AUL One-Shots!

Gnome x Engineer--Feel Better

This was requested by @HazelFoxx08! Enjoy!

Quick Sidenote: I honestly have no clue whether Engineer has a brother or not, but for this oneshot, let's just say he does.

Engineer's POV

I took a deep, shaky breath, resting my head in my hands.

In and out.

I just had to focus on my mathematical equations I had worked out this morning, and everything would be okay.

A car speeding down the road...

Panic rose up inside me again, and I began to shake.

Flashing lights...

"Engie!"

I blinked and looked up to meet the eyes of my beautiful girlfriend, Gnome. "Engineer!" Gnome's pointy green hat tilted as she sat down next to me and gave me a hug. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." I lied quickly.

A fire burning...smoke filling the air...

"It is not nothing!" Gnome looked indignant. "I know you, and you never act like this unless there's something wrong!"

I just sighed and stared down at the Airship's Engine Room floor. "You wouldn't get it, Gnome." "Yes, I would!" Gnome sounded a bit pleading now. "Engie...I don't like seeing you sad. What's wrong?" I gritted my teeth and sighed again. "You are really persuasive, you know that?" "Yup!" Gnome grinned.

"It's my brother." I said quietly. "I just heard yesterday...that...that he got into a car accident back on Earth...a-and he's dead." I choked out the last word, not able to stop myself from crying. "Engie! That's horrible!" Gnome was horrified. "I can't even going to go to his funeral!" I sobbed. "Because I have to work here!" I motioned around us furiously. "Gnome...you wouldn't understand. You don't have siblings, you don't know what it's like. He was my older brother, and he was always looked out for me. But as I looked at the news story on the accident on TV last night, it was just—well, too much. You don't know what it's like, seeing your brother's car speed down the highway and just utterly smash into another car. And then your brother's gone. Forever."

"Engie, I'm so sorry..." Gnome whimpered. "I'll do whatever I can to help you get through this." "Thanks." I smiled weakly and rested my head on Gnome's shoulder. We stayed like that for a little while, until—

"Hey!"

I looked up, startled, and saw Captain hovering nearby. "What's all the hubbub, team?" He asked, far too cheerfully. "I heard some crying from back there in the Main Hall." "Captain..." Gnome gave Captain a look that clearly read, 'Go away!' "Well, I was just wondering why the task bar wasn't going up very high." Captain shrugged, obviously not picking up on the hint. Gnome sighed, got up, seized Captain's arm, and dragged him out of the room, mouthing to me, "I'll be right back!"

I nodded back, but as soon as Gnome and Captain were out of sight, I broke down into tears all over again.

Gnome's POV

I hurriedly led Captain out into the hallway, then turned towards him.

"Captain," I began firmly. "Engineer's going through a tough time, okay?" "What happened?" Captain's eyes widened as he spoke. "His older brother died." I answered, automatically regretting telling him when Captain's mouth dropped open. "Oh. My. God." He gasped. "That's horrible!" "I know!" I replied, filling up with gratitude for Captain taking the matter seriously. "Although...Captain...I'm not really sure what to do." I said uncertainly. "I've never seen Engie like this before, and I want to make him feel better."

Captain smiled. "Well, that's what your captain is for! We'll figure something out to make him feel better!" "Thanks, Captain." I smiled back gratefully. After all, at the moment, I had an idea blossoming in my head. Something that just might lift Engineer's spirits a little bit...

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"Aww..." Mother sighed with pity. "Poor Engineer. Death is hard." "I know." I nodded sadly, looking across the Meeting Room at all the faces focused on me. "But I think this plan would really help him. Thanks, Captain, by the way, for agreeing to this." Captain gave me a firm salute, saying cheerfully, "What are captains for?"

I took a deep breath. I had thought up a plan to help Engineer feel a little better. I had gathered everyone but Engineer in the Meeting Room. Now it was just time to explain exactly what the plan was. "I'm going to bring Engineer in here." I explained clearly. "You all will do whatever you think will help him. Like saying you're sorry for his loss, stuff like that. Remember, don't act really happy, because this is a serious event. After that, Captain will reveal the surprise."

Everyone nodded, agreeing to the plan.

It was time.

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I climbed down the ladder from the Meeting Room hastily, missing a few rungs in my hurry. "Engie?" I called, running towards the Engine Room as fast as possible. "Yeah?" Engineer's weak voice echoed through the hallway. "Engie!" I cried out, sighing with relief when I saw him still sitting on the Engine Room floor. "Come with me!" "What?" Engineer looked at me, confused. "Come with me!" I repeated, marching over, grabbing his hands, and pulling him into a standing position. "Why?" Engineer asked as I pulled him towards the doorway. "There's something you should see." I answered.

"Okay..." Engineer agreed, looking a little bit unsure about what I had planned. I led him to the Meeting Room ladder and motioned for him to go up first. He gave me a curious glance but climbed up reluctantly. I followed him up to find the rest of the crew holding a colorful banner that read, 'Sorry for your loss'. "Gnome, what is this?" Engineer asked quietly. I swallowed hard, not sure if he was mad or not.

"I'm sorry, Engie." I said finally, gulping away tears. "I wanted to make you feel better, so I told the others, and they apparently made this banner, and—and—Captain? Please, tell him." I looked at Captain for help, and he cleared his throat.

"Normally, I'm not really supposed to do this." He started sheepishly. "But I heard about your loss, and you're my friend, so...I heard you couldn't go to your brother's funeral because you had to work here on the Airship. But it just so happens that it doesn't take very long to get to your country from here, and I think we'll survive without you for a week or so..."

Engineer's eyes widened and started welling up. "I can go?" He choked out. "Yup." Captain replied, nodding professionally. "Oh my god." Engineer whispered. "Oh my god." "It was Gnome's idea." Captain said quickly. "Not mine. It was all her."

I blushed as Engineer turned toward me. "I'm sorry for telling everyone." I blurted out, blinking away tears. "I thought it might help with your brother's loss, and—!" I started with surprise as Engineer leaned over towards me and whispered, "Thank you." before pressing his lips against mine. I melted into the kiss blissfully, having kissed Engineer lots of times before, but never like this. Tears ran down both of our faces as we stood close to each other, happy and sad at the same time.

When we broke apart a few seconds later, Engineer wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Gnome, I'm sorry about earlier." He said softly to me. "I was definitely wrong about you not understanding this kind of thing. This is so nice of you to organize. You're the best girlfriend I could ever have." "Aw, thanks." I sniffled happily. "You're the best boyfriend I could ever have." "Thanks again." Engineer said, smiling a tiny bit and wiping away some tears from his face.

Then he raised his voice so everyone in the room could hear him. "And thank you to everyone. You have no idea how much this means to me, for you guys to care about me and for me to be able to see my brother for the last time." "Aww..." The crew chorused. "No problem!" Captain called.

I felt Engineer's hand slip into mine, and I smiled at the act. One thing was clear to me now, after all:

Engie and I would always have each other, no matter what happened.

I had fun writing this :).