Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Doc looks at the document in his hand. He’s been debating asking Lightning this question for days. The two have lived together for almost a year now, so he thinks it’s finally time to ask him the question that’s been on his mind ever since Sheriff slipped him the idea a few months ago.

Doc is Lightning’s mentor, and before either of the two knew it, the whole town could tell the kid grew on Doc. Neither of them used to think they could have this type of relationship with each, hating each other when Lighting first crashed into town. But here they are, living together, training together, racing together.

Doc folds the paper, slipping it into his pocket, he heads up to Lighting’s room. After two soft knocks, Lightning opens the door, dressed in his pajamas already. “Hey Doc, what’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about something.” Doc explains, he knows it’s late and Lightning should be sleeping soon, but if he doesn’t do this now, he probably won't ever do it. Doc grips the paper in his pocket as he speaks.

“Sure.” Lightning raises an eyebrow as he sees the tense look on Doc’s face, he’s rarely seen him so, insecure? It’s the only word that comes to mind if he had to describe Doc’s expression. He opens the door and lets his mentor into his room, the two sit on Lightning’s bed. “Is everything okay?”

Lightning rests his hand on Doc’s shoulder, he takes a deep breath. “Yes, everything is fine.”

Doc mutters, trying to find his words. He lets Lightning’s hand rest on his shoulder, it’s oddly comforting. “Just…let me finish talking this time ‘round.”

Lightning nods, he knows when to be quiet, he just has a hard time doing so. Doc takes another deep breath, the paper in his pocket getting even more crumpled. “Monty, you’re 20, a legal adult. I know you are, but…”

Doc closes his eyes, trying to figure out how to use his words properly. ”I see you as my own, you know. I know we don’t say it often but, I care about you, more than I thought possible. I know you already have a dad, but I see you as my own son…It’s…It’s hard for me to admit this, but…I love you, Monty.”

Doc can’t meet Lightning’s gaze, he can’t bear to see his reaction, so he stares at his lap instead where his hand balls into a fist against his jeans. “I wanted to tell you that so you know my reasoning for asking you this…I wanted to ask you if I could legally adopt you. It’s a big step, and it’s unnecessary but I-”

Despite Doc’s wishes, Lightning interrupts. He practically jumps Doc with how sudden and tight the embrace is. “Doc, you’re the best father I could ever ask for. I would love to be adopted by you.”

The blonde cries into his mentor’s chest, leaving Doc a little shocked. Lightning never had anyone care for him as much as Doc did. He never had anyone unconditionally love him like Doc does. Sure he has his biological father, but that man is a piece of shit. Lightning doesn't even consider him his father after he basically sold him off to Harv. 

“You really mean it, Monty?” Doc asks, though the answer is quite clear with how tightly Lighting clings to him.

“Yes. I’m sure, dad.” Lightning chuckles. Doc rests a hand on Lighting’s head, ruffling the fluffy blonde hair gently as his other wraps around his back.

“Thank you, son.”

Chapter Text

Lightning peers into the garage the Hornet resides in, seeing Doc work on the engine of his beloved Hornet. Doc has been working on the same issue for the past three hours. The sun long gone and the moon shining brightly in the sky. The garage door open to give Doc some fresh air.

“Need some help Doc?” A loud thunk was heard and a swear from Doc as he lifted his head from under the hood of the Hornet. 

“I’m fine Lightning.” Doc huffs, this is the fifth time Lightning has asked him if he needed help within the past ten minutes. Doc knows the kid is antsy, always needing to do something other than sit around in the house. The kid really does always have way too much energy, even this late at night.

Normally, Doc would accept Lightning’s help with the Hornet, he’s always been a big help in the past. But today, Doc wanted to do this tune up by himself, to prove to himself that he still has what it takes. He wants to prove he’s still independent, that he doesn't have to rely on the kid for everything. That he’s not that old, he can still do things for himself, like giving his Fabulous Hudson Hornet a quick tune up. But the 30-minute tune up quickly turned to 3 hours. 

“Are you sure? You’ve been out here for an awfully long time…” Lightning says, looking at his mentor with worry clearly evident in his voice and eyes.

“I said I’m fine.” Doc huffs, taking off his glasses, he pinches the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. He knows Lightning is right, he needs help, he’s been out here much too long, but he's a stubborn old bastard.

“At least take a break.” Lighting says as he steps into the garage, but before he could fully enter, Doc interrupts him.

“Lightning. Go away. I’m fine .” Doc raises his voice, it coming out much more hostile than he meant to.

Lightning’s body tenses, stopping from approaching. With his glasses off and glaring, he looks just like his father, the father that would hurt him every time he was drunk and pissed off. His breath catches in his throat as his body trembles at the memory, at Doc. 

“...I’m sorry.” Was the pitiful, trembling voice of a little boy, it was all Doc heard from Lightning before he quickly ran inside. He doesn't even make a sound as he closes the door.

“Fuck.” Doc mutters, quickly realizing his horrible mistake. Lightning only wanted to help him, he didn’t mean to snap like that, especially not at his boy. He was just tired of getting bothered so often. Doc focuses on his own breathing, calming himself down, Lightning doesn’t deserve to deal with an angry Doc, not when he did anything wrong. 

After Doc has calmed his mind, he puts his glasses back on and leaves the garage. He grabs two waters bottles from the kitchen. He opens and drinks about half of one before he heads up to the room Lightning resides in. Lightning has been living with Doc for months, so long that the room he goes to every night in Doc’s home could be called his own. 

Doc notices the light still on in Lightning’s room, he listens for a moment, hearing no footsteps, he knows Lightning isn’t pacing a hole in his floor this time. Doc gently knocks on the door, waiting for the usual loud ‘come in’ or Lighting himself to open the door, but instead he gets an almost inaudible, “yes sir?”

