Eden💕 ✧〘Polish🇵🇱〙〘she/her〙✧ writing commissions are very much welcome, but I'm too busy to draw.... ♢ ||Fandoms: mainly Arcane, the arcana, Stranger Things, Spiderverse, BG3, DOS2, Castlevania and Stardew Valley❤️|| ||Feel safe on my page, I support every religion, race and LGBTQ+||
we have as a soceity stopped talking about the arcana and i feel like the world started going to shit after that so maybe we should bring up the arcana
im literally going to break down like. how do you guys make your tumblr blogs look so good. life is so unfair. i can't even make an intro and my latest post had exactly 1 comment FROM A BOT. I can't do this Tumblr shit anymore BYE
Hello, as I mentioned I wanted to try posting some of my original work here to see if I can get any audience to see it. I have been working on this book for over two years but only recently translated it on my own to english, so it might get more attention! I'm still a little bit unsure about this and my writing, so some feedback would be nice ^^
Echoverie, Chapter 1
On this cold September evening, the only people daring to step outside were poor souls walking home from work at the local factory. There was an unsettling chill in the air, the warning of autumn creeping into the city’s empty alleyways. Even the local bar was empty, there was not a single person sitting at the dirty counter of The Black Crow. People outside held their daggers close in their trembling, cold hands, watching out for even a glimpse of what was lurking in the shadows. Grunts and whines of the creatures coming from the darkness were not a rare occurrence here. It was almost every day that the residents had to bear those horrible streets, where not every shuffle could be blamed on the wind. The burning lanterns flickered by old entrances to nearby buildings, some of them already extinguished by the wind or damp air.. They cast faint lights cutting through walls of dust and fog, lighting only little parts of the streets. This horrible land had already been cursed decades ago, and yet still no one had managed to put an end to the curse. An ancient spell held the dark alleys of Raimond in its chokehold, yet no one knew why and by who the city had been condemned to such a fate.
Beth did not have a shift in the fabric store where she worked, so she busied herself with cleaning around the house. She’d agreed to take over her friend today, so that she’d have time tomorrow to visit the local bazaar and buy fresh herbs for her daughter’s illness. They both knew that little Lily’s sickness was something more than a mere flu. Although Beth knew there was no help for the poor girl, she didn’t want to hurt her friend. The last thing she could do for her was being by her side, as much as she managed to.
Even though she knew she should be sweeping the tenement’s yard, she did not even dare to try step outside. Perhaps she was a coward, or maybe just lazy. One way or another, she did not want to become a fresh meal for the undead. Not today. The quiet sweep of the broom was the only sound calling out through the room. Lily fell asleep surprisingly fast today and had no problem with breathing throughout the whole evening. She started thinking that maybe old Rosetta was actually right… maybe the girl would heal, and the medication would help. Maybe there would be a miracle, and the Gods would take pity upon her little, fading soul to get back her lost spark and prominent smile. Maybe it would help her again in surviving on this tormented land for another day.
After she’d finished sweeping the dirty wooden floor she made her way to the door at the back of the room, leading to Rosetta’s and Lily’s small bedroom. She gently pushed the door open, peeking inside through the soft crack. Lily’s chest rose up and fell down in a steady, soft rhythm, and Beth couldn’t help but smile at the sight, as the little girl looked almost identical right now to five months ago, when she was not yet sick. Even her face looked warmer today, with no paleness or faint green hue. She’d never been happier to see anyone this healthy. Despite the quite large age difference between the two, they had gotten impossibly close. Sneaking out to chase each other on the streets during daylight, playing with dolls inside when they couldn’t shut off their minds and go to sleep… When Beth was just sixteen and got into the factory for the first time, she’d either carve them out from wooden pieces she stole from the furnishing section, or, later on, sewed them from the tossed cloth pieces. Along with the spark from her eyes, the questions and pleas to play disappeared alonside with the first heavier fever and spat out blood drops. She could not tell if it was just life, or if the Gods were cruel enough to manage souls this way. There was not a night where she hadn’t begged for the sickness to take her instead, and let the kid live her life. She walked quietly to the bedside table and blew out the lantern standing there with a soft puff. The room was not entirely dark, the light of a dull fullmoon barged in through the thin curtains, making everything bask in blue light. Faint murmurs and low sounds drifted up from the street below, and Beth was simply glad she didn't have to be outside right now. To the undead, a full moon was like a playground to playful children, though their happines came from the taste of fresh blood and human flesh, not sharing toys and laughter. Her thoughts were occupied solely by poor Rosetta, who would likely spend the night in one of the factory’s cold rooms. At least, that was what she hoped... returning at this hour would be nothing short of idiotic.
After a last glance and making sure Lily was definitely safe, she closed the knotty door and walked over to the kitchennete. The dwelling was not large, quite the opposite. It was far too small for three people, let alone the weary travelers Rosetta welcomed in. She never turned anyone away, even though space was barely sufficient for herself, her daughter, and Beth, who she had taken in exactly three years ago. Today was the anniversary of the day she first set foot on this cursed floor. She took an old cloth with herself, slowly starting to wipe down the tabletop after the late dinner she and Lily had eaten, which she earlier forgot about. She sighed, fixing her gaze to the window, from which she could clearly see the night sky, full of various stars and constallations far away, illuminated by the bright moon… She had heard a little here and there about the study of the sky, but neither the children at the orphanage where she had once lived nor the women of Raimond were permitted to practice it. To her, the constellations were nothing more than signs to follow without straying from the Gods’ path.
After wiping down the countertop, she moved to the window and knelt down, resting her forehead against the sill. A small altar stood there, three simple candles, a doily she had woven herself, and her mother’s old necklace. It always reminded her of one of the goddess’s children, the warrior Tzillah, her favorite of the royal line. The noblest, the most worthy of the throne, and the most divine, that was how every song and prayer she heard described her. Her eyes closed and her hands clasped in prayer as only a soft whisper escaped her lips. Beth had always believed that to maintain a good relationship with any God, one had to keep it to oneself, deep within the heart, where no one could reach it or try to root it out. That was why she always kept the prayers to herself, even when Rosetta scoffed at her and Lily asked what she whispered about this time.
Her prayers were interrupted by a strange noise coming from the street below. She’d stopped for a second, listening in. As the sound got even louder she peeked from the windowsill, but couldn’t see anything through the thick fog… she could swear she heard horses, though. She immediately got up from the cold stone floor, blowing out every single candle not to draw attention. She felt her breath becoming shallow as she shut the window with a thud, rushing to put down the kitchen lantern and check the door, which turned out to be already locked. Royal troops rarely stationed in these parts of the kingdom. Rarely, or rather, almost never. In the three years she had lived in the tenement, she had encountered them only twice... and never this close. Not here, not on her street. They would have to sail here, cut through the hordes of undead by the shore and make their way to the city… it was not a problem for the royal knights, but they never bothered. They appeared by royal decree, not to protect the people from the creatures prowling the area, but to take disobedient or troublesome residents with them. Criminals or those coming from such families. The royal family couldn’t care less if you’d tried to escape your family’s fate. Once a criminal bloodline, always a criminal bloodline, like they said. To root out the evil that angered the queen, not the poor. She covered her mouth in agitation and slowly walked over back to then window. She watched them turn the corner, and in an instant, a fuss filled the street that made her struggle to even gather her thoughts. The armor of both the horses and the knights gleamed in the pale blue moonlight. A horse’s neigh echoed loudly through the narrow street, sending shivers down her spine.
Beth stood frozen as she realized they stopped by the tonement. Just by the entrance, sharing a few quick words before they got off their horses. The only person they could have been looking for was the old Ferdinand, who died two weeks ago of tuberculosis. Now, in the building there was only her, Lily and Rosetta, who was away in the factory. She rushed to the girl’s bedroom, running over to her bed.
“Lily… Lily, please wake up.” she whispered loudly, feeling her hands tremble as she tried to shake her out of sleep. “Hide, Lily, come on… to the pantry, now. Go.”
“What..? What’s happening?” Lily’s rasp voice answered, followed by a sharp cough.
“The troops are here, on… on horses. I don’t know what they are looking for.” she explained quickly, already dragging her out of bed. “You need to hide sweetie. Come on.”
She helped the girl up, wrapping her in a fluffy blanket and handing her one of the dolls. She knew it would be hard to explain to an eight-year-old what the army did to people like her, but she couldn't risk Lily meeting the same fate.
“There you go. Come on.” she urged, hearing footsteps already up the stairs. She opened the pantry door, giving the girl a gentle push on the back. “Don't come out until I say so, all right? And try not to cough.”
“But…”
“No “buts”, Lily. If… anything happens, don’t come out until mommy comes back, alright?” she ruffled her hair, sending a confident smile her way” I’ll take care of everything, don’t worry.
Before she could manage to choke out another word, one of the soldiers was already pounding on the door. She shut the pantry down, taking in a deep breath before shouting back loudly.
“Who comes calling at this hour?”
“Messengers for the nobility. Open the door, or we’ll break it down,” a deep male voice echoed from behind the door, making her close her eyes with a sigh.
She swallowed hard as she approached the counter. Reaching for a butter-stained knife, she answered in a trembling voice
“Are you looking for someone?”
“Sir Lockefeller is looking for a certain Beth Lannister. Do you happen to know where she might be?”
“No, my lord. There is no Beth Lannister in this area.” she replied, knowing full well that a nobleman’s messengers certainly weren't stupid enough to fall for her lies, or at least, not stupid enough to not check for themselves.
“Would you be so kind as to open the door, and perhaps offer some help or a drink? We promise not to be a nuisance and will leave the premises quickly.”
She knew the choice was simple. Either she surrendered herself to them and spared little Lily from potential harm, or she kept lying and put the child in danger. Anything in between would be foolish and pointless... which was precisely why she chose a third option. She clenched her fist around the butter knife, hiding it behind her back. She reached for the handle, hesitating... then quickly opened the door.
“What else do you gentlemen need?” She saw the eyes of one of the warriors widen. She winced at the sight, not just one or two guards, but five armed men clad in heavy metal from head to toe... she didn't stand a chance.
“Wait a minute...” the guard muttered, narrowing his eyes.
“It's her! Seize her, seize her!” the other shouted, pointing a finger at her.
“This... This must be some kind of misunderstanding, I...” she stammered, taking a step back.
Before she could even explain herself, try to elaborate, or come up with another half-assed excuse, the guards were already striking her way. She ran to the window, grabbing quickly her mother’s necklace, so that they couldn’t steal it. On wobbly legs she turned around, trying to at least scratch one of the guards with the knife… it would not hurt to try to defenf herself. If they came all the way for her, she must’ve been already put up to death anyway. Unfortunately one of them caught her wrist on time, slamming her onto the wall. She felt the cold metal of cuffs wrapping around her wrists, and not long after, a dark, red cloth around her eyes.
summary: Leon starts his job at the RPD by meeting the receptionist. A few misunderstandings make him believe that she hates him, but he turns out to be completely wrong.
warnings: toxic exes, mention of stalking, swearing, lot of angst ig?? there's mostly just dialogue this time lol, and keep an eye out on typos! my arm just got back to normal so i write a lot and make mistakes
It has been three hours since Leon had started getting ready. Well, actually more if you count his little morning trip to the flower shop, which on the way turned into a bakery. He realized bringing flowers to a dinner might be… out of place, a little. So, he ended up walking back home with a freshly baked blueberry pie, smelling like absolute heaven and something you’d love to have a plate of at a dinner that makes you want to strangle yourself.
He’d changed his shirt three times already. The first one he grabbed was accidental, and oh, did it make him grin like an idiot. He accdentally switched the shirts and put on the one he had on last night, only then remembering he never put it into the laundry basket. His face scrounched up in a huge grin despite all the effort when he noticed the red smear on his shoulder.
