Synopsis: Xaden is known as an only child due to his sister who 'died' during the Rebellion. Little do they know she didn't die and has been so close this entire time.
Garrick Tavis x OC
A/N: We all know I couldn't not throw some Imogen tension in there. I do apologise if the fighting stuff isnât good, I found it hard to convey what I wanted but I think I got there in the end. I also went on a binge write yesterday and have a few parts written up. Let me know if you want to be on the tag list at all.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
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I squint into the early morning sun with the rest of the quadrant, listening to the names of the seventy one people who did not make it across the parapet yesterday. Violet and Rhiannon who are next to me as they read out the name âDylanâ. He must have been someone they had met before crossing the parapet.
Today we are all dressed in riders black, with a single silver star and fourth wing patch signalling my year and wing. As I look around, us first years did not waste any time in altering our uniforms to suit us. I donât think I see a single stock uniform in the crowd.
As the sun shifts in the sky I am able to see properly. I feel a familiar feeling and look up to see Garrick staring at me from his place atop the stairs of the rotunda next to Xaden. Despite what they said last night, I had not seen either of them again that night. Clearly whatever they spoke about took longer than they thought. When our eyes meet he smiles at me but it quickly disappears as I feel a different feeling wash over me. I turn my head to see Imogen glaring at me. A second year in my squad. I had met her a few times during the rebellion, but I never knew her well.
âWhy does it look like she wants to kill you already?â Violet whispers to me as she looks between Imogen and I.
Imgoen glances over at Violet before turning her head back to the front of the Rotunda as they finish reading out the death roll for the day.
âI wish I knew.â I whisper back as Dain starts telling us to head to our class and something about remembering our schedule.
She nods her head before leading the way to our first class of the day which is somewhere on the fourth floor of the academic wing. I really should have taken better note of my schedule.
By the time we get to the gym after lunch, I feel like my brain is about to explode with the amount of information Iâve taken in today. But I am thankful for the training Melgren had given me over the years. Most of it was in the books I had already read. I just had to apply it in a different scenario. His training really had prepared me for the riders quadrant. Almost as if he was setting me up for success. As we walk into the gym, most of the second and third years are already here and waiting for us. I immediately meet Garrick and Xadens eyes across the room, as if they were waiting for me to walk in. I follow my squad and stand around one of the mats as Professor Emetterio walks onto the mat. As he turns to face the crowd his eyes meet me and widen, almost as if he was shocked to see me here despite having been a part of some of my training with Melgren. Obviously Melgren had not mentioned his intentions with my training or who I really was. His eyes wander to the mark on my neck and now exposed arm with a questioning look. This doesnt go unnoticed by Garrick or Xaden either who look concerned at the brief interaction between us.
As each match ends, Emetterio calls up the next pair. Randomly selecting people from different years and wings. The only ones we are truly safe from are our own squad mates. Squad mates are not allowed to kill each other. A sickening crack rings around the room as Jack Barlowe snaps the next of a first year whose name I have not yet learnt. The only reason I know Jackâs is due to Violet and Battle Brief earlier today. A class where I had felt Garrickâs eyes constantly on me, but had refused to meet. Emetterio points a finger at Imogen, and my heart drops thinking I will be picked next. Her eyes had also been on me all day, and not in a good way. This girl had it out for me. Lucky for me but unlucky for Violet, I am not picked. But Violet is no match for her. Not even a minute later Imogen has broken her arm. Dain is at her side and taking her to the Healers Quadrant before I can even move.
I look up to see Emetterio pointing to me and his other finger at Xaden. âLets see what you Riorson siblings can do.â
The gym goes quiet at his words. For the second time since Iâve arrived here Garrick goes to start forward and is stopped by Xadenâs arm. He immediately whips his head towards Xaden with a glare. A glare Xaden returns without skipping a beat. I can tell the words he gives to Garrick are stern. Garrick just nods his head and steps back. Xaden and I take our spots on opposite sides of the mat, the whole gym going quiet in anticipation.
I donât need to look around to know all eyes are on us. The Riorson siblings. The commanding wing leader, and the one thought to be dead. Behind Xaden, Garrickâs eyes are on me but I donât raise my gaze from Xadenâs. I do notice Imogen make her way around the edge to stand next to him.
