1/1/24
"Oh, boy, you gotta admit that was fun!" Mater was still reminiscing about the events of earlier as his tow truck finally coasted into town. He was far more fond of it than you and McQueen were, even collectively.
"Oh, yeah, yeah." McQueen responded absent-mindedly, very much tired and wanting to forget what had happened entirely. You didn't blame him. You kind of wanted to forget too. It hadn't exactly been a walk in the park, er, field. At least the remainder of the ride had been calm and peaceful one Mater had sped far enough away from the grasslands to slow down to a mere cruise. The slow speed mixed with the relaxing sway of his truck as it coasted down the road would've been enough to lull you to sleep had you not had just a terrifying experience prior. The perfect night air and beautiful moonlight only added to the peace of it all.
"Well, we better get you back to Sheriff." Mater said as he came to a perfect stop. "Hop off, guys! I gotta park my truck!" Once you and McQueen did so, he effortlessly flowed into a one-hundred-and-eighty degree spin right then and there and began cruising backwards. He was preparing to back his truck into his junkyard, and until he got close enough to do so, he continued to let his truck mosey on down the road to match your guys' walking pace.
"Ooh! I have an idea!" He smiled, leaning out the window to get closer to the two of you as you walked. He wasn't paying an ounce of attention to the road anymore, which you thought nothing of unlike the racer beside you. "Tomorrow night we can go look for the Ghost Light!"
"Mater, will you stop that?!" McQueen asked in confusion.
"Stop what?"
"That driving backwards stuff. It's creeping me out. You're gonna wreck on something."
Mater's truck came to an abrupt halt, the faintest of squeals heard from his brakes as it did so. You also stopped dead in your tracks at McQueen's comment. "Wreck?" You and Mater questioned in appall, both of your noses scrunching up a little. The two of you shared a look of offense at the racer's ignorance.
"Shoot, I'm the world's best backwards driver!" Mater boasted with a bright smile, jabbing his thumb to his chest. "You just watch this right here!" Suddenly, the tires of the tow truck were burning rubber before it sped off backwards, quick as a flash, without a second's thought. The dormant reverse light on the roof of the truck had finally lit up, flashing a bright orange.
"What are you doing?!" McQueen cried out in alarm. "Look out! Mater?!" You couldn't help but give a small laugh at the racer's concern-stricken expression, the way his pupils had shrunken, fists clenched up, and mouth fell open.
All the two of you could do was watch as Mater began to speed all throughout town, weaving between the unique and creative Cozy Cones of Sally's motel, making donuts whenever and wherever he pleased, and all the more. He even drove into the small batch of trees behind the Cozy Cone and somehow came out so high in the air he not only broke over the horizon line of the trees entirely, but his silhouette passed directly in front of the moon itself! All the while still driving backwards. You watched in awe with childish amazement, but it took a little longer for McQueen to go from concern and a more judgmental outlook to the same awe and amazement you bore, but tenfold.
"He's nuts!" McQueen let out an astonished, and also somewhat relieved, laugh. You couldn't help the warm smile that rose to your face at this new side of McQueen. You had never seen him so happy, this genuinely happy, not even on television, during races, or in interviews. The same could be said for his smile, and what a nice smile he had too. It was proof that McQueen wasn't always so serious and miserable and, well, masked. It felt nice to bear witness to the racer letting go for once and feeling genuine emotion, not just his cocky facade he put on for the cameras and the crowds. It truly made you wonder more about him, more of what he was truly like. It made you want to slowly chip away at his mask to see the McQueen hiding inside.
"You're just realizing that now?" You asked humorously as you took a step forward to stand right beside him. McQueen gave a small breathy laugh, one that forced a blush onto your cheeks.
The two of you watched Mater a few minutes more before his tow truck began to speed closer into view. "No need to watch where I'm goin'!" Mater yelled out. He quickly spun back around and slammed on the brakes near immediately, his truck starting to skid to a halt. Pebbles and small chunks of asphalt were kicked up, and McQueen took a hesitant step back, worried that Mater's truck would hit him. You, however, knew better and felt perfectly safe standing your ground with a large smile on his face. His truck stopped inches in front of you, orange reverse light atop the roof turning off, and he hopped out of the now dormant vehicle with a huge grin. "Just need to know where I've been."
You clapped in approval as McQueen exclaimed, "Whoa, that was incredible! How'd you do that?"
"Rear view mirrors." Mater gently tapped the mirror on the driver side with the knuckle of his index finger. "We'll get you some, and I'll teach you if you want."
McQueen chuckled softly, turning around to continue walking down the road. "Yeah, maybe I'll use it in my big race."
"What's so important about this race of yours, anyway?" Mater asked curiously, which made McQueen stop in his tracks. All you did was look on, curious as to what the racer's answer would be.
