Featuriiiing. Skyfire and Starscream. Slashy if you want it to be, but not neccesarily. :P

This one is James's fault. Sort of.

Warnings and Disclaimers: WAFFish nonsense. Because I can. :3 Also, Pre-War, but that much should be evident from the fic itself. xD

Insum

Exhausted. The one word described completely the mech trudging through the doors of the lab. Starscream, usually the most immaculate of beings, was covered with random splotches of grime, the most annoying of which were near his elbows or knees. Even his clenched fists seemed to hold handfuls of the stuff. Skyfire tried not to stare too long at his companion. The seeker was not pleased at all, and would be even less so if he caught his fellow staring at his mud-splattered form.

The planet they were currently stationed on wasn't the most... hospitable, but an assignment was an assignment. Nothing could be done about it, so Skyfire didn't see a point in getting upset over it. Starscream, of course, did, and complained often and loudly. With this fact in mind, Skyfire expected any moment for another tirade to burst forth from those scowling lips. Starscream did approach his partner, but remained silent.

Thunk.

Starscream had placed a fist on the table beside Skyfire, leaving behind a large clump of mud and a small piece of plant life. Skyfire stared at it for a moment, then looked at Starscream. "Um..."

"If you want a bigger sample, go get it yourself," the smaller mech grumped. Skyfire couldn't suppress a smile, though in all honesty it was to stop himself from laughing.

Fortunately, Starscream didn't notice the other's attempt to school his reaction; Skyfire had time to regain his composure while the seeker... climbing on the table?

Skyfire frowned. "Starscream... you're making the table filthy." The look Starscream shot him was enough to confirm in Skyfire's mind that he was well aware of it, and didn't care one bit. Sighing, he walked over to Starscream. "Why don't you get cleaned up and go on to rest?"

Starscream stared at him a moment and shook his head. "I'm fine for now. And I'm not even tired."

Skyfire steadied the seeker—who had been swaying slightly—by his shoulder. "Ah, I see. Not tired." He was rewarded with another scowl.

"Not at all," Starscream said stubbornly.

Skyfire shook his head, though he had to smile at the seeker's contrary nature. "Well, at least you're back." Skyfire doubted Starscream knew just how much that meant. They had been partners on so many of these extra-planetary assignments that it was second nature that Starscream should be there with him, no matter how he griped and complained and declared that he was at the point of flying away from this planet or that, assignment or no. (He was also grateful that Starscream never made good on those declarations, because even though he'd be a little more lonely, he, of course, wouldn't leave the planet until the mission had been completed.)

Starscream's head suddenly fell forward to rest on Skyfire's chassis. His whole posture was defined by the weariness he denied. "Yes," he agreed. "I'm back." He continued to mumble something, but Skyfire couldn't determine what had been said.

"What was that?" he asked. No response. "Starscream...?"

Upon closer inspection, he found that Starscream had gone into recharge right there. Chuckling and gently gathering the smaller mech in his arms, Skyfire prepared to carry him back to a more appropriate place to rest than a table in the middle of the lab.

After all, Starscream would have a hard day of griping ahead of him.

Fin.

I had to write this after I got that adorable image of Starscream slumping over, exhausted, against Skyfire. xDD 3