Xaden and I start to circle each other. I know Xadenâs fighting style. I watched him train with our father, as well as Garrick and Bodhi. But he has no idea how I fight. To his knowledge I had no combat training other than run and hide. All he knows is Iâm quick with some daggers after last night. Xaden makes the first move, rushing forward to make a grab for me, but I duck and roll to side while landing a kick to the back of his knee causing him to stumble before he turns back to me. This time Iâm the first to move. He goes to block my attack but I duck to side again and land a punch to his ribs. I use the small window I have to place another stronger kick to his knee knocking him to the ground in a kneeling stance. As he goes to the ground I bring up my other foot and place a kick to the side of his head. I should probably go easier on my brother, but heâs underestimated me and I want, no need to prove what I have learnt. I canât let him, Bodhi and Garrick treat me like the little girl they once knew.
Xaden is now kneeling with his hands on the mat trying to right himself. I raise my leg again to push him down by his back but he swings an arm out knocking my legs out from me. Sending me down down to the mat, my back hitting it with a loud smack. He goes to make a move Iâve seen him do many times in the past. As he leans down to put me into a hold I hook my legs around his neck and flip him so heâs face down on the mat. I twist and put pressure on his neck. He might be stronger than me, but the way I have twisted makes it hard for him to breathe if he moves too much. But he still his best to get out of the hold. I shift my stance as best I can to make an arch in his back, making him look towards to roof. 30 seconds later he taps the mat. He yields.
As soon as I release him from the hold the gym comes back to life with chatter and fights starting up. It appears the whole gym stopped to watch our match. As Xaden stands he holds his hand out to help me up which I happily take.
âYouâre definitely not the little sister I use to know.â He says with a smile as he looks down at me. âI might even need to thank Melgren for the training he gave you.â
âThat guy does not need his ego inflated more than it is. Please donât.â Causing Xaden to laugh.
Foot steps to my left pull me from the moment with Xaden and we both look to see Emetterio looking at us.
âDefinitely not how I expected that to go. I expect good things out of you Ophelia.â He says before walking off to observe the other matches.
As the next pairing for our mat makes their way over Xaden and I make our way off the mat towards Garrick and Imogen, and Bodhi who must have made his way over during our match. Bodhi and Garrick are beaming at me. Obviously happy I had just kicked Xadenâs butt on the mat. Imgoen on the other hand looks even more pissed than she has all day at me. As we get to them she huffs and storms off back to our squad.
âWhatâs her problem?â I ask the boys as I watch her pink hair disappear into the crowd.
The boys all share a knowing look which has me raising an eyebrow at them. Clearly all in on something Iâm not.
âProbably just feels threatened by you. Youâve clearly shown youâre a fighter to contend with. Sheâs always boasted about being one of the better female fighters here.â Bodhi states.
âRight.â I am not even remotely convinced by his words. The glares sheâs been sending me all day suggest other wise.
I turn to face the mats and watch the other matches, Garrick moving to stand next to me. Almost as if pulled to my by gravity. Heâs presence is comforting and I look up and see him smiling down at me.
âNot gonna lie, was kinda hot watching you take youâre brother down like that.â He says to me as he winks at me making my heart skip a beat as he stares intently into my eyes.
âYou did not just call my sister hot!â Xaden nearly shouts from the other side of me at Garrick, causing Garrick and Bodhi to burst into fits of laughter as I turn bright red.
I feel the all too familiar set of eyes on me and look over to see Imogen glaring at me. As Garrick places his hand on my shoulder as he responds to Xaden, it almost looks as if she starts shaking with anger. Something tells me in the next few weeks her and I are going to end up on that mat together. And it wonât be pretty.
@riorgail @going-through-shit
Stunning sunset! This happens because of a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering: cirrus clouds scatter the longer, red wavelengths of light and give the sky an orange or reddish hue | source
When I went to Sunderland, my grandad told me heâd teach me how to ride when I came back for Christmas and then he fuckinâ died and I havenât been on a bike since. And now Iâm saying that out loud I realize that never learning was actually a great disrespect to his memory and now I feel ashamed so can we stop talking about it and go back to me just taking out my negative emotions on you even if you deserve it or not.
Your most recent mission was to rescue the President's daughter, it was supposed to be a simple rescue mission in and out. Things go from bad to worse quickly once you seek shelter in a barn.
