"The Decepticons have never ceased to surprise me." (Y/N) admitted as she remained motionless on the berth, listening to Soundwave water the many plants still growing in his berthroom. Her voice box had yet to be fixed, and Soundwave wished Megatron would address the issue. "I now see that the strange trait has filtered into the faction's creations."

     Indeed, the transformation of the Predacon was a surprise no one could have predicted. Not even the esteemed Shockwave, always careful and calculating, could have predicted such a happening. (Y/N) was the one to record it, as Megatron had finally taken her to see Project Predacon, along with Starscream who had amusedly been bumbling and pleading uselessly for his life to be spared. Megatron had been exasperated with his antics, and the femme admitted she recorded it simply for blackmail purposes if he were to become a nuisance again, or a traitor (not that Soundwave saw a difference between the words when describing the Seeker). 

     Shockwave had given the two a tour of the singular hall that held his many creations. Beasts of all shapes and sizes worthy to be called weapons. (Y/N) was impressed with the number of weapons Shockwave had been able to uncover and develop in such a short time after the Terrorcon incident. The firepower was greatly needed after more than half of their military might had simply been whisked away by Arachnid's control over the Insecticons and C.Y.L.A.S.'s disease among the Drones. 

    Soundwave heard his lover stir on the berth, soft tapping of her digits clicking at his audio. He didn't bother to look up from the plants he was still watering in his human form, his chest once again dormant now that his connection to (Y/N) was between two Cybertronians. He felt an arm snake around his own as two pale hands now held the watering can. He glanced at the false human from beneath his darkened glasses, the bandana stiff over his mouth. He let her guide his arm as they watered what was left. 

     She held the same visage as her human self did, even her height, aside from her now human optics that sparkled a beautiful (E/C) beneath the grow lights. Soundwave did not imagine she would need her human form for much else other than their shared flora, but if she did, they both knew she would have to alter her visage to have her false, energon blue optics. He missed looking at them, but her faceplate held such a different effect on him with her natural colors. (Y/N) looked up at her lover, placing a gentle peck over the bandana that hid his mouth and nose. 

         "It is nice to lay beside you," she referenced their stiff forms displayed on his berth, their servos entwined in the middle, "but I do prefer to hold the servo of your conscious self. Makes me feel less lonely."

     Her voice grated against his audio, rough and hacked into near static. He wished to fix it, but that would be going against Megatron's own orders. After the last incident when (Y/N) herself had done just that by investigating the Terrorcon fiasco, prolonged waiting for her voicebox to be completed seemed to be her punishment. Soundwave wanted to hear her voice again. The raw sound from her vocals and not a recording she would often provide if she felt he wanted to hear it. 

         "I'm sorry," she sensed his thoughts through their strange connection, not a true bond but the wavelength they had been connected within. She did not speak further, and Soundwave assumed she was apologizing for speaking, to which he did not want her to feel sorry for.

     The mech placed the cannister down, water sloshing within at his haste. Confused, (Y/N) glanced at the tool before giving a startled gasp from her lover's sudden, gentle contact to her cheek. It was merely a caress by his hand, but it was not wholly expected, and his touch always seemed to startle her. Her eyes darted from his thin fingers to stare into his dark voided lenses. She tried to peer behind them with strained sight, but they always seemed to become darker when she focused. His bandana hung limp as he peered down at the woman, yet still did not reveal his lower face. His hand came behind her to keep the femme from falling back as he stepped forward. His silence was welcome, and most cherished.

     Nodding, (Y/N) understood what he was trying to convey, that she had little reason to apologize, and rested her head onto his cold, nearly dead feeling form. She did not mind, however, and never did crave for a warm touch. The cold, lifeless touch of his fingers was more than enough to ease her want for contact, and far more soothing. 

     Their moment of bliss was interrupted as Megatron called for the both of them. (Y/N) was not amused as she straightened with a scowl, unknowing of Soundwave's amused expression behind the glasses and bandana. His femme looked back to him, receiving a nod in return before both their human forms disappeared, and they sat up on the berth with perfect synchronization.

     They stepped from the TIC's private quarters, stalking through the halls. They watched the cameras ahead to ensure their path was clear, making only one detour as the two did not want to part from the other's side to walk ahead or behind. Their steps echoed in their synchronization in the emptier halls, alerting Vehicons, Miners and Seeker Drones of their approaching presence, and they watched on the security feed as some even made their own detours to avoid them. 

     Laserbeak returned to his master with a closed cannister of energon, folding to attach to (Y/N) instead, as his master did not need him at that moment. The mech held the cannister by its edge with a single tendril. He knew Megatron would need it, as his leader had been neglecting his usual ration in his hurry to properly form a plan to convince their transformed beast that Project Predacon would be lost to the Autobots. So far it had been a rather flawless idea, inspired by Starscream's cunning suggestion of using their enemy faction to take the blame. Shockwave was still removing material, if the silent mech remembered correctly.

     When the duo arrived at Megatron's coordinates, he was speaking to Predaking, the bigger, and far more powerful mech bringing his attention to the two new additions in their conversation.

         "(Y/N)," he nodded to the one with Laserbeak, "and Soundwave." He nodded to the other who offered Megatron the energon ration. Said war lord was looking between his most trusted soldiers in mild confusion. Apparently, he was unable to tell who was who directly at that moment.

