When Izzy first walked out I was worried that he would be made into a joke that the crew would laugh at
but then he started singing and the dancing began and I realized that he wasn’t meant to be a joke at all. This is the most open and happy we’ve ever seen Izzy and the show treated it that way. Not mocking him but instead celebrating this moment.
When we talk about queer representation it’s usually just focused on queer relationships, but what I love about this episode is it shows other sides of being queer. That moment where Izzy saw Wee John doing his makeup and had a realization that he wanted that too? That is what being queer means to me. The crew singing along and cheering for him? That is what being apart of the queer community means to me.
What i love about this show is that it shows queer joy, not in a sanitized way, but in away that is messy, beautiful, and without any mockery or shame.
summary: recently, things have gotten worse and you struggle to leave the bed. your husband, leon s. kennedy, worries about you.
song: five string serenade - mazzy star
"what's wrong honey?"
"i don't know."
"are you hungry?"
"i don't know."
"do you think you'll go to work tomorrow?"
"i don't know."
you didn't know. you couldn't label how you felt. you always thought you were good at labelling your feelings and speaking about how you felt. you thought you were articulate; you read a lot, wrote a lot, drew a lot. you could express yourself in so many different forms. so why couldn't you just tell leon what was wrong with you?
'wrong' with you.
was it even wrong to feel this way? you heard about people losing their fire, and then coming out the other side better than ever, learning something new about themselves. you were floating, not moving forward, just stagnant.
maybe you were doing depression wrong. or this was a forever feeling, and it was never going to go away. this infinite numbness that was going to continue to penetrate your mind and eat away at you.
over the years, you had coped with your depression better and better, even your husband commented on how much happier you seemed.
you heard the floorboards creak, the floorboards that leon was meant to fix ages ago, a cautious padding of feet approaching the room. the door squeaked open, leon paused, watching you from the doorway.
your depression always crept in, unnoticeable at first. you would take longer to get out of bed in the morning. your eyes would burn with exhaustion when driving home after work. your food portions became smaller. you blew through your cigarette packet quicker than usual. you would unintentionally fall asleep everywhere in the house.
everywhere.
including the bathtub.
that night redefined your marriage. you couldn't let it happen again.
but that was years ago.
and now you had fucked all your progress up because you couldn't leave your bed.
your eyes never left the wall. it was a light blue, you told leon it would light up the room, make it less dingy after he said he wanted grey - reminding you to never let this man decorate the house. if you squinted your eyes closed enough, you could see a small stain. a stain that you have no clue to what it could be, or you do - and you'd rather not think about where it came from. the grainy texture of the paint, the smooth parts and the bumpy parts, the plaster that filled what once was a dent in the wall, the faint splatters of paint near the desk area. it all reminded you of a life before the hollowness in your chest.
stop running away from your problems, you told yourself.
you liked running, physically and mentally. leon was the opposite. you admired his mindset, but you saw where it ended. the copious amounts of empty bottles in the recycling.
in the end, both of you craved what was going to destroy you.
your inability to get up embarrassed you. just move your stupid arm or move your stupid leg. sinking into your mattress of hatred and despair, you imagined your mattress growing around you like it was going to eventually engulf and absorb you.
getting up meant dealing with things. you'd have to find your underwear, and then realise you needed to do the laundry, and then you'd get hungry and would have to make dinner, but then you would realise you couldn't make dinner without groceries and then you would have to get fully dressed to go out, and how it never ended. you wished you could just do it once and for all and to be done with it.
every other adult did this, why couldn't you?
your lifeless body lay across the bed, only your hair was visible, peeking over the duvet. the drawn curtains caged you in this tumbling darkness, a cold lace draped around the room.
his mouth opened to say something, something like a stupid joke, but then clamped shut again as his throat tightened. his eyebrows furrowing and then relaxing before he made his way to the bed.
"c'mon baby. i'll run you a warm bath if you get up," leon murmured, sliding into the bed with you, his arms wrapping around you.
"i don't feel like it," you said, a distance woven into your voice.
no matter how close he held you tight, he couldn't have you fully.
there was nothing about today that made you want to move. it was already the afternoon. you wasted half the day, there was no point in starting it now. in fact, it annoyed you that your husband even suggested getting up at this time.
you hated the afternoons. pointless waiting around time. he knew that.
"these cold feet tell me otherwise," he hummed, his warm feet touching your icy ones - puncturing your self-hatred.
"i'm not ready to get up," you whispered. "i have so many things to do. you probably think i'm lazy."
your frozen hand suddenly twisted into a fist, curling around your shirt. or his shirt, you just stole it, and he stopped asking for it back.
"why would i think that?" you could feel his warm breath against your shoulder. something about this gentle warmth kept you afloat.
"because i'm a grown adult with responsibilities like everyone else. this is childish." you admitted, becoming quieter.
his arms pulled you closer to him and he rested his chin in the familiar space between your neck and your shoulder.
"it's okay to feel down," he said with a certainty. "you're the hardest worker i know."
"that's the biggest lie i've ever heard." you scoffed.
"forgot about how terribly stubborn you are." his chuckle tickled the back of your neck.
