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“You wet for me yet, baby?”
Now that wasn’t exactly what C.B had expected jumping through the different frequencies on his radio, sitting up straighter in his seat.
Truth be told, the months since the race have been boring at best, and outright unbearable at other times. Not only crashing, but being benched on top of that had given him a slight reality-check he hadn’t been prepared for, and being exiled from the tracks for Starlight knows how long had quickly put the caboose in an almost frantic state of mind. Restless, bored out of his mind, and not to mention lonely. Damn it.
But now…hearing Greaseball of all people apparently talking dirty over the line is almost enough to break through his haze of numbness. Atleast enough for him to consider shutting the radio off and go outside, he’s really not in the mood to hear the diesel butter up another poor gal after Dinah had dumped him.
That is...until he starts to wonder how on earth he could even possess a com-link in the first place. And then he hears the moan on the other side, sultry, whirring, so familiar.
“Mmm, yes, so much.” Electra gasps, and C.B stills as his engine almost jumps out of his chest, core flaring.
Okay, he knew, he knew that they had blown off some steam after the race, having even been in the middle of the damn thing when the electric had leaned over and kissed Greaseball after the crash. But that they’re still doing it? And even like this? He wilts in his chair, rubbing his neck. Electra . Who had flirted with him, who had asked him for help. Him. Not his components, nor any of the coaches. No, he’d asked C.B, trusting him to help him win.
And he’d let the chaos of the finale get to him instead, because he’s stupid.
He’d even planned to try and have a talk with Electra at the party, maybe apologize, go for a new start. Maybe...get to know him better. He’d seemed eager enough earlier, running his hands through his curls and smiling that confident smile.
Instead the Racer had simply brushed him off, leaving him standing by the drinks and instead gone and made eyes at Greaseball. They’d disappeared soon after, gone off for some fun.
“-and I’d want you to hold me.” Electra continues in his ear, and he realises he’s completely zoned off, missing parts of it, and he groans quietly at the Racer’s soft, needy voice. “Would you do that?”
Yes! So much!
“Yeah, darlin’.” Greaseball rumbles, voice a little shaky. “I-I’d press you down, embrace you. Touch that tight lil’ valve of yours.”
He almost wants to yell at Greaseball to be quiet, but then Electra moans again and C.B promptly shuts up. Oh, it’s a shame, such a shame. He’d love to touch that tight- wait, valve?
“Tell me how you’d do it.” Electra urges, and C.B can practically hear the cogs turning in Greaseball’s head.
“Run-run my finger up your folds.” He breathes, and folds? C.B stills again. Is Electra...a girl? But Electra is an engine, that can’t- Is he, she? They? His head is spinning. Has he been attracted to a girl all this time? He doesn’t quite know how to handle that information, he’s never really fancied a girl before…
Or perhaps...they’re just acting out a fantasy? Or maybe Electra is like Pearl? He rubs his forehead, his own arousal waning a bit at his confusion.
Then Electra moans in his ear again, louder this time, and he practically presses his headset to his ear in some strange attempt to hear it better.
“Pump you real slow, just how you like it.” Greaseball continues then, voice sounding a bit more confident. “Pinch the tip.”
“Y-yes.” Electra gasps, breathing harder and harder. C.B’s codpiece quickly grows tight again, and damn, a small part of him actually feels guilty for eavesdropping. It’s been a long few months, has he grown an actual conscience during that time? Oh dear. He moves to his cot, lying down and hugging his knees to his chest while continuing to listen. He kinda wants to stop, but the Racer moaning and whirring in his ear has him locked in place. And then another sound joins the fray, lower, but noticeable.
“You hear somethin’?” Greaseball asks, clearly having heard it as well. Electra chuckles, a little breathless.
“Vibrator.” He answers, and oh, oh. C.B bites his lip, core throbbing. Greaseball thrums long and hard, and okay, damn...that’s kinda hot too.
“Lexi.” He rumbles, almost a little smug. “Can’t come without me there? You need help?”
Lexi...A nickname. Lexi, Lexi, Lexi.
