A/N: yes we be getting a lot of Leo content lately but shush. I seriously need to give Frank and Grover more time ☹️‼️ Honestly it's because they get so little time in the books (Grover deserved better. Forever mad) so their personalities isn't fully developed (I still love their personalities. May or may not kin both of them). So I don't wanna like make them seem out of character, y'know? Anyway,
[LEO VALDEZ]
He spent his last evening in Texas with Cal. It was already dark, seeing it was winter. The sky was filled with stars. Piper would've named every single one. She loved stargazing. She'd tell him the Cherokee stories behind them.
Cal didn't have such an interest. Instead of the stars, she was looking at all the flowers and plants, telling Leo about them. They were in the garden of the Waystation. Everything had been planted by Emmie and Cal. Everything had been made by Jo and Georgina, who both seemed like pretty good mechanics.
"Oh-" Cal saw something wrong with the garden, though it looked completely perfect to Leo. "Stay here. I'll be back in a second-"
She ran off inside, returning only minutes later with pliers. She knelt on the soil- probably getting her jeans dirty. Piper would've had a heart attack.
Leo watched as she cut a weed or something, before standing up.
"Woah, those pliers are way too dull," Leo said.
"You're too dull," Cal rolled her eyes.
"No, seriously. That's dangerous- come on. I'm sharpening these for you before you hurt yourself."
"Really? You're annoying."
"You don't really think that," Leo walked to the side of the Waystation, which was practically Jo's workshop.
Cal crossed her arms, watching Leo as he sharpened the tool- not too much. She could also hurt herself if they were too sharp. In less than two minutes, he handed them back to her.
"Uhm, thanks," she said.
"Hey, wait here a minute," Leo said, picking up more tools. Surely Jo wouldn't mind.
Cal started humming quietly as Leo worked. He could still feel her eyes on him. When he was finished, he handed it to her.
"A rake?" she asked.
"Yeah. Earlier you tried using the big one and almost killed half your plants. So I made you a small one."
"I didn't almost kill them!"
"Well, it could happen. Now you can think of me every time you have to rake leaves." Leo joked.
Cal frowned. "You're leaving tomorrow morning."
"Yeah?"
"Will you come back to Texas?"
"Oh, hell yeah. I can't just leave y'all here." Leo grinned. Cal just watched him for a moment. "Uhm."
"There's someone back home, isn't there?" she asked.
"What?"
"Let's go for a walk."
• • •
Leo had been on so many walks with Cal, he was getting used to the place.
"What did you mean?" he asked.
"There's another girl. Back in New York."
"What? Oh. Oh. Wait, another?"
She shrugged. "Never mind. You have a girlfriend who's waiting for you to come home, don't you?"
"Eh, no. Why?"
"Well, there's someone. Someone you like."
"I wouldn't say like- wait. You do not need to hear about my life story. Why?"
The second he said it, it hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Oh," Leo said. "Uhm, well, there's plenty of people on Team Leo."
"Excuse me?"
"Y'know. Team Leo. The best team there is," he said, trying to joke.
"You're insufferable," Cal sighed. "So, who is the girl you like but don't like."
"It's a long story."
"I love stories."
Leo sat down at the park bench with her. The fact that someone so beautiful could even think of having a crush on him made his mind explode. He was short and scrawny. Cal, one of the most beautiful people Leo had ever seen, liked him. But she wasn't.. What? She wasn't Jason.
"Uhm, well, he's not a girl. Oh, by the way, I'm pansexual."
"Oh- okay."
"Wait- just, please don't tell Will. Or anyone. This is top secret info I'm trusting you with." Leo said.
Cal smiled. "Okay. Wait. Please tell me it isn't Will you've fallen for?"
He burst out laughing. "I love Will but absolutely not. He likes Nico anyway. Everyone knows it. He thinks he's being slick. Kayla and Austin even figured it out and they don't know who Nico is."
Cal laughed. "Okay, good."
"Well, his name is Jason," Leo whispered, though there was no one around to listen.
"Ew. Weird name." she said.
"I know. But it's complicated."
"Couldn't be that bad."
"Alright. So, where do I start? He was dating this girl called Drew who was a bitch-"
"Wait," Cal cut him off. "Is he straight or-"
"Don't talk over me. We'll get to that. Anyway, so he and Drew were dating, whatever. I liked him. He's hot. I mean- never mind. Then I was talking to him outside our friends' house. Then he kissed me. Yes, while he was still with Drew."
"Damn."
"Yeah. Anyway, our friend, Hazel saw. Jason literally just ignored us for the rest of the night. Then I talked to Hazel about it. I didn't want to out Jason to anyone else, which is why you're the first person I've told."
Cal listened carefully. He felt bad, ranting about his own love problems while knowing she liked him.
"So, anyway, he broke up with Drew. Then at this overnight school thing, he kissed me again. He hasn't talked to me since. It's been what? Two, three weeks? I fucking hate him."
"When you said it's complicated, I didn't think you were telling the truth." she muttered.
