In My Head (TFP Bumblebee x Femme Reader)

5

"I think Bee likes you."

"Um, what?" (Y/n) looked at Raf, cupping a servo to her audio receptor. The scout was currently not with them, sent on a mission by Ratchet because clearly, they couldn't handle each other at the moment.

"I think you may have been misreading his signals," the boy said. "He may have been sharp, but Knockout had just deserted. He was trying to protect you and keep you from leaving because he loved you."

"That's not love," she said, looking away.

"Maybe not anymore. But it's not too late to heal." Raf looked pleadingly up at her. She knew he was already attached to them, but he just figured out about their rivalry and how much she just wanted to strangle him-

She shook her helm. "There's no healing," she said. "If there was, we would have already done it."

"He was showing off to you because he wanted to impress you."

"Just drop it!" she snapped. Raf flinched and she sighed. "I'm sorry. You know what? For you, I'll try my hardest to not show it around you. But we hate each other and that's that."

Raf looked like he wanted to say something else, but he refrained and averted his gaze. (Y/n) sighed again and bent down in front of him. She used a digit to tilt his head up to him. "If all goes well, you won't even notice."

Later that day, after the kids had gone home and Bumblebee had returned from his mission, Ratchet dared to leave them alone.

"So, hear me out," (Y/n) said as Bumblebee fixed his cold gaze on her. "So, Raf thinks you like me." She waited and Bumblebee's optics dilated. He looked pointedly away and she didn't miss the blush spreading across his face plate before he lifted a servo and pretended to fix his mouth guard, covering it. "And I promised him that we would try to keep it low key for his sake."

"Why do you want us to lie to him? It won't be the same now he knows."

"I know, but we can at least try. You know what that means, coming from me."

"Yeah. I do." He looked back towards and his optics dilated, becoming smaller. "So. Is that all you wanted?"

"Yep. I'll leave you to your misery."

"I think that's the other way around, but whatever helps you recharge at night." She hissed angrily to herself, but if she was going to try for Raf, she may as well start now. She stalked down the hall, feeling Bumblebee's gaze on her until she faded from sight.

"Take the kids to the city," Ratchet said, dragging a servo down his face plate the next morning. "I need a break."

"Taking the bots to the city?" Miko said eagerly. "How are they going to get in?"

"They have holoforms. Take them anywhere interesting. You know what? Why don't I Bridge you to, I don't know, Disneyland?" Ratchet looked expectantly at them.

"Hmm. The trip of our life. A few hours. What should we do?" Jack said, looking at his friends.

"A cave! The prettiest one!" Raf said excitedly. "Science!"

"There's no getting out of this, is there," (Y/n) sighed. Bumblebee smirked beneath his mouth guard and shoved her roughly.

"We're their guardians," he said, shaking her shoulder. "And partners. What better opportunity?" She clamped her denta onto her glossa and squeezed her arms so tight her digits left indents in her armor.

"Yes. The Reed Flute Cave," Ratchet said, peering at the screen. "So activate those holoforms and get going!" He opened the Ground Bridge and they transformed, their human forms stepping out a moment later. Arcee hugged herself and Bulkhead flexed his muscles. Miko snapped a picture of both.

"Alright, let's go," (Y/n) said. "Take your phones and take notes. No screwing around or I'll screw you up. Sound good?" The kids nodded and they went through the Bridge.

"Wow!" the kids exclaimed when they emerged. They scattered.

"Why don't you go enjoy yourselves? Together, that is," Arcee said, looking at Bumblebee and (Y/n).

"What's that supposed to imply?"

"I don't know," Arcee said, and she looked genuinely uncertain. "Just go see some stuff. We'll keep an eye on them."

"Fine," (Y/n) grumbled. She grabbed Bumblebee's arm and dragged him into the cave. "So. I've never been in a cave except for the Decepticon tunnels back home." She glanced back at Bumblebee as he signed something, his beeps and whirs not working in his holoform. "I don't know sign language."

He stopped and picked up a rock, scratching a soft message into the wall. "I've never been in a cave, either." She nodded. He swiped at it and the message disappeared. He tossed the rock and continued walking. He lifted his head, a childish awe crossing his features at the colors. (Y/n) was suddenly frozen in her tracks, mesmerized by the expression. He was only ever cold towards her, any such expression hidden behind a stone mask.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" she whispered. He glanced at her, color rising to his cheeks as he nodded. Their eyes met briefly and they quickly looked away, continuing through the cave.

They crossed paths with the kids more than once, Jack chasing Miko while Raf lingered in spots to admire the beauty. The partners crossed into a different cavern, a narrow rim surrounding a pool of water in the center, the colors vibrant.

"Careful," (Y/n) warned as Bumblebee stumbled on the way around. He cast a glare back her way and she returned it. "I'm not saying you can't handle yourself."

He opened his hands and mouthed something. (Y/n) understood: "Then what are you saying?"

"Me? I'm saying that I actually care about your well-being. Maybe you're not my favorite bot, but you are still my teammate, and Ratchet would be mad if he had to rebuild your holoform because you destroyed it." He paused, then put his hand gently on the wall and kept walking.

As they returned, they began to hear calls for help. It didn't sound like one of their own, so it must have been another tourist nearby. The partners glanced at each other, debating whether or not they should aid them.

"Why not?" (Y/n) said, checking the time. "We still have an hour before Optimus will want us back for some Energon runs." Bumblebee nodded and they took off towards the calls.

"Hello?" (Y/n) called as they entered another chamber. She gasped and barely caught her balance as she came to a ledge. The colors were dimmer in this cave and she guessed that tourists shouldn't have been venturing so far. Enough was enough.

"Here!" The Autobots looked over to where a teen appeared to be stuck under a boulder that had rolled down a small slope, knocking them onto their front side and pinning one leg beneath it.

"Do you have a tourist group?" (Y/n) asked.

"Yeah; I got separated...well, I wandered off."

"You ought to stay with them next time," (Y/n) translated when Bumblebee mouthed something. The teen nodded, shuddering. "Bee, help me lift this so they can get out." Her partner nodded and they bent down, getting their hands under the boulder and heaving. The boulder lifted a few inches off the ground, enough for the teen to scramble out from underneath it and grip their injured leg. Just then, a few calls sounded and four or five other people ran in.

"Thank goodness!" one exclaimed. They picked up the teen and draped one of their arms over their shoulders. "Thank you for helping him!"

"No problem," (Y/n) said, dusting her hands off. "Stick together next time." They nodded and thanked the Autobots again before hurrying out, scolding the teen.

"Well, I'm glad that wasn't one of ours," (Y/n) said, shifting her weight. The ground beneath her feet suddenly shifted and she yelped, momentarily falling before Bumblebee grabbed her arm and swung her back up to stable ground, pulling her against him and backing away from the edge of the narrow path.

"But it could have been you," he mouthed, making her look up at him so she would get his message. She suddenly blushed, realizing how close they were before she pushed away.

"We better get back," she said. "Before it really is one of us."