Though they both could've used the rest, Starscream knew he needed to at the very least get his vocalizer working before he set about his daily tasks, which unfortunately included a scouting mission with Soundwave. There was no time to buff out scratches or fix armor perforations, he knew. And the paint transfers. Scrap. The last time he'd worked with Soundwave with so much as a claw mark to his interface panel, he'd been met with the most judgmental quiet. Well, maybe that was paranoia. Soundwave was always quiet after all.

The Seeker tried to force his optics online despite the fatigue, and he sorely regretted stalking Knock Out back to his room the night before. A tiny shiver rattled his wings. Or maybe he didn't regret it. Overloading hard enough to be knocked inanimate on the berth was never a bad experience. His systems thanked him for letting out the excess charge, and he did feel a lot lighter in his spark chamber.

"Ah, good morning, Commander," Knock Out half sing-songed from the other side of the room. His guest had onlined so quietly he didn't hear him. Starscream turned and stared, rebooting his red optics again before Knock Out strolled over and set an armful of things noisily on the berth. Among the tools and vials was very clearly some freshly processed energon. The jet snatched at it only to have his servos knocked away, which he would've used to backhand the stupid grounder if he wasn't so exhausted.

"I need to have a look before you go refueling."

Starscream pressed his mouthplate thin and gave a very impatient glare. "Let the doctor look," Knock Out purred, knowing well what had happened the last time he said those words and enjoying the visible twitch in his companion's right wing at the memory.

It sounded like he tried to say "fine" before there was a painful crackle and a few sparks flickered in his throat. Knock Out rolled his optics and handed Starscream a vial which took the Seeker a moment to realize was coolant. He downed it carefully, and ex-vented as the pain waned.

The medic saw no reason to wait any longer and sat, diagnostic tool in servo. A few scans and beeps later, he tilted the aerial's helm back and felt along the thick neck cabling. "Say ahhh," he half-teased. He received a glare and inspected what looked like the beginning of a wire chasm. "Come now, don't be embarrassed. I need to hear so I can properly assess the damage."

The flat side of a claw pressed firmly to the cable. He could feel the pressure of the energon. Pumping. Flowing. An optical ridge rose, and he felt his own glossa twitch and couldn't resist; he leaned in to seal his mouthplate over the throbbing cable. Tch. Like he was a mech known for self-control.

What the frag? This was no time for... Starscream tensed in resistance and maybe a little of something else. "No." It was a crackly, broken word that sounded painful. The mech gripped Knock Out's shoulder in a half-afted attempt at pushing away. But Knock Out was a slagger, he knew his weakness, he knew playing with those cables was the easiest way to get Starscream, well, seeing stars. And sure enough, the Seeker's energy field fluttered weakly as if it were trying to be held down. Knock Out pulled in air and sucked the energon feed like he wanted to devour it. He was close enough that Starscream's vent filters picked up a familiar chemical, the same as the night before. Vanilla, Knock Out had called it. Evidence that the grounder had taken a liking to human car washes. Pervert.

With a tiny satisfied rumble of his engine, Knock Out sat back with a smug look. "Just give it some rest. It'll repair itself by tomorrow and you'll be back to talking Soundwave into stasis," he said, pretending to be thinking over another tool in his hand. After a moment his optics cycled again and he stared at Starscream, who was feeling his own throat now and looking sour.

Scrap. There's no way Knock Out could stop there, not with his sensors gobbling up Starscream's energy field. It wouldn't be wise to go with something as vigorous as the previous night. So something else, then. His fans clicked on unshyly and he licked his denta before going in again. This time he used a hand to hold Starscream's helm still and pressed their faceplates together strangely, glossa sliding out over the other tight mouthplate. He sat back again, curious. Starscream merely stared and wiped a claw over his faceplate.

Knock Out laughed and explained, "I've seen humans do it." And he wasn't surprised at Starscream's reaction, which was to snort in disgust, like he'd ever want to do something a filthy human did.