Leo shrugged, suddenly realizing how angry he was. And how much pain he was in.
"I hate him. So much." Leo said to himself. "Sorry, Cal."
"You don't have to be sorry. Jason has to be sorry. I hate him, too. Punch him."
He laughed. "Good idea. Let's not talk about him. The Solaces are at a pub. Naomi is singing or something. Let's go."
"Naomi sings every year. But my moms would kill me."
"Just say I'm the bad influence," Leo grinned.
"You are a bad influence. Let's go."
• • •
They heard the music minutes before they reached it. Apparently, Naomi wasn't the only one singing.
They walked in together, instantly spotting Will and Kayla jiving very badly. Will saw Leo and Cal and ran over to them.
"You two finally came. Wassup?"
"Will, you're not 21."
"Yes I am!" Will yelled, then whispered. "Shush. Lee is buying us all the drinks."
"I think the barman would know at this stage," Leo said. "Plus aren't your younger cousins a little.. y'know, young?"
"Oh, yeah. Gracie, Jerry and Yan aren't here. Kayla isn't drinking. Don't worry about it!"
Leo looked around the pub- he spotted Naomi with her guitar, plenty of people singing along with her. The pub was completely full. Will, Cal and Leo managed to find a place to sit down beside the other cousins.
"Gosh, Leo. You're my student, it feels wrong offering you a drink. But what do you want?" Lee asked.
"Couldn't you get into trouble because of this?" Cal asked.
Lee laughed. "Only if the cops show. Which they won't. The barman has known our family for years. So, what do ya want?"
Leo and Cal shrugged simultaneously.
"Fine, it'll be a surprise," Lee went up to the bar.
• • •
Half an hour later, Leo was dancing around the pub with anyone and everyone.
One hour later, Leo was throwing up
Two hours later, Leo was dancing again.
The pub was closing when they left. All of them.
"My moms are killing me!" Cal said, walking across the street.
"Trust me," Latricia said. "Jo cannot be mad at you when I've seen her in that pub plenty of times, way worse."
Cal laughed. "Seriously?!"
They all walked Cal home, like drunk bodyguards. Plenty of them. Leo couldn't believe how cool Will's family was.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning before you go," Cal promised. "Goodnight!"
"Night!" Leo and Will called.
• • •
Leo woke up feeling even worse than the morning after Reyna's party. He checked the time and almost had a heart attack. They were way behind schedule. He still hadn't packed.
Leo ran around the room, shoving everything into his suitcase, before bursting into Will's room.
"Wake up, wake up, wake up! We're totally gonna be late."
"I'm awake," Will groaned.
"You don't look it," Leo opened the curtains. "We mightn't get time to visit Cal if we don't hurry."
Will checked the time on his phone. "We won't have time. Or we could just, y'know, miss the plane."
"Nuh-uh. I haven't been this long without Piper since I met her. I have to see her- and my other home dogs."
Will sighed, sitting up. "Okay. Get out so I can get ready."
"Okay! I'll go get everything ready." Leo ran out, knocking on Naomi's door a couple of hundred times then running downstairs. His head hurt but he didn't care- he was far too excited to see Piper. He started loading all the suitcases into Diana's car, getting everything ready. Surprisingly, Lee and Michael were up and ready. Lee looked like death. Michael seemed fine.
Naomi came outside with her suitcases, cursing to herself, before shouting through the window.
"Will, hurry up!"
"There's something I gotta do-" Leo said. "How long do I have?"
Michael shrugged. "Half an hour, max? I don't know."
"Alright! I'll be back as soon as possible-" Leo grabbed someone's bike, jumping on.
• • •
First he stopped at the Waystation, afraid he wouldn't have time to go with Will. Cal was in the garden, raking some leaves around a plant with the rake Leo had given her.
"Leo!" She grinned.
"Cal, we don't have a lot of time. I slept in because, y'know, I'm hungover as fuck. Did your moms kill you?"
"I don't think they've noticed. Isn't Will here?"
"Like I said, we have no time. I'm really sorry. I'll be back to visit soon. I promise. I'm gonna miss you."
Cal smiled softly. "Goodbye, Leo Valdez. Good luck with Jason. You'll know what to do. Tell Will I said bye!"
Leo smiled. "Thanks. You're still one of my best friend, even after ten years. I love you so much! See ya!"
As much as he didn't want to leave, he knew he wouldn't have enough time. He kept cycling.
He jumped off the bike and ran to the grave. He knew he wouldn't have time to buy flowers, like he had the past few days.
He said a prayer at the grave, then said his goodbyes, promising to be back soon. He ran back to the bicycle. He knew he'd regret not going, but he was still terrified to see it.
When he looked at the burnt workshop, things came flooding back to him. Everything that happened that night. The smell of smoke, the sudden flames. Leo had been sitting at the front of the shed, playing with the car his mom had just made him. The more he looked at the workshop, the clearer the memories became.
[flashback to eight-year-old Leo, in the workshop, with his mother.]
