Somebody kill me please. I was so, so, SO, certain I finished this story- but when I got a story alert to this one tomorrow I was like 'lol wut this story is finished... Hey I'm going to re-read my last chapter! ... WAIT THERE ISN'T ANY.'
I should keep a checklist to check if I finished my stories yes or no, and keep track of all chapters I upload. I'm such a ass- Sorrysorrysorry, here'sthefinalchapter,uploadedwhileI'msittinginthesuninatanktop.
It really was Christmas when both cars woke up. In the distance bells of the Isola church could be heard. Snowflakes hadn't stopped to fall from the skies with enchanting grace. Lightning drove over to the window to glance into the distance, appreciating the perfect postal-card scenery. The South-West part of the mountains were still painted with blue shadows instead of black cast by the large pine trees scattered across the blue-ish snow surface. Beams of sunlight breaking through small clouds beamed right down the lake Isola located down-hill from their cottage. The skies were beautifully painted with a mixture of both orange, pink, purple and blue. A perfect post-card landscape.
While keeping his engines down, Francesco joined the other car. They were parked extremely close to one another, enjoying the company.
"Thanks" Lightning mumbled after a while. His eyes had drifted off to the curtains opposite of Francesco's direction. "I mean, thanks, you really gave me an awesome Christmas I guess"
"You guess so?" Francesco repeated laughingly. "But Christmas has 'a just started, McQueen! Say, let's have 'a breakfast, and afterwards we will 'a unpack the presents!"
"Thanks anyway," Lightning said, a beaming smile on his face. It had somehow become so easy for Lightning to get along with Francesco suddenly
It all kept on going smoothly just like the night before. Francesco unwrapped all the presents, which only made it easier for Lightning who felt mostly awkward for still not knowing these basic things about Christmas. Both cars were very pleased in the end with the gifts they got, though Francesco had far less than Lightning, as Francesco only got a bunch of presents of his mother, and Lightning received things from both Francesco and his mother. Lightning promised to get Francesco a present back sometime to make up for it.
Francesco was simply ecstatic to see how happy Lightning was in the end with all his presents. It was a nearly idyllic situation for Francesco though he was well aware of what laid up ahead for him. He was on the edge of telling his feelings to the other car. But how was he supposed to even start that conversation? He couldn't just start telling everything on his chest, right? Lightning wouldn't take that serious anyway. Maybe it was best to just let today pass and see what would happen. To let today pass and wish for the best, that an opportunity occurred to tell Lightning what he felt for him, before the end of their small week together.
Fortunately the situation came soon enough. Lightning came with the perfect opportunity himself to tell him. A slightly unexpected, but perfect way for Francesco.
"Francesco, say, do you still want to hear about, well, my parents?" Lightning twisted the word in some sort of disgust, which caught Francesco's attention completely. Francesco nodded fiercely and drove close to Lightning again to hear his story, his engines feeling like they were about to explode by the sudden excitement. "I want you to tell another secret to me afterwards so I could blackmail you, as this is really a big deal and a secret Francesco. Do you promise to tell me something in return?" He asked sternly.
"Si, Si, please tell Francesco,"
"I don't have them." Lightning said quickly. Though Francesco's eyes were focused on him, his eyes just drifted through the room nervously. "I'm born as an orphan."
"Scuzi?" Francesco first said, his mouth nearly dropping "You 'a keep that kind of thing a secret?" Francesco says, a little perplex by this fact. "Are 'a you very sure 'a McQueen?"
"Of course I'm sure. And that's why I find all these things we do odd. I never had any kind of father or mother figure apart from Doc, and I was already 17 when I met him. So go figure. I never had Christmas, I never celebrated my birthday, I never had anyone teaching me anything except for school teachers, I've never been praised, I just had to get out of any problems myself. That's why I wanted to hear what it's like to have a loving mother like you do. Only Doc and Sally know about this." Lightning says, his eyes still evading contact with Francesco.
"But, what 'a, wait, but how 'a…" Francesco started driving up and down the room in confusion. It was a foreign concept for him that Lightning McQueen was an orphan. "It doesn't 'a make 'a sense! You 'a grew 'a up in an orphanage then?" Lightning nodded sadly, hating that time of his life, which was his complete official childhood, "But 'a you could 'a be adopted, si? Why didn't 'a anyone adopt you 'a then? You weren't 'a annoying child, were 'a you? And you are 'a very talented, why-"
"It doesn't really work like that Francesco. Not in America. Certainly not in a big city like where I grew up. I was talented yes, and someone could adopt me if they'd want to, but it costs a shitload of money, so only the best behaving, best performing cars got a chance of getting out. I might have been really good performing, I didn't have much friends, and the friends I did have were pretty bad for me so I never really got to be in that favorable position of being suggested for adoption. It wasn't like we were there to get any chances. It was more like we were items in a store for rich childless couples who'd like to adopt some talented kid. I heard that stuff is a lot better organized in Europe, so I suppose you wouldn't understand…" Lightning kept quiet for a while, waiting if Francesco had anything to say in return, but as he hadn't, Lightning continued his own story.
