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Belle waved enthusiastically at Orange Flash and Blue Lightning, hurrying across the road to catch up to the pair. “Hey!” She called out. “You don't know if–” The sleeping car’s words were abruptly cut off when Flash cupped a hand over her mouth, pulling her aside.
“Shush. We're trying to be stealthy here.”
“Flash thinks Silver Bullet is up to something,” Blue explained calmly as she tugged the other engine's hand away from Belle's mouth. Glancing around, she just spotted him a ways ahead of them.
“He's been going into town every time he has the evening off,” Flash began as they creeped forward. Belle, despite her better judgement, followed. It was probably nothing. “He's blown off training with us twice this month, and he's been acting completely dopey.”
“So, what, you think he's seeing someone?”
“He must be, we're just not sure who,” Blue confirmed. “It's definitely not anyone around Troubadour and if it was someone from another yard, why would he be coming into town?”
A thought occurred to Belle, but she held her tongue. It was silly, really. Couldn't be the case.
The trio watching as Silver turned off the sidewalk and into a coffee shop. “Come on, there's another door on the far side,” Flash observed, leading them up and around a corner.
As they entered the coffee shop, they were quick to find a booth that kept them relatively well-hidden, but could peer around to get a look at the other tables. “I'm gonna go order something and see if I can spot him,” Belle noted, glancing around as she headed up to the main counter.
She saw him quick enough, but he didn't seem to notice her, thankfully, since Silver’s attention was fixed on the woman in front of him.
It was definitely not someone Belle had seen around the yard before. She was tall, for a human, and slender, skin lightly tanned and her blonde hair short and neat. Belle got just enough of a glimpse of her face - she was pretty, she supposed, by human standards, but Belle had always found them just a bit…dull. They all seemed to be lacking something that Belle couldn't quite put her finger on.
Silver Bullet obviously didn't agree, given the way he was looking at her like she had hung the moon.
Belle had known Silver Bullet for ages. Since she and him were around the same age, and grew up in the same yard. He'd been Rusty's friend more than hers, but it was hard not to be familiar with him, even just in passing.
And It had been a long while since she'd seen him look at someone like that. And if this was going on for a month, that was a new track record for him.
Drinks soon in hand, Belle returned to the booth, settling in across from Flash and Blue.
“Did you see him? Is he with someone?” Flash asked excitedly as they grabbed their cup.
“Oh, he's definitely with someone,” Belle said, fiddling with her straw, trying to figure out just how to broach this. Blue would probably be calm, but Flash…
Flash was already leaning out of the booth to look. Wonderful.
“Belle, what are you talking about? He's just sitting with a human? Maybe they got up before I could look…”
Blue Lightning, thankfully, was quicker on the uptake. “Flash, sweetheart… “ She sighed.
“What? Oh. Ohhh.” A look of sudden realization crossed their face, which was followed quickly by something that might have either been disgust or confusion or a mix of both. “I didn't think anyone actually did that. I mean I've heard plenty of rumors about sleeping cars but…” Belle fixed them with a pointed stare. “But obviously they're just rumors.”
Blue stood slightly to peer over the top of the booth. “Huh,” She said. “Don't think I've seen her around the yard, or anything. Do you think she knows he's Trainfolk?”
“Who knows?” Belle asked. They didn't look that different from humans, especially when they were out of their plating. They were taller on the whole, sure. Their hair and eye colors were often out of what humans would consider the norm, in many cases, like Belle’s own, tied to their livery. They'd often blush in colors that matched their livery, too, and many had a slight metallic lustre to their skin. Still, she’d heard that many humans, unless they worked for the railways and were around their kind a lot, couldn't often tell at a glance.
All things considered, Silver Bullet looked a little more human than most trains. Maybe he was passing himself off as one? It was a strange thought, and it seemed sad to Belle, if it was the case. “She must know,” Belle said. “It’d be weird if she didn't.”
“Well, It's weird that this is going on at all,” Flash huffed. “They're not the same species.”
“Stars, Flash, who cares? They're both adults,” Blue countered.
“But humans are supposed to be like…way more delicate than us right? How would they, y’know… fuck?”
Both Belle and Blue looked at Flash with utter disdain. “I don't think that's any of our business, Flash, “ Belle said flatly.
“You're right, it's not.”
None of the three had noticed Silver Bullet come up to their table, his arms crossed as he glowered at them. “Do you three mind?”
“Silver! What a surprise to see you here! What a coincidence!” Flash did their best to seem non-chalant, which was the most utterly pathetic attempt Belle had ever seen.
“Flash,” Silver Bullet pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke. “You're the loudest engine in the yard, and I knew you and Blue were following me about five minutes after I left the yard.” He sighed slightly. “Her name is Chloe. Yes, she's human; yes, she knows I'm an engine. Please don't spread this around to anyone else. I'm not really ready to deal with a bunch of stupid questions just yet, and I don't want a bunch of rumors going around the yard.”
He was looking at Belle as he said it, which hurt a little - but she couldn't really blame him. She knew she and the other coaches had a bad habit of gossiping. She reached out to gently to touch his arm. “My lips are sealed,” She promised, smiling as his dour expression softened a bit.
“So are mine,” Blue added. “And I'll make sure this one keeps her mouth shut, too.” She gave Flash a firm slap on the back. “We should get going anyway, right, Flash?”
“...Right,” Orange Flash reluctantly agreed before they stood and stretched, Blue soon following her out of the booth. “See you back home.”
“And I've got groceries to pick up. Family dinner night, y’know?” Belle said with a smile. She sidled out of the booth, following Flash and Blue to the door. She gave one quick glance back, watching as Silver Bullet headed back to his own table.
Chloe was looking his way as he approached, but for a moment, caught Belle’s eye instead, and offered up a shy smile. Belle smiled back, giving a little wave before she turned to go.