Work Text:
One evening, Remi and Jesse were engaging in conversation. A recent, spontaneous requirement for a quality check report on the bridge trusses was asked for. Scheduling the maintenance crew a month sooner was rather tedious. The inspection was complete and the two of them were busy, filing the report. Whilst in the midst, they were greeted by a dear face.
Three knocks were heard on the door. Remi put down his pen and momentarily stood up, as did Jesse. She called out, "Come in, please."
"Hello!" Gale called gleefully, waving his left arm wide. On his right was a moderately sized carton that he chose to bring. "Santa's got presents!"
"Delightful!" Remi smiled, slowly sitting back down. "What was it Côte d'Azur?"
"Yes, sir! There were so many nice people in the area! And best of all, a film festival was being conducted!"
"Oh! And were you able to attend it."
"Nah. Its invite only. Mister Amon sir got in and managed to get me some souvenirs. Either way, it was still cool because I got to see great people come for the festival! It was so exciting and I got to capture a few pictures on the polaroid!" It was then Gale had noticed the piled up papers and strewn about pencils across the desk. "Sorry. Am I... intruding something important? I can come later."
"No, no!" said Jesse, "You are not, Gale. Please! Show us what you've got us!" Remi nodded.
"Well, in that case! Lets start with the food!"
About 30 minutes went by, with Remi, Jesse and Gale, sat on the floor, accessories, memoirs and other different shapes sprawled on the floor around them. Jesse was dawning a metal olive crown while Remi was nibbling on a slice of cheese all the while Gale demonstrated other exciting gizmos to them. Eventually Gale ran out of objects to share with them and all three began to pack it all up into the box for Jesse and Remi to organise it in their room, later.
Jesse placed the box down by her chair, under the desk. "These are, once again, absolutely amazing, Gale. Thank you ever so much!"
"Nah!" said Gale. "I could never think of not bringing anything back from a new place for the two of you! And Mister Alden for that. Speaking of, would you know where he might be? He couldn't be here, could he?"
"Not now, unfortunately. You'll have to wait till bed time."
"Ah, oh well. I'm going to spend some time with the other engineers at the shed."
"Very well. Have a great time there."
"Okay. Good bye, Mister Remi and Miss Jesse! I love you, Miss Jesse."
"I know, Gale." The other two waved back, smiling. Gale slowed by the door, squinting ever so slightly towards Jesse, before shaking his head and leaving out the door.
Remi nudged Jesse's leg, who was leaning against her desk, teasing her, "What? Not wanting to give back to your boyfriend?"
Jesse gasped, "Remi! Don't joke about that! He is 13 years younger!"
Remi laughed, "Haha! Take a wit, my dear. Besides, he's 23. There is nothing against dating him."
"Remi!"
Two weeks later, early in the morning, Remi would drive, along with Jesse, to the Auguste Yard Engine Sheds to pick up Gale. He has the local service to take from Frankfurt and hence need a ride to the Reid Railway Station in Bulcard. Usually, Gale would have taken his steam locomotive, Beatrix, from the yards to the Bulcard Terminal. However, he would not have any use this day and, he would always prefer to prevent any minute rail traffic as possible. Hence, Gale had asked for a lift and, Remi and Jesse had obliged with no hesitation.
On the long forest ride through, they engaged in small conversation, discussing the potential line expansions across North of Velstrum, since Project Altair intends to add a rail extension of the Orient Iron to Nordland through the SRS. Gale gave his inputs having piloted trains through certain segments of the line, potentially significant to the line. Then they discussed about Alden's most recent case. He was tasked with unearthing an espionage that has been pestering East-Gold town. They laughed at the condition that a Soviet town needs to have its own secret espionage that NATO feels the need to deal with.
"Whats worse," said Remi, "They have quite the crucial policy to do a deep search and Alden would tell me how he has gotten used to having an enema!"
"You are joking!" baffled Jesse.
"No! Truly! Those were his preferred choice of words!"
"A damn Enema? Christ!"
"I know!"
"Next thing you know, he'll probably offer himself for a colonoscopy!"
"Oh, Lord! Don't give me that image! "
"And an Enema is not visceral enough?"
"Whats an Enema?" asked Gale. The two froze, slowly cocking their heads to face him. A calm, uncomforting silence settled in the car.
"Why not talk about something, else?" asked Jesse.
"Good idea." asked Remi.
"Wait, what?" Gale intruded, "No, wait. Whats an Enema."
Jesse turned around in her seat to face him. She had a humble smile as she took his hand, patting it. "Sweetie. If you have never heard of it, you'll never have a need to. So don't worry about it."
"Right." said Gale as he leaned back onto the cushioned seat.