"I've been in that orphanage for like my whole childhood. They told me I wasn't even a month old when I arrived. It was a pretty big building, with a school in it and cafeteria, sleeping dorms. We had decent yard with high fences, barely big enough though to have small races, as racing was considered dangerous. We did nothing, just learning and competing with gym, it was really boring. When we'd turn 18 we'd get to leave and just try to fend for ourselves, but I escaped when I was 16. With some other cars, though we all went our own way for safety, so I don't even know if they were successful in their escape as well. I was sheltered by the guys of rust-eze and somehow we ended up forming a racing team, as I really turned out to be talented, and I did need some sort of resource for my money."
"You 'a spent 16 'a years in an 'a orphanage?" Francesco asked, still in disbelieve. The image of Lightning having such a miserable childhood seemed so odd. "And 'a you were 'a not behaving well?"
Lightning smiled sadly, "I've been a douche until I met Doc, really. It was just about surviving and becoming stronger and getting much money for me. I didn't really care about anyone but myself. It's just a whole damn pathetic story, but now you know."
"Why would 'a someone try to 'a get rid of a car like 'a you!" Francesco exclaimed, apart from disbelieve, his only other reaction was anger. Anger towards that unrightfulness which happened to Lightning. "That 'a makes Francesco just so 'a angry! Though they are 'a surely sorry now, because 'a you are so 'a very successful! Can't the doctors 'a track who your parents 'a must be?"
"They ditched me when I was born, why should I bother with them?" Lightning had fallen low to the ground. He hated every single one of those memories, but it would keep bothering him if he didn't tell Francesco. It felt like Lightning could trust Francesco. To stop him from bothering him endlessly about it, it seemed better to Lightning to just admit his past.
"To 'a get mad at 'a them!"
"What does that bring me? I'm fine with life right now, and I have little to worry about anymore, so why would I bother anything. I never had parents, so I don't miss them either." Lightning said, driving over to Francesco to calm him as well.
"They are 'a outrageous! Francesco wants 'a to find them for 'a you and tell them what he 'a thinks!"
"Why would you do that. I just wanted to make you stop asking about it okay, now tell your secret so we're even." Lightning said calmly.
"Francesco is not 'a done yet!"
"I am done though."
Francesco looked at Lightning again, who was finally looking back at him. His bright blue eyes seemed slightly watered so Francesco stopped. He wasn't calm yet, not at all, but he should indeed stop. His engines were still growling though, not just with anger, but he was nervous too. He was going to tell Lightning. He was about to tell him for real.
"You 'a are ready for it?" Francesco asked, both excited and scared. "Francesco's last secret isn't a light 'a one either,"
"You can go for it, I can take something." Lightning said, closing his eyes again.
"Frances-" Francesco's eyes widened as the words didn't seem to come out, they were just stuck in his throat. Lightning still waited for him. "I 'a," again that chunk in his throat to stop him. Francesco turned red, getting frustrated with how hard this was. He was Francesco, he could get anyone. That includes the American Racecar in front of him. "Lightning," That worked better for him, the words came out much softer and Francesco smiled.
"Just say it," Lightning insisted, still keeping his eyes closed.
"Lightning, Francesco thinks 'a you are beautiful." He said, his voice and accent finally turning the words into the romantic things he wanted to say. "And from the first 'a moment Francesco saw you he liked you more then 'a any other car except for his mama. Francesco loved being around you, teasing you and pushing you around" Francesco got more and more confident again by the second. He loved talking like this, romantically, flirting with cars he loved, telling Lighting his feelings finally. Lightning's eyes had meanwhile snapped open to watch Francesco again, his mouth a little opened and nearly burning down underneath his hood.
"Lightning, you are really 'a the greatest challenge Francesco has 'a ever had. You are a very 'a worthy opponent, but you are 'a also Francesco's most difficult, let's call it friend, ever. You're really the 'a most handsome car I've 'a ever met, but alas, you were 'a together with Miss Sally, and we 'a are friends, so 'a you made it 'a really hard for me. Francesco truly didn't knew how he was going to 'a get you. Which is ridiculous, as Francesco always 'a gets what he wants. Francesco wants you 'a so much, he still tries, and so Francesco will tell you know,"
"No, No, No, No, don't," Lightning said hastily before Francesco got to finish his last sentence, Lightning was still looking at Francesco wide eyed. "Stop that shit, you're just kidding. You're always just kidding, right?"