"i'm not stubborn." you snapped, reflex faster than the sadness.
"i think you are just proving my point here, hun." he laughed a little, "you're still you. still arguing with me over something silly. so i know a part of you can sit up."
"you're so corny," you huffed, bringing your arm out to push his face away. his stubble scratched your hand, and he pressed a kiss against your palm.
"works every time." he mumbled against your fingers that were pressing against his mouth.
you then slowly retreated them back under the duvet.
"i haven't felt this way in so long. i'm just... fucking everything up all over again. i'm the same person i always have been. i haven't changed." you sighed, drowning in your spiral.
he held you closer to him, as if he was trying to absorb all your mental pain. he saw you change with his own eyes. he saw the smile grow back onto your face again, he saw you begin to argue with him about silly things again, he saw you laugh at his corny jokes again.
"you know healing-"
"isn't linear yeah, yeah." you interrupted him.
"wasn't gonna say that."
you didn't respond, feeling the barbed wire tighten around your throat, like if you swallowed wrong it would tear something open.
"you think you're still the same?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and brushing your hair out of your face.
you didn't answer him. you stared at the wall instead. if you released anything right now, it was all going to come crumbling, crashing and toppling down.
"when it got bad, back then, you kept it to yourself." he paused, remembering how that ended. "but you're telling me you're struggling. that's not the same. that's better than keeping it to yourself."
his precise wording, the way he paused before saying sentences just told you everything you needed to know. he was scared all over again, worried that saying the wrong thing would trigger you further into the hole you were falling into. he couldn't let that happen.
"can you run me a bath?" you said, suddenly.
you could hear his breath hitch like he was about to say something, but he said yes, pressed a kiss onto your temple and disappeared down the hallway.
the water faucet turned on, the water splashing into the porcelain bath tub. it filled the dusty quiet of the house.
you couldn't stand his voice any longer, you hated the tenderness within it. his pathetic attempts at comforting you. before he would tease you and excitedly trot down the hallway humming away, off-key. this time, he saw straight through your deceitful ways, now he was cautious. he was walking on egg shells in his own house because of you.
you hoped, cruelly, that he would run the bath, tell you it was ready, and you would tell him you would get there in a second, and forget about it. just fall asleep again, because you never planned on bathing anyway.
what sort of cruel wife dangles progress in front of her husband like bait, letting him believe he could still reach you?
you imagined the steam fogging the mirror, him dipping his fingers in the water multiple times to ensure it wasn't too hot.
disgusted by yourself, the selfishness of it all, the greed in wasting his time, the lack of consideration for how this was affecting him. rotten, that's what you were. it was sour and spoiled your corpse of a body, spreading throughout all your veins.
you heard the soft clink of bottles being placed down and then the rustle of fabric. you pictured him folding your freshly cleaned pajamas and towels and placing your soaps on the side of the tub.
he married someone bright and determined, someone who argued with him about the colour of the walls and forced him to come to antique shops. not a body in the bed.
a burden.
not someone who wasted his time, just to see if he still cared. not someone who made her husband audition for her love.
pressing your face further into the pillow, your forehead twitched. you wished that you could suffocate your thoughts but they just kept taking root.
you were going to waste it.
the water would still, waiting for your body that was never planning on coming. after some time, it would cool and all the bubbles would dissolve. leon would drain it, pretending that this never happened as the last bubble fell down the drain.
the water shut off.
footsteps didn't come immediately. but they did, eventually.
"it's ready honey." he said softly, the door opening a little as he pushed it against his fingertips.
"i'll be there in a minute." you croaked out, your nails digging into your thigh, leaving crescent-shaped marks. disgusting.
the thin bar of warm yellow light from the hallway slipped into the room, running across the pooling duvet.
"okay." he replied, his footsteps retreating down the hallway. not angry, not disappointed. just 'okay'.
your chest tightened. you squeezed your eyes shut, just hoping that maybe, everything would just disappear. you prayed that maybe you would get sick or some catastrophic external event would happen so none of this would be your fault anymore. because it had been you.
seeing his shaking hands and his pleading cries after that night changed you. saying your name over and over again as if repetition alone could've brought you back to normalcy. even if it was an accident, it scared both of you enough. he drove himself to exhaustion making sure you were okay. you noticed his constant hovering afterwards, his sudden desire to make you food all the time, the way he would check your pulse in the middle of the night. you didn't mean to fall asleep in the bath, you weren't trying to kill yourself. but the water didn't care about intent. and intent didn't change impact.
"leon." you called out, mustering up all the energy you could. he had fought hard for you, and now you were going to fight hard for him. it didn't mean pretending you were okay, but it meant being open and honest.
too quickly, like he was hoping for this, he poked his head around the door. the light from the bathroom haloed him briefly. the mattress dipped, his weight sitting on it.
"i'm here," he said, his hand firmly holding your shoulder.
"i want to get up." you said, "i'll get in the bath you made. i don't want this to end like it did last time."
suddenly, tears spilled from your eyes, your frame heaving up and down. everything burst and crumbled. your body folded in on itself as you tried to hide yourself.
