Title: Flesh and Energon

Chapter: 3

Author: SomethingIDontknow

Rating: M (For violence, technically gay romance (sex?), and mentions of rape and imprisonment.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, that's Mr. Michael Bay's. And Hasbro's. Luckies.

Author's Note: I've had a few reviews that pointed out the fact I haven't really advanced (or made visible at all) the soon-to-be relationship between Bee and Optimus. And so, I devote this chapter to bringing up and developing the point. Codebreaker became a little too big a character, so I'll be toning him down. Please, be aware that the second two sequences are simulations. Read and Review, it really helps.

Summary: Ratchet is suspicious as to why Optimus agreed to keep Codebreaker so easily, with nothing but Bumblebee's assurances. Codebreaker questions Bumblebee about the nature of working for Optimus.

Codebreaker was given his own room in the living quarters, and a small side storage room to use as his lab. He was thoroughly elated. "Megatron kept me in a storage room off of his personal living quarters. My lab was half this size. This is… fantastic…" He had explained, looking around his rooms.

Bumblebee was with him, helping him set up a little equipment Ratchet had lent to him. "What- will you do now?" Bumblebee asked, connecting the last few cables to a recharge station. "Well…" the bot looked around his new lab before turning to smile at Bee, "I feel like I could do anything in here." Bumblebee buzzed excitedly and Codebreaker moved to a large whiteboard to begin planning his newest invention.

Optimus Prime was back in his rooms, this time checking sensors and gathering updates from various bots around the globe. There was a knock at the door and the obligatory, "Enter."

"Okay, I give up."

Ratchet shut the door behind him and almost immediately collapsed into a seat behind the Prime. Optimus looked up, instantly worried. "Is it Bee's simulator?"

"What? No." Ratchet waived a hand aside, dismissing the idea, "I've given up trying to figure you out, Optimus." The taller bot turned with a confused expression. "Ratchet, I don't understand-"

"Every time something's wrong, before we get a chance to explain, you ask about Bee. You check him first, every time we return from missions, unless one of us is obviously more injured. And when it is him, you're always so down until he's functional again." Ratchet looked up at Optimus, daring the older bot to deny it, "and now you're keeping a Decepticon on base because of what? Because Bee found him? Told you he was a good bot? What's going on Optimus?"

Optimus Prime looked away.

Suddenly, Ratchet found this conversation more serious than he had intended. "What is going on, Optimus?" he asked softly, leaning forward on his seat, "please, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone. Im just worried about you."

"I had hoped no one would notice." Optimus murmured, powering down his screen network, "I had though I was doing fairly well. Keeping matters of the heart off of the battlefield." Ratchet shook his head with a sigh, "Optimus, matters of the heart are a battlefield."

"I shouldn't feel this way." The bigger bot said quietly, pulling out another chair and taking a seat. "You were always alright with some of the other male bots getting together. Was that just saving face?" Ratchet asked, biting his lip, worried he'd offended his leader. Optimus shook his head. "It's not that, I don't care what anybot has to say about me. I'm only worried about what others might say about Bumblebee. He's my student, he's under my command. I shouldn't feel this way about someone I lead."

"But isn't that the most natural thing?" Ratchet sounded honestly confused.

"I don't understand."

"It's been your natural instinct to protect us. All of us. And it seems natural you would fall for someone you already cared so much for." The logic was simple enough, Ratchet figured. "It's…" Optimus looked away again. "It's not just feeling protective. I'm… possessive. I want him for myself. And no one else. It's…"

"The feeling that you want him at your side at all times. You want him, to wake up from recharge with him. Cheesy as it all sounds, damn it all to hell, it's true?"

Optimus looked back at him sharply. Ratchet shrugged. "I know the feeling." Optimus watched him a moment. "Who is it?"

"Ironhide. That's why he's been helping out so much with repairs lately."

