It was a hot summers day in the outback of Australia. Visitors and tourist alike were looking for shade rather then any sort of entertainment outside as they much rather preferred to stay indoors for this hot day. Very few people besides the rangers and station men was seen outside under the hot sun.
Workmen as well as station masters warned that if the weather got anymore intense that there would be a possibly that they would have to shut down the line for the day until the heat backed off. Sitting in the middle of a sandy dirt ground with little to no shade or buildings that wasn't in town proved to be giving the railway a hard time.
Shane was already somewhat awake sitting at one of the nearby stations with Aubrey and Aiden,the two clearly wide awake, complaining about the heat. "Its hotter then a oven out here today ey Shane?" Aiden asked with a smirk.
Shane didn't answer back "Shane?" Aubrey asked slightly leaning to the left. "Huh? Oh yeah.." Shane yawned. "Did you stay up all night again Shane?" Aubrey asked with a grin on her face. "Maybe he couldn't sleep because he was afraid a scorpion would crawl into his cab again!" Aiden laughed.
"Knock it off you two! And I slept fine, thank you" Shane snapped at the two. "Then how come you seemed so tired this morning?" Aubrey asked. "Okay I'll admit it i couldn't sleep too well last night because of the heat but I'm fine now i swear" He answered trying to assure the two.
The two knew he wasn't good at lying but ignored it just this once. "If you say so…." Aiden answered as very few passenger's climbed on board as the station master blew his whistle as Shane slowly puffed away to the next station. "Man, not many people wanted to travel today.." Aiden mentioned.
"You know you're right we've barely had any passengers and this is the first stop of the day!" Aubrey chirped. "This is just the first trip of the day you two! I'm sure they'll be more passenger at the next station" Shane said with slight reassurance to the two.
"And if there isn't?" Aiden asked. "We'll then will have to keep trying!" Shane said before picking up speed along the rails. "All though i do hope Tamika is having better luck then we are this morning…" Shane softly mumbled to himself as they continued on to they're next stop.
Down at the rainforest Tamika was assisting Ranger Jill with a group of passenger's giving them a small tour of the forest as well as showing them the wildlife along the way. Thanks to working in a forest there was a lot of shade including greenery as well as a good breeze from the fall water followed by all the trees giving them shade from the hot sun above.
Tamika was currently sitting at the end of the bridge with her two green coaches watching ranger Jill show some visitor's a small kookaburra. "There are many here in the rain forest but this one is are little travel buddy" Jill mentioned lightly lifting her arm the bird was sitting on.
"The reason he's special is because we once had to save him from a chip bag" Jill joked getting a good laugh out of the tourist. "But seriously folks if you ever go camping please don't leave any trash laying around that animals could get into"
"As well as campfires" Tamika mentioned. "Yes! Please always remember to double check that your campfires are fully out before leaving, we already had one forest fire because of one i don't think we'd like to have another" Jill chuckled as the kookaburra on her arm flew away.
"Alright i believe that's all for today folks thank you all for joining us in are little wildlife tour!" Jill waved at the tourist as they all boarded Tamikas coaches. "Speaking of finished tours for the day now that we're done early i need to head down to the same station you'll be taking them, you don't mind if i ride along do you Tamika?" Jill asked turning towards her.
"Of course not, beats sitting out in this hot sun all day" Tamika smiled as Jill chuckled. "You're right about that" Jill said as she climbed into Tamikas cab before Tamika softly whistled as she left towards the station; little would she know that Shane was also heading towards the same station.
Meanwhile Shane was patently waiting at the station. Due to the hot weather the tracks not far from the station was reported to be bending under the heat and it needed to be inspected right away cancelling any trains that needed to go to the Red center.
"How long is this going to take? I'll probably run out of water by the time we finally leave!" Shane remarked. "On the bright side Shane if they do momentarily shut down the lines we get the rest of the day off in are sheds!" Aubrey chirped happily. "As much as im glad about the thought Aubrey, i have other plans that require going to the Red Center today" Shane inquired.