 [PART II]Â
Main Character Relations: Leon Kennedy x ReaderÂ
Word Count: 5k (a little over)Â
Angst, mentions of violence, knives, hand to hand combat, guns, needles, pills, blood, and previous NSFW affairs
A/N: HELLO ALL!! If you canât tell by the terrible summary this is set in the re4 setting. Iâm biased. Iâll probably be going on a break after this, but enjoy!!! I send my love and hope you are all doing alright.Â
Search and rescue, that was the name of the game and you were damn good at it. Even if you were flipped around and upside down, you knew how to find things. It was a skill that most in your field wished they had and spent hours trying to learn. Committing to memory how to identify what tracks belong to either what animal or vehicle. Trying to teach themselves what to look for and when to look for it.Â
You shined when it came to tracking people. You could quite possibly find yourself over the moon when you spotted boot prints. You could tell a lot about someone based on their footprints. How someone moves is a very telling thing; how far apart each footprint is, the density of each step conveying the urgency in their stride. They told stories and it was up to the observer to translate them in the best way they knew how.Â
It took an understanding of people and a bit of a sixth sense. Itâs where rookies and professionals alike messed up, but not you. You werenât always one hundred percent correct, but you always ended up in the right direction. It gained you respect, rank, and a reputation.Â
So, as you sat in the back of a police cruiser studying the way the two police officers interacted with one another you put together a mental file on each of them. They seemed quite laid back and easy going individuals that didnât take much of anything seriously. Joking and laughing- you had no clue what about- like they werenât on clock. It was a nice change and caused you to smile lightly; it was nice to bask in a partnership that wasnât so grounded in solemeness.Â
You glanced at Leon who rested against the window, staring rather dramatically out of it lost in thought. You rolled your eyes before nudging him gently, âHey, pretty boy.â You mumbled audibly enough to not draw attention from the officers in front.Â
Leon scoffed at the nickname that you gave him the moment you met him months ago. He had a love-hate relationship with it because he knew it was supposed to knock him down a peg; but it fell from your lips in such a flirtatious way that it sparked a warmth in his stomach. Adjusting subtlety, his eyes locked with yours, âWhat, Princess?âÂ
Of course he didnât let âpretty boyâ slide and upon seeing how the staff treated you like royalty- and how you had a number of them eating out of your hand- he bestowed you the title of âPrincessâ. There really wasnât a thing you could do about it and you were more than willing to accept your karma if it hadnât bit you so hard in the ass in the bedroom. The way it made you squirm under him only stroked his ego.Â
It was only predictably natural for two flirtatious agents to find themselves tangled up in the sack once or twice. Although in the particular case of you two it was becoming a more common thing. The palpable energy between the two of you could start a fire. It was fun and loose with no serious title, the way close relationships between agents were recommended to be.Â
âYou think we could switch roles with these two? Iâll be the funny one.âÂ
âYou canât be the funny one, Iâm the funny one.â His tone dry with a little smirk to match.Â
âDamn, really? You could have fooled me.â Little giggles creeping from your throat as you said it, causing him to chuckle.Â
âWhy am I always the one who draws the short end of the stick?â One of the officers cuts through the moment with laughter, speaking in English for one of the first times since picking both you and Leon up.Â
Your eyes left the ocean of blue as your attention turned back to the officers in front of you, fully focused now that they were ready to talk. His eyes stayed on you though, a flower that heâs been neglecting sunlight continuing to bloom.
This was not how this was supposed to go, it was supposed to be simple. It was supposed to be an in and out type of job; find the target, save the target, and get the hell out of dodge.Â
Breathing in as much air as your body allowed your hands found your knees and trailed down your legs, trying to keep them from shaking. You stood turning to Ashley as you did so, âAre you okay?â You asked concerned, approaching her cautiously as a hand found her shoulder. Your hand pressed against her shoulder with a light firmness as you rubbed her shoulder and then her shoulder blade.Â
Ashley Graham, the Presidentâs daughter, the target; a sweet young woman whose adult life was starting off more than just rough and bumpy despite the cushy life she has had.Â
Her typically chipper and welcoming persona was gone and all that remained was a scared little girl who just wanted to go home.Â
Ashley shook slightly as she tried to catch her breath, wanting to lie, but she couldnât as she shook her head. You just nodded and continued to rub in between her shoulders and give her time.Â
