Two days later, Knockout blinks nervously as Megatron storms into the medbay. “Do you understand any Seeker?”

The medic stares in shock, “Only… a few words, phrases.”

“Come.” He turns and leaves, Knockout staring in shock for a moment before following hesitantly.

“My… my leige, what is…” His voice trails off at the sharp glare. “Or not.”

Megatron faces forward again, opening the door to his quarters. Instantly, Knockout recognizes the screams for consolation coming from Starscream's new quarters. “What is he saying?”

The medic winces slightly, “I do not know all of the words, but he seems to be asking for comfort… consolidation. He is afraid.”

Starscream's wails grow louder, and Megatron leans his helm against a wall in exhaustion. “He has been crying like this all night.”

Knockout nods, “Yes… he has been doing that since..”

“I need more information about the breed.” Megatron cuts him off, “Round up all information you can find about Seeker culture, language, and needs.”

The medic nods, although he doubts there will be much. He exits the room, but pauses in the door. “My leige?”

“What is it Knockout?”

“Have you considered going in to ask him what he is saying?” Knockout tenses to run, unsure of what the warlord's reaction would be.

Instead of lashing out, Megatron pauses to consider this. “He hasn't responded well to my presence so far.”

Knockout raises an optic ridge, “And have you considered giving him back his wings?”

This time, the attack is so fast in coming that the poor medic has no time to even flinch as he is thrown backwards into the wall across the hallway. “My reasons for taking Starscream's wings are no concern of yours, medic.” Megatron leans over him with a dark expression across his faceplate, “Go find me that information. Everything you can find.”

“He's probably suffering from ground-sickness.” Knockout can't believe his own idiocy. “Seekers go crazy when they're trapped. He needs to fly, or at least go outside.”

Megatron growls at him before walking back into his berthroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

At the sound of the slamming door, Starscream yelps and ceases his wails as he quickly moves to hide underneath his berth. He hasn't tried to walk yet, but crawling is no new thing for him.

Megatron steps into the room, inwardly cringing at the fearful whimper coming from the Seeker. “Starscream, come out of there.”

Without saying a word, the mech pokes his helm out to gauge the situation, watching the warlord nervously. Megatron sighs, picking him up and placing him onto the berth before sitting next to him.

Saying Starscream is surprised by the movement would by an understatement. His optics widen and his entire frame tenses as he sits completely still where he was placed, gaze centered on the intimidating form of the warlord next to him.

“What were you asking for, Starscream?” Megatron returns his gaze evenly, easily hiding the guilt and the anger behind a blank of curiosity.

The Seeker winces, scrambling backwards until he's as far as possible on the berth from him. “I… I would rather not translate..” Megatron cannot get over how submissive and shaky Starscream’s voice has become. It is almost frightening.

“Would you like to go flying?” The question exits his mouth before he can stop it. He knows there is only one way that Starscream could fly, and he's pretty certain that the mech will not appreciate it.

Starscream closes his optics. “So not only did you rid me of my wings… you are going to taunt me with flight?”

“Starscream…” Megatron changes his tone to more of a snarl, “Simply answer the question.”

“Of course I would like to go flying!” The Seeker raises his voice and for a moment looks like the old Starscream, but that is cut short when he bursts into sobs.

Megatron stands up, “Follow.” He walks to the door, knowing very well that Starscream is afraid of trying to walk.

He stares after him, tears still rolling across his cheek plates. Looking at the floor, he tentatively puts his weight onto his left pede as he tries to stand.

The warlord chuckles despite himself when the Seeker tumbles onto his faceplate due to lack of balance. He walks over, offering him a servo silently.

Casting him a wary glance, Starscream reaches up his own slender servo tentatively, yelping when he is not only lifted to his feet, but cradled in Megatron's arms. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“When we get back, I will have to start you walking more often.” The warlord doesn't answer the question as he easily walks to his private flight deck. He looks down at the trembling mech in his arms, wondering not for the first time what he sees in Starscream.

The Seeker struggles slightly, “B-back from where?” The question comes out more as a whimper, being as he is more terrified than curious.

“Flying.”

The answer confuses Starscream more than the gentleness of the arms wrapped around his form. “How?”

“Patience, Starscream.” In truth, Megatron is nervous about this as well. Carrying the Seeker on the top of his alt mode may allow Starscream to have at least some of the sensation he is missing, but it also gives him the perfect opportunity to do what he's been attempting since his wings were removed.

Starscream stares around as they exit the ship, now standing on the small flight deck. He trembles as Megatron's servos move to his waist as he places the shaky mech on his pedes.

“I will carry you.” He leaves no room for disobedience in his tone. If this will calm the Seeker's wailing, he will do it every day. Twice a day if he has to.

Starscream seems to realize exactly what he means and flinches slightly, but makes no opposition. It won't be anything like truly flying, but he will be able to get some of this claustrophobic feeling shaken out of his systems.

Megatron transforms, hovering slightly above the deck. “Coming, Starscream?”

The Seeker nervously climbs onto the top of the Cybertronian jet mode, gripping tightly to the front of each wing as he tries to balance himself in the center.

Megatron shows no sign of his discomfort at the unusual feeling, taking off as soon as Starscream seems ready. The extra weight, although in reality it is not much, throws him off a little at first, but he soon adapts, speeding up as he climbs higher.

Starscream shutters his optics, opening his mouth slightly to allow the wind to enter his intake. The brisk air fills his systems with a sense of freedom, even though he knows how trapped he is.

He pushes the thought away, knowing this may be his only flight that he ever gets. Resolving to enjoy himself as much he possibly can, he leans slightly into the wind rushing past his slender frame.

Megatron almost spins off course in shock when he hears a silvery laugh exit the mech on his wings. It's a sound he's never heard from the Seeker, different from any sound he's heard from anyone, really.

It was joy. For an instant, Starscream had felt joyful as he experienced flight or at least the sensation of it for the first time in over a lunar cycle. Megatron ponders the sound, storing it away in his memory files to add onto the growing pile of pieces making up the puzzle of his Seeker.

Wait, what? My Seeker? Suddenly the warlord realizes what has happened over the vorns spent with Starscream. He turns to head back to the ship, not exactly liking the sudden information.

Starscream sighs softly as he feels Megatron land, opening his optics and accidentally slipping painfully onto the deck as he tries to climb off. The warlord transforms, raising an optic ridge.

He blushes under the stare, scrambling to his pedes shakily. Balancing is near impossible, and he keeps falling backwards, overcompensating for the missing appendages. Megatron catches him with a single servo, his processor still spinning from the epiphany. He has to keep this hidden at all costs. He cannot show weakness such as this.

“M-my leige?” Starscream begins to feel uncomfortable with both the stare and the lingering servo on his shoulder. Megatron blinks, his only response other than lifting the Seeker into his arms and carrying him back inside quickly.

Starscream shivers nervously, the determination in Megatron's optics frightening him. He's never missed it when the warlord examined his frame as they walked or he gave reports, although most mechs look at him in the same way. He shutters his optics, sure that his biggest fear is about to become a reality.

Instead, the warlord places him just inside the doorway to his small quarters. “First walking lesson begins now.” Megatron closes the door, leaving the Seeker almost ten steps away from his berth. “Good luck.”