"Like what mate? We don't have any short cargo trains to be taking past the Red Center today so what was you planning Shane?" Aiden asked. Shane quietly blushed not answering his question as the soft sound of Tamikas whistle approaching caught their attention.
"Tamika! Its good to see you! But aren't you supposed be back at the rainforest right now?" Shane asked as Tamika slowed to a stop to the left of him. "We ended up ending the tour early due to the very few passenger's and i had to bring Ranger Jill here anyway" Tamika softly chuckled.
"At least you've been having more luck then we have" Aiden scoffed confusing Tamika. "We've barely had any passengers and now the line towards the Red Center is possibly going to close for the rest of the day" Aubrey finished.
"I hadn't heard of that news yet but I'd consider it a good thing if they do mate! Then you all could go back to your sheds to relax for the remainder of the day ey?" Tamika softly smiled. "I think the two was already considering that thought" Shane chuckled with Tamika.
"Speaking of which you don't mind if I momentarily stay with you in your shed just for tonight? Mines currently being fixed" Tamika softly smiled. "We'll uhm…" Shane stuttered looking away as his cheeks flushed a slight red.
"I don't see why not" Shane softly chuckled attempting to hide his blush. "Oh yay! You'll have lots of fun Tamika!" Aubrey smiled with excitement. "Oh yeah with these two being there as well they might not let you sleep tonight" Shane teased as Tamika chuckled.
"Do not!" Aubrey protested. "Don't listen to Him Tamika you'll have fun and we won't annoy you to no end like Shanes saying" Aiden smiled. "Its fine you guys Shanes just teasing anyway, i know you both won't keep us up unless we ask you of course" Tamika smiled.
"Seeing that are jobs are already done for the afternoon how about we just head on back to are sheds ey Shane?" Aiden asked. "I don't see why not" Shane smiled. Once there was no more passengers on board the station master blew his whistle and the four left the station heading back towards the sheds across the sand like ground.
Once the four arrived Tamika was surprised to see it was somewhat like her own shed however her's was surrounded by trees rather then nothing but a sand ground. Aiden and Aubrey had a small tree growing next to them that had always kept them shade so Shane made it a habit to park them next to it considering how they always complained about the heat.
"I didn't think you're shed would be just like mine just uhm… more wider and much more room…" Tamika trailed off as she slowly backed into the shed next to Shane, still somewhat admiring the shed itself. "It's comfortable enough for me especially during those hot days like today" Shane softly chuckled.
"Though you should've been here when Shane complained about the shed not having doors as well as a back wall" Aiden chuckled with Aubrey. "It was just one time and it was because of a scorpion so what?!" Shane argued back, making Tamika chuckle.
"Tamika, you know alot about wildlife tell Shane that the poor thing just wanted a place to sleep for the night and not to harm him!" Aubrey asked. "And that place to sleep at had to be right in my cab?" Shane unamused asked as his and Tamikas drivers left for the day.
"We'll scorpion do usually like to sleep in warm areas of the night so the heat from your firebox must've still been keeping your cab warm which would explain why the little fella decided to sleep there" Tamika giggled.
Shane softly blushed from embarrassment before looking away. "See i told you the little fella meant no harm!" Aubrey said. "Okay maybe not but its still scary waking up to find that in your cab!" Shane argued. "Im with Shane on that it's not always fun but animals usually aren't there to hurt anyone unless you provoke them" Tamika mentioned.
"Is there not anyway to keep this from happening?" Shane asked in a hush tone of voice. "Im afraid not and i don't think throwing water in your firebox to cool it off any faster will help either" Tamika softly giggled with a soft blush. Shane softly groaned out of annoyance "oh well at least we know why it was there in the first place" Shane chuckled.
