Human!Lightning McQueen x Reader (Title TBD)

With Each, a Plan

"Yeah..." McQueen sighed sadly, not even afraid to keep the truth submerged and locked away. "I kinda messed things up today."

"Well, what happened?"

"I just wanted to help, ya know?" McQueen looked down to fiddle with his fingers and pick at his nails as his hands rested in his lap. "When we were at Wheel Well, she told me time things about her and Doc and... Well, they just upset me."

"What kind of things did she say?" When McQueen sent him a nervous look, clearly unsure whether it was okay to spill (Y/N)'s secrets to the old man, he simply smirked with a small chuckle and justified his potion by explaining, "Hey, I've heard it all, boy. If it's not Doc comin' to me complaining and seeking advice about how to deal with her, then it's her comin' to me."

McQueen let out a small sigh, relieved he was going to be able to get some stuff of his own off his chest. "Well, she told me about how Doc treats her with all the racing things and it just really got on my nerves, y'know? It just reminded me of how my own family made me feel. You never truly know how depreciating and helpless it makes you feel unless you're in that position."

The man hummed as he took a sip of his coffee. "I could see that."

"Well, when I ran into Doc we got into an argument and I just couldn't control my temper. It felt like I was fighting with my mother all over again."

"What happened next?"

"I'll admit, I said some things I probably shouldn't have, but eventually Doc stormed off and that's when (Y/N) showed up. Apparently she had heard pretty much everything and she... Well, she didn't take it well at all."

Sheriff's eyes narrowed slightly. "What did she hear?"

"Um..." The racer no longer felt sure of this conversation, now contemplating whether it had been a good thing to do or not, but sitting there under Sheriff's strict scrutinizing glare, he knew that there was no escaping it now. "She heard Doc say that her real father was a racer...and that he died on the track."

Sheriff's eyes widened, completely baffled at the words that had just come out of McQueen's mouth clear as day. The old timer soon relaxed and accepted what he had heard with a troubled chuckle. "I told Doc she was gonna figure out eventually. And I told him it wasn't gonna end well either!"

McQueen grunted in frustration as his fingers came to grip some of his blonde locks. "I just don't understand how he could live with himself all these years knowing he was keeping that secret from her! It's, it's...awful!"

"The way he's goin' about it may not be right," Sheriff started, "but Doc has his reasons."

McQueen huffed. "(Y/N) said pretty much the same thing!" He whined. "But I don't know how that could be an excuse for keeping something like that secret!"

"I know, I know." Sheriff agreed calmly. "But lemme tell you something, son." He slid off his car and approached McQueen, resting his arm on the roof for supported as he leaned down closer to the window. "They've both been through a lot. (Y/N) lost her parents at a very young age, but Doc wouldn't have adopted her if he didn't truly care about her." McQueen finally met the old man's gaze. "So not only did she lose her real father, but she's struggling with her adoptive father too. She doesn't need someone to help fight her battles for her like another father figure." Sheriff then pointed at McQueen with a small, friendly smile. "She needs a friend who will be there for her and support her instead."

The rookie pondered over the old man's words for a few moments. He knew Sheriff was right. How could he have been so stupid? He shouldn't have ever said anything. It wasn't his place, he knew it then but he only accepted it just now. McQueen buried his face in his hands with a groan. "What did I do, Sheriff?"