The jungle was peaceful in the morning breeze as the trees swayed and the flowers danced in the tropical expanse.The worms and beetles skittered across the rainforest floor, and the brightly colored birds soared in the ocean that made up the big blue sky.

Deep puddles littered the ground floor and plants were withered from the force of the raving rapids the day before. Some trees were burned to a crisp from scattered lightning strikes and patches of clearing were soaked to the very roots of the jungle's foundation, but other than that, there was no evidence of the devastating thunderstorm and flash flood that raged the day before.

​Knockout slowly onlined his optics, immediately regretting it as they were met with the blinding sunlight shining over the damp rainforest.

What happened?

Knockout had a blissful moment thinking he had woken up in the nemesis once again, ready to go grab some morning energon and meet a Vehicon in the med-bay who had just jammed a digit or something.

Reality quickly set in when he realized he was actually outside, feeling the warm breeze and humid air brush up against his faceplates. He became aware of the lanky, limp form in his arms.

Knockout woke with a start, dark red optics widening in surprise as he finally noticed at his surroundings and the events of yesterday came crashing through his brain.

This was definitely not the Nemesis.

He was on a tall, soaked tree with long fronds hanging over his head dripping perfectly rounded dew drops. His back was against the thick, solid tree trunk, with his frame barely squeezing onto a high hanging branch. The forest below him was lit with the sun and looked like a freshly watered tropical garden. The beautiful sight brought the red mech a sense of calm for the first time in the last couple cycles.

Something shifted on his chest.

​Knockout glanced down and saw Starscream had also fallen into recharge, his helm was leaning against Knockout's chest plate and one servo was pressed against the chassis while the other lightly held Knockout's other servo. His wings were folded down against his back, and his body was curled up small enough to fit in the medic's arms.

Knockout smiled. A genuine, relaxed smile. It had been so long since the seeker had looked so peaceful that he almost didn't want to wake him.

Almost.

The red mech placed his other servo on the silver mech's helm and gently tapped the delicate plating. Starscream was truly a stunning seeker compared to his fellow species' designs. He possessed a much slimmer, smaller frame, helping him to slice through the air at speeds others of his kind only dreamed of reaching. Maybe they should have a real race sometime. The most famous and most fabulous street racer around vs a true master of the skies.

And master of dozing off it seemed.

Starscream was a quiet sleeper, his systems barely made any noise as he recharged, which Knockout was grateful for since he hardly noticed the seeker drift off to sleep during the storm last night. The digits against Knockouts chassis twitched. He always was a twitcher in his dozing. Even when he was awake he fidgeted.

Dozing off. That was certainly something they didn't get to do back home.

The Nemesis was no casual workplace. No. It was cutthroat and cruel, and crawling with mechs that would sooner claw out their own optics before helping out a fellow officer. Energon rations were first come first serve, favors were nearly nonexistent, and recharge was more of a privilege than a necessity. Knockout hadn't gotten a full recharge in what felt like a whole human month.

Starscream's wing twitched, letting the sunlight glint off the silver playing, and his spindly servo slid a little lower on Knockout's chassis.

He didn't even want to imagine when Starscream's last full recharge was. If he ever had one.

The medic gazed out upon the jungle, blanketed in the peaceful morning glow. It was enough to set Knockout at ease. Ease he had not felt in a long tine.

The Nemesis was no place for the friendly, that was for sure. Knockout was so used to his casual attitude that keeping it in check on board the Nemesis, a functioning military unit, was quite the challenge.

Starscream was probably the only officer that ever spoke to Knockout with the same sense of nonchalant attitude. Though, that probably just stemmed from the seeker's complete disregard to authority. Still, Knockout had to admit, it made living there feel less lonely.

Come to think of it, the commander was probably his only companion onboard the Nemesis. That was depressing. Trusting Starscream was practically suicide, but Knockout did often confide in Starscream on matters he wouldn't even dream of sharing with other officers. It was strange. This was Starscream. As in the Starscream he was talking about. Probably the most notorious Decepticon amongst both Autobots and fellow Decepticons. The idiot somehow managed to piss off absolutely everyone.