         "You can tell them apart?" Megatron raised an optic brow.

         "Not by sight," Predaking admitted, "but they have unique scents, though difficult to determine as they spend much time at each other's side, so one's scent lingers with the other."

     Megatron glanced at the two, still with an optic brow raised. His short stare did not bother either Cybertronian, however. They did spend quite a bit of time together, there was no denying, and anyone with the sense to look at their ever-colliding schedule knew that. However, Megatron held different ideas. Ideas of the more friendly sort. The silver titan was unsure of his theories, and did not hold real proof to confirm them, so did not brush the topic with his Third in Command.

         "I see." Megatron merely glanced to his waiting energon ration. He did not feel particularly in need of energon, but his systems were used to running low, so he most likely needed it, and Soundwave knew that. 

     As he said on Darkmount, he did not approve of the flowering hold (Y/N) was developing over his TIC's spark, but there were no repercussions for allowing that strange connection to continue. Soundwave was always on top of his work, and shared the minority of it with his double, which proved his trust in the once-human femme. 

     The group followed the hall, almost aimlessly, as Predaking spoke of his dream to rule over his brethren. It made Megatron's spark tighten in anticipation as he waited for the word from Starscream. 

     He glanced back to the synchronized double behind him. They walked side by side, arms unmoving as their pedes stepped together and visors blank. Of all his soldiers, Megatron did not think his most prized follower would become chained to a femme. Then again, as the war lord continued to reason, (Y/N)'s presence had not hindered Soundwave's work in the slightest. The contradictory facts irked the feared mech, and frustrated him, yet he did not be rid of the femme, because she, too, was one of his most prized followers now. 

         "Lord Megatron!" Starscream's shriek tore him from his thoughts, abruptly, and it soured his mood even more. "Shockwave's Earth lab, the Autobots have attacked!"

         "What!" Megatron faked his surprise, a model actor. "Secure it and the Predacons."

         "At once-"

         "If my brethren are in danger, I wish to protect them." Predaking stated, earning what looked like a proud smile from his leader whom he swore obedience to.

         "Then by all means, go and protect them! I shall not stop you."

     Predaking gave a look of gratitude to his leader before stomping off to prepare for battle. He may be smart but clearly not knowledgeable of Soundwave and (Y/N)'s groundbridge casting abilities. 

         "(Y/N)," Megatron muttered once Predaking had left their proximity, "I want you to join him. If not to help if he is to fall, then to record the battle. I want to see his expression of defeat when his precious brethren are engulfed in flames."

     The femme watched his optics flicker, as if a flame flared behind them as he imagined Predaking's expression of despair. She did not care for the war lord's ways, as they were similar to M.E.C.H.'s in their destruction and little care for life. She nodded, stepping to follow the beast only to come through a groundbridge that was not hers. She assumed it was Soundwave's doing to be ahead of her newly assigned partner. She waited for him at the groundbridge controls he was headed for.

     The femme calculated his heavy steps, opening a groundbridge just as he entered the room so he would not lose his momentum. She entered slowly behind, earning the stare of Wheeljack when he realized someone else was coming through the groundbridge. The Wrecker decided to go after her as Ultra Magnus was preoccupied with the newly transformed beast. The lab had not blown yet, so (Y/N) quickly began to record through Laserbeak as she sent him high toward the ceiling, so he was not as likely to be hit. 

     The fight didn't last long at first, the lab finally detonating before the beasts could gain full consciousness, and Predaking bellowed a mighty cry as he transformed, trying to tear the Autobots apart. Both were soon cornered by the beast, only one not having the power or wits to overcome him. (Y/N) was left on the sidelines, neither helping nor remaining in the way of Predaking's rampage. She merely called Laserbeak back and recorded on her own visor. 

         "Soundwave, you coward!" Wheeljack mocked the supposed mech, unknowing of her true identity. "Hiding behind your oversized pet. Come and fight like a real Cybertronian!" 

     Predaking shrieked at being called a pet, transforming and ramming the wrecker into a wall. Ultra Magnus attempted to swing at the beast with his hammer, the powerless corpse of a once great relic, but the beast deflected it. The two mechs fought impressively, but it was not impressive enough as (Y/N) neared the fray, having no fear for herself as the two Autobots tired.

     She worried only when the rock above her began to crumble, and the Earth holding the giant pointed piece of rock gave way from the explosion of a grenade. Her worry dissipated as she knelt down, allowing the massive form of Predaking to shield her as he picked her up out of the way. The two mechs could be heard taking a moment to appreciate their supposed winning efforts, only for Predaking to crush the smaller one into a rock and wrestling the other into the ground before breaking the Forge in two and crushing the mech's servo.

         "You have murdered my brethren, and dare to hurt the femme, you will pay dearly." He growled, Ultra Magnus being too pained to register his words.

     (Y/N) knew it was time to go when a groundbridge appeared, Optimus Prime flying through to rescue his comrades. The femme backed into a groundbridge as Wheeljack's optics fluttered open from his resting state beneath the rubble.

         "Femme?" The wrecker muttered with a cough as the swirling portal vanished, and he was helped up to his pedes as Predaking failed to murder a single Autobot.