Lightning never calls him sir, only when he first started coaching the kid, though he quickly stopped after both of them voiced that it made them uncomfortable. “May I come in, kid?”

Doc tries his best to sound gentle at the moment, trying to show Lightning he isn't angry anymore, he knows he has to be gentle with Lightning, that he’s sensitive at the moment.

After a few longer than anticipated seconds, Lighting responds with a soft, “yeah.”

Doc opens the door, seeing Lightning curled up on his bed, hugging his red pillow close to his chest. It breaks his heart to see his kid like this. Doc sits down next to Lightning, who’s trying to hide the tears in his eyes from his mentor.

Doc sighs, setting the water bottle on the nightstand. “I’m sorry Monty…”

Doc starts off, he rarely calls Lightning his birth name, only doing so to let Lightning know he’s serious about something. “I shouldn’t have yelled like that, or snapped at you. I didn’t mean what I said, I was stressed, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”

Looking over to Lightning, the kid still had tears in his eyes, but now he has a soft smile on his lips. He lets go of the pillow, hugging Doc tightly, he rubs his tears away on his mentor’s shirt. Doc quickly wraps his arms around his kid, roughing up his dirty blonde hair. “It’s okay, Doc, I was prolly being annoying anyways.”

“No. That’s not it at all, kid.” Doc sighs, he knows his kid spirals into self-doubt and hatred when he gets real upset. “I was just mad that I was havin’ trouble with the Hornet. You had nothing to do with it, promise.”

Lightning leans into the comforting feeling of Doc running his fingers through his hair, something his actual father never did. The only time he ever touches him was to hurt him. His own thoughts calm as Doc speaks to him in such a gentle voice he’s rarely heard before. “...Thanks Doc.”

Doc raises an eyebrow at the thanks. “Now why are you thanking me?”

“For actually apologizing for messin’ up. Neither Harv nor my father would ever do something like this for me.” Lighting explains, making Doc’s heart break even more. Every time Lightning brings up his old mentor or father, Doc gets more and more upset with the assholes who hurt his kid.

“Well, I ain’t like ‘em. I care about you a lot, kid, more than you know.” Doc chuckles, feeling Lightning’s arms around him tighten, he can barely breathe with how tight his kid is holding onto him. “Want to help me fix up the Hornet tomorrow?”

“I’d love to.” Lightning smiles up at the older man, back to his usual high energy and bright self, Doc’s sun is back.

Chapter Text

Lightning grins to the camera as they flash away, taking photo after photo. He signs autographs children hand him, taking selfies with as many fans as he could before he has to leave. Lightning has always loved interacting with his fans, it gives him pride in knowing he’s inspiring others, plus it’s a huge ego boost.

He slowly makes his way to his trailer, where his Radiator Springs pit crew and RUST-EZE sponsors wait for him. “You did great out there today, kid.”

Doc Hudson, his coach and father figure, says as he puts a hand on his back.

“Thanks Doc, couldn't have done it without you.” Lightning grins, giving his signature ‘Ka-Chow’ and finger guns to a few of the older ladies outside his tent.

“Montgomery.” A slurred, deep voice calls out through the buzzing crowd, though Lightning didn't hear the voice until it slowly made its way through the crowd and towards the racer. “Montgomery!”

Both Lightning and Doc turn to see who’s calling Lightning’s real name. Most people don’t know Lightning has any other name other than Lightning, only a handful of people know he even goes by Monty. Before Lightning could fully recognize the man, Doc stands in front of the blonde racer.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” Doc questions, Lightning peaks over Doc’s shoulder to see a wasted, dirty blonde haired man with a beer in one hand.

“Get out of the way old fuck, ‘mm trying’ ta see my asshole son.” The man slurred, Lightning’s eyes widen as he finally recognizes the man in front of them. His hands tremble as all the memories of his childhood at the trailer park come rushing back to him.

“What son? Last I checked, you disowned the one you had, he ain’t your son no more.” Doc glares at the man who’s attempting to stay standing.

“Shut up! You don’t know shit about me! Montgomery! Get your ass over here!” The drunkard yells, Lighting’s body runs cold, that same voice that haunts his nightmares is here in the flesh. Lightning covers his ears, he doesn't want to hear his voice, to get reminded of those nights in the trailer parks where he had to follow his father's orders unless he wanted to get hurt. “Stop being a pussy, Montgomery!”

Lightning’s father continues to call out, though he’s suddenly silenced, the crowd gasping sans Lightning out of his memories. Lightning looks over to see his father on the floor, his nose bleeding. Doc stands over the man, his fist raised and a harsh glare on his face. “No one calls my son that.”

Doc huffs before he takes a few paces back over to Lightning, resting his hand on his shoulder, he leads him away from the now unconscious man. “Let’s get you inside, son.”

Doc leads Lightning into his trailer, not allowing Lightning to look back at his deadbeat father. The two sit on the couch in Lightning’s trailer, Doc speaks again, though his voice is much more gentle in tone than it was moments ago. “You okay, Monty?”

“Yeah…Now I am, thanks, Dad.” Lightning mutters, resting his head on Doc’s shoulder, the older man wraps his arm around his son’s arms in a half hug. “Didn’t think my past would come back to haunt me like that.”

“It’s alright, son, I’ll always be here to protect you.” Doc ruffles the blonde’s hair. “How ‘bout I treat you to some dinner tonight, we can go to that burger joint you're always raving about.”

“Can we get milkshakes too?” Lightning’s eyes sparkle of the thought of his favorite restaurant, other than Flo’s.

Doc chuckles, a gentle smile coming to his face as he sees his kid back to his normal, excited self. “Sure, son, milkshakes too.”