Oh man, that would never come off.
It would never come off!
He put on an all black one next, trying to match a tie with it, and… quickly realized he was doing way too much. He was making an idiot out of himself for dressing like he was going out to a restaurant, when in reality he was just coming over to someone’s house for a casual meal! It was just going to be you and your sister there. He quickly threw off the formal wear, deciding to go completely casual… in his best jeans and the cleanest long sleeve shirt he owned, that just happened to be framing his muscles perfectly. He totally didn’t check himself out in the mirror for the hundreth time before actually leaving the house.
Now it was time for another hesitation. He stood at your door, bouncing on his feet a few times as he struggled to knock. He looked down at his watch, seeing it was… really early. Like, painfully early. He decided to get into the car earlier because in Racoon City there was always a horrible traffic when it rained… only to be met with the emptiest roads to be ever seen so far in this place. Guess people stayed home and preferred coziness on this cold day, after all.
C’mon man, you can do it, he thought to himself just like that time at your desk. Except this time it wasn’t your desk, but your door, full in front of him and ready to be opened… And what would he find inside? Would you be happy to see him? Glad that he intervened last night, or mad at him for no perticular reason? He knew so little about your situation, he didn’t know what would be acceptable. He just wanted to do his best to help with the touchy guy. After million other questions, among “Do I actually look alright for a dinner?” “Maybe flowers would be actually better?” “What if her or her sister are allergic to blueberries?” “Do I take my shoes off?”, he finally raised his hand to gently knock on the wooden door, immediately hearing footsteps.
The door unlocked to reveal the older woman instead of you. He was greeted by a warm smile and a step back, so he could walk in. “Hello, Kennedy. What’s that?” She nodded at the pie in his hands.
“Uh… Hi. It’s a fresh pie… I mean, not so fresh. I picked it up this morning, and…”
“Oh my gosh, you didn’t have to.” Your sister gasped, taking the tray from him gently. Then, holding the pie in one hand which almost made him wince, she held out a hand to shake. “I’ll take it to the kitchen, if that’s alright. I’m Tina by the way. I don’t think I introduced myself properly yesterday?”
“Uh… not that I recall.” He chuckled, pushing his hands into his pockets, right after he kicked the door closed. “It’s nice to… meet you again, Tina.”
“Oh, well… I kind of know you already. I heard a lot.”
“Huh?” Did you…
“Mrs. Harrington.”
”Oh… right. Apparently I am famous.” He nodded. So.. not you after all.
“Who’s that!?” He heard your voice suddenly cutting through soft music coming from… what he supposed was your room?
“Leon’s here!”
“Already!?” You yelled back, and he felt an embarrased heat raising to his face… He felt like this wasn’t really going as nice and domestic as he expected it to… but hey, at least it felt authentic.
“Yes, shut off that music!” Tina rolled her eyes, busying herself with cutting the fresh blueberry pie, whistling as she saw the filling. It made him feel weirdly proud. “Leon, honey, could you take these to the table?” She nodded at three empty plates, cutlery and different, colorful cups.
“Yeah… yeah, sure.” He said, rushing to help with setting the table. After a few seconds, the music shut off, but you still didn’t come out. The plates were all already settled down, now it was time for the... excessive amount of food, at least for three people. It looked more like you were trying to feed the whole Racoon City, actually. By the time he set another plate with a strange-looking salad in the middle, he heard the bedroom door opening. He raised his head, and... oh.
You were... clearly tired. Probably got ready in a rush. Dressed in sweats, and... definitely hungover, but he wasn't that surprised about that part, though. You still pulled it off somehow, maybe even better than him in his picked out jeans and fancy shirt...
"Hey, you. Did you have to yell?" Tina rushed to ask, not letting you even say hello properly.
"I was just... making sure." Leon watched you shoot him a brief look, not exactly mad like he expected, but not happy either... were you embarrassed? Oh God.
"Well, there's no need for that. He usually doesn't knock."
"Tina." He watched the interaction closely, as you gave your sister a deep glare. Meanwhile he just... went back to setting the table. He felt a little uncomfortable, because as much as he didn't want to, it was hard not to... get involved, when your sister clearly could care less about his presence. In a good way, it seemed.
"Hi Leon." You finally managed to say which made him smile.
"Hey..."
"Sit down, I'll set everything up... you're a guest." You said with a sigh, clearly... tense, and maybbe even more pissed at your sister that she made him work like that.
"It's okay. I can help. It's... a lot of food."
"Yeah, she's a master chief." Tina chanted which made you roll your eyes again. "Cooks when she's excited, stressed out, mad... Y'know, when she'll be getting married the vow will be, "are you ready to get fed and fat?", not the regular ones."
"Tina!" It was almost a cry for help by now. He had to admit that it was funny though...
"So... which one was it?" He asked, changing the subject. "Excited, stressed out or mad?"
"Pissed off." You summed up, fixing the cushions on the chairs, before everyone could actually take a seat.
"Not by me, I hope?" He asked with a nervous laugh, wanting to sound joking, but he actually came out more miserable and immediately regretting it.
"No. By her." he felt like a ton-weighted rock had been lifted from his heart, laughing again as he watched you stuck your tongue out in Tina's way, to which she responded with the same.
"Okay, okay. Cut it off." Tina scolded, suddenly acting saint as she brought her chair clolser, reaching out to already place a steak and some puree on her table. "We have a special guest today. Act right in front of Mr. Kennedy."
"Oh my god..." He buried half his face in his hand, clearly embarrassed after hearing enough after his "heroic" criminal catching or something... It was nice, but enough! It was just his job!
"Oh, don't be like that. You know, I wanna know more about that popular officer." Tina shot you a look and snorted, then turning to him again. For a moment he could swear she was making fun of him, bt that lighthearted look? This was just an atmosphere like that here, it seemed. Teasing, joking, but... somehow in a really comforting and endearing way...
"Well, uh..."
"Start by how you were late twenty minutes on your first day." Tina nudged, and you rushed to correct.
"Twenty-three."
"Oh my God- You told her?" He said, raising his head from his hand now, not covering up anymore. "And you're keeping track on me?"
"What was I supposed to do, leave out the fact that the new guy came to work late?" You clearly teased, and... it was genuinely the first time he saw that kind of playful smirk on your face. Somehow it made it even more diffiucult to find the right words, so he didn't look for them at all.
"I was hungover!"
"You were what?" both you and Tina spoke up, exchanging looks.
"I, uh... So, I had a rough week." He nodded, distracting himself with putting on some salad on his plate, his stomach already growling silently at the sight of that whole dish... you really went out the way, it seemed. Or maybe this was just a daily thing here. If so, he could happily eat dinner with you both every single day without a fail. "A really, really shitty week. I had... basically no one to rant to, so I bought some ridiculously expensive champagne and drank it all in an hour or two, because i wanted to celebrate."
"Oh wow." You commented and he looked down, showing a forkful into his mouth. He felt almost ashamed admitting this...
"I know, it was... reckless, stupid..."
"Is that why you looked so terrified when they used the whole confetti thing? I mean, loud noises and light..."
"Yes!" He said, gesturing harshly with his hand. "I mean, the sign was nice, but jeez..."
"Oh, thanks."
"Huh?" He hummed, confused on why you were thanking him.
"She was the one who prepared the welcoming thing. Spent so much time on the decorations that she accidentally put two L's when she was tired."
"Tina! I did not put two L's"
"It was you? I... I had no idea!" He said, clearly stunned. He was sure you were this... stoic, serious office girl who was just there to get the job done and take her paycheck monthly. He didn't take you for a girl who would spend hours preparing... a welcome party for the new guy. She thought maybe it was the guys, or...
"That's good. It's the whole point of a surprise, you know."
"No, I mean..."
"I know what you mean... doesn't matter who prepared it. I'm just glad you liked it." You smiled, and he almost choked on his food. This just changed everything. I mean, there wasn't even a little, tiny moment where you... hated his guts? He was sure you did. You had to. It just... made sense, and now it didn't!
"It does matter! I mean, I was sure I pissed you off, and..."
"You were new! Why wouldn't I do it?" You scoffed, sitting back. "I'm like, the first thing that welcoms you when you walked into the RPD." You gestured in the air, making a door opening motion. "I'm the one and only person who should be taking care of situations like this."
"Okay, but-"
"Can we please just eat?" You scoffed, clearly getting embarrassed too. It seemed both him and Tina realized that, because she rushed to do just what you proposed.
"So, um... you said you were lonely. You live alone?" She asked finally.
"Uh, yeah. That would be true."
"Are you serious? Like, alone alone?"
"Yeah, I mean... I have no family here, no friends... I wasn't supposed to move in alone, but things kinda went south." He scratched the back of his neck, frowning.
"What? I thought... maybe you had like, a granny here or something. Why did you choose Racoon City out of all places, then?" You asked, looking genuinely invested... So, obviously, he'd explain in detail.
"Oh, there's this case going on around here. I was always fascinated by the murders around the Arklay Mountains. Basically they-"
"Oh, no! Absolutely no." You shook your head, making him freeze up and Tina laugh.
"She's pretty sensitive."
"Spare the details please. If I hear about any bloody stuff I'll either faint or puke out whatever I just ate." You even put down your fork to emphasize it.
"You... you're grossed out by stuff like that and you work in the RPD?"
"As a receptionist! I work with faxes, not solving cases!"
"Still a police department." He shrugged.
"Well, I don't have to see the stuff. I just fill in paperwork." You murmured, taking a sip of water like you were actually nauseous at the thought... Well, maybe you were. "I'm close to fainting when I hear about some stuff Tina does."
"Where do you work?" He asked, turning to your sister.
"I'm a paramedic. I was always fascinated with that stuff." She answered, sparing the detail, of course. "So, what about you? You always wanted to be a policeman?"
"Yeah... I guess. Not everyone supported the vision, but I guess I made it."
"And made sure to celebrate it..." You joked and he snorted.
He had to admit, this playful atmosphere was much different from what he expected when he agreed to this dinner... but he definitely was not complaininng. He somehow felt more welcome here than in his own wuiet apartment...
"Oh, shit... I gotta be up a five. Sorry." Tina said suddenly after looking up at the clock. She pushed the chair back, making her way over to you. She leaned down, wrapping an arm around you and pressing a quick kiss to your head, before whispering so Leon couldn't hear... which he totally did. "I like him"
"Goodnight." You just answered in a feigned cold tone, shooting her a small glare.
"Goodnight. Don't stay up too late, and please be quiet, 'cause i really need that sleep... Bye Leon."
"Oh, I... I think I'm gonna go home anyway now. I don't wanna stay over too late, you know..."
"Oh, no, it's fine." You said immediately, with Tina snorting in the hallway as she made her way to the bathroom.
"I... guess I could help you withe dishes? To stay a little longer and not be a nuisance..."
"You're not." You answered, but immediately squinted your eyes. "...unless you really want to, 'cause I hate doing it."
"Okay, then. Gonna make myself useful." He joked again, already getting up to help you gather the dishes.
Today was fun, but... both of you clearly had questions. It was obvious in that lingering tension and silence, where you both looked at each other like you were dying to ask. He mainly wondered about the whole mess with that guy last night... and now also the welcoming party. But he also knew you'd probably want to ask about him moving in to Racoon City, his ex that he briefly mentioned... and he figured it would be best if he just nudged the conversation a little.
A little was an understatement.
“…You know. I was pretty sure you hated me when I first came to Racoon City.” He finally found the courage to speak up about it, hiding his concern that there’s still a possibility with a small laugh. He was in the middle of washing the dishes after assuring you it's fine if he does it for you and you just... sit and talk.
