Chapter Text
As the Freezer Truck stood before them, Tassita had to stop themself from throwing themself at him in a hug, or bursting into tears, or both. It was him, it was really him, they only had to look at him to know. His eyes weren’t cold and unforgiving anymore, he shuffled nervously from one foot to another.
“I need your help,” he said nervously, “Can I...”
“I have towels!” Belle came back with an entire pile, “Dinah, make some tea, or something warm.”
“You said...” Volta said as Tassita draped a towel over his shoulders, “You said I could...maybe I could stay with you.”
“Of course,” Tassita nodded, looking to their fellow Coaches, “That’s alright, isn’t it? Volta can stay?”
“Of course he can,” Belle said, although she frowned in confusion, “Are you alright, though?”
Dinah placed a fresh teapot and cups on the coffee table and moved away her duvet from the couch, coming back with a spare they had in the cupboard.
“I left,” Volta glanced back at the door nervously, “Electra’s been controlling us, draining us of our charge, I think. Wrench didn’t have time to explain. They’ve never acted like this before, I don’t know what’s happening.”
“Controlling you?” Belle’s eyes were wide, “Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know,” Volta shrugged, hunched over and looking at the floor with a sad, confused, lost expression, “Wrench just told me to run and find Tassita.”
He turned to the Quiet Coach, letting out a sigh, “I said things to you, didn’t I? Things I didn’t mean. I don’t remember much, but I do remember your face…how upset you looked.”
Tassita nodded silently, looking away.
“It wasn’t me,” Volta took their hand, “I promise, Tassita. It wasn’t me. But I’m sorry.”
“So you do want to associate with a broken Coach like me?” Tassita raised an eyebrow.
“More than anyone else in this yard,” Volta started to smile.
A giggle startled the pair of them, and they found Belle and Dinah watching them both adoringly.
“Oh, go away,” Tassita couldn’t help but laugh. Volta, for once, was the one that started blushing. The two Coaches giggled again, and both scurried away to continue setting up a place for Volta to sleep.
“I adjusted my internal system temperature,” Volta said abruptly.
“Right,” Tassita laughed even more, “Thank you for letting me know.”
“I shouldn’t feel so cold now,” Volta squeezed their hand. Tassita had been too busy being relieved that he was alright, they hadn’t even noticed his temperature.
By the time Dinah and Belle were finished, Volta had changed into a spare set of Tassita’s pyjamas, which were thankfully only slightly too short for him. His spiked armour plating was piled up neatly in the corner of the room. He returned to the lounge to find a nest of blankets and pillows waiting for him on the couch. As a finishing touch, Dinah had placed a polar bear plushie in there for good measure, which once Volta touched, realised it was heated.
“It’s going to be cold tonight. I wanted you to keep warm,” Dinah smiled.
“That’s very considerate of you,” Volta nodded, “Thank you.”
“When did you get that?” Tassita folded their arms, eyeing their friend with suspicion.
“...not too long ago,” Dinah was wide eyed, feigning innocence.
“You just happened to have a spare heatable stuffy, a polar bear of all things, for the Freezer Truck?” Tassita started to smile, “Interesting.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dinah shrugged, “Would you like something to eat, Volta?”
“Yes please,” Volta said without hesitation, and Dinah laughed.
“Then lets see what we have in the fridge,” she took his hand and led him to the kitchen, “Anything you want, it’s yours. That’s the rule in this Shed. Any leftovers are free to take whenever you want. I always leave instructions on reheating it too.”
Volta returned to his nest with a hot mug of tea while Dinah prepared the leftover spaghetti bolognese for him. Tassita hovered awkwardly nearby.
“You can join me, if you want,” Volta said. It was Tassita’s turn to blush.
“I should get changed,” they said quietly, and hurried away to their room. Once alone, they sat on their bed for a moment, just trying to even begin to process everything that had happened that evening. What had meant to be a quiet, calm day with their closest friends had become an emotional rollercoaster. They laid back, simply taking a few minutes to breathe and have some quiet.
“Tass?” Dinah’s voice startled them, “Can I come in?”
“Yes,” Tassita sat up, letting out a sigh.
“Do you want something too? To eat?” the Dining Car peeked her head around the door before coming closer.
“I’m not hungry,” they mumbled, “Thank you.”
“Do you want a hug, at least?” she started to smile.
“I think I could manage that,” Tassita held out their arms, and Dinah sat beside them and pulled them close.
“We can look after Volta if you need some time,” she said, giving them a squeeze, “Today has been a lot, hasn’t it?”
“Far too much,” Tassita laughed quietly, “But...I don’t want him to think I’m avoiding him.”
“I think he’s ready to get a good night’s sleep anyway, I’m sure he won’t mind,” Dinah pulled away, “We can explain, if you’re okay with that.”
Tassita nodded, “Tell him I’m sorry. I’m not upset with him.”
“He’ll understand,” Dinah kissed their cheek, “I’ll bring you some tea to help you sleep. And I’ll heat up your dinosaur!”
