Sunstreaker had very exacting standards.
Rodimus begged off the sales floor early because of Sunstreaker's standards. He took a long wash in the racks, paying careful attention to every seam and even going so far as to ask for assistance with the back of his spoiler. He took his time applying his wax and polish, and examined himself with a critical optic once he was done.
He hoped he passed inspection.
Rodimus swung by the shop to pick up a box of Starscream’s favorite candies, because it never hurt to get on Sunstreaker’s good side by spoiling Starscream, then made his way to their shared room. Anticipation stirred a hot coil in his circuits, and he bobbed his weight from heel to heel as the lift started the slow climb.
He absolutely didn’t whistle as he strode down the hallway, and would deny it if anyone claimed otherwise. He didn’t have to ping for entry because they’d given him the code, and Rodimus invited himself inside, wiping the grin from his face at the last moment lest Sunstreaker see how eager he was.
Sunstreaker could sniff out weakness in a sparkbeat.
Except Sunstreaker wasn’t here.
Rodimus blinked in the doorway. Starscream was curled up in the nook with a datapad, and Sunstreaker was nowhere in sight. Had he gotten the date wrong?
“Right on time,” Starscream said as he unfurled from the nook with a lazy, effortlessly sexy stretch. His wings fluttered. “Huh. Shiny. All that for me?”
Rodimus let the door shut behind him. “The treats are, yeah,” he said, gesturing with them before laying them down on a nearby table. “Where’s Sunstreaker?”
“Oh. He’s with Wrench.”
Rodimus’ optics spiraled wide. “He okay?”
Starscream gave a dismissive wave and came and poked at the treatbox, lifting the lid with another wing-flutter of delight. “Nothing for you to worry about, Roddy. He’s fine. But it’s just you and me tonight.”
Rodimus stared at him. “You sure Sunstreaker’s okay with that?” Maybe Starscream was oblivious to the depth of Sunstreaker’s possessiveness, but Rodimus was not.
“It’s not his decision to make,” Starscream said with a snort. He picked up two candies from the box and popped them into his mouth, one after the other. He chewed aggressively, one wingtip flicking.
Hm.
Rodimus ever so subtly pinged Sunstreaker, hoping he was online and not in one of Wrench’s induced recharges.
‘Yes, you have my permission,’ came Sunstreaker’s quick response, though something in his reply sounded tired. ‘Don’t hurt him, or I’ll rip your face off.’
Click.
“Good point,” Rodimus said, aloud.
Starscream gave him a narrow, sidelong look. “You asked him, didn’t you?”
Rodimus spread his hands. “Can you blame me? He can be pretty intimidating when he wants to be.”
“If you’re going to be the Dom you want to be, you’re going to have to grow larger bearings than those,” Starscream said. He picked up one more candy before closing the lid with obvious reluctance.
“My bearings are plenty large!” Rodimus huffed as he stepped into Starscream’s space, catching a dribble of sweetened energon from the corner of Starscream’s mouth. “This and that are two different things.”
Starscream chuckled and licked at the tip of his thumb. “Oh, yeah? Show me then, hot stuff. S’what you’re here for, isn’t it?”
“Wait. What?” Rodimus blinked, his finger lingering at the corner of Starscream’s mouth.
“It’s your show, Roddy,” Starscream murmured, stepping closer, his field wrapping around Rodimus with hot intent. “I want to see what you’re made of.”
A shiver clawed down Rodimus’ backstrut. He slid a hand around Starscream’s waist, tugging him close enough to press a kiss to the curve of Starscream’s jaw. “Does that mean you’ll do whatever I say?”
“Within reason.”
Rodimus chuckled and reached for a wing hinge, giving it a little pinch. Starscream jerked against him, arousal shivering through his field. “What can’t I do?”
“I’ll let you know.” Starscream rubbed against him, all hot armor and caressing field. “Stop means stop.”
“Yeah. Let’s keep it simple,” Rodimus said and pulled back a little so he could look up into Starscream’s face. “Like a kiss? Know you like those.”
“You are a menace,” Starscream murmured, but he let Rodimus have the kiss, his mouth opening to the sweep of Rodimus’ glossa and the press of his lips.