You responded with the same, breathy huff of a laughter instead of a full one, still having to be pretty quiet. “…Why would I hate you? I didn’t even know you.” You shrugged, legs swinging a little as you settled comfortably on the counter. He rinsed the last plate, setting it aside to dry.
“I know it’s stupid. Believe me. I mean, you were just a receptionist and…” He scoffed, looking down at the floor. He couldn’t see your face, but the silence was enough to tell him you noticed the shift in the atmosphere. “You see, I… I guess I was looking for some kind of reassurence.”
“Reassurence?”
“Yeah.” He gulped, standing right next to you, back leaning on the edge of the shelf behind him. “I… had a girlfriend back in my hometown. She was…” He paused, feeling that familiar sting in his eyes already. He didn’t want to be sensitive, or a crybaby, but… “She was never supportive of my choices. The police academy, this city, my job… she always thought it was a stupid thing to do. That I was wasting my life for nothing. And, in a way, I think she might be right.”
“Leon…”
“And when I saw you there, behind that desk, you know.” He gestured in the air, letting out another nervous scoff. “So… serious and quiet. And when we talked, you were… well, pretty cold. It was… really stupid, but I thought if i get her to see what I can do, I can do anything.” He dipped his head back, looking back at you.
“You don’t need me to do anything.” You smiled, tilting your head to look at him better. His blue eyes scanned your face as if asking for an answer. As if him being here was not enough of a sign that you did grow to like him. “You don’t need anyone, actually. It’s your life, and.. and I might not be the best at reading people, but you… You were made for this, Leon. It’s like you have it in your blood to help people.”
"You think so?"
"Yeah." You shrugged. "I mean... you worked, what, half of your life just to be able to help? I can assure you most of the guys at RPD aren't there because they care nearly as much as you do." You smiled. "That says a lot."
"I, uh..." He stared at you for a moment before looking away, turning his head so you wouldn't see that he was wiping down tears. You probably did, but you were kind enough not to point it out at all...
"I wasn't trying to be mean back then, you know." You said, even though he knew that much now. It was all just... a huge misunderstanding. But he was kind of glad it happened, because other way, maybe he would not stand here right now. Maybe you'd be just another regular coworker. He wouldn't really like that. "I just had a lot going on."
"With... that guy?"
"Yeah. He's my ex." You explained, "We broke up over a year ago because he cheated, and, uh... when his new girlfriend dumped him, he went crazy. Sent me voicemails all the time, so i blocked his number. When he couldn't call, he started sending me mails. Then they turned into flowers, presents... and then i saw him at my doorstep a few times."
"Jesus. Did you call the police?"
"I..." You hesitated before sighing. "No, I... didn't I felt weird calling the police when... you know, everyone knows me there. I guessed I could take care of that alone so nobody snooped into my business. Was that... stupid?"
"Very." He answered, nodding. "But I get it."
"You do?"
"Yeah. Just... call me next time he's being a problem. Okay? I mean... I know now anyway. I'm not gonna tell anyone."
"You promise?"
"Promise."
He smiled at the way you were looking at him, now very glad that he mentioned this topic. He figured the way you opened up meant a lot, and... now your closed off nature made a lot more sense to him.
"You're a good man, Leon."
"Woah, okay, lets not get sappy."
"I'm not!" You said, raising your arms in surrender. "I'm just being nice!"
"Well, it would probably be better if the good man dragged his ass home, right?"
"Well... If you really want to. I don't wanna keep you up. You're proably..."
"Busy tommorrow? Yeah, with eating pizza and watching TV." He scoffed, "But I don't wanna keep you up either. I'll just... visit again some other time?"
"You definitely should." You nodded, slipping off of the counter to lead him back to the door. "And... you should probably step by the local bar tomorrow. Zoe said Matt and his friends are gonna be there around 5PM."
"What do I have to do with it...?"
"Well, they wanted to invite you, but after yesterday they thought you're not a drinker. They still don't know you drove me there, so..."
"Wait, so, you're saying that i have acual plans tomorrow?"
"Yes, you do." You rolled your eyes.
"Damn. Then I should probably go, so I don't oversleep."
"You probably should."
Still, neither of you moved at the door. Not counting the slight shiver in your shoulders from the cold midnight air. He nodded awkwardly again, already turning around.
"Leon?"
"Yeah...?" Before he could fully turn to you again, he felt you practically crushing into him. He froze for a second, before he hesitantly wrapped his arms back around you, pulling you closer into the hug. One of his arms wrapped securely at your waist, making sure not to slide too low... or too high. The other shakily settled on the back of your scalp, running his fingers through your hair.
"Thank you."
"For what?" He asked, pulling away a little to look at you.
"For listening."
"Oh, come on... you listened too."
"I know, but... thank you." You said while pulling away, pressing a quick kiss to his warm cheek before actually stepping back.
This time you both froze.
He stood stunned because... Oh God, that was not the plan. What should he do? What should he say? He was panicking until he noticed you were too.
"I... Goodnight, Leon."
"Yeah. Goodnight."
The door shut loudly and he mouthed a small oh shit, before turning to the stairs with a huge grin. And he thought a lipstick stain on his shirt was a lot...
can you guys believe this was supposed to be my shortest story??? so far its the longest and i'm having the most fun with it lol... anyway i hope you enjoy it and here's a little spoiler, there might be a highschool AU fanfic coming up! love yall ♡
also would you like to see any more of my writing? if any of you like to read books except for fanfiction i am thinking about posting some of my original works!
pt. 2 is finally here and the update of my daily over sharing is that I don't have a bf anymore because men ain't shit and he wasn't Leon Kennedy so idc anyway. enjoy 💕
summary: Leon starts his job at the RPD by meeting the receptionist. A few misunderstandings make him believe that she hates him, but he turns out to be completely wrong.
warnings: TYPOS, it's 2am and I am falling asleep so there's definitely typos, I wrote my name instead of Y/N a few minutes ago lol, toxic exes, swearing... that's all ig
The rain softly pattered against the pavement once again, the sound of passing cars hissing inside of your skull. Normally, you wouldn’t even care. but with the lack of sleep you had lately, every little thing was irritating. Starting from the uncomfortable cling of wet fabric against your skin, ending with the humid, heavy air that made it hard to breathe properly. You were tired, had no moltivation whatsoever to even step into the building, and… surprisingly, late.
Leon was busy brewing some hot tea in the little backroom behind your desk. The first thing he encountered upon entering the station was a stressed-out elderly woman who, gesturing wildly, recounted in detail the whole story of the man who had robbed her this very morning. He hadn't even managed to change his clothes, as he had immediately set about calming the old lady down... When he entered the building this morning, to his surprise, he saw no one but the elderly woman. Apart from Mrs. Harrington, as she introduced herself, he did not see you in the room. This was quite unusual, considering that he was usually the one who got scolded by you for being late… Funny how the tables turn.
How ironic, that when he came out of the little room, which he noted you made pretty cozy, holding a cup of steaming tea, he saw you just entering the station. You were soaked head to toe, heels slightly splashed with mud and struggling to close your umbrella.
How did you manage to always keep energy for this?
Before he could gather back his thoughts and rush to the woman, you took over, stepping in instead of him.
“Mrs. Harrington?” Your voice echoed slightly through the empty hall, cutting through the soft hum of rain against the foggy glass windows. It was still nice but a little raspy instead of soft, and he wondered what happened today for you to be so… out of character.
“Oh, Y/N! So good to see you.” The old lady’s face immidiately lit up, as you rushed to her side.
“Well, not so good in a place like this.” He actually smiled at this one. So you did like stupid out-of-place jokes. Maybe his were just bad. “What brought you here?”
“Oh, honey, it was a horrible morning. I had a doctors appointment, but on the way there, some rascal grabbed my purse and ran off with it! Took all of my money!”
“Oh, God, that’s horrible…” He observed as you pulled off your leather gloves and set aside your umbrella, all while keeping close to the woman. “Do you remeber anything? Maybe you recall what he looked like, or… what he wore?”
“I actually told all the details to this nice young man already, I… don’t really know his name.” Oh, right! The tea. The lady. The robbery. He somehow got caught up in watching the two of you chat, and he completely forgot that he had a task at hand to finish.
“It’s Leon, ma’am.” Both you and Mrs. Harrington looked back at Leon, approaching slowly with a freshly made cup of tea, looking both stressed and proud of himself, because hey… maybe he wouldn’t be the one to solve this case, but he was the one running off to carry all the intel to the other guys a few minutes ago, before he was sent to brew tea! That was something. Like, a first serious task that wasn’t a patrol.
“Oh, thank you dear… It’s so chilly outside today.”
“No problem, ma’am. Enjoy the tea, I’ll tell you if the guys figure out anything…” Leon looked up from the cup as he passed it to the lady, his eyes locking on you immediately. Remembering your last exchange on Friday, he felt a little less tense by now. “…Hey.”
“Hi.” You answered, though didn’t spare him a smile this time. Perhaps you were caught up in the situation, or… it was the fact that you were late. Or he shouldn’t push his luck after Friday, but he was an idiot, and he still did.
“You two know each other?” He tried to start a small conversation, slipping his hands into his pockets.
“Oh, yes!” Mrs. Harrington happily nodded after taking a small sip. “Y/N here is my nicest neighbour. I could’ve asked for an angel and wouldn’t see a difference.” She chuckled, clearly a little less stressed about the bag situation. Maybe she needed a familiar face to help… or maybe it was just you.
“Don’t say that… I have my bad days too.” You said, trying to stop this before it would go too far. The idea of getting praised by your neighbour in front of your coworker seemed almost ridiculous…
“Ah, only sometimes. Always because of that darned man at your doorstep. Next time we should call the police, let Leon drag him out of the building.” He understood nothing, but the horrified expression on your face spoke volumes…
“Mrs. Harrington!”
“Sorry, sorry, Sweetie.” She shook her head, clearly more invested in the tea than the fact she just overshared someone’s personal business. Leon just sent you a slightly reasurring look, but you still looked equeally as upset as you were before. It wasn’t long before you muttered something about unpacking and disappeared into the backroom…
He wouldn’t get the chance to even if he decided he wanted to.
You refused to talk to him for days straight after the Mrs. Harrington incident. At first, as usual, he wondered if he had said something wrong, but replaying the conversation in his mind, he couldn't find anything that might have put you off. Now, he found himself going back to square one... everyone else chatted with him, asked how his weekend went, and tried to make small talk during breaks... whereas you sat at your desk in your cozy little corner, greeting him with a quiet "Hey" only if he spoke first. Otherwise, he got nothing more than a look of acknowledgment. He felt pathetic, really, sulking for whole three days with lack of any simple interaction. Four, if you’d count the Monday morning.
Today, it was Thursday. This time you decided to spare him a small “Hi” on the way to the locker room, but hadn’t talked all day during work. He was proud of himself because the old lady case has been solved and the robber was found, altough on accident. He was on patrol with his friend assigned, and they caught the guy trying to steal again from another elder lady. The guy turned out to be the robber from Monday morning, and Leon, having caught him himself, got a grand congratulations from everyone in the station. It was his first criminal caught, after all!
Well… he lacked one person to congratulate him.
You.
He felt slightly bitter because of it. A little bit distracted from everything he busied himself with, and definitely a little sad, despite his victory. Why? He wasn’t sure. He knew you for less than three weeks with minimum attention given. But maybe that was actually the reason. Interaction with other people came easy. Praise came natural from other officers when he did something right, just like scolding did when he screwed something up. From you, little moments like these felt earned, just like any progress in his new job. If you were the one to tell him he actually didn’t fuck up this time, he’d believe you more, because you wouldn’t say it to anyone… or that’s at least what he supposed.
