A/N: Happy birthday, Mattie!
When I began this story, I actually began in what will now be chapter 11. But then I realized I needed a beginning, so I started writing the pre-story. And it stretched and stretched and stretched... I'm sorry about that! The pace of the story (and the length of the chapters) will pick up after Mattie's done celebrating, I promise.
Anyway, this chapter contains some mini spoilers to Spiderman: Homecoming. If you haven't seen it yet, you should!
And thank you, KayleeChiara, for reviewing! You left me no way to get back to you, so I'm doing it here. I really appreciate them :D
Disclaimer: I own everything. 'Cept Spidey. Iron Man owns Spidey.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart!"
Mattie grinned. "Thanks, mom!"
"Have you had a good day so far? You know, I haven't the faintest idea what time it is over there right now?" Her mother laughed. "I've been spending so much time redecorating that I've lost track."
"It's about lunchtime, and yeah, it's been great! Izzy surprised me with breakfast this morning, and Viviane made lunch, and apparently we're having a bonfire tonight, if it's not raining."
Viviane had arrived the night before in the rain, dripping wet, after the cab she'd been in had broken down halfway from the airport and Cade had had to pick her up with Hound. But she'd still been in a good mood, and after a few moments Mattie had decided that she really did like Viviane – the older woman was brainy, and witty, and treated Mattie as a little sister.
"It sounds like they're taking good care of you. Hey, did you get our present?"
Mattie nodded. "Yeah, mom, you shouldn't have, it's way too much! You need that to get the house and stables back in business."
"Nonsense," her mother said briskly. "We wanted to spoil our daughter, and since you're too far away for me to buy you new things you'll just have to do that for yourself. The least we can do is see you have the funds for it."
"I already spent some of it," Mattie confessed. "I bought a new dress for the party tonight." Izabella had gone with her, helping her choose, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the right times. It had been fun.
"That sounds like a very clever idea," her mother said. Mattie could hear the smile in her voice. "You should wear something nicer than jeans and a shirt for your own birthday party."
Mattie grinned. Her mother had tried to get her out of her trademark jeans and various shirts since she was fifteen.
"Well, have a great rest of the day," her mother said. "Tell Bumblebee I said hello. Your father will call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure. Love you, mom!"
"Love you too, baby girl."
Mattie reached her hand out and placed the phone back in Cade's waiting hand.
He grinned at her. "So now you need to make yourself scarce."
She stared at him, confused. "I do?"
Izzy nodded energetically. "We can't have a surprise party because you already know about it, but we can make sure you're surprised when you get here even so!"
Mattie laughed. "So what am I supposed to do? Hang around the house until tonight?"
"No," a familiar voice said behind her. "I'm kidnapping you."
Mattie turned around to see Bumblebee's cheeky grin, high above her. A whole afternoon alone with Bumblebee? As if that was their cue, suddenly her stomach was full of butterflies again.
"Well, you look very pleased with yourself," she scolded, then grinned. "Okay then, where are we going?"
He grinned. "It's a surprise." The he transformed down into the familiar Camaro, and opened the door for her. "Come on/birthday girl."
"Wait!" Viviane ran up to Bee, and placed a basket in the back seat. "For later." She smiled mysteriously at Mattie. "Enjoy your day, sweetheart."
"Thanks. I think." She got in Bee's front seat, and he fastened the seat belt around her. Then he took off, tires squealing, and raced out of the compound.
When they came to the highway, he headed north, as always a bit faster than the legal limit. Mattie touched the wheel gently. "Where are we actually going, Bee?"
"I'm taking you/to the movies!" he said proudly. He was using his radio to communicate again – he seemed to prefer that when in alt mode. "I found a/drive-in theatre!"
Mattie giggled. "That's excellent! I've never been to a drive-in. What are we watching?" She looked down at him. "Can you even see it in this form? You can't really go bipedal in there, can you?"
He laughed. "I can see/well enough. If not/how could I drive? And we're watching/some form of/superhero film/about someone who's been/bitten by a spider. If I understood/Izzy/correctly."
"We're watching Spider-Man?" Her voice shot over two octaves and she started bouncing in the seat. "I love Spider-Man! Bee, can I have popcorn?"
"Anything for you/birthday girl," he chuckled. "Absolutely anything."
Mattie leaned down and kissed the Autobot symbol on the steering wheel. "Thanks!"
She spent the rest of the drive up to the theatre chattering excitedly about the merits of Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man over Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, how faithful each version was to the comics, which other characters would show up, and other things that she was sure Bumblebee knew absolutely nothing about, but she couldn't stop herself.
"…and the Lizard shows up in the X-Men too, did you know that? The comics, I mean. But of course, he's mostly a Spider-Man villain. I think he was really cool in the film, much cooler than I feared he would be, you know? I mean, they totally botched Venom, the only saving point that movie even had was the major fight scene at the end."
Bumblebee laughed. "Mattie/I'm glad you're/so excited,/but I haven't got the faintest idea what you're talking about."
"I know," Mattie smiled and blushed slightly. "Sorry, Bumblebee."
