Work Text:
GREASEBALL, GREASEBALL, GREASEBALL, THE DIESEL, CHOOSE ME GREASEBALL, RACE WITH ME!!
The coaches’ cheering brought Purse’s attention to the diesel, who had just skated to the middle of the track. He tried to ignore the fact that one of his coworkers – Krupp to be exact – was using his ass like a drum as he stared at the diesel engine, hearing irritated scoffs from his boss. Those scoffs were in regard to the diesel, Purse assumed, seeing as he was the only train Purse had come in contact with that could rival Electra’s own self-absorption. And overconfidence.
But those scoffs were easy to ignore. At least until Greaseball called Joule, Volta, and Wrench over to him and the coaches, locking eyes with Purse for a mere moment.
Electra has stopped him and Krupp from skating over too, even though Greaseball had called for the girls specifically, not him or Krupp. So neither of them would have gone anyway.
Even with Electra stopping him from moving closer, insulting the diesel under his breath, Purse still stared at Greaseball, finding himself…enamoured…with him?
He didn’t recognize the feeling. But he wished he was in the place of one of the coaches, or even one of his coworkers.
He watched on as they danced, focusing primarily on Greaseball though his eyes flicked to the coaches or his coworkers every so often.
And then, Greaseball skated over to where he was standing with Krupp and Electra, offering his hand out.
Electra pulled it back, grabbing Purse harshly by the waist, trying to keep him in place. Trying to keep him from going with Greaseball.
But Purse took Greaseball’s hand anyway, getting out of Electra’s grip with little trouble, a small dent left in his side. Greaseball then skated with him down to the center of the track, spinning him around much in the way he did Pearl.
Purse had a stupid smile on his face and was probably blushing the color of that Red Caboose’s frame at this point, but he didn’t really care, letting himself be spun around by Greaseball, sliding between his legs much like Ashley had not too long before.
He’s spun around one more time, then he’s brought into the rest of the dancing and admiring Greaseball. Frankly he doesn’t mind it one bit, glad to be closer and get a better look at the diesel. He swears he catches Electra giving him a death glare as he and Krupp flip Greaseball off and skate away…and he also swears he catches Greaseball staring at him for a moment or two.
He shook that last thought off, though, following the others in the dancing, skating towards Greaseball when the others did, Greaseball pulling him closer, so that he was right against him. Purse made a show of touching Greaseball’s muscles, fighting off his nerves of being so close to the diesel, also playing into the song and dance like the coaches and the other components had.
Right before the bit ends, Greaseball kisses his cheek.
And that’s when Electra and Krupp skate down from wherever they’d been, and Krupp pulls him along behind their boss as Greaseball and Electra start to argue. Purse still can’t keep his eyes off Greaseball. The diesel raised an eyebrow, looking past Electra to him, and Purse just mimicked it back, still sticking on his boss’ side for the argument, him and the rest of the components backing up Electra.
Then the coaches and freights and even Rusty get in on the argument, turning it into what could be a grudge match, all of them fighting over who was better.
And Purse was not a fan of it, not caring, even though he was an electric and he should be on the side of his boss, he really couldn’t care about the argument. He just wanted to get on with the racing.
But soon after, Electra told him to fetch Pearl, to ask her to be his coach.
And was he going to deny him? No.
So he skated off, hoping he wouldn’t be fired and hoping he would run into Greaseball before he did Pearl.