A plethora of possibilities and fantasies unfurled at the back of Rodimus’ processor.
“Get on the berth for me,” Rodimus ordered against Starscream’s lips, one hand squeezing Starscream’s hip as the other pinched his wing hinge again.
Starscream shivered in his arms. "How would you like me, sir?"
Rodimus groaned and squeezed Starscream's hips. "You're going to kill me," he muttered before he pulled back, briefly catching Starscream's smirk until the Seeker wiped it away. "Surprise me."
"Yes, sir." Starscream slid away from him, only to clean close and whisper in Rodimus' audial, "Sunstreaker left a few things on his berth. Feel free to have a look. They're all approved."
"Good to know."
Starscream winked and sashayed to his own berth, making a show of it. The overhead lights caught the perfectly polished gleam of his plating, and Rodimus’ mouth went a little dry with anticipation.
Rodimus shook himself. He needed to get his processor in the game or Starscream would lead him by the spike the whole time. So he checked out whatever Sunstreaker had left for him as suggestions.
A light flog? No, thanks. Double-ended false spike? Maybe next time. Pair of light cuffs? Oh, those would be helpful. A small selection of vibrators? He could use one of those. Blindfold? Nope. He wanted Starscream to look at him.
Rodimus slipped one of the smaller vibrators into his arm panel as a plan unfurled. Something he hoped Starscream would like, and something he'd been thinking about for a long while.
He shifted his attention back toward Starscream, and another tingle of anticipation curled hotly in his array. Starscream had settled on his back, arranging pillows around him to form a cushion of comfort. Red optics glittered at Rodimus as Starscream regarded him patiently, a touch curious even.
Rodimus licked his lips.
He climbed onto the berth and straddled Starscream's belly, knees just shy of putting pressure on the lower half of Starscream's wings. "Wrists," he requested, wriggling the cuffs pointedly. He trusted Starscream would protest if he wasn’t interested in a little light bondage.
"I don't get to touch you?" Starscream asked with a playful pout. He did, however, present his wrists.
"Nope." Rodimus grinned and clicked the cuffs into place, though loose enough they shouldn't cause Starscream any pain. "I'm going to touch you, and that's final." He leaned forward, tugging on the small chain connecting the two cuffs.
This whole room was so convenient. There was a little hook at the head of the berth, and all Rodimus had to do was nudge the thin chain over it, and Starscream couldn't tug his hands down. Well, it was a pretty thin chain. Enough effort and Starscream could snap it, but it was the principle of the matter.
Rodimus sat back, aft on Starscream's hips, his palms flat on Starscream's abdomen. "Now for the rules," he said as he carefully slid his fingers over seams and upward, to the tantalizing gleam of Starscream's turbines. "Overload as much as you want, but no talking." He paused and amended. "Moans are acceptable, and telling me to stop, of course, but that's it." He gave Starscream a stern look. "Understand?"
Starscream's optics visibly dilated. "Yes, sir," he murmured, and his glossa swept over his lips, wetting them.
He needed a kiss.
Rodimus obliged. He pressed their mouths together, glossa sliding inside, tasting the sweetness of the candies on Starscream's lips. He nipped them gently, because he could, and pulled away before Starscream's fangs could nip him back.
"Now it's my turn to explore," Rodimus said as he swept his hands over Starscream's turbines, palms skating along the sensitive hubs.
Starscream's mouth opened as if he intended to retort, but clamped shut at the last minute. He remembered the rules.
A thrill ran sharp and hot through Rodimus' array. He let his gaze linger, taking in Starscream beneath him, cuffed and ready to receive all the pleasure Rodimus wanted to give him.
His engine gave a little rev.
He couldn't have asked for anything more perfect.
When he played with both Sunstreaker and Starscream together, it was usually under Sunstreaker's watchful optic and command. Rodimus didn't have much room for deciding for himself, and he especially didn't have the opportunity to leisurely explore like he wanted.
Now he did.
"You're so beautiful," Rodimus murmured, because it was true, and mechs like Starscream definitely deserved to hear it as often as possible.
Starscream's face flushed under Rodimus' scrutiny. He made a small noise in his intake, but didn't comment back. Good.
