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“I was thinking.”
Joule was sitting on the sofa, legs sprawled out and one arm draped over the back. The other was looped loosely around Volta, who was lying with her head in Joule’s lap. The pair were going from intermittent silence, to talking, and then going back to sitting in silence. It was a nice way for Joule to pass the time, watching Volta file her nails. There were few moments of quiet for the components, and even fewer where Joule wasn’t hellbent on ruining said quiet moments. But Volta had promised to spend time with Joule if she just sat quietly for a while, and Joule would never pass up the opportunity to cuddle with her girlfriend.
“That’s dangerous.” Volta replied, not looking up from the nail she was sharpening into a point. They were often pointed, shortened only for race season. Pointed nails did a little too much damage to other trains on the race tracks, and could result in disqualification. But between races, Volta would have Wrench solder fresh plates onto her finger tips, and then spend time painting and filing them to perfection.
Joule gave Volta a gentle slap on her side where her arm hung. The freezer truck laughed as Joule pouted, but then she smiled herself and shook her head. Joule could never stay mad at Volta for more than a few seconds.
“I want to do more races, when you can’t. But my hair is too long for practicality. I want to shave it all off.” Joule elaborated.
That stopped Volta from filing. She turned her head, icy blue eyes open wide as she looked up at Joule. The wanting to race more was no surprise to Volta, Joule made that extremely clear to everyone. But cutting her mohawk off? Volta loved Joule’s hair, the height, the length, the way she flicked it around when she was annoyed and the concentration on her face as she painstakingly slicked it up each morning. But also the idea of Joule with short hair was an appealing one.
“Have you asked Electra’s opinion on this? I’m sure they’d have one.” Volta asked instead. It was a valid concern. And the look on Joule’s face answered Volta’s question. That would be a no then.
“Ask them.” Volta said, tapping the side of her head, where their communicators lie. She went back to filing as Joule did just that, reaching out to Electra. Everyone being connected within the electrics made everything so much easier. Especially because Joule could reach .
anyone without disrupting the beautiful truck on her lap.
“They said yes but they want Purse to do it rather than me, and I quote, hacking it off, myself.” Joule sounded a little offended at Electra’s choice of words, and Volta couldn’t help the amused noise that escaped her. Sounded like their engine alright. The components could do what they liked really, but Electra would be damned if their decisions made them look anything less than perfect.
“I guess we’re finding our money truck then.” Volta said, sitting up from Joule’s lap and then getting to her wheels. She pocketed the nail file and offered Joule a hand, who was busy mourning the loss of the truck lying on her. She pouted but nodded, taking Volta’s hand and got up, not before kissing Volta’s hand. It was funny to watch the pale truck gain some colour, Volta batting Joule away and huffing in embarrassment.
Tracking down Purse was easy enough, he was in front of his giant screen in his room. Purse often was, pulling spreadsheets and reports and crunching numbers as he bought and sold stocks on behalf of Electra. Convincing him to step away from that screen was more tricky, but he had folded when Joule had pointed out Electra requested that he do it specifically. The squeak Purse released at it was almost cute, if it wasn’t so pathetic.
Before long Joule was sitting in Purse’s beautician chair in front of his mirror, plating covered with a robe so as to not get hair everywhere. Those things were dangerously good at getting caught around wires and fans. Especially when they were long, and some of Joule’s were incredibly so.
Volta had pulled up a stool to sit beside Joule, a safe enough distance to not be knocked by Purse while he worked, but close enough to see Joule’s reaction in the mirror.
“Last chance to back out darling. It would take so long to grow back.” It seemed Purse was mourning, his voice sad as he ran his fingers through Joule’s hair. Volta resisted the urge to snap at him for it, jealous enough that he was the one doing it already. She should be the one to cut her girlfriend’s hair. But the sensible part of Volta’s brain reminded her that Purse was the expert here. He did Electra’s styling after all.
“Do it. I’ve been thinking about this for a while. This isn’t an impulsive decision.” Joule nodded, and her voice had enough conviction to convince both Purse and Volta. He got his hair scissors, metal glinting and sharp. When the first cut was made Volta had to look away, not wanting to see the clump hit the floor. It seemed she was more attached to her girlfriend’s hair than she was. She went back to filing, finally content with the nail she had been working on before and beginning another.
At some point Purse stopped with the scissors and got out clippers, as Joule explained what she wanted to the money truck. Volta trusted him to do a good job, he’d never given Electra a cut or a style they weren’t happy with. But it was a lot of hair that she saw hitting the ground, and Volta wasn’t sure she was ready for it.
“Alright, all done. What do you think?” Purse said after what felt like an age. When Volta looked, Purse was standing behind Joule with a mirror in his hand, as she looked herself over in the main one. She was grinning widely, running her hands through the cut. It wasn’t quite as extreme as it had sounded. The back was shaved close to the head, but there was still some length shooting upwards. And there were still a couple of red streaks.
“So what do you think, Volty?” Joule swivelled around to look at Volta, whose mouth was hanging open. Joule giggled a little, getting out of the chair and bending down in front of her, kissing her mouth shut. Then she pulled back, looking expectantly at Volta.
“I love it. You look beautiful.” Was all Volta managed out in response before kissing Joule again. They were interrupted by a clearing of a throat. Both of them looked around at Purse who was standing with his arms crossed. Joule rolled over to him and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
“Thank you Purse darling. You’ve done exceptionally as usual.” Joule said, patting the money’s truck cheek where she had kissed it. That made him perk up. She laughed quietly and rolled out of the room to go and show everyone else, Volta right behind her. Starlight, she loved that truck.