Universe: G1
Warnings: One sided Megatron x Starscream, eventual Megatron x Starscream, abuse and violence a plenty, I suppose.
Comments: My first new story in a while. Hope you like it!

Love as a Foreign Language

Soundwave trudged silently towards Megatron's quarters (deep in the Nemesis, always moving) with a sense of dread. The command had been short and agitated - come immediately, leave the cassettes behind, sever all mental links with them. From millions of years of experience, Soundwave knew exactly what this entailed.

The communications officer didn't even have to knock on the door. Megatron stood in the doorway, imposing, silhouetted against the murky blue light flickering through the windows of his undersea quarters. One large black finger tapped against the doorframe irritably.

"It's worn off. Again," the tyrant hissed, red optics piercing through the shadows.

Soundwave suppressed a sigh, and shook his head hesitantly. "Suggestion; processor fighting against mental blocks. Suggestion; processor building own firewalls against mental blocks. Probability of suggested analysis; 99.7%."

"Then use stronger blocks! Change the way you make them or something!" Megatron snarled, voice raised in frustration, spinning on his heel back into his quarters with a flick of his wrist to indicate Soundwave should follow. Shoulders slumped ever so minutely, Soundwave complied, watching with unease as Megatron stormed over to his personal throne, throwing himself down like a spoilt child.

"I can't run an army with…with this in my processor," he sighed, defeated. "Remind me again why we can't get Hook to just chop it out of my circuit board."

"Reminder; processor piece already taken out by force. Reminder; problem lies within spark. Spark; inoperable," Soundwave recited obediently, for what had to be the thousandth time.

Hunched over, with his face buried in his hands, Megatron heaved a burst of air through his vents. "Just…just put the blocks back."

"As you command." The communications' officer's visor flashed briefly as he summoned up his abilities, psychic tendrils reaching out and wrapping around Megatron's mind. The silver tyrant sank a little in his chair feeling the familiar tingle of mental probes, searching for the ever-moving problem. Soundwave's visor deepened in a frown - it was getting harder and harder to find, just as it managed to break down the mental blocks quicker and quicker.

Ah. There it was.

Starscream.

Quietly, Soundwave shut the door to his quarters, hoping in vain that his sparklings would be sleeping. Which of course, they weren't - six pairs of optics were gazing up at him questioningly.

"Megatron; recharging. Problem; increasing," Soundwave announced, monotone softer than usual around his family.

"Did he notice that you hadn't blocked us from hearing you this time?" Ravage asked over their mental connection bluntly, the other cassetticons nodding in curiosity.

"Negative. Repeat; problem increasing." With a noise that passed for a groan from him, the tape-deck sloped towards his berth, scooping up the nearest sparkling to him (Rumble, this time) and holding them close.

"Puts a strain on ya, huh boss?" Rumble noted quietly, nuzzling against his creator's chest. Soundwave hummed, beckoning his other creations closer.

"What's the problem anyway? I don't understand!" the youngest of them, Ratbat, squeaked. "He likes Starscream. So what? We like Soundwave!"

"The big guy isn't supposed to be able to…'like' at all, 'Batty," Frenzy explained. "His processor wasn't built for that - he can't handle love because he hasn't got the code. He's screwy. You gotta be, to lead the Decepticons." His twin snickered at this.

"So you just erase them?" Ratbat squealed in horror, baby eyes widening up at his creator.

"Negative. Erase; impossible. Feelings for Starscream; subdued. Hidden. Blocked," Soundwave corrected gently, placing a hand soothingly on Ratbat's wing.

"You cannot keep doing it," Ravage chided. "Eventually, it's not going to work anymore, and then what? Besides, it's putting a strain on all of us. As soon as the blocks are in place, Megatron just acts even more violently towards Starscream out of resentment, who then tries to overthrow him even more, and then we all go round in a circle and we're all dragged into their spats."

"Not to mention it's wearing you out, boss," Rumble added, petting Laserbeak's beak absently.

"Affirmative, facts redundant, already known!" Soundwave shot back in frustration. "Suggest solutions!"

Drawing himself up straight, as the oldest creation, Ravage spoke what had been on every cassetticon's mind. "It's time we bring Starscream into this."