“Ass.” Electra laughs, now and again interrupted by a moan or two. “You’ve lived a truly sheltered life if you think that’s their only use.”
Another thrum.
“Let’s change the game then.” Greaseball says. “Tell me how I’d use that thing on you.”
Electra whirrs, a high and delighted sound. C.B has never heard him make that before.
“I-I’m bound, or held down.” He starts, and the caboose bites his lip even harder.
“Mhmmm.”
“And you’re spreading me open, teasing me.”
“Yeah, baby, you’re so fun to tease.”
Electra chuckles again, voice faint.
“You’d- you would hold it right against me, turning it on, but you wouldn’t enter. You’d make me beg for it, like you always do.”
Greaseball is breathing harder now too, clearly minding his own business while the Racer is speaking.
“Do it now, then.” He groans. “Beg me for it, and I’ll give it to you.”
C.B groans then, pressing a hand against his codpiece. Okay, he needs to take it off. Unbuckling his belt, he listens along to Electra’s breathing, reaching down to touch his core. The Racer whirrs and hums, sounding as if he’s contemplating.
“You know you want it, Lex.” Greaseball thrums. “C’mon now.”
Electra sighs, breath shaky.
“Please.” He gasps, and C.B comes right there in his fist, engine thumping away. Embarrassing almost. He didn’t last long at all...shit.
“Yeah, baby.” Greaseball rumbles, voice so thick it’s almost hard to hear. “Go ahead.”
Whirring again, the vibrations increase and then he only hears Electra. The gasps, the moans, the sighs. Higher and higher, while Greaseball now and again throws in a grunt or two.
“I’m so close.” Electra says, voice so tinny it’s almost painful to listen to directly in his ears. Even Greaseball seems to groan in discomfort, but continues to breathe hard.
“Me too, darlin’.” He grunts, letting out a faint chuckle. “You really get me goin’, even from a distance.”
“Yeah?”
“So fuckin’ hot.” The diesel continues. “So good for me. Wanna be right with you and watch your perfect face as you come.”
Get in line, C.B grumbles to himself, stretching out on his cot, pouting. He wonders what Electra would look like all high-strung like that, all hot and bothered.
“G…” Electra sighs, and then lets out the sultriest sound C.B has ever heard. Starlight. Damn loud though, shit. The Racer all but shrieks as he climaxes, and the caboose actually has to remove the headpiece as he flinches in discomfort. He can hear Greaseball swearing from the line, and when his ears have stopped ringing he quickly returns to the call, biting his hand so he won’t laugh out loud.
“Damnit, Lex. So fuckin’ loud every time.” The diesel grumbles. “Ears are hurtin’ something fierce.”
“Well, I’m sorry.” Electra chuckles, voice a little hoarse. “Big guy like you can’t handle it?”
“You’re lucky I came right before you started wailing.”
Yeah, talk about mood-killer. C.B rubs one of his ears a little. He has no doubt it’d sound amazing in person though… Loud every time, GB had said. Wow…
Electra laughs again.
“Mean.” He tuts, breathing slowly going back to normal. Then he inhales quickly, a surprised sort of sound.
“What is it?” Greaseball asks, but before C.B can hear the answer, there’s a loud crackling in his com and suddenly his whole head is ringing.
Get. Out. He hears all around him, and then suddenly the line is quiet. Engine thumping hard, C.B quickly rips the headpiece off and throws it aside, staring at the tech. Electra...threw him out. Just jumped unto his line like it was nothing and shut him off.
Electrics. He swallows nervously, wondering if the Racer could tell that it was him or if he just felt an intruder. He’s seen the Racer angry and bratty, but this was right out cold. Frightening, almost.
Sighing, he looks up at the ceiling, codpiece discarded and spunk all dried up around his crotch. Ew.
He should clean up, and go outside. Get his mind on something else other than the fact that he’s just overheard Greaseball and his crush have somewhat kinky phonesex. He never knew Greaseball had it in him. Without really thinking, he starts to laugh a little in amusement.