Yet, Knockout found himself enjoying Starscream's company. Even missing it at times when the commander was off on missions and he was left alone to brood in the med bay. Starscream was many things. Most of them unappealing. He was irritable, untrustworthy, arrogant, infuriating, selfish, impatient - to name a few. But he was also smart, and energetic, and quirky, and clever and Knockout really didn't mind him. He had seen the beauty behind the messy exterior.

Most did not.

Megatron did not.

Knockout shook his head. He didn't want to see those images. Those memories. They were terrible to watch then, and they were terrible to reminisce on now.

​Knockout pressed Starscream's helm a little tighter to himself and the seeker made a small squeaky noise in his throat that made Knockout snicker.

Starscream heard the noise and slowly opened his optics, the crimson red light shining in the bright sunlight as he swept his gazed around. The seeker blinked and looked up to see what he was resting on, only to have his optics widen into saucers at Knockout's cheeky smile.

Starscream's face flushed immediately. He gave a small yelp and was about to move when Knockout said "It's alright, Scream. I don't mind. You fully awake, Sleeping Beauty?" he said with a smirk.

Starscream slowly sat up and frowned at Knockout, his face still flushed.

​"Urgh, no wonder I could hardly sleep. I was laying on you." The seeker said, giving his wings a twitch.

​"Not my choice." Knockout retorted with a grin. "But, you look so cute when you're asleep. I didn't even know your face could look like that!" he laughed, Starscream's blush grew harder and he looked away, embarrassed.

​"Aww, don't worry, Screamy, I won't tell anyone." Knockout smiled, keeping a firm grip on one of Starscream's arms, slowly becoming aware how high up they were.

Starscream huffed.

Knockout noticed that the seeker's expression slowly turned from embarrassed and pouty to confusion.

He turned to Knockout, deep, crimson optics shining. He cocked his head to the side. "Something's wrong."

Knockout raised an optic ridge, and Starscream spoke up again, "Where's Soundwave?"

​The question startled Knockout so bad that the branch shook when he jumped, and his grip on Starscream tightened.

Where was Soundwave? How could he have been so foolish to not notice he wasn't there immediately? Was he hurt? Was he lost? What if they had to return to the Nemesis without him? Would it really come to that? Megatron would have their heads!

​Knockout looked at Starscream in alarm, "We have to find him! He could be anywhere! We've wasted so much time already!"

​Starscream nodded, "Especially considering he's the only one who can groundbridge us out of here."

Knockout jerked again, making the branch rock more. "We're stuck!?"

"I think you should stop getting surprised." The seeker said, nervously eying the ground far below, "These trees are thick but they can't hold our wait if you keep jerking like that."

​"Starscream! What if we can't find him and we never get out of this death trap!"

​"Knockout-"

​"I think we should start looking in that direction." He pointed towards an area densely packed with shrubbery and low hanging trees. "I could've sworn the flood carried him that way."

​"Knockout-"

"Or was it that way? Or this way? Why does this entire rainforest look exactly the same? How in Primus' name are we supposed to find him when every direction is just a copy of the next?"

"Knockout -"

​"Or maybe we should try climbing this tree higher and getting a bird's eye view. Oh wait, you can fly can't you? Get your aft up and go check for -"

​"KNOCKOUT!" Starscream shouted, but it was too late.

A large crack sounded from the branch underneath them. The two mechs glanced at each other for a fraction of a second when suddenly Knockout felt the support beneath him give way, and he slipped from the tree branch. His servo slipped from Starscream's as the seeker reached out for him, but it was too late. The red mech was sent falling to the forest floor.

​Knockout braced for impact and he hit the ground from the long fall with a loud splash. The fall didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, though.

His legs had hit the ground first but instead of a hard crash, he felt that they were...sinking?

Knockout opened his scrunched optics and gasped. He was sinking into the ground, his peds were up their thighs already submerged in the muddy ground, and he was sinking fast.

Quicksand.

​"Starscream," Knockout called up to his friend still perched in the tree, "It's quicksand, don't worry I'm not hurt, but I'm stuck!"