He found himself craving that kind of attention against his own will.
It was already late in the evening when he got back home and decided to make a little run to the local shop for a beer or two. Maybe it’s not the best type of thing to do with your spare time when you have a borderline alcoholic past experience, but… he hadn’t drank in a while. And he was bored. And it wasn’t raining, so he could just.. take a little walk to the store. And two wouldn’t hurt. Or three. And… it would be in the comfort of his not-so-comfortable apartment, not getting shit faced on a crowded party or in a loud bar. There’s a difference.
He walked into the store and grabbed a shopping cart, pushing it through the first alley while looking at the sweets. Of course, he had to buy some snacks along with the beer, duh. A little celebration of his success wouldn’t hurt!
While putting a bag of cookies into the cart, he could’ve sworn a familiar face passed him. He looked up quickly again, seeing you standing at the end of the alley, looking completely focused on some… waffles, or something. He thought about it for a few seconds, but… maybe you’d be more into talking like this, outside of work? I mean, you looked much more comfy. You had a sweater and a pair of trousers on, looking way more casual than at the station… did that mean you lived around here too? Nice.
He found himself approaching you quicker than he could fully think it through.
“Y/N? Hi.” He said, offering you a small smile, which made you immediately turn around. You looked a little surprised, but after a few seconds, returned the smile. To his delight.
“Oh… hello.” You said quietly, clasping your hands on your bag.
“Going for a midnight snack?”
“I guess you could say that.” You said, looking back at the waffles, like your life depended on the decision.
“Oh, yeah… me too.” Shit, shit, shit, don’t run out of topics… “How’s Mrs. Harrington?”
You smiled immediately, clearly either only now remembering that he solved the case, or just happy that he cared enough to ask. “She’s really happy. When I told her you were the one to catch that guy she almost lost her mind. Guess she really grown to like you…”
“You told her it was me?” He said, almost surprised.
“Yeah, well… you did a good job, you deserve the credit. Marvin told me all about what you did.” You adjusted your bag again, now looking more… confident. Or comfortable. Either way, the tension from the last few days was gone.
But there it was.
The thing he’s been waiting to hear.
He couldn’t explain yet why his stomach fluttered like that when he heard you say it, but you spoke like you actually appreciated his work. Like you took him seriously for once… and suddenly he felt a little bigger, knowing he did something right, solving a whole case… even if it was just a street robbery.
“Thanks…” He found himself trailing off while saying the word, his tone sounding almost amazed. Well, he kind of was, but you didn’t need to have it visualized.
“So… you’re coming to the bar tomorrow, right?” You said, trying to change the subject out of sheer confusion on why the hell he was standing, looking at you and sounding like that.
“Uh… the bar?”
“Yeah. The bar.” You raised your eyebrows, nodding. “The drinks? Matt’s birthday celebration?”
Oh shit.
“Oh God, I… forgot.” He said, wuickly continuing so he wouldn’t come off as a jerk. “I-I mean… I was just distracted lately and… I don’t even have a present.”
“Oh, chill. I’m buying one right now.” He felt as if a weight has been lifted off of his chest the second you laughed it off, waving dismissively. “Speaking of which, do you mind if we… you know, bought it together? It’s kind of hard to buy anything for a dude you barely know when you’re not.. you know. A guy.”
“Uh… yeah, sure. Sure thing.”
The walk to the other alley was… pretty quiet and still very much awkward. You’d grabbed your waffles that you finally chose and headed further, looking around for anything that would fit as Matt’s present…
You tried to keep things nice and professional. You had no idea whatsoever what Matt was like outside of work, but he striked you as a pretty casual guy… which didn’t mean you could buy him anything funny. Leon has a different vision.
“Hey, check this out.” He giggled as he grabbed a little unicorn plushe, accidentally turning the speaker on in the process. As the toy chimed something about friendship and rainbows, you quickly shook your head.
“Absolutelly not.” You had to bite back a laugh though. Leon noticed that.
“Aw, come on. Matt would love it.”
“Leon, we’ve been here for half an hour and we still didnt find anything…”
“Okay, okay…” He said quietly, popping the plushie back ito the display, before following right after you while pushing the cart. You both looked at all the stuff, but nothing seemed perfect for…
“Y/N, look.” He said, and you almost wanted to roll your eyes when you heard the smile in his voice. Was it another doll? Another plushie? Some puzzle that would better fit Mrs. Harrington than Matt?
“What is it?” You still asked politely and this time, without making another ridiculous joke, he took out a… board game. Seeing your reaction as you tried to read the name of it, he realized you had no idea what this could have to do with Matt in any way.
“He mentioned a few days ago he wanted to buy that stuff for his family… I’m sure him and his wife would love it.” He said, shaking the box in front of his face with a smile, which you wuickly returned. He swore it was the first time he saw you smile so scincerely, and it was because of a board game?
“That’s so sweet.” You said, reaching out to grab the board game to see it for yourself. He watched you turn the box carefully in your hands, and everything seemed to go smoothly… until you saw the price tag, and your smile quickly faltered. You gave him a quick glance up.
“Leon…”
“I know, I know.” He rushed, nodding his head frantically. “I… can pay it. He’s gonna be really happy.”
You paused, before shaking your head.
“We should split and give it together.” You offered quickly, and he paused too. I mean… it was a great idea. Buying an overexpensive gift for a guy he barely knew, when he just moved into a new city, got a new job and barely made ends meet? Thatg would be borderline idiotic. Splitting the cash would make it easier while avoiding buying him something ridiculous like socks or a cup. That would be something more meaningful.
“Okay…” He said, giving you another nod as you gave him back the box, fixing the purse on your shoulder. “Anything else you wanna buy?”
“Uh… I was kinda going for a beer.” He said, adjusting to keep the board game in one hand, while the other gently scratched at the back of his head. “And… kinda only have a little cash on me.”
“That’s fine. I’ll pay for everything and you can give it back tomorrow.” You offered as you started walking towards the alcohol section, and he followed, one arm wrapped around the box while the other pushed the shopping cart. He wondered if… he could ask about what Mrs. Harrington said the other day, but it seemed out of place now. You looked… pretty relaxed, and he didn’t want to risk scaring you off for another four days.
Some other time.
He wuickly grabbed one beer for himself, because he both didn’t want to bother you with spending too much money, even if he was going to give it back… and kinda didn’t want to come off weird. He didn’t want your first real impression of him to be Wow, this guy really drinks a lot. After another few minutes you two found yourself by the checkout, finally able to pay and go your seperate ways. Not that he didn’t enjoy seeing you! He was just a little tired, that’s all. It was a long day, and you seemed to feel the same, judging by the occasional long sighs and eye rubs.
“Together or separate?” The cashier asked, watching Leon put his stuff right beside yours.
“Uh…” He started like he wasn’t sure, so you helped him out.
“Together.” You answered for him, already taking out your wallet. The cashier didn’t say anything, just looked first at you fumbling with the money, then at him. He just smiled, waiting until you put the money down on the counter. God, he felt like an idiot making you pay…
“Thank you. Have a nice day.” The cashier said in a lazy tone, before letting you off with your packed stuff. Leon let you walk first and pass the door, closing it behind you both.
“I’ll pay it all back tomorrow, I swear-”
“It’s fine, Leon.” You said, rolling your eyes. The eye roll would normally make him think you were annoyed, but your tone? The way you said his name? Oh man. Were you two finally getting along or was he just this level delusional.
“Okay…” He said awkwardly, shifting the beer in his hands. “Uh, so… want me to walk you home? You live anywhere here?”
“It’s okay. I live just behind the corner.” You nodded at a nearby alleyway. “So… I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah… yeah, see you tomorrow.” He nodded quickly, and… you walked off. Just like that.
But he was still delighted. His eyes followed you for a second or two, but then he turned around and actually felt like a puppy walking back home. Not only had he finally talked to you outside of work, you'd complimented him. You were buying Matt a present together now, which somehow felt like a progress. Maybe not much... but enough for Leon to walk home convinced he'd finally made a friend.
“You gonna wrap that up anytime soon?” You asked almost teasingly which he hated, looking out the backseat to see if any of your friends noticed you both struggling with the present. It’s been a few minutes since Leon and you parked his car in front of the restaurant, but it didn’t seem like you were going to get out of it anytime soon. He’s been striggling with this for a while, and you were… monitoring the surroundings. Just in case, as you said. Really, he suspected you would do even worse with the paper, but neither of you said it out loud.
“Hold on. I’m trying.” He clarified, and you looked down at any progress he made. In this case, none.
“Come on Leon… you’re not arresting anyone, it’s just present wrapping.” He sent you a glare, watching you bite back a laugh in return. He rolled a final strand of tape over the box, holding it up with a proud smile.
“Actually, arresting someone is much easier.” He said, watching the previous strand he attatched slowly unwrapping itself right along with his smile. “Ah, you know what? Screw it. He’s gonna unwrap it in a few minutes anyway.”
'“Yeah, yeah… come on.” You said, rushing to open the door and slip out of the car. Thankfully it wasn’t raining today, because it seemed like he wasn’t the only one who put in effort to look good today… Not that he didn’t think you looked good before! It’s just the dress you picked out today… fit you pretty well. That’s all.
He rushed to open the door for you, and finally, you both found yourself walking over to the table where everyone was gathered already. And, I mean, actually everyone… You threw an apologetic smile at Matt, smoothening your dress.
“Hey. Sorry for the hold up, the… traffic was horrible.”
“Yeah. Traffic.” Leon nodded after you and for some reason you frowned, giving him a small nudge with your elbow. He didn’t say anything wrong…?
“Hi guys. You came together…?” Matt asked in slight confusion while you greeted his wife with a hug, supposedly knowing each other.
“Yeah, we did… oh, and this is from us both.” Leon eagerly handed him the barely wrapped box before it’d fall apart in front of everyone. Matt nodded and gave some coworkers weird looks… not necceserily mean, but he was definitely implying something. Leon had a little hint but decided to ignore it.
You two took a seat womewhere on the couch, having to squeeze in a little, but it was pretty comfortable. Mostly because the restaurant was cozy and warm, making the atmosphere a little more carefree. He was tense at first, after all it was his first coworker hangout like this… But seeing Matt and his wife so happy after unwrapping the board game made everything so much easier. The conversations flew smoothly, and mikntes slowly turned into hours. Food and drinks came up time after time, but he refused to have a droplet of anything more than plain water or some coke. You, on the other hand…
“…and then, he finally pulled the fish out. It was this big, I kid you not.” Matt continued his story as everyone laughed, gesturing in the air dramatically. Leon laughed along, but then suddenly froze, feeling a breath hitting his neck.
“I gotta pee.” You slurred a little, and he wasn’t sure why he was the one receiving the intel, but he quickly gave you a nod, hesitantly placing a hand on your upper back as you struggled to pass the table corner.
“You need help?”
“Nope.” You shook your head before scooting past the table finally, smile on your face as you padded to the bathroom. He couldn’t help but scoff seeing how wobbly you looked… nothing dangerous yet but he made a mental note to keep an eye out for any approaching drinks. You’d better put them off for today.. at least for a while.
Matt and his wife, Zoe, exchanged looks at the interaction.
“So, Leon… how are you adapting?” She asked, leaning slightly over the table.
“Um… pretty great so far. It’s a little hard being on my own, but I manage.” He laughed, mentally cursing himself for making himself sound like some… helpless boy just let out of a childhood home. He managed alone most of his life, actually… But they didn’t need to know that.
“Oh, he’s adapting great. Catching criminals by accident.” someone else joked, and he felt an embarassing blush creeping up his neck, and he had to quickly lean his head on one hand, shrinking a little.
He really wanted to continue the conversation.
