Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A lot of things changed when the freezer truck and the Sleeping Coach met each other.

The two met on a race night during halftime, and both were simply watching the races, being off for the week.

Volta was sitting down, sipping on an elderflower, when a coach approached her table, asking

“Sorry, mind if I sit here?”

“No. Sit.”
Volta answered quickly, gesturing towards the open seat.

The coach sat down, then looked at the truck. It seemed like she was analysing her next move, then proceeded to ask

“So, who are you?”

“I am Volta, Electra’s freezer truck.”
They replied almost sternly, trying to put as much friendliness into their tone as possible - though they were never really good at that. Or really speaking in general.

It seemed, though, that the coach got their memo, and smiled warmly. (‘She should do that more often.’ Volta thought absent-minded-ly)

“I’m Belle, the sleeping coach.”
Belle replied softly, looking into their eyes. They were cold, but in a way of a nice, fresh ice cream, not like frost which consumes and rots everything in its path.

Volta tried to forward the conversation, asking Belle

“So. How come you’re not racing?”

“Simple answer would be I get drowsy sometimes. I wouldn’t want to cause a crash by simply being tired, y’see, so I race far less frequently than my fellow coaches.”
She replied, taking a sip of a hot beverage that had seemed to be in her pocket the whole time.

“Suppose it comes with the profession then.”
Volta joked, though it seemed to come off as more of a cold retort when they said it aloud.

Seemed again though, that Belle caught onto Volta’s well meaning, and giggled tilting her head when she done so. (That smile again. Volta seriously needed to see that more. They loved to see it.)

Volta continued
“I get it though. I’m not allowed to race in the particularly cold weeks of winter, they’re worried I’ll freeze the tracks due to my below average body heat.”

The two talked for a while, getting lost in each other, simply talking about life, and their interests, and such useless tidbits. And when Volta didn’t feel like talking anymore, just not being used to talking so much, Belle went along with it, telling them a story or simply sitting in comfortable silence.

(Volta noticed, that Belle didn’t really care about their cold demeanour. It was usually only the other components who could see past her frosty front, and see that she is actually quite well meaning & sincere. Usually trainfolk would see her short, and / or straight answers, and just think that they’re being rude, when they’re just trying their best.)

(Belle noticed Volta. Belle noticed a lot about Volta. But especially how they seemed cold on the outside, but if you looked a bit past their neutrality in voice & expression- most of the time. When Belle could make them laugh, or even just smile, it was the sweetest thing ever. They would tilt their head down, and try to hide it.

But it was also the fact that Volta didn’t seem to think Belle was babying them. Sometimes when Belle would speak to trainfolk, they’d think she was being too sweet, and was just outright making them feel like a child, which was never her intention at all. But Volta never noticed. They saw her as simply being sweet, which was her only intention. At least she thought that they didn’t.)

Eventually as all things do, their time was cut short by an announcement of

“This is Control! Race resumes in one minute! Race Resumes in one minute!”

The two groaned at the announcement, clearly wanting to spend more time with each other. They looked to one another with sad glances. Volta made a decision.

“Do you have a radio signal I could pitch into? And would you like to see each other again some time?”

“I would love to. Mine is 97.3.”
Belle replied happily, mood lightened by the fact that they wanted to see her again.

“Mine is 105.7. Goodbye Belle.”
Volta replied. Mouth twitching up and eyes softening (which Belle was very much elated to see.)

The two skated their seperate ways, Belle shouting back at them

“See ya Volta!”

Chapter Text

The two would meet again (and again, and ag- you get the point.) They would use their radios to check in on eachother to see when the other was free, and then go through with it. Sometimes one would have a restless sleep, so the other would offer to stay until morning. Thats just how they were.

The mutual pining was horrific to warch for people that had figured them out. Whenever one would be in a bad mood, no matter what, it would always be lifted when they saw the other. When they weren’t hanging out with each other, they were chatting on the radio, dopey smiles on their faces - to which the two would be lovingly bullied about by their peers.

And it only got worse. As time went on, the two got more comfortable with physical contact and casual flirting, Volta almost always staring dreamily at Belle, Belle always making a move to cuddle Volta, the two were simply insufferable to be around unless they were in a horrific mood. (Which never lasted long anyway.)

It ended up being Volta that asked out Belle, to everyone’s surprise (and relief. If the two had continued their mutual pining any longer, everyone would’ve gone mad.)

Belle was ecstatic of course, thinking that the two would never actually get together, much to the freezer truck’s surprise.

The Sleeping car had said yes quicker than any train should be able to, and the two promptly kissed… and then made out, Belle sitting on Volta’s lap, pushing them forward onto the sofa, much to their delight.

The feeling was electric. It was restful. It was powerful. Relieving.

Volta felt drowsy and cosy in Belles touch, one hand stroking their cheek, the other running through their Chelsea Cut. Belle handled them with careful care, and Volta sweared down they could die right then and there, tongue intertwined with their crush’s, and they’d be happy. They had realised in that moment, that they were absolutely obsessed with the sleeping coach, and they also realised that that obsession was reciprocated.

Belle never felt more alive, occasionally feeling their electrics prickle at her lips or where they touched her back or scalp. Their lips and hands were freezing, but she couldn’t care less at that point - she was on cloud fucking nine! She felt like she could kiss them silly, and still more. She was absolutely infatuated with the freezer truck. She noticed every little tidbit about their personality and their body, and their schedule, and she was elated to see it was reciprocated.

The two drank up each other like ambrosia, until there was nothing left to drink. They knew they both looked like an absolute mess, but they were their beautiful mess, so neither cared. The two were left panting and hot by the end, resorting to simply laying on the sofa together until they could be bothered to get up again.

The two’s relationship didn’t change all that much, apart from a few previous boundaries from friendship being allowed to be broken. The first time the two slept together properly, cuddling, it was like a puzzle, Belle’s warmer than average body heat warming up Volta’s colder than, and vice versa.

Both had also brought each other to meet their families.

The Electrics quickly got used to a new member of their family, and a sweet one at that. Belle was a particular favourite for Krupp and Killerwatt, both relieved in the fact that she was no active threat, and was quite calm.

The Coaches were relieved that the two had finally gotten together, Ashley and Tassita joking that they were the one that Belle had fallen hopelessly in love with? Really?? All that, just for a simple freezer truck??? To which Buffy & Pearl rolled their eyes at, and Carrie & Dinah snorted at.

Belle also brought Volta to meet her mother, Drowzi, and her auntie Duvay. The two were happy for them, and found Volta to be good for her. They also found out that day, that Volta is a very good cook.

The two decided on not telling the engines or freight, letting them figure it out themselves (Brexit and CB had already realised though. Brexit was a crap racer, but you could count on him to clock anyone. And the bloody Caboose just had his ways.)

The two were a perfect match. They knew that. And so did everyone else.