"Don't be." She could hear the smile in his voice. "I don't mind."
The drive-in turned out to be an older structure surrounding a brand-new screen and new electronics.
"Bet it got hit by Cybertron, and they had to replace things," Mattie said, looking around. "This is so cool." She got her popcorn and soda, and placed them carefully in the passenger seat. "That okay, Bee?"
"Sure," he said. "Make yourself comfortable. Oh, and/get the basket/from the back seat."
Mattie reached behind her and pulled the basket to her. It contained a blanket, some food, and a large piece of chocolate cake. She giggled. "This is really nice, but I can't eat this in here. What if I spill on you?"
"Then you'll have to/wash/me afterwards," Bee said smugly. Mattie laughed.
"…. And how great was it, that he's such a baby face, you know? I know the actor's my age, but he looks so much younger. And when he was hanging from the ceiling, and his friend was there? Totally epic comedy. Oh, and I'm so sorry about the popcorn. I can wash you before the party?"
Bumblebee laughed. "Don't worry/birthday girl. We'll hit/a car wash/on our way back/or I can/hit the woods and/shake most of it off."
Mattie shook her head. "No, let me. It was my fault. And we still have time before I have to go home and change."
"You're changing?"
"Yeah, I bought a new dress," Mattie giggled. "Bet that'll be a surprise for everyone, no one here has actually seen me in anything but jeans."
Bumblebee chuckled.
Mattie stretched her hand out and hesitantly stroked the door panel. "Hey, thanks for today, Bee," she said, leaning her head against the window. "I had a really good time."
"Me too/birthday girl," he replied.
She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she registered was that Bumblebee stopped outside her house. She looked around groggily.
"Well, damn! Did I sleep all the way here? What time is it?" She got out of the car, gathering the rest of the popcorn into the basket and bringing it with her.
Behind her, Bumblebee transformed. Small, pale dots rained off him. "Ugh, I'm covered in popcorn."
Mattie cringed. "I'm truly sorry about that. I'll get you cleaned up." She turned and looked up at him. "If we have time, that is?"
"Yeah, we still have a couple of hours or so before we should be back," he said. Noticing her look, he smirked. "I may have gone a bit faster than strictly legal."
Mattie grinned and shook her head. "Speed-crazy Autobot." He chuckled behind her.
Bumblebee sat perfectly still while Mattie used a brush to get most of the popcorn off.
"There. I think I got the lot of them."
Bumblebee looked down, examining his arms. "Hey, thanks, Mattie."
"The least I could do. I was the one who spattered you with popcorn." She put away the brush. "Now I'm going to go take a shower. Are you going to wait out here?"
He nodded. "You bet."
"Great." She flashed him a smile and disappeared inside.
From his perch outside the rail car, Bumblebee could hear Mattie singing in the shower. Carefully, he snuck closer.
It wasn't one he had heard before, so he started recording. She was singing something about finding serenity. It was apparently a short song, because quite soon she was singing something completely different about trying to get some bricks down from the fourteenth floor and ending up falling down instead. That one was much longer, and he could hear her turning off the shower and started moving around, still singing. He turned the recording off and moved back to his original position. I don't want her to think I'm spying on her in the shower. Anyway, I'm just listening.
/*Bumblebee?* His internal comm link activated.
/*Yes, Drift?*
/*Cade wants to know if you're back with the human yet.*
/*Yes, I'm waiting for her to get changed. I'll bring her over to you within an hour.*
/*Good.* The comm link shut down again.
Mattie opened the door and walked out, wearing similar garments to the ones she had had on earlier.
"I thought you were going to put on a dress," he said, confused.
"Aw, are you disappointed?" She grinned cheekily at him. "I'm changing soon, I just have to get my hair under control first."
His optics focused on her hair. It was dark and curly, and it hung down to the middle of her shoulder blades normally. Now, being damp, it was much longer, and pointed in all directions.
"Is it being unruly?"
"Yes, it's being extremely unruly. It always is when I've washed it."
She started pulling a comb through the tangled mess that was her hair, with slow, easy strokes. Bumblebee watched, a little mesmerized.
She noticed, and gave him a small smile. "You're lucky you don't have hair," she commented.
He didn't know what to say to that.
After exactly fifty-seven brush strokes, the shook her head, making her hair fly around her head. It settled on her shoulders and down her back. It looks so soft. I wonder what it feels like to touch it.
"There." She grinned. "I'll be out in a few minutes."
She came out exactly 698 seconds later, wearing a white dress that clung to her figure down to her hips, then flared out, and ended right below her knees. Her hair was still loose, a nice change from the braid or ponytail she usually wore, and hung in gentle ringlets down past her shoulders. The dress had laces up the front and short white sleeves.
Primus, she looks amazing. "Um. You should bring a coat or something. It might get chilly." He transformed down and opened his door for her. She got in, careful of her dress, and settled back in the seat. He gently put the seat belt around her. She smells really nice too.
"Ready to go to/your birthday party?" he asked.
She nodded. "Let's go, Bee."
Mattie's music: The ballad of Serenity. The sick note (The Dubliners).