"Now, calm 'a down, Lightning. Francesco just wanted to say-"
"No, don't say." Lightning said, still staring at Francesco, he felt his engine freaking even more than when the stage erupted as he pushed The King over the finishline. His heart was beating . It scared him a little. No not a little, it scared him a lot. To realize those bright brown eyes were looking at him with such different intentions than Lightning first thought. But he didn't drive away. He just kept looking into those warm eyes which were sunk deep into his own's.
"Why 'a not? I want to tell 'a you my secret, Lightning" Francesco said, his voice seductive with every syllable he pronounced. Lightning didn't say anything in return; he just shivered as he kept staring at Francesco's eyes. He absolutely had the most beautiful kind of brown eyes there were.
"Lightning" he said again, driving closer to him slowly, letting each inch he got closer pass him with a pleasure filled excitement. "Ti amo" Francesco whispered.
Lightning couldn't move, though there was still barely a distance of a few inches between them. "That 'a means I 'a love you, in Italian." Francesco said, stopping with moving closer. Their lips nearly touched each other, but Francesco wouldn't force that upon Lightning now. "You 'a may say what 'a you want or think 'a now."
Lightning was shaking on his tires a little, but still looking at Francesco's eyes. He wanted to move that one inch forward which separated them, but his mind told him not to. It was so confusing. He felt like hugging Francesco, or to be embraced by him. He liked being around Francesco around very much, he liked the physical contact they had, but he was still so uncertain if it was okay to trust Francesco any more than this. He wasn't sure if it was okay to let his feelings go their way like this. It could ruin so much, not just their friendship, but also both their careers and relationships with other.
The amazing feelings Francesco delivered him didn't stand up to it however and Lightning decided to close the gap, needing to feel Francesco. Once again, the amazing feeling of victory was there. It felt amazing, close to earning the world grand prix cup, but maybe even better. This might be the best prize the two of them could have received for entering that cup in the first place. If they wouldn't have, they might not have met each other. The two cars stay like this for a while, sweetly pressing their lips together blissfully.
"What 'a do you say 'a Lightning?" Francesco asks, parting from their kiss.
"What should I say?" Lightning asked, turning away a little again. It was a great but shameful experience to him to kiss Francesco.
"That 'a was the best and 'a the most victorious kiss I ever had, Lightning. Francesco would want to 'a make sure those kisses are 'a only for Francesco from 'a now on." Francesco drove to Lightning's side again and cuddled close against him, feeling the younger car tremble.
"You want to get together?" Lightning repeated Francesco, trying to calm down from the great experience. His head never felt this foggy before.
"Si, that was what Francesco asked 'a you."
"You honestly think that would work? I mean, we're rivals, we live on nearly the other side of the world, I'm unsure how the media will react to it, and I just broke up with Sally, which nobody even knows! But yes, yes I'd want to, Francesco." Lightning shut his eyes tight again and leaned toward Francesco a bit more in order to get himself collected. He felt so confused but blissful at the same time.
"We 'a will still be rivals, and Francesco will still beat your 'a beautiful ass. We can easily fly over to see 'a each other. We still need to keep training so 'a we should just bear with 'a not seeing each other every month. And si, the media will 'a probably find it a very interesting topic, but it'll all be 'a fine as long as we just make it clear. If 'a you trust me that is." Francesco nudged Lightning reassuringly. This was definitely better than winning the world grand prix.
Lightning realized what Francesco meant to say with that. Francesco was a player and Lightning would need a lot of foolish trust in order to trust Francesco on the other side of the world in the place with the most beautiful female cars in the world all around him. But their complete reputation now depended on their trust and love for each other. It was all or nothing. Francesco would lose it all if he screwed this relation up.
"I do think I believe you, you must love me a lot if you dare to do this…" Lightning said with a contend smile on his face, his eyes closed peacefully. "Francesco, thank you for this Christmas, and for everything in general. I don't think I ever felt this amazing before. This tops everything. I want to do this. As soon as I'm back in Radiator Springs I'll try and talk about it with Sally, and as soon as I'm ready I'll call you and we'll make it official properly"
"Just 'a take your time, I don't 'a want that 'a everything between you and 'a miss Sally will go 'a wrong. Just 'a tell when she's 'a ready, I have waited very long for you Lightning, I can 'a wait a little longer." He whispered lovingly.
The rest of the week they would stay close to each other, feeling greater with every touch and every kiss they shared. They were just what they each needed, and it was as if nothing in the world could stop them.