(currently inactive, sorry!)

He shivered again. It was getting very chilly outside now. “H-How are you still so warm? It’s like the cold doesn’t bother you at all..!”

He shifted slightly, starting to enjoy the feeling of having his hands warmed. “I suppose you’re right.” He agreed, “Wh-Why don’t they like talking to others..?” He asked hesitantly.

He checked the clock on the wall, and quickly inspected the whole shed one last time. Satisfied, he sat down on the sofa to wait for Volta to arrive.

Dustin nodded in understanding. "O-Okay. Best we wait here then until she comes back. She'll be glad to see you're awake now!" He smiled softly. He was glad she was awake now too.

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

“Um, Dinah..? Can you give me a hand, please..?” He mumbled, gesturing to the apron.

He scanned the counter, hoping to spot the recipe Dinah was after. “D’you remember where you last put it?” He asked, hesitantly moving a few recipe books. “It’s not in any of these, is it?”

“I’m gussing you’ve got those ingredients?” He asked, looking over to the fridge. “In the fridge, right?”

Looking through the fridge, he picked out what he thought must be the tofu and soy sauce, then skated back over to Dinah. “Is this it?” He asked,

“ Dustin ? “ He asked again. “ Are you alright ? You’re goin’ to make us all late if ya don’t get up soon. “ Well... It’s more like the rest of the freight train would be late; CB still wasn’t allowed to work, which he found unreasonable.

“Tell them I’m not coming..” He called out weakly, coughing again. He pulled the covers further over himself, sighing softly.

" Are you sick, Dustin ? " CB asked.

He coughed a few times. “A-Although, I might be able to still go into work..!” He was starting to feel guilty that he wasn’t working, and he thought maybe he could make it in.

" So, I take it y' got the flu or somethin' ? Maybe a cold ? "

He pulled his blankets further over his shoulders, sighing softly. “I threw up last night, too..” He looked up at CB with big, pitiful eyes, sniffling again. He coughed, rubbing a hand over his forehead; he felt uncomfortably warm.

" Y' need anythin' ? Like, uh, food ? Rag for ya forehead ? " He asked, more than willing to help. Dustin was one of the few, few trains CB actually had the heart to care about.

He shrugged off the blanket again, hoping to cool himself off slightly. He kept fluctuating between too warm or cold, and it wasn't pleasant.

He rolled backwards towards the door, " 10 - 6 ! " He said, before slipping away and heading towards the kitchen.

Dustin coughed again, shifting to lay down again. He curled in on himself, closing his eyes and letting out a small sob; he hated being ill. But it did help to have someone there with him, he couldn’t bear the thought of being on his own and sick.

“ What’s got you all philosphical today, huh ? “ Rusty inquired, leaning back a little from where he sat.

“I- I dunno really..” He mumbled, leaning back on his hands and glancing down at his wheels. “Just.. thinking, I guess. I don’t really know what I’m talking about..” He laughed awkwardly, looking more embarrassed.

" You're really clever, Dustin. " He chuckled, hopping down from where he was sitting. " A lotta people don't see that in you, but they should. "

The hopper had sadly received little to no education at his old yard, a fact he was quite insecure about. He tried his best to learn, but even the easiest think were difficult for him.

" You're the smartest out of all the freight, in my opinion. " He said with a small shrug, trying his best to reassure his friend. " Really, honest to Starlight. "

'I'm the stupid one, really...' He thought to himself, not realising he'd spoken aloud.

" That title goes to Flat-top, t'be honest. " He chuckled. " He ain't dumb either, but you're definitely the brains, y'know ? "

Dustin had tried his best to teach himself more, but he never managed to get very far with anything; and he was far too embarrassed to ask for help.

" Doesn't mean you're not smart in other ways. " The steamer shook his head. " Like, emotions ! .. You're real good with those, y'know, relating t' how other trains feel 'n... sympathising. " Rusty tried his best to assure his friend.

He almost laughed at Rusty’s next comment; if only the steamer knew how good he was at understanding how others felt. “Yeah, I guess I am pretty good at that.. s’pose I’ve just had a knack for it.”

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

“Um, Dinah..? Can you give me a hand, please..?” He mumbled, gesturing to the apron.

