#crosshairs

★ Another Autobot with his same height ? Bumblebee would surely be so happy to no longer feel like the only "short" one in the group, even though he was a scout, so his height was more than justified. (In addition to being the "youngest" of the group.)

★ How did you meet? Well, your first meeting was when Optimus Prime was under Quintessa's complete control. Obviously, he'd temporarily lost his memory, and it was up to Bumblebee to bring back his beloved leader and teammate.

★ Of course, during the battle, as Bumblebee was being tossed around the battlefield like an old Cybertronian metal doll, he thought his time was coming and that his spark would reach the AllSpark.

★ But it wasn't to be. The shot that would have been lethal to Bumblebee was stopped by a sudden blaster bolt, unrelated to them: a single noise that seemed to cut through time itself. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, as Optimus Prime was struck from behind.

★ Who had done it? Turning their attention to the culprit, you slowly lowered your blaster, revealing yourself completely. This gave Bumblebee a good look at your faceplate and also noted another crucial detail: you weren't a Decepticon, thankfully — you just lacked belonging to the opposing faction. But no, you were an Autobot. And you could tell by the red Autobot mark that adorned the center of your chassis.

★ And indeed, he didn't pay much attention to you at first: it was obvious to Primus that he was engaged in a battle where his own life was at risk. That blow not only created an extremely disturbing situation, leading to this strange silence, but it also gave Bumblebee all the time he needed.

★ He knew what he was about to do was suicidal, but he had no choice. As Optimus Prime turned his dark optics on your frame, ready to charge, Bumblebee refocused his attention with a quick, "Here, big boss." accompanied by a static of radio static, quickly returning his optics to the small scout he'd been fighting earlier.

★ How did the battle end? Well, aside from Bumblebee constantly risking being impaled like a skewer by his beloved leader, literally after more small blows, some hitting and some not, some receiving and some avoiding— in the end, while being ferociously and unhesitatingly stabbed by Optimus Prime, Bumblebee blurted out: "I am Bumblebee, your oldest friend, Optimus. I would lay down my life for you." Apparently, that single sentence was like a key that opened a deeply buried lock: a lock that finally allowed Optimus to come to his senses, thus managing to complete the mission.

★ At the end of the battle? Let's say Optimus Prime recognized you: you were one of his oldest friends, you'd known him even before he became a Prime. So, more or less, you were the same age as the Autobots' official doctor, Ratchet, just a few vorns younger. You'd had the opportunity to meet Ratchet, sure, but Bumblebee hadn't: he was new to you, and he reciprocated.

★ Bumblebee was also intrigued by you. Now that the current mission was complete, he could focus his large blue optics on you, examining you fully, which you reciprocated. Hmmm… a beautiful friendship and perhaps something more would surely develop between the two of you: that was for sure.

★ Of course, it was Optimus Prime himself who introduced you, not just to himself but to the entire team, explaining that sadly, there were very few left to fight to defend humanity. He also told you about Bumblebee's little "problem" with communicating through a radio, and introduced you to the humans he'd teamed up with. (Despite having sworn he'd never give them another chance after what they'd done to Ratchet).

★ Bumblebee couldn't stop staring at you: you were spectacular. And now that he looked more closely, he also discovered that you were the same height — Jackpot! He would no longer be the only "dwarf" of the team.

★ It hadn't gone unnoticed that, ever since you'd joined, Bumblebee hadn't stopped buzzing around you like a little fly. He looked for any excuse to spend as much time as possible with you, and you appreciated it: after all the horrors of war, spending time in good company never hurt.

★ When you two were playing something or doing something right: he was the first to let you know with little buzzes from his radio. It didn't matter what game you were playing: every activity elicited a lively reaction from Bumblebee. Even when he was simply staring at the stars, his radar system would hum at full blast, sending gentle vibrations through his antennas, as if each star were a little galactic friend lurking in the darkness. Yes, Bumblebee was definitely a loving and curious guy, and when it came to company and entertainment, there was no one like him.

★ Or do we want to talk about when he was being overly provoked by Crosshairs, who not only targeted him—he was already used to everything—but you too? Now you had to prevent Bumblebee from taking apart his poor vocal processor.

"Bumblebee, be good!"

"Bzzz... I'm gonna kick his poor ass—"

"Bumblebee, no—!"

★ Quality time and jealousy, do we have it? Absolutely, and how! Even if it doesn't seem like it, this little guy is jealous to death, especially of you and your company. He tends to glance slightly at anyone trying to steal you from him while you're doing something together, dammit, or he'll "steal" you during moments when you're simply talking to Drift or Cade. He'll steal from you at any time of the day; if it were possible, he'd even wake you from your precious recharge just to spend time with you. (But he wouldn't: after all, he goes through hell every day on this planet defending the population, and the least he can do is get a good recharge.) So you'd see him keeping you company, also trying to recharge along with you. Maybe he'll try to hug you: if he sees you hug him back, he'll let out six happy buzzes; if you push him away, he might be a little disappointed, lowering those cute little antennas of his, but he'll accept it anyway.

