Messages from the Heart
Summary: A Valentine's Day piece. Takes place in the An End and a Beginning universe, but you don't have to read that to get the gist.
Rated: T – I guess? How much cursing can be in one chapter if there's only one f-bomb before it's M-rated? It's not that bad.
A/N: Inspired by chapter four of Princess of Darkness17's story Holidays. She told me to try out my idea. Go check out her stories if you haven't already.
Disclaimer: I wish. But I don't own anything important.
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Approximately a year before Dom and Letty got together: Dom is 17, Letty 15, Mia 12
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Mia Toretto was nearly thirteen, and much to her older brother's chagrin, had quite a few boys vying for her affections already. Dominic particularly enjoyed picking her up from school. He got to stand next to his car and glare menacingly at all the boys who deigned to think that they were good enough for his baby sister.
Letty had long since given up on even trying to make him lay off – as long as action didn't follow his threatening stares. She usually sat in the front seat of his car with her shoes leaving marks on his dashboard that he would undoubtedly yell at her for once he got back in the car. But she would on occasion, point out a boy or two that looked like they were thinking about making a move. A pointed glare from him usually had them scurrying in another direction.
Because of his innate – Mia said it was just annoying – sense of protectiveness towards his sister in all matters boy-related, it was his right as an older brother after all… he was a little concerned that Valentine's Day,of all things, sneaked up on him.
It was a normal Wednesday. Granted, even the high school was decorated with red and pink paper hearts and tacky Cupids, but it hadn't really registered as something he needed to be bothered with this year. He wasn't dating anyone, and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask out some girl just for Valentine's Day – not that he hadn't done it before. But he had realized quickly that girls were clingy and hard to shake off.
For once, he agreed with Letty's cynical statement that commercialism just sucked the life out of you.
Mia had gotten a ride home with the mother of one of her friends after school to work on a science project. When she got dropped off before dinner time, Dom was more than surprised when she dumped a pile of cards and candy onto the counter from her backpack.
"What the hell is all that?" Dom asked incredulously.
"It's Black Wednesday", Letty answered flatly from where she was sitting at the kitchen table, nose in her Geometry book.
He blinked. "Valentine's Day", Dom muttered sifting through nearly twenty different cards, "You're not going to date any of these punks, right?"
"I have to look at them first", Mia sighed exasperatedly, smacking his hands away in annoyance.
"The answer I was looking for was 'no, Dom, of course not; boys have cooties'", Dominic scowled.
Letty snickered, getting up and walking over to the pile of cards and candy. "Leave her alone, man. These boys probably just wanna hold her hand or something – maybe kiss her cheek." Then she raised her eyebrow towards the younger girl, who was clearly bordering on mortified. "Seriously, Mia, boys that age still slobber and have braces. Don't let them kiss anywhere but your cheek, and you make sure they keep their hands to themselves. Got it?"
"Got it", Mia squeaked, flushing bright red. "I'm going to my room to study", she muttered, scooping up the cards and taking a few small candy bars from the pile. "You guys can have the rest. I just wanted the Hershey bars. Call me for dinner." Then she disappeared, running up the stairs before they could embarrass her further.
Letty chuckled quietly, and grabbed up two boxes of candy hearts and a few Reese's cups intending to go back to study when she found Dom smirking at her. She rolled her eyes. "You're welcome", she said pointedly, brushing past him.
He grinned down at her teasingly. "Speaking from experience, Let?"
"Check the chili", she muttered, gesturing to the crock pot, intent on ignoring him. "Your dad will kill you if you let it burn."
"You're a girl. Why aren't you cooking?" he grumbled even as he went to still the chili.
"I change tires, I don't cook", she replied easily, choosing to ignore his muttered, 'can't cook'. Then she shot a rubber band at him, stifling a laugh when it hit his shoulder and he spun to glare at her. She shrugged, eyes sparkling with humor. "You need to quit it with the sexist comments. I know you were taught better than that." Letty turned to focus back on her work after a quick glance at the clock. It was just after seven.
She ignored Dom as he banged around the kitchen and finally stuck two loaves of garlic bread in the oven. When he finally sat down again, he took the seat next to her, making her legs slide off the chair. She kicked his shin under the table absently for taking her footrest. He pulled his own pile of books back in front of him and went back to reading his history book.
"Go get your own candy", she warned as he reached for one of his boxes.
"C'mon, Letty, share", he tried reproachfully.
She hit his knuckles lightly with her pencil, but he managed to snag a box anyway. She sighed. "I'm studying. Quit bothering me. And you need to study too. If I have to sit in here again tomorrow and listen to you bitch instead of working in the garage just because you were too lazy to write your damn paper and got your ass grounded until your grades come up, I swear, I will cause you pain."
