Bumblebee's point of view~
I woke up to the sounds of quiet pedesteps and found a mechanimal stalking towards me.
It was an earthen animal, cheetahs... This is so cool! "Woah!! Where did you come from!? Wow, I have never seen something like you before.."
I gapped as I looked at its frame. I noticed that it was about to reach for a cube, and I smiled softly,
"Oh! Do you want some? Here, you can have one if you like!"
I smoothly slid a cube toward it, and the mechanimal narrowed its optics at me,
"Hey, hey! It's fine, I'm not going to hurt you! I swear."
It warily took a sip of the cube, and I giggled as I observed it eat.
"Wow, you must be very hungry, huh? I didn't know mechanimals lived here!"
I grinned, amused and in awe. I calmly stretched my servo forward, and it growled. I immediately retracted my servo and smiled uneasily.
"Okay... you don't trust me, got it."
I chuckled as it devoured the cube. Cute. It finished and stalked towards me. I tensed, but it didn't attack. Instead, it sniffed me. It purred in recognition and formed a loaf like sitting position and wrapped its tail around itself.
"Aww, you're cute! Can I pat you?"
I asked, not sure what to expect. The creature spared me a glance and huffed out. It wrapped its tail on my waist and placed its head on my lap. Oh. My. Primes.
"I'll take that as a yes?"
It purred, and I gently patted its head, and the mechanimal melted to my touch. This is too cute. I snapped a quick picture from my datapad and then continued to pet that cheetah. It warmed up to me pretty fast. It would lean to my touch and purred whenever I scratched its ears.
"Hmm... I can't just call you 'it' forever!"
I pondered for a hot second and snapped my fingers. It looked at me in confusion,
"Stripes! That's going to be your nickname!"
Stripes looked baffled but laid their head on my lap once more.
"Aww!! I swear to primus, if Optimus would only let me keep you!"
I pouted as they let out a confused rumble,
"Optimus is my leader! Well, sorta. He's like my sire, too! He's the nicest, really. But I'm pretty sure he wouldn't let me keep you."
Oh, my primus. There's no way he actually thinks I'm a normal mechanimal! He called me cute!? He wants to keep me?! He gave me a name... But I'm not a pet! But... the pats are really good. I'm not blowing my cover yet. I purred as he scratched my ear, and I subconsciously wrapped my tail around his waist.
"Aw, aren't you a cutie. I'm bumblebee, by the way!"
He introduced himself and grinned. Bumblebee, that's a nice name. It's an earthen animal, too! I purred in comfort, and he sighed.
"You know what? I'm keeping you! I just need to make sure nobody sees you... you'll be staying with me now!"
It's not like I'm welcomed here anyway...
He declared with a confident grin. I felt a fuzzy feeling in my tank... He glanced up at the sky and then stood up. He subspaced all his belongings and picked me up without any issues.
"Wow... you're pretty light. Have you eaten anything?!"
He asked worryingly. No. I haven't. I been eating less... I know the other maximals were only tolerating me, and I'm just taking the engeron. I don't deserve it.
"Don't worry! My carrier is a medic! He'll know what to do! I'll need to sneak you in first."
Bumblebee explained as he began to walk out of the forest and to a strange looking portal. He hugged me close to his chassis, and I screwed my optics shut.
"It's okay now, Stripes. You can open your optics!"
I did so as I was ordered and looked around the large room. The room had a large berth, bookshelves, a door, a desk next to the bookshelves, and a comfy looking floor. He placed me down, and I walked over to the strange looking flooring. It was soft and comfortable. I laid down and purred as Bumblebee chuckled,
"Welcome home, stripes! And it looks like you like the carpet, huh?"
He slid one his servos under my chassis and pulled me to him. He embraced me with a smile and patted my head. I purred and melted to his chassis, and he laughed. He looks handsome when he laughs...