Chapter Text
Ravage was already pretty comfortable with the idea of her host having a partner, and was even comfortable with the fact that said partner was Shockwave of all mechs. It was the idea of having a second stepsire that was odd to her.
She was well aware that Shockwave had, initially, regarded her as simply a very smart animal. It had been frustrating at first, but he eventually learned that she was just as sapient as him. That frustration had lingered for a long time, though.
Ravage didn't quite mind that it had taken Shockwave a while to figure out that becoming a cassette had rendered her much more intelligent than the average cybercat. It probably hadn't helped that she had been too wary to speak around him for most of their interactions, even back in the Pits when she'd been young and naïve. Shockwave had set her on edge at the time, unreadable as he was. He'd also set Soundwave off back then, with his completely blank EM field. She found the confusion understandable.
And yet, that frustration had lingered until quite recently. Until Soundwave had started admitting to her that he had grown to be 'too comfortable' with Shockwave, as he had phrased it. Surely he couldn't be that bad, if her host had come to enjoy his company.
So Ravage started to spy on the purple tank. He started off as unreadable as ever, but after a while, she began to pick up on subtle cues as to his mood. A dimmed optic and flattened finials were disappointment. Raised finials with a bright optic was interest or happiness. Sometimes his servo would hover uncertainly as he thought over what tool he needed, or he'd hold it out expectantly for his assistant to deposit the requested tool into. He was hard to read, and according to Soundwave his EM field had remained completely unreadable, but it wasn't impossible to read his physical responses.
He almost always had raised finials and a bright optic around Soundwave, she'd noticed. Almost always happy to be around him, or interested in their awkward, monotone conversations. Even when he wasn't excited to be around Soundwave, he was never upset- merely neutral at worst. And Soundwave was similarly excited or enraptured by their interactions.
They would be good for each other if they could actually manage to get together, she'd decided. But she hadn't expected it to actually happen, let alone relatively quickly considering their subtle, stoic attempts to woo one another. Shockwave had, in fact, thanked his assistant for kicking his aft into gear (though he hadn't phrased it that way).
And now here Ravage was, sprawled across Shockwave's lap as his single servo pet her with great care to be gentle while he and Soundwave had yet another awkward, monotone conversation, this time in Soundwave's quarters. Currently they were on the topic of Starscream's latest failed attempt to dethrone Megatron, with Shockwave letting out those wheezy not-quite-laughs as Soundwave replayed Starscream's shrill voice for the tank, who had been in his lab at the time.
It was strange to think that she'd disliked Shockwave for such a long time, given how easily he had slotted into their odd family. She stretched out and he scritched her just right behind the audials, making her purr as she curled up on one bulky purple thigh. She bumped her helm back into his servo and kneaded at his leg, her tail waving languidly over the edge of the berth he was sitting on.
Shockwave didn't bother looking down at her, given that his ridiculous chassis would've gotten in the way, but he did move his servo to stroke down her back. Ravage purred and rubbed her cheek against his abdominal plating, then rolled onto her back so Shockwave could give her a bellyrub.
Soundwave paused in his dramatic recital of Starscream's newest betrayal to stare at Ravage. "Ravage: likes Shockwave," he observed happily. "I've never seen her do that for anyone except myself and the twins." He paused for a moment. "Well, with the twins it's usually so she can attempt to maul their servos when they try petting her. But she seems happy with you."
Shockwave's index digit reached up to rub Ravage's chin as the rest of his servo kept petting her belly. "You never know. She could be plotting." Ravage had noticed that Shockwave was trying to be more expressive lately, sometimes including (usually terrible) attempts at humor like that.
It seemed to be enough this time, because Soundwave let out a little giggle. "Perhaps. Ravage: good at plotting." He scooted a little closer, ostensibly so he could pet Ravage too, but more likely so he could nuzzle up to Shockwave, who turned his helm to give Soundwave's crest one of those weird electric kisses they were so fond of. "If Ravage is plotting, perhaps we should eject her from the habsuite."
Ravage tried not to make a noise of disgust at Soundwave's blatant attempt to get her out of his quarters so he and Shockwave could do whatever it was they did when they were alone, but Shockwave seemed completely oblivious to Soundwave's insinuation and just laughed at what he appeared to believe to be a joke. "I may be cruel, but I am not cruel enough to force this poor cybercat out into the wilds of the Nemesis," he said, continuing to pet Ravage. "Who knows what kind of trouble she could cause."
Soundwave let out an indignant ex-vent, but refused to elaborate on his true intentions while Ravage was still in the room. She was a grown adult by now, but he was still protective of her and didn't want to subject her to that. "Very well," he said, patting Ravage once more before withdrawing his arm and leaning against Shockwave, his arms crossed over the purple mech's pauldron. "Ravage: may remain." He managed to sound subtly irritated despite his use of recorded voice clips.
Ravage gave a long ex-vent and purred as Shockwave continued to give her a bellyrub, hoping to keep him engaged for a while longer. She may be one of the more responsible cassettes, but sometimes even she couldn't resist the entertainment of frustrating her host. Thank Primus Shockwave was so oblivious to social cues.
No, she didn't mind having a second stepsire, she decided. They were a good match, and he was good to her and her siblings. That was good enough for her.