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Even on uneventful days, there can be both conflicts and resolutions. Learning from mistakes can happen any time.
~~~~~~~~
"Bye, Bee! See you later!" Rafael waved to the Autobot Scout before he climbed into Bulkhead's altmode.
Bumblebee beeped farewell to his human friend. Usually, the youngling would be the one driving the human child home, but the recent run-in with Starscream put him out of commission for awhile. The stiletto-heeled con had tried his hand at chemical warfare, using a rusting-type infection vial on Bumblebee's open wounds during battle. The plan was to have the scout perish and destroy Autobot moral, but thanks to Ratchet and Raf's quick thinking, an antidote was prepared.
Even though that incudent was a few weeks back, Bumblebee's healing process was slow. Even Nurse Darby stepped in to keep tabs on the scout. 'I don't care if he's not my species, he's still a child. I can't sit back and do nothing.' She said to a reluctant Ratchet, who had no hope in the nurse's ability.
But June proved to be a fast learner in Cybertronian physic, and offered a gentler tone when the CMO got too crass in his approach. Especially when it came to Bumblebee's moments of non-compliance.
Though he'd grown a bit while on earth, the youngling was still just that; young. And war trauma had slowed his development to a snail's pace. Not to mention losing his home.
June was given the run down on this when Ratchet gave in and realized that having some extra help would lighten his load. Mentally, at least. The human nurse could offer feedback and alternatives to procedures, referring to human practices that had the possibility of translating to Cybertronian.
Though when it came to child development, there was hardly any difference in either species. Bumblebee would prove that to be evident when he bade Optimus and June farewell.
"You are not cleared for patrol, Bumblebee." Optimus spoke, citing Ratchet's orders. The scout shook his helm.
*Don't worry, I'm not going out for patrol. I just wanna go for drive is all.* He turned back to the cave's entrance, waving over his shoulder. *Later!*
"You are not clear for driving, either." Optimus corrected his charge, his tone hardening slightly.
Bumblebee looked over his shoulder, his body turning back around. A look of confusion and slight frustration donned his faceplates. *Why? I'm feeling better.*
"I know, but it is too soon. I would feel more comfortable if you stayed inside for tonight." The Prime admitted, stepping away from the counsel while June typed away at her laptop on the balcony. She couldn't help but listen in on bits and pieces of the two bots' conversation.
Bumblebee's shoulders slouched as he took the trademarked stance of an exasperated teenager. *Come on, Dad. It's just a short drive. I've been in here for weeks, can't I just go out for an hour?*
Optimus Prime did this song and dance before. He sighed inwardly, but his faceplate didn't betray him as he furrowed his brow. "I said no. End of discussion." He wouldn't risk Bumblebee's recuperation. And the youngling had to obey his superior's orders.
*Is this because I disobeyed you before getting infected?* Bumblebee escalated the situation as he groaned. *I said I was sorry! I meant it! Please let me go now!*
"You are to stay in the base until I deem you fit for duty. Now stop begging and go find another way to entertain yourself." Optimus ordered sternly. He was in no mood for arguments.
Bumblebee glared at the Prime, his shoulders tense. *Oh come on!* He exclaimed. *You never let me do what I want! Ratchet said I was on the road to recovery! He knows more than you!*
"That dose not matter in the slightest. I do not want you going out tonight. End of discussion, Bumblebee." Optimus's pipestacks blew black smoke, startling June.
But Bumblebee was dead set on getting in the last word as he marched off to his quarters. *I hope the Decepticons come in and bomb this place! I fraggin' hate living here!* The Autobot Scout bellowed, his doorwings pinned down and out as his vocoder buzzed with anger.
Optimus didn't respond, he merely returned to the counsel and leaned on the counter, his helm lowering as he sighed.
June glanced up from her laptop, taking in the scene of an exhausted leader.
"One of those nights, huh?" She offered, after a long period of nothing but electric humming and air conditioning.
"It seems so." Optimus responded without looking. "I apologize. You should not have seen that."
June shrugged. "Psh. I have a teenage son, It's par for the course." She brushed it off, but took notice of the Prime's disappointment.
"He must feel really comfortable around you as a leader, if he's that expressive in front of you..." June assumed.
Optimus' vents exhaled hot air. "He gets it from his mother. She was very animated in her youth."
June's ears perked up, and she wondered if she misheard him. "I'm sorry, 'mother'? You're married?"
Optimus met June's surprised gaze and nodded. "For twenty millenia. Not long after I became Prime, when the war was still young." He paused, his optics glancing to the side for a moment, contemplating his next sentence. "Bumblebee may not look like it, but he is my charge. He was born a few centuries into the conflict."
