Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

THE SOLACES

A/N: Solace family chapter!!!
First pov: Leo. Logical.

[LEO VALDEZ]

"Are planes scary?" He asked Will for the hundredth time. He had been on a plane before, going from Texas to Alaska, but he didn't remember it. He couldn't remember much about the horrible weeks after his mother's death.
"No, they aren't. Trust me." Will said. They were sitting beside each other, Will in the middle. Naomi was on the other side of him. Lee and Michael were sitting in the row in front of them, beside a random woman, who Lee was trying to flirt with while Michael told him to shut up.

"Okay, okay. Y'know I used to want to be a pilot. I hyper-fixated on planes when I was like- seven, I think."
"I remember," Will said. "You would never shut up about them."
"Yeah, because they were so cool!"

It was two days before Thanksgiving. Leo couldn't wait to go to Texas, there was so much he wanted to do. See Cal, visit his mom's grave, go to their old house.

"So," Lee said, giving up with flirting. "If we started right now, we could watch the bee movie twice, with time to spare."
"Or we could watch Star Wars," Will muttered.
"Neither. Please." Michael said.
"'According to all known laws of aviation,'" Lee quoted.
"Will, please swap seats with me. Please." Michael said.

• • •

The journey was thankfully alright, though Leo was still relieved when it landed. Probably because he was forced into watching Star Wars edits (he refused to watch the actual movies). Will was such a nerd.

"Diana should be here to collect us," Naomi said, walking out of the airport.
"My favourite aunt," Lee smiled.
"Thanks," Naomi elbowed him.
"-after you, of course!"

It didn't take them long to find Diana. She looked older than Lee, although Leo knew she was actually younger. She had the same facial features as Will, Michael and Lee, only her hair and eyes were darker. Her skin was less tanned, too. Otherwise, you could tell she was a Solace.

The main difference was their personalities. Out of the Solaces Leo had met, they were all confident, annoying, funny dumbasses. Diana was a whole lot more serious. Leo stood awkwardly while they had their short reunion.
"No way you got a job as a teacher!" Diana said to Lee, before hugging him. "'Ey, Michael. College still sucks? Good to see you, Will. Got out of the Star Wars phase?"
"It is not a phase-"

• • •

The drive from the airport was super noisy. Lee, Michael, Will and Leo all had to squeeze into the backseat.
"I nominate Lee to sit in the trunk." Michael said.

Another thing Leo noticed about the Solace family was their sun tattoos. Lee had one on his ankle (which Leo noticed because Lee was wearing sandals in middle of November, for some reason). Michael had one on his neck, Naomi had one behind her ear, Diane had one on her right wrist and a moon on her left.

"Yo, what's up with the suns?" he asked.
"There's only one. It's a really big hot thing in the sky," Will said sarcastically.
"No shit. I mean the tattoos."
"Oh. It's kinda a tradition, I guess. We usually get them as soon as we turn eighteen. Well, I got mine when I was twelve." Will said.
"Wait- you have a tattoo?!" Leo asked.
"Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention that. On my left pectoral. Mom was hella mad."
"Don't remind me," Naomi muttered.

Diana stopped the car after a relatively long drive. "We're here. Thank God."
Everyone else jumped out before the car even stopped moving. Leo got out, feeling kind of nervous. He was grateful Will invited him, but he wasn't a part of the family in any way.