Shocking Surprise!

INSPIRED BY: Sugoi Jemusu from Twitter

It was a lovely evening on the Island of Sodor, and everyone was feeling cheery and bright. Everyplace was full of joy because it was Thomas the Tank Engine's birthday. Everyone celebrated for Thomas and wished him for a happy year. Everyone was very proud of how Thomas come a long way, especially Gordon. Gordon was proud for the little tank engine. Thomas was now a sensible and reliable engine.

After Thomas's party was over, Gordon and Thomas were puffing down the track to get to Tidmouth Shed. Gordon was very exhausted from pulling the express while Thomas wanted to get some good rest.

…

Once they arrived at Tidmouth Shed, Gordon allowed Thomas to go on the turntable first. After Thomas reversed into his berth, Gordon went on the turntable. Once Gordon reversed into James's berth that was next to Thomas's, they both began to talk. Gordon did want to say "Happy Birthday" to Thomas again but he knew that Thomas got that already from him. So, instead, he said, "Little Thomas, I wanted to say that I am very proud of you.", he smiled to the blue tank engine.

Thomas blushed a bit but managed to smile back at Gordon, "Aww thanks, Gordon!"

Gordon and Thomas smiled for a moment as the two can now spend time as like brothers. Thomas did see Gordon as a big brother, despite Gordon teases him often. Gordon did also see Thomas as his sibling, even though Thomas pulled a lot of pranks. Despite their rivalries, they loved each other very much. They would always help each other whenever one of them was stuck or in danger.

Then suddenly, Gordon was thinking of one question he had in his mind for years now. When was Thomas been created? He had wondered that since the day Thomas arrived on the Island of Sodor. He assumed that Thomas must be created in the 1930s or even the 1940s. After all, he was younger than him. So, without hesitation, he finally asked the question he wanted to know for ages, "Thomas?"

"Yes Gordon?", replied Thomas as he was still cheery than ever.

"What year were you been built, little Thomas?", asked Gordon to the happy little tank engine.

Thomas opened his mouth a bit as he was surprised by the big blue engine's question. He thought Gordon would talk about the good old memories they had or that a question would be something more predictable. But instead, Gordon wanted to know when he was made. After shaking off his shock expression, Thomas smiled again and answered Gordon's question happily, "I was built in 1915!"

Gordon was satisfied with the answer he yearned for and Gordon smiled, "Oh, wow you must be about…."

Just before he could continue his sentence, he went quiet as a mouse as his eyes went wide. Gordon then realised on Thomas's answer. Thomas announced that he was created in 1915. Gordon now went completely dumbstruck. He went awfully quiet for a moment, trying the process on what Thomas had said. Thomas could see Gordon's reaction and he went quiet as well as he wondered what made Gordon reacted this way.

After a minute of silence, Gordon decided to ask the question once again to confirm on what year that Thomas was built, "I-I'm sorry b-but what year were you been built again?"

"1915. Why?", asked Thomas as wanted to know why Gordon was asking him that question.

Gordon's mouth went wide in shock. He just couldn't believe that Thomas was built in 1915. Thomas could see the big blue tender engine's expression and was confused. What made Gordon reacted like this? Thomas couldn't understand it. So, he decided to ask what was bothering Gordon, "What's the matter, Gordon?"

Gordon looked at the tank engine with huge eyes as he began to stutter, "Y-you s-said that y-you were b-built i-in 1915! T-that means I'm… I'm…"

Gordon just couldn't tell Thomas the answer without him stammering. He wanted to say it, but he just couldn't say it out loud or say it without feeling embarrassed. Thomas could see Gordon was stuttering a lot. That was so not like Gordon. Gordon would usually think that stammering was it an indignity move. So, Thomas decided to find out himself, "Gordon?", he asked in a concerned tone.

After a few minutes of stuttering, Gordon gained his usual dignity side just a bit as he still couldn't believe it. Gordon thought for a moment on if he should tell Thomas the reason why he reacted like that or that he should try to change the subject. Knowing Thomas, he knew that Thomas wouldn't stop bugging him until he got the answer he needed. So, he took a deep breath and spoke, "Thomas… I would be honest, but I thought you were built in 1930 0r somewhere in that timeline.", he said honestly.

Thomas was surprised by Gordon's comment. Did he think that he was built in the 1930s? Thomas chuckled as he thought he knew why Gordon reacted that way. He chuckled, "Oh I see. You thought I was built way later. After all, you were been built in 1903 or something.", he smiled as he knew he must be closer to Gordon's age.

But Thomas was wrong, "I was made in 1922!", Gordon cried out loud as he finally exposed the truth to the tank engine.

After that, the sheds went eerily silent for the two engines as the two looked at each other awkwardly. Thomas's eyes went huge as he looked at the big engine with his mouth shut in surprise. He didn't expect that he was in fact, older than Gordon and that Gordon was made way later than him. Gordon, on the other hand, blushed as he gritted his teeth. He felt an immense amount of embarrassment as he was not admitted to the tank engine that he was younger than him by 7 years apart. Gordon now felt for sure that Thomas would tease him or go out telling others that he was older than him. Gordon just prayed that it wouldn't be one of those cases.