Sheâs been here longer than you have, sheâs seen more than you have; and you only hoped that it hadnât ruined her outlook on life forever.Â
âTake a minute. We should be safe where we are, for now at least.â Leon said as he boarded up a makeshift door in the average sized barn you tried to take cover in.Â
âYou wanna take a seat, dear?â You asked her as you guided her to a sturdy enough looking chair that sat tucked under an even less sturdy looking table. You smoothly guided her to the seat as your hand left her shoulder, âIs there anything I can do to make this easier?â Your eyes locked with hers to convey your genuine concern for her well being.Â
Ashley was a victim. She was someone who didnât deserve this and it wasnât fair, but unfortunately it was the cards she had been dealt. Regardless of the paycheck you cared for every victim that you tried to save and Ashley was no different. Trying to make her as comfortable as possible was your primary goal.Â
As you reached for the aid kit that was firmly strapped to your thigh, you could hear a drained sigh escaping Leonâs lips over the crisp sound of velcro separating. He was your next concern, but you had to focus. Opening the neatly organized pack that had an assortment of different first aid items like ointment, pills, and bandages on one side and on the other side had syringes filled with morphine and sedatives.Â
Ashleyâs face turned up at the needles, but you just smiled, âThose arenât for you, unless you are under some severe pain. You arenât, are you?â You asked, your tone smooth and gentle.Â
âNo.â She shook her head, âI just have a headache.âÂ
You pulled out the little bottle labeled tylenol and got her two of the little red tablets, âCan you take pills without water? What about scratches and cuts, anything we need to bandage up?â
âI donât like to, but I can.â She affirmed as you handed her the pills, you sent her a warm smile.Â
âI donât either.â You admitted, watching her struggle to take the pills. âThat should help, if you need more donât hesitate to ask, okay?âÂ
She nodded and you put a hand back on her shoulder, âTake a breather, collect yourself, we will step forward when you feel strong enough to continue.â Ashley sniffed, trying to hold back a flood gate of tears you crouched down to force her eyes to connect with yours, âI know this is hard, but I need you to know that you are going to be okay. Leon and I are going to get you out of here, okay? I promise.â Ashley shut her eyes tight as she took in a deep shaky breath.Â
She felt guilty at the feet of your unconditional kindness. She felt as if she had doomed you for failure. How could you promise a happy ending without even knowing half of the story? Something was inside her, something beyond her control; a plague coursed through her body that could turn her into something that sent ice through her veins. Made her so unsure of who she ever was.Â
âAshley.â You called for her, causing her to open her eyes. âItâs okay to cry.â She turned away and slowly she started to feel it; she started to cry. âCan I hug you?âÂ
âNo!â She choked out as she flinched away, âN-noâŚcan I have a moment? Please?â She begged as your brows furrowed together in concern.Â
It wasnât unusual for victims to want to be left alone to cry; to hide. But this felt different. Ashley wasnât one to hide away from people, she was one to ask for help. To seek comfort in those she trusted. Either she didnât trust you or something bigger was at play. She trusted you; that much you knew or she wouldnât have taken the pills from you. She may be a little on the naive side, but she most certainly wasnât stupid.Â
You nodded even though your stomach turned, âOkay, Iâm going to go check on Leon. Iâll be right over there and-.âÂ
âI know! Okay, I know.â Ashley snapped at you, causing you to raise an eyebrow. This put you on guard, but you turned your back and went to Leon. Something was wrong and you were counting on your counterpart to fill you in on the details.Â
Approaching Leon you studied his features and how he carried himself. It was off and it was odd, usually Leon was well kept regardless of the hell he was going through; but he seemed disheveled. His posture was slacked, but still stressed and he was pale. The bags under his eyes visible from a mile away and a dark shade of purple accompanied them. You leaned against the wall next to him and you could barely pick up on a trace of him regardless of the fact that you were standing right next to him.Â
âPenny for your thoughts?â You asked with a playful smirk, being who you always were with him. Youâre own way of telling him it was okay.Â
âI lost you.â His voice came out like gravel, low and gruff. You barely heard the sentiment, but it was there. If you werenât working you wouldâve pondered on it, even blushed, but you were on the clock. You had learned your lesson the hard way about relationships on the clock.Â
âI found you, though.â You tried to send the same amount of sentiment back regardless of the cool composure you maintained, âItâs what I do. I told you, Iâd be okay and I was.âÂ
He wasnât pleased with your answer. Leon knew you could hold your own, he knew that you would find him; but that still didnât settle his stomach. This time had to be different.
