She's Just a Human | Transformers

5: Make the Most of it

The unbelievable things just keep piling up it seems. It's been some hours, and we just... continue talking. I can't help but feel like we haven't had a long conversation for a long time, either of us. One with someone who get's, at least to some degree, the struggles the other is facing. Sure, I'm not a Cybertronian that can transform into a vehicle, but I've dealt with this war in a way not many can say they have. And he, well, he clearly has too.

"What about a childhood?" I ask, head resting on my crossed out arms, looking at the yellow Autobot next to me.

"~Childhood..." Bumblebee seems hurt, like the thought brought up memories he doesn't seem particularly fond of.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," I add, noticing the look in his optics. "I don't want to bring up any more difficult memories." I know how difficult questions feel like for me, and it's not a feeling I want other people having either.

"~It's alright." He continues. "~It's not that I had ~a difficult childhood." He pauses, tilting his head and looking back out to the forest. "~It's that I don't think ~I had one."
Oh. Right. War has a way of making that to people. Leaving them feeling like their youth was taken from them. Most of the Autobots seem so mature and grown up, but it's true, Bumblebee is one of the younger bots, if not the youngest one. When did this war start for him? What did he have to go through to end up here?
"~I was very young ~when the war started." Even if the voices coming out of the radio aren't his own, I can sense the gravity to them, the way they convey exactly what he's feeling, what he's remembering, where his mind is going. "~It's all I remember now. ~All I know."
The forest seems to go silent, as if nature itself was listening to what the 'Bot was saying, scared that they're going to break the bubble he seems to be in, where he has the confidence to open up like this. I feel the same way.
"~But I try to never forget ~what we're fighting for." He nods slightly. "~A future where ~that doesn't happen for anyone else. ~Where no one has to go through ~what we have." He looks back at me, with both melancholy and determination in his look. Even when contradicting, that's exactly what I see in them, what I'm sure he's feeling.

I even feel strange being added into that category. I had a childhood, a good one, but it feels like those times are so far away they seem to blur into the tragedy of what happened after it. Now that most of the people that were in that childhood are gone, it's difficult to look back and not feel a hole in my chest where my family used to be. Where that happiness used to be.

"It's admirable." I speak softly, scared if I speak any louder the moment might be gone, or he might realise something and not open up again. I guess I don't want him to feel like he's burdening me with all this. I'm glad he feels well enough to open up like this. "What you're doing. You're fighting for a better future for others, even if you've gone through unimaginable things. You still protect people. And you keep going."

"~You too."

"Me? I'm not doing anything." I shrug.

"~You keep going. ~Even if you've gone ~through so much, ~and you're sad, ~you're still here. ~And it matters."
I freeze for a moment, and blink. I... I guess he's right, but I'm not fighting through a war, I... I didn't join NEST, I'm just hiding here, and-
"~And you're kind."

"I guess so..."

"~You are." He nods. "~Humans don't usually ~ask us how we're feeling." He seems to grimace. "~Or wonder about our lives ~in Cybertron. ~But we just met ~and you've done it already." He smiles with his optics. "~And you're actually listening."

"Well, yeah," I shift on my seat. "It's the nice thing to do, anyone would-"

"~Hmm, ~not anyone." He narrows his optics. Right... I guess not anyone would do it, but I mean, he's giving me way too much credit, isn't he? I'm- "~Take the compliment." He seems to smile again.
I let out a breath, looking down.

"Alright." I give up, I suppose compliments aren't what I'm used to. "Thanks."

"~Thank you."

"Only if you take the one I said about you being admirable as well." I point at him, narrowing my eyes with a small smile on my lips.

"~Deal." He stretches his servo towards me, offering a digit so I can shake it, as if we're actually sealing a deal. I huff, and do exactly that.

As the night deepens, so does the feeling of confidence we seem to be building. It's a strange feeling, one that I'm not questioning too much. I hadn't had a conversation like this one in so long, especially with someone who listens to as well. I like listening to what he's telling me, and I can believe he does as well. Sure, the bittersweet emotions of the past don't simply fade with a conversation, but there are times where you just connect with some more than others. Like meeting a friend you didn't know you needed. I'm aware that this won't last forever, since he has to leave eventually, but maybe that's what makes it easier?

"Hey, here's a strange suggestion." I begin. "My dad, he always had some sort of wise words to say when we were feeling bad. And he always said we had to make the most of every moment." I suppose I have been forgetting to do that lately. I push the thought away for now. "So how about, while you're here, without intervening on your mission, of course, but we try to give you a bit of that childhood you missed? I know, it's a strange thing to say but... well, when would we have the time to again?"

He stares at me for a moment, blinking.

"~What would we do?" He asks.

"Well, I can teach you some games we humans play, like hide and seek, some card games," I look up, thinking of the simple but fun things I could teach him. "Oh, there's also an old kart racetrack a few minutes from here, where you could just go wild without worrying someone's after you, if that's something you'd like,"
His optic ridges arch upwards.
"I guess that's a yes?"

"~Yes."

-)././.(-

Who would've guessed Bumblebee would be so good at Uno.
I won the couple first rounds, but then he ended up completely obliterating me, several times.

At least I get to say I won every time in hide and seek. I know how to be silent, what can I say? Sure, I scared him several times in the process, but at least I can tell he had fun. And I suppose we both needed it. After our conversation last night, which I didn't last much longer, sleep taking the best of me, I ended up feeling lighter than I had in quite a while. I still can't believe it.

We also went to that old racetrack I told Bumblebee about, and I think that's what helped him the most, he ended up playing loud music and drifting around, going as fast as he wanted, with no concern of it actually being a car chase like those I'm certain he's used to. I can't lie, I had an amazing time as well, never having experienced a drive like that one before.

He thanked me way more than I think he should have, and he was incredibly invested in every game I taught him. I could sometimes see how at first he watched them from a strategic point of view, wondering what they objective was, what we would gain from the game, and taking losses a little too seriously. But I simply tried to explain that games are there for the fun of it, you don't need to be the best, you just need to have a good time, that's the point of most of them. Sure, being competitive adds onto the fun, but when things are taken overly seriously, they lose their spark. 

I'm not sure what was the last time I'd laughed and enjoyed a day as much as I did today. Daniel isn't much of a games types of person. And after I left Chicago I lost touch with the rest of the friends I had there. But today, with Bumblebee... well, my mind went quiet. For the first time since everything happened, it went quiet. And I could just be there, in the moment. I had forgotten the feeling. And I guess Bee learnt it. I'm not sure exactly everything he's gone through these past two years since the battle of Chicago, but I can see he needed it.

And I did too.

I suppose some things happen for a reason. Even if unexpected, of unbelievable. Sometimes finding each other happens for the reason. Whatever the reason may be, right now, feeling alive is enough.

~::/\::~

Helloo! Thanks for reading!

I really hope you're liking it! if you do, let me know okay?

I'll probably update again today soo.. From the next chapter and onwards everything starts having more action, Promise!

~Dream Catcher