Oh, he could have so much fun with this. He may have blown his chance with Electra, but that doesn’t mean he can’t tease the shit out of Greaseball. Yep, yep, yep.
Teasing GB is easy enough. The minute he’s allowed back on the track he seeks the diesel out in hope of earning back some good favour. Mostly.
He spots the man in question hanging out with his gang, lapping some sun after a long day’s work.
“G⁓!” He calls in a sing-song voice, and the way the big engine all but freezes in place almost makes him burst out loud.
Turning slowly to him, Greaseball looks like he’s trying very hard for some semblance of decency, quickly putting a mask of indifference back in place.
“Yeah, what is it?” He grunts, the other engines around him rousing to throw C.B a look.
“I’m no longer benched, just wanted to let you know!” He salutes jokingly and winks. Tank and Gear grumbles a little while GB just raises a brow.
“Uhu.” He says, grunting as he gets up from the bench, leg still a little sore probably. “Headpiece broken?”
C.B blinks and looks down at the equipment in his hand, still fried and utterly useless. Being put into service again finally allows him to request a new one.
“Yep.” He pouts, kicking at the dirt with his stoop. The diesel thrums and rolls up to him, giving his shoulder a light shove.
“I’ll go with you.”
Huh, he hadn’t expected that. They roll away in awkward silence, until GB thrums again.
“No longer benched, so you’re back in business?” He asks, looking down at him with a strange expression. C.B clears his throat.
“Not that kind, honest!” He holds up his hands when the diesel looks sceptical. “I have been taught my lesson!”
Greaseball just chuckles then.
“Dinah still pissed at you?”
Ah, hit ‘em where it hurts, huh?
“I could ask you the same thing, really.” He smirks back, hiding the jab he’s just received. Dinah’s reaction…..could be a major part in him going clean, yeah…
“Not really.” GB says and straightens up a bit, actually looking pretty pleased with himself. “We’re good, actually.”
Well, that stings a bit. Dinah’s forgiven him and he’s sleeping with Electra. Great.
“Good as in good, or good as in good?” He decides to play along, grinning up at the diesel as he clears his throat.
“We’re friends.” He grunts, but smiles carefully. “I’m fine with that though.”
Yeah, he bet he is, the bastard. Nevertheless…, he’ll be nice.
“Good for you.”
Greaseball thrums then, not in the usual way, but the pleased way. The sound immediately brings him back to the phonecall a week ago, his engine flaring up instantly. Okay, shit, maybe the diesel is kinda turning him on as well...he have to admit. Damn it. C.B squirms as they near the central, hand gripping the headpiece tighter.
“Hey, just talk to Dee.” Greaseball says then as they stop by the entrance. “She forgave me, she’ll do it with you too.”
That could be true…Hm.
“You’re awful cheery, GB.” He mutters, raising a brow. “Seen anything nice lately or something?”
The diesel frowns, shaking his head in confusion. C.B smirks.
“Heard anything then?” And now Greaseball looks even more confused.
“Why would I hear somethin’ to put me in a good-” And now he pauses, juts a second as his cheeks grow redder. “-mood. That’s stupid.”
Sure, sure.
“Whatever you say, big guy!” C.B waves as he slinks in through the door, the look on Greaseball’s face absolutely priceless. So fun!
Rolling back to his shed with new headpiece equipped, he stops in his tracks as he spots Rusty and Pearl by the outskirts, sitting in the grass and...cuddling. Ugh. Pearl kisses the steam train then, making him go all red. UGH. Sweet as candy, what a pair.
That does remind him though…, the coach had raced with Electra, and they’d obviously flirted. Had there been more to it?
Curiosity growing almost unbearable, he starts to make his way over to them.
“Hello⁓!” He tries a little awkwardly, throwing them a salute as he nears. Rusty immediately gets up, expression and posture guarded. Pearl remains, but throws him an incredulous look.
“What do you want?” She frowns at him, reaching up to grasp Rusty’s clenched hand.
Things have been...stilted at best between them since the race. Understandable really, C.B’s not sure he’d feel comfortable around someone trying to crash him either. But it’s not like he’ll do it again! Honest! Problem is, he’s not quite sure how to really show it to the rest of them.
