Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any person, place, or thing connected to it. They all belong to Hasbro and Takara. Please don't sue me.

Chapter warnings and notes: Implied one-sided Jazz/Prowl. This takes place after Predacons Rising.

Chapter 1
Forbidden

Jazz had said it while on the ship, looking down onto the Earth. But now that he was standing in it, he had to say it again. "Crazy…"

"It's just snow," Bumblebee scoffed at him.

"Says the 'bot who thought it was an evil Decepticon plot the first time he saw it," Prowl muttered.

Bumblebee glowered at him. "It seemed logical at the time!" he insisted.

Sentinel's team had returned to Earth to check in on the others, much to Sentinel's disdain. When they arrived, the city was blanketed in a white powder, from streets to rooftops. And, while Cybertronians did not feel cold in the traditional sense, they could read the temperature and fell their heating units kick in to prevent freezing in their systems.

"Why is water being frozen from the sky?" Jetfire asked. He and his brother were watching with wide optics. Neither had seen anything like it. They had seen many thing fall out of the sky, but never anything so pretty. And as soon as the flakes touched down onto their plating, they disappeared.

"It is a part of the ecosystem and pattern of seasons here on Earth. This season is called 'winter', and the snow and low temperatures are a result of this part of the planet being farthest from the sun right now," Prowl explained. Bumblebee muttered something along the lines of 'nerd' and Prowl glared at him.

"Fascinating!" Sentinel called bitterly from the top of the ship's ramp. He refused to leave the ship under these conditions. "But how do I know it won't melt my processor as soon as I touch it?!"

"How would we be telling?" Jetstorm muttered. His twin snickered.

"We've been out in this before, and we're fine," Bumblebee replied.

"You lot have been glitched since you were protoformed!" Sentinel snapped. "You aren't a shining example!"

Jazz sighed. "Look, we ran a scan on it from the ship!" he called up. "It ain't nothin' but cold H2O!"

Sentinel still looked unsure. The look was ended, though, as a large ball of snow hit him square in the faceplate. "Alright!" he snapped. "Who threw that?!"

Bumblebee was laughing too hard to hide his guilt. "You should have seen the look on your face!" he practically squawked.

The prime turned red in the faceplate before jumping down the ship's ramp and taking off after the little yellow 'bot. "Get back here! I'm gonna arrest you for assaulting an officer of the Elite Guard!" he barked.

"Well, at least he's off the ship," Jazz sighed again. Sometimes he wondered of being Elite Guard was worth putting up with 'Loudmouth Prime'.

"If anyone can coax someone off of a ship that fast, it will always be Bumblebee," his fellow ninjabot nodded. Without warning, he began walking off. "I wonder how long it will take Sentinel to discover the ice patches," he mused.

Jazz followed quickly. "The ice wha - whoa!" he was cut off as his pede seemed to fly out from under him. Prowl caught him by the arm before his head could hit the concrete.

"That," Prowl grinned, "is an ice patch. The snow will freeze into ice on the road. It happens in my room as well, since my roof is open. The first time I tried to train in my room after it snowed I nearly fell on my aft."

Jazz looked at him in surprise as he stood back up. "You? Fall on you aft?" he nudged the black and gold bot teasingly as they headed for the warehouse. "I don't see it."

"I said nearly," Prowl said sternly. There was a hint of humor in his voice, though. "Never let Bumblebee find out. I would never hear the end of it."

"My lips are sealed," Jazz promised.

"You little glitch, when I catch you, I'll--!" the sentence behind them was stopped short by the sound of metal hitting concrete. Hard. The two cringed and turned around to see Sentinel sprawled face-down in the same spot Jazz had slipped.

"Oh… my… spark!" Bumblebee was doubled over, gasping in between guffaws.

Even the twins couldn't hide their mirth. They stopped their rolling of a huge ball of snow to laugh at their commander, who struggled to get up.

"Quit your noise and help me, you cogs!" Sentinel snapped. Almost automatically the twins saluted and rushed to his aid.

"Come," Prowl beckoned Jazz away from the amusing scene. At Jazz's questioning look Prowl smiled. "There is something I'd like to show you."