"Speaking of embarrassing moments, did I mention the time Aiden thought it would be a good idea to have a lizard follow us from station to station only to almost get bitten by him?" Shane teased as Aidens face softly turned red. "Okay okay! Yes i did do that but it was a slow day so you had to admit Shane there was nothing else fun to do" Aiden admitted as Shane and the other's chuckled.
The rounds of teasing and bringing up embarrassing moments for the four of them went on until the sun started to go down as the sky started to get dark as the two coaches finally had enough of teasing for the day and drifted off to sleep leaving just Tamika and Shane awake.
"Do they usually tease you about a lot of things like that?" Tamika asked with a soft smile looking up at Shane. "Its all just fun in games but yes they usually do" Shane softly smiled. "And what about you?" Shane asked looking down at Tamika as she quickly adverted her eyes.
"Its usually just me and Ranger Jill doing tours together, so there's not much time to talk unless its on a day we aren't and even then we can't talk much but its nice to just enjoy the forest scenery or sound from time to time" Tamika trailed off looking down at her running board.
"Oh I'm sorry about that i uhm"
"Hey don't be Shane, it's fine, it's all part of the job" Tamika tried to assure him. "I know Tamika but… doesn't it get lonely? I know you love the wildlife but Tamika…" Shane paused before softly sighing. "I worry for you…" he softly said looking back at Tamika as she looked back at him with surprise.
Tamika softly blushed "you do?.." Tamika finally asked. Shane's blush darkened as he quickly looked away. "I-i uhm.. Yeah…" he softly muttered. Tamika softly smiled before looking away. "I uhm… didn't think anyone would…. But thank you.. It means alot Shane…" Tamika finally said.
Shane softly sighed "i should've said this earlier but Tamika i truly do care for you mate.. And… I don't know how else to say this but… I love you Tamika…" Shane finally admitted his face almost a red mess. Tamikas as well was a dark red still in surprise before softly smiling.
"Shane i love you too… the way you always make things better for everyone and just being such a good person… i just… i guess after awhile i fell for you and i didn't know how to tell you if any at all since… well im not a standard gauge engine so… " Tamika stopped not daring to look at him.
Shane felt his heart drop. "Tamika, narrow gauge or not i love you for who you are, you don't have to be a big engine for me to love you and i want you to know that now.." Shane assured her as she looked back up at him almost ready to cry.
"Thank you Shane it means alot.." Tamika smiled, holding back tears. "Aw Tamika… look it's okay i promise" Shane assured her gently nudging her like a soft hug. "I know I'm sorry mate.." Tamika smiled as her last few tears rolled down her face.
"Its okay Tamika i just don't like seeing you sad because it makes me sad" Shane softly smiled as Tamika softly leaned onto him as well. "Im glad i can finally say i love you Shane…" Tamika softly said closing her eye's.
"And I'm glad i can too mate . Maybe now we can go on our first date? Whenever you'd like of course…" Shane asked, looking down at her. Tamika smiled up at him "i'd love to whenever we can" she smiled. "Okay then but for now i think its best we get some sleep before Aiden and Aubrey wake up and hear us" Shane softly chuckled as the two looked at the soft sleeping coaches.
"You don't think they heard us confessing to one another do you mate?" Tamika asked out of worry. "Nah i don't think so, after all they are heavy sleepers so we shouldn't have anything to worry about…" Shane softly smiled.
"That's a relief, but i do think we should get some sleep so good night Shane…" Tamika softly said as she slowly closed her eye's. "Good night to you too Tamika…" Shane softly said as the two lovers slowly drifted off to sleep keeping each other close and warm not aware of two fangirling coaches that had heard their conversation and confession.
(Hi hey im sorry if i haven't been able to update this book I've just had writters block for awhile and didn't know what ships to write or even how to start them so im sorry but here's one of my comfort/ favourite ships out of the ones i have in ttte so enjoy and of you'd like to see more of my dumb comfort ships or a continued one of this then please let me know feed back is much appreciated and have a Good Day/ Night i love you all >💙<)