"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it," Knockout drawled, and wasted no time in leaning in for another strange approximation of a kiss, radiating a gentle invitation in his energy field. Starscream leaned away at first, attempting to look down at the other Decepticon, but only looking cross-optic down at a red helm. Warm glossa against his plate. He yielded, and his vents hitched when Knock Out was quick to shove forward, glossa attacking, shuddering when the sparks from the vocalizer short-out danced between them.

It wasn't long before they were rocking against each other again, though this time slowly; still shaking off fuzzy mismatched processor codes from a less than adequate recharge. The doctor kept his claw pressed over his commander's smooth interface panel covering, deliberately holding it closed even as he felt the trembling eagerness. After what felt like a micro-cycle of this, Starscream finally undulated up and forced the panel open with a sparking sigh.

"Hmm," Knock Out ex-vented hotly, gnawing on the sharp jutting collar that accented Starscream's chest. "Sure that's a good idea?"

A sharp digit scratched around the lonely port and Starscream swore in static, pulsating his field, pushing need through sleepiness. Knock Out let his audials take in the delicious sound of overworked cooling fans from both of them. He could just bring them to overload this way. Judging by Starscream's field it wouldn't be hard. But, frag, interfacing right now would be great. He flipped his panel open and his own cable sparked readily with overcharge, possible only because he'd had a nice fresh cube to refuel before Starscream had woken up.

The Seeker began ventilating roughly in need despite his low energy, scratching at Knock Out's panel almost in a threat. How could he refuse? The grounder snaked his cable out, and reached for the port.

"—STARSCREAM. REPORT TO THE BRIDGE."

Both mechs nearly jumped out of their plating, scraping each other in surprise and Knock Out almost falling off the berth.

Scrap, what time was it? Were the others up already? Starscream had already shoved Knock Out off of him and was frantically attempting to reboot his vocalizer so he could reply. Knock Out shoved more coolant at him and after a snarl the Seeker opened his commlink. "Yes—" he supplied weakly. After closing the link he rushed up from the berth, arousal in field quickly dissipating and replacing with anxiety.

"Dented—can't speak—what will Megatron—"

Knock Out snorted, "I really doubt our fragging is a secret." He regretted it the moment he vocalized it because he looked up to see a red missile aimed directly at his face. "Relax! Fire that and everyone really will know you've been here!"

With a growl, Starscream lowered his arm. He gestured towards the door and then vaguely in the air, like he wanted to utter a jumble of frustrated code-mashings. Knock Out finally rose up and poured some energon for his guest before heading to the door. He pressed an audial close before unlocking and letting it swoosh open, making sure Starscream had made himself hidden against the wall.

"You three!" Knock Out pointed at a few bored-looking Vehicons. "Stock up my med bay. Megatron's orders. If I see one drop of unprocessed energon in my supply, you'll be donating your own."

Of course, he didn't really need to threaten the poor drones, but it didn't hurt. And for now, a clear hallway. With a mixed sort of glance, Starscream nodded and exited.

He hadn't the foggiest clue what he was going to do. He could barely speak and he looked almost like he'd been in a mega-cycle long scrap with the Autobots. He strolled into the ship's bridge cautiously, but controlled, chin up.

Megatron's sharp gaze cycled up and down, and Soundwave stood still, plugged in at a console. Starscream tried to act like nothing and bowed his helm.

Finally Megatron's faceplate twitched. "I have no use for a wounded Seeker."

Starscream's vents hitched fearfully and he opened his mouth.

"If I find evidence of another solo mission that you... neglected to inform either Soundwave or myself about, Laserbeak will be permanently attached to your insolent head," the Decepticon leader growled, turning away to face the console now. "Get to the med bay. See that Knock Out tends to your wounds. Next time you'll receive no medical attention, even if it means you bleed out on my ship. Is that understood?"

Starscream's entire frame was frozen, optics wide, and he ex-vented in sort of a crazed holy-frag-what-just-happened cough. "Yes," he ground out slowly, controlled, swallowing any static.

Without hesitation, he left the bridge and slipped into the halls. Primus. That was lucky. And even luckier was that energon had a kick to it. Knock Out would be needed to... hm, ease Starscream's overcharge now.

Except this time, Knock Out would be the one breaking his vocalizer.