"It was a stupid paper."
She snorted. "They're all stupid papers. And I happen to know you went to a party that weekend instead of writing it. You spent the next two days with a hangover."
He grumbled irritatedly, but didn't bother refuting her statement. Instead, he opened the box of candy he had pilfered from her and dumped the contents on the table in front of them. He picked up a pink heart and frowned. "'Call Me'", he read incredulously. "Do people really get dates with this cheesy shit?"
"I wouldn't know", Letty answered absently as she worked out the last problem in her notebook.
He smirked and flicked a yellow one at her. "'Be Mine'?"
She snorted and popped it in her mouth, slamming her math book shut with a triumphant thud. Letty reached over her book to finger through the candies. "Are there ones that say 'Kiss My Ass'?" she inquired.
He chuckled. "I doubt it."
She flicked an orange one at him and it hit his elbow. "'Marry Me'", she said mirthfully. "Better watch out. Some of your exes might like to get a hold of these."
Dom made a face and started rifling through the pile in earnest. "Where the hell are the ones that say 'Let's Just Be Friends'?"
Letty tossed her head back and laughed at his anxiousness. "I don't think they make those either."
He shook his head and slid another one at her. "Here ya go, 'Hot Stuff'", he teased.
"Eyes off the goodies, Toretto", she arched an eyebrow and flicked another one at him that said 'Sweet Talk'. "You suck at it", she finished, eyeing him pointedly.
He smirked as the back door opened and Tony came inside.
"Are you two actually getting any work done?"
"I finished math and English", Letty shrugged.
"I read the whole history chapter", Dominic grumbled.
"Is Mia home?" Tony asked, going to check the food.
"She's up in her room studying", Letty answered.
"What's with all the candy- oh, right", Tony chuckled. "Valentine's Day. Tell me you weren't harassing your sister", he sighed.
"I was", Dom said easily. "And Letty helped."
"Hey!" she complained, kicking him again. "Don't drag me into this!"
"Stop kicking me!"
"Clear off the table, you two", Tony interrupted, before they could start their own version of Fight Club.
They shuffled around, grumbling and bumping into each other until they set the table. Letty counted out plates. "Where's Vince?"
"He's coming back", Tony answered. "He'll be here any minute."
"Where there's food, there's Vince", she said lightly as the door opened again.
"Got that right, sister", Vince chuckled.
"I hope you had fun at the garage", she muttered.
He grinned. "I did, but I'll be nice enough not to brag about it."
Letty scowled, and went to get cups from the cupboard.
"Dominic, go tell your sister it's dinner time", Tony ordered.
Dom walked through the living room and bellowed up the stairs, loud enough to carry over the pop music that was playing in her room. "Mia! Dinner!"
Tony raised an eyebrow when he came back into to the kitchen. "I could have done that", he said dryly.
"But you didn't have to", Dom smirked.
Mia's footsteps were heard as she came downstairs and gave her father a hug once she got into the kitchen. "Hi, Daddy."
He leaned down to kiss her head, "Hi, sweetheart. Did you and Sarah get your project finished?"
"Almost", she made a face. "It's due Monday. We'll finish it this weekend."
Tony nodded. "Good job, kiddo."
Mia ducked as Vince reached around her to grab the silverware Letty had sent him for while she and Dom started bickering again. She had her head used as a drum for her trouble. "Vince", she whined. "Stop it!"
"Hey, Tiny", he chuckled.
"Stop calling me that", she grumbled, dodging out of reach.
"Dinner's, ready", Tony announced. "Let's eat so you guys can get your homework done."
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Dinner time was as loud as usual. Vince had them in stitches, imitating one of the clients that had come into the shop that afternoon who had tried to explain what was wrong with her car by making noises. Tony usually disapproved of them making fun of the customers, but this woman had been coming in for several years, and her eccentric behavior was more than amusing.
Mia had laughed so hard she had fallen out of her chair which made Letty spray her soda on the floor.
Needless to say, there had been a bit of a mess to clean up once dinner was over. But they worked together and the kitchen was back in working order quickly.
After that, Vince went to watch television, and Tony went to his room. Letty and Dom ended up at the kitchen table again to finish their homework, and Mia went to her room to finish hers. She had tried to do her work at the table with her brother and Letty before, but it hadn't gone very well. They made it impossible for her to focus. Besides, she didn't want Dom bothering her about her Valentine's Day spoils anymore.
Besides, them on Valentine's Day? Ick. Letty usually got cranky, and Dominic hit on everything with a skirt. This year – well, Letty was still head on against commercialism, but Dom was distinctly girl-less.
She shook her head to dislodge stray thoughts and focused back on her science homework.
