Chapter Text
Dinah’s Diner blossomed with activity on a morning before the day’s work was to be done. Two dorks, a caboose and a shunter engine, crowded around a pool table tucked in the corner of the building.
“Remember, this is all about precision and finding moderation,” the engine explained over the caboose’s shoulder. “Too lightly, it won’t get anywhere. Hit too hard, and you end up doing everything except what you wanted. Just trust your gut and you'll find what you need. Now give it a try.”
CB drew the cue back before letting it rip. The white ball rolled steadily before just grazing its solid blue target. The ball ricocheted against the side of the table before just barely pushing a yellow ball. The minuscule impact wasn’t enough and the ball was nudged to the very edge of the pocket. Close, but not close enough.
The red caboose hissed and let the end of the cue drop against the tile floor. Turner took a swig of oil before rubbing their boyfriend’s shoulders.
“Hey, hey, don't be like that. You're doing a lot better than you were yesterday,” they smiled optimistically.
After Rusty won the world championship, he was bestowed the honor of mainline passenger duties; meaning there was an opening for a new switcher. Enter Turner. A diesel built just for the job. They had plating adorned in orange and black that was in no great rush to be kept shiny. Compared to the resident diesels, they looked more like a stepping stool. Being a full foot shorter than the others, Turner was more adjacent in size to the average coach.
CB pouted and dropped the cue into Turner’s hands. “Just let it go. This likes you more than it likes me.”
“Oh, hush,” they leaned up and pecked him on the forehead. “Just give it time. You'll see.”
“Two scrambled eggs and toast?” Dinah stepped out from the kitchen, setting two plates on the countertop before the two.
CB rapidly set his foul mood aside at the sight of breakfast. “Oooh, don’t mind if I do.”
They thanked their girlfriend and dug into their meals. “So how long do I have to suffer this week?” Turner playfully asked. The three had spent more nights apart than they cared to remember, but that didn’t mean sleeping alone was any less of a drag.
Dinah lingered by, wiping down the counter as the two dug into their meal. “Two days. They’ve put me on the Empire Builder this time.”
CB wrinkled his nose and poked his eggs with a fork. “Geez, not Soo Line territory. Pretentious pricks.”
“They’re nicer than you give ‘em credit for,” Dinah lightly scolded. “Y’know, maybe you should come with me and I’ll introduce you to a couple of ‘pretentious’ boxcars”
He arched an eyebrow. “Hmm, that’s tempting. If you’re going to play like that, maybe they should put us on runs together.”
“Don’t you have a train to take care of?”
CB had leaned all the way into the counter, chin in palm. His eyes fluttered at Dinah with adoration. “Sure, but maybe yours is more interesting.”
Even if she wanted to, Dinah couldn’t have hidden the grin on her face. Then she tapped him on the nose and turned back to the patrons waiting on her. Turner chuckled heartily at the display before them.
The three clocked in for their respective shifts. CB’s train, consisting of Tank and the three Rockies, wasn’t due out for another twenty minutes. But the overnight express; made up of Dinah, Duvay, Carrie, and Electra, was in more of a hurry to get out of the station.
CB and Dinah said their goodbyes to each other before Turner took the latter to get hitched up. Dinah noticed that the steel grey sky and icy breeze forewarned that drier weather wouldn’t be seen for a while.
“Do ya think the rain’ll be hard today? The forecast says it might go on for-''
Turner groaned with discomfort and clutched their chest. Dinah turned to partially face them.
“Honey, d’ya have your meds?” she asked, voice laced with worry.
Their hand intuitively reached for a compartment embedded in their shoulder. “I think so-”
Dinah rattled the familiar bottle before handing it to them.
“Oh. Thanks, Di. I'd probably go nuts without you.” They popped one of the nondescript pills with one hand.
Engine congestion was the name of the condition that made Turner’s oil far chunkier than it should have. It staggered the natural flow to their engine and made incidents such as that daily. Thankfully, there was less stress in the yards than on the rails. And far less risk of overload. Dinah couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. She and CB got to travel all over, see new places and meet diverse rolling stock; it came with the job. But Turner’s duties never exceeded the boundaries of the yard. It had to seem like living in a fishbowl, didn't it?
She sighed. “ Please try to remember better. I just can't stand seeing you so awful.”
“Yeah. I know, I know.”
“Do you think you'll be okay? I can ask Control to give you a day off. Maybe Rusty or someone can take your shift.”
Turner shook their head. “I'm fine. I'll live with myself.”
That was enough for her. Dinah hitched up behind Duvay and Electra began to charge up. She hastily pecked her girlfriend’s cheek.
“I love you! Don’t have too much fun without me!” She yelled the last part over her shoulder as she took off behind the others.
With her gone, Turner pushed CB and the Rockies over from the freight yard to the loading docks.
“Try not to pick any more fights this time. If I have to haul you home early, I'll eat your ass,” they instructed.
“Mmm,” CB smirked. “Now you’re just challenging me”
“Oh hush.” Turner brushed his shoulder and brought him in for a brief but intense kiss. Once they parted, CB prided himself on the traces of lipstick he left behind.
“I’ll be back the day after Dinah. Now run along before Control throws a hissy fit.”
Turner gave them a sweet smile as they gave Tank the ok. The sound of the Rockies hassling CB over the display of affection quickly faded over the hill. Once their boyfriend was out of sight, Turner retreated to the innards of the yard. There was work to be done.
~
Raindrops rang against Turner’s plating as they pushed Pearl across the yard to the coaches’ weekly meeting with Control.
“Wait, he actually did it? Jeez, I thought Volta was exaggerating when she told me.“ they exclaimed.
“I know, right? Greaseball’s back ached for at least a week.”
Turner chuckled. “That’ll show him to leave the acrobatics to Joule in the future.”
“Definitely.” Pearl turned the tide of the conversation. “So, what are your plans for tonight?”
Just then, Turner felt a shot of exhaustion wash across them. Like the simple act of skating had become too much. Not unusual, but slightly alarming.
“Well, the shed will be a lot emptier, that’s for sure. I think I'll kick back a bit. Maybe read a book.” Yeah, having the place to themself was fun. But a night in wouldn’t be the same without Dinah and CB. It was only another 30 yards to the control tower. Just a little bit more and they could rest.
“Do you want to come over tonight? Buffy, Brandi, and I were going to order a pizza and maybe rent a movie.”
Turner barely caught what she said as their focus came in and out.“Maybe another time. I don't get a lot of alone time around here.”
Pearl chuckled softly. “I can imagine that.”
They had to distract her for a moment. “And anyways, I figured you’d have plans with that boyfriend of yours. How is Rusty anyways? I haven't seen much of him around lately.”
Pearl jumped at the opportunity to ramble on about Rusty. Their vision blurred as Turner zoned out against her couplers. Neither noticed that they were gradually slowing down. Catching themself in the act, unease began to set in until Turner finally realized what was going on. Oh, geez...
Turner hastily let go of her and slid to a stop in the asphalt, catching their breath. They let out a hiss as a tightness engulfed their chest.
Pearl swiveled around. “Turner? Are you okay?”
The engine held their head over their knees and clutched their chest. The tightness had spread across their body. Starlight, was this how mice felt being trapped by a snake?
“I'm fine. I, uh. I need a-a-“ the focus necessary to come up with the words eluded them. Just say you're overloading, you...dumb...ass...
“What’s going on? What do you need?”
The only response she got was the sound of Turner collapsing to the ground.