They soon arrived at the railway station. Gale packed up his sachet and got out the car. "Alright, Gale. Have a delightful work day, lad." said Remi.
"Yeah, Gale. Take care." said Jesse
"I will! Thank you once again for the ride." smiled Gale.
"Anytime." Remi called out.
"Alright, good bye, Mister Remi! I love you, Miss Jesse!"
"I know, Gale. Good bye." she smiled. The windows rolled back up and the car proceeded to roll out towards the exit. Gale stood there, his face poignant. With a sharp inhale, he calmed himself down and turned to enter the railway station.
The following week, an express train of passengers had arrived from East-A. Rosalynn would haul the express all the way to Hamburg. Gale had just arrived with his trusted driver, Raimon, has he halted the locomotive, buffer to buffer, with the express. He got down and stretched for a few minute break. Just then, Remi and Jesse walked up to him. "Good evening, Mister Remi! Ms. Jesse!"
"Good evening, Gale!" said Remi. "And thank you for the evening service."
"You really don't have to thank me every time I take a train from here."
"But I must! Its a rather risky job after all."
"Ha ha! Yeah..." Gale laughed nervously. He mumbled through his smile, "Still don't know what that means."
"Don't worry about it." said Jesse, "Besides we have quite the work the following week, you know?"
"You don't say. What would this be, 30 years?"
"30 years since victory day in Velsmark, yes."
"Pretty exciting! I get to go back to my hometown in Bharat!"
"Ah! Speaking of. We have a delightful present for you and your family actually. Remind us of that when you are about to leave."
"Ooh! Well, I won't forget it now!"
"It that for you?" Remi interrupted, pointing to the back of the train. A guard was leaning from the peripheral of the curved platform. He was showing a thumbs up. "Are you leaving early?"
"Three minutes early!" Gale kicked his feet in the air before hoping onto the cabin. A few seconds later the whistle blew, steam bellowed out of Rosalynn from her pistons and the train began rolling. Gale peaked out of the cabin window, waving his window. "Good bye, Mister Remi! I love you, Miss Jesse!"
"I know, Gale! Good bye!" called out Jesse. With it the two turned around and began walking back. "Do you think they'll let him go this time 'round?"
"What do you mean?" asked Remi.
"This is the third time he would have asked to go back to Bharat and the last two times, they had to hold him up with some, 'urgent job.'"
"Right. Some urgent task it was."
"At this point, they'll throw that kid into anything if it means keeping him here."
"And I still do not understand why. Whats wrong with sending him home."
"Well, I do hope he gets to go home this time." Suddenly Jesse jumped to the piercing shriek of Rosalynn's whistle blasting right beside her. Remi and Jesse turned to see the steam locomotive squealing to a stop right next to them. The whole express had reversed.
Gale jumped out of the cabin and stormed towards them, his fists clenched and a deep frown on his face. He walked right up to Jesse's nose, who was now overwhelmed by the sudden confusion. "Say it back." he muttered.
"W-what?" Jesse darted her eyes, dubious.
"Say it back."
"Say it- say what back?"
Gale clutched her shirt collar, "I love you, Jesse! Now, say it back!"
Jesse paused to process. "What."
"SAY IT BACK, DAMN YOU!"
"Christ, Gale! You can't be serious!"
"I keep saying 'I love you' every chance I get! So why won't you say it back!?"
"I- Well..."
"SAY IT BACK! I LOVE YOU, SAY IT!"
"Alright, alright! Jesus! I'll say it." Gale finally let go, pressing his hat against his temple. Jesse said, "Love you too."
Gale turned around menacingly, "What?"
"Love you too. I said it."
Gale pounced onto her again, "Who loves me!?"
"I love you! I love you, too!"
"OKAY! GOOD." Once again letting go. Jesse looked shell shocked at the whole debacle. Just that Gale faced Remi, who's mouth had seemingly shrunk, his eyes bigger than ever. Gale said to him, "Hey. Mister Remi."
A pause later Remi responded, "Yes, Gale?"
"I love you. Mister Remi."
Remi's expression was one of concern and fear but his voice seemed rather cheerful, "I love you too, Remi."
Gale flung his arms outward, gesturing to Jesse as if to say, "There! Was that too much to ask for!" With it, he marched back to the cabin. Rosalynn's whistle blew again and the express shunted forward, for good this time. Five minutes later, the express had clocked 50 kilometers and hour of speed as it left the station. Remi and Jesse were still frozen over the encounter that they had just had the fortune or misfortune of experiencing.
Remi broke it when he noticed the station clock, hung from the platform shelter. "Oh, would you look that! They've departed on time, now."