Comfort
As it turns out, recovery is a road of trials and tribulations - even for an engine with a designated repair truck and three more members to their entourage. Wrench tries her best every single day, tinkering and calibrating and dealing with her master's whining, which has become even worse now that they're confined to the shed without a clear why. Their repair truck isn't sure herself why Electra's systems keep crashing; physically they are fine. The crash must've truly fried their circuits into oblivion.
For every three hours they're able to move freely off the cables, Electra spends nine charging up their batteries. It used to be twelve at the start, and there's another catch: She's been switching places with Killerwatt whenever Electra works themself into a fit over their current situation. It's like a damn magic trick, the way they always suddenly get just a tiny bit nicer. At this point, Wrench is convinced she's found the ultimate weapon to defeat the electric engine's unpleasant side: just toss their gruff security truck at them and let him handle the fallout. Practical as she is, Wrench has come up with a list of reasons for why her master and Killerwatt get along so suddenly - her top three suggestions are all worth a good sum in bets, so of course she is working on either of them being true.
According to Joule, she could just sit down and let fate take its course, since judging by the way Killerwatt looks at Electra, he's head over heels for them and not in the way everyone is crazy for Electra. Wrench is sure that the ability to love is a programming error on his part, but this little error actually makes him more fun to be around. And it gives her more time to spend with Joule. A win-win situation in any case. As for Electra, Wrench has known them for her entire life. Sometimes it feels like the components were built to be perfectly in sync with their boss, always aware of each and every single thought in that glorious mind of theirs. Killerwatt joined later, after Krupp, then Purse left. Of course he wouldn't get it. But from everything Wrench has observed, she is sure the feelings are mutual. Her respect for Electra prevents her from interfering on her friend's behalf, however. What a shame.
This evening, Electra makes it to hour five before calling for their security truck through the data-stream, a new record. Killerwatt responds immediately, receiving the calls directly into his earpiece. He moves to leave his position outside the shed, where he's decided to stand guard over his master and goes back inside.
"Good luck." Wrench says to him as they cross paths, smirking. Killerwatt can't entirely figure out why she is smirking, if it's a mischievous smile or a happy one. Something is wrong; he can sense it. There is just the tiniest edge to Wrench's voice, as if she is implying something. No, worse, as if she is taunting him. What did he do wrong again? "Thank you. Get your well-deserved rest." The chance of Wrench being out of juice from working all day is about eighty percent, so Killerwatt lets that weird little glance of hers slide and enters the shed.
"Boss." He bows before Electra the same way he always does. The engine deserves nothing but the very best of devotion after all. Okay, perhaps he is a little bit too enthusiastic. But seeing Electra makes him…giddy, like he has regained a purpose all of a sudden.
Back when they were travelling from station to station, he had one job. Keep the fans at a distance and protect his master in case someone got too cocky. He delivered messages too, an important task of which he was oh so proud. The electric engine could've chosen any member of their entourage: good old reliable Wrench, or calm and aloof Volta or stunning Joule. But they chose Killerwatt specifically. Because they trusted him. That made him feel so special. Like he meant something to his boss, who in turn meant everything to Killerwatt. And still does.
"There you are!" Electra screeches, not an unpleasant sound to those who are used to them, but deafening to the rest of the yard. "I am stuck in here, trapped in my own shed, unable to leave this godforsaken yard for good. And you dare take a minute longer than usual?!" Oh. Right. Exchanging in that weird interaction with the repair truck had cost valuable time.
"My apologies, boss." Killerwatt replies, moving closer. He's never expected to see shining Electra like this, a shell of their former self. Sure, any outside damage had been eradicated by Wrench long ago, but whilst taking the engine apart, she had noticed a handful of bugs in their system. Apparently, the final race had caused catastrophic overheating and thus they now needed a lengthy period of recovery. And lots of rest. Both of which are cruelly draining.
Electra feeds off attention and love and admiration. They're the blasted future, of course they're furious when their ego is shattered by losing a race. To a steamer of all engines.
