Work Text:
Bets. That’s how it all started.
Well it was more because Bumblebee couldn’t keep his mouth from running and Blitzwing was a complete enabler. Like how he said Bumblebee couldn’t get him to drink anything and – and he was getting away from the point.
When he first lucked out and had gotten the bartending job at Club Nemesis, Bumblebee thought it would the basic glamorous job he had heard about from time to time. He wasn’t expecting the weirdest person ever to show up on his first night.
Blitzwing had stumbled into the club with a bloody nose and a black optic just as the staff were getting it up and ready for that night's performances. He immediately tossed a handkerchief to him and asked for some ice and any beer as long as it was from Tyger Pax. After that - and Bumblebee isn’t sure exactly what happened next - they got on like a house on fire and work had been anything but boring.
While Bumblebee had been sailing high on tips and return patrons asking for special drinks he had made on the fly – he actually had to start writing down some of his concoctions they were so popular – Bumblebee found a special patron and friend in Blitzwing. The specialty drinks he made for him, and him only, Bumblebee never wrote down because he just really liked seeing what reactions he could get out of the taller man. So far Blitzwing had been a very willing guinea pig and all his faces were hilarious.
The other part of their quick friendship was built on making bets and telling each other their most interesting stories. And even having little to no impulse control the bets were mostly harmless things; like making goals into the trash, building towers with straws, or taking the fastest shot. Their stories usually ranged from silly things that they did as kids to just the weirdest things they’ve ever done. And Bumblebee is pretty sure that Blitzwing’s are just going to be a long list of odds and ends that the man has swallowed on accident.
Then he made this ridiculous claim – more so then his Random face would usually make – that Bumblebee knew was the tallest tall tale he had ever heard.
"Wait. So you don’t remember why you swallowed Air Raid’s engagement ring?" Bumblebee asks.
He never wondered if there was a way to have a groom more panicked on his wedding day, but apparently Blitzwing knew how and it was all on accident. What made it more laughable was that he had thrown up the ring 30 minutes before the wedding and had to frantically clean it before passing it over to his friend like he was the best best man that this Air Raid could ever ask for and not a chaotic agent of Unicron.
"No. Zat night vas mostly a haze. I only truly remember ze card game and landing my plane on ze street," Blitzwing chuckles to himself as he looks down fondly at his unenhanced Waste Disposal, swirling the contents of his drink, "He got ze ring back und zat iz vhat matters. It vas a vonderful ceremony und ze're still going strong."
Bumblebee stares at the other in disbelief turning Blitz's calm, but absolutely ridiculous, statement over in his mind and finding no reasonable explanation for it.
"Hold up!" Placing the glass he was cleaning down a little harder than he intended, Bumblebee squints at the other man, "Go back. You what?"
"To vhat are jou referring?"
"To what! — The plane Blitzwing! The. Plane." Bumblebee stresses as he leans over the counter.
Taking a chill sip from his drink he repeats, "I said I landed my plane on ze street. Zis street, though I do not remember vhy myself."
Bumblebee searches his face for any lie, but when Blitz is all Icy it was hard to tell.
"No way." He scoffs.
Blitzwing couldn’t actually think he was dumb enough to believe he actually pulled off a stunt that insane! Sure the roads in Iacon were wide, but still there was no way Bumblebee couldn’t have heard that some manic had landed his Thanatos 150 on the streets of one of the busiest city-state. And it being a ‘two-year-old’ story had nothing to do with it so he dismisses it.
"I don’t believe it," Leaning on the counter now, Bumblebee looks up and sees Blitz’s icy expression grow even colder, "And even if you did I don’t believe you could do it again." He tells him so self-assured.
Then despite the upbeat music the band was playing Blitzwing slowly smiles the most frigid grin he had ever seen on the man.
"Iz zat a bet?" He asks lowly.
Hearing those magic words Bumblebee brings out his smuggest smirk, "You know what? It is. And if you do you can ask for anything."
Bumblebee knows his friends worry he wasn’t too observant because he did everything too fast, but he had learned to observe on the go. And having this stare-off with Blitzwing he can see the moment the taller man’s optics get a suspicious gleam in them while his face remains blank.
