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“Is everything alright in there?”
Pac was making a fuss, making sure that everything was ready for his first race in almost two years. He was outside looking at the engine for the tenth time before Baghera arrived, making sure everything was in order as the assistant car race organizer.
Pac sighed. “Just making sure the car is ready, Baghera.”
“Mike told me your car was ready yesterday!”
He bit his lip. “I’m not convinced.”
Baghera sighed, and and patted Pac’s back, “You’ll be fine, Pac. I’ve seen you drive, I’m sure you’ll get a really high placement!”
That wasn’t the entire problem. He felt his stump ache.
Pac turned his head to Baghera, who was giving him a sympathetic smile.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Pac closed the lid of the car, “How much time do we have left?”
“Ten minutes.”
If Pac could shapeshift, he would turn into a puddle on the ground.
“Good luck Pac!” Baghera gave him a thumbs up, and went off to check on the other racers.
Pac really couldn’t do anything other than sit in his car and try to push the nervousness away. So he opened the car door, sat down, and clutched his hands onto the steering wheel.
It’s not going to happen again, it won’t happen again.
He's going to be alright, he had done races tons of times.
He won’t have an accident, he will be alright.
But what if it does happen again?
Pac’s eyes can’t help but dart at every single little detail of his car, trying to see if there was something that looked off, something that could sabotage his car. Like the countless other times he had scanned the inside of his car, he saw nothing.
He gripped onto the steering wheel harder, trying his best to push the anxious thoughts away. He shut his eyes tightly, he desperately needed a distraction. He doesn’t know if he could do this race otherwise.
Instinctively, his mind went to Fit. The mechanic had been working with Mike for a few months now, and Pac had taken quite a liking to him. Fit would come down to the night-club to hang out with him if he was free after his job, and he enjoyed the talks with him very much. More than he would if it was anyone else. Every time Pac would see Fit coming down the stairs to his night-club, it would brighten his night.
They had gotten quite close. Pac would quickly glance at him, while he noticed that Fit stared. They started hugging each other quite often, and the more they did, the longer they embraced. They were even close to holding hands, and that was recent. Pac was talking about how nervous he was for this race, and Fit was comforting him gently, placing his hand softly over Pac’s. To think about it, Fit had been beside him every step of the way for the preparation of this race. Pac wouldn’t know what to do without him.
He suddenly heard a knock on the window of his car door, and Pac jumped. He turned his head to see who it was, and he immediately rolled the car window all the way down.
“Fit!” Pac beamed.
“Oii, Pac!” Fit cheered, while kneeling to Pac’s window. He placed his crossed arms in the car window, and then rested his chin against his arms.
“I’m glad I got to see you before the race started!” Pac unbuckled his seatbelt and turned his body to Fit’s direction. “I’m not going to lie to you Fit, I’m a little nervous for this.”
“I completely understand, Pac. This is your first time in how long? I would get why you’re nervous.”
Pac furrowed his eyebrows and looked away. “It’s not just that, Fit. I’m worried if…”
Pac trailed off, mouth going dry from the anxiousness still running through his thoughts. Fit, like the patient man he was, stayed silent. Pac looked back at him, and Fit was looking at him with fondness in his eyes. That gave the encouragement for him to continue.
Pac played with his hands as he spoke. “I’m worried if it’ll happen again. I know that I trust myself enough to race again, but this feeling won’t stop.”
“What feeling?” Fit asked softly.
“Anxiety. I’m so anxious. I think I need a distraction.”
Fit went silent for a few seconds, putting his hand over his chin, and Pac could tell that he was deep in thought. Pac waited patiently for the man to respond, trying to show him the same care that Fit always showed him.
“What if…” Fit started, “I treat you to something special after you finish your race, no matter if you place high or low.”
Pac immediately felt his face warm up, and coughed a little bit, being caught off guard. “Like what, Fit??”
Fit gave him wide eyes, and started laughing hard, “Whatever you’re thinking Pac, that is not what I was going to offer! I promise you.”
Pac started laughing too, head looking down. “I know, Fit, sorry! I’m sorry for ruining this!”
Fit immediately responded. “No, Pac you don’t ruin anything.” He cleared his throat, and continued. “What if I took you out tonight for dinner?”
When Pac turned his face back to Fit, he could see how nervous he was. His cheeks were red, and he was looking everywhere but directly at Pac.
“You would do that for me?”
Fit nodded, “Of course I would, Pac. Only if you accept.”
“Would it be like a date?”
Fit’s face became more red with that question. “Y-yes, it would be like a date.”
A date? Fit asked him out on a date? Oh, this would be on his mind the entire race.
“Then of course! I would love for you to take me out, Fit.” Pac smirked, winking at him.
That nearly broke Fit, and now he was chuckling nervously, but he also looked extremely relieved.
Fit sighed deeply. “I’m excited then, but first, kick some ass, Pac. You got this!”
He was about to tuck himself out of the car window until Pac stopped him with a yelp.
“Wait, wait, Fit,” Pac held his hand like a stop sign, “I want to ask you something quick.”
Fit immediately settled again, listening to Pac’s request like a sailor to a siren.
Pac didn’t know where he got the burst of confidence from. He suspected that it was from Fit himself, always feeling like he brought the best out of Pac. But he couldn’t dwell into that now, he had to ask him something.
It was Pac’s turn to start stuttering and turn a bit red, “I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Fit’s eyebrows raised in curiosity. “Of course, Pac. But I insist, you don’t need to do anything-”
“Can I kiss you?”
Pac scanned Fit’s expression for any sign of repulsion or negative emotion. Even though Fit did just ask him out for dinner, he still had festering doubts in his mind. He had to know.
When all he saw in Fit’s look was a bit of shock, but mostly affection and love, he knew his answer.
“Yes.” He breathed out.
Pac leaned closer to Fit, and pressed his lips against his. Fit moved very slightly, adjusting to Pac’s kiss. Then, as soon as it started, Pac broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Fit's.
It was very fleeting, as quick as a breath, but Pac tried putting as much love and care as possible into it. It was what Fit deserved.
Before they could do anything else, the noise of an air horn made both of them jump, signaling that it was almost time for the race. They both pulled away from each other.
Fit gave him a warm smile, a smile that brightened Pac every day. “Good luck, Pac! I’ll be rooting for you!”
“Thank you, Fit!” Pac waved enthusiastically, “And thank you for the encouragement!”