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Soundwave is half asleep at the counter. His senses are dulled, which, in all honestly, only brings his focus down to that of an average mech. He’s never been one for complete exhaustion; he has trained his body to live off of the bare minimum of sleep - a necessity growing up on the streets and the only means of survival during the war. But now, he feels it, seeping into his higher functions and making everything feel slow. Perhaps peacetime had softened him, and that thought only makes him secretly mourn a previous life where his daily motions kept exhaustion from catching up to him.
Through his muzzy haze, he can faintly make out the shape of Cosmos, looking much more alert than Soundwave. He bounces around the kitchenette with the sort of ease that would trick an unknowing observer that they’d been together for years instead of a few weeks. Soundwave feels a sharp stab of affection, and he almost smiles behind his mask, until an undercurrent of jealousy makes his frame collapse into itself.
Cosmos must have seen the action through his bustling because he turns to Soundwave with a quizzical look. He looks as if he might say something, before thinking better of it. His visor lights up in a soft glow and Soundwave takes a minute to admire how the light plays off of his features. He holds up a hand in a placating gesture, turning back to the energon dispenser on the counter. A soft hum comes from him as he works, pulling a cube from the cabinet below and filling it up with the precious liquid. Soundwave is reminded of how hungry he is and he tries not to leer too much.
With a full cup, precariously sloshing around the edges, Cosmos shuffles over to the heating station. A blue flame expands from the center of the platelet and as Cosmos carefully holds the cube over the edges of the flame, it illuminates in a harsh yellow light. Energon is combustible by its very nature, but the flame itself is gentle on the substance. There’s a science to this delicate balance, but Soundwave is too tired to really think about it.
Cosmos hovers over the heat for only a few seconds before presenting Soundwave with the now steaming cup. If he could, he would grin. For now, he settles for a cheerily contented hum, sprinkling in some rust flakes that quickly melt on top. Soundwave watches the brown mix into the bright pink, transforming the energon into a rich purple. He makes his own contented hum, a servo coming out to wrap around the blessedly warm glass.
His mask snicks open with a quickness that the rest of his body was lacking, making a sharp sound in the otherwise quiet living quarters. He can feel Cosmos’ gaping gaze tracing his face, and he’s momentarily amused that for all their time spent together, Cosmos still found it such a novelty.
Soundwave takes a small sip. Warmth seeps into his frame, electric and wonderful. He takes a few more drags, his systems becoming more alert. His higher functions are the last to come fully online. He’s almost done with the cube before he feels conscious enough to express his gratitude.
“Thank you, Cosmos.” Fuzz enters his voice, rich in love. He passes the cube back to Cosmos, who clutches it in his servos with an excited light in his visor.
“No problem! Warm energon always makes me feel better!” Cosmos says cheerily. He tosses the cube into a recycling bin, turning around to make his own fuel. It’s simple for him, plain energon. He cozies up to Soundwave on the chair next to him when he’s finished.
Soundwave pulls him close and tries to pretend for a moment that he doesn’t have any responsibilities for the day.