Chapter Text
Soundwave was laying on the floor of metroplex. His digets clawing the dead body of Ultra Magnus that had fallen on top of him. He had to take a few seconds to come to himself again. He did a quick body scan of his systems. A giant cut on his front from the energy axe, damaged docking system, broken visor and disorientation and an almost crushed windpipe and voice box.
Yes, he had almost died. After Ultra Magnus had head butted him, he had grabbed Soundwave neck and had lifted him up, slowly cutting off his airflow as Ultra Magnus was crushing his windpipe. Soundwave couldn't even find the energy in himself to scream. The wound on his front leaking energon at an alarming rate. Fresh energon was leaking down his chasis to his pedes to the ground. But then a shot had rung out. Something had hit Ultra Magnus right is the chest through his spark. Soundwave had fallen to the ground with Ultra Magnus collapsing on top of him.
Speaking of collapsing, if he remembered right than he should get out of here. Metroplex was falling and would kill him unintentionally if he stayed here. He had to move. He could hear people on the ground and in Metroplex panicking. They were moving just like he needed to do.
Soundwave tried again to move Ultra Magnus' body off him. Just a little bit more. Yes! Soundwave managed to slowly shuffle Ultra Magnus' body off with gravity was helping him a little bit.
Now he needed to get up. His servos tried to get somewhat of a grip on the floor, but that seemed impossible. There was a lot of spilled energon around him and on him. A little pool of energon had formed underneath him. It wasn't all his right? No, no, he would have been dead if it was. Ultra Magnus was also bleeding heavily.
'S... DWA ..'
What was he doing again? Getting up? That sounds difficult right now. Yeah, his whole body felt tired and in pain and heavy. Soundwave shut his optics for a second, before opening them again. He looked up to too many system errors and warning on his hud. He needed to get out of Metroplex.
He felt himself slipping away again.
'SOUNDWAVE!'
His body shot up, full alert, not even registering the pain that he was supposed to be feeling. His systems must be in shock.
'SOUNDWAVE, GET UP!'
Soundwave stumbled to his pedes, blindly follow the command of the voice he was hearing so loudly.
'Yes, that's it. Now, take a step forward.'
He did, again following the voice. Who was talking to him or rather voicing his thought really loudly to him?
'Good, now another step. You're almost there. Yes, that's it! You're doing great. Just a few more and than you can rest, okay? Great, just two more. Almost...almost...YES!'
Soundwave was looking at the fresh battlefield below him. Cybertronians were kind of small, but clearly running. He looked over to were to voice was coming from.
'Ah, I knew I the voice.' Soundwave thought. Soundwave was looking straight at an Autobot who had said that he and his partner were going to run.
He looked at Slicer, before looking at the ground. That was a long way down. He couldn't make it down in this condition even if Metroplex wasn't falling.
'JUMP.'
Soundwave looked at Slicer again. Slicers command was stupid. Soundwave hesitated and looked down again. It is not like he was going to come down any other way. Maybe one of his symbots could come get him. Lazerbeak or Buzzaw could carry him to safety if he could transform.
'I'll catch you.'
Slicer didn't look like a bot that could catch him even if he wanted to. It was nice of him to offer though. Soundwave tried calling for Lazerbeak or Buzzaw through the bond, but somehow vaguely recognized that they were both too far away to get here in time. They were probably still with Megatron who would be leading the troops away from the falling Metroplex right now.
'I'll catch you...I promise.'
Okay, yeah, that's nice.
Everyone always said he was a bleeding spark. Way too trusting and way to way too hopeful in the enemy. Believing that an enemy could be good wasn't the mindset for war. It was kill or be killed. You weren't supposed to have time to think if you could possibly help the enemy turn his life around and join our side. The moment you finish those thoughts that same enemy you wanted to help would have put a blaster shot through your spark.
But than again, Soundwave wasn't like another Cybertronians. He cared about everybody, all his fellow Decepticons, Autobots and neutrals. He wanted to help as many people as he could.
He was well aware that an injured Autobot on the ground that he was helping would shoot him in the face if he could, but Soundwave couldn't just stand by and do nothing while someone was dying. Maybe one of these times an Autobot he had saved would think about his life and reconsider. Change his life. And if Soundwave could even safe one life like that, then it would be worth it.
Now a same enemy was calling out for him. Telling him to jump. Telling him to trust him. Soundwave couldn't hear well enough to know if Slicer had any underlying thoughts about tricking him. Every thought Slicer was not actively sending his way, he couldn't hear. But that's okay. Soundwave trusted Slicer. Slicer doesn't waste his time on pointless things. He doesn't put an effort in it. So now that Slicer was making an effort, just by being here and not running when he said that he would, by reassuring him he will catch him is enough. He trusts Slicer.
With that last thought Soundwave let's himself fall forward, falling out of Metroplex. He was too disoriented to know what was up and down. His vision so blurry that he couldn't even see he ground coming closer. He was falling faster and faster. Until he felt something hard run into his side. A pricing pain shot through him. His arm taking most of the damage. Soundwave had barley registered the pain in his arm, before hitting the ground hard and everything went black.
—————
If you had asked Slicer what he was doing, he couldn't have answered you. He didn't know why he held back after taking Ratchet out of Metroplex. He should run. Run while the Autobots and the Deceptions were still fighting and not focusing on them. He couldn't leave yet. Why? Because if felt wrong. Because Soundwave was not with him. Because he did not want to leave Soundwave behind.
He didn't know why he cared for this Decepticon. Waiting for conformation of Soundwaves safety was maybe even more illogical than listening to him through the radio of Blasters head.