He really did.
But the proud grin he could barely control faded quickly, as his eyes instinctively fell back to you wobbling to the bathroom. When he wasn’t looking, a guy aproached you. You were currently trying to push him away by his chest, while he was saying something that looked a little too close to “Sorry”, while actively grabbing your ass. And Leon wasn’t having it.
“Excuse me.” He said before getting up quickly and running off frim the table. He didn’t even wait enough for anyone to say anything or try to stop him, because if they’d look your way they would understand. He didn’t have time to waste it on explaining.
“Hey, easy.” He said, approaching the guy and you in a few fast strides. “Back off a little.”
“Oh. And who’s this, Y/N?” The guy asked, trying to grab your chin and make you look at him. “Come on babe. Tell me.”
Ah, so he knew you. It didn’t take Leon long to collect the little pieces. The gifts you talked about, the guy at your doorstep Mrs. Harrington talked about on Monday… it was the guy. And he really didnt like the way he grabbed you, no matter who he was.
He wasted no time fishing for his badge in his pocket, flashing it to the guy who let you go in seconds, putting his hands up in defense. “I said back off.”
“Woah, woah, okay dude. I’m just trying to talk to her, you know? Some women really need things written out for them in fucking bold.”
This dude still had the audacity to joke.
“I’m taking her home now. And you better leave her the hell alone before you end up in a cell, got it?” He said calmly, raising his eyebrows at a guy who just nodded, but you both could see the fire behind his eyes. Leon gently pulled you closer which he immediately regretted as you blocked him out with your arms.
“Sorry, I’m… just trying to hold you up.” He rushed to explain as he put his badge back in place, helping you take a few steps, though his touch was more unsure now, as if only hovering to catch if you shook too much. “You alright?”
“Mhm…” You said, nodding. He noticed you went pretty non-verbal the second you had a drink… it would probably be a long ride.
“You wanna say bye to Matt and Zoe?” He asked again, receving another nod, but this time with a smile.
“Mhm…”
“Okay. Come on.”
The two of you got only a few concerned glances and two snorts as you buried your face in Leons shoulder while he talked with the others. He was pretty sure you were actually in the process of falling asleep, so the goodbye was rushed before he practically started dragging you out of the bar. He should’ve paid attention more. Should’ve walked you to that bathroom, or… never let you have that many drinks. But how was he supposed to know?
“Watch your step.” He cooed as he walked you to the car, hands flimsy as he tried his best to hold up you and open the door, eventually managing to get it right “Careful… don’t hit your head.”
He put a hand on top of your scalp as you slipped into the car, then helped yo to get your legs inside. While you were safely sat with your buckle in and head laying back on the headrest, he finally could close the door. He sighed, only now feeling how much his hands shook… He got into the car right after you, watching you snap out of sleep as soon as the door thudded.
“It’s okay, you can go back to sleep.” He said, giving you an almost pitying smile.
“Nooo…” You shook your head, squinting your eyes at him. “Thanks…”
“For what?” He mumbled while carefully buckling his seat.
“Scaring him off.”
“No problem. The guy was your ex?” He asked casually now, starting the car.
“Mhm…”
“I figured. Didn’t like how touchy he was. You sure you’re okay?”
“Mhm…”
“Okay. Let’s get you home.”
The ride was quiet, mostly because he was left jamming to some rock as you fell asleep quickly. He kept the music quiet of course, checking if you weren’t waking up sometimes. He sometimes hissed as your head stumbled against the window, but you were so asleep you didn’t even seem to mind. He looked over at you a few times, watching you sleep peacefully... and maybe drooling a little. That was, until you stopped, and that time, when he looked at you, you had your eyes fully open and looking at him.
“Jesus- How long have you been awake?”
“A little.”
“What are you smiling at?” He asked curiously, now squinting his eyes at you. You just smiled wider, shaking your head.
“…Nothin’ ” You answered, reaching out to fumble with the buckle, until it finally gave out with a small click. You giggled, and it sent some kind of warmness straight to Leon’s chest… “Can you carry me home? My feet hurt.” You snapped him out of it quickly.
“Yeah, yeah. Stay there.” He said, rushing out of the car. Picking you up when you were fidgety like this was a little hard, but after a few minutes of struggle he closed the truck door with his foot and started carrying you to the door, then up the stairs. Thanfully it was just the second floor… because you were really sleepy-drunk, it seemed, as soon enough he felt drool on his shirt once again.
“Hey, Y/N. We’re here.” He whispered as he set you down, and you quickly opened your eyes again.
”Hm?”
“We’re at the door.”
“Oh… okay.” You nodded, and, to his surprise, reached out and knocked instead of looking for the key.
But he let you be, and soon enough, the clicking of the lock could be heard… The door was opened by a woman clearly a little bit older than both of you, but very similar looking to you… same hair color, very similar features. Leon figured out she was way too young to be your mother, so probably sister, he guessed.
“…Hi.” He tried, but it didn’t fall.
“Oh my God.” The woman commented, reaching out so he could quite literally pass you from his arms. He just pushed his hands into the back pockets in his jeans, stepping onto the other foot as she didn’t even seem to acknowledhe him at first.
“She got a bit drunk, so… sorry to drop her off like this.” He spoke up, reminding of his presence.
“Oh, no. She should be grateful someone is dragging her ass at a crack of dawn. You are…"
“Leon.”
“Leon.” She nodded, and then her eyes lit up with a gasp. “Leon! As, in, the new rookie Leon?”
“Um… yeah. That’s me.”
“Oh, I heard about the Mrs. Harrington stuff. She actually lives right there.” She pointed at the opposite door. “You seem like nice guy.. sorry for the trouble. She likes to have a little fun, clearly…”
“Oh, no. No problem.”
“Dinner…” You whispered to her a little too loudly, and they both froze, waiting for… an explanation?
“Huh?” She hummed, and you leaned closer, as if you were about to whisper… but at this point, it was talking.
“Invite him to dinner tomorrow.” He smiled a little wider at that.
“Oh… good idea. Maybe he’ll tell us some interesting things you did while wasted, huh?”
“Noooo…” You whined, which Leon just chuckled at.
“I… guess I could come over. I have the day off.”
“Great. See you at-” She paused, feeling you slump more against her. “6PM?”
“Yeah. Works for me.” He nodded, knowing he didn’t have any plans. His life mostly revolved around work and sitting alone at home lately…
“Bye Lee.” You said before our sister managed to close the door in a rush, and he was left with his heart thudding, because… was that a nickname? For him?
Lee.
He kind of liked that. A lot.
By the time he got home, it was well past midnight. He hung his shirt over the back of a chair before noticing the faint lipstick mark near the shoulder. He stared at it for a few seconds…
But eventually, just let it hang there.
He’d take care of it tomorrow.
@princesssugarplumm @roschea-arts @p0w3rp01nt @hedonist-k1l
@defvia @leonswifeyall @cloudxluv @gabithefanwriter
idk I just tagged all the ppl who mentioned getting tagged in the comments... i know most of you have been waiting for part 3 of the coffee date one but I can't promise anything...
It's been a while (again...) since I posted any fanfiction and fanarts BUT GUESS WHAT!! I'm not only a writer and an artist, I'm a nail tech too😛 here's my latest set that I (hopefully...) will finish a new fanfic today in...
Figured out I'll post something since it's my 3rd year here on Tumblr (yay!)
hi guys I ended up writing NOTHING on my trip because I was so busy lmao💔 kinda got a bf too idk what's going on but i was kept BUSY and now I'm back!! part 2 is being written atm🙃
summary: Leon starts his job at the RPD by meeting the receptionist. A few misunderstandings make him believe that she hates him, but he turns out to be completely wrong.
warnings: toxic exes, swearing... that's all ig
Leon imagined this completely different.
It’s been a month since the mess of a breakup him and his ex had. He didn’t exactly miss her, after all she gave him all the reasons not to, but… it still clearly stung. He thought for the longest time she would love and support him no matter what, but she ended up rejecting his dream of becoming a policeman right away. She put it simply, calling it a waste of time. Gave him an ultimatum; he’d either stay with her, or leave to Racoon city and never hear from her again.
It was either be completely alone in a foreign city, with no support or comfort from anyone, or staying with someone who is holding him back from fullfiling his dreams.
And suddenly, after the second option, the first didn’t sound all that bad.
He arrived at the RPD late. On his first day too. Awesome, right? He wasn’t sure how it would be seen… would they let it slide, or would he get scolded right away? He was terrified to make a terrible first impression. Now he had to stand in front of a superior and explain why exactly he came late to work, and the reason was nothing grand at all. He simply hit the rock bottom the day before and drank a little too much… forgot to set up an alarm and the result? The result was this disaster of a morning.
When he woke up, he worked on autopilot. His head was still killing him, and he couldn't get it to stop even after taking a few painkillers. He looked messy but to his luck, it rained outside… he could just blame his messy state on the weather. Nobody looks good when it's pouring outside.
He practically sprinted into the building. The inside was just dimly lit. Definitely nicer than the bright colors outside. He was very much still hungover even after his run for the taxi, and even though it wasn't sunny that day, the sky still seemed to burn into his eyes. He took a really quick look around, immediately finding the receptionist desk… With a few quick strides there, still huffing and panting slightly from his run, he quickly smoothened his uniform and stood by the reception.
You didn’t even look up at first. Busy typing something in your computer and tidying papers, you only glanced when you got irritated with the heavy breathing above your desk. You only raised your eyebrows, not in the mood to deal with some dramatic man screaming about a stolen car again, just like it happened last week… turned out poor guy got too drunk and forgot where he parked in the end, but you had to deal with his screaming headfirst. Do they not know receptionists do not cover police work?
“Hi.” He finally managed to get out. “I mean, good morning.” He corrected, frowning as he raised his hand, running it through the damp hair in an attempt to fix it. “I’m… supposed to check in?”
Oh.
So it’s not a civillian. It’s the new guy. You couldn’t help but give him a lingering look, scanning the way he looked. You didnt expect... this. Not in a bad way! Of course not. The RPD was just filled with obnoxious, mostly old, annoying, men who didn’t resemble him at all. He seemed small, nervous… not in his looks, of course. Just the way he carried himself. Not exactly the cop material.
Meanwhile he was internally panicking. Waiting for you to say something… anything? But you just… stared. Then dropped your eyes to the papers. Writing something down.
He waited.
And waited.
“You know, when they said police work involved a lot of paperwork, I thought they were exaggerating.” He tried, laughing to himself. You didn’t respond.
Okay. Tough crowd, he thought.
“That was a joke.” He followed, hoping for a reaction.
“I know.” You responded, finishing up whatever you were doing… he wasn’t even sure if it were his papers, or if you ignored him and went on with your work.
“Oh…” He nodded, taking another look at the sourrounding room. It was… nice. Empty. Made him wonder if the whole place was always so quiet. “You know…” He started, testing if you were irritated enough to shut him up or would let him talk. “I kinda hoped you guys would be more happy to see me.”
“Should’ve thought about that twenty-three minutes earlier.”
Oh. That was… on point.
Leon was mortified.
“Here you go.” You put the papers in front of him, before turning back to your computer, throwing a dry “Have a nice first day.” It would be very, very nice of you to say… if it weren’t for the tone of your voice.
Leon knew only one person in this town so far... and she didn’t seem to like him at all. It was going great so far, yeah!
He just took the papers slowly, as if you would bite him if he grabbed them too confidently… and headed to the main room. All the way, he wondered why you would be so… rude? It wasn’t exactly rude, he would say. More likely completely uninterested. Too uninterested to be even considered fully mean.