Rodimus took his time. There wasn't an inch of Starscream he left untouched or untasted. He fondled wings and tasted hinges and caressed their sensitive edges, licking around ailerons, and tracing seams with his fingertips and the tip of his glossa.
Starscream squirmed, and made all of these little gasping cries. They were intoxicating, and Rodimus doubled his efforts, determined to provoke more. He licked and nibbled on Starscream's turbines, and teased his chest and belly seams. He pressed kisses into Starscream's neck, and dragged his denta over the warmed cables before wandering elsewhere.
He settled between Starscream's legs, fingers drawing lines and patterns over the complicated gearwork of Starscream's feet before gliding up to the sensitive structures of Starscream's knees. Starscream squeaked and tried to jerk away, and Rodimus grinned.
"Ticklish, huh? That's new."
He was nice enough to move on, pressing kisses to Starscream's inner thighs while his fingers explored the wider seams of Starscream's hips. For a while, he ignored the rigid spike, liberally seeping pre-fluid, and the bared valve, swollen and biolights flashing with want. No matter how much Starscream tried to twist them into view.
Rodimus sat up long enough to grab a pillow and tuck it under Starscream's hips before he dove between Starscream's thighs, tasting the seam of hip and thigh, the scent of Starscream's arousal dizzily close. Starscream's thighs pressed on his shoulders. He tried to buck up, guide Rodimus toward his array.
Rodimus ignored him.
Instead, he stroked the plating around Starscream's array. He admired the glitter of Starscream's piercings and the delicate chain connecting them. He ex-vented warm and moist over Starscream's valve, the biolights fluttering madly, and another squeeze of lubricant dripping out to run down his aft.
Starscream whimpered.
"Something you want?" Rodimus purred as he stroked his thumb around the rim of Starscream's valve, though careful to avoid his nodes. "You can answer me."
Starscream growled in the back of his intake. "More," he hissed. "Stop teasing me."
"That sounds like a demand, not a request." Rodimus clicked his glossa and shifted his weight, one finger swirling around Starscream's array but not touching his nodes. "Try again."
Starscream huffed a frustrated noise. His thighs tried to squeeze inward, but were stalled by Rodimus' shoulders. He kicked his feet. It was adorable.
"Please," he said.
"Please what?" Rodimus leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Starscream's turbine hub. "Be more specific, Star."
The Seeker snarled and aimed a glare down at Rodimus, but it wasn't effective, with the pretty way his face was flushed with arousal, and his lips were swollen from sucking on them.
"Touch me," Starscream murmured, and he rocked his hips to accentuate his plea. "My spike, my valve, anything."
Rodimus hummed and closed his lips around Starscream's hub, giving it a hard suckle that had Starscream's back arching, and his field drenching the room with lust. Starscream whimpered, and his engine revved impatience, but he said nothing.
Good behavior ought to be rewarded.
Rodimus slipped two fingers into Starscream's valve, curving them just right to rub over the cluster of nodes right behind the rim. Starscream arched beneath him, valve immediately spiraling down, calipers squeezing down on Rodimus' fingers. Charge nipped at him, and Rodimus brought his thumb into play, gently rubbing Starscream's swollen anterior node.
His fans immediately kicked on with an audible whirr. Rodimus would have patted himself on the back if he had a hand free. Instead, he shifted again, back between Starscream's thighs, mouth perfectly positioned to taste. This was another something he rarely got to leisurely indulge in.
Spike first, he decided, as prefluid wet the tip of Starscream's spike, and it strained hungrily upward, biolights a bright, eager crimson. He pulled Starscream into his mouth, and kept his fingers busy, stroking Starscream's valve with slow curls of his fingers. Lubricant spilled out, soaking into his joints, the sweet smell of it flooding his olfactory sensors.
But nothing was sweeter than the way Starscream moaned and squirmed, the cuffs rattling as he tugged on them ineffectually. His spike throbbed on Rodimus’ glossa, spilling more prefluid down his intake. His field was hot and heavy, pushing at Rodimus in demand for more.
Nope. Not yet.
Rodimus backed off, letting Starscream slip from his mouth with an audible slurp. He grinned as Starscream hissed a denial, his optics flashing, but he didn’t say anything. Rodimus knew he could be contrary, when he wanted to be.
