Sunstreaker thought hard and then lifted a finger into the air triumphantly.
"Vector Sigma will freeze over!"
"Ooh, good one." Sideswipe muttered, poking at his cereal in thought.
Optimus Prime cocked his head slowly to one side as he watched and tried not to listen to the twins. It was early morning and the now-human Autobots were all still trying to adapt to their new 'bodies'. The twins it seemed were getting along a little better than most.
"Hotrod'll finally get some."
"Oh ho!" Sunstreaker laughed, nudging his brother in the ribs. Optimus tilted his head slightly in the other direction, towards Hotrod who was sitting in between Bumblebee and Arcee, but he didn't appear to have heard.
"Wheeljack's inventions will start doing what he tells them to do."
"Man, you're good at this." Sideswipe groaned, again looking at his cereal.
Optimus tried to swallow his curiosity, to concentrate on his blacker-than-the-abyss coffee, or the morning paper which he'd started to enjoy reading, but he found his ear tuned almost specifically in the twins' direction.
"Ok, ok, ok!" Sideswipe laughed, waving Sunstreaker in so that he could whisper something to him. Optimus sat up a bit straighter and resisted the urge to clear his throat as the twins burst into laughter, slapping the table and almost crying. He sighed, and gave in.
"All right you two," he said quietly, peering over at them as it just so happened the two seats between the Autobot leader and the boys were empty, "what are you doing?"
"Pla-playing a game." Sideswipe panted, rubbing at the corners of his eyes as Optimus addressed him. He smiled brightly.
"It's called 'When The Decepticons Win'." Sunstreaker provided, hiccupping.
"And... why are you playing a game about losing to the Decepticons?" Optimus prodded.
"Well, it's not really like that. You see - the way you play is to think of something else that's going to happen before the Decepticons win... Like Vector Sigma freezing over,"
"Or Hotrod getting some action." Sunstreaker finished, grinning so wide Optimus's mouth ached slightly. He shook his head.
"Oh, all right then."
"Why don't you give it a try?" Sideswipe offered, raising his eyebrows hopefully. Optimus chuckled and closed his eyes.
"I don't know..."
"Come on! Just think of something really - really ridiculous!"
"You two growing up?" Arcee said from across the table, having picked up on the conversation enough to add her two cents.
"Niceone." Blurr laughed.
"How about -" Hotrod said, clearing his throat, "Kup getting an oil change." This delighted the twins.
"Or Ratchet getting that shaft outta his aft." Sideswipe continued, snickering. Optimus frowned.
"Ok now-"
"Tracks getting a paint-job that actually looks good on him!"
"Boys-"
"Or you, for that matter Sunstreaker!"
"Autobots!" Optimus said loudly as Arcee retorted. He was ignored.
"Red Alert getting rid of that glitch!"
"Prowl fixing his primary malfunction!"
"Inferno doing something right!"
"You actually moving as fast as your mouth, Sideswipe!"
"You not being such a bitch, Arcee!"
"Grow up already!"
"Autobots - ENOUGH!" Optimus said, standing and slamming his hands onto the table. All eyes were slowly on him, even those few who had not yet joined the conversation, who were blissful and half-awake, scrambling together something for breakfast. Optimus sighed and slowly crossed his arms over his chest.
"Let's try and tolerate each other, please. This isn't easy on any of us, and if we start making enemies of our family, we've already been beaten." He turned and started for the exit. "And - just for the record... I would terminate myself before I let the Decepticons win this war."