And why the hell is it so quiet? He thought, before crossing the main door, and getting startled by confetti being blown in his face. He was glad everyone shouted welcome at the same time, because the squeal he let out would’ve got him fired right away…
He raised his eyes to see a huge Welcome Leon sign hung up on the other side. He couldn’t help but smile slowly, greeting all the people that approached him to say hi.
You can do it, Leon… he nodded to himself, before walking slowly to your desk again. After the… not-so-good first impression, he wondered if this was just a one time thing, or if you were always so… Professional. He didn’t want to use another word.
Turns out it was the second.
“Hi.” He started again, leaning his hands on the other side of the desk.
“What happened?” You asked, not raising your eyes from the screen once again. His gaze lingered on the way your fingers moved across the keyboard, fast but precise, like you’ve been doing this for years. You didn't even have to look down at the letters, but still seemed to get everything right. He could only assume though, because he figured he would never really get to know you… which was a shame, really. Yesterday everyone was so nice. He didn't want one particular person to hate his guts for no reason… but you really seemed to mind his company. A lot.
“Uh… nothing. I was supposed to get my keys today?” He said, offering a smile. You just looked up for a moment, before turning around in your chair, opening a drawer. You rummaged through it in silence for a moment, ignoring the way he swayed from side to side, awkwardly looking around, like suddenly the design of the walls was the most important thing in the building. The ceiling wasn't all that bad either, actually.
“Here you go.” You snapped him out, putting the keys on the front desk with a small jingle. He jumped a little, quickly taking the keys. “Anything else?”
“No, uh… I don’t think so.” He said, but still lingered at your desk. You finally looked up with a bored, slightly tired expression, blinking a few times, before he actually got the courage to say something. “Have a nice coffee.” He said with a smile plastered on his face. His eyes fell to the small cup standing on the side of your desk… watching the steam float carelessly through the air. After what he said, he wanted to float away like this too.
“Thanks. Is that all?” You asked again, hearing the sound of a calling phone… Just your favourite. “I kinda have to get that.”
“Oh, yeah, I… Go on, I’ll just… check out my brand new locker.” He said with a small chuckle, but it seemed to fly over your head again… giving absolutely no reaction at all.
He turned around, frowning deeply, and mouthing a small holy shit… He never messed up a simple human interaction like this before. Multiple times, at that. If there was only a way to enter the building without meeting you right away by the entrance now. Might aswell dig himself up a fresh grave at this point…
As he slowly made his way to the main hall once again, he felt a strong hand pat his back.
“Hey. Need something from the reception?” It was an older coworker. Leon recognised him from the day before, but couldn’t remember his name at all… especially with his head wrapped around something, or more likely someone, else entirely.
“No… just got my keys, actually.” He explained, staring blankly at the jingling keys he turned back and forth in his hands. The look on his face was way too bland, everyone would notice that. He was usually more… cheerful. Excited. Especially in this place, what he had dreamt of…
“Yeah? So what’s got you so distracted?”
“Distracted?” He asked, frowning a little deeper… yeah, maybe he was distracted. But he just couldn’t help but wonder. Was it just you being professional, or were you actually annoyed by him? If yes, then why? He didn’t even do a thing! Maybe you were like this with everyone? But then again, why would you be a receptionist if you didn’t like people? A mystery, truly. “I… think your receptionist hates me.” He explained.
“What? Her?” The guy pointed at you over his back a little too obviously, which you thankfully didn’t notice, but Leon overreacted anyway. He took an exaggerated look back, making sure you didn’t see it. “She’s like, the nicest girl in here. Why would she hate you?”
“The nicest girl in here? Then why does she talk to me like I’m the one about to get arrested?” He sighed, pushing the keys into his pocket as he stopped by the locker room.
“No idea. Y/N’s the nicest receptionist we’ve had for years. You should’ve seen the previous one. You wouldn’t even last a day here. Some people actually asked to get reassigned when she started working here. ” The guy laughed, patting his shoulder a little too hard once again, only to walk away right after, leaving him by the locker room, head filled with even more questions than earlier.
Leon spent a while week figuring you out with minimum interaction. He just observed from afar. Creepy? Absolutely not! Maybe a little weird, but it’s not his fault everyone seemed to like him but you. And considering you seemed to be nice to everyone else around, this was something personal. It only pissed him off more.
On Wednesday, he saw you chatting with one of the women by the entrance in the morning. You looked completely different. Wrapped up in a cozy scarf, holding your regular morning cup of coffee, a huge smile plastered on your face… So much different from the death stare he received every morning! Perhaps you just had that attitude towards men? He couldn’t blame you, to be honest.
On Thursday, he accidentally parked his car right next to yours in the morning. You two couldn’t help but bump into each other, and he didn’t want to spend his whole walk in silence, so he decided to break the no conversation streak, which was a day long, by trying small talk.
“Morning.”
“Morning.” You replied, giving him a small nod, then quickly averting your gaze to the pavement.
He caught that as a habit by now. You didn’t want to keep eye contact. Why? No idea. He was tempted to make some I’m not that ugly joke, but he figured it would be best not to push his luck. “You look happier today.” He pointed out, seeing that your face didn’t look all that tired, as the other few days.
“…I’m not.” You muttered, slightly confused.
That was it for the day, unfortunately. Once again, he wanted for the earth to swallow him up. What the hell did he even mean by you look happier today?
On Friday, he caught you by the water dispenser in the evening. This morning, you were surprisingly lacking coffee, instead drinking regular, cold water. Maybe to freshen up? He couldn’t know. You truly were, to his demise, a total mystery. Even your coffee drinking habits were interesting…
He actually didn’t try to talk to you right away this time. He tried something different. It was late already, and he figured you still hadn’t finished your shift… while he was already gathering home. He waited until you both poured your water, letting you do it first, before he’d turned his head only while walking to the door.
“Have a nice weekend!” He said, offering you a smile, to which you couldn’t help but actually react. You raised your head, looking shocked at first, as if he hadn’t tried to strike up a conversation countless times now… Shouldn’t be a shocker.
“You too.” You nodded, looking back at your cup of clear water.
Monday, like any other Monday, was a disaster. Leon passed the reception, managing not to look for once, only to stop by the locker room. He rummaged through his pockets, through his bag, even looked back at the hallway he was walking through.
Oh, shit.
He lost his keys.
Was there even anything planned for a situation like this, or did they expect professional cops to keep their things safe around them? Well, he was still a rookie, to his defense. Even though he hated when they called him that, he was going to use it as an argument… when he’d stop by the reception. Again.
He walked there like a sulking dog. Didn’t even know how to start. Hi, it’s me again, I lost one of your precious keys because I’m not cautious enough, and I’m a cop. It was embarassing to even admit in general… let alone to someone like you on the other side of the desk. Oh, he could already imagine that judging look… it sent shivers down his spine. Cold shivers.
He approached slowly, hesitantly… starting with the usual.
“Hi.”
“Good morning. What happened?” You asked in the exact same tone as the first time. Jeez, are you a robot?, he thought as he stepped from one foot to another.
“I… it’s embarassing.” He let out an ashamed huff, frowning. “I kinda lost my keys… I think.”
“I know.” You responded, giving him a small nod. His eyes opened wider, and he looked a little less tense than before.
“You do?”
“Yeah. I found them by the water dispenser, but you were already gone…” You said, reaching for the drawer again, pulling out his locker keys, and placing them on the counter. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. And… I promise to be more cautious next time.” He nodded quickly, grabbing the keys fast. His hands were already shaky and sweating. And to think it was all because of one person stressing him out… “Hope you had a better weekend than the start of my Monday.”
“Don’t worry.” You surprised him with a softer tone again, but still kept that indifferent look on your face as you focused on the computer. “Happens more than you’d imagine.”
It’s been a week since the key incident and you haven’t talked.
It’s not like he gave up… he just had absolutely no idea how to.
You two hadn’t even met on the corridors lately… He missed every single opprotunityto accidentally bump into you, and he had no reason to stop by the reception to say anything more than a good morning. And unfortunately for him, as expected, you made no effort either…
He walked into work surprisingly early this morning. Feeling pretty refreshed and much better today, he decided to get a little bold. He picked up coffee on the way… and figured it would be totally cool to bring you one… Totally casual, totally not trying too hard and doing his best to buy your kindness with a warm cup of black coffee.
Unfortunately, when he walked over to your desk, you seemed to be having… a serious conversation. Clearly not too happy to see him. If you even noticed him at all.
“And he keeps sending me these… weird gifts, like that’s going to change anything between us.” Oops… he figured it was about someone else, but now the coffee in his hands seemed completely out of place. “I told him countless times to leave me alone, but he just keeps trying… wait a moment.” You paused, looking up at him “What do you want?”
“Just… delivering coffee.” He explained, hesitantly placing down the hot cup.
You went quiet, feeling bad for raising your voice… it was just not the best time.
“I… Thank you. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, have a nice Friday.” He threw quickly, following with a shrug of his arms and a polite smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes… Obviously it didn’t! Did he always have to mess up like this? How come every interaction with you went like this? It would’ve went just fine with anyone else. He was pretty sure of that… He would’ve just went up to them, chatted for a bit and went on with his day.
Besides, it wasn’t even that bad, just… why did you have to say that exactly when he brought you a gift…?
Does coffee even count as a gift?
He was just left alone with those thoughts on his walk to the lockers… and the rest of the day, too.
The day dragged.
Not because there was too much work to do. Quite the opposite. He mostly sat completely bored at his desk, not knowing what to do with himself. It didn’t help the brainstorm in his head by any means. Every spare second gave him only more time to think… think way too much about an interaction that should’ve left his head long, long ago.
He tried convincing himself it hadn't been a disaster. You'd thanked him. You'd apologized. Nobody had thrown the coffee back at him, no cup was harmed by this small chat. By all reasonable standards, the interaction had been perfectly normal.
Fortunately for him, it was time to pack home. No fake interventions, no tiring patrols, no shooting range mess… altough, okay, the last one is kinda fun sometimes. But only sometimes, when there’s no older coworker screaming into his ear about how to hold a gun better, or how to aim properly, when he already is.
“Hi.” Leon jumped, closing the locker room door rapidly at the sound of your voice. This was the last sight he expected seeing, especially after the morning coffee thing…
“Hi?” He answered, looking around in confusion. “Are you… looking for someone?”
“Yes,” you nodded “I’m looking for you, actually.”
“For me?” He pointed at himself, clearly even more confused than he already was.
“Yes, I… wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you in the morning. I was just out of it, that’s all.” You explained, once again, avoiding full eye contact. This time you managed to at least give him a small smile back, though. “And thank you for the coffee. Not sure where that came from, but thanks...”
“Ah, no problem. I could see you were having… a tough time, I suppose.” He cleared his throat, shifting the bag on his shoulder. “I, uh… just wanted to do something nice. Guess I didn’t choose the best moment for a gift, though…”
“I know. I only realized what I said after you left. I didn’t meant to be rude…” You rushed to explained that too, but he just laughed.
“No problem.” There very much was a problem, but the problem was entirely on him. He just had to overthink every single word like an idiot, while you were… clearly just struggling with something.
“Well, um… that’s all, I guess. I’ll see you on Monday?”
“See you on Monday.” You gave him a small nod, before turning around, making your way to the entrance.