“You’re being pretty obedient,” Rodimus said as he wriggled a bit further down, so he could get his mouth on Starscream’s valve. “You’re not going easy on me, are you?”
Before Starscream could answer, he licked a long line from the caudal edge of Starscream’s valve, all the way up to his anterior node, giving the latter a long, savoring suckle. Starscream hissed, wings battering the berth, and his thighs trembled to either side of Rodimus’ head.
“I don’t always have to put up a fight,” Starscream gasped as Rodimus licked into him and around him, teasing his nodes, his rim, his biolights, smearing Starscream’s lubricant all over his lips and chin.
Rodimus hummed against the sensitive metalmesh and pressed a kiss to Starscream’s anterior node. “Good.”
He shifted his weight to slip the vibrator out of his compartment, and ease it into Starscream’s valve. It was about the width of two of his fingers, and would fit comfortably. Even more so when he flicked the little switch on the end of the cord, and it buzzed to life. Starscream made a strangled sound, his hips bucking upward, his field swirling hotly through the room.
Rodimus sat back and watched Starscream squirm, his spike bobbing pressurized and angry, his biolights fluttering, lubricant seeping out of his valve to slick over the curve of his aft, his heels digging into the berth.
“You can overload, you know,” Rodimus murmured as he dragged a finger up the length of Starscream’s spike before rubbing his thumb across the damp slit.
Starscream’s glossa swept over his lips. “Not yet.”
“Why not?” Rodimus slid his caresses lower, faintly brushing Starscream’s valve rim before venturing further down, to the panel concealing Starscream’s port. He gave it a faint nudge, and swallowed a moan as the panel obediently spiraled open, revealing the smaller port beneath.
Rodimus rubbed a finger around the rim, and Starscream’s ventilations hitched. Rodimus stifled a grin, swept up some of Starscream’s lubricant, wet his fingers, and went back to Starscream’s port, gently rubbing it.
Starscream visibly shivered. The rim quivered under Rodimus’ touch. One finger slid in easily enough, and was immediately enveloped by squeezing heat. His spike throbbed.
“Please tell me I can--”
“Get your spike in me now, Rodimus,” Starscream near-growled, and really, that was all the permission Rodimus needed.
He rose to his knees, maybe a bit clumsily, and slipped lube out of his subspace. That was the benefits of working in this industry. You learned to always carry lube. He hastily squirted a generous amount on his spike, just in case, and slipped two slick fingers into Starscream’s port, groaning aloud as the rim tightened around him.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Rodimus said as his ventilations quickened, excitement making his spoiler twitch. He could feel the vibrations of the toy still in Starscream’s valve, too, and he imagined how that would feel on his spike through the thin mesh walls dividing port and valve.
“I know what my limits are,” Starscream snapped, his optics flashing with hunger seconds before his legs folded behind Rodimus’ back, urging him toward Starscream’s array. “Frag me.”
Rodimus gripped Starscream’s hip, and aimed his spike at Starscream’s port, but despite the urgency in the press of Starscream’s heels at his backstrut, all he did was rub the head of his spike over the smaller rim.
“Those sound like demands,” Rodimus said, though his entire frame trembled from holding back, his spike pulsing hungrily. “I think you’ve forgotten who’s supposed to be in charge here.”
Though right now, it kind of felt like his spike was in charge, because the angry throbbing demanded he sink into Starscream’s port, and Rodimus was on the verge of obeying.
The cuffs rattled. Starscream’s vents clicked as he cycled audibly. “Please,” he gritted out. “Please, sir, will you frag me?”
The tone could use a little work, but the message came through loud and clear. Rodimus took pity on the squirming Seeker, obviously on the edge of overload but refusing to tip over.
“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Rodimus purred.
He rolled his hips forward, the head of his spike popping into Starscream’s port, and a burst of electrical fire surged up his backstrut. So hot. So tight. And the buzzing of the vibrator indeed carried through.
Rodimus gritted his denta. He wasn’t going to last long.
Starscream’s legs tightened around him, locking him in place. Rodimus slid deeper, bracing his weight on both hands to lean over Starscream, close enough to steal his lips for a brushing kiss. Or at least he intended for it to be gentle. Starscream had something else in mind.
