She expected it even less when a bright yellow Camaro with racing stripes sped out of the belly of the plane. She had no idea what to expect but it certainly wasn't another fucking car.
The car sped up to where she was sitting just chatting casually with Jolt, squealing into a sliding stop.
"Show off," Jolt called with an eyeroll.
She knew it was another bot so she startled when the driver door opened and a human stepped out. He looked a little younger than her and his eyes were directly trained on her. Great.
He walked up to her slowly, acting like she was going to bite or some shit.
"And you are?" she asked lazily. She didn't feel like moving closer to greet him. Let him strain his legs and spare her arms some work.
"I'm Sam," he chirped. It tickled something familiar but she couldn't exactly place it.
"Bee is my ride," he said, jerking his thumb back towards the rapidly changing Camaro. So this was Bumblebee. She was curious about the bot she'd heard of but never met.
"You must be Katie! Bee has told me that you're another human they adopted," he said, flashing her a cheeky grin. Like they were friends or some shit. She was wary of this stranger being all bubbly and bright and fumbling.
"Yeah Optimus is my daddy alright," she said lowly. Jolt let out a sharp whistle that she knew vaguely as agreement. Then and there she decided to name it the amen whistle.
Bumblebee let out a long series of chirps and whistles before playing a voice clip of someone saying howdy.
"What makes you so special?" Jolt asked in reply to the sounds that were too fast for her to catch the jiist of.
She caught the next bit. It was definitely the equivalent of 'made this way'. She grinned. She knew exactly how to respond to a situation like this.
'The sun doesn't shine from your ass,' she whistled out in response.
It was still for a moment before she was getting slammed with humor and joyful chirps. God they were loud when they wanted to be.
"What?" Sam asked, peering between Bee and her.
She shrugged before turning her head to look at Jolt.
"How easy is he to fuck with?" She didn't know if she meant Sam or Bee. She could have meant either honestly. She was curious.
"Sam is easy. Bee is more likely to get you into trouble than anything. He's a little shit," Jolt said with a chuckle.
"Alright human," she said, turning towards Sam.
"Beware my super powers!" she declared before letting off the fuck you whistle loud and strong.
The roar of a truck had her smirking.
"Manners, fish bait!" Ironhide yelled out as he zoomed past them.
Bee was just straight up a cackling mess on the ground. It felt good to be on the in. Especially when the kid had clearly known them longer.
"I, uh, have to check in with Optimus," Sam said nervously.
"I'll take you," Jolt said with amusement.
"Passenger side only," Jolt warned before folding down into the Volt.
That left her with the straightening yellow bot.
"What's your idea of fun?" she asked vaguely, hoping it was something particularly spicy.
It's how she found herself dangling from giant hands in the water. Finally getting some of that good surf.
"Doesn't this shit make you rust?" she asked. He replied by dunking her under the water. The ass. She fucking liked him for sure.
He struggled with the concept of her wheelchair. Instead of folding himself around it like Jolt or just shortening his stride, he got into the habit of pushing her with his finger.
Which quickly became a game.
"You dump me on the ground so help me I will tattle on you to Ratchet," she threatened right before Bee pushed her solidly across the asphalt.
She didn't eat shit but damn was it close. She got more than a little tipsy on her wheels.
It took her hours of dicking around with Bee before she realized they were alone. No one had come to check on them.
"Hey Bee," she called, peering over at the Autobot balancing on one hand.
He chirped at her, a go on sounding noise.
"Did they just make us babysit each other?"
Bee immediately crashed to the ground before making a thoughtful noise.
"I think they did! Those pricks. How are we going to get them back?" she asked deviously. She was so ready to fuck with Jolt. He was always in on her pranks.
Bee immediately folded down into the shiny yellow Camaro and opened his driver's door.
She glanced down before looking at the car with a raised eyebrow.
He chirped encouragingly, scooting his frame just a little closer to her. She rolled up and stared down at his seat. She could probably lug herself in there. It would be a pain but she could do it.
So she hauled her ass up, grunting with the strain before sliding into the seat. She tucked her legs in and for the first time, it felt real. She couldn't move her feet onto the pedals but she was in the real driver's seat. It wasn't some bizarre empty void her chair fit into.
The second the door clicked close, Bee took off. Going speeds Jolt wouldn't dream of. She vaguely hoped her chair was ok before losing herself in the moment.
It was just her and the car. Behind the wheel, flying free. He wound the windows down and started blasting the YMCA for some reason. She went with it, cackling at the ridiculousness of it.
His radio flipped and then they were listening to Highway to Hell at top volume. Her bones were practically vibrating with the force of the music.
It meant she didn't hear a peep of the entourage following behind them. It wasn't until a particularly loud buzz shocked her system that she bothered to check the rearview mirror. Damn. Party was over.
Jolt and Ironhide were both hot on their heels, kicking up massive clouds of dust.
