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The professor calling tf Scott "snowy one" instead of "cold one" like some others, a name that he seems to dislike because reminds him of how he's grown cold through trauma, is actually kind of sweet. Cold in the way fresh snow and ice cream is :)
when FIRELORD ZUKO takes a liking to AVATAR AANG'S mysterious new BRIDE.
TORN BETWEEN TWO ROADS ! â aang x reader x zuko
PLOT. republic city is finally at peace, and for once, katara allows herself to hopeâmaybe now, after everything, she and aang can finally become something real. but when aang returns after eight months, he isnât alone. he comes back with you at his side, introducing you as his wife. suspicious yet helpless, his friends do their best to welcome you, even as nothing about this sudden marriage makes sense. but while everyone else keeps their distance, one person doesnât. and perhaps Zuko gets a little too comfortable with the avatarâs new wife.
CHARACTERS. AANG and ZUKO.
WARNINGS. 18+, mdni, angst, takes place 10 years after atla, age gaps. reader is 21, established relationship, fem reader, atla spoilers, no spoilers for legend of aang but follows the characters, not canon compliant to legend of korra, not proofread.
(please check the story masterlist for the story warnings.)
WC. 4.6k
masterlist : story masterlist
a/n: this idea is still rough, but it's there. i am so excited to write this.
The world had not returned to what it once was after the war; it had moved forward, reshaping itself. And nowhere was that more evident than in Republic City.Â
It stood at the meeting point of nations that had once defined themselves by their differences. It was not a quiet city. Movement never ceased; there was always a hustle and bustle ensuing amidst it.Â
At the center of it all was the Avatar, whether he intended to be or not.
Aang had not envisioned this city when the war ended, nor had he set out to create something so vast, but his presence had shaped it regardless. Balance had not become easier to maintain; it had only grown more complicated, stretching across a world that was learning to exist without war yet had not learned how to exist without division.
He traveled more than he stayed, moving between disputes, negotiations, and responsibilities, but mostly, his own curiosity. The boy who once avoided duty had grown into someone who could not escape it, and the world, in turn, had come to rely on that.
It had been eight months since he had last returned.
Eight months had passed since the harbor had seen the familiar shape of Appa descending from the sky. The city carried on, but those who knew him felt his absence.
Katara found herself searching the skies every loose minute. She told herself it was a habit, that she preferred the open air to the confines of the city, but even she did not believe it entirely. She longed to see Aang, worried his adventures had gone askew.Â
She understood the reason for his absence. The world demanded his presence in ways that could not be ignored, and she wouldn't ask him to turn away from that. Understanding, however, did little to ease the sense of distance that had settled over time.
For her, those expectations had taken on a shape she could no longer dismiss.
What they had shared in the past had never been defined, left suspended between their small moments or shared kisses, something that hadn't resurfaced since the end of the war.Â
They had been younger then, shaped by the urgency of war and the closeness it forced upon them, but time had not erased what remained. It made it a lot heavier to hold, at least for her.
The time spent building and growing the now Republic City had kept them close yet far apart because of duty. But once it had been over and settled into this new world, Aang took to finding more of his heritage, travelling wherever Appa could reach.
Now, another anniversary of the Republic City had arrived, bringing her friends along with it.Â
Sokka, her brother, arrived a few days ago from the Southern Water Tribe. And Toph arrived just yesterday from the Earth Kingdom with a few of her pupils in tow.Â
And although the responsibilities of a Fire Lord were inexplicably heavy, Katara was sure Zuko would draw upon a visit as well.Â
But the person she hoped to see the most had yet to show his face. She had hoped that his return would bring clarity, that distance would have resolved the unlabeled tension.Â
That this time, he would stay long enough for something to begin.
No one ever receives an advance notice of his arrival. The Avatar came and went as needed, his presence guided more by circumstance than by schedule. Even so, there was always a shift in the air when he returned.
It was no different this time.
The anniversary celebrations had filled Republic City with life, the streets crowded with people, music threading through the air, and voices rising in easy celebration beneath the afternoon sun.Â
The city center was alive, and it was difficult to notice anything beyond what was directly in front of you.
Until something passed overhead, casting a swift, giant shadow onto the people. It moved across the ground and over the buildings, drawing attention upward.
Heads tilted back, the crowd already bubbling with excitement. And then someone said it.
"Look! It's the Avatarâ!"
High above, Appa descended through the open sky. The wind shifted with him, carrying the force of his arrival down into the streets below as the crowd instinctively moved back, clearing space without needing to be told.
On his head sat Aang. He was so easy to recognize, even from a distance.
Katara saw him first, as always. Her breath caught, her gaze fixed upward as the shape of him became clearer with every passing second.
Sokka followed her line of sight, squinting for half a moment before breaking into a grin.
"I told you," he said, nudging her lightly. "I told you he'd show up today."
Toph tilted her head toward the ground, arms still crossed, though her attention sharpened immediately.Â
"Took him long enough."
Appa lowered, the air swirling around him as he descended into the open space ahead. The ground seemed to brace for it, and when he landed, the impact sent a gust of wind outward that forced the nearest onlookers to step back further.