“You got the polar bear for Volta, didn’t you?” Tassita smirked.
“Maybe,” Dinah grinned, “Look, maybe I correctly predicted that we’d be seeing more of him soon enough, that he might perhaps be an overnight guest eventually.”
“And if you were wrong?”
“I wasn’t, though,” she said triumphantly, hugging the dinosaur to her chest with one arm and grabbing Tassita’s hand with the other, “I’ve never seen you be like this around anyone else, Tass. You like him and he likes you. He’s enamoured with you! I think you’ll be great together, I mean that.”
Tassita looked away shyly, “Even after I messed up?”
“Oh, please,” Dinah smiled, “You kissed him and ran away, and he’s still come running back to you. This is all new to you and he knows that, it’s new to him too. Give yourself a chance!”
Tassita shrugged, “I suppose.”
“I’ll get your tea,” Dinah squeezed their hand and got to her feet, leaving them alone once more. They changed into their pyjamas and nestled under their blankets, and Dinah returned to them with their favourite mug.
“You look so cosy,” she smiled, placing it down on the bedside table, “Volta told me to tell you he understands, and thank you for letting him stay.”
“How could I kick him out?” Tassita took a sip of tea, “If he’s left Electra then...he has no one.”
“He has us,” Dinah said, “More importantly, he has you.”
“Stop,” Tassita smiled bashfully, and Dinah giggled.
“Get some rest, alright?” she patted the blankets, “Belle, Pearl and I have to start early, but I’ll leave yours and Volta’s meals for you in the fridge when you want them. We’ll be back mid-afternoon, I think.”
“Dinah,” Tassita said, putting the mug down for a moment, “Did...Belle tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
Tassita sighed, lowering their voice, “She broke up with Hydra.”
“What?!” Dinah almost shouted, before quickly correcting herself, “No, no! Oh, Belle!”
“Don’t say anything,” Tassita said in a hushed voice, “But...we have to fix this, right? It’s kind of our fault it happened, even if she won’t say it.”
“We always tell her not to run around looking after us,” Dinah sighed, “I didn’t think it would come to this.”
“Both of them are devastated, if we can just get them to talk to each other,” Tassita shook their head, “Everything is such a mess right now. I hate that Belle felt she had to sacrifice something so important.”
“We’ll work our magic,” Dinah said hopefully, “We will. But not right now. Get a good night’s sleep, we’ll draw up a plan when I get home tomorrow.”
“And you and Greaseball?” Tassita asked cautiously, and Dinah’s face fell.
“I...I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I overreacted, massively. But we haven’t talked, and now she’s working with Slick to try and hurt Rusty? It’s not like her, I don’t know what’s happening to her.”
“You’re telling me,” Tassita sighed.
“Sleep,” Dinah said, tucking the blankets over them and playfully tousling their hair, “We can worry about our three complicated love lives another time.”
--
Tassita woke early the next morning, having woken up multiple times in the night. At one point they’d gotten up to fetch a glass of water, and hesitated as they passed through the lounge. Volta was fast asleep, cuddled up in his many blankets with the polar bear tucked under his arm. He looked so peaceful, relaxed, more relaxed than he’d ever looked. Perhaps this was the first time he truly felt safe. They didn’t linger long, afraid of him waking to find them watching him sleep, and returned to their room. They completely forgot about the glass of water they’d set out to get.
The other Coaches were already gone, a covered plate of breakfast and lunch each for Tassita and Volta waiting in the fridge. Tassita got to work on preparing the breakfast for the two of them, pouring a glass of fresh orange juice each.
“Good morning,” Tassita said, noticing Volta stir as they placed the plates of pancakes and fruit on the table in front of him. The Freezer Truck yawned and opened his eyes sleepily, “Did you and your new friend sleep well?”
Volta, and his sleep-addled mind, blinked in confusion until he looked down at the polar bear.
“I don’t think I’ve ever slept better,” he said quietly, “But this is a toy, it doesn’t sleep.”
Tassita grinned, “Scooch up, then. Dinah made us pancakes.”
“You’re lucky,” Volta shifted over to allow them to sit, reaching for his plate, “You get to have Dinah’s cooking every meal of every day?”
“I was raised by a Dining Car for the first fourteen years of my life, and then a Buffet Car, and then I’ve lived with another Dining Car ever since,” Tassita smirked, “You could probably say I’ve been thoroughly spoiled my whole life when it comes to food.”
Volta eagerly tucked into his breakfast, while Tassita picked at theirs. As they sensed Volta watching them, they gave up entirely.
“You’re not eating much,” he said as he put down his empty plate. Tassita immediately put down their plate next to his, avoiding his eyes, “Tassita?”
“I’m not that hungry,” they shrugged lightly, “I never eat much for breakfast anyway. It’s fine.”
“Did I do something wrong?” Volta asked quietly.
“No,” Tassita said quickly, “It’s not you, you didn’t...”
They sighed, “I’ll put the plates away.”
“Tassita,” Volta gently took their arm, “Tell me what I did. Please.”
