Chapter Text
THE FIRST TIME LEO MET MAL, they were in kindergarten. and she wedged herself between him and two bigger kids that were picking on him in the yard.
He was awed this tiny girl wasn't at all scared of these two bigger boys, but she stood her ground and told them off till a teacher interjected.
"Are you okay?" Four year old mal asked four year old leo.
He learned her name was malak, but nobody pronounced it right. so she went by mal.
He also learned that malak meant angel, which seemed fitting, for the girl who'd jeopardized her safety to stand up for him.
When leo got home that day, he told his mom about the girl with kind brown eyes and long strawberry blonde hair.
The second time leo met mal, they were in the first grade. and she'd found him crying on the sidewalk right outside of their school.
She sat by him and brought out a spiderman printed bandaid for the cut on his knee, where he tripped and fell.
The third time leo met mal, their second grade teacher had called on him to answer a question, to prove he'd been paying attention, which he hadn't been. he'd been playing with nuts and bolts on his desk.
He squinted his eyes at the multiple choice question on the board. then he heard a stomp, and his eyes were drawn to where mal was sitting. she held up two fingers.
"Um, B?"
Mrs. Bennett narrowed her eyes "Very good, Valdez."
He was in the third grade when his mom died.
His aunt rosa took him, but not for long. she kicked him out after a while.
He didn't see mal again until they were sixteen, and she was in her sophomore year of highschool.
He'd recently started to set up in a new spot, which coincidentally happened to be on her route to school. he was in his makeshift tent, composed out of a blanket, a backpack, and a sleeping bag, when he saw her for the first time in eight years.
Still, he knew it was her at one glance. there was no mistaking the warmth in her gaze that he found no where else, that he was pleasantly surprised the world hadn't snuffed out after so many years.
She was taller, of course. her features less babyish, still pretty. she was more put together, like a fine young lady, and not a scruffy toddler. her silky strawberry blonde hair was longer, still surreal looking.
Her eyes didn't shy away from him, like most did when they noticed a homeless person. she actually looked at him, and recognition flickered in her eyes.
She stopped and tilted her head, holding her backpack straps "Leo?"
"Mal- hey..." He grinned sheepishly.
"So it is you!" She smiled and sat with him "How are you?"
He blinked at her. still, she managed to shock him with her kindness. she just sat with him in the street. probably getting her clothes dirty. and she actually looked happy to see him.
"Not too bad," He ran a hand through his hair, and he guessed she connected the dots. why he'd left school. why he was on the street "You?"
"Can't complain," She shrugged "I wish i could talk longer but i'm gonna be late for class, here," She brought out a handful of crinkled bills out of her pocket and put them into his hand before he could protest. then got up and dusted herself off.
Leo looked at the money for a second then looked up at her "I-"
"I'll see you around!"