Prime smiled weakly, "I should have known." "You should have, but Bee's been on your mind." Ratchet glanced up at the clock, "I should go tell the boys to settle down for recharge. Tell him. I won't do it for you. And you'll feel better if you do. I did." Optimus nodded, "I'll try, Ratchet."

Codebreaker took just a few minutes to sketch out his plan before starting to work. "How do you- build- the body?" Bumblebee asked, handing Codebreaker a wrench. "It's kind of a bot. But also kinda human. I'll have to grow some parts of it." Codebreaker explained.

"Like what?" Bee continued questioning, balancing a tall cylinder container while the other bot fastened it to the floor.

"Well things like skin and hair and eyes. Sensory organs will be connected via cabling. But everything will feel real. It will feel like living in real human body."

"How do you know- what that's like?" Bumblebee asked. The white bot paused. "Well… I've… I've completed the process once. I got to live in a body for a while." he looked up at Bee and smiled, "it's wonderful. Human skin is so… sensitive. And their sight isn't as acute as ours, or their hearing. But it's fantastic."

"It sounds- great!" Bumblebee sighed, gasping as he had an idea, "would you- make me- a body?" Codebreaker looked up, surprised. "I wasn't expecting any of you to accept the idea." he smiled, "but sure. It shouldn't be difficult." he paused, "Should I create a body for Optimus Prime?"

Bumblebee nodded excitedly. "I think- he would be interested- in your work." he said, moving to begin writing on the whiteboard, "his body- should be- tall. Taller than mine." Codebreaker sat up to watch him write.

"Brown hair- kinda- long- maybe. Blue eyes- bright- like his- optics." Bumblebee smiled as he thought about it, "he will look- great!" when he turned, Codebreaker was smirking at him.

"You like him." he said with a smile.

Bee blinked twice and his cooling system kicked on. "That must be it." Bumblebee only looked abashed and asked softly, "that obvious?"

"Only to me, I suppose."

Codebreaker set aside the wrench and stood, pulling his new friend to take a seat, "tell me?"

Bumblebee hung his head a moment before looking up at the white bot. "he is- my commander. I've always- respected him. But after a while, it turned into- attraction. By now- I'm sure I love him." Codebreaker nodded, patting Bee's hand. "You haven't told him?" he asked. "Never!" Bumblebee looked both shocked and saddened, "he would never- allow it. And I don't want- to be- sent away."

"Im sure he wouldn't!" Codebreaker protested, "He cares about you, all of you. He would never send you way." "But he would- never- return my- feelings." "The worst he could say is no." Bumblebee hesitated a moment before conceding with a nod. "Maybe- one day." Codebreaker smiled and put a hand on Bumblebee's shoulder. "Maybe soon. These bodies… they're a different state of being. And maybe when you both have bodies, you'll find it in you to tell him."

Their talk was interrupted by Ratchet knocking at the door. "You both should power down for the night." he said, standing just at the threshold, "you can work on your project tomorrow if all goes well." Bumblebee stood and waved to Codebreaker before following Ratchet out the door.

Back in his rooms, Optimus Prime watched a single monitor to be sure everyone was plugged in, powered down, and recharging. As the bright yellow light that signaled Bumblebee's sleep flashed on, he smiled. No, it wasn't fair to tell the boy the truth. If he was uncomfortable with it, he would leave. And Optimus knew how much he loved the bots here. It wasn't fair to ruin this sweet bot's life for his own selfish purposes. Shutting down the monitor, Prime connected himself and powered down for the night.

Just down the hall in his own living quarters, Bumblebee powered down and entered sleep mode. Even as he struggled against it, his subconscious processes rose to the surface to create a dream. It was about Optimus' new human body. And it inspired Bee to create his own more fully. But most importantly, it was a dream of possibility. Of impossibility, he reminded himself bitterly. But it was only a dream. And no matter how ridiculous, it was sweet. And he was glad to have it, even if only for a night.

A/N: Now you see where I'm going with this body idea? If I did it all wrong, please, tell me what you think. I want to do this right, and I can't be sure without your feedback.