June looked back at the corridor where the scout had exited, processing the information revealed to her. She turned her head back to Prime, curiosity getting the best of her. "Is she...still alive?"
Optimus's optics cycled slowly. "I am not sure. The last time we saw Elita was before the launch of our ship; the Ark. She and her team had volunteered to stay with Alpha Trion, the elder you heard of regarding the Relics. Our sparks are linked, but the bond has severed due to the sheer distance and time. Neither I nor Bumblebee can sense her life force."
"Severed..." June's voice trailed off for a moment. "It must've been a terrible experience."
Images of a distressed Bumblebee flashed in his mind; Elita's serverence from her son caused the child an unfathomable amount of emotional and physical distress. Ratchet had to sedate the youngling. It took deca-vorns for Bumblebee to put back the pieces of his spark and mind. Bond sickness was one of the worst plauges a Cybertronian could endure.
"It was...disturbing, indeed. I am sure in your profession, you are familiar with trauma."
"I am." The woman's brows furrowed in discomfort. She could recall many cases. "I learned a little about sparkbonds from Ratchet. That must be why you two are so close. You have to compensate for your wife's absence."
"It is also why I am somewhat hard on him. He is still very young; the last child to be born on Cybertron, in fact." Optimus's spark surged, reassuring the bond it felt with its offspring. Though it was met with a cold response, typical when Bumblebee was mad at him. Though the Prime didn't care.
"He is what you call--a miracle child."
June saw a familiar glow in Optimus's optics when he spoke; a glow she herself had when she talked about her son Jack. The boy was her pride and joy, just as Bumblebee was to the Autobot leader.
'On the inside, we aren't so different after all.' June thought, a burst of resolve filling her heart. She wanted to help protect Bumblebee and the other bots as well. Her and Optimus were alike; parents wanting their children to be safe.
"What's her name? Your wife, I mean." The nurse asked another question.
"Her name is Elita-One: Commander of the Autobot Femme Squadron." Optimus subconsciously squared his shoulders, pride in his stance. It was clear to anybody that he was proud to say that name, and his relation to her. "The only femme I ever loved."
June smiled. "Lucky girl..." She murmured.
"I am sorry. What did you say?" Optimus asked, not quite hearing the human woman's words.
"I said you're very loyal to her, it sounds like." June fibbed, blushing a little. "I'm sure Bee will cool off by the time he needs that...Ener-gon?"
"Energon." Optimus repeated, nodding in praise to June's pronunciation. "He is not one to brood over these disagreements for too long. But he will give me the cold shoulder for a day or two." He admitted. "That is to be expected either way. I would be puzzled if he did not express disdain so openly."
"It shows that he's still acting like the kid he is."
Optimus nodded in agreement.
Though June couldn't help but feel the urge to check on the youngling. It must've been her motherly instincts, as well as the newly gained knowledge of Bee's origins---because the next thing she knew, she was standing in front of the scout's berthroom.
"June, you're one nosey girl..." She scolded herself with a quiet sigh, using the human-sized door to enter the quarters. In tow, she brought a cube of Energon on a small pull cart.
*Go away, Fowler.* Bee grumbled as he laid on his berth, an arm covering his optics.
In the short time June knew Bumblebee, Raf translated a few key notes and patterns for her, and surprisingly, just like the boy, she could grasp the language of binary after being exposed to it for a period of time. Hence why she wasn't feeling too awkward about this scene she was stepping into.
"Good thing I'm not him then." June responded, watching the scout's helm peek over the berth's edge. His optics were wide with surprise.
But the nurse merely nodded to the Energon cube behind her. "Soup's on. Thought you'd prefer an outsider's company rather than your teammates."
*You know they'll all take his side. They always do.* Bumblebee grumbled, getting off his berth and opting to sit on the floor. His browplates were furrowed deeply, much like his father's angry expression. *Thank you...* He uttered, taking the cube with his fingertips and downing it in one swig. He set the now empty container back on the cart, tucked his knees to his chassis, and resting his chin on them.
"Because you're the youngest?" June guessed.
*Yes! Apparently, Dad's NEVER wrong. I'm the one who always is.* Bee exasperated, throwing his arms in the air and letting them clang to the ground. *I never get to do what I want. I have to be the little soldier every day! Do this, do that! Listen to him, listen to her!* Bumblebee's engines ground as he let a shout rip from his vocoder.
*I NEVER GET TO DO WHAT I WANT!*
June managed to understand the key words of Bee's fitzing out vocoder, and her shoulders sank as she sighed. She didn't say anything for a few moments, listening to the scout's engines settle and his venting slow. She knew now, in that moment, she was standing on front of a child; one that was large a made of metal, but a child nontheless.
And it broke her heart.
