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tfic_contestTitle: Music and War
Rating: K
Universe: G-1
Characters: Soundwave & Jazz
Word Count: 1,457
“Jazz.”
Jazz looked up abruptly in surprise from the data pad he had been studying. “Slag, Soundwave. What are you doing here?”
“I was…lonely.”
“Man, you can’t be out after curfew like this. We’ll both get in trouble if you get caught.”
The look Soundwave gave him was so sad that Jazz couldn’t help but give in.
“Fine. We’ll just have to think of something to tell the dorm monitors if they do a room check.”
If he could have, Soundwave would have smiled. Jazz was the only friend he had at their boarding school; he could always count on him to keep him company.
Jazz did smile when the blue mech pulled his instrument from subspace and started playing. The synthesizer was small and it didn’t have much of a tonal range, but Soundwave could make the most beautiful music with it.
He always knew the right tone to set for hanging out. And it made for some fine studying music. The two friends sat together and Jazz eased Soundwave’s loneliness by simply being there.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
There were the first stirrings of dissent when they graduated from the Music Academy. No one doubted that Soundwave and Jazz would be the top of their class, but everyone had been surprised when they said they weren’t going to be playing together.
“His style’s just too different,” Jazz told the rest of their friends with a laugh. “He likes to play and I like to listen. It’s just not in the future.”
Soundwave nodded, though he seemed sad about it too. “Jazz plays, but without passion.”
Everyone laughed at the comment coming from the seemingly most passionless of them all. Jazz put his arm around his friend’s shoulder and gave him a hug.
“It’s true enough,” Jazz replied. “I love the music, but it doesn’t always love me.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Soundwave was crouched under a partially fallen building, cradling Ravage to his chestplate as the Decepticon Seekers raged overhead looking for Autobot saboteurs. He and his sparkling had done their best to avoid the war entirely, but he knew that their luck had run out.
Ravage whimpered softly as he heard something in the ruins around them. Soundwave turned to see what had attracted the sparkling’s attention.
Jazz was climbing carefully down into their shelter.
He seemed as surprised to see them as Soundwave was to see his old friend. The musician was also disappointed to see the Autobot insignia on Jazz’s chestplate. He hadn’t expected his friend to choose sides in the war.
“Soundwave! What are you doing here?”
“Hiding. You?”
“The same.” Jazz didn’t elaborate any further than Soundwave had. “Who’s that?”
Soundwave’s gaze followed the saboteur’s pointing finger to his sparkling. “Ravage. My sparkling.”
A huge smile blossomed across Jazz’s face, despite the war and destruction around them. “Congratulations! Have you had him long?”
And just like that, the war around them could be forgotten. They lost themselves in talking about their lives and the past until the Seekers were gone.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
He almost couldn’t stand the betrayed look in Jazz’s optics when he saw the Decepticon crest on his chestplate. He had known this would be a problem when he had answered the Autobots message to meet him at the oil house, but he had thought their friendship might be able to overcome it.
Now, Soundwave had to wonder if that hope had been in error.
“You became a Decepticon.” Jazz’s statement was flat, trying to hide his true feelings on the subject.
The hurt, anger and betrayal he was feeling from his friend almost made him regret his decision. But Megatron’s beliefs were closer to his own that the Autobots and he had won Soundwave’s loyalty by accepting his sparklings and giving them a place within the Decepticon ranks.
“As you became an Autobot,” Soundwave replied. “It was the right decision for both of us.”
“But why? There would have been room for you with the Autobots.” Jazz’s face crumpled with sorrow. “I worried about you when you were a neutral, but now I might have to kill you, Soundwave!”
Soundwave hadn’t really looked at it that way before. He had only been looking for a place to belong that would promise some sort of security for his sparklings if something happened to him. Now, he realized with a start, he and his best friend were on opposite sides of the civil war.
He might also have to kill Jazz in battle one day. “Slag.”
“You said it, man.” The Autobot did his best to put on a happier face. “Since we’re here, we might as well do some catching up, right?”
If he could have smiled, Soundwave would have. The war was a stupid reason to forget their friendship.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
As he stared down the barrels of the weapons Soundwave and his sparklings were holding on him, Jazz couldn’t help but think that the war had finally destroyed the friendship between them.
“You said to come alone, Soundwave,” Jazz said calmly. “I didn’t think you wanted to meet just to kill me.”
“Negative.” Soundwave shook his head. “Precautions necessary.”
Jazz shook his head at the return of the stilted speech patterns he thought Soundwave had gotten over while they were still in school. He spread his arms to the sides. “Well, I’m alone and unarmed.”
“Frenzy, Rumble, guard perimeter.”
“But, boss—“ the red sparkling started to argue.
“Go.” Soundwave’s order was final. The blue sparkling grabbed his twin and the two left.
Jazz lowered his hands as Soundwave subspaced his weapon. “Your speech problem is back.”
Soundwave nodded. “Battle damage. You are well?”
“Yeah. I miss your music, though.”
Soundwave looked down at the ground at the statement. “Yes.”
