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Lightning knew he should be asleep by now. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to fall asleep. None of his usual tricks were working. Not the music, the eye mask, or the lavender. Usually he’d call Sally when it got this bad, but that… wasn’t an option anymore. They’d broken up right before he left for the World Grand Prix. His racing career had put too much strain on their relationship and him agreeing to the World Grand Prix was the final straw.
Sleep wasn’t coming. He figured he might as well workout if he wasn’t going to sleep. It was definitely better than dwelling on his ex-girlfriend. Besides, maybe it would tire him out. He sighed and got up out of bed.
Lightning picked up a pair of work-out shorts off the floor and a hoodie flung over a chair. He didn’t bother with a shirt, it’s not like anyone else would be at the gym at this hour. He only grabbed the hoodie since it seemed wrong to walk around the entire hotel shirtless. He slipped his phone, headphones, and room key into his pocket and flipped up his hood.
The door made a soft click as it closed behind him. He hesitated for a second, debating between stairs or elevator. The elevator was closer though, so he headed that way. Lightning pressed the button and watched as the numbers ticked down until they reached his floor. The elevator doors opened with a ding and Lightning walked in.
Someone else was already in the elevator.
“Francesco?” Lightning asked in surprise.
“Lightning?” Francesco responded, startled. “What are you doing here?”
“Why do you care?” Lightning shot back defensively.
“I…” Francesco said, “whatever. Nevermind.”
Lightning leaned back against the wall and glared at Francesco. At least he hoped it looked like glaring, really he was drawing his gaze across Francesco’s body. He wasn’t used to seeing Francesco dressed this casually. He was always meticulously put together. But here Francesco was in a black tank top hugging his sculpted body and… gray sweatpants? Damn. He quickly drew his gaze up, not wanting to be caught looking. Not that it mattered, Francesco was clearly avoiding looking at him.
Lightning scoffed. At least this ride would be over soon and he and Francesco could go their separate ways.
The lights flickered as the elevator jolted and they both stumbled. Lightning reached out to catch himself and he felt hands grabbing him.
“FUCK!” he yelled.
Lightning and Francesco were grasping to each other and breathing heavily from the shock. Time felt frozen for a moment as Lightning lost himself in Francesco’s piercing amber eyes.
The moment shattered as soon as Francesco asked “are you ok?”
Lightning pulled back, untangling himself from Francesco. He cleared his throat and straightened his clothes before answering.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Are you ok?”
Francesco nodded, “I think something happened to the elevator.”
“No shit,” Lightning snorted.
Francesco rolled his eyes and went to the buttons. He first tried the open doors button and it did nothing. Then he tried the different floors and any other buttons available. Nothing happened. He slammed his fist against it in frustration. Lightning came up behind him.
“As good as you are at pushing buttons, I don’t think that's going to work.”
Francesco spun around. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lightning took a step back after realizing they were almost chest to chest.
“We’re stuck. I thought that was obvious.”
“Yeah, no. Got that . What do you mean by me being good at ‘pushing buttons’?” He shoved a finger into Lightning’s chest.
Lightning pushed Francesco’s hand off. “You’re always trying to pick fights.”
Francesco folded his arms.
“Part of this job is being competitive, if you can’t handle that maybe you shouldn’t be a racer,” he huffed.
“Oh, I can handle it. I just don’t get why you’re always trying to pick fights with me .”
Francesco sighed, dropping his arms, and stepped away from Lightning, putting distance between them.
“Do we really have to do this now?” he asked.
Lightning threw his hands up. “It’s not like we have anything better to do! We’re stuck in this elevator and I don’t know when we’re getting out. So yeah, we’re doing this now.”
He moved to lean against the wall across from Francesco. Damn. This elevator was small.
“I don’t try to pick fights with you. Don’t flatter yourself,” Francesco told him. His arms were crossed in defense.
Lightning laughed in disbelief. “That’s bullshit.”
“No. It’s really not. Why do you think you’re so special?”
“Well, let’s see. At the interview that ended up with me joining the World Grand Prix you talked about me the entire time, none of the other competitors. The first time we met in person, you spent the whole time insulting me. You made a sticker saying ‘Ciao, McQueen.’” Lightning counts these out on his fingers, almost mockingly. “I didn’t see you doing that with any of the other competitors. There’s so many other instances, I could go on.”
“Fine. Maybe I compete with you a little more than the others, so what.”
Francesco has gone a little red, but he still meets Lightning’s eyes. Lightning is a little impressed the guy doesn’t back down.
Lightning pushes off the wall.
“Compete with me? All of this is happening off the racetrack. This feels personal. Why do you hate me? What did I do to you?” His voice raises as he speaks.