The scout proceeded to brood, hardly making a sound, minus his engines revving grumpily every time he exvented. *I just wanna be normal.* He uttered, his doorwings practically hanging off his back as they sunk more and more as time passed by.
"I'm sure your father wants that too." June piped up.
Bumblebee let out a noise that was similar to a scoff. *Heard that before. All words, no actions as far as I'm concerned.*
June laid a hand on the youngling's pede, stroking it slowly as she gazed down at the concrete, taking in the scout's upset aura.
"I can't imagine what it's like growing up in war, Bumblebee. I really can't." She started, her voice tender and soft. "And you have every right to be angry..."
Bumblebee released an ex-vent, similar to a sigh.
"But not with him."
The scout's scowl immediately snapped down to meet June's gaze, his optics shrinking slightly as a new wave of rage threatened to boil over.
*Enlighten me.* His vocoder growled. His doorwings were lifted halfway up, indicating defense.
The nurse would've scoffed at it. It was the same look Jack gave her when she was giving him a much needed talk. But she didn't let this thought be shown, and tucked it away as soon as it came to the front of her conscious. Her dark eyes blinked slowly.
"You're your father's world. I may not know either of you very well yet, but I can tell that just from the look in his eyes when he sees you." She watched as the scout continued to pout, opting to take a logical approach now. "Although you're feeling better, Ratchet told me you could easily relapse due to your smaller frame. You're still very young, and your immune systems haven't been acquainted with Cybertronian infections for centuries. This was a shock to your frame."
Despite wanting to deflect and point out faults not of his own, Bumblebee still listened intently. It was one of the few things he considered a good strength of his.
*When can I go outside?* The scout responded with a question instead, opting to just focus on that one activity he'd come to adore. *Just tell me that.*
"Probably in a week." June estimated.
*....I hate this body.* Bumblebee's vocoder gave a defeated whirr as he leaned on the side of his berth, sitting up. *It never let's me do what I want.*
"How so?" The woman decided to pick at the youngling's processor for a bit.
*Because I heal slower than others. Not to mention my voice is out of commission...*
"Yes. I imagine it's very frustrating...." June treaded lightly.
*Nurse Darby?*
"You can call me June, sweetheart."
*June...Has Jack ever gotten mad at you like I did with my father?* Bumblebee asked, the realization of what she saw setting in. How embarrassing.
June chuckled. "More often than he let's on. But I can take it, just like your father can. Parents are tough like that." She explained. "Don't worry. You're still a king youngling in my eyes. Nothing has changed that."
Bumblebee didn't feel any better, and pouted quietly for a few moments. *....I feel bad for saying I hope this place gets bombed...I don't hate it here.*
"Then why don't you go tell him those things?" June offered, and Bumblebee's optics turned away from her gaze.
*I'm embaressed...what if the others heard?*
June hummed, rubbing his pede assuringly. "Didn't you grow up around these bots? Everybody gets angry and say regrettable things at one point or another." She continued, "If it bothers you that much, then apologize to each teammmate later."
Bumblebee wharbled quietly, meeting June's gaze again as he nodded. *Alright. I'll fix things.* The scout opened his servo, letting June step onto his palm. He set her on his collar guard, in between his helm and shoulder.
*June?* He asked as he approached the berthroom door.
"Yes?"
*Thank you for listening...and helping me. And for the Energon.* He didn't dare look at her, too shy now. *I'm sorry I freaked out in front of you...*
The nurse smiled softly. "It's alright, Bumblebee." She kissed the slightly warm metal of his cheekplate, similar to what she did for Jack when he was little (and every now and then, when he wasn't paying attention). "I can't stay mad at you." She teased half-heartedly.
Bumblebee cycled his optics innocently, momentarily reminded of his own mother in a small degree. *....I know my mother did that too, but I can't remember it very well anymore.* He reported sadly.
June's heart was already hurting for the scout, but this sentence sent an emotional harpoon loaded with dynamite to it. She felt her stomach drop.
"Then I'll provide substitute kisses. Whenever you wish." She had a lump in her throat, thus she whispered her offer. 'Such a sweet boy...' June thought sadly, hoping that this galactic war would end sooner than later, for this child's sake.
~~~~~~~
June was set down on the human balcony, opting to go to Fowler's office to give the scout and his Prime some privacy. She was done sticking her nose in bot business, and understood that her part was over.
Prime had been in the medbay getting a few wires redone, and was quite honestly a bit surprised that he sensed his son's spark in closer proximity to his when Ratchet sent him out.
Bumblebee was standing in front of the main computer screen, looking at the images Miko had bookmarked a few days ago. They mostly consisted of yellow bears eating honey, mopey donkeys in stick houses, and nervous pink critters being pulled into the sky by balloons or kites.
