A/N: So this is easily the most experimental fic I've done in a while so bare with me. Yes, as the plot describes this is my first ever human/TF romance that's portrayed in the events themselves. So, yeah, I really hope I do a good job with this. It's been in my head with no set Transformer until now, when I realized she and Bulkhead would actually make a good pair. Hopefully it doesn't suck though.

Some things about the AU:

1. Predacons Rising didn't happen. They failed to resurrect Cybertron - and soon after, the Autobots made themselves public. Autobots and humans now live side-by-side in peace.

2. This will be about two decades after the end of Prime.

So yeah, that's about all you really need to know going in.

PAIRINGS: BulkheadxOC, OptimusxElita

DISCLAIMER: I still don't own anything but my OCs. All Transformers belong to their respective owners.

CHAPTER 1
The New Boyfriend

Jesse Bradford was so, so confused.

At ten years old, he'd seen a lot of men come and go in his mom's life. It had been that way ever since she and his dad had split when he was three, but this... This was insane. He'd heard of mixed-species relationships before - even met a few kids that were born of that union. But his mom? Dating one of the Autobots? This was... He was still trying to wrap his ten year old brain around it.

He knew that it wasn't the most unusual relationship. They'd developed something called a "holoform" in the last few decades that a lot of people said made it "normal". For the first time since the Autobots had come to reveal themselves, they could blend in with humans even better. They could touch them on their level, feel them... Even impregnate them given the nanomachines carrying their CNA they were made of.

But he'd never thought his mom would do this. Even if her close friend, Miko Nakadi, had been so close to the Autobots... He'd never even figured that one day she'd up and decide she wanted to be with one. Yet here they were, in the living room of their apartment, staring at one another after she told him the news. "The news" being that the boyfriend she'd been seeing was coming by to pick them up for a date which she wanted Jesse to come on for the first time.

His stomach did cartwheels as he realized that meant they were getting serious.

His mom, Shelly Thomas, was picky with her men - but he still doubted if he was good enough for her. No one was ever good enough for his mom, at least, that was what he told himself each time a guy left. She was tough as nails, being former military, and currently a local mechanic. It showed with her tough build, and her piercing blue eyes that showed she meant business.

It was sort of intimidating having a mom like that. Especially when Jesse looked at himself. He had his mom's blue eyes, and his dad's firey red hair. But he was still a very scrawny little thing, and was hardly "tall" for his age. But as he was effectively the man of the house, he tried his best to protect his mom - or so he hoped.

He wasn't sure he could protect her from a giant robot though.

He lifted his eyes as his mom pushed her dark brown hair from her face. "And this Bulkhead guy... He wants to meet me?" he questioned, shifting a little as he looked toward the door. "You've only dated a month though."

Shelly looked at her son with a soft smile, reaching forward to place a hand on his. It was obvious that she could tell that he was nervous, but somehow, that look in her eyes calmed him. "I know it's quick, sweetheart. But Bulkhead and I are... Well we've been getting serious lately," she explained. "It's really your Aunt Miko's fault. She's been playing matchmaker I guess."

"But he won't like me..."

"If he doesn't we'll have to rethink things," Shelly explained, standing to her feet. "Sweetheart, I know this is hard. We've both been through a whirlwind when it comes to romance."

That was putting it mildly to Jesse. Most guys didn't stick around long when they realized that Jesse was shy. They were looking for someone who'd play ball, or whatever he guessed. Jesse wasn't like that, he'd rather be inside with a good book or movie. He wasn't good at sports, though he enjoyed watching them. And he was never quick to make friends... The amount of rejection, and the less time men spent trying to get to know him the less keen to a stepfather he was.

It wasn't as though his father was around much to show interest either though. Peter Bradford was a truck driver who hated staying in one place. That was why they had broken up - to his understanding. Mom had wanted him home more with their family. And dad? Well, he had wanted the freedom of the open road, and more time on it. So he'd picked up his things and left.

He still came by when he could... Or when he felt like it. Spending a little time with Jesse before leaving again to go off to his next destination. And while Jesse missed him every day he also acknowledged he wasn't much of a dad for the way he treated him like he was simply there when he wanted him to be. In that sense, he'd always wanted his mom to meet someone new - someone that would take an interest in and like him.

But an Autobot?

"And he's nice, right?" he asked timidly. "He's not gonna start yelling at me like Matty did?"

Shelly gave a small chuckle, and shook her head. "We've been over how Matty was a mistake many times. But no, Bulkhead's a sweetheart, once you get over how intimidating he can be as a robot," she explained. "Just promise me you'll give him a chance tonight. He's the one who asked me to meet you, he wants this."

That made Jesse perk up. "Really?"

"Really."

Jesse's eyes lit up with a bit of hope. Only for his stomach to twist into knots at the knock at the door. He swallowed slowly, wondering if it was him or not. "Right on time," Shelly confirmed as she looked at her watch. "Go finish freshening up, I'll get it."

He didn't need to be asked twice, he sprinted for the hallway quickly, nervous. He hoped that she was right about this...

Bulkhead was hardly every nervous - but this was one of those times.

He'd been planning this night for a week now, ever since he and Shelly had talked about it. Shelly... Bulkhead had never thought of himself as the human dating type but this human? She was different. She was so tough, so soft, and so... Beautiful. Beautiful... He'd never thought of a human as beautiful before, having always been attracted to femmes of his species but the more he was around her - the more he felt that way.

