Work Text:
The crash had taken its toll.
Electra had to have several parts of their circuitry rewired. Greaseball needed to have her entire counterbalance replaced.
But by far the one who came out the worst was Slick.
The others injuries were bad, but fixable. Things that hindered the engines livelihoods temporarily.
Slick however had been permanently damaged. Damaged in a way that caused Wrench - the ever reliable repair truck - to talk about adaptation options.
Slick had hearing loss. Or partial hearing loss as she kept feeling the need to point out.
Currently Slick was laid up in her shed. Her usually alert eyes closed as she strained to listen to the once lively sounds of the yard.
Everything was muffled, quite in a way Slick had never experienced before. Prior to the crash her life had been nothing but roaring excitement.
So loud and bright, that it made her chest ache as she reminisced.
With a frustrated huff Slick swung herself off of her bed and thumped across the metal floor towards a side table.
On that side table was a book on learning sign language, barely touched.
Slick nibbled roughly on her lip as she stared down at the book. She couldn’t help but recall Wrench’s detached expression as she handed Slick the book.
“Courtesy of Electra-“ Wrench stated, her voice practical and without emotion. “To ease the learning curve.”
Slick picked up the book, white knuckling the binding as she pressed it against her forehead.
Willing the information into her head. But alas, nothing happened.
The cool cover dug into Slicks skin, sending a sharp spike of pain throughout her body.
“It’s what I deserve.” She growled through her teeth, gritting her teeth so hard they rattled.
“It’s what I deserve for being so stupid. Never should have taken that job!” The words were foreign in her mouth, the self doubt completely alien for Slick.
She who was usually so self assured and confident was forced to confront her failings in an ugly way.
As the anger boiled inside her, Slick pulled the book away from her face, glaring down at the cover.
It was plastered with smiling trains, learning sign, as if it was that easy! As if it was fun!
Slick swung around and lobbed the book across the room, sending it sailing through the air and clattering on the floor.
The sound was muffled. Tears hot like oil stung her eyes.
Breath heaving out of her, Slick flopped onto the ground, diving her nails into the metal. The pain was grounding to her, calming even.
As she knelt there, straining to hear her own breath, Slick didn’t notice another truck slip inside.
Suddenly she felt a light tap on her head.
Slick looked up, hastily wiping away the remnants of her tears.
Looming above her was Hydra, the Hydrogen truck, with a sunny smile. He held the book aloft, gently shaking it back and forth.
“Don’t make me remind you that littering is wrong.” Hydra chuckled, the words warm and lacking any malice.
“Not now Hydra, I’m not in the mood.” Slick muttered, the words sounding like they were underwater.
Hydra spun round and dropped down to the floor next to Slick with a mighty thump.
“And I’m sure this book-“ He waves it enthusiastically, sending a light breeze across Slick’s too hot face. “Didn’t want to be thrown across the room, but well…we both know what happened.”
“Seriously, I’m not in the mood-“ Slick huffed, turning her head away from the hydrogen tanker so she could hear him less. “So why don’t you go bye bye drogen and leave me alone.”
The words were unintentionally harsh, but Slick wasn’t lying. Right now she craved isolation. It let her wallow in her mistakes.
The hydrogen tanker would likely try to drag her into something stupid, all while smiling that sunny smile.
Slick couldn’t accept that. No. She couldn’t allow herself happiness until she’d had sufficient punishment.
Hydra leaned over so his cheek was almost pressing against Slicks. “Nope! You’re stuck with me for now.”
With a hard shove, Slick pushed Hydra away. Reclaiming her personal space.
“Fine, if I’m stuck with you, can you at least tell me why you’re here?” She huffed, getting off the ground and rising to her full height.
“I’m here to learn sign.” Hydra grinned, recovering from Slick’s jolt with ease.
“What!” Slick barked, staring down at Hydra, eyes wide and full of vulnerability.
Hydra chuckled and did an energetic handspring into standing position. Leaving the book on the floor
“I want to learn sign! And before you jump to any conclusions - no- it’s not because I pity you.”
He pushes his hands into his pockets, stretching them out. “I just want to learn.”
“But why?!” Slick yelped, trying to sound exasperated with Hydra’s flippancy, but probably sounding more defensive.
“Because I want to.” He repeated, grin never faltering.
“But- it’s not that- you can’t just-“ The oil tanker sputtered, words falling her completely.
“Look-,” Hydra started, placing a hand on Slick’s shoulder, his smile slipping into something softer. “I do want to learn to help you, but I also want to learn something new.”
“Like that time you tried to teach us Semaphore?” Slick smirked, the fight draining out of her.
“Exactly.” Hydra nodded, pride in his voice. He bent down and scooped the book up. Restlessly spinning it in his hands.
“I thought since you’re already learning-“
“Cause I have too.” Slick cut in, causing Hydra to wince.
“Since you’re already learning, I could too and we could do it together. If there were two trains who know sign it might push others to learn too.”
“We could make people jealous.” Slick smirked, a long missed feeling of mischief filling her.
“Not really what I meant.” Hydra stuttered, as Slick began rocking back and forth.
Adrenaline filled her with a joyous burst. Slick gripped Hydra’s arm and pulled himself closer, nose to nose.
“We could talk shit about the others and make them so jealous they have to learn too!”
Slick used one hand to snatch the book from Hydra, and the other to pull himself over to the battered couch in the corner.
