6 Turnov x Caboose? (preferably touch starved Turnov) 🙏
Thank you for the prompt!
(prompt list)
READ UNDER THE CUT OR ON AO3
When you build a strong, tough, and resilient persona for yourself and use it to push your brand further, it can start to cause a few issues.
But sometimes he couldn’t help but wish it wasn’t like this.
Issues that Turnov should have seen coming, or maybe he did, and he just refused to see it, or the problems it would bring, but it was too late to fix it now.
This was who he was.
So to say he was touch-starved might have been an understatement.
Wished he wouldn’t ache when he saw a couple on TV kiss, or when he saw friends hug, or even watching someone take hold of another person's hand.
He could barely think of a time he did anything more than give a firm handshake that lasted longer than a few seconds.
But he could live with it right? Everyone knew Turnov the Russian National hated physical contact, that was just his brand, his image, his persona, but as he looked over at CB and Greaseball, the two sitting next to each other on the couch, thigh to thigh, with Greaseball’s arm around CB’s shoulders, his fingers playing with the ends of CB’s curls that were grazing his neck as they talked, he grew jealous.
He knew there was no reason to be, Greaseball and CB didn’t like each other more than friends, and considering the big jewel now sitting on Dinah;s finger, that wasn’t changing, but still, Turnov was jealous.
But he couldn’t figure out who he was more jealous of.
Was it Greaseball for being able to comfortably run his fingers through CB’s hair without anyone judging him, pulling the small caboose against him and just holding him with no cares in the world?
Or was it CB for being able to just let himself be touched like that? For leaning into it, for not pulling away, to let himself relax against someone’s touch.
But would that make him look weak?
Then he glanced over at Dinah who was too busy staring down at her left hand with a smile to notice him. Starlight…Turnov was jealous of her too.
He wanted someone to love him so much they would want to spend the rest of their life with him, and wanted to prove it.
And anyway, he couldn’t race with a ring on, but neither could Dinah…and she couldn’t cook with it on could she? Food would get stuck in the gaps between all the little crystals wrapped around the band, which meant Greaseball got her a ring knowing she’s not going to be wearing it more than she would be, more than she wanted to be, judging by her face, just because he wanted to prove his love for her, for his love to be somehow even more obvious.
Turnov wanted that…he was jealous of all three of them.
“Right,” Greaseball said, pulling his arm back and standing onto his wheels, “I’ll be back in a minute, don’t run off.”
CB chuckled watching the diesel leave the room.
Of course Turnov could wait, wait until they were back in CB’s shed, or when he was alone and could cry into his pillow wishing it was CB instead, but he didn’t want to wait, he couldn’t wait anymore, so he made his way over to the couch and took Greaseball’s spot.
“I was wondering when you were gonna come over, the dinner table doesn’t have the most comfortable chairs-”
“Hold me.” Turnov whispered, interrupting CB.
“I- what?”
“Hold me,” Turnov whispered again, staring into CB’s eyes, “Please.”
CB blinked, caught off guard by what Turnov was asking, in CB’s mind he was so used to touching people, others touching him, that he’d never considered someone almost begging to be touched, to be held, especially not Turnov who CB assumed was against physical contact.
“Alright,” CB responded gently, his voice quiet even though Dinah still wasn’t paying attention. He shifted without hesitation, opening his arms, C’mere.”
At first, Turnov put his arms around CB’s waist, holding onto the other, but kept a gap between them, and CB didn’t try to pull him closer like he was expecting, the caboose only closed his arms around Turnov’s back and waited.
Waited to see the emotion on Turnov’s face, waited to see if he needed to let go.
And then it happened, Turnov pulled his legs onto the couch and curled up, pushing himself up against CB’s torso, closing the gap between them.
CB’s eyes widened in shock, rubbing slow circles on Turnov’s back with his right hand, his left holding Turnov tighter.
And Turnov broke, tears sliding down his cheeks,
Not loud, not that anyone would be able to tell. He’d gotten good at crying without people knowing over the years, but CB knew, he could feel Turnov’s shoulders shaking, his jaw clenching to try and stop himself from sobbing, his eyes clamped shut, his hands grabbed onto CB, scared he would disappear.
CB just held him tighter, the thought of letting go of Turnov made him feel ill.
“Shhh, hey… it’s okay,” CB whispered, continuing to rub circles against the back of his trembling partner, “You’re okay, I’ve got you.”
Turnov didn’t know how long they stayed like that, it could have been only seconds, or minutes, hours, but it didn’t matter, he felt safe, and for the first time in years he felt complete, that horrible nagging feeling he always had in the back of his mind was gone.
CB had fixed him, saved him.
He pulled back, pushing his body away from CB and took a deep breath, noticing Dinah was gone and Greaseball hadn’t come back, they must have noticed him and wanted to give them their privacy, but CB was smiling softly at him, in a way no one had smiled at Turnov in years.
“Do you feel better?” CB asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“Can we do that again?” Turnov asked, his voice trembling, making CB want to cry.
