I’m a sucker for the “found family” trope. Fun fact: I wrote almost this entire thing in one sitting. Thanks to @thebusytypewriter for looking this over for me!
Leonardo Watch scooters down a busy street in Hellsalem’s Lot, Sonic on his head and the All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods scanning the rush hour traffic for any giant creatures with a shocking number of limbs that might step on him, or tiny creatures that he might run over, or pedestrians of various kinds, or vehicles that may or may not be real. He is supposed to be heading into work at Libra, but with his track record, there’s about a 20% chance of him making it in on time, if at all.
Like the previous Tuesday, when he’d been sucked up along with a bunch of other HSL citizens in what was essentially a giant handheld vacuum. He had been squished up against a large Alterworld creature with blubbery skin in the massive vacuum bag until late afternoon, when Libra had gotten everyone out.
Or like two Thursdays ago, when an Alterworld creature’s slime had left the road slippery enough that one could barely stand on it, let alone drive, leaving Leo to take the long way around, only to end up at headquarters twenty minutes late and covered in slime.
Then there was the day some weeks ago when tiny Alterworld creatures had eaten a chunk of a building’s foundation, causing it to fall practically on top of him. He had been buried for an hour before Sonic had managed to get the attention of a search dog.
And there was yesterday, when one of the aforementioned giant creatures with a shocking number of limbs had sat on him and his scooter and wouldn’t get up because it didn’t realize Leo was underneath it.
Today, the problem seems to be regular traffic. This is one feature of the city that hasn’t changed since the Great Collapse. Luckily, he thinks he can make it on time, if barely.
And he does, entering the door of Libra headquarters with a record three minutes to spare. Klaus wishes him a good morning and a comment on his early arrival with a friendly look, and Leo responds breathlessly but cheerfully before their fearless leader goes back to typing away at his tiny laptop. Gilbert inquires as to the traffic conditions, standing nearby like he would take Leo’s coat if the boy had one. Leo gives him a report.
Stephen is already there as well, sipping tea and looking over the news. He asks Leo how his weekend was, to which Leo responds that it was really nothing special, just a couple of days to relax at home, and that, no, it’s fine, he needed the rest after Liba’s craziness. Stephen doesn’t take offense, seeing the tease for what it is, and responds that Leo, being a young man, should really get out and try to meet people. Has he met anyone special since he’s been in the city? Why, back in the day, Stephen--
Leo begins waving his hands frantically, face red and sputtering, only to be interrupted by Zapp’s arrival and customary greeting, a not-too-hard bop on the head and an insult about Leo’s hair. Leonardo responds with his customary cry of indignation. Zapp laughs loudly and whacks him on the back a couple of times, remarking that Leo should learn to lighten up a little.
To Leonardo’s delight, Chain chooses that moment to make her appearance by landing on top of Zapp’s head in something of a pirouette. (Zapp’s shout of pain indicates that the the werewolf’s touchdown isn’t as delicate as it looks.) She offers Leo a pleasant good morning, before hopping off of Zapp to stand at attention. Leo isn’t really sure why she does so, as they’re still in the relaxed period between the day’s technical beginning and the actual beginning, when they receive instructions for the day, but that just seems to be how Chain is.
The members of Libra continue to make pleasant small talk, Zedd wandering in to offer a friendly greeting while Zapp flings curses at Chain in the background. As is routine, he is ignored. After a while, Stephen, having already met with Klaus earlier, hands out assignments for the day (nothing too intense, mostly paperwork--K.K. even has a day off, which generally indicates that today should be almost like working at a normal job). Everyone splits up to go about their business, and the building across the street explodes.
Because of course it does.
Once Libra deals with the Blood Breed, the EMTs deal with citizens’ and Libra members’ injuries, and cleaning crews begin to deal with the wreckage, it’s five o’clock, and Stephen announces that technically everyone is free to go home if they take care of today’s assignments tomorrow.
Leo and Sonic begin the drive to Leo’s evening shift at his pizza delivery job. Once again, it’s rush hour and traffic is more or less at a full stop. Leo is so boxed in he can’t even maneuver around other vehicles to take another route. As he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he glances at his phone, grateful again that it hadn’t been destroyed in the earlier mess--even with working two jobs, he wouldn’t have been able to afford a new one.
He has a few messages. One is from Chain, which surprises him. She is notoriously terrible at checking her phone.
Chain Sumeragi: Avoid main streets. Traffic is bad on your route.
Leo quirks an eyebrow. With her abilities, Chain doesn’t generally have to worry about traffic. Had she checked the streets in this area just to help him out? Either way, he has noticed the message a little to late, he thinks dryly.
A couple messages are from Stephen.
Stephen Starphase: Thanks for the help today kid. You did good.
Stephen Starphase: Go out this weekend and get wasted or something. For me.
Leo grimaces a little. At least Stephen’s encouragement of bad behavior comes from a good place. Probably.
A honk behind him suddenly alerts Leo to an opportunity to roll forward a few inches, so he does so before someone decides to try and tap his bumper. Stuck again, he looks at the last message. It has Klaus’s personal touch--very long, with full sentences.
Klaus Von Reinherz: Leonardo, thank you for the good work today. We only minimized casualties as much as we did because of you and your skills. I know you normally have your pizza delivery job after the day here, but you should try and rest this evening after getting thrown around so much today. You are a valuable member of Libra, after all.
Leo gives a small laugh. Of course Klaus would be worried--he’s a good boss, and an even better person.
Though, he thinks, Libra is pretty full of those.
An Alterworld creature that looks similar to a coral reef, and is about as large, has begun to try and cross the street despite the bumper to bumper traffic. It inches along the pavement, through the crosswalk a little ahead of Leo’s scooter, evidently just as slow as a coral reef as well.
As the honking and cursing and growling and chanting increase to a crescendo, the warmth that has appeared in Leonardo Watch’s chest doesn’t dissipate.