Primus, he felt amazing. He squirmed beneath Rodimus, frame twisting to fit Rodimus to the best angles. He nipped at Rodimus’ lips, and the cuffs rattled as he tugged on them, as charge lit up over his armor, and his port rippled around Rodimus’ spike.
Rodimus quickened his pace, jolting Starscream into the berth, their armor colliding in sharp clangs barely audible over their combined cooling fans. Starscream’s head tossed back with a gasp, his cables tensing, and Rodimus couldn’t resist the temptation of a bared intake. He buried his face against it while his spike ground deep.
He shifted his weight, shoved a hand between their frames, managing to close his fingers around Starscream’s pre-fluid soaked spike. Rodimus grinned against Starscream’s throat as the Seeker moaned and bucked up against him, sliding into the tunnel of Rodimus’ fist.
“Want you to overload for me now,” Rodimus said as he squeezed and stroked Starscream’s spike, trying to match his thrusts to the rhythm, though Starscream riding his spike seemed to be doing most of the work. “Come on, Star. Stop holding back. Give it to me.”
A strangled sound of pleasure caught in Starscream’s intake. His thighs tightened like bars around Rodimus’ hips, and he bucked up, vents roaring.
“I’m not going to overload until you do,” Rodimus insisted, and sincerely hoped he could back up the threat because Starscream felt so damn good.
"Come on, sweetspark. Don't make me beg."
Starscream jerked beneath him, his frame drawing taut, as static charge spilled over his armor in a wave. His field flashed with hot-fire pleasure, his port clenching down as his spike pulsed in Rodimus' fingers, soaking his hand in transfluid. He keened, head tossing back, hips rocking hungrily on Rodimus' spike, and that was it.
Any restraint Rodimus had fizzled away as the impossibly tight clench of Starscream's port sucked him in. He managed a few stuttered thrusts before he followed Starscream over, groaning through clenched denta. He tilted forward, bracing his weight, so he could kiss Starscream, fierce at first, but gentle soon after, through the last tremors of overload.
"You're amazing," Rodimus murmured, because it was true, and Starscream deserved to hear it.
A raspy chuckle rose in Starscream's intake. "Yes, I know," he said, with a lazy curve of his lips. "You're not too bad yourself."
Rodimus rolled his optics and leaned back, easing out of Starscream as he did so. He fumbled for the end of the vibrator, shutting it off, and tension immediately dropped out of Starscream's frame.
"Thanks for the compliment," he said.
Starscream dropped his feet to the berth and pointedly wriggled his hips. "The proof that you did well is right in front of you, isn't it?"
"True."
Rodimus sat back on his heels and admired Starscream because the opportunity was there. His spike had retreated to its sheath, but his valve was still plump and wet. More lubricant trickled out as Rodimus removed the vibrator, soaking the berth beneath Starscream's aft.
"Ahem."
Rodimus blinked and looked up. "What?"
Starscream arched an orbital ridge and tugged on his wrists, making the cuffs rattle. "Don't forget the most important rule."
"I haven't," Rodimus huffed, and shook himself. Enough admiring Starscream. He still had a job to do.
Aftercare was an integral part of a scene after all, no matter how mild their play had been.
Rodimus unlocked the cuffs and gently lowered Starscream's arms, rubbing his joints and wrists as he'd seen Sunstreaker do before. "They feel okay?"
"No pain."
"Good."
He tossed the cuffs toward Sunstreaker's berth and picked up the vibrator. "Gonna go get a cloth to clean you up. Need anything?"
Starscream languidly stretched like a satisfied voltaic cat. "Candy."
Of course. Rodimus snorted. He should have guessed.
He set the vibrator aside for later cleaning, and retrieved a damp mesh cloth and the box of candies. He brought both back to the berth, fed Starscream one of the candies, and gently wiped away the mess from Starcream's frame. The damp pillow he tossed into a corner to be laundered later. At least it saved most of the berth from being a wet patch.
He fed Starscream two more candies, wiped himself off briskly, then tossed the dirtied washcloths over with the pillow.
"Enough cleaning," Starscream grumbled as Rodimus dimmed the lights. "Get over here and cuddle me."