"It's not just a race." McQueen began, slowly turning around but keeping his thoughtful gaze fixed on the road beneath him. "We're talking about the Piston Cup! I've been dreaming about it my whole life!" He finally met your guys' gaze with a determined look on his face. "I'll be the first rookie in history ever to win it. And when I do," he began to laugh haughtily, turning around once more to kick at the asphalt beneath his feet, "we're talkin' big new sponsor, with private helicopters. No more medicated bumper ointment. No more country bumpkins with rusty old cars-"
"What's wrong with country folk?" Mater asked sadly, hurt by McQueen's insensitive comment. You also felt a bit hurt as well, seeing as how not just you and Mater but everyone in Radiator Springs were country folk.
McQueen's face fell slightly in realization once he saw the hurt expression on your faces. "Well, I don't mean you guys, Mater." He quickly tried to correct his mistake, but you could tell it was just him trying to sage his image. "I mean other country folk. You know? Not like you. I like you."
"Nah, it's okay, buddy." Mater smiled sadly. You stayed silent. "Hey!" Mater began, perking up a little as he tried to change the subject. "Hey, you think maybe one day I can get a ride in one of them helicopters? I mean, I've always wanted to ride in one of them fancy helicopters."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure." McQueen said with a complacent smile and simple shrug of his shoulders.
Mater gave a small gasp of excitement, the smile on his face turning enormous and full of hope. "You mean it?"
"Oh, yeah. Anything you say." Again with sounding complacent and indifferent, you thought to yourself. It really rubbed you the wrong way how insincere and full of empty promises this racer was. For a moment, you had almost forgotten just how rotten he could be. Yeah, rotten...
"I knew it. I knowed I made a good choice!" Mater stomped his foot down, unable to contain his excitement as he clutched his fist to his chest as well.
The racer froze for a second, a confused look rising to his face. "In what?"
Mater sent a very small yet warm smile to the racer before replying after a moment's silence, "My best friend."
You saw McQueen gently recoil when those words were uttered, almost looking as if they were foreign to him. But you watched as he visibly relaxed, shoulders settling, as a very gracious smile rose to his lips. The two shared looks of friendly endearment, which you couldn't help but find sweet, before Mater suddenly broke the comfortable silence between them.
"Well, lemme get my truck parked then we can get along to the Sheriff!" He climbed back into his truck, switched gears, and began to reverse back towards his lot. "Be right back!"
However, the second he was far enough away and much too focused on driving, the smile fell from your face as you turned to McQueen with a look of hurt and, frankly, disgrace on your face. He seemed surprised at your sudden change in demeanor. "A helicopter ride?"
"Oh, yeah." McQueen replied, letting out a sigh of relief as if he had been expecting something worse to come out of your mouth. Little did he know... "Yeah, he got a kick out of that, didn't he?"
"Did you mean it?" You asked him sternly.
"Mean what?"
"That you'll give him a ride."
"Oh, who knows? I mean first things first. I gotta get outta here and make the race." McQueen smiled proudly, a dreamy look in his eyes. You could tell he was imagining that tie-breaker race in his head. The one you also very much wanted to think about, but now wasn't the time.
"You know, Mater trusts you." You told him, brining him back down to reality. "The townsfolk trusts you too and-" You cut yourself off, needing to muster the courage to say the words you said next. "I'd like to feel like I can trust you too." Upon saying that, and with his eyes coming back to meet your stare, you waited patiently for the words you hoped he would choose carefully.
"Yeah, okay." McQueen replied. You just couldn't place the tone he had in his voice, absolutely no idea what was going through his head either. Either way, you didn't like it, because it sounded as if he was scoffing at the fact and maybe even apathetic about it entirely. That stung. "Look, I'm exhausted." He eventually spoke up after seeing how your expression has faltered. "It's kinda been a long day."
"Yeah..." That was all you could get out, so softly it barely carried across the faint night breeze. "Okay..."
The silence that fell between the two of you was suffocating. You felt like you were drowning, like gravity had grown stronger and was trying to weigh you down with such force that you would be crushed down against the pavement, flat as a pancake. It was very uncomfortable, standing with someone you still couldn't stand no matter how hard you tried, someone you were still trying to be friends with and get along with at the same time, but someone who just seemed so self-absorbed and in his own little fantasy world that it barely felt like he was walking on the same planet as literally anyone else on Earth. It was as if you were torn halfway between two different dimensions, two completely different realities. It was like-
"Hey." McQueen spoke softly after what seemed like years—no, decades—of silence. You snapped out of your thoughts to stare at him quizzically, also looking somewhat scared as he did startle you pretty thoroughly. "I, uh..." He couldn't hold your gaze as he looked to the side and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "You look...pretty good in red."
You remained frozen, the only thing changing was your expression as you mouthed, 'What?' while raising a brow and slightly scrunching your nose. However, when you looked down at your attire, you realized his racing jacket was still snug around your torso. Eyes widening in realization as a small blush rose to your cheeks in embarrassment, you began to slide your arms out of the sleeves.
