Finding Our Place, ch. 3
Disclaimer: Transformers: Robots in Disguise coffee shop alternate universe fanfic. All characters are owned by their respective companies, not me, and I write this for fun, not profit, purposes. Developed in tandem with Opatoes, who came up with the original idea. Please support the official release.
Nothing was quiet as disenchanting at going through 34 different resumes that said "I refuse to work at this establishment because it's too far away" in different words every time. Bee shut down for the night knowing that his two newest employees were under-experienced, under-traveled, and possibly going to hate the jobs they had applied for.
Bee arrived the next morning to two employees waiting for him at the employee entrance, bright and early and ready to work, and that was one more than he expected. The third bot was running a little late, which he expected for a 3:00 a.m. clock-in time. Perhaps today wouldn't be too terrible. Fixit, he already knew, and he shook hands with the young SUV as soon as they were close enough. "Good morning, ma'am."
"Sir." She nodded in curt greeting and immediately deployed her employee handbook. "You're 2 minutes early for opening. Permission to clock in early and begin my kitchen duties?"
Bumblebee couldn't help but laugh. "Sure, um..." and after a quick check, "Strongarm. Permission granted."
"Thank you, sir!" With a small military salute, Strongarm turned to stand by Bumblebee as he unlocked the door, rushing inside before Fixit could even get in a greeting edgewise.
"Pardon me! Wipe your feet first! It's wet outside!" Fixit rushed in behind her. "They misted the planet before we got here!"
"That's not- oh jeez." Bumblebee laughed and shut the door behind him, flipping on lights as he went. "Fixit, help out in the kitchen 'til we open up for the public, please! Thank yo-"
Two things happened in short order. Fixit whipped around on one wheel and rushed the kitchen door, optics shining, eager and ready to help. As he did, Strongarm stepped out of the kitchen and into the doorway, blocking the Minicon with her feet.
"Sir, with all due respect, that's against the rules in the employee handbook." Out came the holopamphlet, beaming out of Strongarm's arm and hovering between her and Fixit. "Counter staff and kitchen staff are to keep contact to a minimum during work hours to prevent blocking workflow traffic. All transactions are to be taken, unless unavoidable, through the serving window located at storefront."
Floored by rules, Bumblebee and Fixit shared a quick look, looking for answers from each other. Seniority demanded that Bumblebee speak first. "That... is true. But we're not opening for the public for another hour and a half-"
"With all due respect, sir," Strongarm interrupted. "I will only be sharing the kitchen, in shifts, with one other employee, and he's not here yet. I don't need this Minicon's help-"
"Pardon me, ma'am!" Fixit interjected. "I see you don't know my name, yet, my apologies for the lack of formal introduction. My name is Fixit, and-"
Strongarm nodded in Fixit's direction and immediately spoke back to Bumblebee. "I don't need Fixit's help in the kitchen. I didn't make the rules, sir."
"... right. Fixit," said Bumblebee a little too loudly. "Why don't you help me set up the tables and chairs instead?"
"Um... gladly, sir."
Strongarm didn't move, and neither did Fixit, and neither did Bumblebee for a solid, heavy minute before he sighed and took a step. Like a switch being flipped, Strongarm dipped back into the kitchen and Fixit fell into step beside Bumblebee, claws nervously hooked together. He didn't speak again until they were both in the lobby and Bumblebee had a chair in his hands.
"I wouldn't be in the way," said Fixit as quietly as possible. Sound carried in a tiny, echoing space. "There are tracks installed through the building, and they don't take floor space-"
"Strongarm is... just very protective, Fixit," Bumblebee answered, equally quietly. "She's enrolled in a law enforcement academy now, comes from Praxus, this is her first job... I understand if she wants to feel like she has a workspace all to herself. Give her a little time, and she'll warm up to you."
"Do you think so?" Fixit held up a hand. "A lift, please. Thank you," as Bee lifted him onto the table, where he dutifully refilled a napkin dispenser. "I suppose that makes sense. I just don't want to get in the splay- fray-" There came the crack of metal. "Way!"
"Is everyone okay?!" Strongarm's entire upper body shot through the kitchen window, balanced on her palms and surveying the store. "I heard punching!"
"We're fine, Strongarm, thank you." Bumblebee waited until Strongarm was satisfied and back in her window before continuing. "See? She'll look out for you. Just respect her privacy until she's ready for you."
"I... that makes sense, too. Thank you. Another table, please?"
The store cleaned beautifully, and the hum of the mixer and the energon steamer coming online made all three employees take a long, relaxed breath. All that was left for the very last employee to arrive, despite him being 30 minutes later. A hour followed thirty minutes, and opening after that, and Bumblebee was starting to feel like he'd taken that relaxing breath far too soon, especially when Fixit started making small talk through the ordering window to Strongarm's ambivalence, growing annoyance, and (to Bumblebee) increasing awkwardness. It was nearly 6:00 a.m. before they had a customer, and he strolled into the shop like he owned it, all smiles and loud, booming voices.
"Good morning!" The big wall of green greeted everyone he could see, one by one. "Mornin'! Good mornin'! You guys the new place? I had to find you by smell! You don't have a sign!"
He could have dropped a filament and Strongarm would have heard it in the back.
"We don't?!" Bumblebee bolted out the door, skidding to a stop in the empty street and looking up. Outdoor tables, clean windows, two stories, awning, and a big bare patch of concrete where the sign was supposed to be. "We don't! Where's the sign?! It's supposed to be a perfect replica of the one back on Cybertron!" He heard the door's bell sound, distantly, unable to tear his optics away from the building. "Strongarm?"
"Did I hear you say it's supposed to be identical?" Handbook deployed, Strongarm summarized, "You're opening a new branch, not a franchise. You can't have the sign be identical to the one back on Cybertron. They probably stopped the order at the manufacturing plant to prevent copyright infringement."
The door chimed again, and along with Fixit's little whirring wheels, the customer stuck his head out and kept right on chatting. "So, if I found you before you got the sign, can I get a discount? I mean, I don't need one, but that'd be cool, right?"
"I can put in an order for a new one and it'll be here in a few days!" Fixit chirped. "What's the business name aga-"
"NOBODY TALK FOR A MINUTE!"
Nobody talked. Bumblebee seethed in place, rubbing his optics so hard they started leaving feedback. "I'm going to call Cybertron. Fixit, Strongarm, watch the front. Whatever this customer wants, give it to him for free. Sir, I apologize for the trouble. I'll be in my office."
Bumblebee stalked up the stairs as fast as he could.
The customer cleared his throat. "So, I get a free coffee now, right?"