Knockout was disgusted with the mud and cringed at the touch as it began to reach his hips. The grime was slipping into his circuits.

"Primus have mercy on my finish." He groaned.

​Starscream had a look of concern on his face plates but it was soon replaced with a devious grin. He cackled in his screechy voice, making Knockout scowl.

"Hmmm, I'll think about getting you out," Starscream tapped a claw to his chin, "but in the meantime, I think I'll just watch you struggle in that goo, I bet your finish will look wonderful after a nice long mud bath." He fluttered his wings and sat on the branch with his heeled feet dangling above Knockout's head mockingly.

​Knockout was furious.

After he had not left Starscream behind after he had gotten struck by lightning and carried him up a damp tree in the rain and held him close to shield the skinny mech from the cold, this was how Starscream repaid him!

"Starscream, you better get down here right now or I'll-ACK!" a sudden strike to the helm interrupted Knockout's threat.

Knockout glanced around and saw a massive bird with razor sharp talons flapping its large wings, feathers colored a deep brown and solid black pupils, rounding in the sky to come back for another hit. It looked like a massive hawk. A very very very angry hawk.

"What in the world!?" He hissed.

​Knockout threw up his servos and tried to block the raking claws from his face as the large bird came for hit after hit.

"This stupid forest is crawling with crazy Earth creatures!"

One talon snagged on Knockout's optics casing, ripping the frame and causing sparks to fly and energon to bubble. Knockout cried out in pain and tried to move away, but the quicksand was already rising to his chest plate. The bird clawed his back again and Knockout cried out again. "Get off! Shoo - ACK!"

​Starscream was swinging his spindly legs over the branch, surveying the rainforest when he heard the cry and glanced down to see a massive bird hitting Knockout with blow after blow, littering his frame with little cuts while the Earth swallowed him whole.

Starscream's crimson optics widened when Knockout cried out his name to help him. Knockout tried to look up and Starscream saw one of his optics was sparking painfully.

"Get this thing off me, Scream!"

Starscream sighed, "Alright, alright, cool your circuits. I'm coming down."

The seeker narrowed his own optics and leaped down toward the ground, forming an arch in the sky and landing inches away from the boundaries of the sinkhole.

The skinny mech turned reaching out, and swatted the bird away, stretching his lithe body as far as he could toward Knockout's extended servo. Knockout saw Starscream and was filled with gratitude as the seeker reached and grabbed his servo, pulling with all his might as best he could from the edge of the quicksand. Knockout was up to his chin in the suffocating substance and he could feel his systems being slowly crushed.

​Knockout felt panic rise in his throat, "S-Starscream, I-I can't...move my head a-anymore!"

Starscream pulled as hard as he could, but Knockout wouldn't budge. "I know! I'll figure it out just give me a-OUCH!"

The large bird flew in and clawed Starscream's face plate leaving dripping marks over one optic.

The seeker couldn't let go of Knockout or he would sink more so the bird kept trying to loosen his grip. Starscream flapped his elbows to swat it away while he struggled to free the red mech.

"What is your problem!? Get out of here you stupid bird!" The seeker screeched in annoyance.

Knockout, though being under heavy pressure crushing his systems, chuckled at the comical sight.

​Starscream was pushing against the ground in his heeled peds, slowly feeling the quicksand loosen when the bird let out a screech and flew in close, latching on to one of Starscream's wings and shredding the sensitive metal between its talons, making the seeker scream in agony. His grip on Knockout loosened and Knockout felt himself start to sink more rapidly, his mouth was almost under and he couldn't feel his lower body.

After a few klicks, Starscream came to his bearings and grated his denta.

"I've had enough of this scrap!" He hissed.

The seeker transformed his heels into their thrusters, red hot jet engine flames blazing beneath him, launching off the ground, grasping Knockout's servo tight, he lurched the red mech free of the mud.

The two mechs went flying backward with cries of surprise and, with the thrusters still going, they careened through the air, bumping through dense foliage as the jungle floor raced beneath them. Knockout and Starscream glanced at each other with wide optics, clinging tightly to each other and screamed like little sparklings as the thrusters carried them through the trees at dizzying speeds, leaving the obnoxious bird in the dust.

