Interlude #3
Bumblebee; Human Protocols

The automatic door needed just a touch of lubricant, Bee noted absently as he pulled into his brand new garage. The new mechanism had the faintest squeal to it and Bee wanted it to run as smoothly as possible. Being that he was often coming and going throughout the night, he wanted to be able to go through the door without waking Sam every time.

Their new quarters were large enough for him to transform and move around, albeit somewhat limitedly, but Bumblebee didn't bother, letting his holoform bounce eagerly from his driver's side door. Sam wasn't back yet and Bee wanted to be waiting for him when he got here. Optimus had given him leave for the next two days, to 'help Sam move into his new quarters', yeah, right, and he fully intended to use those two days well, starting tonight. Their little adventure in the closet this afternoon had barely taken the edge off (and Bee reminded himself to thank Ratchet for his snarky little message that he might consider a refueling break while Sam was out) and more than that, he wanted to spend a little time with Sam, wanted to talk to him or simply hold him without a bunch of receptors clamoring through the boy for energy. He just wanted Sam.

Focused on his thoughts and eagerness as he was, Bumblebee nearly leapt in surprise as a soft voice spoke out of the darkened living room.

"Spending a lot of your time working, aren't you, busy little Bee. I hope you're not neglecting your little pet."

Sinuous, familiar voice and Bumblebee stiffened, enhancing his vision until he could see the shape of a human crouched on the floor, his hands hanging loosely between his legs. What the hell was Sunstreaker doing here in a holoform? He'd seen Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as mechs not ten minutes ago, far enough away that he was distantly impressed the Sunstreaker was managing to keep the holo together. Very well together, if the graceful way he stood was any indication.

"Why are you here?" Bee demanded, not deigning to answer what wasn't a real questions, much less one that deserved a reply. Not that a holoform could hurt him and Sam's quarters had been carefully designed to keep out all but the most formidable of attacks so Sunstreaker's real body wasn't about to come bursting through the walls anytime soon.

"Oh, I was simply finishing my mural," Sunstreaker gestured carelessly towards the stairs. "I so enjoy my talents being reduced to pet portraits."

"Maybe you can start a side business," Bee snapped. "What are you doing here?"

Sunstreaker's casual tone and posture only made Bumblebee all the warier. "To be honest, I was waiting for you. It came to me today that I've saved both you and your little human's lives recently."

As if Sunstreaker could have forgotten. "If you're expecting payment for doing your duty, you should talk to Optimus. I'm sure he'd raise to your energon ration."

Sunstreaker sighed, sounding greatly put upon and Bee's sensors prickled with annoyance. "Payment in exchange for life? How crass."

"I've seen what kind of repayment you prefer." Just thinking about it send a flare of hot temper through Bumblebee and he forced it away deliberate, keeping his calm. Optimus had been right about one thing, Bumblebee could do better than allowing Sunstreaker to goad him into a stupid fight and they might not be able to damage each other but they could do a hell of a lot of damage to Sam's new quarters. Putting them back together was not the way Bee wanted to spend their first night together.

"He told you?" Sunstreaker raised a dark eyebrow.

"Call it an educated guess. He rewarded you for saving me and you rewarded him by breaking his arm."

If the truth of that upset Sunstreaker, it didn't show. He only folded his arms over his chest, lowering his gaze briefly to the floor as he considered before, finally, he said, "I want you to stay away from my brother."

That was what this was about? Anger was fighting to be let loose and he thought of Sideswipe, curled up on the ground and begging Bee not to leave him alone. "According to your deal with Sam, any debt I have to you is paid," Bumblebee said coolly, "Aside from that, the last I knew, Sideswipe was in full control of his faculties. He can make his own decisions about who he wants near him."

It was extremely satisfying to say, even knowing that Sam had been hurt by it. There was nothing Bumblebee could do about that and he knew that Sam didn't want him to do anything. But it had still happened and if Bumblebee had needed any other reasons to hate Sunstreaker, the past few days had given him his pick.

Any trace of smirking amusement left Sunstreaker's face and to Bumblebee's surprise, he shifted restlessly, pushing a visibly shaking hand through his hair in a gesture of distress.

He'd never seen Sunstreaker as anything other than insufferably overconfident...this was...something else. Abruptly, he remember that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had just reopened their bonds and that Sunstreaker had been blocking his brother out. Perhaps he was more affected by that than he let on. Certainly Sideswipe had been a mess, it was possible that Sunstreaker simply hid it better and now he was standing here, trying to feebly bargain a way to keep Bumblebee away...

Sunstreaker had always been a bastard but Bumblebee never had.

With a sigh, Bumblebee said, "The only thing I want from Sideswipe is his friendship. It's all I've ever wanted. Stay away from Sam and I'll stay just friends with him."

Instantly, Sunstreaker's dark eyes narrowed and he stalked closer, too close, deliberately putting himself well into Bumblebee's field of comfort.

"Good." Cool disdain and he turned away. Bumblebee relaxed a fraction. The last thing he wanted was for Sunstreaker to ruin he and Sam's first night in their new quarters and if it got rid of him, all the better. Not like Bumblebee wanted anything but friendship from Sideswipe anyway-

He started to turn away and a hand on his wrist stopped him, too startled to protest when he was pulled into a tight embrace and a cold mouth closed over his own. Shocked, Bumblebee stood frozen and it was only the slick, cool brush of Sunstreaker's tongue over his own that jolted him into violent movement, lashing out with his fist directly into Sunstreaker's offending mouth.

Hands clenched into fists and he pulled up short when he saw Sunstreaker sprawled on the floor. Blood was trickling from his mouth in a thin line, brilliant crimson against the paleness of his skin. That was not in Bumblebee's programming on the human form. Realism was one thing and while they were all capable of synthesizing a replica of bodily fluid, Bumblebee was on the side of that being a bit much. It didn't bother him with Sam, he was supposed to be filled with organic juiciness but seeing it on Sunstreaker was disturbing.

It meant that Sunstreaker had altered the protocols so that he could bleed and while Bumblebee watched, dark emotions churning through him, Sunstreaker wiped away the thin ribbon of blood, licking it from the tips of his fingers.

"Just sealing our agreement, Little Bee," Sunstreaker said, his smile anything but amused. Bee flinched as Sunstreaker reached out, running one bloodied finger down Bee's cheek before stepped quickly back, towards the door.

"Don't forget to lock the door," Sunstreaker called softly.

Mocking him, bastard never changed, but as soon as the door swung shut, Bumblebee coded the lock. He scrubbed at his cheek, then his mouth, with the back of his hand until his lips felt raw but he couldn't wipe away the memory, the icy feel of Sunstreaker's mouth on his own.

But Sam would be here soon and there was no rule that he had to think about it forever, now was there. Sam was warm and sweet, and alive, and thinking about him settled the last of Bumblebee's shaken thoughts. Instead, he focused on Sam and tonight, their first night together in a real home.

And if he avoided looking at the portrait under the stairs, there was no one else here to notice.

TBC