He holds up his hands as a measure of good will, and when Rusty lowers his shoulders a bit he goes for the goal.
“Did you sleep with Electra?” He asks, and as Pearl’s jaw drops and Rusty starts to sputter he has to bite his cheeks to stop from laughing. Oh, their faces are priceless.
“That’s hardly appropriate!” Pearl stutters, cheeks all flushed. Well, that answers that then.
“So you did?”
She scoffs and folds her arms, while Rusty sits down again, cheeks just as red.
“That’s none of your business, C.B.” He says, frowning. “Why’d you even want to know?”
Kicking at the dirt with his stoop again, he shrugs as non-committally as he can.
“Just curious…” He tries, suddenly a lot less sure about this. Why would they even want to tell him anything? “Just wanted to know something, it’s dumb, really.”
Pearl looks at him for a while, and then she raises her eyebrows and smiles in glee.
“He was gonna sleep with you too, right?” She straightens up a bit. “But you never got around to it before the crash.”
C.B stares at her before pouting and folding his arms, promptly looking at the ground.
“Perhaps!” He grumbles. Damn, she’s a lot more observant than he gave her credit for.
“Aw, poor caboose.” Pearl tuts. “Didn’t get the pretty Racer, because you crashed him! Oh, I wonder why you didn’t sleep together.”
“Mean.” C.B pouts even more. Damn it, she has a point though…He has to admit, the coach can hold her own. Gotta respect her for that at least. “I know I screwed it up, don’t have to rub it in.”
“Yeah, I know.” She shrugs, puffing up her hair a little. “I’ll tell you if you want.”
Engine flaring up, he turns back to her, eyes wide. Rusty looks just as surprised.
“Really?”
“Yep.” She shrugs again. “You’re really sorry then? About everything?”
Now wait just a minute, where is she going?
“Why are you asking that?” He asks carefully, and she just looks back at him all smug.
“If you apologize to Rusty, I will tell you anything you want to know.” And here Rusty turns to her, mouth open.
“Really Pearl, that’s not-”
“Yes, it is.” She says, grabbing his hand while still looking at C.B. “Apologize to him, and mean it.”
C.B closes his mouth, pulse racing. He…is sorry. Honest. But damn, it kinda hurts his pride to do it like this, and for a few details of someone else’s sexlife. Usually people would just tell him things all the time, before. He was trusted. Hnn.
He sees Dinah in his mind’s eye then, sighing. He wants to be trusted again.
“I’m sorry for crashing you.” He mumbles, meeting Rusty’s eyes. “I mean it.”
This is so dumb. Sometimes he’s too horny for his own good…
Rusty nods slowly, perhaps a little stunned. That makes two of them.
“Apology accepted.” He says after a while, throwing him a guarded smile. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem…” C.B answers, the whole situation so surreal he hardly knows what to think. Then Rusty gets up from the ground again and touches Pearl’s shoulder.
“I’ll- ehr, I’ll head off. No offence, but I don’t really want to know.” He laughs a little nervously and waves goodbye, skating off.
They watch him leave in awkward silence before C.B immediately sits down in front of Pearl, looking at her intently, smile wide.
“Weeeeell?” He asks, drumming his fingers on his knees in expectation. Oh dear, he’s really desperate isn’t he? No- no, he’s curious, there’s a difference. Pearl just rolls her eyes.
“We fucked, okay. Yes, it was amazing, it was wild.” She shrugs. “I’m not quite sure what exactly it is that you want to know.”
Well, now that he thinks about it...he doesn’t really know either. Shit.
“Just...stuff.” He mumbles rather lamely. “What was he like? What did you do?”
“I’m not gonna tell you exactly what we did!” She flusters. “He was great, he...took charge, he-” She lowers her voice then. “-gave me exactly what I wanted at the time. It was one of the best nights of my life.”
Took charge? That doesn’t sound at all like the demure individual he’d heard over the line, begging GB for release.