âLook how far you got without me, though. You got Ashley and we met up, so Iâd say we are back on the right track. Although,â you paused and lowered your voice, âSomething is off.â Your gaze found Ashley.Â
âThat gut of yours.â He remarks with a smile. A sight to behold that causes you to relax slightly. âWhatever the hell is going on here goes deeper than we think.â He swallows harshly as he tries to fight a cough from escaping from his chest. A thick substance that he carelessly writes off as mucus lodges itself in his throat.Â
âSo it appears. Iâm worried about Ashley. I donât know the girl personally, but from what Iâve seen and read, the girl Iâm helping isnât the girl I studied.âÂ
âSaddler-.â
âWho?â You cut him off, the name rings a bell as some of the people you killed out of defense mumbled it as they fell to become one with the earth below them.Â
âCreepy guy, heâs got portraits everywhere.â You nodded and he continued, âRan into him when I got Ashley out of the church. He said he injected her with a gift. The same gift those brain dead puppets have out there.â He explained, conveniently leaving out the part that he was also given the same gift. That the same plague was bestowed upon him and that slowly he was turning into the things you killed with sympathy.Â
He didnât want you losing focus.Â
âInteresting, that changes the game.â You started second guessing your choice in giving Ashley the Tylenol. âA cure?âÂ
âNot that I know of. I crossed paths with an ex-cop turned lab technician, or whatever, if anyone knows itâs probably him.â Leon said, trying to choke back another cough.Â
âDid this mystery guy have a name?â You tread lightly with concern while Leon turned and coughed.Â
âLuis Sera.â He managed to get out through the violent coughs that shook through his chest. Your hand found his back and you hit him lightly, encouraging him to cough up whatever was causing him trouble up. He could practically feel your questions with each gentle but firm hit.Â
âYou okay?â He shook his head as he turned away, covering his mouth with the fingerless gloves. The leather scent of them makes it harder to get a gasp of fresh air.Â
Worry started to course through your bloodstream as you started to rub his back as soothingly as you could. âLeon-.â You were cut off as his coughing ceased just as quickly as it appeared.Â
As he stood upright and pulled his hand away noting the faint color of red before wiping his hand on his pants. Playing it off by reaching for his gun, hoping to all things holy you didnât see.Â
You didnât, your eyes stayed trained on his face. Looking for any sign that could slightly convince you it was just a fluke; maybe he was allergic to something in the barn that caused him to have a coughing fit.Â
Whatever it was, it was enough to send you into a course of action, âWeâve gotta find Sera.âÂ
Leon just gave you a nod of approval while you turned to Ashley. He watched you tread lightly with a sense of urgency, that damn gut of yours. He closed his eyes tight as he began to feel dizzy. The walls of the barn started to close in while he just stood there trying to compose himself. Eyes still closed, his heart beat racing, his veins starting to show black under his skin. His head pounding, the room spinning, an unfriendly heat surging from his chest, to his feet, to his hands. His eyes opened, but he was unable to see a thing; blinded by a deep red that faded to black. The only thing he could make out was a threat.Â
âAshley.â You called lightly trying to keep your concern below the surface, âI hate to break what youâre going through up, but weâve got to move.â Ashley sniffed, before turning to you. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she looked better. Almost how you would expect her to look after crying if this had never happened to her, if an irreversible trauma hadnât tainted her.Â
âOkay, itâs okay. Iâm ready.â She said with convection as she stood to meet you. Her blood ran cold when she saw a gun pointed at you with intent to kill. âStop! Leon!â She shouted in desperation, signaling for you to duck.Â
It was in the nick of time as you ducked, the sound of a bullet ringing through your ears; just barely missing the side of your head. You turned and stood upright quickly as you glared Leon down, âWhat the fuck was that-!â You damn near screamed at him before assessing the situation. You werenât looking at the Leon you knew, you were looking at someone you had never seen before. âAshley, hide.â You demanded, trying to keep your voice from wavering.Â
Leon went to shoot again, but in a twist of luck the gun harshly clicked. He was out of bullets and you needed to take advantage of the moment. Charging towards him you sent a harsh kick to his wrist while he reached for ammo with the other. The successful kick knocked the gun out of his hand, but he countered by grabbing your ankle. He yanked you by your leg closer to him, pulling you from the place you tried to plant yourself.Â
You managed to break out of his tight grasp by swinging a punch towards his jaw. You stood on both feet while he turned with a pained hiss. When his gaze met yours a guttural growl escaped through gritted teeth. His chest puffed out, his jaw clenched, and his eyes clouded over. He was ready to fight.Â