“You can have the rest of mine, if you want,” Tassita held out their plate, “Dinah hates food waste. She understands that I...but still, it’s better if there’s less to throw away.”
“Tassita,” Volta took the plate, “You’re avoiding the question.”
“Because you’ll think it’s stupid,” Tassita looked away.
“I won’t,” Volta frowned, “I promise, I won’t.”
Tassita huffed a frustrated sigh, wrapping their arms around themself.
“I guess I’d have to tell you sometime,” they mumbled, “I don’t...I struggle with food, alright?”
“Why would that be stupid?” Volta looked at them in confusion.
“Because it feels stupid,” Tassita shrugged, “Another thing to prove I’m anything but normal.”
“What’s normal anyway?” Volta said, unsure whether he should actually finish the leftovers from Tassita’s plate.
Tassita sighed, “If it doesn’t look right, if the texture is off, I can’t eat it. I don’t like people watching me, commenting on what I eat or how much. I’d gladly just eat plain pasta, if Dinah wouldn’t lecture me for it. At least that’s always the same.”
“I’m sorry,” Volta said quickly, “I didn’t realise, I just didn’t want you to be hungry, I thought maybe something was wrong and-”
“It’s fine,” Tassita gave them a reassuring smile, “You didn’t know, it’s not your fault.”
They looked at Volta eyeing the leftover pancakes and laughed, “I meant it, you can have the rest.”
He didn’t need telling twice, and Tassita watched in amusement as the Freezer Truck finished the pancakes in record time. They took the empty plates and washed them up, grateful that at least there was no food waste for Dinah to worry about.
Returning to the lounge, they smiled at themself at the sight of Volta still nestled up warm in his nest of blankets. The polar bear poked it’s nose out, and Tassita realised he was still holding it.
“Did you make a new friend?” Tassita flicked it’s nose as they sat beside him again.
“It’s warm. Or it was before I fell asleep,” Volta said, “I feel it now. Being warm. It’s...nice.”
Volta held open the blankets for them, and after a moment’s hesitation, Tassita moved closer and shared them.
“What happened, Volta?” Tassita let out a sigh, “After...after we...”
Volta shifted awkwardly, “I don’t remember much. I...I sat there for a little while, I know that. And then...”
He looked at Tassita with wide eyes, “Porter was there.”
“Porter?” Tassita frowned, “Where? Was he waiting at the gate for you?”
“No...no he was there, at the Unit. With Electra,” Volta said, “He didn’t say anything, he just...smirked.”
“He told Electra about us,” Tassita’s hands balled into fists, “He must have. Because he’s jealous and can’t just let it go.”
Volta shuddered, “And then...that’s all I remember fully until the explosion on the tracks. Wrench said it interrupted the signal...I had something around my neck that she broke off. I think that was keeping me under Electra’s control, it must have been.”
“They can’t do that,” Tassita said, “They can’t control you like that, you’re not their possession, you’re your own person.”
Volta sighed, “But we were made to serve them.”
“Are you sure, or did they just say that to keep you compliant?” Tassita said in frustration.
“I don’t know,” Volta shrunk in on himself, started to disappear into the blankets a little, “I don’t know anymore.”
“I’m sorry I left you,” Tassita said with a sigh, “If I’d been there, maybe-”
“It still would have happened. I still would have headed to the Unit alone, so you weren’t seen with me,” Volta shook his head, “But we would have parted on better terms, I suppose.”
“I’m sorry,” Tassita wrung their hands, “I...I panicked, I didn’t mean to run, I...”
“I guessed as much,” Volta started to smile.
“I don’t regret it,” Tassita said quietly, “The...kiss.”
“Neither do I,” Volta watched as they shifted closer. Their hand slipped into his.
“I...I really do...” Tassita paused, “You mean a lot to me, Volta. And...”
They held onto his hand, trying to find the words. Volta gave their hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
“It just all happened so fast. I wasn’t thinking and then I panicked and everything was too much,” Tassita sighed, “And I left you out there alone.”
“I know,” Volta said, his voice soft, “I saw the panic and confusion. I wish I’d tried to stop you. Because I would have told you that you mean a lot to me, too.”
Tassita smiled shyly, “I...this is all new to me. I don’t...I don’t really know what I’m doing. So, it might be best if we don’t rush things.”
“It might be no surprise for me to say it’s all new to me, too,” Volta smirked, “And I agree. We can take our time, take as long as we need.”
The two of them spent a quiet day together, Volta selecting another few books from the shelf while Tassita picked one from their small unread shelf in their room. They remained under the blankets; the polar bear nestled between them. It felt so much like the past few days hadn’t happened, that it was just another day of them spending time with one another. The hillside felt too risky, not wanting to risk Volta being caught but also, for Volta, he didn’t want to use too much of his charge. Remaining on the couch and quietly reading was an ideal activity to ensure his power was conserved. He still had a fairly good level remaining, there was no need to worry Tassita just yet. For all he knew, Wrench would find a way out for herself and Joule and come to offer help before things got critical.