What in Primus name is he doing!? He didn’t care for anyone except himself…and maybe Ratchet.
Damn, all of this. Stupid Decepticon, making him worry. Stupider him for staying. He couldn't leave.
After the fight with the other Wreckers, he had taken Ratchet to a space where the battle wasn't ongoing, into cover, and quickly tried to stop wound on Ratchets chasis to stop bleeding. After that he had looked around, searching for that blasted white and blue paintjob. It was nowhere to be seen. Metroplex was falling, crumbling down and Soundwave hadn't made an appearance yet.
He couldn't still be-FRAG-of course he is.
Slicer searched for Soundwave on Metroplex. Looking inside and zooming in into the places he could see inside.
There he is! Soundwave was being held op by the neck by Ultra Magnus. His worry increased to a level he only had when Ratchet got gotten himself in trouble or shot. He didn't even think. He just aimed, carefully so he wouldn't hit Soundwave, but without hesitation he had shot Ultra Magnus right is the back on his sparkchamber. At least he hoped he did. He saw both, Soundwave and Ultra Magnus fall.
Okay, good. He didn't know why he saved Soundwave, but he did. Great job to himself. He should go now. Take Ratchet and go.
Yet...He still couldn't. He hadn't seen Soundwave make it out. Soundwave was still in Metroplex. He would die if he didn't get out.
Slicer waited a few seconds, but still no sign of Soundwave. He spewed a few curses around. Ratchet was looking at him worriedly, but that could wait. Soundwave should have gotten up by now. Why wasn't he standing up? Did that soft sparked Decepticon want to die?!
His spark clenched at the thought. No, Soundwave couldn't. He wasn't allowed to. Yeah, that's right. Just like Ratchet wasn't allowed to die, Soundwave wasn't allowed too either. Slicer simple wouldn't let him.
Now, how could he get to Soundwave? He wasn't a flier or anything. Maybe send a message, one only Soundwave would hear over the sound of fight and the sound of Metroplex falling, a telepathic one.
He called out to Soundwave. Once...twice...thrice. Yes! There he was. He could see Soundwave.
Slicer tried to zoom in as best as he could. He felt his spark almost jump out of his body when he got a clear view. Soundwave was covered in Energon. It was practically dripping of him. Too much, way too much. He could see more energon than paintjob. Oh primus.
Soundwave was standing. Yeah, it couldn't be that bad, right? It probably was. He didn't lie to himself. He wasn't an optimist. But Soundwave couldn't die. Slicer somehow cared for him, so Soundwave wasn't allowed to die. If Soundwave was standing, then he could make it out. He just needed to walk step by step.
Slicer tried to guide Soundwave as best as he could and it worked. Soundwave was slowly moving towards the edge, until he was there. Now how would Soundwave get down?
Slicer didn't see any other option other than falling. Soundwave looked so unsteady on his pedes. It was a wonder that Metroplex's shaking hadn't made him fall. Soundwave was in no condition to climb down.
Would Soundwave survive something like that? Slicer had when Firestar had shot him out of Metroplex, but he had been mostly uninjured. Soundwave looked like he would crack and shatter into a thousand pieces if you even looked at him the wrong way.
Still, there was nothing else he could do for Soundwave. If it went really wrong Ratchet could help. Yeah, he had a medic with him and there were enough spare sparts laying around to fix Soundwave up.
Jumping it was. So, he told Soundwave that. When Soundwave didn't move, he told him again, reassuring him after that.
That was strange. Slicer didn't make promises. He didn't believe in them. He was a wrecker, one of Ultra Magnus' best, a band full of spies and liars. Promises didn't mean shit, all empty words to make the enemy lower their guards, but strangely he did mean this one. Yes, he was going to catch Soundwave.
Maybe he could negate the speed that Soundwave would be falling with? He could ramp up and ram into Soundwave at full speed. That would slow down the falling a little bit. That was a great plan...or at least the best and only plan he could come up with. He didn't have anymore time to think about it as Soundwave was already falling.
Slicer quickly transformed and drove out of cover. He spotted a rock that could be used as a ramp and drove up on it full speed. He transformers mid air, before colliding front plating into Soundwaves side. They landed roughly on the ground a few seconds later. Slicer rose up again, checking over Soundwave who was now offline. Probably caused by either the pain of the hard landing.
Ratchet ran over, looking over Slicer and then going to Soundwave. He did a quick scan of both of them. Slicer had some severely dented plating by crashing into Soundwave. Soundwave looked like he had a big slice wound on his front, cracked visor, processor damage, crushed voice- and windpipes and a now severely messed up arm.
Slicer turned Soundwave on his back so that Ratchet could make some emergency repairs, welding the wound on his back shut. They had to move Soundwave carefully, otherwise that wound would reopen. Slicer moved his arms under Soundwaves knees and shoulders and heaved him up bridal style. It was slightly awkward, because Soundwave was taller than him, but it would do.
Slicer told Ratchet to follow him, leaving the battlefield and the falling Metroplex and everyone else behind them.
They would be okay. Ratchet and Soundwave were under his protection now. As long as he was here, he would prevent as much harm as possible to protect them. This whole stupid world with their pointless war could burn. As long as he had them it would be okay. That was his purpose. A cause worth fighting for.
They walked for he didn’t care how long, until they felt like they were safely away from the battlefield. They found a cave they could temporarily hide and reside in. He put Soundwave down inside the cave, before looking back at Ratchet who was getting his med kit ready to treat both of them properly. Or at least as properly as he could.
They could survive like this. The three of them. Away from the Autobots and Decepticons. Just the three of them would be alright. He wouldn't let anyone or anything take away his Ratchet or Soundwave.