Author: ah ha...this was inspired by a post over at LJ showing a bright yellow Topkick. A comment on that post said that Ironhide had lost a bet to Bee and that was why he was that color. Which spawned this. oops.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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"Ironhide?" Jolt asked tentatively, a number of the other Autobots hiding behind a very thick wall, poking their heads out just far enough to watch the potentially disastrous encounter.

"What?" the weapons specialist growled, making Jolt involuntarily take a step back.

"Uh...well...we—I mean I—was just wondering at the change in color scheme."

Ironhide voiced a deep growl that seemed to echo throughout his entire being, making Jolt blanch and take a few steps back, hands held up in a placating gesture.

"You don't have to tell me, seri—"

"Bumblebee."

Jolt blinked at the topic jump. "What?"

"This," he said, gesturing to the lurid lemon yellow he now sported, "is a result of Bee."

Jolt frowned. "How?"

Ironhide shifted and he idly spun one of his cannons, the gears working so smoothly they didn't even make a sound as they spun, making Jolt distinctly nervous.

"Again, you don't have to answer," Jolt said, taking a step further back and out of the line-of-fire.

"I lost a bet with Bumblebee," Ironhide finally ground out, his voice almost...petulant.

Jolt's posture communicated abject surprise. "You lost a bet with Bumblebee and because of that, you're now that color?"

"Yes," Ironhide answered shortly.

"For two weeks," Bumblebee supplied cheerfully as he appeared in the midst of the congregated 'bots, surprising them.

"What was the bet?" Jolt asked, intrigued.

Ironhide's countenance became surly and Jolt took a number of rapid steps back, ending up bumping into Bumblebee.

"It was over the ending of a...novel...that we both read," Bumblebee supplied quietly. The word novel was said in such a manner that indicated it wasn't quite a novel, but something novel-length.

"Oh?"

Bee radiated smug amusement. "If he won, I was supposed to spend two weeks silent—not even music. He says I chatter now that I have my voice back," Bee said, waving his hand dismissively.

"And if you won, he had to be painted yellow for a fortnight?" Arcee asked in unison.

"Yup," Bumblebee chirped happily before walking over to Ironhide and congenially slapping him on the arm, earning him a warning growl for his impudence.

"Gotta wonder what novel they were readin'..." Mudflap murmured, a mischievous light coming into his optics.

Jolt groaned. This is only going to get worse, I can just tell...

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Post-note: If you can think of any other bets and their results, I'd be glad to take a shot at writing them. You know, even though I have another fic to catch up on and another to write and...