Chapter Text
Heatwave couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing due to the anxiety and pressure he was feeling. The weakest part of him wanted to run but there were bots at every corner of this stadium, anyone would see him leave and cause a bigger problem than what he already had. Today was the day, …he was going to tell the world he’s the Prime, …Prometheus.
It all feels so surreal, like a sort of vivid dream that would only come in the deepest depths of his processor. But it wasn’t, it was all too real and too fast for his taste. He was in a backroom area right outside the main stage and podium, everyone else was out there getting everyone inside and making sure everything went according to plan and ceremony. Chase, Quickshadow, Accelerate, and Hotshot were seated already to make sure his conjunxes and kids didn’t get crowded when everything began. Blades and Boulder were also seated right next to them. He wasn’t even able to talk with them before he was ushered in which just filled him with dread without hearing their voices. He had a few datapads with him that he’d spent hours and hours of writing, trying to figure out what the Pit he was ever going to say. None of them felt right, they didn’t …feel like him. He asked for some advice from Orion, but lately it seemed like he was pulling back from helping him, which didn’t help to ease his nerves. None of the speeches he attempted to make ever sounded like it was his voice, his mind speaking out the thoughts and feelings of becoming a messiah figure.
He only had what, half an hour until he had to get up there and speak his spark out? It’s not enough time, it’s never enough time. He didn’t know what he was going to do, …even if deep down he knew the words that he’d been keeping within his spark for the longest time. But if he were to say them, what would it mean for his relations with the Autobots, the Decepticons, neutral, everyone, …if he were to say what he truly felt was needed to be heard.
“Rather pathetic to find the Prime moping in the dark like this. Turn on the light at least.” With the flick of a switch the lights in the room turned on. Heatwave blinked as he adjusted his optics to the change in lighting to see the one and only infamous sky commander himself, Starscream.
“What are you doing here?” It wasn’t as though the two were true enemies or rivals during the war, neither caused a personal pain to the other, but when you’re on opposite sides with widely different views on things with one of them being one of the main players of the war, tension was the word to describe the room.
“What can’t I come in and congratulate you on your promotion? From a firefighter to a Prime, that is a jump in position that makes me laugh from the absurdity of it.”
“Are you really just here to make fun of me or you’re slowly getting to a point?” He didn’t need this right now, not only was he anxious, he was now getting annoyed.
“I just want to know what you plan to say. Getting a sneak peek of what Cybertron’s new leader will say to the masses is important for a bot of my status."
“Too bad, not telling anyone.”
“Because you don’t even know what you’ll say?” That caused Heatwave to pause, Starscream smiling at the break of composure.
“Don’t think I’m blind to all the datapads. Reminds me of my academy days, would write and write and never find the right one to submit. That was small fry compared to what you’ll have to do.”
“…What’s the point in all of this?”
“…You’re one of the few bots I’ve encountered after all of ..this ended, that seemed to hate us, as much as you hate your own faction. If I can even call it yours.”
“What are you talking about, hate?”
“Hate, tolerance, ‘respect’, whatever adjective to describe how you speak to others, but all of it is just the same. You’ve let in cadets of Decepticon origin, from the most innocent to ones with records that could make anyone scream in terror. And yet you still yell at the older ones with the same glossa as you do with ones of Autobot alignment. Some more than others but still, you treat the ones who’ve drawn energon as though they were unruly students, which ..they are but still. No matter who, the one thing I’ve heard consistently about the things coming from your voice box, like ‘I don’t care if you’re a war criminal or if you were in the background, get off your ass and do it better.’, or something like that.”
“..Where’s this going?”
“Its just interesting is all, how treat yourself as though you’re not an Autobot? Despite how much Optimus or well Orion wished to say he didn’t have bias towards the Autobots when it came to the reconstruction, well ..we both know that’s a lie right?”
“…”
“Now now, don’t go quiet on me. Where’s that fire I hear so much about? You can feel the bias in everyone, including me right? The need to make sure your faction gets the most out of the war’s end. ..But it’s not a faction’s ideology that makes you the way you are. Oh no no no, I’ve seen what a bot who follows the Autobot code is like, you however,” the sounds of snickering turning into guttural laughter come out of Starscream as he finds this the funniest thing he’s encountered in his life, “you’re no Autobot are you?!”
The sounds of a datapad cracking in half rang out in the room. Heatwave set down the broken datapad as he stood up and looked eye to eye with Starscream, the multichanger was a touch shorter than the seeker but still able to be at eye level. This is what he was waiting for, for the Prime to show his true colors, the rage, the aggression, he was recording the entire conversation since the moment he came in. He was going to show the world how unfit this mech was to ever be a leader, just one punch and his possible respect and power as prime would all be over before it ever began if a little mockery from Starscream of all bots riled him up.