"oh, honey," his voice was low and steady as he pulled you into his chest, his hand cradling the back of your head. "i've got you baby."
"i can't even get up. i can't get up and have a bath." you choked on your words, sobs breaking through. "you shouldn't have to deal with this."
"i didn't get married to you to only have you on your good days," he said, rubbing firm circles into your hip. "you getting up is not small to me."
"it's small to everyone else." you mumbled, sniffling.
"you're not married to everyone else." he whispered, his cheek pressed against the top of your head. you huffed slightly as your fingers held onto him tighter.
"you go out fighting horrors that i can't even imagine. you shouldn't have to come home to this."
he stilled, his rough fingers holding one side of your face and wiping the tears that spilled down your cheek. he gently brought your chin up to look at his eyes.
"don't do that."
"don't what-"
"don't compare." he hushed, "you think what i deal with makes this less real?"
you tried to move your face away from his grip, but tears kept leaking from your eyes.
"i'm sorry for being like this."
"what are you apologising for?" he asked, "just because i fight things that are visible, doesn't make the things you fight any less painful. i said this before and i'll say it again, you're the hardest worker i know."
you went quiet, your sobs broke into gasps, sharp little inhales that hurt your chest. leon didn't say anything, he didn't rush you, or overwhelm you or fill the silence. he only continued to trace gentle, grounding circles into your back with his thumb. your forehead rested on his collarbone, his scent was a mixture of cologne and that slight earthy smell from when he spent too long in the garden.
then your breathing gradually evened. you pulled away from his body, his hands still holding you as you blinked through the blur. you noticed the damp patch on his shirt. everything felt lighter, the heaviness of the duvet wasn't as suffocating as before. leon pressed his lips against your forehead.
"you done apologising?"
"maybe." you whispered. his lips twitched.
"i'll take maybe." he laughed a little, relief overwhelming him. you two held each other in silence for a little longer, relaxing in one another's warmth.
"i want to get up." you said, clutching onto him a little tighter.
"okay." he began, "let's sit up first-"
"if i change my mind about this-" you broke out, breaths going uneven.
"then we change our minds and i'll stay with you until you're ready again. i'm not leaving your side." his hand firm on your shoulder still, tilting his head to catch your gaze. he had that reassuring look that he always had, no matter the situation, it somehow made you think everything was going to be okay. the sort of reassurance and warmth that had you remembering when you first met him and he flashed you that boyish grin of his. the one that made you fall in love with him. your breathing evened.
"okay." you pressed your lips together, his smile now filling you with determination.
"ready?"
you nodded.
he shifted himself so he was sat on the edge of the bed, and you pushed yourself up using your elbows. leon's hand instinctively shot out to support your lower back, steadying you before you could even ask. the room swayed, your vision swimming. as your head slowly turned to him, you saw the small proud smile that was ghosting on his lips.
he stood up, but his touch never left.
"ready for standing up?"
you hummed in agreement and shifted your feet off the bed slowly, until they touched the cold of the floor. your hands clutched onto leon's damp shirt as you pushed yourself up.
you stood.
you knees felt weak and your head felt light, but you were up. you leant into leon, his firm solidness made the twist in your chest loosen.
"there she is." he said, a smile in his voice.
despite everything, you were standing.
note: if this does well, i might write a part 2 of the reader getting in the bath, or if anyone else has any other suggestions i'd love to hear them. i hope everyone is okay, just saw the sun for the first time in so long - i didn't need to go outside with a scarf or coat it was so nice. i even got ice-cream, that's how excited i am for the summer. through editing this i also noticed that i unintentionally made an undertale reference.
Summary: You drag Leon out shopping, bribing him with the promise of homemade muffins and a quick trip – just a quiet evening, or so you thought. Until a stranger crosses the line, and Leon shows a side of himself you don’t get to see often. Back home, it’s up to you to pull him out of it, piece by piece.
Word count: 3,5k
Featuring: protective Leon, hurt/comfort, brief violence, anger & aftermath, calming Leon, established relationship, soft intimacy, light teasing, domestic fluff
A/N: I felt like I needed to write down my own visualization of protective Leon and the way he deals with his anger and guilt so here it is. And of course I couldn’t resist adding some sweet nonsense – this man just melts me, I can’t help it. English isn’t my native language, so please forgive any mistakes.
With how little free time you had – and Leon especially – going out shopping for anything that wasn’t strictly necessary felt nearly impossible. But one evening, when Leon had a few days off and you got back from work early, you decided to take advantage of it and coax him into going out with you. You really needed new curtains.
Leon was sprawled out on the couch, all tired and grumpy, one leg on the floor, the other bent up on the cushions. A half-empty bag of peanuts rested in his hands, some show about sleek, fast cars playing in the background. You walked over to him, deliberately circling the couch. He didn’t turn his head, but you knew he was tracking you anyway. The moment you reached the foot of the couch, you dropped onto him, pressing yourself against his chest. He let out an exaggerated groan as a few peanuts spilled over him and onto the cushions.
“I didn’t know you started training wrestling…” he muttered, instinctively wrapping a hand around the curve just above your ass.
