"Hey Bee!" a sudden voice shouted.
Bumblebee did not look up. He didn't even acknowledge the Cybertronian who was calling his name. Instead, he picked up his pace, doing his best not to break out into a jog that would give away his anxiety. He resisted the urge to look back, keeping his optics focused instead on the ground as he turned a sharp corner.
"Bumblebee, wait!" Sunstreaker shouted and Bumblebee could hear the mech's frantic steps. "Hold up! I need to talk to you!"
Oh, Bumblebee bet he did. But he had no intentions of inviting any unwanted questions with the Twins. No, it was best to avoid the Twins for the time being. Maybe forever. He could change his paint color and move to a different city until the Selection was over. Maybe Ironhide could help him out. In fact, he was sure the older mech would enjoy it.
Bumblebee ducked into a different hallway before scurrying over to the other side of the room. He shoved the two study doors open and barged in, hoping Sunstreaker didn't see him ducking into the room. He glanced back but saw no one following him in the comfortable, inviting space that was filled with computers and chairs. He allowed himself to breath a sigh of relief as he relaxed, only to turn and freeze in his tracks.
"Bumblebee!" Sideswipe said cheerfully, rising from his seat from one of the study desks. "Fancy seeing you here. But since I've run into you, there is something I wanted to talk to you about."
Bumblebee spun on his heel, not caring if he looked rude, only for him to stumble back as Sunstreaker burst into the room, breathing deeply.
"You…" he gasped, pointing at Bumblebee as he leaned against the wall for support. "Are a...fast walker!" He took in another deep breath before straightening up with a wide smile. "One would think you were trying to avoid me!"
Bumblebee blinked, startled. "How…?" he stuttered, looking at both the Twins. "How did you know I was here?" he asked, pointing at Sunstreaker.
Sunny tapped his chest, grinning. "Twin bond," he reminded, nodding toward Sides.
"Since you are here," Sides said, wrapping an arm around Bumblebee and preventing him from leaving. "We might as well catch up."
Bumblebee tried to pull away. "Um, I kind of have somewhere to be-"
"Nonsense!" Sunny exclaimed, joining his brother in trapping Bumblebee. "We never get to spend some one on one time with you, our bright and yellow friend!"
"What should we catch up on?" Sides mused out loud. "Racing? Sports?" He winked at Bumblebee. "Femmes?"
Bumblebee's optics widened as he tried to wrench himself away from the two intrusive mechs. He was successful as he stumbled back, putting some distance between himself and the brothers.
He cleared his throat, trying not to look cornered as he tried to put up a calm facade. "Why? What type of femmes have caught your optics?"
Sunny chuckled while Sides grinned. "Well," the golden Twin started. "We are single at the moment and aren't interested in pursuing any serious relationship with any of the femmes yet. But," he trailed off, looking at his red brother.
"We have noticed someone else needs our help in that line of department," Sides continued, smiling innocently.
Bumblebee knew where this was going, and he was putting a stop to it before he regretted any of the outcomes. "You two do know that I am in the Selection, right? And that my mate has already been chosen for me?"
Sunny waved a dismissive servo. "Aw, come on. That Selection needs to be...bent a little."
"There are rules!" Bumblebee exclaimed, shocked. "Rules set by the Prime himself!"
"Eh, rules are made to be broken," Sides said with a bored huff.
"Especially by us," Sunny said, his grin never leaving his face.
"I am bound by duty," Bumblebee reminded them both, frowning.
"To who?" Sunny said, cocking his helm. "Who are you compelled to obey?"
Bumblebee stuttered in shock. They couldn't seriously be asking him that! Could they? "Optimus Prime, of course," he answered.
"Did Optimus ask you for such loyalty?" Sides asked.
"He didn't ask for it," Bumblebee responded swiftly, his frown deepening. "He earned it."
"But what about you?" Sunny asked. "What do you think you've earned through this? What do you deserve?"
