gay robot problems

[thanksoptimus]

Who: Orion Pax and Starscream, and later Megatron.
Where: The space boat.
When: While Megatron is out talking to Baelhaet.
What: Orion is getting restless and Starscream is getting annoyed.
Warnings: Robots.

Normally, Orion would be extremely hesitant to wander the ship without explicit permission. After all, he's been the one locking himself in his room lately, more than anybody else. But with Megatron off on other business...he feels like this may be an opportunity to speak of his issues covertly.

With Megatron out, he suspects that Commander Starscream must still be in. He isn't in any of the obvious places, and so he finds himself approaching some of the more obscure storage locations.

He considers calling, but the idea is nebulously off putting. So, instead he just moves in closer, listening for sounds of other robotic life.

Comments

[thanksoptimus]

It's hard to comprehend what Starscream is getting at at first - but it inspires him to think on it, which is more than enough to start bringing up latent worries. He's certain that what's been done to him is a complication, handling the guilt he feels has been difficult at the best of times, but that would be the cause of his own hesitation, not Megatron's.

"I have hardly had the opportunity to notice anything, thus far," he says with a note of stubbornness, mostly because inwardly he is trying to figure out what he's missing. He's now convinced that it must be something.

[starscheme]

If Orion was confused, then Starscream was succeeding. All he had to do was be painfully cryptic and stir up the Autobot's latent inquisitiveness, and the rest should take care of itself. If Orion started asking questions again and poking around where he didn't belong, Megatron would be forced to take action whether he wanted to or not, and Starscream would be proven right. It was a win/win as far as he was concerned.

"Well I'm sure locking yourself in the bowels of the ship certainly isn't helping that situation, now is it?" He says with a pleasant smile.

[thanksoptimus]

Is he saying he should be more assertive? WHAT IS HAPPENING.

On the outside, Orion gives him an uncertain look, but doesn't argue. At least not yet. He has to...think about this.

"You think I should seek him out more directly?" he asks.

[starscheme]

"Ah, now you're getting it." That pleasant smile is starting to look almost sinister. "Well, that's what works for me, at any rate."

[thanksoptimus]

Orion watches him carefully, trying to measure his words. Didn't he say before that there would be no point in forcing a confrontation? Maybe he means he should just be honest about his feelings?

Starscream is hard to get a read on. One second he seems genuinely helpful, and the next Orion is almost certain he's being mocked.

He sighs, his shoulders drooping.

"I suppose I haven't much choice," he says, glancing at the door apprehensively. He falls silent for another moment. "He hasn't...said anything, has he?"

He'd been willing to take Megatron's word that things were fine, but maybe that was unwise.

[starscheme]

"Said anything? I'm afraid not." He's starting to look bored, like he is suddenly uninterested now that he's said his bit. "Like I said, he's had quite a lot to cope with... direct confrontation initially seemed to be in bad form, but now that I'm more informed of your situation... if you're distressed about matters, well, there isn't really much you can do about that aside from be direct. It'll be better for you both in the long run," he sighs, idly inspecting the talons on one hand.

[thanksoptimus]

He contemplates asking more questions, to try to get more information out of the bot. But with the way Starscream is regarding him now, it seems that he must be done with him. So instead of pursuing it further, he nods his head.

"Thank you, Commander Starscream," he says.

[starscheme]

He shrugs nonchalantly. "Think nothing of it. I'm here to assist... I only wish you luck in your endeavor."