Leo sat on the workbench, watching Mom while playing with some screws. He yawned, looking out the dust-coated window. The sky was dark. It was a Summer night, Leo's favourite nights. Ever since Tía Callida stopped babysitting him, Mom would let him help her in the workshop.
"Are you cansado, hijo?" she asked. She'd always speak in both English and Spanish. Leo thought it was normal, growing up. Years later, he still said words in Spanish before realising they weren't English.
Mom had asked was he tired. The truth was yes, but he didn't want to admit that.
"No, Mama. Not tired."
Esperanza raised an eyebrow. "It's way past your bedtime, por supuesto you're tired. Go outside while I lock up, okay. Don't go anywhere, though."
"But it takes so long to lock up!"
He watched Mom grab a scrap piece of metal, twisting it easily since it was thin. She turned around, grabbing things off the workbench.
"Here, play with this," she said. It was another one of her metal cars- she always made them for Leo. He had tons at home.
"Okay, Mom. Be quick."
"I will. Love you."
"Love you too!" Leo walked towards the door, before turning back and hugging Esperanza. "Love you way more than you love me."
"Not possible. Now go on."
• • •
Leo pushed the car along the ground. Mom was taking way longer than usual. Leo thought she was playing a prank of some kind. He walked back towards the workshop, tapping on the wall. Morse code.
You okay?
He didn't get a response. Then he smelt burning. He looked at the other side of the workshop, seeing orange flames shoot into the sky, spreading abnormally quickly.
"MOM!" Leo yelled, running back to the door. By the time he got there, the fire from the inside had reached it. "MAMA!" he screamed again, banging on the door, ignoring the heat and smoke filling his lungs.
He kept banging on the door, not noticing the sequenced tapping. Morse code, again.
•• •-•• --- •••- • -•-- --- ••-
I love you.
He wouldn't stop. Not even when he felt the burning on his arm. The most painful feeling. He felt a pair of hands pulling him back as he tried run into the workshop, hoping to somehow save his mother.
"LET. ME. GO!" Leo turned around, trying to kick the woman away.
"Leo, is your mother in there?!" the woman asked.
Leo looked up at her, wondering how she knew his name. Then he recognized her. Will's mom.
"Yes! I need to save her, so let me go!"
The man who was with Naomi, Will's dad, ran towards the workshop. He ran around it, looking for somewhere while Naomi called emergency services, still holding Leo back.
"There's nowhere!" the man yelled, grabbing Leo just as he escaped from Naomi's grip. He kicked and bit and punched, needing to help Mom.
• • •
The fire engines arrived, their sirens painfully loud. There was an ambulance with them, too. Leo sobbed as Naomi held him while they extinqushed the fire. Leo got away from Naomi and ran in as soon as possible, not caring how much smoke there was.
Will's dad ran after him, pulling him out again.
"Where's my mom?!"
One of the paramedics took Leo into the back of the ambulance. He didn't care how bad the burn on his arm was, he cared about where his mother was. If she was okay. She was the smartest person in the world, surely she would've made it out.
"Third-degree burn," the paramedic said to Will's mom. Leo couldn't even feel the pain. "We'll take him back to the hospital for treatment. Does he have any relatives nearby?"
Leo couldn't remember anything after that, apart from the ambulance driving away as he begged them to let him find his mom.
[End of flashback]
Naomi and her husband were the ones who saved him all those years ago. Leo put his hand over his mouth, sobbing. Not like usual, though. This time he was making peace. For ages, he'd blamed himself. He believed he somehow started the fire. Now he knew it was no one's fault. It was time for him to accept that.
He took a last look at the workshop before jumping on the bicycle and cycling back to the Solaces.
He got there when they were saying their goodbyes.
"Sorry to whoever's bike I stole!" Leo said, jumping off of.
Will was hugging Austin and Kayla, clearly not wanting to let go. Leo tried not to stare, knowing Will was hiding himself crying.
He also could barely bring himself to look at Naomi, but he did. He owed her his life. He just smiled at her and could tell Naomi knew he knew.
[WILL SOLACE]
"I love you guys. I'll be back soon," he said, finally letting go of Austin and Kayla. He'd already said goodbye to everyone else, but they were the hardest to leave.
"We both love you," Austin said.
"Tell Nico I said hi." Kayla smiled as Austin laughed.
"What?" Will asked.
"Oh, nothing," Kayla and Austin shrugged simultaneously.
Will just raised an eyebrow and turned to Leo.
"Did you visit Cal? Cause we won't have time to."
"Yeah," Leo nodded. "She said bye. Hey, Austin, Kayla, give us updates on her, alright. She'll learn how to use a phone eventually."
"Will do!" Kayla said.
Naomi checked the time. "We seriously need to get going."
Will got into the car, still not wanting to go. Diana drove away from the houses.
———
Word Count: 2825
———
A/n: probably the weirdest chapter I've written so far like huh.
Cal and Leo 🤩
Slight Valgrace angst 🤩
Drunk teenagers 🤩 (it's okay, I'm Irish, it's completely normal)
PAIN AND MISERY.
IDK.