Chapter Text
Jasper, Nevada, USA
Jack never liked his job. Why would he want to get all greasy making burgers in a drive thru that had the same initials as one of his friends' enemy ? The only reason he was still coming, despite his horrible amount of homework waiting for him at home, was obviously the paycheck. Yeah, it wasn't the best salary ever but at least it was decent enough for a teenager so he could buy himself a few things now. And with Miko probably practicing her "music" at the base like it was her destined right to break everyone's ears, the boy though that maybe it wasn't that bad here too.
He would have gladly continue doing nothing if the cook hadn't call his name to remind him of his tasks. Oh, right, he had to actually work to get paid. With a sight, Jack put his work vest on and went to behind the cash machine, dragging his feet as slowly as possible.
"Hello, welcome to KO Burgers, where every patty is a knockout. How may I help you ?" He said, barely looking up. He wasn't impolite, no. He was just a freaking tired teenager.
"I'll take a regular, please, with 'Sprite Diet' and fries. Oh, and put a bit more salt on the fries if possible. I'm the salty type." Smooth, calm, with a touch of content arrogance. The voice reminded Jack of Arachnid, yet in a comforting way.
Jake hummed, making the order and printing the recipe, before giving it to the man. He paused a bit, mouth slightly agape, then quickly snapped out of his dreamland.
"Here's your recipe, mister. Wait a bit for your order to be ready."
Wow, just wow. He just made himself look like a idiot, staring like a goldfish, at a complete stranger. But it wasn't his fault, dammit ! The young man, (Was he even a man or a late teenager ? Hard to tell with the way the client's far was sculpted so simply yet perfectly, shoulder wide and body fit in a soft, not overbearing way. Not to forget the eyes, HIS EYES, that were a beautiful shade of brown which almost seem golden... They are mesmerizing...) grinned at Jack with a row of pecrfect teeth. Was that a fashion model, in Jasper ? Doubts it, the man seem to be no one important.
"Mister ?" The man laught. "No needs for the formalities, I'm not even eighteen yet, so I'm a teen like you. A dazzling, taller one, but a teen no less. I'm new here, came a month ago, so that must be why you've been so... surprised."
Oh, hell no. Jack was having second hand embarrassment right now. Not only had he stared earlier, but now the man, or more like the teen, was laughing at him. Or maybe was he trying to lighten the mood ? Whatever, this is why he should have stayed in his bed on this Saturday morning. Social life is just too cringe for an introvert like him.
"Uhh..." He stares, raising an eyebrow at last. "Yeah, maybe. Anyway, here's your order. Have a good day."
The 'man' took his paper bag and grins.
"Thanks. Bye Jackie-boy !" The door closed with a soft thug and the short black hair boy returned to the important task of doing nothing.
... Wait... How does that stranger know his name ?!
Oh ! Right. His badge. Jack was wearing his working name tag badge. How stupid of him to forget that. He truly was tired, he should have stayed in bed this morning to sleep until noon.
°°°
A few days later, the whole Autobot team seemed to have seen the boy at least once. Not like it was difficult to find him : the boy was always sitting at the same table, in the same park, at the same hour, reading a book.
There wasn't anything interesting to him, he was just a lonely 'kid', as Optimus kept calling them. A lonely, arrogant, handsome and creepy one Miko would say. Very tall and broad too, definitely a sportive guy.
Miko had wanted to befriend him the moment she saw him. Not a new trait of her, she was kind with almost anything, but she seemed more determined with him. Maybe it was the fact she said he reminded her of Bulkhead: tall and athletic, yet a softie at heart. Because that's what the boy was, a softie. He was kind, polite, arrogant and cocky, but a real saint in other traits.
They had quickly learned his name was Anubis Kang. How surprised were the three humans when they learned his name was after the Egyptian God of death himself, because his parents though he was cursed and would have been better death. Which parents would do that ?! But the face they had when he had told them the meaning of his last name and his childhood was priceless. Or at least it was to him. The kids and Bumblebee, who was hidden as his car form next to them, found it slightly concerning. That made them wondered of the level of his mental health.
"Did you know," Anubis had told his new friends one afternoon, not too long after meeting Miko and Raphaël. "that Kang is a Korean last name meaning 'river' ? So, since Anubis is the God of death, technically my full name mean 'God of the dead river' or 'River of death'. Pretty original, isn't it ? I kind of hate why they gave me that first name, but it doesn't mean I hate the name itself. Not when it make such a cool title with my last name. It's like if I was the main villain in a southern novel ! And since both my real and adoptive parents died, I did a great job at it, didn't I ?" He had sneered and chuckled to himself, a dark laugh that wasn't reciprocated by he other three.
°°°
The Autobots had came to the conclusion that something was wrong with their charges' new friend. The seventeen years old had lived too much trauma, yet he was perfectly fine. Or at least, fine in one since of the word. Anubis clearly had problems expressing himself, he didn't think like others, not that THIS precisely was the problem, and he had that superiority complex that always popped out of nowhere.
The boy was close to what young humans would categorize as perfect, physically at least, but he was a cracked doll under his overconfidence. It must have been so hard, raised without love or care, so cruel for a child. How bad had his toaster family treated him for him to consider their death a deliverance ?
Bumblebee couldn't remember the number of time where he had wanted to transform, reveal his tue self while the boy was with their charges, but Optimus had said it wasn't the time. The ways Anubis would talk about some matters of life, or even of some basic society knowledge, were aching. Oh, how the yellow bot wished to hug the 'child' to help him sometimes...
°°°
Anubis found it hilarious how the three teenagers thought they could help him. Help him ?! He was the great Anubis, a God between human, he didn't need their help. Yet, their futile attempts at camaraderie were amusing, so he played the role. He was the kind, traumatized teen, wasn't he ? They weren't that bad, after all, so playing a bit won't do him no harm. They're just ignorant to who they were talking to.
Yet, a small part of him knew they had some points. The death of his so called 'parents' had emotionally took a toll on him, but not or the reasons they thought. The complete awakening of his true nature and been intensed and tiring, but now it was over not even a week after. So, like the good victim he was, he let them dwell on his list or him. Made them pamper him with attention because that only what something as great as him deserve. Right ? It's not like he's doing anything bad and they were the one to offer. He will stop, soon, but not now. They weren't his friends, but at least it was the closest thing to affection he had ever received. Once he's able to call his true people, once they'll come to take him from thid place that he is so close yet so far away from, he'll be loved for real...
°°°
"My dear little brother... Where are you ?"