The sight struck the fear of God in you. It made you hesitate, it made you vulnerable; and he took advantage of it. He punched you damn near square in the face, holding nothing back. The force sent you stumbling backwards and seeing white. You kept yourself from falling by focusing on the white noise that rang through your ears. You couldnât make that mistake again.Â
You coughed trying to get some air as you saw him go for another hit. You blocked it and made a swipe for his legs. Trying to buy yourself time so you could figure out a way to de-escalate the situation. You were no match for Leon as far as hand to hand combat was concerned. You fought from a distance, you shot from a distance; foresight was your way of survival.Â
As he fell to his knees you tried to put him into a chokehold, but the moment he found his footing you were off the ground. He flung you forcefully over his shoulders and onto solid ground. Your head pounded as you saw stars and swore that your skeleton was permanently imprinted into the ground. Your lungs struggled for air as he firmly pressed his forearm to your throat, straddling your hips.Â
You squirm underneath him, kicking and thrashing, desperately searching for a way out. He grabbed his knife from its sheath on his chest. Tears beaded on your lower lashes as you used every ounce of strength in your body to push his solid forearm from your throat.Â
His eye contact never faltered as he lifted his knife into the air; ready to take the final step and end this.Â
âNo! Donât hurt her!â Ashley shouted causing him to falter. His grip on you loosening enough for you to move your head up enough to clamp your teeth into his flesh while you harshly thrusted upward to allow you some space to get away from him. You quickly tried to scurry away from him, but his attention quickly returned to you. He reaches for your leg and barely misses. You slip through his fingertips and the only thought on your mind is distance. You need to see this situation from a different perspective, it was your only chance.Â
Quickly getting to your feet you finally reach for your gun. Despite the way your body shakes you hold the gun firmly, âDonât make me do this, I donât want to do this.â You plead, nearly falling to your knees, âPlease.â
Leon just grunted as he stood upright, he was hesitant as he stared at you. You didnât make a single movement thinking that he may have been blinded. Your voice reaches him, causing him to see glances of you between the vision of a monster. He was fighting a monster, he only saw a monster. It was trying to take Ashley, it was trying to take you. It was real, wasnât it?
âLeon? Can you hear me? Can you see me?â You call out in a whimper you canât hide. Lowering the gun you took a cautious step forward and then another seeing as he didnât move. Ashley held her breath looking for anything to help her defend herself if this went south.Â
âH-Heâs got the virusâŚh-he canât see a thingâŚâ Her voice low as she slowly began to talk with a stutter full of fear, âI-I know, because I-I have it tooâŚâ
You couldnât help but to wince, this whole thing was sideways in the worst way. It wasnât supposed to be this way. You could feel your heartbeat in your head as you whispered, âI know, I know.âÂ
Leon stumbled backwards in confusion as time and his senses meld together as he threw a punch at nothing.
 He sees a large heavy set man, his head replaced with a red wet pulsating organ; long sharp appendages sprouting from his spine and wriggling with malintent. The man goes to attack, but Leon dodges slicing a appendage off with his knife in the process.Â
Watching him fight nothing made your heart break. You didnât know what to do, you didnât know how to help. He was suffering and all you could do was watch. It made you sick and you had to change that. You had to help him.Â
âYouâve had these outbursts? How long do they last?â
âThey feel like hoursâŚâ She admitted, truthfully she had no idea. It was like a nightmare you couldnât wake up from.Â
âOkay,â you start trying not to lose your temper, âhow do you get out of them?â
âI-I donât knowâŚIâm sorryâŚâ
âItâs okay, youâre okay. Weâll figure this out.â Your brain moves a hundred miles a minute as you try to connect the dots. You examine the room looking for an exit, running seeming like the only option. The only out was blocked though and boarded up by Leon only minutes before.Â
Another way, there had to be another way.Â
Your eyes find the table and your pack on the table. A lightbulb went off as you moved towards it slowly; careful to not alert Leon and keep him in the battle he was currently fighting. Quietly and carefully you pulled out a syringe filled with Amobarbital, a sedative that would send him to the ground.Â
You tried not to shake as you started to explain your thought process to Ashley, âIâm going to corner and sedate him. If something goes wrong you need to hide until he comes to, okay? Careful though, donât make any sudden movements, just stay as still as you can. If he leaves, do not follow.âÂ
Ashley nodded, finding a disregarded dumpster. She slowly moved towards it and climbed into it.