"Anything?" Blitzwing ask quietly.
"Anything."
And throwing his hand out to shake on it, Blitzwing’s face morphs into Random and takes his hand, pumping his arm with a lot more strength then needed all while laughing.
"It's a deal!"
He should be behind the bar getting it ready for this night’s wave of customers; like checking glasses for cleanliness or cracks, re-stocking the bottles on their last legs, or even cutting up some fruit for the softer drinks.
Was he?
No!
No, he had been dragged out of the club and was now standing on the curb looking at a purple, brown, and grey plane parked hilariously against the sidewalk. Continuing to stare at the impossible scene Bumblebee's mouth drops open and as much as he blinks he could not get the plane to go away.
"Impressed? Because I am, I parallel parked! I can never do zat in a car, always up on ze curb," Blitzwing babbles with his silly little laugh before he very seriously says, "I am prepared to collect my prize now."
Oh Primus! I said anything!
Turning slowly to the other, Bumblebee looks up to Blitzwing's triumphant grin as the possibilities of what he could ask for runs through his mind. He could ask for him to mess with other peoples' drinks or even ask for an endless tab. Or worst! What if Blitzwing asked for his job because he was just acting nice or maybe he took major offence to Bumblebee not believing him.
"I vould like jour number."
…
"What?" Is all Bumblebee can say, not sure he heard his demand correctly.
Rolling his optics, Blitzwing sighs almost dramatically, "Jou said I couldn’t land my plane on ze street. But if I could I could ask for anything. As jou can see I have und ze 'anything' I want iz jour number."
"Why?"
"Isn’t it obviously?" He answers his question with another question.
No! That’s why I asked.
Bumblebee thinks sarcastically.
But while Bumblebee is confused he’s more relieved that the other possibilities, that would have gotten him fired from the first job he really like, didn't come true. Rooting around in his pockets he finally finds the pen he keeps on him and sticking it in his mouth reaches out to grab an armful of bomber jacket. Roughly pushing the sleeve up and holding the arm chest-level with himself Bumblebee writes out his number and tries to make it the neatest he can. He can only hope that Blitzwing didn’t leave too many weird messages on the apartment’s answering machine. After all the hard work Bulkhead put into building one from scratch the disappointed look from Optimus and the sullen one from his best bud would be too much.
"There. And don’t lose it." Bumblebee tells him firmly, but he can’t keep a smile off his face as Blitz’s icy expression melts a little.
"Pleasure doing business vith jou. Now I must go before my plane gets towed."
And looking back to the reason Bumblebee was handing out his number he sees that more people were stopping and staring at the odd sight and Bumblebee can’t believe he forgot about the plane at all.
"Oh! May I have one for ze air?" Blitzwing asks.
Shaking his helm at all of this Bumblebee smirks and puts forth another bet because he never learns.
"Get back here tonight – without having to be bailed out – and it’s on me," He says confidently.
With a deadly smirk Blitzwing tips his helm like he was wearing a hat, “If only,” He says softly before walking away and shouting back, "I’ll hold jou to it."
As he gets to his plane Blitzwing starts shooing and then pushing pass people to get to his plane before shouting at the crowd, which made more pedestrians look over. And Bumblebee is laughing, just unable to process that what was happening had, and laughing seemed like the best and only option right now. But as Blitz begins to taxi down the street to the sound of nearing cop cars he waves to him as he goes pass and Bumblebee is attacked by another fit of giggles as he waves back.
Four hours later a light round of applause draws Bumblebee’s attention and at the entrance of the club stands Blitzwing making a dramatic set bows for the few patrons that were definitely here for the show earlier. And sauntering over with his bomber jacket still over his suit shirt Blitzwing winks at him as he slides into the bar chair in front of him.
"Make me something celebratory und savory, Hummelchen." He purrs.
"Surprise?" Bumblebee asks, but already knowing the answer.
With a grin showing off all his sharp teeth Blitzwing chuckles, "Surprise."
And Bumblebee thinks he just might be in love.