Work Text:
Wheeljack stumbled his way out of the Ark, trying very hard not to take his mood out on the Autobots and human nearby.
None of the small group were fooled, though none of them were upset at him either.
“Ratchet kick you out of your lab?” Spike asked him. He was almost completely covered in clothing, including a length of fabric wrapped around his face so that only his eyes were visible. His clothes looked… puffier than they normally were, too.
Wheeljack nodded glumly. He eyed Spike, though.
“Why are you wearing all that?” he asked.
Spike looked down, then chuckled. “It’s cold, Wheeljack,” he said. “And snowing. I don’t want to get too cold, even if I get wet and then get sick.”
Wheeljack considered this, checking the temperature with his built-in gear. Yes, it was below the freezing point of water, and there was an awful lot of frozen water on the ground, but…
“Then why are you out here?”
Wheeljack was letting himself get distracted from his work, but… well, Ratchet had said he couldn’t work for the next local day, after all.
Spike bounced up on his toes and Wheeljack could hear the grin in his voice. “Snow!” he said. “We’re going to have some fun with the snow.”
Wheeljack considered, looking from Spike to the grounds covered in white. “May I join?”
“The more the merrier,” Hound said. “Just watch yourself.”
Wheeljack’s fins lit up in confusion, but he followed along as the crowd headed out. He was curious, and if he couldn’t be in his lab, he could at least satisfy the curiosity.
Most of the mechs just left footsteps in the snow, but Spike had to take large steps- it was up nearly to his knees. They’d had quite the storm just last night, and this was the result. The entire area around the Ark was covered in white.
Several of the bots stopped and just stared. The grounds outside the Ark looked very different, covered in white like it was.
Spike just laughed at them and started making his way across the expanse of white.
He was a good twenty feet away when he stooped down and did… something with the snow. Wheeljack watched as he stood back up, now with a small snowball in his hands. He smoothed it over for a moment, then looked back.
The teenager smiled wickedly at them, and then threw the snowball at Sunstreaker.
It hit, and splattered into snow all over the yellow bot’s front. Everyone started laughing at the stunned look on Sunstreaker’s face, and no one paid attention to the teen.
At least, they didn’t until another snowball hit Wheeljack.
Spike whooped and took off running for the trees as Wheeljack and Sunstreaker looked at each other and nodded.
It took Wheeljack only a moment to figure out how to make the snowballs, and in deference to the teen’s smaller size, he made them small.
And then a larger snowball hit the side of his head, and he turned to see Hound in the way.
After that, it was a free for all.
Alliances formed, broke, and reformed as the bots and the human had a much better, and far more fun, battle than the ones they normally participated in.
It only ended when Optimus Prime himself came out and accidentally got in the way of a three-way crossfire.
Everyone froze as their leader stood in shock as the snow slowly slid down his face.
Prime looked around- everyone else was still covered in snow, still as they watched him.
“Who was that?” Prime finally asked.
No one moved. Spike didn’t even appear to be breathing.
Prime tilted his head. He considered them for a moment.
“I am willing to accept that it was an accident,” he said. “And I am glad you are all having fun. But it’s almost shift change, and I know at least half of you will be on duty.”
There were some grumbles, but not many. Everyone was just glad Prime wasn’t mad, and still in a good mood from the fun.
Spike waded his way through the now well trampled snow to Wheeljack. “Feeling better?” he asked.
Wheeljack held his hand out for Spike, who climbed on to it. “I am,” Wheeljack said. His fins flashed cheerfully. “But let’s get you inside,” he added as Spike shivered.
Prime joined them. “Spike, have you been out here all afternoon?” Prime asked.
Spike grinned. “School was cancelled, thanks to the snow, so I had some fun,” he said. He shivered again. “Worth it,” he declared.
Wheeljack nodded. Getting locked out of his lab was worth it, indeed.