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Life was truly a funny thing, that's something Hiro liked to think.
Hanging at the very top of the Steamworks, he had nothing to do but to think. It reminded him of the siding, where for years (how many? He himself wasn't even sure, please stop asking...) he had no company but his thoughts and nature growing around him. It gave him an appreciation for nature few engines could be pride of having, but it too was a lonely experience.
Except he wasn't alone this time.
He heard the distinctive sound of something crashing to the ground, followed by one exasperated voice.
"Kevin!"
The narrow gauge engine, Victor, if Hiro remembered correctly, came into scene, clearly still busy by the looks of the workers following behind him, but not annoyed by the younger's antics.
"Slowly and gently, remember to be gentle when taking things with your hook."
"Sorry, boss. I just get too excited! I want to be really useful too!"
"Oh Kevin," Hiro couldn't see from his current position, but he had a feeling that Victor was smiling. "You are really useful already, and the only way you can be even more is if you become more careful when you move things around."
"Yes, boss! I'll try, boss!"
Hiro really liked Kevin, the crane always bringing a smile to his face. He was a little clumsy, but that's what made him adorable to his eyes.
Victor, on the other hand... Those were feelings he didn't like thinking too hard about.
Said engine got close to him, at least as close as he could get while hanging so far up. It made Victor look smaller, more handsome in a way he couldn't explain, paradoxically making all him stand up even more from such a high point of view.
"Don't worry, my friend," said Victor, winking at him, "we have your wheels set up already. You'll be fixed in no time, you'll see."
That was enough to make Hiro blush, thanking that Victor couldn't see how red he'd gone with such a simple gesture as a wink, at least from their current positions. He thanked being so high up in that moment. He closed his eyes, trying not to stutter his next words out.
"Thank you," he'd mustered every single amount of strength he had left to not let his feelings get in the way of those words.
The red engine smiled brighter than bright. He had such a gorgeous smile...
As Victor left, Hiro couldn't help but to sigh, yearning on this thing he couldn't have. Victor was nice to everyone, it was obvious that all that blinking and sudden blushing was just him being nice. Who would love an engine as broken, as old as Hiro was? It was impossible.
And yet, he dreamt of sharing a shed with Victor, having late conversations before falling asleep, being seen with adoration by those eyes, that sweet voice saying his name with a love that went beyond the friendship he hoped they had. Hiro wouldn't admit it out loud, it was too selfish of a thought, but he dreamt with the day Victor would put his attention on such an undeserving engine as he was. He dreamt with the day Victor would love him as much as Hiro loved him.
He sighed. It was silly to think of such things, to think of something that would never have the chance to be.
It was truly a shame, that Victor would never love him back.
Victor had eyes for every single engine in his Steamworks, that was true.
No matter who the engine was or how they would act, Victor put every single puff he had to give towards helping said engine make a smooth recovery.
Hiro, of course, was not an exception.
Broken as he was in his patchwork state, unable to move by his own and missing so many pieces it was an awe he was still able to run from Spencer on the first place (he was missing his water injector!), but he was far from a lost cause. They didn't had all of the pieces needed for the reparations needed, as Hiro's state was far worse from expected all those decades ago (really, all they had was replacements for his wheels and rods...), but that didn't mean they couldn't be made from scratch.
If the Fat Controller was good at something, it was at keeping specifications for all of his engines, no matter how old or lost to time they could be. It worked wonders to help sped up the already tedious process, and before anyone could know it, Hiro was on working condition once more.
Victor was proud of his work, that was something every engine knew. He couldn't help but the look at his newest project in search of that pride.
And he... Hiro looked gorgeous. The way his rods moved with such grace, how he carried himself as if he were royalty which was only accentuated by the subtle reds and golden of his livery, his whistle loud but gentle, and his smile, oh his smile, unadulterated glee at the prospect of being fixed once more; Hiro had to be one of the most beautiful engines he had the pleasure of bringing back to their old glory days. It made Victor's face blush and burn, and he was sure it had nothing to do with his firebox. Instead of pride, all he found was a strange feeling deep in his boiler that made him feel as if constricted from the inside.
(Well, to him, Hiro had looked gorgeous since the first second he entered the Steamworks to be repaired, but that was nobody's business to know.)
"Thank you, Victor," said Hiro, cutting his rails of thought, that smile seemingly growing bigger just by looking at him, "I am grateful for this, I have no idea of how could I repay you."
His blush deepened, if only slightly more, needing to clear his throat to speak again. "It was nothing, just doing my job, my friend," because they were friends, right? They had to be, they had to...
But he couldn't hold Hiro back any further: just outside the Steamworks he could hear the chorus of whistles calling for him. "But our friends are waiting for you. Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"
At the mere mention of the other engines, Hiro's smile grew impossibly big, darting his eyes outside, trying to catch a glimpse of them. He decided to give the workers space to make the final preparations for him.
As he moved towards the platform, Victor sighed to himself, deep in thought as he was made to face the exit.
Victor had eyes for every single engine at the Steamworks, and Hiro did too, did to every single engine on the island. Yet, Victor was more than willing to give all of his attention to Hiro, if that were what he asked for.
It was truly a shame that Hiro would never have eyes for him.