I'm sorry there are so many CB/Turnov requests but I have seen anyone do 8 yet!! Caboose cuddling Turnov in bed to make him feel better (leading on from the touch-starved short fic :D)
Thanks for the prompt, and don't worry there is no such thing as too many CB/Turnov requests, I love writing so getting all these prompts is so much fun
(prompts list)
READ BELOW THE CUT OR ON AO3
CB’s bed wasn’t made for two large engines, but thankfully it did comfortably fit an Engine and a small Caboose, especially while cuddled up in each other's arms.
Although Turnov usually slept on his side, closest to the door with CB in his arms, but tonight, the duvet was lying on the floor. CB was flat on his back, with Turnov lying on top of him, his head resting on CB’s stomach feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing, with CB gently scratching at his scalp, his legs tucked in the fetal position between CB’s legs, thankful for how flexible the Caboose was, although he was always amazed by it.
But CB didn’t seem to mind the stretch, he actually seemed to be loving the position they were lying in, enjoying cuddling Turnov rather than the Engine cuddling him, it was nice to be the one in control.
“Do you want to talk?” CB whispered, “I’m worried about you.”
Turnov didn’t respond for a few minutes, his fingers fiddling with the mattress topper under them so he wouldn’t have to look at CB, “I forgot how nice it was to be held..”
“I hold you all the time-”
“No, I hold you, no one ever holds me.”
“You could have asked me to.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to,” Turnov admitted, “I hold you, I let you cry into my shoulder, I do all of that…no one does it to me because I’ve never wanted them to, but then I changed my mind and I didn’t think you’d want to stay with me if you thought I was weak.”
CB’s eyes widened, he never would have seen Turnov as weak, especially not for just wanting to be held and letting himself drop his mask when it was the two of them, there was nothing at all weak about them, honestly, CB thought he was brave for giving in to his needs.
“I could never see you as weak, are you serious?”
Turnov nodded slightly.
“You’re not weak, you’ve never been weak.”
“How would you know?” Turnov asked, turning his head so his chin was pressing just above CB’s belly button, “You only met me a few years ago.”
“Just believe me on this,” CB sighed, his hand drifting down from Turnov’s scalp to stroke gently along his shoulders.
Turnov let out a soft breath, the kind that sounded like it had been held in for far too long, and knowing the Engine, he probably had. CB felt it flutter against his stomach and smiled, nudging his knee up slightly to tuck Turnov in even closer.
“I just didn’t want to be a burden,” Turnov mumbled, his voice so quiet CB almost didn’t catch it.
“You’re not,” CB said firmly, and then softer, “You’re not, okay? Not to me.”
CB shifted a little, bending his arm so he could cup the back of Turnov’s head again, making Turnov go back to lying his cheek flat against his stomach.
“I like holding you,” CB added, smiling down at him “I like taking care of you. You don’t have to be the strong one all the time, not when you’re with me, let me take care of you.”
The room filled with silence as Turnov closed his eyes, and grabbed lightly at CB’s elbow to pull one of his hands away from his shoulders so he could hold it instead, “Thank you.”
CB just hummed in reply, pulling the edge of the discarded duvet up with his foot and draping it over them as best he could without accidentally suffocating Turnov, tucking the edge under his shoulders.
Turnov nuzzled into his stomach again. “You’re warm.”
CB chuckled softly. “You’re heavy.” They both knew CB was stronger than he looked, spending his whole life breaking the weight of multiple freight and a steamer, and Greaseball was heavy even when it was just him and CB, so he could easily hold Turnov’s weight on top of him.
Turnov let out a breathy laugh, and CB felt the faintest tremble of it through his skin. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard Turnov laugh like that, unguarded, unforced. It made something gentle and achy swell in his chest.
“You can stay like this,” CB said quietly, running his fingers through Turnov’s hair again. “As long as you want. As long as you need.”
Turnov looked up at him, a goofy smile on his face that made CB want to burst out laughing, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were the one in charge.”
“Maybe I am, and you’re just my boy toy.”
“Boy toy?” Turnov cackled, “Do you think I’d be a good boy toy?”
“You already are, I see the way you flex those muscles when you open up jars for me.”
The two giggled, the weight of the world lifted off their shoulders even if it was just for the evening, but they finally felt at peace, the soft rhythm of their laughter faded into the quiet hum of the room. CB couldn’t help but smile at the way Turnov’s eyes sparkled when he laughed.
“I’m serious, though,” CB added softly, his hand still gently massaging Turnov’s scalp, the other squeezing the larger hand gently, “You are my boy toy.”
Turnov rolled his eyes dramatically but didn’t pull away, instead leaning into CB’s touch, “Well, if I’m a boy toy, I must be the most pampered one out there,” he teased.
CB chuckled. “You absolutely are… I spoil you, don’t I?”
Turnov grinned, the faintest blush colouring his cheeks. “You do,” he admitted, his voice softer now. “But... I’m okay with that. I think I’m finally okay with it, I wouldn’t mind you taking control more often.”
“You deserve it,” CB said quietly, his voice full of sincerity. “You deserve to be taken care of, to let go of that weight. It’s not all on you.”
Turnov shifted again, shuffling so he could lift his head onto CB’s chest, buried his face into the skin, “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” his voice muffled.
“You won’t have to,” CB replied gently, his voice full of warmth and certainty. “I’m not going anywhere.”