Rodimus chuckled. "You're only saying that because Sunstreaker's not here to be picky about it." He climbed onto the berth, flopping into Starscream's embrace with a little bounce. "Come here and get your cuddles."
Starscream twisted onto his front, resting his head on Rodimus' chassis, squirming pointedly until Rodimus curled his arms around the Seeker and started stroking his wing panels. Only then did Starscream settle with a contented hum.
"Better," he said, and tangled their legs together. "You did good, Roddy. Enough practice and we can start billing you as a Dom."
"You were going easy on me," Rodimus accused.
Starscream reached up and flicked his nose before Rodimus could jerk away. "I wasn't. I like being spoiled. It was easy to let you take control. So take the compliment."
"Sir, yes, sir." There was something else there, Rodimus was sure of it. Starscream would never say it, but Rodimus would bet all of last month's earnings that he was worried sick about Sunstreaker and needed something to distract him. "Thanks."
Starscream made a noncommittal noise and pushed his wing against Rodimus' hand, demanding further pets. "Welcome. Now shhhh. Recharge time. Don't stop petting."
Rodimus rolled his optics. "Yes, dear."
He supposed he could let Starscream get away with it. But just this once.
~
It was so late as to be early when a soft sound stirred Rodimus from recharge. He didn't so much waken as he did acknowledge the noise as Sunstreaker's voice, so he only stared out through slitted optics, as he listened.
".. okay now?" Starscream was asking, and it took Rodimus a moment to recognize the Seeker was no longer sprawled on top of him like a needy blanket. He'd rolled away sometime during the night.
"Wrench says I'm out of the danger zone," Sunstreaker replied, his voice carefully quiet, as if they didn't want to wake Rodimus. "It's just one of those things."
Starscream made a noncommittal noise. The bed shook as he shifted. "Come to berth."
"It's a little full right now," Sunstreaker replied.
"Shut up. You've shared with Rodimus before."
"Don't remind me," Sunstreaker muttered, but he must have given in, because Rodimus felt the berth dip and rattle as Sunstreaker climbed onto it. "He treat you right?"
Starscream quietly snorted. "Worried he's going to replace you?"
"No," Sunstreaker said, a bit too quickly, because it was very much a lie.
These two were such stubborn idiots. Deeply in love with each other, refusing to admit it, pretending they could keep being this casual roommate lovers relationship, when they'd crossed that line so long ago they couldn't even see it anymore. Idiots. Big dumb idiots.
Rodimus wanted to grab them and bang their heads together and shout the truth at them. But instead, he pretended to be deep in recharge while they curled together like the brief time apart had been unbearable.
"Good. You shouldn't be." There was a moment's pause, and Rodimus felt the brush of Starscream's field, full of affection. "Did Wrench really release you? You look tired."
"I'm supposed to rest," Sunstreaker grumbled. "He canceled all my clients tomorrow. I'm going to have to contact them for rescheduling and apologize."
The last word was spoken with such grudging that Rodimus had to stifle a laugh. Fortunately, Starscream chuckled for him.
"Then you better get back to recharge."
"That was the plan. Just didn't want to recharge in the medroom."
No, you'd rather recharge with Starscream, Rodimus thought, biting his lip to keep from saying it aloud.
"Our berthpads are better," Starscream said, like the oblivious idiot he was.
Yeah. The berthpads. That’s exactly why Sunstreaker couldn’t sleep in the medroom. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact he didn’t want to recharge without Starscream.
Sunstreaker made a noncommittal noise. He tangled himself up with Starscream, physically and with his field. For a moment, Rodimus heard nothing. He let himself be lulled by their ventilations, how they eventually started to vent in sync, and Sunstreaker’s frame quietly ticked as it settled into a resting state.
Until…
“I think I’m in the wet spot,” Sunstreaker grumbled.
Starscream snorted a laugh, and they both stilled, as if afraid they’d wake up Rodimus, before Starscream’s field spiked with affection and the soft sound of them kissing filled the quiet.
“Recharge,” Starscream said firmly.
“Fine.” Grown mechs shouldn’t sulk, but Sunstreaker pulled it off somehow. Silence reigned again.
Idiots. The both of them.
But they were his idiots.
Rodimus stifled a smile and settled back into recharge.
*