He sat in Piper's car outside the orphanage.
"I really don't want to do this," he muttered.
"Are you sure they haven't been told already?" Piper asked.
"Nope. Carers don't wanna deal with them crying."
"So they're making you tell them?"
"Basically," He nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Piper offered.
"Nah, it's alright. They'll probably beg you to tell your dad to not adopt me." He opened the car door.
"Alright. Good luck, Valdez."
Leo walked in through the front door, small gifts for everyone. Harley ran down the stairs.
"Leo! I thought you weren't coming home!"
"Hi, Harley," he sighed, looking over to Nyssa, the only one who knew. "How was Christmas."
"Would've been better with you but really good! Santa brought loads of Lego, too. I'll show you it-"
"Uhm, Harley, can you go into the lounge? Nyssa, get the others to come to the lounge too, please."
Once everyone was there and finally calmed down, Leo knew he had to tell them.
"Okay.. uhm. Merry late Christmas. So, you all know that my 18th birthday is in July, meaning that I'll be moving out like Bekendorf and Jake-"
"You don't have to," Harley sighed.
"Yes. I do. Uhm- well, it might be a little earlier than July."
"What?" Shane, one of the quieter kids asked.
"Look, I was adopted. I'm moving out."
"What?" Harley asked.
"Harl, Piper's dad adopted me."
"No, he didn't."
"There's no need to worry. I'm gonna visit at very least once a week."
"No you won't!"
"Harley- I promise-"
Thankfully, the rest of the kids didn't fully understand. They went back to playing with their new toys or fighting.
"Bekendorf and Jake promised," Harley crossed his arms.
"I don't break promises."
"Everyone breaks promises! All of you!"
"Harley," Nyssa leaned down beside him, only to get pushed. "Hey-"
"Leave me alone!" Harley shouted, running upstairs.
Leo looked over to Nyssa. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "He's just alone. We all know what that's like. That's why we're here. You're not alone anymore. And that's why you're one of the lucky ones."
"Look after Harley for me."
"You need to visit."
"I will," Leo assured her. "I wouldn't forget about this place that easily."
"Go talk to Harley."
Leo nodded and walked upstairs and knocked on the door to his and Harley's room.
"Go away!" Came a voice from inside.
Leo opened the door anyway. "You okay?"
"Yes." Harley didn't face him.
"You know you were always my favourite brother? Even over Bekendorf."
"Charles was my favourite. Now Shane, Christopher and Isaac are my only brothers. I don't like them."
"I'm still your brother. I just have another family, too."
Harley didn't say anything.
"Is this the new Lego you got?" Leo eventually asked, hoping Harley would talk to him.
"Yes."
"Are you going to show them to me?"
"No."
Leo sighed overly dramatically. "Okay I guess I'll just go and- leave. And go." Another sigh.
"Wait!" Harley jumped up. "Let me show you."
Leo smiled. "Thought so."
• • •
Leo spent about an hour helping Harley build, while talking about getting adopted. Harley still wasn't happy, but he was starting to accept the fact that Leo was moving out.
"And I will come to visit. If I don't, Nyssa has full permission to punch me in school."
"Good."
"But you're the oldest boy in the house now. You're gonna have to help Nyssa look after the others, okay?
"Hm. Sometimes."
Leo laughed. "Sometimes is good enough for me. But it's getting late. I better go say goodbye to the others. I'll be back tomorrow to get my things."
He walked downstairs with Harley. Piper was inside now, talking to Nyssa.
"Hi," Leo said. "It's getting late, so we better go."
Nyssa nodded. "Okay. See you- soon."
Harley jumped onto the seat beside Piper. "If you ever want rid of him, he can move back in here. We don't mind."
She laughed. "He is quite annoying."
Harley smiled. "I know."
"Thanks," Leo said sarcastically. "Anyway, I'll see y'all tomorrow."
Harley hugged him. "Make sure to be back tomorrow."
"Of course. Bye Nyssa. Look after the fam for me."
"I will. Bye."
• • •
Leo felt somewhat sad as Piper drove away from the orphanage but he couldn't have been happier, at the same time. Plus he would visit.
Piper stopped at a red light, then looked out Leo's window. "Is that Jason?"
Leo looked over, seeing Jason walking with some other girl, who was a bit shorter than him with short black hair. She was wearing a leather jacket, a band t shirt and ripped black jeans and docs. Meanwhile, Jason looked like a typical white guy.
"Who is she?" Leo asked.
Piper put down the window. "JASON!"
Both Jason and the girl looked over. Jason gave a quick wave. The girl stared at Piper and Leo, her blue eyes just as sharp and electric as Jason's. That's how Leo knew Thalia was back in New York.
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Word Count: 837
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A/N: another short chapter. Mostly just Harley being a sad kid. I didn't have motivation to write a longer chapter but oh wellll.