“Leeeon…” you dragged out, resting your chin on his chest, doing your best to give him wide, pleading eyes.
“Yeah?” he grumbled, already suspicious. His brows pulled together just a little more.
“Maybe we could go shopping today? We’ve been putting it off for so long…” your voice was sweet, innocent, your finger tracing small, teasing patterns over his chest.
“Honey, it’s late,” he replied evenly, tossing the last of the peanuts into his mouth.
“Leon, it’s six,” you said flatly.
He took a slow breath, blue eyes drifting over your face in quiet consideration. You knew he couldn’t say no. He just needed a little push. “We have to go eventually anyway. Might as well get it over with. And the sooner we go, the sooner we’re back,” you added, seeing you had his attention. “And I’ll make you muffins tonight, promise.”
To sell it further, you shifted closer, bracing yourself on your hands – your neckline dipping just enough to reveal the curve of your breasts. Leon’s eyes dropped instantly. He swallowed. He couldn’t help it. His hand was already on your backside, a low sound leaving him in response. “Besides, you said you’d finally fix the bed frame. It’s about to fall apart.”
“I’ll fix it. Don’t need a shopping trip for that, sweetheart,” he muttered, still very much focused elsewhere.
“Yes, you do. You lost the allen key.”
“I didn’t lose it.” He finally, reluctantly, met your eyes. The triumphant smile on your face said everything.
“Then where is it?” you asked, expectant, your hand sliding along his jaw.
In response, you felt his hand slip beneath your neckline – before you could even react to scold him for thinking this was a valid way to distract you from the pressing issue, he pulled out a peanut from between your breasts and popped it into his mouth. Then he slid you off him and stood up with a stretch.
“…We’ll buy a new one,” he sighed.
You just laughed, stepping closer and tugging him down by the collar so you could press a quick kiss to his cheek – then darted off to the bedroom to get changed.
***
You had to admit – it took longer than you planned. But at least you got everything you needed… and a few things you didn’t. You walked down the street as dusk settled in, the city still buzzing with people. While you were both ready to retreat into the quiet comfort of your apartment, for others the night was just beginning.
Leon walked beside you obediently, arms full of shopping bags, a backpack slung over his shoulder – the one he insisted on keeping in the car “just in case.” He’d been right. You’d filled it nearly to the brim after stepping into a candle shop. All that was left was the hardware store just around the corner.
“Leon, look how pretty!” you blurted, grabbing his arm as you pressed yourself against a shop window, captivated by the display of hand-painted porcelain.
“Babe…” he started calmly, already knowing where this was going. “Our cabinets can’t fit another cup.”
“I’ll just look, I promise! Can I go in for a second?” you said, far too enthusiastically. You could see him physically fighting himself. “You go grab that screwdriver thing and we’ll meet right here, then straight to the car. Scout’s honor.”
“Fine… just a minute,” he gave in.
But seeing how tired he looked, weighed down with bags, you didn’t want to drag it out. “Go get the tools. It’ll be faster – we’ll meet right here, okay?”
He hesitated, clearly reluctant. “Don’t get lost,” he said, a teasing edge to his voice, his gaze soft.
“Me? You’re the one who disappears,” you shot back, winking before slipping inside.
You drifted between shelves lined with delicate porcelain, already thinking of how you’d make Leon’s evening a little nicer as a thank-you. He’d handled today surprisingly well – patient, even offering opinions on curtain colors despite clearly seeing no difference between them. Then your eyes landed on a cup. A delicate, hand-painted piece – slightly asymmetrical, with soft glaze pooling in the grooves of fine blue patterns. You couldn’t help yourself. Your hands reached for it before you even fully decided. Leon was right – you had enough. But handmade things were your weakness. And really… would one more make a difference?
You wandered a bit longer, mentally noting which plate sets might fit your kitchen someday – far in the future, of course. At the register, you paid, the cup carefully packed into a small box and paper bag. Stepping back outside, you paused by the display again, leaning in to look at a mug you hadn’t noticed before – covered in little bees and lavender. Cute.
You smiled to yourself, already hearing Leon’s inevitable comment.
Then you felt it – a firm hand on your hip, a solid presence behind you, warmth near your ear.
“Leon! Not here–” you laughed instinctively, surprised at the boldness.
“We can move somewhere more private, pretty thing,” came a rough voice.
Your stomach dropped. That wasn’t Leon.
You turned sharply. A stranger stood there, clearly out of it, a stupid grin on his face. Two more hovered nearby.
“Don’t touch me,” you said firmly, knocking his hand away and stepping back.
He didn’t back off. His gaze dragged over you, slow and disgusting.
“Why so tense, pretty? You looked like you were asking for it. I can take care of you better than your boyfriend.”
Laughter behind him.
“I said leave me alone,” you snapped, moving to pass him – only to be grabbed roughly by the wrist and yanked back. The force made you drop the bag. Porcelain shattered against the pavement. His breath hit your face – stale, foul.
Adrenaline surged, your pulse roaring in your ears.
“You stick your ass out and now you’re playing hard to get?” he sneered, lifting your wrist, holding you in place.