The fact that this same loss is also what is causing them to lie around useless all day is just the cherry on top. "Your apology is accepted." Electra responds and uses their magnetism to pull Killerwatt to their side, twisting their hand in the same way they once did to attract Pearl. The security truck doesn't mind it one bit and removes his sunglasses, setting them aside for now. Over time, he's learnt that while his master considers them to be an appropriate part of his attire and appeal, they don't like them at all. Especially not when they're alone. Electra isn't wearing their helmet either, white hair still sleeked back though. "Tell me, what are the latest developments in the yard? Wrench told me you've been spending some time away from the shed."
Killerwatt blinks in surprise, shaking his head a little. Occasionally, he did a supply run or two for the other components when Volta got tired or Joule was nowhere to be found. He'd meet the other inhabitants of the yard, particularly the freights who just loved to make fun of him and mimic him until he threatened to electrocute them all. The only one he gets along with, and she's not even a freight, is Belle the old sleeping car and in all honesty, Killerwatt's only friend aside from the components.
Neither Belle or him talk much. He appreciates this kind of friendship. Usually they just sit in silence, watching the world go by. If they do talk, they tend to choose the most mundane topics. Belle makes the world feel less complicated for him. Like taking a break.
Killerwatt was never fond of friendships outside the polycule, nor did he ever feel the need for any. His purpose and duty were always so crystal clear and he couldn't risk loosing sight of them. Now that he is effectively useless when Electra isn't travelling, he's had time to reevaluate this.
"I did." He finally replies, listening to the soft crackling of his master's breaths. They're tense. "Greaseball will not be much of a threat for quite some time, that ancient steam locomotive has got her on a tight leash. As for the Caboose, no new developments." Killerwatt swears he can feel Electra relax a little. It's best to sweep the whole race incident under the rug, and that can only happen if CB is nowhere to be found. "I believe racing season is fully over now. There is nothing more to be gained in this yard. I agree with what Wrench said, master. As soon as you have fully recovered, we should-"
"And what about that girlfriend of yours?" Electra hisses.
"Girl…friend?" Joule. It must've been Joule. Wrench would never cause childish troubles like these. Never!
"A little sparkling bird told me you made a friend among the yard. You. Killerwatt. My perfectly serious security waggon." The engine's voice is as sweet as honey, especially when they are praising him, but something tells Killerwatt they're mad. At him. Why? He didn't fail them- or did he? Was he spending too much time away from his duties? Did he fail to stand guard? Did Electra have to come to their senses, in pain from their systems overloading, and he wasn't there?
"I…uh." His voice rewinds, then repeats, the audio box overloading.
"I do believe I indeed made a friend, master." Killerwatt explains. Or at least tries to. "It's the old sleeping car, one of the coaches. I met her while completing my daily tasks. Her name is Belle."
"Belle." The way Electra says it, it sounds just like Greaseball's name when she took away Pearl. They…They aren't jealous, are they? No. Electra doesn't like sharing at all, but what would they be jealous of? Him? Belle? Killerwatt chalks it up to them being annoyed he neglected his duties.
"Tell me, Killerwatt. Does she influence your devotion towards me? Are you no longer my loyal guard?" The wires rattle with electric currents as his master reaches forward and grabs Killerwatt's face gently. Too gentle. "No. No, master. Nothing could change that. We just… we spend time together. Occasionally. She's not my…" Starlight, this is awkward. "She's not my girlfriend. I don't even-"
"Good. You are allowed to have friends, I'm not so cruel to deny you release from the rest of the components." Electra traces their finger over his lips. They've never done this before, so Killerwatt freezes, but not from shock.
This feels good, he thinks as his brain effectively crashes. He's sure he can feel his face heat up too. Is this a cooling error?
Any other train might've been repelled by the little jolts that run through Electra's touch, but Killerwatt knows their frequency by heart. Sometimes, he believes that his own heart beats to that familiar rhythm. A crush, is what Joule called it. Killerwatt isn't sure whether or not this is true; all he is aware of is that he's never experienced something similar before. Only with Electra.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?“ They furrow their brows, genuinely concerned about being too much to handle. Before they get a reply, they retract their hand, much to Killerwatt's dismay. "I'm sorry if I came off as too strong." Wrench said she'd noticed something unusual about their master, a strange melancholy. That must be it.
"It's…agh, forget it." The superstar hisses again, struggling against the wires. "No, uh, boss." Honestly, anyone would make a better support than him. But his master is so clearly unhappy, and all he wants to do is cheer them up. "What is wrong? You can rely on me. I will not tell a soul. Not even the others." Killerwatt promises.