“I don’t hate you,” Francesco says quietly, staring at the floor.
“Then why does it feel like you do? Why are you targeting me ?” Lightning demands loudly.
“Because I like you , ok!” Francesco shouts back.
Oh.
Lightning falls silent at that. Francesco slumps against the wall and slides down it until he’s sitting. Lightning is reeling from the confession. He sits down too, on the same wall as Francesco but with plenty of distance between them.
“I like you and I don’t know how to deal with my stupid feelings. I know that trying to fight with you wasn’t the best thing to do but I didn’t know how else to get your attention.” Francesco buries his head in hands.
“I didn’t realize,” Lightning said softly, “I thought you hated me.”
“Quite the opposite,” Francesco snorted. “I’m honestly a little surprised you didn’t notice. Hell, half the time I couldn’t tell if I was fighting or flirting. Almost all my insults were unintentionally just hiding compliments. Like when I said your races put me to sleep? Yeah. Admittedly sometimes I watch your races before bed. I made a sticker that was just for you! As you pointed out, no one else got one . I literally said ‘you are very good-looking’ when we first met! Although, I immediately insulted you afterwards but that was just because I can’t cope with my feelings. Hell! You have a girlfriend! Ms. Sally! I have no right to like you, let alone flirt with you.”
“Actually… we broke up. Right before I came to race actually. My racing career ‘put too much strain on relationship.’ He laughed self-deprecatingly. “I don’t think she really got it and it was too hard for me to be away for so long.”
Francesco scoots closer, holding out a hand. Lightning takes it and Francesco gives a squeeze.
“I’m sorry. Not as sorry as I should be, given the circumstances, but sorry nonetheless.”
“Thanks,” Lightning says softly.
“So… does this mean you're single?” Francesco asks.
“That was fast.” Lightning laughs.
Francesco shrugs. “What can I say? I’m a racecar driver, I’m trained to be fast.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised you’re single. No loverboy back home?”
Francesco flushes a bit at that.
“No. I don’t have a loverboy back home. I only had temporary flings. I had the same problem of no one was really ok with me being gone for months.”
Lightning leans his head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. His hand is still in Francesco’s.
“Yeah. Racing doesn’t make dating the easiest.”
“Shit. Speaking of dating. I don’t even know if you like guys, if you’d even be interested in me.”
“I’ve only dated girls, I never even considered liking men,” Lightning answered honestly.
Francesco looked away from him, starting to pull his hand away. Lightning caught it.
“ But ,” Lightning says and Francesco looks back at him. “I think some change might be nice. If the right guy came along, I think I’d be open to trying.”
Lightning looks at Francesco and gives a crooked smile with his head cocked.
“Do you think you’d be open to trying… with me?” Francesco asked softly.
“Maybe. I might need some more convincing. You have spent the better part of knowing me trying to fight me.”
Francesco leaned his head closer to Lightning’s, eyes locked onto Lightning's lips.
“Would a kiss help?” He asked flirtatiously.
“Why don’t you kiss me and we’ll find out?”
That’s all the invitation Francesco needed. He closed the gap between them. Francesco’s lips were soft on his. He felt hands tangling in his hair. And damn. It was a good kiss. Maybe Lightning did like men, at least Francesco.
Francesco pulled back slightly, lips brushing Lightning’s ear. “I’m still going to kick your ass on the racetrack. This doesn’t change anything.”
Lightning laughed at that. A bubby, surreal haze still lingered from the kiss.
“I think you have it backwards, because I will be the one winning.”
Francesco slid his hands out of Lightning’s hair to hold his face and smiled at him. Lightning held onto his wrists.
“Sooooo, was the kiss good enough for you to date me?” Francesco asked.
Lightning smirked. “I think I might need another to decide.”
Lightning leaned back in to continue their kissing. Francesco was all too happy to comply.
“Francesco Bernoulli, will you be my boyfriend?” Lightning murmured, lips still brushed against Francesco’s.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Lightning could feel Francesco’s smile.
They had to break apart to breathe.
“So…boyfriends, huh?” Lightning said, giddy at the term. He laced his hand with Francesco’s. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before. How’d you even end up liking me? We live on different sides of the world.”
Francesco flushed a little. “Do we really have to talk about this?”
“I mean, I feel like it’s something boyfriends would talk about.” Lightning shot him a cheesy grin.
Francesco was a sucker.
“ Fine . I saw some of your races. You’re a damn good racer,” Francesco said and then mumbled, “plus you’re hot.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, what was that?” Lightning teased.
“You heard me. I don’t need to say it again. God knows your ego is big enough already.” Francesco rolled his eyes.