You forced yourself to think. Fast. One good kick–
You didn’t get the chance.
The man vanished from in front of you. You had to turn your head to see him slam into the pavement, face-first.
Leon stood where he’d been, already between you and the others.
“Get him!” one of them shouted, rushing him.
The swing was wide and sloppy. Leon stepped aside before it landed, caught his wrist mid-motion, and twisted – sharp and sudden. The man folded, his arm wrenched behind his back as Leon forced him down onto the pavement, cheek pressed harshly against the ground. Leon glanced at the third one – who immediately backed off, muttering and retreating.
You stood frozen, trying to process what had just happened, feeling like you hadn’t even managed to blink. Leon moved in complete silence, his expression tight, his movements controlled and precise.
When the first man who had grabbed you started to push himself up with a groan, Leon was on him in an instant. He grabbed him by the back of his collar and hauled him up. You saw blood running from his nose and mouth as Leon lifted him, and you were almost certain he spat two teeth onto the ground.
Holding him firmly, Leon dragged him a few steps along the sidewalk and hissed through clenched teeth:
“Apologize to her.” his voice cold, commanding.
The man looked at you, dazed, coughing up blood. You noticed Leon’s grip on his shirt was so tight his knuckles had gone white, lifting him so high that his knees weren’t even touching the ground anymore – hovering inches above the pavement.
Not out of reflection, but fear, you heard him mutter a slurred “sorry, we were just messing around.”
After that, Leon threw him aside and didn’t look at him again. He immediately turned to you.
“You okay?” he managed, grabbing your face with both hands and scanning you for any sign of injury.
His eyes were wide, panicked. His breathing heavy, and you knew it wasn’t from exertion. You grabbed his wrists, exhaling slowly, still trying to process what had just happened.
“I’m fine,” you said quickly, catching a glimpse of the man with the broken nose pulling himself up and stumbling away.
“Are you hurt?” Leon continued, this time taking your hand and running his thumb over the bruise forming on your wrist, left from the way you’d been grabbed. His brows were deeply furrowed, his jaw clenched – and you saw it tighten even more as he looked over your hands.
“No, Leon…”
“I saw him touch you. If I’d been a second later…” he cut himself off. When it hit him, you saw him swallow hard. He moved his hands to your ribs, holding you like letting go might make you fall apart.
Even though you were scared, you tried your best not to show it. The entire situation had lasted only seconds, but seeing Leon like this frightened you more than the men who had approached you. You saw the fury in him, one he was barely holding back. When your eyes moved over his frame, you noticed he was trembling slightly.
“I had it handled,” you continued calmly, “I was about to kick him in the balls.”
But it didn’t seem to work on him. He pulled his hands back, stepped away, and glanced over his shoulder as if checking whether anyone else was nearby – aside from the confused passersby. He rubbed his face, fingers pressing in like he was trying to reset himself.
“I shouldn’t have left,” he said flatly, coldly, more to himself than to you.
For a moment, you didn’t see Leon – you saw the agent. The one from missions. Tense posture, alert gaze scanning the surroundings, movements precise and controlled. Except this version of him was unraveling because of you; something that mattered more to him than any mission, something that outweighed everything else.
You knew that if you didn’t pull him back now, he’d sink deeper into guilt – and you didn’t want that. You closed the distance and grabbed the edges of his jacket, tugging slightly just to get his attention – there was no way you could physically move him otherwise.
“Seriously. One more second and he’d have had trouble walking.”
His gaze stayed lowered, fists clenched.
“Leon.” You waited until he finally looked at you. “I’m fine. I’m right here.”
His eyes met yours – shaken, guilty.
You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled his forehead to yours. You stood like that for a moment, feeling his breathing slowly steady. Your touch always worked.
“Let’s go home.”
“Yeah.”
You kissed his cheek, then let him pick up the bags he had dropped when he saw you.
You bent down for your own purchase – only now realizing the cup was in pieces.
“My cup…” you muttered, peering into the bag, confirming there was nothing left to save.
Leon stepped up beside you, both hands full of shopping bags.
“Come on.”
You thought he meant the car.
Instead, he walked up to the shop and pressed his shoulder into the door, pushing it open. He stood in the doorway, holding it for you, nodding with his chin for you to go inside.
***
You placed two new cups and a set of plates into the trunk – something Leon would normally complain about, yet this time he had been the one to press them into your hands. You didn’t object. One, because you could never resist beautiful porcelain. Two, because you knew he needed even a small sense of control back after what had happened.
You were glad he had calmed down a bit, seeing your excitement again as you moved between shelves of your favorite things, reassuring him without words that you were okay.
His hand stayed on your thigh the entire drive home, his fingers intertwined with yours. He was holding you a little too tightly. You talked about waiting for a warm, sunny day so you could sit on the terrace and drink coffee from your new floral cups.
“Leon? It’s green,” you said softly when you noticed he still hadn’t moved.
He turned his head toward you just as a horn sounded behind you. He flinched and pulled forward too quickly, tires briefly squealing. He was still somewhere else. Still scanning – mirrors, surroundings, everything.
