A/N: Ok, I know this is awful soon, but it pretty much wrote itself and it's been raining all day long and I can't do anything else… Not that I would…So yeah, it's pretty much just fluff.
The usual: thanking y'all kindly, and the music for this chapter?.. The playlist in Media Player entitled "mellowness", consisting of Bush, Nikka Costa, Grinspoon, Nickelback, a rather nifty new-ish Australian band called Thirsty Merc, Switchfoot, Maroon 5, Filter… Yeah. Lots of good stuff. Way too many to list.
Letty grinned, barely able to contain her gleeful giggling. "Le! Le come 'ere!" She called in a loud whisper, reaching for him once he was close enough. He smirked at her, confused.
"What? What is it?"
Letty pulled him in front of her so he could see past the slightly ajar door into the room. "Isn't it cute?" she peered past his side, her hands resting on his hips.
Though the room was bathed in a dim, barely there light, they could make out the pair on the small hospital bed plain as day. Tala was half sitting up, reclining against the headboard and Vince was on his stomach, draped over her, his head resting heavily on her ribs. Tala's hand was tangled in his hair, holding him in place. Despite their size difference, Vince being a good foot taller than Tala, they looked content and comfortable.
Both were sleeping peacefully.
"He must've had a nightmare," Leon murmured softly, taking a step back. "You think we should just leave 'em?"
Letty looked at them for a while longer, unknowingly tightening her hold on Leon. "They look so peaceful. We need a camera." She decided with a nod.
"Let.. Come on, now.. Leave 'em be."
"I will! … After you go get me a camera from the gift shop." She shooed him away playfully, then peeked back inside to make sure they were still sleeping. "Oh! And some skittles.. Had a craving for skittles all day." She added absently.
Leon quirked an eyebrow at her, but nodded and left for the elevator.
Letty watched him until he disappeared from view, then shook herself slightly. Ever since that night a week earlier out in the garage she had found herself looking for reasons to be near him, touch him, talk to him. No that he minded, it seemed. Whenever she would move closer to him during the night, he would wrap himself around her to keep her warm. If she didn't feel like sleeping, he never minded if she woke him up to talk, no matter how little sleep he'd been getting lately. He was quickly becoming her best friend, and god help her, she was starting to see him as more.
He was everything Dom had never been. With Dom, it was all about him. What he wanted when he wanted it. But with Leon… He made her feel special. Feminine. He made her want to be more affectionate and warm. He made her feel all those things and they weren't even together.
A movement inside the room caught her attention and she leaned in closer to the door, peering inside. Vince was stirring inside, his sleep darkened eyes blinking against the dim lighting. He made a quiet moaning sound and pushed himself up onto his knees, just far enough to turn over so he was on his back, then he settled back against Tala's stomach with her knees steepled on either side of him. Blindly, he reached for her arm, then his next move made Letty's heart skip a beat and jump into her throat. He pressed a kiss to the inside of her dainty wrist and held her arm to his chest. Soon enough, he was sleeping again.
Her mind raced. It was strange for such an unusual display of affection to be used by two completely unrelated beings. Long time friends or not. She leaned against the doorframe, racking her brain to remember Leon's last name. He's never told us, she realised, He's always just been Leon. The she remembered. On more than one occasion when Leon and Vince had been arguing, Vince had shouted at Leon using his first and middle name. Leon Michael. Vince knew his full name when the rest of the team hadn't been privy to that information.
Suddenly it became clear to her why Leon was acting the way he was lately. They're related.. "Oh my god."
"Something wrong, Let?"
Letty almost jumped out of her skin, having not heard Leon sneak up behind her. She turned to look at him and for the first time, she noticed.
That same sharp cheek bone, though the similarity was usually lost on Vince's face with the extra weight he carried, they moved alike, they felt alike. That same commanding presence. Well, she thought sadly, they used to have the same commanding presence … And the breaker? Their personalities. Leon loved to be touched and once you gained Vince's trust, which was doable but slightly more difficult, so did he. The way the two would always seem to have a little inside joke no matter what the situation, or the way they expressed themselves. Both artistic in their own right. Vince, a gifted musician, Leon, gifted in the visual arts. How did I not notice before now?
Leon snapped his fingers in front of her face. He looked worried. "Leticia? Baby, what's wrong?" She inwardly bounced with glee at today's pet name.
Mutely, she reached for his wrist and lifted it to her mouth, watching him out of the corner of her eye. When her lips pressed over his pulse point, he froze and his eyes glassed over.
