Awkward Moments Challenge Entry
Sam laid the blanket out in the dark back yard next to the path to minimize footprints. Laying down he stretched out muscles that still twinged and complained from time to time. Mikaela quickly followed, the warm air causing them to leave a space between them, and they both settled quickly into a state of light dozing. It had been such a tiring time being talked at by officials, and healing strength sapping wounds. With Bee running errands tonight it felt like the first chance they’d had to just be themselves.
The sky was clear with the stars shining as Sam stared at the bright twinkling ones and marveling at the pale ones he could only see peripherally. No shouting, no curfews just the quiet mumbling of neighbors and a distant dog barking. Sam started to truly relax.
Half asleep, Mikaela started mumbling. “My friends were asking why we were together, today. They weren’t being mean, they just didn’t get it, you know? Your not six feet tall, on the football team, well muscled, rich and with all the girls lusting after you...” She trailed off and after a minute Sam rolled over to look at her. She was asleep. He flopped to his back again and started hitting the back of his head against the soft ground beneath it.
“I have an ego of steel. I have an ego of steel,” he murmured to himself. It was quickly becoming his mantra when confronted with the inadequacies of being a teenager surrounded by older, manly military types and kickass transforming aliens with huge guns. And no, it wasn’t a size issue as Mikaela had so delicately asked half a dozen times in the last month.
* * *
Sam sat in the shaded entrance of an old airplane hanger at the air force base the Autobots were staying at. Bumblebee had been putting his repaired vocalizer to good use for the last twenty minutes when Sam realized it was quiet and looked over to see Bee watching him curiously.
“Bee, would you say I’m handsome?” he asked as his mind continued to wander randomly. “I mean, most girls won’t even look at me once, let alone twice. Mikaela was telling me yesterday that she and her friends had made a list of all the things they look for in a man that I’m not.”
“I do believe you are what most would consider cute,” Bumblebee replied after a moments consideration. Sam groaned in despair. “What’s wrong, Sam?”
“I don’t want you to think I’m cute,” Sam whined in despair. “I was hoping more for handsome or maybe even attractive.”
Bee stilled as he processed what Sam had just said. Opening his com link he sent a panicked message.
::Ratchet! I need your help. Sam’s propositioning me. What do I do?!::
::He is? Are he and Mikaela no longer paired together?::
::I thought they were but he just told me she gave him a long list of reasons why she shouldn’t be with him. Then he said he wanted me to find him attractive and handsome!::
::Hmm, I suggest you refuse him in a manor that will not damage his self-esteem. Apparently they are quite fragile at Sam’s age.:: Ratchet paused. ::...unless you are interested, of course,:: he added, goading him a little.
::What?!:: Bee spluttered before cutting the link and silencing Ratchet’s amusement at the situation.
“You okay, Bee? You got real quiet.”
“Yes, Sam, I’m fine,” he answered quickly, shifting uncertainly. “And flattered,” he added. Sam just looked confused. “You are...an amazing individual and a fine human specimen.” Bee nervously glanced around but no rescuer had miraculously appeared. He resorted to reciting a lecture he’d received as a youngling. “And while it is true that some Cybertronians do form more personal relationships with organics the difficulties inherent in such situations-”
“Bee, you’re starting to sound like Ratchet. Plain English, please.”
“Sam, you know I consider you a really good friend and I like you a lot but I think it’s probably in your best interests to find someone of your own species,” Bee explained apologetically. “The logistics of a physical relationship alone would be...problematic.”
Understanding crossed Sam’s face quickly followed by shock and panic.
“No, no, Bee! I was meaning Mikaela. And girls. In general. I was asking you what you thought they would think of me. See? Not what you thought of me. Like that. Cause, I wasn’t. Okay?” he asked hopefully.
“Ah, of course, Sam. I understand,” Bee said brightly, grateful that Sam had found a reasonable excuse allowing him to ‘save face’ after having been rejected, however gently it had been done.
Sam rubbed his hands over his face knowing that Bee wasn’t seeing the mix up.
“Umm, really, Bee. I wasn’t coming on to you. I promise,” he tried again.
“Okay, Sam,” he replied conspiratorially.
