It's not like he wasn't liked, or that he was unhappy. He liked what he did, and even though times were hard, and maybe monotonous, they all managed. They all had to. It wasn't like he was the only one that was unhappy at times, surely they all were. It was natural.
Three years on this planet and it had finally taken it's toll though. They'd lost one of their own. The void left from him not being here was easily felt. In the times when it was quiet it now fell to him or Bumblee to do their best at breaking it. Not like it was a chore, but you just got used to things being a certain way... and none of them could replace, even if they wanted to, their fallen comrade. Somehow that was followed up with something worse, depending on how one looked at it. He was a positive guy overall, but still the whole situation was horrid. They'd lost the space bridge. Their was no going home now. Their home was now, and was going to forever be Earth.
Maybe... maybe that wasn't as bad as it seemed initially. Right? He thought so. After a long time of just accepting things as they were, not that he'd gone out of his way to mix things up, he'd found something amazing. Or more like it had come to him without him trying. Which was a total bonus.
He was the 'slow' one, the one not left in charge unless the other in charge wanted to do something. Despite his bulk, he was the one that mostly faded into the background. Standing around listening to what was being said and offering bits of input here and there. It rarely came down to him needing to put more in than a nod or a 'I'm good with that' or something of the like. That was just how things were, he was okay with that. This way he didn't have to struggle with the likes of being in charge over anyone. Nobody would look at him, awaiting an answer or something, only then to sigh, or slump at his lack of reply or idea. This way others could do the job and have to deal with Optimus if something went wrong. He liked patrolling for Energon. It was relaxing, how could it not be? Constantly on the road, looking for a resource and... yeah. He was happy for the amazing thing.
Sure this thing wasn't amazing all the time... still wasn't and isn't when this little amazing thing followed him and nearly got itself killed. But Miko had given him something. She'd given him something that he never even knew he was missing.
"Hey!"
Bulkhead blinked and looked down, the motion being followed by a wince. Oh man, he'd been ignoring her apparently. She was giving him the look. "Hey Miko."
"Heeey yourself big guy! When are we going to go out and fight bad guys!" She exclaimed as she punched the air excitedly. "Oh Oh! Or maybe we can do more cliff stuff!" When he only sighed she huffed. "Come on! You'll never be the boss if you don't show initiative! You're already the biggest!"
He always found it interesting that she harped on that. From what he knew and had seen of human culture, it didn't work that way. People were elected, or were randomly selected... maybe it's how she thought they worked? But why would she think that? It had to come from somewhere right? Though he knew if he kept trying to figure out where Miko got the ideas she got, that he'd be thinking until he rusted.
He groaned at her.
"Awwww! Come on!" She moved over to him, reaching out to try to grab a part of him. Though all the yanking in the world wouldn't do anything. Still, she felt like it was better than nothing. "Lets go out for a drive!"
"Yes, why don't you go out for a drive and get annoying little things out of here." Ratchet sounded from his work station before giving the other a look.
Bulkhead recoiled at that a bit. Like it was HIS fault!
Miko squealed when she saw the Land Bridge portal open. "OOOOH! Come on Come On COME ON!"
"Ah, Miko." Now it was his turn to give Ratchet a dirty look before he went walking after the excited child, worried that Ratchet would send her off somewhere hazardous.
Ratchet frowned at the far too slow rate the two were going at. Wanting them both gone immediately. There was just nothing as nice as the quiet. Soon he would have it! "BULKHEAAAD!" he exclaimed. "Just GO!"
It was now Bulkheads turn to slump and sigh. "Okay, okay." He mumbled something that only made Ratchets frown deepen as he transformed. Before he was even settled Miko was pulling open his passenger door and sliding on in excitedly, grabbing on her seat belt with ease.
"Lets go! Come on! Lets GOOO!"
"Yes do go." Ratchet groaned, agreeing with the hardly audible squishies voice.
With that Bulkhead left with Miko, leaving the now happy Ratchet to his own thoughts.
Bulkhead scanned the area, it was the same landscape he'd been looking at for a long time now. He didn't mind though. He began to drive along, knowing where Miko liked to go. Girl liked dangerous situations, something he wished that she didn't like. Or at least didn't like as much.
Miko bounced in the chair a bit before finally settling in her seat, her hands clasped in her lap in that way she did when she was trying to prove that she'd be good.
"What is it?" He asked, knowing that it would be nothing good. "You're plotting something."
Had she not been so distracted with other things Miko would have scoffed at that completely. Or agreed wholeheartedly and launched into how they needed to do cool things. Instead she continued staring out the windows, and then at the steering wheel that was moving on it's own. "Just thinking."
"About?" Oh this wasn't going to be good. Not good at all.
"At how AWESOME you are!" She said enthusiastically, her calmness being kicked away by the force of her unbridled joy.
He was awesome to someone and that was an amazing feeling.