"Well Bee, was fun while it lasted," she yelled out. Bee blasted The Imperial March before slamming on the breaks and doing a 180. It jolted her around a bit but she made it. The seatbelt was tight on her body, keeping her in place.
"What the fuck!" She heard Jolt first. He was switching between angry English and angry Cybertronian. Ironhide was ominously quiet.
The second they were all stopped, Jolt transformed, whipping her chair seemingly out of thin air and bringing it up to the door.
"Of all the reckless bullshit you get into, this takes the cake young lady," he said, flashing her a look that spelled retribution.
"Why? Joyrides are fun," she said, grinning at him before sliding off the seatbelt and popping open the door.
Jolt practically nabbed her out of the car, placing her gently into her chair.
The second she was in her chair and away from Bumblebee, Ironhide transformed and slammed a fist onto his hood.
Bee wailed his displeasure.
"You fuckin idiot. Taking my charge out for a ride without approval. The fuck is wrong with you." He sounded genuinely upset. Sweet of him.
"You good, fish bait?" he said, barely sparing her a glance.
"Course I am, Hoss. You guys are really overreacting. I'm fine," she said, trying to tame the apparent Keep Katie Safe Squad she had formed.
"At least it wasn't Optimus that came after you," Jolt said lowly to a shifting Bee.
"Oh great. Did we make the boss man mad?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"He's more mad that he's stuck with a jealous teenager," Ironhide said, amusement starting to thread his tone once more.
"Sam?" she questioned.
"Yup," Ironhide said, flashing her a smirk before Jolt closed around her.
She loved Bumblebee. He was fun. He was a great companion. But he wasn't Jolt. Jolt was her friend, her true partner in crime. Being behind his wheel felt better. Like coming home after a long day.
She settled in, touching his steering wheel gently before brushing her hand over the accelerator. Jolt probably wouldn't forgive her fast enough for her to drive back but she'd get her chance to go driving soon.
They drove straight to the hangar. She got a good laugh in when Bee played The Imperial March yet again.
What followed was a ten minute lecture on etiquette from Optimus. It was absolutely hilarious. She sat like a perfect little princess while Bumblebee got absolutely reamed. Sam was standing next to Optimus with his arms crossed and a serious look on his face too. It was just fucking hilarious.
It was less hilarious when Jolt and Ironhide rounded on her, teamed up as they were.
"You can't do stupid shi-stuff, fish bait," Ironhide said, glancing at Sam for a moment.
"Yeah, what the fuck Katie?" Jolt said, arms on his hips while he leaned down towards her.
She grinned when she saw Ironhide's arm raise up and sure enough, he smacked the shit out of Jolt.
"Language. There are minors present," Ironhide said gruffly.
She snorted.
"Oh yeah. The high school kid hasn't heard fuck. Definitely a thing," she said with an eye roll. Ironhide shot her a look but she ignored it, smirking up at Jolt.
"Looks like you get into trouble without even trying, huh sparky?" she said, flashing him a wink. He scowled at her in response which caused a fountain of laughter to bubble up inside her.
God she was having a good time. This was fucking fun.
She felt a sense of belonging she wasn't sure she'd ever felt in her life before.
Everything before this was a mish mash of running away and not dealing with things. Here she couldn't run and had to deal with things. And it definitely felt like it was working out.
"Umm," Sam said awkwardly, shuffling in place.
All eyes turned to him and he shrunk under the pressure.
"Bee and I have to get going soon," he said sheepishly.
Aww. Her fun new friend wasn't a permanent fixture.
She thought through all the whistles she could and grinned to herself when she found the perfect combo.
'See you around, fuck head,' was the closest equivalent to what she just let out. It was hard because fuck head was a low rumble but she think she managed. Especially from the way Bee fell over, wildly spamming joy and laughing whistles.
Watching them go sucked. She really did like Bee. There wasn't enough fun on the base. No one to enjoy her and Jolt going places they definitely shouldn't and always getting caught.
It was becoming a pastime to explore every inch of the place.
She wasn't all that surprised when Jolt scooped her up after the plane took off, tucking her tightly into his frame.
"Jealous?" she asked with amusement as she settled in, touching the accelerator handle briefly.
She got a pout chirp in response. What a baby.
"You're still my favorite ya know," she said, brushing her fingers across the dash. Jolt responded by revving his engine and ripping across the asphalt, going faster than they ever had before.
It was wild, it was fun. It was her and Jolt. She felt secure in her friendship with him. It felt like anything could happen and she would at least have this.
Ironhide quickly joined them and it became a game of chase. She had no idea why Ironhide of all people was getting in on the fun but she had to guess it was some kind of reaffirming thing. Both of them were jealous. They were such dorks.
They zoomed around for a bit longer before she went to bed.
Life resumed its habits. She was back in the thrall of just living with her shiny Autobot friends.
Of course, nothing could stay the same forever. A blaring siren ripping through the base completely changed her day.