He sighs, thinking of the implications. Pearl wanted someone else in control, so he did that. Greaseball surely wanted someone to boss around, so he became that. What would he have been for C.B? He squirms again, readjusting on the ground. Pearl just smirks.
“Frustrated?” She asks, puffing up her hair again. Bitch.
“Oh, shut up.” He mutters, scrunching his nose. “I could still get my chance, you never know.”
Now she just snorts.
“Really? Have you seen the way GB moons around and sulks whenever he’s not visiting?” She giggles. “It’s obvious he’s crushing on him hard.”
That makes him pause.
“Greaseball?” He asks, raising an eyebrow. “Greaseball? Crushing on the superstar? They’re just fucking, Pearl! That’s who he is. You’re pulling my wheels.”
“Am not!” She pouts. “Dinah said-” She quickly covers her mouth then, groaning.
C.B stares.
“Dinah said what?”
Sighing, Pearl folds her arms again, sulking in her seat.
“Nothing. Talk to her yourself.” She starts to get up then, brushing off her shorts as she does. “Imma head out now.”
Hey-
“Just a minute!” He utters. “You haven’t answered all my questions yet!” He frowns at her, getting up as well.
“What more could you possibly want to know?”
“Did he have a dick?” He asks before he has time to think, watching in horror as Pearl just stares at him.
“What?”
He blinks, clearing his throat as his cheeks grow warmer.
“You heard me.” He tries, faking confidence. She just continues to stare before she scoffs, throwing him a teasing wink.
“Guess you’ll have to find out, fucker.” She says before turning to skate off.
Mean!
He guesses that is a dumb question to ask though…And who even knows with electrics? They’re still so new after all. Maybe they’re different than other engines.
Or maybe it was just a fantasy they played out, simple as that. ‘Cause lil’ ol’ GB wants something familiar or whatever…
Speaking of familiar. He should find Dinah…
They’ve talked on and off during the months, but nothing that could truly be seen as them being back on friendly terms. She’s perfectly civil, but maybe a bit reserved.
Maybe it’s time he really made an effort to truly apologize. Or at least have a proper talk.
It’s getting late though...maybe he’ll just do it tomorrow.
Next day, he’s back on the track, and wow, yeah it’s a day’s hard work. Distrustful freight aside, they do calm down a little after he promises he’s a changed van. Flat-Top even congratulates him on his expert pokerface during all these years, in a snide kind of way. He’s tired when he returns to his shed. He’ll talk to Dinah tomorrow!
And so it goes.
He’s not procrastinating! He’s not scared! He’s just busy… Yep, busy. Lots of duties now. Teasing Greaseball one of them, especially when he’s allowed back to the union pacific, sending smug remarks or innocent questions that none of the trucks or coaches would ever pay any particular attention to, but that makes GB all flustered and grumbly. He tries so hard to hide it, but just the fact that C.B sometimes calls him ‘G’ out of nowhere makes him all red is a clear giveaway that the caboose has hit just the spot to jab. Damn, maybe the diesel is crushing. Huh.
Then the storm happens, and C.B spots Greaseball by the entrance of the yard, all stoic and chill in the rain. He wouldn’t stand there if he wasn’t waiting for someone. C.B can take a wild guess...The engine has been on edge all day, kinda distracted and in his own head. He hasn’t even truly reacted to any of C.B’s jabs, which is very upsetting! The diesel must be truly gone… Ugh.
Then he spots a transport getting nearer in the distance, and a really spiteful idea starts forming in his mind.
“Hey, Gear!” He calls, seeing the gang a bit further back. When the engine turns to give him a questioning look, he grins. “I think GB wanted you for something!”
“Really?” Without questioning him further, Gear starts to make his way over to Greaseball, and just as the Racer exits with his entourage, the wet mud beneath his wheels gives away and Electra slips right in front of the two diesels, sending dirt right up his torso and hair.
