Familial Gravity (JJBA x The Owl House, Luz'sBrother!OC)

Vee Noceda was enjoying the summer.

How many young women could truly feel happy of having found the best life, best partner and, most important of all, the best family possible?

Not many, and definitely no Basilisk beyond her. Luck was indeed a factor, but after years of school and a few of having a job, she could also add that hard work played heavily in what made her what she was right now. Happy, proud, and... quite bored as she would use what little free time she had during those few days of working at the library and being with Masha to actually read books, manga and even delve on some Light Novels.

That being said, she wasn't without chores as her adoptive mother would be quite upset if she was just too lazy while spending time there. Camila Noceda may have grown older, but she was still a tough lady when it came to respecting some basic household rules. A fair thing, but it could also bring out the older woman's wrath if Vee forgot about any of the chores, so that's why she had a list of things to do each day and she would get them done at a timely fashion.

As she finished browsing another volume of Bleach, the basilisk paused and noticed the time. It should be around then that the mailman would drop some stuff for them. Bills, a few advertisement stuff, and rare letters.

Speaking of rare letters, Vee had hardly see any as she had spent years in the Noceda household, thinking that this was just a random expectation or maybe something tied to the passing of Manny Noceda a while ago since emails weren't that common back then.

Despite that, Vee made her way downstairs and then to the mailbox and paused to wave at the mailman's truck as it left her sight. The box was indeed filled with a few trash-worthy items, but as Vee distractedly browsed into it, she couldn't help but pause and frown at one of the letters there.

A rare letter, without a doubt, but perhaps one that was ill-addressed. Not only because the name 'Speedwagon Foundation' meant nothing to the Basilisk, but also because the one it was addressed to was no one she was familiar with as a family member.

Teo Noceda. The name felt 'familiar', but it wasn't something that Vee could recall as it wasn't exactly something she had ever heard explained. Maybe she was remembering wrong, but part of her was keen to think that maybe her adoptive parent knew something about this name.

Skipping back inside the home and closing the front door behind her, Vee made it to the kitchen where her mother was currently finishing the compound for a cake. It wasn't like she did those a lot, but since the range of friends' birthdays had suddenly widened in the last few years, she always had something ready for any upcoming occasions.

"Mami?"

The bespectacled woman paused, rubbing her wrist on her sweaty forehead. "Oh, hello hija. Anything new?"

"Bills and... an odd letter. I think they got the wrong address."

A hint of surprise flashed from the older Noceda. "Hm? Why so?"

"The letter was sent to one Teo Noceda but-"

"Show me."

The abrupt interruption caught the Basilisk off-guard, but she swiftly handed the letter to her mother and the woman was soon retrieving the message and reading it silently. At first, Vee was just confused and didn't ask, but as a few seconds turned into a solid minute, the girl felt like this was really important and she was soon asking about it.

"Mom?"

Camila blinked and then looked up before offering a rather forced smile. "S-Sorry, Vee. I had... I had to read this. It's important."

"I can tell but... is everything alright?" Vee asked with a concerned tone, noticing how the woman's face had paled a bit.

"It's... It's fine. It's news that I hadn't expected to hear in a while."

"You know who it is?" The basilisk pressed and the woman nodded.

"That's... do you remember that room I told you that it was best to not open up?"

Vee frowned, nodding at the room that was right beside hers and Luz, but that was closed down by Camila. She always thought it was a room once used by Manny, but she had a feeling now that it wasn't actually the case.

"That was the room of Teo Noceda... my son and Luz's older brother."

This revelation was sudden and absurd, but while normally Vee would be able to digest this sort of thing easily, one big question flared at this confession.

"I-I have an older brother?"

Camila smiled weakly. "You do, but..." Pausing, she eyed the letter again. "Let's just say he shouldn't have been around at this point."

"...What? What do you mean, mami?"

"Teo is... he had been put in jail six years ago."

"He is a criminal-" Vee realizing with some dread.

"I don't think so, but his connection with some bad people had put him at odds with justice in a case and... I haven't heard from him since he was found guilty."

"You... you don't think he did it?"

"At the time, and even now, there are so many questions on how he was responsible for the murder of his supposed partner as he was meant to just be the driver and he had no guns on himself to justify the gunwounds, but the prosecution used his background for having taken part to minor crimes and used it against him. It was pushed forward and he was given a ten years sentence to spend in Florida."

Vee leaned back at all those info she was sponging. First, she had an older brother, he may be a criminal and he had been sentenced to jail for a decade but... then how was it possible he had received a letter for recently working at a case for this Speedwagon Foundation?

"I don't know," Camila answered, and Vee realized she had voiced that last question rather than keep it to herself. "But I plan to see this through by contacting the number offered there."

"Could- Could it be bad news?"

At this, the bespectacled woman offered a small smile. "I doubt it. As much as he was a troubled child, Teo was not a bad person and... I suppose he still cares for Luz."

The wording felt specific. "You mean you and Luz, right?"

Closing her eyes, Camila appeared unsure. "I had to cut contacts with him after the sentence. We were already struggling with the bills and I couldn't bear to let Luz be hurt again by being reminded of her brother like this. So I just opted to focus on us and... Luz eventually focused on herself as it was impossible for her to approach Teo."

Vee understood what the woman meant as it was a reverse of what happened to her. If the Basilisk could only return affection and care to the motherly figure for giving her trust and faith but also love and attention, Teo would have good reasons to be cold and uncaring towards her. Less so towards Luz since she held no responsibility in that choice but... What about her?

Nonetheless, Camila asked to be left alone as she would handle this 'on her own', but Vee felt that this wasn't something that the woman should bear alone. Then again, Vee was an 'outsider' in that matter, and Luz was busy with the last few exams at the University of Wild Magic so it would be impossible to reach her without ruining her current focus on the study.

Going back to her room, but pausing a moment to glance at the dusty door that would lead to Teo's room, Vee plotted to give it a look during the night, when she was sure Camila was asleep and she could get more clues on what kind of person this Teo Noceda truly was.

For some odd reasons, she just feel there was just 'more' to him than a mere 'misguided guy' but that was mere assumption with no facts. And she hated to be that kind of person despite how easy it would be to just assume the worst.

AN

This is actually post-Epilogue. Luz is 18, Vee is 19 and Teo is 24. And while it may not seem, Teo's case has some elements that will not be made clear until a few chapters into the story. Specifically how he ended up in Green Dolphin Prison and helped Jolyne in facing Father Enrico Pucci to stop his plot.