"Why did you do that?" He asked thickly. Letty blinked at him, her only response a quiet, mysterious smile. She had the feeling that the gesture held a great deal of meaning to him.
"Did you get the camera?"
Leon looked at her suspiciously, but nodded, handing her the black and white disposable camera along with three bags of skittles. One original, one bag of sours and one of the tropical kind. At her look, he shrugged self consciously.
"I didn't know what kind you'd want."
"… You think we should stop by the races? Say hi to Hector?"
Letty looked down at herself. Old worn jeans, a turquoise tank top and a pair of low heeled boots. Her hair hung in a loose, low ponytail with wisps falling around her cheeks. She looked a right mess.
"Le.. I look like shit. You expect me to -"
"Letty. Shut up. It is physically impossible for you to look like shit." He visibly looked her over as he drove his newly painted Skyline toward the warehouse district. Instead of the vibrant yellow it had been for the past five years, it was now a metallic emerald green, free of any adorning decals or designs.
"You look beautiful."
Letty's shy response made him laugh. "…Really?"
"Really." He affirmed, turning into the street lined with cars. "Now, look for Hector." He slammed his hand down on the horn when a group of barely dressed girls stumbled in front of the car, squealing and giggling. He turned to Letty, eyes wide. "They're drunk."
"Those are some fantastic observational skills you got there, LeLe."
He grunted, rolling to a stop. "Don't call me LeLe. The only people who will ever call me LeLe and get away with it will be my nieces or nephews."
"So you're waiting for V to have kids?" She asked innocently. He nodded, distracted.
"Exactly."
Letty smiled and waited for him to realise what he'd just said, then, as predicted, he turned to her ever so slowly. His expression looked like it belonged on someone about to face the executioner.
"You know?"
She nodded, climbing out of the car. Immediately people started chattering and whispering. It defeats the purpose of being quiet when hundreds of people all start whispering at once she thought bitterly. She had always despised whispering. It annoyed her.In no time, Leon was at her side and the pair were navigating their way through the crowd. Occasionally, someone tried to stop them to talk, but after the fifth time Leon snapped at them, they got the idea and backed off.
"..How?"
Letty looked up at him as they walked, not surprised at his sudden need to speak, a small smile on her face. "I finally paid attention."
Leon was about to respond when he suddenly smiled at someone over her shoulder. "Hey, man." He roared with laughter as Hector grabbed Letty in a bear hug from behind and hoisted her into the air.
"Stop laughing at me!"
"You squeal like a girl!"
Letty stomped indignantly, quickly apologising to Hector for stepping on his foot. "I am a girl, Leon!" She snapped, arms folded. She huffed silently when Leon wrapped his arms around her, apologising.
From the side, Hector watched the exchange with a smirk firmly plastered across his face. Always wondered how long it would take those two… Wonder how Dom's takin' it? he mused.
"So," he interjected, clearing his throat. "What's up? When's the rest of the team showin' up?" The sudden change in Leon's face made him want to cringe and the pain in Letty's eyes made him want to retract his question.
"We're it. There is no team."
Eyes wide, Hector looked from one to the other, "Are you for real? No more team Toretto?" The last was almost whispered, as not to start a chain reaction of outrage and gossip.
Letty nodded solemnly, ushering Leon away. "I'll talk to Hector, you go say hi to Edwin."
"But, Let.. Edwin's a jackass." He stated plainly. Hector started to laugh and Letty glared at him until he left, then turned back to the bald Hispanic. "Don't encourage him, man." She scolded.
Holding his hands up in apology, he guided her back toward his car where it was quieter and little to no people were loitering. Once he was sure they were alone, he sat Letty down in the front seat and knelt outside the car in front of her, hidden by the open door.
"Alright, chica.. Tell Uncle Hector all about it."
Well, those few words started it. By the time Letty was finished, Hector was sitting on his ass looking bewildered. He looked up at her. Guess Dom doesn't know about them after all… I don't think they even know about them yet.
"You need anything, chica.. Anything! You call me, alright? You, Leon.. Vince.. You guys can call on me anytime."
Letty's eyes sparkled with happiness. "Thank you, Hector. You're a good friend."
"It's nothin' Let.. Now you let me know where and when I can go see the big man."
From behind him, Leon's voice piped in. "He's coming home day after tomorrow." He offered the knowledge nonchalantly enough, but one look at him and you could see how happy he was about the fact.
Hector nodded, standing. "Well, once he's settled… You call me. I'll bring 'im a teddy bear." He grinned, already contemplating what colour to get him.