"No, no!" He held his hands out to stop you, which you did actually stop mid-action. "You, uh..." He regained his composure and stood upright as he brought his fist to his mouth, trying to hide his own embarrassed blush a little as he cleared his throat. "You don't need to take it off! You look pretty comfortable."
You thought for a moment, contemplating your decision. It was very comfortable...and warm...and his. But you just couldn't bring yourself to keep it on. He had brought it up for a reason, right? You knew how much he loved his racing and his car and, well, himself!
In the end, you resumed in taking it off. "Nah, it's fine. I don't want it." You took it off and held it out to him. "Here."
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Just take it." You rolled your eyes at him, now pushing the jacket in your hands against his chest at this point. He took it reluctantly, not that you were really giving him much choice, and he couldn't spare the frown that came to tug at the corners of his lips. He hadn't meant to upset you by bringing it up. He really did mean what he said! But with the way you responded, insisting on turning down his attempt at being a gentleman, he thought that maybe you hadn't warmed up to him tonight as much as he thought.
Why was this even bothering him, though? He was Lightning McQueen of all people! What matter was it to him that one woman turned down his advances? The one time in his life he had ever tried, hell, ever even wanted to be a gentleman? It didn't matter, that's right! Because he is Lightning McQueen! He could have any woman in the world. After all, they all seemed to want him and fawned over him. So no, it didn't matter that this one woman turned him down! This one woman that he very much couldn't stand and...and thought about constantly and... And...
"Alright! I'm back!" Mater yelled loudly, almost right in your ears too.
"M-Mater!" You exclaimed in shock, raising your hands to cover your ears. "Please!"
He chuckled. "Heh heh, sorry, Miss (Y/N)."
"It's fine, Mater." You sent him a small smile, reassuring him that it wasn't that big of an issue and you forgave the sudden outburst. "Now, let's hurry on over to Sheriff! It's very late."
~~~~~~~~
McQueen was now back in his cell. You had hurried out almost as soon as you guys had turned him back in, which he found odd and somewhat upsetting, but where was nothing he could do. However, since Mater stayed just a little longer until the racer got situated, he couldn't help but ask the friendly country boy in overalls, "Hey, Mater? Why'd (Y/N) rush off?"
"I dunno." Mater replied simply. "Why you ask?"
"It's nothing, nothing." McQueen mumbled back, trying to play it off.
"Why do you ask about her so much?" Mater had a bit of a knowing smirk on his face.
McQueen froze at the question, not having a single clue in his right mind on how to respond. "I guess I'm just curious is all."
Mater chuckled. "Are you sure it ain't cause you love her?" He pressed further, dragging out the vowel in 'love' in a mocking, albeit friendly, manner. He had a sly look on his face.
"No, no!" There was an extra emphasis on the last 'no' from McQueen, the change in conviction in his voice giving away that he had taken a second to really process what Mater had said. "Are you kidding? Besides, she can't stand me." McQueen scoffed quietly and crossed his arms over his chest, sitting down on his creaky and very much uncomfortable cot. A small frown came to hd face as he mumbled even quieter, "And I don't like her, to be honest."
"Yeah, you probably right." Mater replied, pulling a look of even more hurt onto McQueen's face. Suddenly, Mater looked over his shoulder with a bright smile as he loudly exclaimed, "Hey, look! Miss (Y/N)'s back!"
"Wh-Where!?" McQueen stuttered out excitedly, rushing to his feet as he stumbled over to the bars of the cell. His fists came to clench around them eagerly. The look on his face was priceless, he looked just like a lost puppy to Mater!
Mater couldn't help but bust out in laughter. "You're in love with (Y/N)!"
McQueen groaned as he dramatically flung himself away from the bars and back onto the cot, realizing the cruel prank Mater had just pulled on him. "No, I'm not..."
"Yes, you do."
"No way!"
"Way!"
McQueen sighed, seeing as how the conversation was going nowhere. He had to try to convince Mater otherwise, though. What would happen if Mater told you? Oh boy, McQueen had no idea what you would do if you heard about it. Heck, he didn't even do what he would do! "Mater, look-"
Mater interrupted to prance around, excitedly yelling out in a sing-song way, "You're in love with (Y/N)! You're in love with (Y/N)!"
"Okay, that's real mature Mater, real grown up." McQueen groaned out, his words drowned out by Mater's childish singing.
"You love her! You love her, you love her! You love her, You love her, You love her-"
"Quiet down in there!" Sheriff yelled from another room, causing both of the boys to stiffen and fall dead silent on command. That didn't exactly stop Mater's pestering, though.
As Mater continued to make silly faces of mockery at McQueen, even still whispering out childish chants, McQueen laid down and brought his arm to rest over his eyes, blocking out Mater entirely. Seeing nothing but darkness from his closed eyes, he couldn't help but think about you, the one woman who turned down his advances. The one woman who didn't seem to want him and never fawned over him. The one woman that he very much couldn't stand and...and thought about constantly and... And...
Loved.