★ When you get hurt in battle or are in danger of dying? Well, Bumblebee knows that, even though you two are both short, you still wouldn't go easy on your enemies. You've even invented combos to show off together in battle. So, full steam ahead, baby! Bumblebee can't wait to show them off and leave his enemies speechless: the two of you would be the last thing the enemy would see before going offline. If you get hurt, even with just a tiny scratch on your paint, no one dares harm you: Bumblebee would defend you at all costs. He would most likely repay the enemy with the same ferocity (or maybe even more, but being an Autobot, he still has to set a good example). After eliminating the threat, he would take complete care of you, emitting worried buzzes, or trying to offer you affection or company while he waits for the others. While he's not an expert in the field, he can distract you from the pain and injury. If the wound turns out to be slightly fatal, Bumblebee would immediately abandon the battlefield to carry you to safety: screw it, he couldn't waste time, you were more important.

★ Once you were confirmed as stable and out of danger, Bumblebee would breathe one of those sighs of relief even he couldn't contain. He'd surely blame himself and feel guilty for not protecting you enough or for acting too late. Please, pat this little guy on the head: he already has a lot to endure as Optimus Prime's second-in-command. The fact that he almost lost you would completely destroy him: now that he'd found someone else he could call important to him (aside from Optimus), he'd continue to blame himself while you tried to recover. But you'd calm him down with little kisses here and there, managing to calm the little storm brewing in his processor.

★ After that event, Bumblebee would most likely become much more protective, always staying by your side. He'd still give you your space on the battlefield, intervening only when the situation was getting critical, to avoid the same mistake as last time. Yes, he doesn't want to worry again... better to avoid it.

★ Gifts? It's practically something he'd never lack. He'd give you anything he found interesting without a second thought. You deserve this and the entire world: you're one of the few Autobots who's always been by his side, and you've never made fun of him, neither for the fact that he has no vocalizer and is forced to speak through a radio, nor for his funny ways with others. Flowers, jewelry, handmade objects… oh boy, get ready: he'll treat you like his queen/king. You deserve only the best from him, and he'd make sure of it. You'd appreciate every single gift: every little thing would represent a fragment of his love and affection directed toward you, expressed through gestures. Words aren't always needed to express how much you love someone; even a simple flower would be enough. Just seeing that little smile on your face would make his spark more than satisfied.

★ Cuddles: Oh, mind you: he'd definitely be the first to ask for them. You wouldn't be able to escape his magnetic field that easily! If that big boy wants cuddles, no one would stop him. He'd likely keep going until he gets at least a little. Even just holding hands would be fine: he'd reach for them often, at any time of the day, even when you're not doing anything. He lives for your affection and your hugs; every time he reaches out, he feels like he's come home. He misses Cybertron so much, and you're the only thing close to him that reminds him of it. When you don't reciprocate his affection because you're too tired or stressed from work, he'd understand: he might be a little disappointed, but work is work. Every day he hopes this war will end so you can go back to Cybertron and spend the rest of your lives in peace... and maybe, who knows, even have a Sparkling, if you want. Bumblebee would never force you.

★ Confession: But how did this little guy fall in love with you? In short, how did his confession come about? Well, considering we talked about you as a couple earlier, let's just say his confession wasn't the most romantic, but the effort was definitely appreciated. He confessed one evening in the landfill where you were temporarily living a place you'd also recently discovered.

Even though Cade wasn't initially too happy about having another giant robot from outer space, he didn't say it verbally so as not to cause trouble; you could only see a slight disappointment on his mature, age-lined face (he wasn't getting paid enough for this bullshit).

That evening, after everyone else had gone to bed, you and Bumblebee were left alone, sitting on the floor, the fire still alive, crackling and popping every now and then, warming that little space and illuminating you in a way that, in Bee's optics, made you even more beautiful. The right spots on your battle-scarred frame caught the light: every scratch, dent, and chip in your paint added that something that had first attracted him—something unique and different that set you apart from all the others. You were as beautiful as a Praxian rose, and he knew he'd never felt that way about anyone else.

His confession wasn't made with words. No, it was made with gestures: a small shift, a fleeting glance, and his servant slowly approaching yours, taking it delicately, as if he might break you at any moment. With that small gesture, he feared you wouldn't reciprocate, that he'd rushed things too much. Perhaps it had been inappropriate, perhaps he was hoping for too much, blinded by his interest in you, certain you wouldn't reciprocate… Primus, what a figure!

But you reciprocated, intertwining your servo with his, a small smile on your faceplate, your expression softening as you gazed at the fire before you. Meanwhile, Bumblebee was surprised, but it took all his willpower not to stand up and do a little victory dance right there and then, risking making an immediate fool of himself. Instead, he took the opportunity to slowly rest his helm on your shoulder pad.

In that moment, he could say he'd found someone worth fighting for in this war, someone to hope for a better future, someone he could call "home."