What He Means Is...
Den and Dart, my beloveds... Two of my favourite recurring engines (Den especially), and imo severely underrated and underused by both the official show and the fans. Two simple but fantastic characters with a brilliant and adorable dynamic unlike anything else in the show.
There's just so much to love about them. Den comes across as a bit 'slow' at first, but he's actually really smart. It's just that he's a rather anxious engine who overthinks every word that he says, struggling to get his point across. Dart can basically read his damn mind and will gladly give him a helping buffer. Together, they form a beautiful relationship.
Since I'm posting this in the middle of Pride Month, am I saying that these two are a gay couple? Hm, sorta. I see Den and Dart as more 'a secret third thing'. Not platonic, not romantic, but something else entirely. Something that transcends labels. Or just 'queerplatonic'. Either way, certainly not what society normally expects from a relationship. But also you can totally see them as a plain-and-simple gay couple. They're queer either way!