"Peace," came Bumblebee's swift response. "Peace for others as I play my part and fulfill my duty."
"But what of your duty to yourself?" Sunny pointed out. "Or the duty to the one femme who is destined to be yours? To the one femme who has feelings for you and is destined to be your mate?"
Bumblebee froze. He narrowed his optics. "Nothing worth doing is ever easy or simple," he answered.
"Be reasonable, Bee," Sunny said. "Do you really think that your one sacrifice will make a difference in a peace treaty that the two Heirs are supposed to fulfill? Everyone else in the Selection could drop out, but it all depends on the Autobot and Decepticon Heir. So you're in the clear."
Bumblebee closed his optics as he winced. No, he was not in the clear, despite what others may think. "There are...things in the Selection that outsiders have not been briefed on," he started, opening his optics and looking away. "Things that I am not allowed to explain."
He heard nothing but silence before the light pede steps of Sides approached him. "Are you saying that there are...other rules we aren't aware of?" Sides asked.
Bumblebee shrugged, still not meeting the other mech's gaze. "Something like that."
"So those rules are preventing you from pursuing your feelings?" he asked.
"Yeah," Bumblebee said, his voice choking. "So just drop it, okay?" With that, he pushed past Sideswipe with the intent of leaving.
"So you do have feelings for her," he heard Sunstreaker say.
Bumblebee froze, slowly turning to look at the gold mech. "What?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"You just admitted that there is something preventing you from pursuing the object of your affections," Sunny said, sauntering over. "But let me be honest with you," he said. "The only thing preventing you from pursuing that femme of yours is yourself. And let me ask you this," he said with a glare. "Are all the sacrifices that you are willing to make really worth the happiness you could have with this...nameless femme that we are not supposed to know about?"
Bumblebee was no fool. He knew that the Twins were well aware of who they were talking about, and it was that little bit of knowledge that concerned him.
"Is it really worth hurting yourself?" Sunny continued. "And if you won't do it for yourself, then what of the femme? Has it ever occurred to you how your rejection could be hurting her as well?"
"She's probably struggling with her feelings right now," Sides said with a nod. "Wondering if she's doing something wrong and committing some great sin."
Bumblebee didn't have the strength to pull away from the two mechs as he felt his spark drop. "But...what if what I feel is nothing more than just a...just a fling?" He had seen mechs and femmes drop out of the Selection because they thought they had found love, only for it to fizzle out and end in failure. Some tried to make it work, to force the love to remain, and it was those relationships that seemed to be the most troubled and full of strife. If there was no love to begin with, then it was all a lie.
He did not want that for Arcee. He did not want to rob her of a future that she would be provided with. And how did he even know for sure that she felt the same?
How did he even know for sure what he was feeling?
"Let's start with the basics," he heard Sunny saying. In a matter of moments, Bumblebee found himself being shoved into a chair with Sides in front of him and Sunstreaker sitting right next to Bee.
"Do you imagine a life with her?" Sides asked.
If it was possible for Bumblebee to remain frozen, then he would be an icecube. There was no way he was telling the Twins about his fantasies about the pilot and assassin turned teacher.
"Does your spark feel as if it is going to pulse out of your chassis?" Sunny asked, leaning in, causing Bumblebee to inch away in his seat.
"Have you experienced any urges to do impulsive things?" Sides asked, tilting his helm. "Such as death defying feats that you know would get her attention? Have you been acting stupid just to make her smile? How do you feel when she laughs?"
Bumblebee blinked at the other twin. Strangely yet, he felt like he was being interrogated for a crime he was not aware of.
"Do you enjoy her company?" Sunny asked.
"Of course!" Bumblebee exclaimed with a glare at the gold mech.
"Does she fill your thoughts and dreams?" Sunny asked, his voice low. "Does she fill your every waking moment to where you cannot bare the thought of ever being apart from her? Would you cut off your arm for her?"