Lightning chuckled. “It’s ok, I think you’re hot too,” he said with a wink.
Francesco gave Lightning a gentle shove. “Oh my god, shut up .”
“What? Can I not compliment my boyfriend ?”
“Do you have to say boyfriend so much?” Francesco asks.
“I like it. Especially because I know I’m talking about you.”
Francesco leans against Lightning.
“You know, I’m kind of glad the elevator broke down. I got you out of it. What were you doing up anyways? It’s late,” Francesco says.
Lightning traces circles against Francesco’s arm. “I couldn’t sleep, I was going to go work out because nothing else was working. Why were you up?”
“I couldn’t sleep either. I was going to the pool though.”
“It’s kind of crazy that we crossed paths. Almost fate that it happened.”
“That was ridiculously corny.”
“You’re going to put up with that if we’re dating. Still want to be together?” Lightning asks.
“I could put up with anything if it’s you.”
Francesco tilted his up to bring their lips together.
A screeching noise broke them apart. The elevator doors started to open. They scrambled apart.
“Let’s figure out exactly what we want out of our relationship tomorrow? Especially regarding the public,” Francesco said hurriedly.
Lightning nodded in agreement and they both stood up. The doors were open enough for a face to pop through. A fireman smiled at them.
“Let’s get you out of here,” he said.
The elevator was between floors so the had to slide out and drop slightly. It was a little humiliating but whatever. Someone from management was there apologizing profusely.
“I’m so sorry. We would have gotten you out sooner but it’s late enough that it took a bit for anyone to realize.”
Francesco brushed them off. “It’s fine. Really, we’d just like to get to sleep.”
“Of course! Again, so sorry. This was a freak accident.”
Once the fireman checked them over, they were able to make their escape. They opted for the stairs this time.
Once they got into the stairwell, Lightning looked at Francesco, holding back a laugh. Francesco had the same expression and they both burst out laughing.
“Oh my god! I can’t believe that happened!” Lightning laughed.
“Those firemen were hot! You should just be grateful we got together in the elevator or else I would’ve been bringing one of them back to my hotel room.”
Lightning just laughed at that. “Well, you’re all mine now.”
He took Francesco’s hands and they went up the stairs. They stopped at Lightning's floor.
“You said you had trouble sleeping, right? Want to try sleeping with me?” Francesco asked.
Lightning's eyes went wide at that.
“Oh my god! Not like that! Get your mind out of the gutter!” Francesco half-laughed, “I just meant that sometimes it’s nice sleeping next to someone and it might help us both sleep. No pressure of course, just leaving out there as an option.”
“Actually, yeah. That sounds really nice. My room is on this floor, want to come to my bed?” Lightning offered.
“Sure.”
Lightning led the way with the both of them still hand in hand. He stopped outside his door.
“Uh, it’s a little messy. Sorry,” Lightning warned.
He opened the door and sure enough there was stuff scattered around the room. It wasn’t too bad though. They walked in and stood there for a moment. Both were a little unsure of what comes next.
“Sooooo, bed?” Lightning asks.
He takes off his shoes.
“Ah, actually. I still have my swimsuit on since I was going to go to the pool…” Francesco trails off, “maybe I should just go back to my room, at least to get changed.”
“You can just borrow some of my clothes,” Lightning offers.
He goes to one of the drawers and grabs clothes out of it. He hands them to Francesco.
“How can I trust these are clean? I’ve seen the rest of your room.”
Lightning rolls his eyes. “They’re fine. I got them out of the drawer. That means they’re for sure clean.”
“Fine,” Francesco sighed before disappearing into the bathroom.
Lightning took off his hoodie but decided to leave his shorts on since he was sharing a bed. He was debating if he should get into bed now or wait for Francesco. He was well out of his depth here. He weighed his options and slipped into bed.
All the lights were off but a sliver of light creeped out from the bathroom. The rest of the room had a soft glow from the moon. Lightning watched as the bathroom light clicked off and the door opened.
It took a second for his eyes to adjust but he could soon make out Francesco’s figure. His heart thumped hard in his chest because damn . He liked the look of Francesco in his clothes. The clarity that Francesco was his . His clothes were a little loose on Francesco and the shorts hung low on his hips. It was tantalizing.
Francesco pulled the sheets back to get in next to Lightning. Lightning opened his arms and the tangled themselves together.
“Goodnight,” Lightning whispered into his boyfriend's hair.
“Goodnight,” Francesco whispered back.
Tomorrow they would have to worry about the challenges of being racers pitted against each other, what it meant to be queer in such a public profession, and everything else that came with them dating. But tonight, they were just them and that was enough.