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Arcee smiled as she felt Bumblebee hide behind her leg, gripping tightly to her jeans as he did. She couldn’t help but look at him with soft, warm eyes as she reached down and carefully ran her fingers through his soft yellow and black hair, making him glance up at her with his bright baby blue eyes.
“Don’t worry, Honey,” Arcee cooed down at him, trying to make her surrogate son feel better knowing how shy he could be at times. “He’ll love it, I promise,” She whispered as she kept running her fingers through his hair, looking back up at the main room of their base where Optimus and Ratchet were standing talking with one another.
“Of course, he will,” Bulkhead said as he walked down the hallway towards them he was holding an orange pumpkin bucket that was meant for Bumblebee to collect candy in. “I mean can imagine the honor of being Bumblebee’s hero?” He asked with a small smile as he made it to them before reaching down and ruffling the already messy hair. “I wish it was me,” He said brightly, giving Bumblebee a little wink as he handed the youngest Autobot the candy bucket.
“Well, we’ll see what we can do next year,” Arcee promised as she watched Bee look up at her with hopeful eyes. “But for now, it’s time to show Ratchet and Optimus your costume before we head out,” She said as she tried to smooth down some of the mess that was Bee’s hair but it wasn’t working all that well.
Arcee could only imagine how she looked at that moment, a motherly smile on her face looking at the little boy who was gripping her leg as if his little life depended on it. Being one of the most feared and toughest Autobots is how she joined Team Prime, and she knew that only the few members of their little group would ever see her like she was now.
“Now come on, we need to show them before it gets too late to go out,” Acree ordered softly as she pressed a hand against Bee’s shoulder to keep him against her leg as she led him into the room with Bulkhead following them.
As they walked into the room, they gained the attention of Ratchet and Optimus, who had been waiting for them. Bee was still behind Acree’s legs as they came to a stop in front of the two. Neither could see him all that well, but they said nothing about it, not wanting the youngest Autobot to feel uncomfortable.
“Are you guys ready?” Bulkhead asked with a smile as he looked down at Bumblebee, giving him a slight nod of encouragement meant to help him feel better.
“We certainly are,” Optimus said with one of his usual small smiles on his face.
They looked towards Ratchet, who nodded his head in agreement with Optimus’ statement, which made the others smile.
“All right, Bee, let’s show them,” Arcee cooed before she carefully pushed Bee forward without giving him time to notice.
Soon Bee found himself standing in the middle of his four family members, but the one he was staring up at was Optimus, who now had a shocked look across his face replacing the small smile that had been there before.
Bumblebee stood before them all, wearing a bright red and royal blue jacket, a gray t-shirt, a pair of his blue jeans, and on his feet were a pair of tiny black combat boots. He had the pumpkin bucket held tightly in both hands, holding it in front of them as he watched them all with his big, innocent eyes.
As Optimus and Ratchet looked at it him it was very clear who Bumblebee had dressed up like and that was obviously Optimus himself. He wasn’t dressed like the well-armored Optimus that was on the battlefield fighting Cons he was dressed like the Optimus he saw every day.
He was dressed like the one that watched cartoons with him, the one that took him on drives just for the fun of it, the one that helped him with his work pages, the one that read him bedtime stories from both Earth and Cybertron, the one that was more his dad than anything else, which made Optimus’ heart beat with warmth and love as he looked at his son.
“Isn’t it just like looking in a mirror, Optimus?” Arcee asked, gaining the man’s attention knowing that if he didn’t speak soon Bumblebee would start to think that Autobot leader didn't like his costume.
“Yes... Yes, it is,” Optimus stuttered out as he looked down at Bee, who was still looking up at him with his innocent blue eyes. “It’s like looking into a mirror,” He spoke softly as he kneeled down in front of Bumblebee.
“Bee do you want to tell, Optimus who you’re dressed like?” Arcee asked motioning for the little Autobot to tell Optimus what he had told her.
For a moment Bee was silent as he looked at the woman he thought of as his mother before looking back at the leader of the Autobots who was on his knees before him. He was silent for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and gripping his pumpkin basket tighter trying to build up the courage to tell Optimus who is was.
“I’m dressed like my hero, Oppy,” Bee spoke softly as he looked at the man who had taken him in. “I’m dressed like you,” He explained, not knowing that everyone already knew who he was dressed up as for Halloween.
“And I am truly honored by that, Little One,” Optimus whispered, as he reached forward and carefully picked Bumblebee up in his arms before pulling him close to his chest in a warm hug.
Bumblebee hugged back, snuggling close against his hero’s chest as Optimus buried his face into the soft yellow and black hair while the others watched with smiles on their faces.
Trick or treating could wait for a few moments longer, even if it was Bumblebee’s first they all just wanted to enjoy the soft moment they were in right now.