#compolyule

[itsnotamatterofif]

I will hold my hands up and say I misread this slightly anon I’m so sorry 😭 you can have wrench and one other electric which I elected as Joule, sorry I didn’t bring in the whole gang. I hope this is okay for you anyway!

Send me some characters and a prompt and I’ll write you a Drabble!

Watching Wrench at work is always fascinating.

Electrics are always elegant - Joule knows this better than anyone - but watching Wrench busy about her office, fluid like water as she twists around flatbeds and stations covered in various tools and resources, is like watching a ballet dancer in the midst of her craft. Focused and dedicated, Joule can’t take her eyes off her as she dances, clearing up the remains of a hard day’s work with hoovers for the metal filings and cabinets full of records for every truck, coach, and engine in the yard.

“C’mon Wrenchie,” Joule drawls, foot swinging in the air where she’s perched on one of the various surfaces around the repair shed, “you’ve been at it all day, and Volta’s waiting for you to begin evening relaxation - something about a human film he found that he wants us all to watch.”

All Wrench does is hum, not even bothering to look over.

“Love to tell you what it’s about, but I can’t say as I cared enough to listen to his explanation,” Joule continues, filling the air as Wrench continues to clear up, “something about a model? I dunno’, a weird biopic I assume”

As she pauses for a response, there’s once again silence from the shed; Wrench now has her nose stuck in a book, a discarded one that she’s only just decided is interesting again, blatantly ignoring whatever Joule is saying. Starlight knows how much she loves the lot of them, but Wrench doesn’t half know how to press her buttons sometimes.

With a roll of her eyes, Joule leans back against the cold wall of the shed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. “Did you hear a word I just said?”

“Mmhm,” Wrench replies immediately, robotically, “Volta. Movie. Biopic. Sounds boring.”

“And your book is infinitely more interesting?” Joule asks sceptically, “C’mon, ‘Lecca asked me specifically to bring you home, you’ve been at work for ages and we miss you.”

“These stock aren’t going to fix themselves,” Wrench mutters, playing with the corner of the book absentmindedly, “and yes, the production of Hydrogen from inexhaustible supplies of fresh and salt water using microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells is more interesting - that tanker might be annoying but he has some interesting ideas. Improbable, but interesting.”

Fuck, Joule hates it when Wrench feels like she has to prove that she’s smarter than everyone else; it doesn’t happen often, usually when she’s too tired to put on that mask of interest in anything outside of her work, and although Joule knows it’s not intentional, it’s frustrating sometimes for the knowledge alone that it means Wrench has been exhausting herself again. Unsurprisingly she keeps getting stuck in the same cycles of work and research until she can barely keep herself standing anymore, but thankfully by now they’ve all learned the signs.

“Alright, you’re not making any sense,” Joule concludes, pushing herself to her wheels as Wrench finally looks up from the text for a moment before looking back down again, “so I think we might be skipping Volta’s shitty movie and getting you straight to bed-”

“I don’t need to go to bed,” Wrench interrupts calmly, still not looking up the book as Joule skates over, “I’m quite alright, Joule, just tell the others to start the film without me.”

“Nah, not going to do that,” Joule states, and finally Wrench looks up, eyes wide and innocent, “you’re coming with me - when was the last time you actually finished reading that page? I’ve been watching you for at least five minutes now, and I don’t think I’ve seen you turn the page once.”

Now that Wrench is looking up at her, it’s clear how exhausted she is, from the dullness of her visual LEDs to the slightly disjointed appearance of her hair. Rarely on the busier days does she get time to herself, and each of the components have made trips similar to Joule’s to try and lure Wrench out of the shed to varying degrees of success.

“It’s a complex subject matter,” Wrench argues weakly, but offers no resistance as Joule gently tugs the book out of her hands, threading the ribbon through the spine to place it to one side, “if I don’t finish the paper, I won’t have a grasp of the concepts before the meeting with the chemist next week.”

“And you can finish it tomorrow,” Joule assures, taking Wrench’s hands to begin leading her out of the shed; almost immediately as the book is down, Wrench visibly sags, deep breath shuddering through her vents as she leans against Joule for a bit of support, “you’ve only got our check-ups tomorrow, right? We’re all good, shouldn’t take you longer than an hour or so, and then that’s all afternoon to read about your stupid fuel cells.”

“They’re not stupid,” Wrench grumbles, and meanders over to click the lights off as Joule begins to lead her out of the shed, “they’re fascinating, and have the potential to be highly efficient.”

“Sure.” The shutter is gently tugged closed behind them, and she watches as Wrench reacts in discomfort to the sudden darkness of the world outside as well as the stark lights of the repair shed being shut off. “You can tell me about them as I get you home, but as soon as we get in, you’re resting-”

“Could we all go to the Master’s room?” Wrench asks quietly, almost as if she’s nervous to ask, but Joule can’t help but smile widely, “when I got in last night everyone was off doing their own thing, but it’s been a while since we were all together.”

“I’ll check with ‘Lecca,” Joule confirms happily, immediately worth it to see the pleasant smile blooming on Wrench’s face, “but you know Wattsy and Volta definitely won’t say no - his stupid film can wait.”

If Wrench’s hand tightens around hers, neither of them say anything.