earth alt mode, he raced after Lazerbeak through the canyons of the Decepticon mine.
And then he saw him.
Soundwave was facing some screens, organizing the evacuation, when Lazerbeak hovered next to him.
”What is it Lazerbeak?” he questioned through their bond.
”Turn around,” she told him.
He turned to see someone he lost long ago staring right at him.
’Jazz’
Lazerbeak shook from the ripples in the bond
The two stared at each other for a moment: Soundwave’s blank visor reflecting Jazz’s painfully neutral expression. Finally Jazz said in a strained tone, “Sounders?”
Then in a voice that hasn’t been used in a long time, Soundwave mustered, a quiet, simple, “Affirmative.”
“So,” Jazz let out a dry chuckle, “Have you missed me?” He tried to joke but there was a certain sincerity about it.
In response, Soundwave began to walk towards Jazz, “Affirmative.”
Images flashed on his visor, all of them pictures of Jazz:
Jazz laughing.
Jazz dancing.
Jazz holding his servo in his.
Soon the images changed to ones taken after Jazz’s arrival on Earth:
Jazz driving in his alt mode.
Jazz kicking a ‘con mid transformation.
Jazz observing a human settlement while on a rooftop.
“Stalker,” the Autobot smiled.
“Amateurish Spy,” Soundwave responded in a slightly amused tone.
Soundwave had now stopped in front of Jazz, who reached out a servo to brush against his visor, “I’ve missed seeing your visor, Sounders.”
Now gesturing to his new plating with his free servo, Jazz asked, “What do you think? Does the new Earth alt mode look good on me?”
“Correction,” Soundwave leaned into Jazz’s touch, “Everything ‘looks good’ on Jazz.”
A smirk grew on his face and he leaned in to kiss Soundwave on the visor. With one servo on his waist, Jazz whispered, “Good answer.”
As he began to wrap his servo around tighter, pulling Soundwave closer, Jazz stopped, “Where are the kids?” He laughed, “They must be dying over all this.”
Suddenly Soundwave melted into the smaller mech’s embrace and Jazz realized just how little plating Soundwave had comparatively. At first he had just thought it was due to the alt mode, but then it hit him. Jazz’s arms were wrapped around Soundwave, as if he could shield him from anymore harm, anymore grief.
“Is it just Lazerbeak now?” He said softly, already knowing the answer.
He felt Soundwave’s head nod from where it was resting on top of his own.
Jazz stroked Soundwave’s back to try to comfort him, “Did Megatron do anything about their deaths?”
“Megatron’s response was inadequate,” Soundwave’s voice slowed as he recalled what happened, “Ravage… deceased… Rumble… Frenzy… missing in action, fate unknown, fate most likely… deceased.”
“I am so sorry, Sounders,” Jazz told him, “I’m going to miss those trouble makers.”
“Affirmative.” Soundwave agreed solemnly.
They stood there, relishing this stolen moment away from the battlefield, relishing being in each others arms again. Finally, Jazz took a step back, “Sounders… what are we doing.”
Soundwave moved to take Jazz’s servo once more but the other moved it away.
“Is it true that you helped Megatron try to do irreparable damage to Earth?” There was a note of desperation in his voice.
Again, Soundwave took a step forward, only for Jazz to step back, “Sounders, OP has said… he’s said you’ve hurt, that you’ve killed, human bystanders. Is that true?”
The Decepticon became stiffer as he played with clips of Jazz, Optimus, and then even long gone voices of the Cybertronian High Council, “~OP has said~~I do not believe in the caste system~~I am Optimus Prime~~Optimus Prime will lead the fight against the treacherous Decepticons~”
“Don’t avoid my question,” Jazz turned serious, “You know I care about other life forms. You know that I would care about this planet. So why are you working to destroy it!?”
“~The Decepticon Cause~—” he began to replay the recording of Megatron.
“What is the Decepticon Cause nowadays anyways!?!?” Jazz interrupted, “Destroy planets? Destroy civilizations? Do not say you don’t know what places look like after your side has left it!”
Switching back to his real voice, Soundwave declared, “I am on our side, Jazz. I am on Megatronus’ side.”
Jazz threw his servo in the air, “Except it’s not Megatronus anymore. It’s Lord Megatron. And guess what! I want to be on our side, but I’m also with OP!”
“Orion Pax or Optimus Prime?”
He stopped abruptly as Soundwave continued, “He is not Orion Pax anymore. He wields the Matrix, he is a Prime. The Primes have made so many unjust laws-“
“OP will not do that,” Jazz said defiantly.
“For now,” Soundwave got closer, “But soon he will be a fully corrupted servant of the Matrix.”
“You don’t know a thing about OP,” Jazz persisted, “At least my leader isn’t trying to save us from tyranny and gave us freedom through more tyranny and oppression and conquest.”
“None of our leaders are who they used to be,” Soundwave agreed, “But I will not follow a Prime. Megatron has plans-“
“Megatron is the reason why our species is going extinct,” Jazz mentioned bitterly.
“Megatron is the reason we can be together!” Soundwave yelled, his stoicism, gone, “By the rules of the High Council, a council your prime represents, those of two different castes cannot be together. If it wasn’t for Megatron, I would be still be in chains.”
“And I would have worked myself dead to free you, to buy you out!” The other said desperately.
“The High Council would have never let me go.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do know that, and so do you. You know what I did.”
“And I didn’t care,” Jazz said exasperated, “I didn’t care as long as you came back, alive, every night. As long as I could see you, and love you. Even if it was in secret.”
“The difference between you and me, the error in your fantasy, was that I could see my chains, and that you couldn’t see yours. That you didn’t see that we were all slaves in the caste system… Some just had more benefits than others.”
Jazz stopped, “Sounders, I am sorry-“
.:Jazz, what is your location?:. went through his comms.
.:Not now Ratchet:. he tried to send quickly but Soundwave was already walking away.
“No! Sounders! Wait!” Jazz rushed after him but Soundwave was already opening his ground bridge.
.:Jazz, are you in danger?:.
Soundwave looked back on Jazz before stepping through.
“NO!” He yelled as he jumped to catch Soundwave in time only to land in the dusty ground of the mine.
’No…’