“I should’ve–” he started, but let out a breath and didn’t finish, shaking his head slightly.
“Hey. I’m right here,” you interrupted, trying to cut through the spiral in his head. “You can stop buying me the entire store now.”
This time you gently squeezed his hand, feeling the tension slowly leave his grip.
***
You moved around the kitchen, preparing batter for blueberry muffins, the smell of freshly brewed coffee drifting through the air as it filled the space. Leon had disappeared into the bedroom a while ago to tighten the bed frame. You hummed under your breath as you poured the batter into the molds. Out of the corner of your eye, you caught sight of Leon leaning in the kitchen doorway, shoulder against the frame, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze was warm, though slightly distant, lost in thought.
“Come here, what are you waiting for?” you smiled, holding your arms out for him.
“Didn’t want to startle you,” he said calmly, but seeing you were clearly waiting, he pushed himself off the frame and walked over. There was a faint, almost shy smile on his face, his brows slightly furrowed – you knew why.
You pressed yourself against him, his body large, warm – and still a little tense. His hands settled on your back, stroking gently, his nose brushing into your hair as he breathed you in, grounding himself. You wrapped your arms around him too, slipping both hands into the back pockets of his sweatpants, pulling him closer against you.
“Bed fixed?” you asked, tilting your head up, brushing your nose against his chin.
“Yeah. Ready for us to break it again.”
You let out a quiet laugh, reluctantly pulling away when the oven beeped. You slid the tray of muffins inside. Leon leaned back against the counter, watching you in silence.
“You shouldn’t have had to deal with that,” he said quietly, his tone shifting.
“But I didn’t. You were there,” you answered immediately, sincere, without hesitation, turning to him. “Lower your head.”
A little thrown off, he did as you said, leaning down. You cupped his face, brushing both thumbs over his brows before pressing a slow, lingering kiss between them.
“Don’t frown.”
He let out a quiet, low chuckle. Then he dropped his head further, resting his forehead against your shoulder, arms hanging loosely at his sides in a rare gesture of surrender. You were glad that after all these years, you’d learned exactly how to disarm him, how to calm him down.
“...Well, at least we’ve got enough plates for the next ten years.”
“I still dream of one more cup, you know? The one with the bees.”
“No.” His hands were already on your hips.
“What if I win it?”
He lifted his head, narrowing his eyes at you suspiciously. “How?”
You reached past him, grabbing a few blueberries left over from baking. Rolling one between your fingers, you stepped back a few paces. “If you catch them, we don’t buy it. If you miss, even once – I get it next time.”
Without waiting for his answer, you tossed one at him. He dipped slightly at the knees and caught it in his mouth, giving you an unimpressed look.
“You’re cheating.”
You didn’t respond – just threw another, higher and to the side this time. Leon shifted with it, tilting his head, the berry bouncing off his nose before dropping neatly into his mouth anyway.
“Okay, last one. If you miss, I win.”
This time you gave him a moment. You saw him adjust his stance, legs slightly apart, knees bent, cracking his knuckles as he focused entirely on your hand.
You wound up – and then casually tossed the berry behind you. It disappeared out of sight, somewhere toward the living room.
You snorted, seeing his expression as he slowly straightened, shaking his head in warning.
“You’re getting old, big boy. Zero reflex,” you laughed, clearly pleased with yourself. But when Leon – unfazed – started walking toward you slowly, you immediately reconsidered and turned to bolt for the living room.
He followed.
You shot out of the kitchen, barely managing to slow down as you veered toward the couch, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him. He caught it midair and tossed it aside. There was a predator’s smile on his face. Instinctively, you grabbed another, jumping onto the couch and holding it up in surrender.
Just as expected, Leon ripped that one out of your hands too and tossed it away – then dropped his full weight onto you, pinning you beneath him. Before you could react, you were flattened under his broad, muscular frame. You squealed helplessly for a moment before managing to free your arms and wrap them around his neck, pulling his head down, pressing his cheek against yours.
Leon went still, waiting for your next move, but you stayed exactly like that, unmoving.
“Trying to put me in a hold, or…?” he rumbled.
“I don’t know…” you replied in a mock-offended tone.
He lifted his head with ease, looking down at you. For the first time in hours, there was something softer in his eyes – pure fondness, a flicker of amusement.
“You’re lucky, Mrs. Kennedy, that I have a soft spot for you…” he murmured, brushing a kiss to the corner of your lips, making you smile instantly. “But you’ll have to try harder if you want to have me wrapped around your finger.”
“I don’t need new techniques, mister. You know I’ve got you without using force,” you shot back, raising a brow, a smug smile tugging at your lips.
“Oh… right,” he said slowly, shifting slightly so he wouldn’t crush you. He kissed your cheek, then your neck, then both of your collarbones. When you tried to grab his hand, he was quicker – capturing yours and pressing quick kisses from your wrist up to your arm.
“Leon… what are you–”
“Worshipping my wife,” he answered simply, not stopping. When he finished with your arm, his kisses turned aimless – your temple, your nose, your chin, never in any pattern – while his other hand poked teasingly at your stomach, making you squirm and laugh beneath him.