Bumblebee choked.
"Or better yet," Sides said, leaning in. "Would you handcuff yourself to her so that you won't ever spend a moment apart?"
"More importantly," Sunny said, continuing to lean in and causing Bumblebee to lean even further away. "Have you kissed her?"
"What?" Bumblebee yelped, falling out of his seat.
"Aw!" Sunny exclaimed, pulling back with a wide smile. "Sides, it looks like we are dealing with a crush."
"That's all that it is," Bumblebee said, scrambling to his pedes while calming his racing spark. "A crush," he muttered. "It will fade over time, but it is not worth throwing everything away."
"How can you be so sure that it is just a crush?" Sunstreaker demanded. "What if it could be turned into more? After all, if you weren't attracted to her, then there would be no crush. Relationships start off with feeling an attraction. If you aren't attracted to someone, then what's the point?"
"If it is what you say it is," Bumblebee started. "Then I can...put a stop to what I am feeling before it gets out of control."
"Is what you are feeling so bad that you must ignore it?" Sideswipe demanded. "What is holding you back?"
"My oath," Bumblebee said, turning his attention to the other twin. He stayed firm, feeling as if he was dangling from a cliff that was about to let go of him should he lose his focus.
"To who? To Optimus?" Sideswipe asked. "Need I remind you that it was the same Prime who also stated that those in the Selection can leave whenever they wanted to? And it is not like you are loosing anything in stepping out. Sunny and I did our homework and it is common knowledge that those in the Selection will be provided for, even if they step out."
"I told you," Bumblebee gritted out. "There are...things that you won't understand."
Sideswipe leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs. "Try us. Is it your own personal feelings?"
Bumblebee shook his helm helplessly. "No...I don't know." He did not know why he wasn't leaving, why he wasn't escaping. He knew he should, knew that he should leave. But his pedes stayed rooted to the floor.
"Is it because she is a Decepticon?" Sideswipe demanded. "Is it because of her faction?"
"No," Bumblebee said, his voice low as he clenched his servos. He shouldn't speak, shouldn't add fuel to the fire that was consuming him.
"Is it because she would prefer to be in the training room, shooting at targets instead of sitting in the femmes room like a proper noble femme?" Sides continued.
No, quite the opposite in fact. Her very inner fire, her sure aim and quick wit was what drew him in, what caught his attention. She was so at ease in what she did, completely immersed in her element. It was who she was, and it allowed him to get a glimpse of what she enjoyed.
"Is it because you finally noticed her when she stepped out in that pink paint color?" Sides demanded.
He had never been more drawn to her then in that moment. The light, dusted pink color had given her a delicate, elegant look. Yet the fierceness in her optics and the way she carried herself spoke of dangerous experience. So much like the assassin in their fantasies.
She had felt light in his arms when they had danced, and he had been content with just staying like that. He hadn't wanted the moment to end, despite the fact that he knew what he was doing was a betrayal to Optimus Prime and Cybertron.
He also knew that deep down, he could be leading Arcee on in a lie and cost her everything.
Even now, she was in danger of being discovered and ruined because of him.
His servos shook. "Please," he said, looking at the two mechs who were staring at him. "Please, report me to Optimus Prime if you must, but leave her out of this. Don't drag her in because of...because of me. Don't ruin her." He would fight and defend her, take all the blame if only she could escape untouched. He never wanted to make Optimus disappointed, but the thought of ruining Arcee's life was even worse.
Something flickered in the Twins optics as Sunstreaker cocked his helm to look at his brother. Sideswipe shifted in his seat, looking down at his lap.
Bumblebee felt his spark beat a bit faster as the dread grew. Already, he was seeing worst case scenarios and how Arcee would be affected. Would they remove her from the Selection and cast her out because of him?
"Bee," he heard Sunny say, the mech's voice pulling him from his troubled and frantic thoughts.