"You're too precious, are you not?" Electra rubs a hand against their forehead in exhaustion, one of their eyebrows twitching as if they are intrigued. "Well, I don't see why I shouldn't tell you. Wrench advised me to confide in someone I trust. And I am very sure you won't go around spilling secrets." If there's anything the megawatt is spectacularly bad at, it's handing out praises. Or being vulnerable. In their mind, this basically means: "I trust you enough to lay myself open to you." Killerwatt is slowly beginning to understand this.
"It all started with that miserable final, all those weeks ago." They begin, voice cracking with static. "When I was made, I was created with one true purpose in mind. To be nothing less than the very image of perfection. A god among engines. The future. I never lose. Never." So this is all about their bruised ego?
"I came to this yard to win and convince these nitwits of my excellence, as you may remember. Just for it to fucking blow up in my face. And worse, now I can't even find another line because no one will take a damaged electric who spent almost a month recovering from a little crash. And Greaseball the oaf is up and running again. That is not fair!" Electra protests. "If it gets any worse, there won't be any comeback for me. None! I'll be as useless as a pile of fancy scrap metal that lost its relevance."
"I don't think so, boss." Killerwatt reassures them. "You're a star. And I don't believe you're useless. You are my life, and Wrench's and Volta's and Joule's too. We'd be nothing without you!"
The engine lets out a scoff. "Our company might not think the same. They're losing good money on me with every passing day I can't get my act together! I don't even understand why. I never got into accidents before and never got damaged. Any little skirmishes, Wrench always fixed up quickly." Only now does Killerwatt begin to realize how tired Electra looks. They're trains; they don't exactly sleep, but all of the electrics possess a standby mode that doubles as a sleeper mode. Sometimes he finds it difficult to fully relax and trust his surroundings enough to allow himself to go standby. That must be the case with his boss too.
"Do you power off at night?" He asks and Electra shakes their head. "Not fully. I suppose that is broken too. Standby doesn't feel like it used to, but I do need my beauty sleep. Wrench is convinced it's a mental issue." They spit.
"Are you in need of a distraction?" The security guard asks carefully, aware that entertainment is usually Joule's forte. "Not a distraction." Electra rolls their flawless eyes at him. "A friend. Why do you think I've been calling on you so often, hm?" Starlight, the others did not lie about Killerwatt not being the sharpest tool in the shed. How he hasn't caught on to why his master is being so tooth-rottingly sweet to him, favouring him over the other components for weeks, if not months, baffles the superstar.
"Sorry, boss. I wasn't aware before. I thought you-" Killerwatt stops and shakes his head. This is much more difficult than he expected.
"Don't be sorry." A soft whirr. "I could've told you sooner. I don't enjoy lying to you. Never to you." Electra sounds much calmer than before; this is the kind of voice they use when they're entangled with Volta or Wrench.
"… Killerwatt, can I ask you something?"
"Yes?" A little smile flashes over the guard's face. Slowly, it's beginning to dawn on him what this is all about. "What is it?" He enjoys being helpful for his master and cherishes the warm feeling that seeing them regain their strength leaves in his chest. This is not a crush, he realises then and there.
This is love. The raw kind, the one he saw and sneered at with Pearl and that steamer who cost them everything. The same love Joule and Wrench share.
He loves Electra.
Well, shit.
There is zero guarantee they're reciprocating: wherever Electra goes, they are used to being everyone's fixation to the point it sometimes bores them.
They were made to be gawked at, a perfect new engine. Pearl, Dinah, the rest of the rolling stock - Electra could have anyone.
What difference could a glorified guard make? And he doesn't want to make a drama out of it either and lose his position or the friendship that has developed over time.
Still, he wants Electra to look his way. Just once, just-
"I was informed of your little crush on me by a certain someone and I would simply like to check if they were telling me the truth." Electra gets straight to the point. How foolish Killerwatt was to think they of all people wouldn't notice the obvious. "I do like to keep my entourage happy."
"Oh. That…" The contacts inside his brain screech to a halt as he stammers: "Master, I would never let this affect my performance. My feelings won't get in the way of my-"
"So it is true?" Their eyes light up with a sudden rush of current. No star has ever shone brighter.