After what felt like forever of silence when it's only been a few minutes, Thomas blinked his eyes, "Woah… I didn't expect to be older than you, Gordon but I must say…", Thomas smirked, "That could explain you chuck a tantrum far more often than me!"

Thomas chuckled softly as Gordon rolled his eyes. Though Gordon was annoyed by Thomas's comment, he was still shaking that the fact that he was way younger than him. He knew that he was younger than his brother, The Flying Scotsman but out of all the engines, Thomas was older than him.

He was stunned as he along with Edward and Henry were the first three engines to arrive on the Island of Sodor and he knew that they were one of the oldest engines. But when Thomas showed up, he thought he would be one of the youngest members of the team but instead, he was the younger member, perhaps even younger than Percy.

For Thomas however, he was only laughing because deep inside, he felt shocked. He didn't want to picture himself as one of the oldest members of the team. He knew Edward was older than him along with James and Toby but Gordon, he just couldn't believe it. He now regrets on asking the big blue engine on what was bothering him, and he also wished he never answered the question that Gordon asked.

His birthday now went upside down all the sudden. After Thomas chuckled, he started to calm himself down and looked at the bigger engine, "Gordon? Let's promise not to tell others about this."

Gordon hummed in agreement, "I couldn't agree more, little Thomas… I mean Thomas…"

Gordon was used to saying 'little Thomas' as a nickname or show as affection in a brother like way but now he just couldn't say it without feeling a blush on his cheeks and his boiler started to heat up. Even though they both agreed, Gordon was still shaking to his core. He just wished that it never happened.

…

That evening, all the other engines return and they all wouldn't stop talking about how their day went. They all also talking about Thomas and many memories they had with the tank engine. James especially was saying many positive things about his tank engine, which when Thomas heard, he blushed.

Just hearing their conversation, made Gordon sweat from his forehead as he tried his best to forget about the early conversation he had with Thomas. He just wished they would shut up so he can get some sleep and forget about it altogether, "Alright, alright but I think we should get some sleep for tomorrow. We don't want to cause confusion and delay for The Fat Controller."

The others agreed and decided to get some sleep for the night, "Well then, goodnight everyone.", yawned Thomas.

"Goodnight Thomas!", replied Rebecca cheerfully.

"Have a pleasant dream Thomas.", James winked.

Then one by one, all of them fell asleep except for one engine that couldn't get over it and he couldn't learn to move on, and that engine was none other than Gordon the number four big blue tender engine. He did want to get some sleep for tomorrow's express, but he just couldn't.

…

In the middle of the night, Gordon was still wide awake. He shook very fast as his eyes went wide. He kept saying to himself quietly, "1915! 1915! 1915!"

Rebecca woke up from hearing Gordon's voice. Her eyes were trying to adjust as she groaned. When she looked at Gordon, she felt very concerned for him as he acting very odd, "Gordon? Are you alright?"

Gordon didn't answer Rebecca's question as he kept saying it to himself, "1915! 1915! 1915!"

Rebecca knew that something was wrong with Gordon, "Gordon? Why are you keep saying 1915?", she asked him in a gentle tone.

Gordon gasped as he looked at the yellow tender engine. He knew that he woke her up all because of him not able to forget about what happened earlier that day. Rebecca frowned as she looked at him with sad eyes, "What's wrong?"

Gordon didn't want to admit the truth as he thought it was an indignity move. So, he cleared his throat and made up an excuse, "Uhh, I must have been talking in my sleep.", he chuckled weakly.

Rebecca raised her eyebrow as she didn't buy it as she knew Gordon never talked in his sleep and when she saw him, his eyes were open, and he was visibly shaken. He looked like as if he had a bad dream. Despite she knew it was a lie, she didn't want to intrude him as the others were trying to have some goodnight sleep, "If you say so.", she sighed sadly.

Gordon knew that she was upset as he had lied to his yellow sunshine engine, yet he didn't want to tell her the truth. So, he decided to make a lie that sounded more convincing, "Okay Rebecca. I kept saying 1915 was umm… I found out that's when the railway was built here. I was uhh… surprised."

To his luck, Rebecca fell for it, "Oh I see.", she smiled, "I thought it might be that the fact that Thomas was older than you."

Gordon gasped. Did she know that he was older than him or that she guessed? Either way, he started to sweat profusely. He shook even more and then he screamed out the top of his funnel and cried, "No!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I made this fanfiction as all I discovered on Twitter by a username name Sugoi Jemusu and he posted a meme joke for Thomas being older than Gordon. At first, I thought it was his AU until I decided to research and to my big surprise, Thomas was indeed older than Gordon and its canon! So, I thought to myself that I should make a fanfiction on that and with Sugoi being okay with that, I decided that yes, I will do it!

However in my AU, Gordon is older than Thomas in every AU I made but this a different AU all together but if I can make an excuse, I say that Thomas was built first but didn't come to life until Gordon came to life. So… I hope you like this theory but regardless… in my AU, Gordon is older!

Anyways… I hoped you enjoyed it and I recommended to follow Sugoi Jemusu as he makes wonderful TTTE Arts! :D