And Leon, he found himself looking after you this time. He felt like his brain drifted off somewhere else for the time being... He watched you opening the umbrella as you approached the main door, listened to the soft clicking of your heels… He sighed deeply, feeling stranegly at ease now.
guys dw I'm gonna post in a few days I'm just packing for a trip but I'll do my best to write on the bus🙏🙏 I hope nobody's gonna see what I'm writing but then again I know half of my school probably reads these so wtv🔥
summary: Leon tries his luck with Tinder dates and thinks it didn't work out, but ends up finding the right person by accident instead. This is before R9, basically a little fanfic on how Leon met his wife (you)
warnings: none I think, just pure fluff <3 maybe a lil swearing somewhere
The coffee shop, even though crowded because of the weather, was nice and cozy. Many people came and went, but you and Leon kept sitting at the table, not even planning on leaving yet. It felt as if only minutes had passed, when in reality it's been over two hours since you've walked in. The conversation topics changed every few minutes, from funny situations of the past week, discussing more places like this one, contemplating the coffee choice, to the design of the cafe.
And then came the topic.
Leon had been trying his best for the past hours. He didn't want to get too excited at meeting you. It didn't work out for him today with the Tinder date, perhaps he should take this as a sign... but then again, you showed up so unexpectedly, and he enjoyed your company every second. It was getting harder and harder not to let his imagination wander when you had so much in common... in his head he was already taking you out on another date. Picking you up properly in his car this time, taking you to some rich restaurant and giving you fresh flowers, not already half-wilted peonies that were meant for someone else. He tried his best, really, but when you excitedly mentioned a cat being over in your very own house? That was just another point crossed from his little future dream list. It sounded silly even to himself, getting excited over such a small thing like it meant anything, but to him it very much did...
"You have... a cat." He spoke softly, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes!" You answered with a huge smile on your face, already fumbling with your phone, scrolling through your gallery just to hand it over, showing him the precious ball of fur that you mentioned seconds ago. "Isn't he adorable?"
"He is..." He answered, his mind already elsewhere. He tried his best to fight his own mind, but that image that he had in his head for the past few months? Now the person greeting him was not an unknown silhouette, not a faceless woman that he hadn't met yet... it was you. You and that silly little cat that you seemed to love so much.
He felt pathetic, really. It's been only... what, almost three hours since you sat beside him on that bus stop bench? He was already smitten. He already adored you. Every single thing you said seemed to make it even worse. He's never met a woman he had so much fun with... and so much in common.
"Sorry, am I talking too much? I tend to ramble a lot sometimes." You said, gently slipping your phone back into your own hands as you saw his reaction. His answer was short, voice quiet, and he didn't even say anything else, just... stared at the pictures as you swiped.
The thing was, he didn't even realize.
"What?" He snapped out of it, looking at you in confusion, only then realizing he's been awfully quiet... probably because he was drifting somewhere completely else. "Oh, no... no, I don't mind." He quickly corrected himself.
He shifted in his seat, a little uncomfortably, not with you, of course. Uncomfortable with his own mind. Here you were, innocent as ever, probably just enjoying your time on a simple coffee that you didn't have to spend alone, and he was imagining a future with you. This wasn't even meant to mean anything. Hell, he felt like a creep now. He offered it just like that, to cheer you up, to make you a little happier about the sloppy weather and even worse valentine's day. But he fell into his own trap.
He didn't realize how lonely he must've been until now...
"I... considered getting a cat too." He added quickly, nodding to himself. "Never became more than a plan, though. I wanted to have one so the house wouldn't be so quiet, but I'm away too much... and I don't really have anyone that would want to take care of one while I'm gone."
Don't have anyone in general would've been a better phrasing. He couldn't name a single person who would actually want to... come over and talk to him, spend time together in a non work-related matter. Let alone burden them with a whole ass cat to take care of every few weeks.
"I did the same thing. I was lonely after moving into the city, so I got a cat." You stated, turning off your phone and putting it aside. "I thought about getting a dog, but... you know. Cats are cats. They don't need much attention as long as they are fed and pampered. Then comes that one special evening when they come to snuggle with you on the couch, if you're worthy of it." You said jokingly, which you both laughed at.
"Yeah, well... I'm away long enough to neglect the feeding part too sometimes." He answered, which intrigued you. You never really asked where he worked. He didn't say much about his life in general... interests, yes, but not what he does or who he is.
"Hey, that's not a problem at all. If you ever decide to actually get the cat, you can just drop it off at my place. I don't mind taking care of another one." You smiled as you saw his surprise, like he didn't even consider it a possibility. Because he didn't. Yet here you were, offering help. "Where do you work, then?" You changed the topic, making him freeze. Not even letting him process the first part...
Right. He forgot for a moment. He was here, in the coffee shop with you, but outside of it, he was still just... agent Kennedy. Just an old, grumpy dude who didn't have a life outside of work. Somehow, he pushed that into the back of his mind for a while...
"I'm..." Should he lie? Brush the topic off? Tell the truth and keep the details to himself?
The first one was the safest, but for how long? Of course, if this was a one-time coffee date, he should just lie. Should throw some lies about working in finance or business and go on with the date. But that just didn't feel right. If his mind was set, if he really was starting to believe that this might work out as something more, he had to be honest. He couldn't change the topic or make a half-assed excuse, he couldn't hide the truth... Of course, he couldn't reveal it all either, but she had to know at least a part of it. For now.
"I'm a federal agent." He said finally, immediately reaching out to grab his cup and take a sip of his coffee.
The words felt heavy now. Normally, usually on missions, he threw them around while stopping criminals, reassuring civilians or alarming other agents... Not meeting a nice girl in a corner coffee shop, when she probably thought he was just a regular guy. When she had no idea what he's been through in his life and what emotional baggage he was carrying.
At first you looked at him in confusion, then let out a forced laugh. You waited for him to smile and laugh too, and then change the answer, like he did many times earlier, but he didn't. He just stared at you. Waiting.
"Oh... you're serious." You said, eyebrows knitting together. "Like... like FBI or some shit?" You asked in confusion, not sure how to understand or interpret his answer. You didn't expect it, that's for sure... and you didn't know a lot about stuff like this, or how it works exactly.
"No. Not FBI. I can't tell, though. It's classified." Something in his stomach turned when he said that, nervously looking out the window. Of course, it was just a simple look... Leon Kennedy was never nervous, no. Not about something like this. He would not care if you got up and left right now, surely. "Maybe... maybe one day.."
"No, it's fine, I... get it? I guess. I don't know how that type of stuff works." You frowned to yourself, not because you were upset, but because you didn't get it. In your head, you only had the image of what you saw in movies. Sure, you heard a lot about secret operations since the outbreaks had started, but only what they showed on the news, which was... barely anything. "I'm... not being investigated though, right?" You squinted your eyes at him, attempting a joke.
It seemed to surprise him, but he immediately smirked. A little different than the other little smiles he gave you. It was both playful, but also relieved, in a way.
"I don't know. Didn't you see me taking notes under the table?" He asked jokingly, which you both snorted at. He seemed to relax again, the tension in his shoulders easing, making them drop forward a little.
"Oh no. What did you write? Am I being arrested?" You raised an eyebrow at him and he followed the lead, leaning both elbows on the table, propping his chin on his knuckles. He hummed to himself, looking you up and down.
"Let's see, well... I definitely wrote down you're way too funny and have way too many talents. Definitely fishy. Who taught you all that?" He squinted his eyes at you. "You also have a terribly cute cat, amazing taste in coffee and a beautiful face."
He only realized what he said when he saw your reaction. The way your face seemed to light up a little... that small smile that seemed to move the corners of your lips, the blush spreading on your cheeks.
You didn't seem... weirded out, though. You seemed to like the compliment. And that was good, because he could tell you a hundred more right on the spot, just after two hours of conversation.
"Unfortunately, I think your informant sucks, Mr. Kennedy." You grimaced, trying to cover up your confusion with something funny. As much as you liked the banter, the sudden compliment sent you panicking. Was he flirting, or was this just a regular compliment? You couldn't tell... but you appreciated it either way.
"Mm, I don't think so. I know what I'm saying." He pushed. He should've settled for the first one, but he still pushed... trying to let you know he was flirting.
"Thank you..." Was all you managed to say as you reached out to take your coffee, taking a nervous sip. An embarrassing ring of foam formed on your upper lip, which made him bite his lower lip to stifle a laugh.
"...Here." He said, handing you a tissue from his side of the table. He watched you wiping it off in a hurry, the redness on your face just increasing. He pretended to look out the window again, not wanting to make you feel even worse. "It's late..." He pointed out, "And it's not raining anymore. We should probably get going, huh?"
He said it against his own will. He wanted to stay longer... talk to you a little more, get to know more. More of you in general.
He hoped for another date, though, and he didn't want to push it. It was going too well to rush things.
"Did I scare you off by the foam mustache?" You asked, glancing into the mirror on the other side of the wall, thankfully with nothing on your face anymore.
"Not at all. It was cute, actually." He admitted, once again, pushing his luck. He just couldn't help it. "Hey, uh... do you want me to walk you to your house? It's already dark outside."
You side eyed him at the proposition, and he already sensed a teasing joke, right before you even managed to open your mouth to speak. "Trying to find out where my house is, huh? I'm really being investigated."
"You're not." He reassured, giving you a deadpan look. "I'm just being a gentleman, as I said earlier." He got up, standing awkwardly next to the table as he watched you finish your coffee and get up from your seat.
He walked over to the counter, paying for both of your orders, as he insisted before you even ordered. One thing you were sure of, since you two started talking, was that when his mind was set on something, it was set. Probably the thing that would lead to arguments in the future, because you were just as stubborn as he was.
He opened the door for you on the way out.
Held your hand when you had to walk through an uncomfortably huge puddle of rain on the way home.
Laughed along with you as you tripped on absolutely nothing just moments later.
Offered you his suit to drape over your shoulders when he saw you shiver.
But as much as you've had more fun than ever with anyone before, one thing sat constantly in the back of your mind... the idea of not being able to know him fully, ever. Perhaps this was a one time meeting. Perhaps you'd never talk again, and then you'd wonder who really was that guy that unexpectedly took you on a date. Or perhaps this would grow into something more... and then what? Would he ever open up, or would he stay like this? Shielding himself, or you, from the truth?
He shun those thoughts away in one simple gesture, as you stopped in front of your house.
"You know..." He started, wanting to say so much, but unsure how to start. He wasn't good at things like these at all... opening up was a real issue when you weren't taught to do it, and when you never had anyone around who would be your safe space. He wanted to try, though, and right now it didn't matter to him too much if you wanted him back or not. He just needed to try. "I don't remember the last time I've had so much fun with anyone."
"Really?" You said, smiling a little wider at his words... not only because you felt warmness spread in your chest at the admission, but also because you felt the same.
"Yeah... well, living as an agent is... not easy." He started, choosing his words carefully. He couldn't say too much, but didn't want to scare you off with overdone secrecy. "I can't fully trust people and people can't fully trust me." He continued, and you listened, not daring to stop him right now. "I know this might be... weird. Unusual, maybe even... scary."
"It's... alright." You said, shrugging. "I mean, I... never met anyone who's an agent before, but I've had a really nice coffee with you, Leon."
"Yeah, well... still, I believe I should clarify. Keeping things in secret is not permanent. I might open up in some time, but I need you to understand I need to be sure." He spoke in a serious tone, and you nodded, even though you weren't sure where this was going. "Keeping things out from close ones is... unfortunately a huge part of our life. Not only because we don't want to reveal too much, but also because we want to keep them safe. Do you understand?"
"Yes." You said, nodding again. You tilted your head right away, asking the most important question. "I don't understand what you're getting at, though."
"I'm implying I... would want to take you out on another... proper date. If you agree, I'll pick you up whenever you're free." He said, hesitantly reaching out to take one of your hands. "But... you need to be sure you want this. I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation, or-"
"I'd love to go on another date with you." You spoke up, cutting him off now without shame. He seemed surprised, his hand freezing in air before he could fully hold yours.
"You're... sure about this? If this is ever too much, you can always change your mind, of course-"
You cut him off again with a little laugh, stepping closer.