“Once again, not what I meant-“ Hydra chirped as he let himself get pulled along.
“Shh, shhh, sush, Hydri-hydrogen, you wanted to learn and that’s what’s gonna happen.”
Slick nudged Hydra along till he toppled onto the sofa, gazing up at her with equal parts concern and amusement in his eyes.
“Ok.” Hydra’s voice was warm as a furnace as he watched Slick eagerly crack open the book.
———————————-
Several Months Later
———————————-
It was a hot morning, the kind of heat that made people lethargic and unwilling to move around.
Thus most of the Rolling Stock had taken to hiding in their sheds. Making the Apollo Victoria yard unusually quiet.
Like most else 3/4 of the Fuels were spread across the shed. Each splayed across a different surface.
Porter was laid on his back throwing several colourful balls in the air - presents from Electra apparently.
Lumber was slumped across a handmade table, idly tracing patterns in the wood grain.
And Slick had strewn herself across her bed. Fingers playing with the beads of a bracelet, handcrafted by a certain dining car: that wouldn’t leave her mind.
Suddenly the quiet peace of the morning was shattered as Hydra burst into the shed, covered head to toe in Grease.
Lumber and Porter both jumped at the sound of the shed door clattering. Porter in particular had dropped one of the balls directly on his face.
Slick however didn’t flinch, she’d gotten used to her new muffled world. And even in some cases grown to like it.
It gave her time to think or, as Hydra so bluntly puts it, scheme.
“AH-“
“WHAT THE HELL HYDRA!”
Porter and Lumber reacted nearly instantaneously. Porter threw one of the balls at Hydra’s head, while Lumber flipped him off.
Hydra didn’t care though, he was too busy focused on Slick.
‘What happened to you?’ She signed.
‘Went on a joy ride with Rusty and Pearl.’ He replied
‘Oooh, and you got yourself all dirty did you?’ Slick cackled
“Shut up!” Hydra flushed, his red face and green outfit made him look remarkably like a Christmas ornament.
This drew joint sighs from Lumber and Porter.
“Are you two really doing’ this again.”
Porter huffed.
“Yeah- you know we can’t understand.” Lumber added.
Slick’s face slipped into her trademark Cheshire Cat smile. “Maybe you two should learn then.”
Hydra fell in line immediately. “Yeah!”
As he said this his hands worked independently, signing ‘It wasn’t like that, I just hung out with them and fell face first into a Grease puddle.’
Slick shook her head at that not believing one word.
“I dinnae understand why you two talk like that when you kno’ me and Lumber can’t sign.” Porter grumbled retrieving the thrown ball from off the floor.
Hydra eyed the balls keenly. “Those are new.” He nodded at them, a teasing smile slipping into his voice.
“Yeah, they’re from Electra,” Porter spoke absentmindedly, running soft fingers over fabric. Toying gently with the stitching.
“From your crush you mean.” Slick but in stretching like a cat, basking in Porter’s horror.
“They are not my crush!”
‘They so are.’ Hydra signs, hands working quickly.
‘Porter’s been practicing all day, I think he wants to show off to Electra.’ Slick shoots back.
“He so does.” Hydra chuckles.
“Stop talkin’ about me like I’m not here!” Porter marches back over to the coach and flops down. Arms crossed and a face like thunder.
“You don’t even know what we’re talking about.”
“That’s because ya speakin in sign.” Porter exclaimed, his accent getting stronger with his growing frustration.
“Learn sign then,” Slick shot back.
‘Bet he won’t,’ She addressed to Hydra.
‘That’s harsh.’ Hydra threw back, but his smile was soft not reprimanding
‘He has rocks for brains’ Slick’s smile was just as soft.
“More like pebbles.”
This fractured statement drew another deep groan from Porter but conversely a warm chuckle from Lumber.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing morning wood! You don’t know sign either.” Slick laughs, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
“Yeah but I know you’re not talking about me, so it’s ok.” Lumber dodges, grinning.
“Sure.” Hydra nods, his hands moving quickly. ‘Let’s pretend to talk about Lumber.’
Slick returns Hydra’s nod enthusiastically. ‘Oh! I like that idea!’
‘Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would-‘ Hydra signs a wide smile spreading across his face
‘Stop! Stop! Anything but that!’
‘Otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.‘
‘Hydra! I’m game for tricking Lumber but don’t torture me in the process!’
‘Recycling can benefit your community, the economy, and the environment.’
Slick burst out laughing, keeling over. “Stop! Please! I can’t take it.” She cackled.
Hydra joined in, his amused chuckles joining Slick’s breathless laughter.
Lumber’s face flushed. “Are you laughing at me? I can’t tell.”
Slick wiped away a tear, “Learn sign and you’ll know.”
Lumber groaned and dropped down to sit with Porter. Porter reached round and sympathetically patted Lumber on the back.
“Dinnae worry, we’ll get them one day Lumber.”
“But how!”
“Learn sign,’ Hydra and Slick chorused, although it was ignored by the two other fuels.
‘They won’t’ Slick shook her head affectionately.
‘Wood for brains’
‘Rocks for brains’
The two chuckled companionably, looking at their friends.
‘We could teach them though. ’ Hydra offered. ‘Could be fun’
‘Nah, let’s tease them for a little more.’ Slick grinned, watching Lumber and Porter scramble to come up with a plan to one up them.
‘Sure, that’s good too.’