"We have no intentions of compromising you or Arcee," Sunstreaker said. "And frankly, I am offended that you would think we would ever stoop so low."
"But we will take action," Sideswipe said, standing up.
Bumblebee went still as the moment of relief he had been feeling came crashing down like a felled seeker. "Action?" he said, his voice wavering.
"We are going to help you along in the road to romance!" Sunstreaker exclaimed, leaping from the seat and clapping Bumblebee on the shoulder.
"And we will help you recognize the feelings you are going through," Sideswipe said.
"What?" Bumblebee demanded, stumbling back. "I don't need your...I don't even want your help!"
"Ah," Sunstreaker sighed. "He is in the denial stage. Don't worry! We are experts when it comes to love, and we will help guide you to this romance!"
"Bad idea," Bumblebee protested feebly.
"Trust us Bee," Sides said. "You want this, even if you won't admit it."
The scary thing was, Sideswipe was right. He did want this, he wanted it more then anything. He wanted to acknowledge his forbidden feelings. He wanted to see if Arcee felt the same. He wanted what he could not have, what he knew shouldn't be.
"It won't work," Bumblebee said softly.
"What won't?" Sunny asked, tilting his helm. "Your romantic relationship? You haven't even achieved one yet!"
"No," he said, shaking his helm. "The circumstances won't allow it."
"Listen," Sides said. "If you are not willing to take action and work for this femme, then you do not deserve her, because she is worth it all. If you are not going to make an effort to show her how you feel, to express your emotion and show her what she means to you, then she is better off with someone else." He leaned into Bumblebee's optic level. "But let me ask you this one thing: what makes you think that her Selected mate will treat her any better? How do you know that her mate will treat her right? What if you look back and realize that your lack of action caused all of her misery in the first place?"
He pulled back. "Are you ready to take action?"
Bumblebee had no words as he gaped at the other mech in shock.
"Because circumstances to the Pit," Sides said. "Because the only one standing in the way is yourself, no one else. No Prime, no rules, no Selection. Not even Unicron himself is keeping you from admitting the truth."
"Why lie to yourself Bee," Sunny asked quietly. "When the truth is so much easier to admit?"
It was in that moment that Bumblebee fell to his knees, spark feeling as if it was going to leap from his chassis. He let out a strangled gasp as all his thoughts and feelings slammed into him, all of them focused on one blue femme with pink accents.
King was straightening up before she even entered the room. He could hear her as she walked down the halls, and he he heard her as she opened the cell door that kept him contained.
Sometimes, she would allow him to stay in the same cell as his brothers. Other times, depending on her moods, she would separate them. It was hard to tell where he would be sleeping these days.
He stayed still as she drew near. He did not bother to attack with his claws, or bury his teeth into her neck. He knew long ago not to cross a witch. Especially a witch that had overseen his creation.
Her steps were light and her form was at ease, a sure sign of a good mood. Though what had put her in a good mood, he did not know. Nor did he know if it bode ill for him and his brothers.
He did not move as she drew his energon out from his claw with her tool. He knew not to fight her. Though it had been apparent from the constant screams and screeches of defiance that the Dark One had not learned that yet. For King, he would rather suffer with his dignity rather than be pinned to the ground like a screaming prisoner. The witch would get what she wanted either way, so it was no use to fight back.
He was saving his strength for when it was needed anyway. He was cautious and still as he observed the witch and his surroundings, taking in every little detail that would prove useful when the time to escape came.
Having what she needed, the witch pulled back with a grin, the needle filled with his energon a bright blue light in the room.
He was left alone in his cell once more. He rested his large helm down, his tail curling around him as he fell back to sleep. He had caught a whiff of the witch though; a different scent. She was conducting something. A new experiment. Pretty soon, his pack would have new, additional members.
He let out a rumble at the thought. He'd have to break these new arrivals in and show them who was leader around here. He wondered how long it would take for them to get used to their new forms, and if they would crack from the insanity first.