Author: Pirate Turner
Dedicated To: Jack's and my Cars-loving boys, of course, whom all my Cars fics are dedicated to, Jackeesy and Spike Zorro
Rating: PG
Summary: A man is reminded of an important lesson when talking to his best friend, Lightning McQueen.
Warnings: Slash
Challenge/Prompt: "You never know" and "Stupid Cupid"
Disclaimer: Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, and Cars are & TM Disney, not the author, and are used without permission. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
He had never seen his friend so sad, and so he listened to his worries quietly, letting him pour it all out until the car looked at him with headlights full of sadness and asked in a tiny, trembling voice, "Am I really such a bad car? Am I really so evil and disgusting as they say?"
"No! No!" the blonde man cried. He rose, rushed over the short distance that separated them, and threw his arms around the famous race car's hood. He hugged him tightly, and reassurance poured through the embrace from the older man to the much younger car.
"I just don't get it," Lightning continued, fighting to hold back his sobs. "I love Mater! Why should it matter so much to my fans who I love?"
"It shouldn't," the blonde replied, "but it does, and that's their problem, not yours. We don't choose who we love, Lightning. Heck, you never know who that's even gonna be until stupid Cupid hits you."
"He hit me," Lightning sobbed into his arms. "He hit me hard!" He paused after a moment of crying, and then asked in a trembly voice, "Who is Cupid any way?"
The human threw his head back and laughed. He couldn't help it. The differences in their worlds just amused him so much sometimes! Looking down into Lightning's windshield, he told him, "Cupid is a fat, little guy who some humans believe goes around shooting them with arrows and making them fall in love."
"That would explain it."
"What?"
"Why I fell in love with Mater and not Sally. There's nothing wrong with me; it's just stupid Cupid."
"Lightning, Lightning, Lightning," the man murmured soothingly as he dropped to his knees. Looking directly into his headlights, he told him, "You love Mater for other reasons too, Lightning. Don't let your crazed fans cause you to forget that."
Lightning thought about his words for a moment before finally admitting in a quiet voice that persisted in trembling, "I do. I love him for being so loyal and sweet and funny and . . . What?" he paused at the look his friend was giving him.
"Who should you really be telling that too?"
"Mater," Lightning answered with a slow smile.
"And let me ask you one more question before you go to him. Don't think," he instructed, "just answer me the first thing that comes to your mind. Promise?"
Lightning vroomed his agreement.
"Swear?"
The affirmative vroom came again, followed by Lightning's eager, "Yeah."
"If you had to pick, Lightning . . . If you had to choose your fans or Mater, who would you choose?"
"Mater." The answer came as natural to Lightning McQueen as speeding. "I would choose Mater," he continued, his voice growing stronger with each word, "because I love him! I love him for everything he is! Thanks!" He beamed up at his best friend, and they exchanged twin "Ka-chow!"s before the car sped off in search of his beloved tow truck.
The man stood but remained where he was for the moment, a confident smile shining on his face. Yes, Lightning loved Mater, and there was nothing wrong with that. There was nothing wrong with any kind of love as long as it came straight and pure from the hearts of those who shared it. His own beloved partner's voice broke to him, bringing him hurtling back to reality, and he ran his fingers through his shaggy, blonde hair before turning to go to him.
His grin was broad and his step lively as he went to him for helping Lightning with his problem had also helped him with his own. There was nothing wrong with him any more than there was with Lightning. Any one who had a problem with them for who they loved did not truly care about them for they were not concerned with their happiness if what it took to make them happy did not meet with the way they saw them, but those who were like that did not matter. They loved who they loved, and those who had a problem with that could just stick it in their peace pipes and smoke it. He quirked a grin and hurried on, eager to be with his love once more.
The End