* * *
Later that day Mikaela climbed out of Bee with a confused look on her face watching as he drove away. Turning to the hanger entrance she headed towards her boyfriend.
“Sam, why did Bee just tell me I shouldn’t worry about him coming between you and me?”
The sky was clear with the stars shining as Sam stared at the bright twinkling ones and marveling at the pale ones he could only see peripherally. No shouting, no curfews just the quiet mumbling of neighbors and a distant dog barking. Sam started to truly relax.
Half asleep, Mikaela started mumbling. “My friends were asking why we were together, today. They weren’t being mean, they just didn’t get it, you know? Your not six feet tall, on the football team, well muscled, rich and with all the girls lusting after you...” She trailed off and after a minute Sam rolled over to look at her. She was asleep. He flopped to his back again and started hitting the back of his head against the soft ground beneath it.
“I have an ego of steel. I have an ego of steel,” he murmured to himself. It was quickly becoming his mantra when confronted with the inadequacies of being a teenager surrounded by older, manly military types and kickass transforming aliens with huge guns. And no, it wasn’t a size issue as Mikaela had so delicately asked half a dozen times in the last month.
* * *
Sam sat in the shaded entrance of an old airplane hanger at the air force base the Autobots were staying at. Bumblebee had been putting his repaired vocalizer to good use for the last twenty minutes when Sam realized it was quiet and looked over to see Bee watching him curiously.
“Bee, would you say I’m handsome?” he asked as his mind continued to wander randomly. “I mean, most girls won’t even look at me once, let alone twice. Mikaela was telling me yesterday that she and her friends had made a list of all the things they look for in a man that I’m not.”
“I do believe you are what most would consider cute,” Bumblebee replied after a moments consideration. Sam groaned in despair. “What’s wrong, Sam?”
“I don’t want you to think I’m cute,” Sam whined in despair. “I was hoping more for handsome or maybe even attractive.”
Bee stilled as he processed what Sam had just said. Opening his com link he sent a panicked message.
::Ratchet! I need your help. Sam’s propositioning me. What do I do?!::
::He is? Are he and Mikaela no longer paired together?::
::I thought they were but he just told me she gave him a long list of reasons why she shouldn’t be with him. Then he said he wanted me to find him attractive and handsome!::
::Hmm, I suggest you refuse him in a manor that will not damage his self-esteem. Apparently they are quite fragile at Sam’s age.:: Ratchet paused. ::...unless you are interested, of course,:: he added, goading him a little.
::What?!:: Bee spluttered before cutting the link and silencing Ratchet’s amusement at the situation.
“You okay, Bee? You got real quiet.”
“Yes, Sam, I’m fine,” he answered quickly, shifting uncertainly. “And flattered,” he added. Sam just looked confused. “You are...an amazing individual and a fine human specimen.” Bee nervously glanced around but no rescuer had miraculously appeared. He resorted to reciting a lecture he’d received as a youngling. “And while it is true that some Cybertronians do form more personal relationships with organics the difficulties inherent in such situations-”
“Bee, you’re starting to sound like Ratchet. Plain English, please.”
“Sam, you know I consider you a really good friend and I like you a lot but I think it’s probably in your best interests to find someone of your own species,” Bee explained apologetically. “The logistics of a physical relationship alone would be...problematic.”
Understanding crossed Sam’s face quickly followed by shock and panic.
“No, no, Bee! I was meaning Mikaela. And girls. In general. I was asking you what you thought they would think of me. See? Not what you thought of me. Like that. Cause, I wasn’t. Okay?” he asked hopefully.
“Ah, of course, Sam. I understand,” Bee said brightly, grateful that Sam had found a reasonable excuse allowing him to ‘save face’ after having been rejected, however gently it had been done.
Sam rubbed his hands over his face knowing that Bee wasn’t seeing the mix up.
“Umm, really, Bee. I wasn’t coming on to you. I promise,” he tried again.
“Okay, Sam,” he replied conspiratorially.
* * *
Later that day Mikaela climbed out of Bee with a confused look on her face watching as he drove away. Turning to the hanger entrance she headed towards her boyfriend.
“Sam, why did Bee just tell me I shouldn’t worry about him coming between you and me?”