It’s the most bizarre thing C.B has ever seen, the otherwise so spotless and shiny electric now drenching with mud and rain, and is his hair bluer than before? He clasps a hand over his mouth to stop from laughing. This is just falling right into his palm. Gear laughs out as well, and when Electra hides behind his bodyguard a small part actually feels a little guilty. Not that it’s his fault that the Racer slipped but-
Then Greaseball thrums hard and actually knocks the other diesel to the ground, headbutting him right in the forehead. Wow, okay...that’s...unexpected. Not really what he thought would happen, but there’s still hope as the components quickly surround Electra, refusing to let the diesel come near. Is he gonna leave? Is he gonna-?
Greaseball just rolls through them like a damn tank, and before C.B can react, he’s lifted the Racer in his arms and walks off with him, the Racer all red and flustered.
D amn it.
Okay, so maybe the diesel do have feelings for Electra. Maybe they’re even reciprocated. He’s not quite sure what he thinks about that. Shit, he just wanted to sleep with the electric, and now a bunch of stupid feelings are emerging between them that makes that effort just a little harder.
Couldn’t Greaseball just have fucked him for one night only like all his other damn conquests over the years. Why did he have to go and fall in love?
Electra must be really special...Or maybe they’re just really special together.
He continues to contemplate as he nears his shed, thoughts a little sombre. He’s so deep in his own head that he only barely registers the blue in his periphery, and he stops in his tracks as he spots Dinah sitting on the steps to his shed.
“Hi Cee.” She smiles carefully, straightening up when he approaches. Pulse racing, he smiles back, both fear and excitement fighting to break through.
“Dee.”
The coach gets up from her seat then and brushes off her skirt, throwing him an odd look.
“You shouldn’t tease Greaseball like that.” She says, and oh...she’s just here for that then.
“Hey, I’m just having fun with him.” He shrugs, rolling past her to unlock his shed, trying in vain to look nonchalant. “Nothing wrong with some innocent fun.”
She scoffs, and without warning follows him inside as he opens the door. Just like she’d always do. Before.
“Just as long as that’s all it is.” She says quietly, and C.B stills by the cot, hat clenched in his hands.
“What do you want me to say, Dinah?” He mumbles at first, slowly turning to her, voice growing clearer by the second. “I’m sorry, I’ve said it countless times. I don’t know what more you want? I don’t know what to do.”
Dinah flinches as he lets it all out, and then looks down at her wheels, the cloth of her skirt wrinkly between her fingers.
“I don’t know either, C.B.” She sighs after a while. “You’re my closest friend, but you kept a whole other side of your life from me. A bad side.” She looks up then to meet his eyes. “How do I know which one is the true you? How do I know that any of the things you did for me were genuine?”
He gets it...truly, he does. He doesn’t blame her for reacting like this at all. Still though, it hurts to hear her say these things.
“I-” He starts, then clears his throat. “I may have lied about a lot of things...But I never lied about our friendship.” He rolls closer then, reaching out for her hand, engine flaring as she allows him to take it. “You have to trust me on that, please.”
“I want to.” She says, nodding slowly. “Are you truly sorry?”
He nods quickly, squeezing her hand.
“Yes!”
“And you’ll never do anything like this again?”
Now he shakes his head just as fast.
“Never!”
He means it! He does! Not the best adrenaline in the world could compare to just the tiny speck of warmth he feels at doing something so mundane as holding someone’s hand after months of being in house-arrest. Dinah nods again, smiling that careful smiles she has just for a few.
“Okay, then we’ll go from there.” She takes his hand in both of hers. “I missed you Cee, so much.”
Shit, she’s gonna make him cry. He rubs at his eyes furiously and takes a deep breath.
“Not as much as I missed you.” He gets out before she stands up to hug him.
He doesn’t realise how much he’s missed it before he truly feels her envelope him. She always gave the best hugs. Embracing her tight, he burrows his face against her shoulder and just sighs deeply. Nothing in the world is better than this, nothing at all.
“You still shouldn’t tease GB, though.” She chuckles against his cheek.
“But it’s so easy…” He grumbles, pulling away to pout at her. “Just one word and he goes all red.”
She actually laughs at that, shoving his shoulder as they sit down on his cot.