"Yes." Killerwatt admits. There's no point in lying anymore. It'll only increase the embarrassment.
"Good little security truck." Electra praises again, smiling. They seem relieved. Can it be…?
"Because I do feel the same."
What? Did he hear that right?
He blinks once, then twice in confusion. "Did you understand me?" His master asks, but when he attempts to reply and say he's fine, only static comes through his gritted teeth.
"Oh my…" A stifled laugh rings through the room and Electra hoists themselves up, paying no attention to the cables threatening to snap. This is worth it; Wrench can fix them later. They don't have to reach far, because the object of their attention is standing right in front of them.
"May I?" They ask and receive a shaky nod as a response.
To truly get the point across, they grab Killerwatt's face by the chin and pull him into a kiss.
Fuck, he thinks; he may actually explode then and there. For all the many times he's wished to be the centre of the engine's attention, never did he expect it to feel like this. The feeling is incomprehensible to him, too hot and fuzzy, but at the same time he cannot stop his want for more.
Electra notices how he doesn't return the kiss, so they pull back, eyes all cold again. They glare down at the security truck, looking for a sign of reciprocity. Well, except for his obviously flushed face. They get their reply in the form of two hands taking hold of their porcelain face, caressing it, and a pair of lips being smashed against theirs. Now they are the one who's surprised.
Killerwatt is kissing them with a ferocity they never expected from someone like him. But starlight, they don't mind at all, instead using their magnetism to pull the guard's body firmly against their own.
In response, he bites down on their lower lip, causing Electra to shudder.
If it weren't for their lingering injuries…
Time stands still until Killerwatt pulls away, panting. His eyes dart from Electra's eyes to their lips, then to the cables that are stretched to their maximum, spewing voltage. At any moment, they may snap, yet the megawatt cannot care less.
"Boss- I…we should-" Oh it is adorable how Killerwatt's audio box is failing him again, so he is silenced by a gloved finger pressing against his lips.
"Don't ruin it." Electra examines his face and notices a tiny scratch below his left brow. They bring up their other hand to run their fingers over the cracked paint. Wrench would have to take a look at this later. "I have been looking forward to this moment over and over. Any technicalities can wait."
"…Boss? You could've-"
"And do not call me boss when we are alone. I have a name. You may use it."
"Electra." Killerwatt rasps slowly. "Good little security truck." They smirk, savouring the way their name sounds when he says it. The kiss left him in shambles, the cord of his earpiece tangled between one of Electra's shiny screens. "May I stay?"
Electra rolls their eyes and caresses the component's face before their fingers move to untangle his earpiece. "Actually, you are required to stay with me every night from now on."
That is a contractual obligation Killerwatt could never complain about. "I get it. You love me and want to have someone to snuggle with at night?" He‘s comfortable enough to tease, which makes the engine chuckle. How delightful. They are going to have much fun with their new partner.
"I do. Which is why I am not letting you out of my sight for-" They want to continue, but their voice hitches and cuts off, their body slumping forward. Blasted wires.
Of course Killerwatt is there to catch them. "You need rest, bo- I mean, Electra."
"I'm fine!" Their eyes are flickering with stray currents. "But if you insist."
"Promise me you'll try and power off properly this time?"
Silence follows, then comes the crackling of static before Electra regains their voice. "Only if you hold me." They scoff.
"Of course I will." That statement does make the superstar blush a little. Killerwatt notices how their cheeks turn blue and leans down to kiss their forehead, worsening the condition.
"Fine." They don't bother to argue. For a bit longer they fight to keep their eyelids open, while their partner traces patterns into their metal plating. At one point, they finally allow themselves to drift off in his arms.
Outside, Joule climbs off the ledge she's been using to spy into the shed through one of the few remaining windows.
"And?" Asks Wrench, who is fidgeting with her tools.
"I told you!" Her girlfriend chirps, grinning from ear to ear. "I was right. The boss made the first move! Which means, I won!"
"Right, right." The repair truck shakes her head, handing a few neatly folded bills to Joule. "I'm never going to bet against you again."
Joule takes the money and smirks, before she proceeds to give Wrench a cheeky kiss.
"You always say that. And then you never follow through."