Her movements were gentle enough to not cause too much of a ruckus as you approached Leon from behind. As she reached for the lid, her palms sweaty and her hands shaking, she tried to pull it down. Crouching in the dumpster she almost made it until she slipped, letting go of the lid. A loud bang caused Leon to stop what he was doing and turned in the direction of the dumpster. Quick and powerful strides being made in her direction were quickly stopped when you started talking. Your tone is firm and demands attention.Â
âFlesh and bone. Thatâs all you are, flesh and bone.âÂ
Leon turned sharply in your direction, cloudy eyes with the intent to kill. He charged at you with his knife pointing directly at your face. You dodged and he stumbled, but was quick to recover.Â
âYou remember that? That depressing conversation we had the night before we got here?â He went to throw a punch but you roughly kicked him in the chest sending him backwards.Â
âWhat about the time you were so scared that you hurt me in training and you spent the rest of the night searching for my pulse?â You grunted planting your feet and punched him. You were pissed because this man was not the man that you had grown lovingly accustomed to. The man you had started to fall for.Â
All Leon saw was a woman with a bloody knife who spewed memories from her throat. How could she have known that? There is no way she could have known that, but he fought regardless. With a broad stroke he knocked the side of her face with his own blade.Â
You wouldnât have noticed he hit you, if it wasnât for the sting of your own blood rolling down your cheek.Â
You successfully knocked the knife out of his hand as your other hand threw another punch to his jaw. You let out a small breath of shock before going to jab the syringe into his neck, but he caught your hand. He roughly pushed you backwards and against the wall. Your spine suffers as you let out a harsh wince of pain.Â
âFuck, Leon!â You try not to wail as his hand lets go of your fist and goes for your throat. Your free hand finds his wrist as his grip tightens.Â
âHow do you know that?â He barked the question with such intensity that it caused you to cower against him. âWhere is she? What did you do?âÂ
âL-LeonâŚâ You dryly strangle out, âMe. Look at meâŚâÂ
That womanâs voice turned to yours and slowly her features started to become yours. His grip around your throat loosening, starting to become unsure of what was reality.Â
âPleaseâŚâ you begged as you started learning to breathe again, âI know- I know itâs hazy.â You regained your grip on the syringe while the hand still attached to his wrist pushed forward. Your fingers find his index and middle finger and you pull them to your pulse, pressing firmly down so he could find it. So he could feel the pleading beats, identify the blood that coursed through your veins.Â
You were pure and untampered and he started to see clearly. Glassy doe eyes peering into his eyes while his calloused fingertips felt the smoothness of your flesh. Your breath hitching in your throat as you saw particles of him returning.Â
â(Y-Y/N)?â He stutters out, like a whimper still unsure, but questioning. You nodded and for a moment you thought you saw a light at the end of the tunnel. You were ready to fall to your knees and beg for forgiveness.Â
But you always paid the price. The sound of wood breaking as a body slammed through the boarded up doorway. A tall, dark, greasy man stumbling through trying to catch his breath caused Leonâs grip on you to tighten.Â
The oxygen leaves you quicker than it took you to breathe in.Â
âAm I interrupting?â The man asked, causing Leon to lose his focus and you took advantage of the moment to stab the syringe harshly into his throat. Your thumb harshly pushing down on the plunger as you injected the sedative into his bloodstream. He let go of you, causing you to fall to your knees as harsh coughs rake through your chest.Â
Leon sways slightly as he pulls the empty syringe from his neck. He blinks, the barn becoming clear to him now. Falling to his knees he looks at you, the utter terror on your face makes his blood run cold. Your wide eyes, blood trailing from your cheek and down your neck, and the way your body trembles is the last thing he sees before he goes unconscious.
It takes a minute, but you crawl over to him and pull him into your lap. You find his pulse and he seems stable as you let out a shaky breath that youâve been holding. You curl around him, tears pouring down your face as you try to keep yourself under control. The nightmare was over and you have never felt as sick as you did now.Â
âMiss?â The man calls for you and you fist Leonâs shirt holding his body to yours before glaring daggers at the man. Â
âLuis Sera?â You ask him, your voice low as it wryly escapes from dry lips. He saw all he needed to see to know that you were with Leon.Â
Leon bumped shoulders with some agents, but he couldnât care less as he ran down the hall and down the stairs. He was on his own mission and if he took a single moment you could be gone. His heart raced as he took the stairs to the final level of the building and out the side door. His eyes scan the dimly lit parking lot for your frame and he finds it against your car. He sees you reach for the door handle and he calls for you, âHey!â
You are startled slightly, but you turn to look at him. You send him a warm smile and a little wave as he jogs to your side. Normally heâd send you warm regards back, but he was upset.Â
âSlow your roll there, pretty boy. Youâve seen the way these people drive through this parking lot. Without a care in the world, granted Iâm not one to talk.â You joke, your tone is light and airy. Your relaxed posture is a clear juxtaposition of his own.