He scanned the counter, hoping to spot the recipe Dinah was after. “D’you remember where you last put it?” He asked, hesitantly moving a few recipe books. “It’s not in any of these, is it?”

“I’m gussing you’ve got those ingredients?” He asked, looking over to the fridge. “In the fridge, right?”

“ What’s got you all philosphical today, huh ? “ Rusty inquired, leaning back a little from where he sat.

“I- I dunno really..” He mumbled, leaning back on his hands and glancing down at his wheels. “Just.. thinking, I guess. I don’t really know what I’m talking about..” He laughed awkwardly, looking more embarrassed.

" You're really clever, Dustin. " He chuckled, hopping down from where he was sitting. " A lotta people don't see that in you, but they should. "

The hopper had sadly received little to no education at his old yard, a fact he was quite insecure about. He tried his best to learn, but even the easiest think were difficult for him.

" You're the smartest out of all the freight, in my opinion. " He said with a small shrug, trying his best to reassure his friend. " Really, honest to Starlight. "

'I'm the stupid one, really...' He thought to himself, not realising he'd spoken aloud.

" That title goes to Flat-top, t'be honest. " He chuckled. " He ain't dumb either, but you're definitely the brains, y'know ? "

Dustin had tried his best to teach himself more, but he never managed to get very far with anything; and he was far too embarrassed to ask for help.

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

“Um, Dinah..? Can you give me a hand, please..?” He mumbled, gesturing to the apron.

He scanned the counter, hoping to spot the recipe Dinah was after. “D’you remember where you last put it?” He asked, hesitantly moving a few recipe books. “It’s not in any of these, is it?”

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

“Um, Dinah..? Can you give me a hand, please..?” He mumbled, gesturing to the apron.

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

"Ofcourse Dustin! What do you need to talk about?"

He felt awkward even just asking, watching Dinah nervously as he waited for her response.

“ What’s got you all philosphical today, huh ? “ Rusty inquired, leaning back a little from where he sat.

“I- I dunno really..” He mumbled, leaning back on his hands and glancing down at his wheels. “Just.. thinking, I guess. I don’t really know what I’m talking about..” He laughed awkwardly, looking more embarrassed.

" You're really clever, Dustin. " He chuckled, hopping down from where he was sitting. " A lotta people don't see that in you, but they should. "

The hopper had sadly received little to no education at his old yard, a fact he was quite insecure about. He tried his best to learn, but even the easiest think were difficult for him.

" You're the smartest out of all the freight, in my opinion. " He said with a small shrug, trying his best to reassure his friend. " Really, honest to Starlight. "

'I'm the stupid one, really...' He thought to himself, not realising he'd spoken aloud.

“ Dustin ? “ He asked again. “ Are you alright ? You’re goin’ to make us all late if ya don’t get up soon. “ Well... It’s more like the rest of the freight train would be late; CB still wasn’t allowed to work, which he found unreasonable.

“Tell them I’m not coming..” He called out weakly, coughing again. He pulled the covers further over himself, sighing softly.

" Are you sick, Dustin ? " CB asked.

He coughed a few times. “A-Although, I might be able to still go into work..!” He was starting to feel guilty that he wasn’t working, and he thought maybe he could make it in.

" So, I take it y' got the flu or somethin' ? Maybe a cold ? "

He pulled his blankets further over his shoulders, sighing softly. “I threw up last night, too..” He looked up at CB with big, pitiful eyes, sniffling again. He coughed, rubbing a hand over his forehead; he felt uncomfortably warm.

" Y' need anythin' ? Like, uh, food ? Rag for ya forehead ? " He asked, more than willing to help. Dustin was one of the few, few trains CB actually had the heart to care about.

He shrugged off the blanket again, hoping to cool himself off slightly. He kept fluctuating between too warm or cold, and it wasn't pleasant.

He checked the clock on the wall, and quickly inspected the whole shed one last time. Satisfied, he sat down on the sofa to wait for Volta to arrive.

Dustin nodded in understanding. "O-Okay. Best we wait here then until she comes back. She'll be glad to see you're awake now!" He smiled softly. He was glad she was awake now too.