Won't Say
"You care about him, do ya?"
Her frame snapped to look at the green Wrecker, optics wide as they could be.
"What are you talking about...?" Arcee's voice trailed off.
"When the ship crashed and you dashed out with me to see if Wheeljack was okay?" Bulkhead's eyebrow raised up.
Her insides immediately started to heat up. The evidence was out. She tried to keep her emotions in check, making sure she kept everything professional, though whenever she was around Wheeljack... those walls always seemed to crumble.
Why did it always happen whenever he was around her?
"Of-of course I care about Wheeljack...!" she began, stammering. "Wheeljack's a friend, a fellow soldier, a colleague..."
"A sparkmate...?"
Arcee's jaw just about went to the ground, her temperature growing higher. "In the name of Primus, Bulkhead, that was extremely out of line."
The green Wrecker chuckled.
"That's not funny..."
Bulkhead continued to chuckle. "Miko always said how you two would "make a cute couple". Whatever that means in human..."
She looked to the ground, frozen in embarrassment. Why did she do it? Why did she come with Bulkhead to make sure Wheeljack was alright? They did grew a tad closer, what with the talk in the caves when they were collecting predacon bones. She knew the ordeal of loosing a partner too well, and would be there for Bulkhead. Maybe she came with Bulkhead just in case if Wheeljack really was injured, or worse. Terminated and offline.
Offline...
Her head jerked, spark tensing inside of her. If Wheeljack was gone, Bulkhead would obviously be affected by it. But why did she also feel that dread?
Was she... growing attached to him?
No. She knew better than to get attached to a team member. For so long she build up those walls, she couldn't tear down the hard work only for a chance at temporary pleasure.
"This is about Cliff, isn't it?"
Bulkhead was still around.
Being the few members of Team Prime, most stories of the past of each Bot was known. They were on Earth for a while, they practically felt like they knew each other for their entire lives.
What she had with Cliffjumper was brief, though it helped make her smile again. If only she made it there in time before the Cons took him on board the Nemesis, if only she had convinced him to wait for everyone else before checking out that energon signal... he'd still be with them today, restoring Cybertron.
"Yeah... I still haven't seen it through," she closed her eyes. "I wish he could have seen this. That we actually won the war after all this time."
The seconds felt like hours as the silence rolled on.
"You know, Jackie's a pretty understanding guy," began Bulkhead. "Beneath the gruff, he has a soft spot. I'm sure if you tell him everything, he'll be okay with it."
Arcee breathed. Loosing Cliff was hard enough, and now here was another mech and attachment... When was this all going to end?
"'Cee, ever since you and Jackie start talking, you seem happier," began Bulkhead. "Loosing Cliff was hard, but no one's going to replace him. The war is over. Jackie's a tough dude. It takes a lot to bring down a Wrecker. You're not gonna loose him."
She tried to hold back the lubricant forming in her eyes, turning away so Bulkhead wouldn't see. Yes... Bulkhead was right. Ever since seeing Wheeljack again and talking with him... she was happy. After so many years of being a lifeless husk, marching on the battlefield, Wheejack made her happy. He brought her peace in a lifetime of war. With him, she was free.
"You of all Bots deserve to be happy, 'Cee," said Bulkhead, beginning to exit the room. "After all you've been through, I hope you do find it."
She walked up to him, placing her arms around his mighty frame. Years on a primitive planet could do things to Bots, being on Earth made her do strange things she wouldn't normally do. It made her feel more... human.
His might hand was on her shoulder. She could feel his smile, even though her eyes were closed.
She felt a drop of lubricant escape from her optic. "Thank you..."