The world had become a fragile place ever since Soundwave learned that his Conjunx was carrying. To say he was overprotective would be an understatement—he was a looming shadow, a constant presence, scanning every frequency, monitoring every shift in their energy signature. The mere thought of them being away from him for too long sent static through his processor.
So when Rai disappeared, his world cracked.
It had started as an innocent misunderstanding. The Terrans—young, inexperienced, and full of good intentions—had been out exploring when they stumbled upon a lone Cybertronian, wandering along the outskirts of town. From their perspective, they saw someone who looked uncertain, maybe even lost.
“You okay?” Twitch had asked, concern flickering in her optics.
The response was cut off before it could be fully formed, as Thrash had already commed the Autobots. “Hey, uh, we found someone. They look kinda… out of place?”
By the time their ‘rescuer’ realized the mistake, it was too late.
Soundwave’s rage was silent, cold, and all-consuming. He had torn through frequencies, overriding comm signals, tracking their signature with a precision honed through centuries of war. The Autobots had them. The Autobots had them.
He moved swiftly, undetected, slipping past security measures as if they were nothing but thin mist. He had spent too long in the shadows to be stopped by simple deterrents. His conjunx’s presence was near—so close he could feel them.
The moment he saw Rai, relief crashed into him like a tidal wave. But it was a dangerous kind of relief, one that left a sharp edge in its wake. They looked unharmed, but that did not matter. The fact that they had been taken at all, that they had been touched, had Soundwave spiraling.
Rai turned, startled at his arrival, optics widening in surprise.
“Soundwave-” His servos were on them before they could say another word, pulling them into his embrace, pressing his helm against theirs. His vents shuddered as he scanned them rapidly, checking for damage, any sign of harm, no matter how minor.
“Unacceptable,” his vocoder rasped, voice laced with something raw, something bordering on desperation. Rai tried to explain, placing a gentle servo on his arm. “Taken. From me.” he growled, tightening his hold.
The Autobots and Terrans stood frozen, watching the exchange with wide optics. Optimus took a cautious step forward, hands raised in a placating gesture. “Soundwave—”
“No.”
The single syllable was a warning, a growl vibrating through his frame. He turned, optics burning with something dangerous.
“Mine. Mine.”
The Autobots exchanged glances, realization dawning too late. This wasn’t just concern. This was something deeper—possessive, unwavering. They hadn’t just taken someone.
They had taken Soundwave’s Conjunx.