“Yeah, it’s so easy ‘cause the poor guy’s in love, silly.”
Ah. Confirmed then. That stings a bit, not gonna lie. Still though…
“And what does Electra feel?” He asks carefully, throwing her quick glance before looking down at his wheels.
Dinah shrugs, a sort of wistful look on her face.
“Hard to say. He’s kinda hard to read…” She laughs again then. “When he’s not throwing a tantrum that is.”
That’s true.
“He could just want a good lay.” C.B tries, fumbling with his fingers. “He slept with Pearl, he flirted with me…”
“And me…” Dinah sighs rather bitterly. C.B freezes and turns to her immediately, staring. She snorts. “He literally asked if I wanted to fool around...I said no, of course.”
He right out asked her? Ah, damn.
“Well, you see?” He utters. “Electra’s not interested in a- a relationship! Why drag poor GB along like that?” Taking Dinah’s hand, he nods in encouragement. “We should cut him off before he gets hurt! You don’t want him back? I could help you!”
Dinah just looks at him, mouth slightly open. When the silence between them becomes far too heavy for C.B’s liking he clears his throat awkwardly.
“No?” He adds, and it’s only then that Dinah seems to snap out of her reverie. Slowly shaking her head, she squeezes his hand.
“I don’t want him back, hon.” She smiles. “Honest.”
Well...alright. He feels oddly relieved at hearing that despite the suggestion being his own idea. He never did like how Greaseball treated her after all.
But-
“What about them then? GB would only get hurt.” He tries, and when Dinah looks sceptical he adds; “Hey, he’s my buddy too! Maybe I want to see him happy!”
“’Cause buddies crash each other all the time, right?” She deadpans and raises an eyebrow.
Touché…
“Heat and pressure of the race?” He laughs nervously, and when she frowns he sighs. “Sorry.”
Dinah just shrugs and waves a hand, readjusting on the cot.
“It’s behind us now.” She says, clearly not interested in mentioning anything more about it. Perfectly fine by him. “What’s important is moving forward.”
He blinks in confusion and she smiles in glee.
“I think you’re wrong, Cee.” She rubs her hands together as if planning something truly big. He actually gets a little nervous.
“What?”
“I think you’re wrong about Electra.” She looks up at the ceiling. “I think they both like each other, but they’re being stubborn.”
Hmmmmm.
“No, I definitely think I’m right.” He mutters just a little in defence, pouting at her when she throws him a look.
“I’m gonna help them along.” She smiles in answer, half ignoring his comment as she gets up from the cot. “I have a plan. Or well...several plans.”
Whoa now, he doesn’t really like that at all.
“Will you help?” She asks then. “Up for some tricks and matchmaking?”
Well he’s always up for tricks but- This is the complete opposite of what he wanted! He doesn’t want to bring those two together! He just wants-
Dinah looks at him with joyful expectation, twining her fingers together in front of her skirt. She wants to have him along in this. She wants to bring him in, to trust him again.
“Fine.” He bites out, cheeks reddening when she squeals in joy and embraces him again, pulling him up on his wheels.
“Trust me, it’s gonna work!” She says, dragging him out of his shed again. Oh okay, she wants to plan now.
“If you say so.” He says a little offhandedly, as a plan of his own starts to take shape. Fine, fine, he’ll help Dinah. Truth be told, he’d probably do anything she asked. But...that doesn’t mean he can’t…accidentally sabotage a few things. Just to test! Just to see how strong they really are! Isn’t that good? To see if they’re relationship-material!
Yep, yep, definitely a good plan! He’ll get a new chance with the Racer! Plus that he’ll be by Dinah’s side again. Everything will work out perfectly!
“Hey, hang on.” Dinah says then, turning to him. “How’d you even find out about them? They’re not very discreet but...the things you’ve teased GB about, they’re strangely specific.”
Whoops.
C.B squirms, humming.
“So, I was bored…” He starts as they head away to Dinah’s shed, arm in arm, now and again interrupted by shoves or giggles, or just right out chastising.
Yeah, things are almost like they used to be.
Maybe even better.