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"It was Brandon Schwartz, wasn't it?" Dom asked.
"Wasn't what?" Letty muttered, distracted with studying her Biology notes, absently eating the candy that had been piled on the table once again.
"Your first kiss", he said evenly.
Her head shot up. "What- no", she muttered.
"No?"
"It was Adam Miller. Fifth grade… we were standing at the flagpole outside school", she smirked slightly. "Brandon was my second kiss."
He snorted. "You started racking up your list early."
She raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to start comparing notes? I'm pretty sure you're the make out whore, not me."
"Practice makes perfect", he teased.
"Just do your damn homework, Dominic. I don't see how it's any of your business who I kiss, anyways."
"I was just curious", he defended mildly.
"Yeah, well, knock it off."
"Come on, Leticia", he grinned and flicked a candy heart at her.
She read it and glared. "'Be Sweet'? You first", Letty tossed it back at him. "And don't fucking call me Leticia."
"It's your name", he smirked.
She picked up the heart she had been hoarding for the perfect moment and tossed it onto his notebook.
"'Bite Me'?" he laughed. "That's original. Where-?"
"Shut up", she complained.
Two seconds later, he tossed another one at her – a green one. It went straight down her shirt.
Letty's jaw dropped in shock, and Dom started laughing his ass off. "Would you believe that was an accident?"
"Oh, there's gonna be an accident alright", she growled as she discreetly fished the candy out of her bra.
Dom snickered. "I'm sorry. Kiss and make up?" he teased, gesturing to the heart that had landed haphazardly – and completely not on purpose – in her shirt.
She read the candy and rolled her eyes, "'XOXO'? How original", she said dryly, going back to studying. Letty got a blessed ten minutes of silence before another candy was thrown at her. "Seriously?" she nearly whined. She was almost done with her homework finally – if he would just leave her alone…
Of, course, she could try that awful advice that adults always gave, and ignore him. But he was Dom, and ignoring him had never ended well for her. So she read the next piece of candy. "'Hug Me'?" her eyebrows went up. "You're getting dangerously close to pulling my pigtails and chasing me around the playground, Dominic", she murmured, staring intently at her Biology book.
"Jesus, Letty", he rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "That only took three damn hours."
She blinked, feeling a bit more than stunned. "I was- kidding", she choked slightly. "Shit, Dom, that's not funny." He liked her? What the hell?
"Who's joking?" he said calmly.
"It's a bad idea", she said flatly. "Besides the fact that you've never stayed with a girl longer than a week, I'm pretty sure my mom would castrate you."
"Those are everyone else's reasons, Let. What are yours?"
"Do I really even need to tell you?" she stared.
He shrugged. "Okay." Dom flicked another piece of candy at her.
She sighed, and looked down. 'Ask Me.' "No", she said firmly. "Dom, I don't want to know."
"The answer is yes", he offered seriously.
Letty snorted. "Oh, please. You're just suddenly realizing that you haven't gotten laid in a while", she muttered.
"I'm not playing with your feelings, Letty. You know me better than that."
"I know how you treat the girls you date", she shook her head. "You'd be in for a rude awakening with me, dude. The only one that would end up tossed on their ass around here would be you."
He smirked. "I don't doubt it. Look, just think about it, okay? And before you decide…" He flicked one last candy heart in her direction.
She stared it, slightly shocked by the unexpected turn of events.
'Let's Kiss.'
Letty felt a full-on body flush creeping up on her. She found one in the pile of a different color, but the same phrase. She tossed it in his direction before grabbing up her books and making a quick escape, hot-footing it all the way upstairs to the guest room that belonged to her more often than not. She locked the door behind her, leaning against it weakly. "Holy shit", she breathed.
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Two hours later, when there was a knock on her door, she was a bit less frazzled, and not very surprised that it was Dom.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. "You didn't have to-"
She rose up onto her toes and all but attacked his mouth with hers. "Shut up before you ruin it", she hissed.
His hands found her waist and then found their way into her hair, holding her against him as they continued to explore each other's mouths until they had to pull apart for air.
"Was that a yes?" Dom asked curiously.
"What?" Letty panted in confusion.
"Letty!" he hissed, shaking her gently, seeing the dumbfounded look on her face.
"Huh", Letty mumbled curiously. "Maybe those stupid candy hearts do work."
Dom chuckled. "I'll remember you said that."
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A/N: Whoa! This totally went somewhere I wasn't expecting. Lol. But Dom was really determined to get Letty on his side. Well, this was their first kiss ever in the 'An End and a Beginning' universe. Keep in mind that it still takes them another year to date properly.
If there are any mistakes, let me know. This is loosely edited due to lack of sleep, and I just can't read this for a fourth time. =) Let me know what you think.