“Ow, at least take the screwdriver out, you’re jabbing me,” you said between laughs when he tugged lightly at your earlobe with his teeth.
“That’s not a screwdriver.”
Of course it wasn’t.
“Seriously–” you started, but couldn’t keep a straight face.
“What can I say? You’ve got me wrapped around your finger,” he murmured into the crook of your neck, taking your hand and guiding it down along his chest and stomach.
As much as you were enjoying this spontaneous moment, you knew exactly how this usually ended – last time it meant a burned dinner and airing out the kitchen for an hour.
“Hey, we need to keep an eye on the muffins…” you tried to remind him, though there was no real resistance in your voice. The warmth of his breath and his mouth on your skin was more than enough to make you want more. Obviously, he could unravel you just as easily – you just weren’t about to admit that out loud. He’d use it against you. Like he didn’t already.
“You just put them in. We’ve got time. Give me ten minutes,” his hand slipping under your shirt, spreading over your stomach.
“Oh? Efficient. You sure that’s enough time?” you teased, your finger hooking absentmindedly into the waistband of his sweatpants.
“Sweetheart, I meant for me,” he replied, then, as if considering it, added, “for you… I’d need five. Max.”
Feigning offense, you smacked his shoulder with your free hand. “You don’t know that–”
Before you could finish, your pants were already halfway down your thighs.
I hope in another universe I'm animating children's tv shows. I hope I'm getting paid to create a world that I would have liked to grow up in. It's not this one, and maybe it could've been one time, but I hope there's one out there like that. That there's one me out there that gets to live our dream.
I dont understand why everything is so tough. Like just responding to messages and doing chores (even a little at a time bc ik i have ADHD and it’s easier if i do it bit by bit when i remember bc otherwise it’d be dirtier than it is but it’s everything, all the time) and getting out of bed to go to the bathroom and shower and eat. It all feels like such a monumental task that I’m failing all the time bc there’s always something that I miss or didn’t do.
Depressioned too hard and forgot that ppl are just happy sometimes. They don’t have to fake it or pretend. They just can be. Like they think of fav blorbo and :) meanwhile i think of fav blorbo and 0-0 ye he’s a guy and they’re there 😮💨*sigh *
So, reader is a huge softy that has many talents in various carework, for bots and kids. They are hired as the new Daycare Assistant/Handler and/or jack-of-all-trades for the Pizzaplex and the first interaction they have with any of the bots is respectful and kind. Reader has no judgement on them for not being human and considers them just as much a person as anyone else.
This includes every Staff bot they meet. They call them by their serial code (Hey there, M-1056!) or a nickname if they know them well enough. They help any Staff bot they see when the bot can't do it by themselves, with prior consent ofc. Getting magnets unstuck to them, helping clean up with them, even helping Map-bot with handing out maps. So, when some parent that isn't listed on the pickup list starts yelling at the reader and getting aggressive towards the increasingly uncomfortable Reader, the Staff bots are...displeased. Their AI isn't as developed as the glamrocks or the daycare attendant, but that is their friend. Their honorary handler. So, imagine the shock when some of the staff bots did their best to push the aggressive parent back from Reader and get Reader to safety. Security flashlight beams into their eyes, mop tripping them over, the works. After everything, the Reader is just so happy because "I didn't expect to gain such good friends!"
You can add whatever other bots that react to it happening in front of them/told to them later, but I'd like Sun's and Moon's reaction if you could. Thank you.
It was late in the evening when the Attendant needed some extra help cleaning up Superstar Daycare. But lucky for him, you were working tonight and provided him with some STAFF bots to assist.
You didn’t exactly program them to do that, but rather asked them politely. Of course it was their duty as janitors, guards, and many other things, though you still treated them as if you would the Glamrocks or any other advanced animatronic.
Your respect towards robots goes beyond the superstars of the Plex--that especially included the STAFF bots.
Because of this, you became the sort of “jack of all trades” handler. From helping a Glamrock get ready for a birthday party to assisting a Map Bot who’s passing out maps by elevator....you could do it all.
Sure, the STAFF bots didn’t have very eccentric personalities or voices, nor were they configured to have complex thoughts or emotional processes. But they all seemed to enjoy your presence--getting tasks done for you faster, saying “thank you” for helping them out of sticky situations, and more.
Some coworkers didn’t know why you cared so much about those “blank slate” bots, considering they replaced a majority of their friends and colleagues. Though nobody ever got on your case about it.
Even management noticed how you’ve kept them in tip-top shape, helping the company cut back on repair and/or replacement costs.
It turns out they needed you more than you needed them.
So you were quite content with your role.
In the daycare tonight, you had a few Mop Bots and a pair of Security Bots to sweep the place while you stayed at the security station, looking over the pickup list on the computer and finding only one child remained on it. She was with Sun, who would keep her entertained with a puppet show while waiting for her parent to arrive.
Soon enough, someone did and approached your desk.
“Hi, I’m here to pick up my daughter.”
Looking up, you smiled at them. “Good evening. May I just have your name, please?”
They told you exactly that, but much to your confusion..the name they gave didn’t match what was on the list. You checked the date and sure enough, it was today’s, so you were looking at the correct one.