“What, don’t they let you play?” Jazz’s spark ached at the look of sorrow in his friend’s posture.
“No music in war.” Soundwave’s answer was so soft he almost didn’t hear it.
“There’s no war here, Soundwave.” Jazz took the blue mech’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “You can play for me whenever you need.”
Soundwave hesitated before pulling a very old synthesizer from subspace. With unpracticed fingers, he began coaxing soft music from the instrument. Jazz smiled at the sense of peace that seemed to return to his friend.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
When Megatron had escalated the war against the Autobots, it had become much harder to sneak away to meet Jazz. He was beginning to think that it would be impossible to meet again after this.
“I’m beginning to think I’m not welcome here anymore,” Jazz said jokingly as Soundwave stepped into the ruined building where they usually met. “Had to lose Starscream’s trine twice on the way in.”
“Shockwave heightened security.” Soundwave gave his friend a hard look. “You are troubled?”
“I’m going on a mission. A long one. Don’t know when I’ll be back.” Jazz shrugged. “If it pays off, it might be worth it, but its going to be lonely out there.”
Soundwave felt sudden justified in his earlier sense of finality. He pulled a music disc out of subspace. He had intended to give it Jazz all along, but now it seemed even more important than it had when Ravage helped him record it.
“Take my music,” he said, pressing it into his friend’s hand. “Loneliness is easier with music.”
Jazz took the disc and subspaced it. Then he pulled his friend in for a hug.
“Will you play for me before I go?” Jazz looked almost desperate as he stepped away from the embrace a moment later.
Soundwave nodded and pulled his synthesizer from subspace. Only for Jazz could he make music during the war.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Prowl was dead, Shockwave was missing and presumed dead and still Soundwave wanted to meet. Somehow, Jazz couldn’t find it in himself to deny his old friend, even if Soundwave had been partially responsible for his bondmate’s death.
He had to ask, though, as he stared into the familiar crimson visor across from him. “Why did you ask me here? It’s really not the best time to be catching up.”
“Mourning alone, not healthy.” Soundwave replied, the full weight of his grief evident in his voice.
“I’m not alone, Soundwave.”
“I am.” That one statement suddenly made it clear why Soundwave had asked him to meet this time. He had no one but his sparklings to support him in his grief for the loss of his lover.
Jazz pulled the guitar he’d commissioned years ago from subspace. Earth music loved him much more than Cybertronian music had. With careful fingers, he began pulling a sorrowful melody from the strings. A moment later, Soundwave joined him with his synthesizer.
The war may have been no place for music, but life and death were.
Rating: K
Universe: G-1
Characters: Soundwave & Jazz
Word Count: 1,457
“Jazz.”
Jazz looked up abruptly in surprise from the data pad he had been studying. “Slag, Soundwave. What are you doing here?”
“I was…lonely.”
“Man, you can’t be out after curfew like this. We’ll both get in trouble if you get caught.”
The look Soundwave gave him was so sad that Jazz couldn’t help but give in.
“Fine. We’ll just have to think of something to tell the dorm monitors if they do a room check.”
If he could have, Soundwave would have smiled. Jazz was the only friend he had at their boarding school; he could always count on him to keep him company.
Jazz did smile when the blue mech pulled his instrument from subspace and started playing. The synthesizer was small and it didn’t have much of a tonal range, but Soundwave could make the most beautiful music with it.
He always knew the right tone to set for hanging out. And it made for some fine studying music. The two friends sat together and Jazz eased Soundwave’s loneliness by simply being there.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
There were the first stirrings of dissent when they graduated from the Music Academy. No one doubted that Soundwave and Jazz would be the top of their class, but everyone had been surprised when they said they weren’t going to be playing together.
“His style’s just too different,” Jazz told the rest of their friends with a laugh. “He likes to play and I like to listen. It’s just not in the future.”
Soundwave nodded, though he seemed sad about it too. “Jazz plays, but without passion.”
Everyone laughed at the comment coming from the seemingly most passionless of them all. Jazz put his arm around his friend’s shoulder and gave him a hug.
“It’s true enough,” Jazz replied. “I love the music, but it doesn’t always love me.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Soundwave was crouched under a partially fallen building, cradling Ravage to his chestplate as the Decepticon Seekers raged overhead looking for Autobot saboteurs. He and his sparkling had done their best to avoid the war entirely, but he knew that their luck had run out.
Ravage whimpered softly as he heard something in the ruins around them. Soundwave turned to see what had attracted the sparkling’s attention.
Jazz was climbing carefully down into their shelter.
He seemed as surprised to see them as Soundwave was to see his old friend. The musician was also disappointed to see the Autobot insignia on Jazz’s chestplate. He hadn’t expected his friend to choose sides in the war.
“Soundwave! What are you doing here?”
“Hiding. You?”
“The same.” Jazz didn’t elaborate any further than Soundwave had. “Who’s that?”
Soundwave’s gaze followed the saboteur’s pointing finger to his sparkling. “Ravage. My sparkling.”
