A/N - Three more to go after this one! Claimed by cave_cat on LJ. And yes, the weather here sucks, why do you ask?
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At first, the Autobots had been fascinated by the Earth winter, happily joining their human friends outside and playing in the snow. Snowball fights and a modified form of sledding became the local pastime of the moment. Even the more aloof members of the Autobots just shook their heads at the puddles of melting snow that followed them in.
But the games didn't last long. The weather quickly turned from peaceful snowflakes floating down to below-zero temperatures and blizzard winds. Icy roads shut down most of the transportation routes for everyone but the most hardy of the Autobots, and the humans opted to stay home instead of venturing out in the cold to visit.
Day after day of powerful winds that blew enough snow to obscure even radar left the Autobots feeling restless and couped up.
"What I'd give for a Decepticon attack right about now," Inferno muttered quietly. "Anything to get outta here." Sideswipe snorted in agreement.
"Until you get lost and stuck in a snowdrift," Red Alert pointed out blandly from the corner of the rec room he and Prowl had taken over. Six days of bad weather into it, and they were the only two seemingly unaffected by the enforced boredom. Even Optimus Prime seemed unusually restless.
"Hey, at least it'd get me somethin' to do for a few hours," Inferno said, flashing a grin. "Goin' stir-crazy over here!"
"It's not that bad," Prowl said, looking up from his datapad.
"Not all of us are bookworms," Jazz called back.
Prowl frowned at the turn of phrase. "Reading might do you some good, Jazz."
"I've got a few things I'd like him to read," Red Alert muttered. "The protocols, for one. It's probably even bran new reading material for him."
"Oh, zing." Jazz grinned. "That hurts, Red!"
"The truth often does," Red Alert told him primly, turning his attention back to his datapad.
"Readin's boring," Inferno said, stretching. "Don't like havin' to sit still that long."
"Really, I hadn't noticed," Red Alert said dryly.
"If you're all that bored," Prowl broke in, "I'm sure we can find something for you to do. There's quite a bit of decking around here that needs cleaning."
"Hey," Inferno raised his hands in surrender. "Ain't that bored! Just don't know how y'all can stand sittin' around and starin' at datapads all the time."
"Then I suggest you find something to do that you find more desirable than mopping," Prowl said, tapping a key.
Red Alert was more blunt. "Shut up and let us read, or else."