'I don't understand it. I'm nothing like the bear. Miko's just reaching...' He thought to himself, only to sense a warm body behind him.
"Did you finish the Energon June gave you?" Optimus asked, neutral as ever.
Bumblebee turned his helm around with a jolt, startled by his father's presence. He wasn't ready to talk quite yet...
*Yes. I thanked her.*
"Good." The Prime glanced up at the images on the screen, studying them for a minute or so.
"Miko has claimed that my voice sounds like that 'donkey'. It is a toy model, if I recall correctly." Optimus offered conversation.
Bumblebee shrugged. *I kinda see it. Blue, distant, gloomy sounding.*
"Is that so?"
*...Sometimes. But you're mostly just serious sounding...*
"Fair enough..."
Bumblebee glanced back at the screen, but his helm slowly dipped down. The guilt was eating at him.
*...Dad?*
"Yes?"
*...I'm sorry I yelled at you.*
Optimus said nothing, a silent gesture for Bee to continue. The scout's doorwings dropped lower in shame, and his shifted on one pede to another.
*....I don't mind living here...*
"It is better than a bombed out shelter." Optimus commented, and Bumblebee knew that that was his way of calling out the youngling's horrible words.
*I didn't mean it...I'd be really sad if that happened.*
"I know you meant nothing of it, little one. But you must know that your words carry weight."
*June helped me learn that...she said not to be mad at you. She told me that I'm still at risk of relapsing, too.* Bumblebee revealed.
Optimus set his hands on the scout's shoulder, guiding him to turn around and face him.
The Prime got on one knee and gripped his son's shoulders gently yet firmly, a hard line forming his mouth. He look ragged, now that Bee could see up close.
"We almost lost you to the rust, little spark. I did not leave your side for days." Optimus confessed, his tired optics gazing into his son's large ones.
*What? Why didn't you or Ratchet tell me?*
"I planned to tell you today, but our...conflict delayed it."
*Dad...* Bumblebee murmured, his optics dialating with somberness. *Why can't I remember much of it?*
"Ratchet kept you on a recharge serum. We did not need you to be awake for the aggressive phases of the virus.
Bumblebee could only remember bits and pieces of crying from the sheer pain of the rust eating at his chassis and abdomen. And spitting up his energon, only for either Optimus or one of his teammates watching over him to beg for him to take just one sip. The scout eventually gave in, only to throw it back up mere minutes later. It angered him, and got to the point where he cursed out anyone trying to make him drink. Thus, an IV was given instead, despite this form of consumption being less potent and slow to act.
If that was before the serum, then Bee couldn't imagine what it would've been like while conscious.
*....kuh-*
The scout began to tear up, clenching his fists as he tried to wipe away the crocodile tears that already formed and fell from his cheeks. He said all those horrible things, and caused so much distress for his father and team...
*I'm the worst!* He exclaimed with a squeaky beep, truly ashamed of himself. *I treat you like scrap even when you take care of me!*
Optimus simply watched him cry, his servos still gripping the scout's shoulders tenderly. "You are trying to make ammends. That is what matters."
*You shouldn't forgive me.* Bumblebee admitted in a heartbroken wharble. *Why can't I be calm like you?*
"You are not me."
The scout cleared his olfactory sensors, opting to just cry it out. Eventually, Optimus pulled him in for an embrace.
"...I must confess, I am as upset as you are."
Bumblebee's sobbing quieted as a stammered out a why.
"If not for this war, the rust plauge would not have been used on you. And you could go wherever you please, be it a drive or venturing outside without your commlink signal."
Bumblebee couldn't bring himself to even nod, they both knew that this was true.
*I didn't help things...*
"No. You did not. But you are correcting your mistake. Just like we taught you."
Bumblebee still felt bad, but his tears were lessening. Though one final wave of them came as the 'we' was said. They were quiet, heartbroken tears. *I would like this base alot more...if Mom was here.*
Optimus was solem, his spark bearing a silent pain that never ceased. It could be seen in his optics by Bumblebee, whom carried that same burden.
"I would too, little spark."
Bumblebee didn't feel any better. But not any worse either. He began to cough against his vocoder though.
Optimus immediately focused in on the scout's pained faceplate.
*From crying. Sorry.* The scout explained.
"Allow Ratchet a scan. For my sake." Optimus spoke, standing back up.
*Alright.* Bumblebee didn't argue that, and could see his father's perspective clearly now. Chemical warfare and vile wishes are not things to be trifled wish.
That was one of the many moments of an Autobot Scout learning and strengthening his bond with his beloved leader and father. Many more physical and emotional obstacles were to come, but each would be conquered with a firm word and a soft touch.