A huge smile blossomed across Jazz’s face, despite the war and destruction around them. “Congratulations! Have you had him long?”
And just like that, the war around them could be forgotten. They lost themselves in talking about their lives and the past until the Seekers were gone.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
He almost couldn’t stand the betrayed look in Jazz’s optics when he saw the Decepticon crest on his chestplate. He had known this would be a problem when he had answered the Autobots message to meet him at the oil house, but he had thought their friendship might be able to overcome it.
Now, Soundwave had to wonder if that hope had been in error.
“You became a Decepticon.” Jazz’s statement was flat, trying to hide his true feelings on the subject.
The hurt, anger and betrayal he was feeling from his friend almost made him regret his decision. But Megatron’s beliefs were closer to his own that the Autobots and he had won Soundwave’s loyalty by accepting his sparklings and giving them a place within the Decepticon ranks.
“As you became an Autobot,” Soundwave replied. “It was the right decision for both of us.”
“But why? There would have been room for you with the Autobots.” Jazz’s face crumpled with sorrow. “I worried about you when you were a neutral, but now I might have to kill you, Soundwave!”
Soundwave hadn’t really looked at it that way before. He had only been looking for a place to belong that would promise some sort of security for his sparklings if something happened to him. Now, he realized with a start, he and his best friend were on opposite sides of the civil war.
He might also have to kill Jazz in battle one day. “Slag.”
“You said it, man.” The Autobot did his best to put on a happier face. “Since we’re here, we might as well do some catching up, right?”
If he could have smiled, Soundwave would have. The war was a stupid reason to forget their friendship.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
As he stared down the barrels of the weapons Soundwave and his sparklings were holding on him, Jazz couldn’t help but think that the war had finally destroyed the friendship between them.
“You said to come alone, Soundwave,” Jazz said calmly. “I didn’t think you wanted to meet just to kill me.”
“Negative.” Soundwave shook his head. “Precautions necessary.”
Jazz shook his head at the return of the stilted speech patterns he thought Soundwave had gotten over while they were still in school. He spread his arms to the sides. “Well, I’m alone and unarmed.”
“Frenzy, Rumble, guard perimeter.”
“But, boss—“ the red sparkling started to argue.
“Go.” Soundwave’s order was final. The blue sparkling grabbed his twin and the two left.
Jazz lowered his hands as Soundwave subspaced his weapon. “Your speech problem is back.”
Soundwave nodded. “Battle damage. You are well?”
“Yeah. I miss your music, though.”
Soundwave looked down at the ground at the statement. “Yes.”
“What, don’t they let you play?” Jazz’s spark ached at the look of sorrow in his friend’s posture.
“No music in war.” Soundwave’s answer was so soft he almost didn’t hear it.
“There’s no war here, Soundwave.” Jazz took the blue mech’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “You can play for me whenever you need.”
Soundwave hesitated before pulling a very old synthesizer from subspace. With unpracticed fingers, he began coaxing soft music from the instrument. Jazz smiled at the sense of peace that seemed to return to his friend.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
When Megatron had escalated the war against the Autobots, it had become much harder to sneak away to meet Jazz. He was beginning to think that it would be impossible to meet again after this.
“I’m beginning to think I’m not welcome here anymore,” Jazz said jokingly as Soundwave stepped into the ruined building where they usually met. “Had to lose Starscream’s trine twice on the way in.”
“Shockwave heightened security.” Soundwave gave his friend a hard look. “You are troubled?”
“I’m going on a mission. A long one. Don’t know when I’ll be back.” Jazz shrugged. “If it pays off, it might be worth it, but its going to be lonely out there.”
Soundwave felt sudden justified in his earlier sense of finality. He pulled a music disc out of subspace. He had intended to give it Jazz all along, but now it seemed even more important than it had when Ravage helped him record it.
“Take my music,” he said, pressing it into his friend’s hand. “Loneliness is easier with music.”
Jazz took the disc and subspaced it. Then he pulled his friend in for a hug.
“Will you play for me before I go?” Jazz looked almost desperate as he stepped away from the embrace a moment later.
Soundwave nodded and pulled his synthesizer from subspace. Only for Jazz could he make music during the war.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Prowl was dead, Shockwave was missing and presumed dead and still Soundwave wanted to meet. Somehow, Jazz couldn’t find it in himself to deny his old friend, even if Soundwave had been partially responsible for his bondmate’s death.
He had to ask, though, as he stared into the familiar crimson visor across from him. “Why did you ask me here? It’s really not the best time to be catching up.”
“Mourning alone, not healthy.” Soundwave replied, the full weight of his grief evident in his voice.
“I’m not alone, Soundwave.”
“I am.” That one statement suddenly made it clear why Soundwave had asked him to meet this time. He had no one but his sparklings to support him in his grief for the loss of his lover.
Jazz pulled the guitar he’d commissioned years ago from subspace. Earth music loved him much more than Cybertronian music had. With careful fingers, he began pulling a sorrowful melody from the strings. A moment later, Soundwave joined him with his synthesizer.
The war may have been no place for music, but life and death were.
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