But Shelly wasn't the trouble, that was the kid.

He'd known that Shelly had a son from a previous relationship since day one. She'd shared pictures, and stories, and explained as much as she could to him. Bulkhead had accepted that she didn't want him to meet Jesse right away, of course. The boy had probably seen a revolving door of human men come through his life... But he had felt that this was a meeting that needed to happen sooner rather than later.

So, despite his nerves - he'd approached her about it late one night at dinner. Shelly had been scared at first, having never had a man actually ask to meet her son before. But Bulkhead wasn't the average mech. He liked kids, ever since he'd come to be around Miko years ago he had. And though this boy was intimidating, as the son of his "girlfriend" he knew he had to put on his game face.

Of course, he'd brought something for both of them. He remembered Shelly telling him that Jesse liked books, so he brought him a copy of his favorite human book. While Shelly, he'd stopped and gotten flowers for, she liked roses, the pink kind.

All the same - it took him a good five minutes to work up the courage to knock on the door to the apartment. His holoform shifted a little, messing with his sandy blonde hair a bit. He was a tall, burly man in his thirties, much like Shelly was thirty-eight. He wore a friendly smile, and a tough look in his eyes as she opened the door to him. "Hey there, you guys almost ready?" he asked.

It may have seemed curt, but apparently, Shelly didn't mind. Instead, she took the flowers he held out before pecking his holoform on the cheek. She understood he was new to this - the whole dating thing, and even found his awkwardness cute. "He's almost ready, just washing up a bit more. Come on in," she explained as he took his first steps inside her apartment. "So did you decide where we're taking him?"

Bulkhead nodded, having decided that late last night. "Yeah, I think so. There's this big carnival in town. I figure it will get him used to my real form. And we can have a lot of fun too," he explained, his eyes moving slowly. "As long as it's OK with him."

He addressed who he assumed to be her son. The boy resembled what he looked like in her pictures, a short, skinny little guy with bright blue eyes and red hair. He was looking through the doorway a bit, clearly nervous, and staring right at him. "Jess, don't be like that," Shelly noted. "Come out and meet Bulkhead."

Bulkhead watched as the boy carefully took steps out the door. And for the first time, the two males in Shelly's life got a good appraisal of each other. He seemed as shy as Shelly said, but Bulkhead didn't care. He was known for being the type of mech to break people of that easily. "Put 'er there, kid," Bulkhead said as he extended a hand, and let the boy shake it. "Don't be so nervous! We're gonna have fun. Ask any of my friends, Bulkhead knows how to have a good time."

The boy bit his lip slightly, then stared down at the book in his arm. "You like to read?" he asked, more concerned with that.

Bulkhead smirked, holding the book out to the kid. "Well, mostly on data pads at my size. But this is my favorite Earth book. Thought it'd be a nice starting point - you can read and we can... Maybe talk about it? I almost brought a video game instead. But your mom says you don't have anything I do," the boy smiled slowly. "It's cool though, if this goes smooth you can come over some time and we'll play."

Shelly gave him a small nudge, as if to say dial it back a bit. And Bulkhead again had to remind himself to take baby steps. This was their first meeting after all, and though Bulkhead wanted to bond he had to take it slow. "I... That sounds fun, I like video games," the boy managed. "I don't play them a lot though. Mom says I'll get addicted."

Shelly looked at Bulkhead. "I guess that's a moot point now."

Bulkhead chuckled, of course she knew of his own love for gaming. And she'd no doubt also thought about this exact moment after all. "So, do you like the sound of the carnival? If not, we can just go to my place," he explained as if to tease Shelly. "Play a few video games - drive your mom nuts."

"Don't be a bad influence on my son."

"Can we mom? Please?"

Shelly gave her son a soft smile - and Bulkhead knew the answer was probably no. Shelly hadn't even been in his house yet and frankly, that WOULD be moving too fast. "Bulkhead's only kidding. I think we'll have to wait on that," she replied simply. "Maybe if not the carnival-."

"I'll go to the carnival." Jesse managed. "I've never been to a carnival. Dad promised he'd take me last year, but..."

Bulkhead frowned a bit in understanding. Shelly had told him that Jesse's dad was bad with promises. But he knew better than to say anything. Instead, he got a big grin on his face again and stated. "Well then! The carnival it is! I love these things!" he explained, putting an arm gently around Shelly. "Miko says we gotta get this kid a funnel cake, whatever that is."

Shelly smirked. "She would suggest that."

"What is that?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Sugar, sweetie. Lots and lots of sugar."

"Yum!" Jesse licked his lips. "I can't wait. Let's go!"

Bulkhead relaxed as the boy already headed out the door. Well, the boy may have been shy, but at least he wasn't totally fighting him off yet. Even if he knew that this wouldn't be all soft roses and rainbows, at least they were off to a good enough start. "You're doing great," she told him, resting her head on his holoform's shoulder. "Just don't try so hard. Be yourself, he'll love you."

The mech merely smiled back at her. "I guess we'll see, huh?" he asked. "Now let's go catch that kid... Doesn't even know where I'm parked."

He just hoped he wasn't about to make a fool of himself.

A/N: I really hope that came out good. At this moment this is a side-fic to "A Newfound Purpose" as I honestly struggle with my other fics ATM. So expect those two to be the ones generally updated. And hopefully you enjoy this enough to stick around!