A/N: Some sappy, sweet brotherly fluff for Skarloey and Rheneas, set after Bucking Bronco ^^ gah, I just love writing these two, old or young 3
….
"Mr. Bobbie...?" Skarloey asked tentatively, watching as his driver finished inspecting him.
"Yes, Skarloey?" Asked Mr. Bobbie, wiping his spanner on a rag. He hadn't needed to use it, he'd just resorted to it as a nervous tic, almost.
"I'm sorry about today, I did try to be good..." Said the little saddle tank, his eyes firmly fixed on his buffers, too ashamed to look at the man he had come to regard as a father and guardian following Mr. Bobbie's engines.
"I know, my boy," replied Mr. Bobbie sympathetically, giving Skarloey a small, comforting smile. "I'm certain we could find a solution to this."
"I just don't feel Very Useful, bucking about like a horse," sighed Skarloey. "Whatever will Mr. Mack say to me, sir?"
Mr. Bobbie shrugged, and replied, simply, that he had no idea.
"You are Useful, though, Skarloey," he added. "you're not a bad engine, you just might need help curing those bounces of yours." He then suggested an additional pair of wheels might do the trick, but they'd need permission to act on this idea.
Before Skarloey could reply, a familiar whistle sounded close by.
"Damnation, Mr. Bobbie, can't you tell him to go away? I don't want to see him." He huffed, glaring in the direction he had heard Rheneas's whistle, wishing he would disappear and leave him alone. The prospect of seeing Mr. Mack was daunting enough without worrying about his brother's teasing.
"Hey, language," Mr. Bobbie warned him. "But I'll talk with your brother."
And, with a final pat to the buffer, he sauntered off, leaving his engine to fight back tears.
...
"Please may I see Skarloey, sir?" asked Rheneas politely, as Mr. Bobbie approached him.
"He's not in the most... forthcoming of moods right now." Mr. Bobbie warned.
"I can handle it, after all, he is my brother." Rheneas replied, calmly. He saw his engineer/surrogate father pause, milling over this suggestion.
"I'll allow you to try," he conceded, praying Skarloey wouldn't get too angry later. "But, for the love of God, do not be unkind to him, Rheneas. He's had a long day already without any teasing from you."
Rheneas looked indignant, but agreed without protest. He understood, after all. Thought the pair did tease each other, it seemed even a friendly jibe was too much for Skarloey's wounded pride- at least, for the time being.
"Very well. Let's go see your brother." Mr. Bobbie said at last.
...
Rheneas chuffed slowly forwards to the shed, where Skarloey was resting. Something in his smokebox melted when he saw his brother, holding back tears.
He was less sympathetic, however, when Skarloey suddenly registered his presence and promptly cursed him, ordering him to leave.
"I understand you're upset, Skarloey, but please, can we talk?"
"No," replied Skarloey, sullenly. "I didn't want Mr. Bobbie bringing you here, and he brought you here, anyway! Now leave me alone, you pest."
Stung, and with his patience wearing thin, Rheneas snapped back "You're so difficult, Skarloey! I'm only trying to help you!"
"Enough, both of you!" fumed Mr. Bobbie sternly. He watched his two little engines scowl at each other in a petulant fashion. "Rheneas, I asked you to not be unkind to your brother, and I do not want to remind you of your word."
"Sorry, sir," Rheneas simmered furiously and Skarloey smirked- which quickly faded when his driver turned to him.
"As for you, Skarloey, I am aware that you wanted to be left alone, but Rheneas is your family. He only wishes to talk to you." He nodded to his younger engine, who began.
"Skarloey, I'm very sorry you're disappointed." Said Rheneas, quietly. "I know how much you were looking forward to taking passengers and pulling coaches, and believe me, I want to give the Directors' train back to you... but..."
"The manager won't allow it." Groaned Skarloey. He glared at his brother. "Why are you being nice to me, anyway?" he asked.
"You're my brother, you dummy," Said Rheneas, softly. "I know you and I argue a lot, but it doesn't mean I don't care about you."
Rheneas thought he saw tears glitter in his older brother's eyes, but they were gone as quickly as they had come. "Why didn't you want to see me?" he asked gently. "I really do want to help."
Skarloey blushed. "I felt silly, Rheneas... you warned me to be careful, and I still bucked and bounced." He muttered, not looking Rheneas in the eye. "I've ruined the day- both for the Directors and for me."
"... I heard about Mr. Mack." Added Rheneas softly.
"It was an accident," replied Skarloey sulkily. "Fell into a bush, he did, after one bounce too many."
The image of Mr. Mack waving his legs in a bush, cursing, and being muffled by the leaves was too amusing for Rheneas, and he began chuckling, despite the sorry state Skarloey was in.
"Called me a "bucking bronco" he did," continued Skarloey, his lip wobbling. "And now the Directors think there's something wrong with me..." and he began to cry.
Rheneas stopped laughing at once. Despite his usual stoicism and stern demeanour, he was a very kind little engine at heart, and seeing his brother dissolve into tears made something in his smokebox twist and squeeze tightly.
"Aw, 'Loey, it'll be alright," cooed Rheneas. He carefully chuffed forwards, before pressing his buffers to Skarloey's, looking into the older engine's eyes, and giving him a warm, kind smile, in the hopes this would help raise his sorrowful sibling's spirits.
And he remained where he was, smiling kindly and making soft, soothing noises until Skarloey calmed down again.
"... thank you, Rheneas." Said Skarloey, quietly. "I feel a bit better now."
"I do apologise for laughing earlier." Replied Rheneas. "It was... poorly timed."
"Ah well, it was funny, seeing Mr. Mack in a bush," Skarloey chuckled weakly. "I just wish Agnes hadn't given me such a rotten look..."
Rheneas suddenly remembered he had heard whisperings of involvement from the coaches in what had happened, and he resolved to stick up for Skarloey tomorrow on his journey.
"Well, I better get ready for tomorrow," he decided at last, and he started to reverse. But as his buffers left Skarloey's, his brother let out a sad whine, like a puppy not getting enough attention. Rheneas was surprised, and he wondered if he should stay.
After all, he did need to get ready for tomorrow. Plus, Mr. Mack had warned him that he was going to talk with Skarloey later, and would prefer to do so privately, so Rheneas had to scuttle off for about an hour to allow for that.
But, looking into Skarloey's hopeful eyes, he realised an opportunity like this might not come round for some time, at least, as they'd be back to fighting again before long. Plus, it did feel nice sitting so close to his brother, simply for the sake of doing so, not because they were forced to. This felt… comforting.
In the end, he decided to stay, at least for a little while longer. Tomorrow's train was just another train to pull, but, as Mr. Bobbie liked to remind him, Skarloey was his brother and his family. That was the important part.