​"Slow down!" Knockout yelled over the roar of the engines as they were hurling through the forest, "We'll crash!".

The seeker nodded and tried to transform his thrusters back. The heels screeched in annoyance, jets were not built to transform only partially, leaving the metal plating jammed in place, there was no way to stop.

Starscream narrowed his optics, held Knockout tightly, and rolled over so his stomach was facing the ground. The seeker angled his long slender legs behind him and tilted his helm forward like a superhero flying through the sky. Knockout saw the grey mech smirk with confidence. Now they were in his element.

"Hold on."

​Starscream zipped past the trees while they flew low to the ground. Low hanging branches whipped them in the face when they go too close, and Knockout screamed involuntarily when a large branch flew in their path, Starscream smiled and veered to the side, leaving it in the dust.

Knockout reopened his optics and smiled sheepishly at the seeker. Starscream grinned and swerved through the trees effortlessly, tilting every direction without losing his balance.

Knockout felt the wind whipping against their frames and the thrill of the intensity that only the speed of a race could give him. The blur of the trees past him, the sound of the jet engines, the sharp claws gripping his arm tightly so he wouldn't get left behind. A race. He lived for the race, for the speed, for the adrenaline. The excitement was almost too much to bear, so Knockout threw one fist in the air with a cry of exhilaration.

The agile seeker weaved his way through the rainforest, the plants and trees just a blur to their optics, and stuck one heel out to kick off the ground, sending himself and Knockout vaulting into the sky.

Knockout couldn't hide his awe at the bird's eye view of the colorful forest below.

Birds flew from the trees, flapping their wings of all kinds of colors while the green tree leaves swayed in the breeze. The sun lit up the entire sky. It was beautiful. It was like looking at a painting. Knockout had never been up this high before and though the engines still roared, and the wind was loud in his audios, the view was incredible.

This was what freedom felt like.

The red mech felt Starscream's grip on him loosen a bit, making him feel weightless. He couldn't believe the skinny, frail jet he knew was able to maneuver through the dense foliage so effortlessly. It was amazing.

He spared a glance at Starscream's expression. The seeker's optics were closed, but he was smiling. His wings were flared, his heels spitting flames, his helm raised to the sky. He looked like he had reached complete bliss.

Knockout felt a small ounce of respect grow towards the seeker. Just an ounce. It wasn't that impressive. Well . . . it was a little impressive. He always underestimated Starscream's abilities, it was easy to with how the seeker was treated back in the Nemesis. But this speed, this adrenaline spike, this thrill could only be reached by the true racers at heart. Knockout knew racing, but Starscream knew freedom.

Starscream watched Knockout take in the beautiful sight, crimson optics glazed with euphoria, "The sights from the sky are always the most captivating."

Knockout shifted his hold around Starscream's narrow waist, his frame pressed to the seeker's side, "You know, I'm not a heights kinda bot, but looking at this view, the height is the last thing in my mind."

Starscream hummed his agreement.

They stayed that way for a moment, simply hovering in the air, looking at the prison they were currently trapped in, and seeing it in a new light they didn't know they really needed or wanted. Both mechs feeling the unlikeliness of each other's presence bringing either any happiness, and yet here they were.

Knockout now knew Starscream understood the thrill of the race. The freedom that accompanied each rumble of an engine. Knockout's freedom looked like bright street lights glinting in car mirrors and neon red racing stripes streaking past tinted windows, the smell of gasoline in the air. But this view. This was what Starscream's freedom looked like.

It was beautiful.

A loud snap sounded in Knockout's audios and shook him from his trance. Starscream screamed in pain and gripped Knockout's frame, shutting his optics and violently flapping his wings.

Knockout watched in alarm, "Starscream, what's wrong!?"

Then he felt them start to lose altitude.

Wide-eyed, Knockout glanced down and saw the ground starting to come toward them.

He gasped and whipped around grabbing Starscream roughly in the air, feeling Starscream's grip on himself slip.