âYouâre transferring?â Your brows knitted together as your once small smile turned to a frown.Â
âThey told you, huh?âÂ
âThey did.â His heart broke, having no choice but to believe it now that you confirmed it.Â
âI was going to tell you over drinks this weekend.â You defend yourself with a shrug.Â
âThey also told me that you left out the barn incident in your debriefing.â An uncomfortable silence fell over the both of you as he looked at your bandaged cheek. He shut his eyes in pain, having trouble coming to terms with the fact that he couldâve killed someone he cared so deeply for. It was only a moment of relief though until the image of you so frightened of him appeared behind his eyelids. You were so scared, you were so scared of him. He shook it off with a deep breath as he opened his eyes, âIf youâre leaving because of that, because of what I did, I swear to you that I will never work with you on a mission again.âÂ
Your eyes softened and you wanted to reach for him, but couldnât. âLee, no, that has nothing to do with the transfer. I trust you with my life.âÂ
It took everything in him to not wince at your words. How could you say that? How could you possibly mean that? After everything, you still genuinely trusted him.Â
âThen why-?âÂ
âBecause I felt like it was something they didnât need to know the details of, so I wrote it off. Got in trouble for it, but they connected the dots from yours and Ashleyâs reports. Itâs all they needed.âÂ
âIâŚâ He started, he had so much he wanted to say. He didnât know where to start, he didnât know how to handle this. âI donât understand.â You just smile at him. His heart melted, but couldnât bring himself to return your smile.Â
âI donât either.â You reassure him, âTheyâve got a couple loose ends to tie up and they want me to finish the job, so I took the position. Itâs only supposed to be temporary or did you even let them get that far before running out here?âÂ
He didnât, he just left. Which he shouldnât have, but hindsight was something he was still working on. A short laugh escaped him before admitting it to you, âNo.â
You giggled as your hand went to cover your growing smile. You both soaked up this sense of normalcy for a minute, basking in the glow of each other.Â
âYou are something else, Kennedy.âÂ
âIn a good or bad way?â His tone was flirtatious as he relaxed slightly.Â
âA bit of both, just how I like it.â You gaze at him through half lidded eyes. He wanted to touch you, he wanted to pull you to his chest and kiss you so deeply that he would still linger on your lips as you drove home.Â
He didnât, as a fear of your rejection crept up his neck. He hasnât laid a finger on you since you both had gotten back, not wanting to trigger your fight or flight reflexes. It was a miracle that you didnât start running the opposite direction when you saw him. Heâd let you come to him, he refused to force himself upon you. No matter how badly he needed to feel you.Â
âWhen do you leave?âÂ
âNext week.â It hurt to finally confront, âWhy? You want to throw me a going away party in the break room?â You joked, trying to cover up the pain in your voice.Â
âAbsolutely.â He said with a smile and you just rolled your eyes.Â
âIâll pass, but if you want to go out for drinks?â You ask, raising a brow.Â
âWouldnât want it any other way.â He chuckled, his brain beginning to stumble over the word temporary. âHow long is temporary, by the way?âÂ
âHey, we have to have something to discuss over drinks.â You didnât want to break it to him now that temporary meant almost two years. Your lips form a tight smile that didnât fool him, but he understood.Â
âRight.â An awkwardness starts to clog his throat, âYou also didnât mention Ada in your reports either.âÂ
You sighed, refusing to look at him as your stomach turned into an empty pit, âIâm afraid thatâs another topic Iâll have to save until I have some alcohol in my system.â His brows knitted together and he sighed. Every conversation starter leads him to a dead end. Every excuse to spend more time with you coming up short.Â
âI understand.â He didnât, but he was willing to be patient. He owed you more than just his patience.Â
âListen, Iâve gotta get going. Iâm meeting an old friend for dinner and breaking the transfer news to them as well. Iâll see you tomorrow, okay?â You go to open your car door and he just watches you run from him. Unable to move or speak as he prepares himself to wallow in the depression of your absence.Â
âTomorrow, Princess.â Your heart flutters at the nickname as you crack a smile. You get into the car and start the engine. You roll your window down and take a final look at him, your chest blossoming despite everything.Â
âYou still have stuff to do so donât start something you canât finish.â He smiles as you put the car in reverse and back out of your parking spot. âGoodnight, dear.â You shout from your window before rolling your window up and driving away from him. Leaving him in an empty parking lot while he waved you away. Leon let out a heavy sigh as his hands found their way into his pockets.Â
His thoughts ran wild as he tried to think of a way to fix this. Â
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