The second Heatwave lifted his hand Starscream could practically taste the defeat of the new Prime. He’s been hit before, the pain will fade as the delight will take in from his wrath. …But when Heatwave gently put his hand on the seeker’s shoulder, Starscream realized that what he planned was flawed from the start, and the second those words came from Heatwave’s mouth, it was a high level of unknown that Screamer had ever felt in his life, he didn’t know what was going to happen.
“…You’re right. …I’m really not, am I?” It was one thing for someone to ever say that Starscream of all mechs was right. It was entirely another thing when what he was right about was someone admitting that they weren’t of the faction they supposedly were for years. He felt unbridled glee, he found something that would shatter any faith that his prior ever had in him. But he did his best to keep a neutral expression as Heatwave continued as he let go of the seeker. “…How’d you figure it out?”
“Well, …I’ve seen you look over the very code that leads your faction, or what was to you, with a face like how I look at Megatron. The pieces fell into place after.” While some of it was true seeing Heatwave read over the code once or twice, Starscream was fully pulling all of this out of his aft, …and being dead to rights.
“..Thought I was being subtle with that. …I mean part of it is because it’s a long and hard read for me. …The other part…”
“…Tell me, oh dear and knowing Prime, what do you believe about the Autobot Code?”
“…Sigh, ….its the dumbest piece of slag I’ve ever read.” For Heatwave this was a moment of vulnerability and truth to someone he could effectively say it to without being immediately hunted down by those who saw him as a steady ally. For Starscream, it's the greatest show he’s ever been a witness to.
“Is that SO? Oh this is amazing, you, a bot that Optimus Prime himself before his fall from grace, the bot who has called you one of the greatest examples of his mantra he preaches to the Allspark, ‘Freedom is a right of all sentient beings’, you, YOU, deem the Autobot code the biggest piece slag you’ve read?!!!”
“BECAUSE I DONT NEED A FRAGGING BOOK TO TELL ME TO BE A DECENT BOT!” Now that Starscream makes a major step back away from Heatwave. He’s still holding a cocky expression, but it’s clear that the shout brought some old memories and reactions to the surface. Looks like he pressed a few too many buttons in Heatwave that he brought out the side of him that only came out on very stressful and emotionally draining occasions. Heatwave continued on with his truthful rant as he paced back and forth. “I MEAN 10,000 PAGES AND PAGES OF THE SAME SLAG OF HOW TO NOT BE A SHITTY PERSON! THE FACT IF EVEN NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN DOWN IS THE DUMBEST THING I COULD HAVE POSSIBLE READ! I CAN BARELY READ TO BEGIN WITH AND NEVER SAT DOWN TO READ THAT HUNK OF JUNK CAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY SAVING BOTS IN AN ACTIVE BATTLEFIELD, THAT ONCE I FINALLY MANAGED TO HAVE TIME AND READ IT FRONT TO BACK, I WANTED TO PUNCH THE DAMN WALL FROM THE HYPOCRISY AND CONTRADICTIONS AND ALL POINTING BACK TO DON’T BE A GLITCH!!”
A deep crack was made into the wall as he slammed his fist from the rage within him. Starscream jumped back as Heatwave retreated his servo to his side and sank back down after that outburst.
“..Sorry for that, ..that was…”
“..I must say, ..I wasn’t expecting that much truth.”
“..I’m guessing you’re gonna try and use this as blackmail?”
“Saw the recorder?”
“Only now. …It’s kinda useless having it though.”
“And why would that be, oh Prometheus Prime?”
“…Cause I’m going to tell them.”
“Really,” This was only getting more interesting for Starscream as he sat down right across from Heatwave, “you are going to tell Cybertron, to tell all the Autobots in attendance, to yell to the Allspark and back, to stand right next to Orion Pax, and say you don’t believe in the Autobot Code?”
The next couple of seconds were filled with silence as Heatwave thought deeply about the question. His eyes wandered to the pile of speeches that he could never get right, …and that was because he never wanted to write that harsh truth. One that he’s been thinking about for a long time, even before the war ended, even before he ever came to Earth, he questioned himself, he questioned …if he was an Autobot.
“…The point of this whole thing to me is …sharing my truth out to the world. To say what I believe needs to be said so we can move forward, …and that includes things about myself and not lying about who I am. ….So, ..yes, I’m going to tell them I don’t believe in the code.”
Starscream opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t find any words that could describe what he was even feeling at the moment. Because this wasn’t like anything he’d ever dealt with before, not from Autobot nor from Decepticon, not even from a neutral. He placed the recorder down next to him in full view, he didn't turn it off trying to spin it into a ‘he has the power here’ experience, but each time he looked to Heatwave, he only saw a mech who was exhausted by his own existence.
“You don’t believe in the code?”
“It’s a contradictory mess at best and a complete disaster at worst that can be broken down into two things, how to run a military and how to be a decent bot. The fact that to treat others with kindness, with basic levels of empathy and the fact we had to have it written down and promoted in a code too long for its own good that no one would be willing to actually read through all of it unless they were dedicated or desperate.”