Walking through their warehouse home wasn't as much odd as just plain awkward. Both Optimus Prime and Ratchet were spending their beautiful winter day pouring over data pads.

"You two don't dig the crazy weather?" Jazz asked as they went by.

"More important things to do than marvel over frozen water," Ratchet grunted, not looking up.

"Is Sentinel out there?" Optimus asked, setting down his pad.

"Yeah, why?" the black and white cyberninja asked.

"Because that's why I'm not."

"Ah. Gotcha." It was all Jazz really needed to hear. Their last visit to Earth ended on a sour note, so he understood the red and blue leader's choice of avoidance.

"Are you coming?" Prowl called. He was at the door that led out to the hall.

"Yeah, wait up!" Jazz waved at the other two as he hurried to catch up. "So, what's so awesome I have to see it? I mean, it can't top this 'snow', can it?"

"It both can and can't," his companion answered cryptically. He led Jazz to his room, then leapt into his tree. Jazz noted that a blanket of powder indeed covered the exposed potions of Prowl's room. The tree was also now bare, but the snow decorated every branch, falling only from those Prowl touched. The black and white ninjabot followed after him to the roof.

When he arrived, Prowl was standing on the opposite side of the roof where the sun, rays struggling to peak out between thick snow clouds, was starting to dip into the evening sky. "Weird, doesn't the sun usually stay out longer than this on this planet?" Jazz asked as he approached.

"Winter days are short, and their nights cold," was the response. Prowl then crossed his legs gracefully and sat on the edge of the roof.

"I know that tidbit wasn't why you brought me here," Jazz said, sitting next to him.

"It will happen in a few kliks. Be patient," Prowl muttered.

Jazz didn't argue. Instead he looked over the edge where he saw Jetfire and Jetstorm still rolling their snowball. With the rapid snow falling in huge flakes, they had plenty to work with. It was almost as big as they were. Bumblebee was laying in a patch of snow flailing his arms and legs up and down like a glitched sparkling. Sentinel was nowhere to be seen, so he either retired to the ship or the warehouse. If it were the latter, Jazz figured before long they'd be able to hear him and Optimus fighting from Cybertron.

"Whaddaya suppose those cats are doin'?" Jazz asked, nodding to the scene below.

"I'm not sure about the twins, but I believe Sari calls what Bumblebee is making a 'snow angel'. Apparently it's supposed to resemble a winged human when he is done."

"Some humans have wings?" Jazz asked in surprise.

"No, it's complicated. It's part of some of their religions."

"Hmm…" they fell back into silence. Jazz glanced at the other cyberninja. The samurai mods from Lockdown's ship really did look good on him. And Yoketron's helmet? Only their master, rest his Spark, could wear it better. It was sad, but Prowl was… different ever since they found out the truth about Lockdown and Yoketron. Something had hit him deep in his Spark. Something Jazz wanted to ask about but thought it too personal.

There was a sudden glow that drew Jazz's attention. The clouds that had been covering the sun parted just enough for the rays to shine through. The amazing part was the reflection it made off of the snow as it set. The magical orange glow offset by sparkling white and yellow crystals. Earth truly was astounding, and this had to be it at it's best.

"You should see the countryside like this."

Jazz started as Prowl spoke. He had been so enthralled that he forgot where he was. "Must be…" he trailed off as he looked at Prowl again, optics widening. "…beautiful…" he finished the sentence with a small gasp.

"Yes, very," Prowl nodded, optics still fixed in front of him.

But Jazz wasn't talking about the setting sun. He was transfixed by its reflection gleaming off of Prowl's form. Every trace of gleaming gold and black metal was beautiful and dazzling. The calm, still face with his gently parted lips was tempting and forbidden. Jazz knew Prowl too well to try anything. He had made a small, discreet attempt before to get closer to him only to be repelled by a cold stare and pursed lips. Ever since, they acted like it never happened.

So Jazz couldn't do it. He couldn't push his luck with another mistake. So he instead settled with watching him, cursing his luck at falling for something so forbidden. Cursing whoever would someday have the gold and black ninjabot. And cursing the sun and snow for making him look so beautiful.