"I'm sure, Leon. I'm hundred percent sure that I'd love you to take me out on a proper date."
"That's... good." He said, once again looking relieved. He didn't brace himself to take your hand, though, putting it right back into his pocket like he'd hurt you at the simple touch. "You're really unlike anyone who I've ever met before."
"Really? Me?" You said, pointing at yourself. "You're the one who's a... federal agent. I mean, I don't think I've ever met one in my life."
"Fair point..." He chuckled, "Well... I think it's best if I get going. I will call you tomorrow, alright?"
"Alright." You hesitated, before feeling a little, tiny wave of confidence. You reached up, pulling him down for a kiss. Not on the lips, not yet, but you did place a small kiss on his cheek, leaving a stain of your favourite lipstick right there.
"I'll see you around, Mr. Kennedy." You said, pushing the jacket of his suit into his hands as you turned around, rushing to your house before he could fully respond.
You still saw him stand still, completely stunned for a moment when you looked over your shoulder while opening the door.
It's a little short because I'm a responsible girl studying for her finals (playing games all day)
summary: Leon left on his last mission and you waited patiently home, until you got a call from Grace, saying that he's badly injured and you should visit the hospital as soon as you can.
warnings: injury (no shit), swearing, hospital, I don't really know how any meds or coma works, near-death situations, a bit of fluff and even more angst, but I tried my best to keep it funny
It was supposed to be his last day.
But not like this. He was supposed to come home to you, healthy and steady on his feet. You two were supposed to go on his hard earned vacation, somewhere quiet where you could both rest, finally together after so many days of waiting.
Instead, you got a call. It was late at night, around 2AM when an unknown number called you. Normally you wouldn't pick up, but you were half-asleep and totally out of it, not to mention that your intuition spiked your worry immediately.
You heard a woman's voice on the other line, shaky and tired, unknown. At first you thought this could be a mistake, until she asked if you were Leon's wife. You were already terrified when she told you not to panic, but when she asked you to drive to the hospital as soon as you could, you were devastated.
You didn't even think before getting up and rushing to the car.
A major head injury. She told you how it happened, but you were too shaken up to understand any of it. From what you caught, he got shot, but somehow the bullet missed enough for him to be only unconscious. The woman introduced herself as Grace, told you that she worked with him and explained to you everything that happened, in detail.
You didn't know what to think. You spent hours sitting by his hospital bed, even though the nurses tried to drag you out of there multiple times. You tried to collect your thoughts, understand the situation, but you just couldn't get it. He got himself into a reckless situation as always, and now you were also finding out about an infection he never cared to mention to you? Was that what he planned all along, to just disappear on this mission and never come back? Now that you were thinking about it, there was something about the way he said goodbye to you on the way out.
Thankfully, the doctors managed to save him. He had to be kept under strong medication and observation, but he'd survive. They warned you he could be a little... out of it. Memory loss, disorientation, dizziness, that sort of thing. You just didn't know it would be this bad.
The beeping sound in the room was steady as you sat on a nearby chair, trying your best to read a book. You had to busy yourself with something, though nothing seemed to work on your nerves at the moment. You were still trying your best to understand, but a part of you was scared that the doctors only said he was alright to spare you the pain. It's been only four days, but you were starting to think he might not wake up at all. People here laid unconscious for months, and you couldn't imagine waiting so long in uncrrtaitny. You believed in him, though. He was strong, he would make it.
As you flipped the page, you heard a small shift. You didn't pay attention to it, your eyes flickering to the curtains that were moving from the soft wind. It was probably just that. The room would be awfully pretty right now if it wasn't for all that machinery keeping him intact. The morning light gave it a soft, pretty glow. You didn't want to look at it, though. The mere thought made you nauseous.
"Grace...?" You heard a quiet, raspy voice, which made you almost drop your book. Your head snapped up to see him stirring under the covers, one eye shut tight while the other tried to open up, closing immediately at the sunlight.
You rushed to his side, hands shaky as you moved the curtains, closing them up halfway. You could see he was struggling to open his eyes, probably completely blinded after being out for so long. You sat down on the edge of the bed, arms quickly shooting out to keep him laying there.
"No, not Grace. Grace is safe at home." You shook your head with a small chuckle. "Don't sit up, you shouldn't be moving too much..." You said as quietly as you could, even though you wanted to scream in happiness right now. There was your husband; looking tired as hell and definitely a little drowsy, but also definitely alive.
"Then..." He started, frowning as he opened one eye again, as if testing if the light would sting him once again. Then he blinked once, twice, before opening them up fully. "What happened? Where am I?"
"The hospital." You answered, ignoring the sting in your chest as you said it out loud. "You had an accident... do you remember anything?"
You wanted to explain everything to him. You wanted to tell him everything you knew, wanted to tell him how much you missed him and how happy you are to see him functioning again... even if not fully. Unfortunately, the doctors warned you that he shouldn't remember everything at once. He should take his time and remember bit by bit, especially since the mention of Zeno or getting shot might bring back bad memories and send him into a panic mode... which could only make the injury worse.
"An accident..." He repeated, brows furrowing again as he took a look around the room, taking everything in. The machinery, the medication, the whiteness of the walls that bore into his eyes and made him want to puke his guts out. "So I'm... not dead."
"No, you're not. Thank God." You said, reaching out to move his hair out of his face.
He looked at you again, first at your hand, then your face. He had a confused look in his eyes, but nothing could've prepared you for his next words.
"So, you're not an angel." He stated blankly, drowning deeper. "Who are you, then? A nurse?"
The question caught you off guard.
He couldn't seriously forget about you, could he?
"Leon..." You started, not sure what to say. This was... well, a lot to take in. You'd have to tell him he was married, which would probably confuse him and lead to many more questions. Much more information that you weren't supposed to give, not until there was a doctor around to check up on him.
"Seriously, who are you? How do you know my name?" He said, bringing a hand to the back of his head, touching the patched up area. You quickly swatted it away, making him frown. God, he was like a child... "I think I would remember a pretty thing like you. You look familiar, though, so I'm guessing not a nurse."
The room fell quiet, and he got visibly more confused when he got no answer.
"What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm... gonna go call the doctor. Stay still, okay? Don't try to get up." You settled for a pat on a shoulder, not wanting to startle him with a kiss or anything of the sort. It would be better if he remembered on his own.
"Hey, no. Where do you think you're going?" He called out as you got up, trying to reach for you, but his hand dropped to his side quickly, feeling a sharp sting. "What the fuck is this thing?" He frowned at something attached to his forearm, letting out a scowl as he laid his head back against the pillow.
You were already out the door. He couldn't tell what the hell was going on, but he didn't like it. Was this some kind of Umbrella facility? Did they keep him here by force? You didn't look like one of them, though. You looked like you were genuinely happy and excited to see him wake up. He just couldn't place why. Even thinking too much hurt right now, and he gave up on trying to figure it out. Maybe a coworker, or a friend... either way, you were someone close.
After a few minutes you entered the room again with a doctor and two nurses. They immediately rushed to his side, one checking the vitals monitors while the other took off and refilled the drip. He watched everything with a frown, listening in to the quiet conversation of you and the doctor, signing some papers. Shouldn't he be doing that himself?
"Please sign here, Mrs. Kennedy." The doctor spoke, handing you the papers. You picked up the files and pen with shaky hands, scribbling something down.
Mrs. Kennedy.
That would explain everything. The way you rushed to his side so quickly when he spoke up, the way you looked at him, the way you brushed his hair like you were aching to touch his face.
He was annoyed. He had those memories right in front of him, felt like he was about to remember, but he couldn't. He tried everything, focusing on the day he proposed, maybe the wedding later... but nothing seemed to work.
"You're my wife." He spoke out loud, hoping that would help at least a bit. He remembered only little pieces, not moments in general. He did remember the warmth of your arms after a long day, the coziness of eating warm meals together, the feeling of deep conversations on the couch late at night... but why couldn't he remember you? "Fucking hell, that's my wife?"
His words made your eyes widen and the paperwork was already long forgotten. The monitors started beeping a little faster, and you flashed a panicked look at the doctor. Was that too much for him? Would he strain himself? You didn't want to hurt him further, you didn't want to overwhelm him with unnecessary explanations and only confuse him further...
But when you saw the doctor nod and say something about leaving the two of you alone, you immediately rushed to his side. The nurses left a few seconds later, having checked everything when you were signing the papers.
"Do you remember?" You asked shortly, reaching out to slip your hand in his.
"Not really," He started, and you had to do your best to hide the disappointment. "I... remember what everyday life feels with you. But I don't know who you are."
The silence between you felt heavy. You brushed your thumb over his hand, trying to comfort him, to coax something out of his little damaged brain, but even now, in the quiet of the room, he didn't seem to recall anything.
"I'm an idiot." He finally broke the silence, laying his head back down on the pillow with a groan. "Forgot my own wife. Husband of the year. Were those papers you were signing needed for divorce?"
"Don't even say that." You swatted his shoulder and he let out a raspy laugh, staring at you deeply, like he was trying to read something out of your face. Like maybe this would make him remember. "You're not an idiot, and definitely not a bad husband. You're just overloaded with medication, but it'll pass."
You said that like you were trying to reassure both of you, not only him.
And maybe you were.
"So... how long have we been married?" He asked, forming random questions in his head that might work somehow. Maybe it was like a puzzle? Maybe he'd have to bring the pieces together somehow?
"Three years."
"Three years?" He said, looking genuinely surprised. "Three years with an angel like you and I forgot? Jesus..."
"Guess I'm not worth remembering." You said with a roll of your eyes, but you had a petty smile on your face. Of course you were aware that he loved you, he cared for you, and it was only the medication. You were sure if you'd ask about anything about his work, his colleagues, the police academy... he wouldn't even know the answer either.
"Don't say that. I have eyes, and I can see that you're worth remembering, sweetheart." The nickname made your heart melt. "Hm. 8th of May, 2021. What's that date?"
He could see your eyes lighting up a little at the question.
"We got engaged that day." You answered, subconsciously giving his hand a little squeeze, as if motivating him to go further, even though the worry was still there.
He reached up and rubbed his temple, closing his eyes with a small grunt. "Engaged." He repeated after you, giving you a small nod.
Silence, again. You decided to give him time. He looked like his mind was working full force, a small grunt or groan here and there as he sat there, unmoving. Normally it would be almost funny, like sometimes when he walked into the room and forgot what he came there for. But now, seeing him struggle like this...
"Y/N." He suddenly practically yelled as he opened up his eyes and looked at you, now his hand squeezing yours. "Your name, it's Y/N. Right? I got right?"
You tried your best to tame your own reaction, even though he could already see you tensing up at the name. "Um, no." You said with an exaggerated frown. "Who's Y/N?"
"Don't bullshit me. I don't have anyone on the side, if that's what you're implying." He spoke snd you snorted, making him smile. "You think you're so funny, huh? Making fun of my suffering. I'll remember that, Y/N."
You couldn't wait anymore. You leaned in, pressing a small kiss to his forehead which he closed his eyes at. He hummed, looking lik he's been waiting for this for days. And maybe he was, considering he missed you as hell when he was on the mission.
"I'm remembering. Slowly." He said, nodding to himself as he opened his eyes and looked at you again. "Though, maybe I will ask for another kiss, just in case it will help me remember better?"
"Oh, really? You're learning by senses now?" You teased before leaning in, kissing him properly this time. When your lips met, it wasn't hungry or heated, it was longing. It was like a relief, after so many hours of sitting here by the hospital bed, praying that he'd wake up soon.
"Definitely helped." He smiled as you pulled away, wrapping an arm around your lower back. "Come here, lay down with me. And tell me everything. I'll remember. I promise."
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