“Isn’t one of you conjunx endura one of the dedicated ones of the code?”
“Chase? Sure he’s read it front to back and quotes it once or twice, but he’s never needed a code to tell him to be the kind mech that he is. That’s just how he always is, he didn't have an encyclopedia to tell him how he should treat another.”
“Heh, a joy to see someone pointing out the flaws of their, well, was their own faction.”
“You aren’t cupcakes either.”
“Oh, tell me about it. What makes us so terrible? I’m dying to hear it.”
“Cruel for cruelties sake. Tell me what was the goal?”
“For the Autobot defeat, of course. Decepticon control and freedom for all who followed.”
“No I mean what was the goal?”
“…What do you mean?”
“What was the goal? Defeating the Autobot is one thing, what did you plan for after? How did you plan to rebuild the planet with bots who lived for bloodshed and cruelty alone, the ones that thrived in it that we had to lock up because they couldn’t stop wanting energon on their servos? Even with the ones the most outside of the battles, they would never be able to rebuild into a stabilized society on their own when all their head honchos either have their own agendas or fell deep into having a weapon on hand and never letting their guard down. It took BOTH factions with the help of NEUTRALS this long just for rebuilding and housing and making an economy again. …So what was the goal?”
“…”
“…It’s alright if you don't have an answer. Asked Orion years ago when I was feeling ‘homesick’, what would be the new Cybertronian society. …Never got an answer out of him until the first real discussion meeting where everyone was just talking over each other and also reignited everything again. Because when you’re in a war mindset for that long, you never really sit down and think about how to rebuild everything from scratch. You just fantasize what would have been your ideal victory, but no one took the time to write out the logistics of how the fuck we would ever rebuild and make things better. …In my opinion we’re not even where we should be in rebuilding and establishing everything cause we can’t sit down long enough without someone giving someone else murder eyes and the meeting going to shit in some way.”
“…”
“…What’s your goal?”
“What?”
“Your goal. You’re known for doing things to benefit yourself, you brought a recorder with you to get me at my lowest which you are. But it can’t be for the Decepticons because that’s not how you do things, so this is something for you. What’s worth enough to come in and try and get me to be angry at you for blackmail?”
“…Vos. …That’s why I’m here. You’re Prime, which means your authority is the one others will now follow, so I’m here, if I control the head, I can get what I want.”
“What about Vos, the reconstruction, cause if it’s that I can give Boulder a call and he can-“
“Not the reconstruction! …When it’s rebuilt, ..I wish to rule it once more, I must rule it again. And I won’t have any Autobots nor Decepticons trying to tell me what to do with my city!”
“…Okay, …that’s it?”
“Wha-, what do you mean that’s it?! Aren't you going to argue that I’m ill fit to be given such power, that the crimes I’ve committed push me out of any position of authority!?”
“Well the crimes you’ve done make me never want to have you in charge of my safety. …But it’s Vos, the city of seekers, you were the prince and ..honestly you did a good job before things went to shit. When it comes to legislation and reviving the cultural legacy of the city, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t understand it better than you. I mean obviously there’s gonna be check ins to make sure you’re not getting power hungry for more, making sure resources are stable, and at bare minimum you going to therapy once a week and making up for all the slag you’ve done, but beyond that Vos is your city. Why would I ever have the right to take that away from you?”
“…You’re serious? …You’d give me control over Vos?”
“With a watch but yeah, it makes the most sense, who wouldn’t pick the one who kept it stable for that long before the war began.”
“…Do you forgive me? Is that what this is?”
“Oh no, no no no no no. Trust me, there’s nothing I really can forgive you for when we’ve never had something that was personally devastating between each other. I can’t forgive you for turning to a path that just destroys others to their very core. And I know plenty of bots that will never forgive you to the day they die. …But you can be better, you’re one of the biggest glitches on Cybertron but you know how to run something thriving when you put your spark into it. Don’t ask for someone’s forgiveness that they’ll never give, it’s a waste of time. If they’re hating on you till the end of their life, then that’s just them wasting their own lives, cause they can just keep living away from you and never talk to you again, and it would be the same with less weight. So no, I don't forgive you, and I want you to do better because of that, not because you ‘earned’ forgiveness, …but because you want to be better even without it and make your city beautiful.”
The sounds of a crowd can be heard as an announcer began to speak to all in attendance. Heatwave didn’t even realize how much time had passed while he was talking to Starscream. He stood up and dusted himself off as he walked to the exit door, he looked back to the sitting and stunned Starscream as he looked at him.
“…I think I know what I’m going to say now. …Thanks for the chat.”
Starscream was left alone as Heatwave left, he looked to the recorder that still laid beside him the whole time. He picked it up and pressed it against his forehead as he thought deeply about the conversation he had. He held it in his palm as he deleted the recording and any evidence of what was said in this room.
“…Well then Prometheus Prime, …perhaps there’s hope for you yet.”