“Ah, unfortunately I have a completely different name listed here.” You told them, seeing their slight frown.
“Really? I could’ve sworn I gave it to that stupid grinning robot...” Their eyes flickered to Sun. “Unless it glitched and changed it entirely.”
You noticed he was silent now, staring over at you both. While you didn’t take too kindly to this person calling him “stupid”, you stayed calm. “I can assure you that’s not possible. Our Daycare Attendant has the highest level of security and protects the data of all visitors-”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah I don’t need you to explain it to me. Can I just get my kid over there?” They huffed, suddenly having a thin amount of patience. “It’s a school night and I got here late, so I’m kinda in a rush.”
“Sure thing, could you just confirm her name for me?”
And they did just that, too, but you were still adamant about releasing them to this person. Glitches that completely changed somebody’s name in the daycare’s database simply didn’t happen.
So you decided to ask them one more question to be sure. “And for safety reasons, may I also ask what school she goes to?”
They immediately looked at you with disgust, caught off-guard. “Why? Do you need to know every little thing about her? Does this place need her blood type, too?” They sneered.
“...no, but every parent is given a form to fill out, and they’re required to include their child’s school.” You pointed out. “I would assume you did that when you dropped her off today.”
“.....ohh, uh..I-I’m actually just a family friend.” They abruptly changed their entire story, looking a little nervous as they did so. “Her parents asked me to pick her up so I didn’t sign any form.”
You just stared at them like they were the dumbest person on the planet. Did they seriously think you’ll believe that?
As uncomfortable as you were, you tried to stay calm. “I’m sorry but your name isn’t listed anywhere on the child’s emergency contact list, so I can’t release her to-”
“God what is this, Fort Knox?!!” They suddenly snapped. “I didn’t drive all the way to this shitty place just for you to hold her hostage!! Just call her goddamn parents and they’ll be able to tell you!”
You flinched slightly. Even Sun and a few STAFF bots began looking back your way, though you did your best to get this guest out of here asap. You’ve rarely dealt with irate parents, so your nerves were getting worked up. “Hey, there’s no need to use that language in the daycar-”
“Sorry. It’s just....look, I get it,” they huffed. “This company has a history of kidnappings and shit, but you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”
“..and it’s for that exact reason that I can’t let you leave with her. You telling me you’re her parent, and then a family friend is just a little suspicious. You can’t be both-”
“Jesus..am I gonna have to snatch her from that robot myself?! I see why they replaced you all with those stupid machines..they wouldn’t give me all this crap!”
At this point, your hands were growing shaky as you reached for the security button. This person was clearly attempting a kidnapping, only getting angry because they got caught in a lie.
Meanwhile, Sun was extremely concerned over the aggressive guest, especially since the little girl didn’t seem to know that person at all. At that point, he was ready to let Moon take over so he could deal with this “parent” himself.
Though before any of that could happen, he noticed all the STAFF bots in the play area suddenly cease their duties, making their way over to you.
Now that they were more in-tune with human emotions, they could sense your discomfort and the guest’s growing hostilities. And seeing you being harassed was..displeasing to witness.
You were their friend. Their handler. You treated them all with the utmost respect.
You didn’t deserve anything less than that.
So they came to the rescue, as a Security Bot tapped the guest on the shoulder and spoke in a rather annoyed monotone voice. “Hello, friend. Profanity and aggression towards staff are against our rules-”
“Don’t touch me you-!!”
But as the stranger turned around to scream at the bot next, they were met with a bright light shining directly in their eyes. They yelled in slight pain, going completely blind for a moment as they backed away from your desk.
Then a Mop Bot positioned themselves behind them and “accidentally” stuck out their broom too far, making them trip and fall onto the mat, sending some party canister crashing down.
“OW! Son of a--what’s wrong with your damn robots?!” They shouted in panic, getting up and rubbing their eyes right as two more Security Bots took them by the arms. “HEY! Let go!! This is j-just a misunderstanding, alright?! I-I didn’t mean to shout at your employee!”
They looked to you, hoping you could give them another chance. But you simply smiled and waved as they were forcefully escorted out of the daycare.
Only when the large doors slammed shut did you breathe a sigh of relief.
‘Thank god that’s over..’
“Are you alright, [y/n]?”
Looking to the Security Bot now standing by you, you smiled and nodded. You couldn’t believe they came to your defense so quickly--without even being ordered to. “I am now. Thank you, S-0032.”
“Head of security has been notified. This guest will be permanently banned. Effective immediately.”
“Amazing..I’ve never seen them be so..protective before.”
You saw Moon jump onto the desk, gazing down at you curiously. But his smile seemed a lot bigger now. “I got a mess to clean up..but I’ll let you slide. Just this once.” He wagged a finger at the bot, before leaping away to attend to other matters.
In the meantime, you just laughed, seeing a Mop Bot approach you as well. “I didn’t expect to gain such good friends. That was a great one, M0-1056.”
“Always happy to help, [y/n].” They nodded respectfully.
Even though neither of them could smile, you had a feeling they would be if it were possible.
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