The crowd erupted. Cheers broke through all at once, voices rising over one another.
"The Avatar!"
"He's back!"
Aang stepped down with ease, his movements light despite the height he had descended from. The moment his feet touched the ground was light and controlled, like he was the air itself.
He reached up briefly, unfastening the straps of the packs secured behind him before lowering themâ setting four large bags (something he had not originally set out with) carefully onto the ground.
Above them, Momo settled with a contented chirp, curling into place as though the journey had not bothered him in the slightest.
Aang straightened as he looked out at the crowd, taking in the faces, the noise, the energy of the city that had continued in his absence. But he was hoping to catch a sight of his family above all.
His eyes skimmed across the crowds and he found them easily, smiling at the familiar faces. It was the same smile they remembered, remaining unchanged despite the months that had passed.
Sokka took a step forward immediately, already raising a hand.
"Aangâ!"
But Aang did not move toward them.
Instead, he turned back to Appa once more. Before they could even take a step forward, he lifted himself lightly from the ground with a small current of air, rising just enough to reach the edge of Appa's saddle.
Then he held out his hand.
They were confused. Momo had claimed the travel bags without concern, already drifting toward sleep despite the noise that still lingered around them.
Aang didn't really have anyone else who had accompanied him when he left. The thought settled between them without needing to be spoken, drawing their attention back toward the saddle they had assumed was empty.
Before any of them could voice it, they saw a hand appear first, fingers settling into Aang's before the rest of you followed, rising into view as you pulled yourself upright from where you had been seated along the saddle.Â
Your hand remained in his as Aang's grip tightened enough to steady you, and in the same movement, he drew you closer, closing the space that existed between you.Â
Your arms circled his shoulders as the two of you remained there, suspended in the air. Then, gently, he brought you down.
The air shifted around you as your feet met the ground beside him. His hold lingered to ensure your balance before easing. When you separated, it was only by a small measure that left the connection between you intact.
The crowd, once loud with excitement, had begun to thin as attention returned to the celebration, though a handful remained, watching with quiet curiosity, their earlier cheers settling into murmurs that carried more questions than answers.
No one reached for a conclusion just yet.
Katara, Sokka, and Toph moved forward almost at once, their attention pulled in two directions at once, drawn to Aang yet returning, again and again, to you.
You had already turned slightly, your hand lifting to rest against Appa's head, and your touch was seemingly familiar enough that the great sky bison leaned into it without resistance.
By the time they reached him, the distance had closed enough that the moment could no longer be delayed.
Katara moved first.
She closed the space quickly, and whatever restraint she had held dissolved the moment she reached him. She wrapped her arms around him without hesitation, the force of it enough to make him shift back a step before he steadied.
"Aang," she breathed, relief threading through her voice despite her effort to keep it composed.Â
"It's so good to see you."
Sokka followed without pause, stepping in with a grin, his arm wrapping around them both and pulling them in.
"Yeah, pal, good to see you," he said.
Toph approached last, her head angled slightly as she reached out and pulled him into an embrace once the siblings had stepped back.
"Well, I can't see you," she said, her voice carrying its usual bluntness as she smirked, "but it's good to have you back, Twinkle Toes."
Aang laughed quietly, slipping easily into the space between them as though the months apart had been mere minutes.
"It's been one hell of an adventure," he said, his smile widening, his energy returning despite the changes that had settled into him.Â
"But it's really good to see you guys."
He looked between them, taking in their presence fully now, before something shifted in his expression.
"Where is Zuko?" He noticed the absence quickly, as Katara stepped in.
"He'll be here tomorrow." She ensured. Aang nodded once in understanding before smiling back at them.Â
"I'm really glad you're all here," he added, turning slightly.
"Because there's someone I want you to meet."
He called your name.
You turned at once, your attention shifting back to him, your hand lowering from Appa as you stepped forward when he beckoned you closer. When you reached him, he guided you gently to stand in front of him, your back pressing close to his chest.
His hands settled at your shoulders, as though presenting you to his friends (which he technically was).
The space around them seemed to narrow again, attention pulling inward and onto you.
And then, without hesitation, he spoke.
"Guys, this is my wife."
The space was quieter than the open streets of the city, removed from the curious eyes that had followed them from the city center. It was Katara's home, a short tower much like Aang's, warm and simple.
There was a low wooden table set at the center of the room and cushions arranged around it. The scent of food lingered in the air, a spread of dishes laid out with attention. They sat together on the floor, as they had many times before, yet it no longer felt as comforting with the addition of a new presence.
Aang settled easily, his posture relaxed as though the weight of his responsibilities had been set aside for the moment. You remained close beside him, your arm linked through his, your shoulder leaning lightly into his side.
The food was passed between them, and Sokka had already begun eating with little restraint, serving himself generously from the meat-filled dishes Katara had whipped up. Aang remained with the vegetarian plates set aside for him, thanking Katara quietly for the effort before beginning to eat.
You followed his lead, keeping to the same dishes, avoiding the drinks that Sokka and Toph had taken for themselves, your silence unbroken, your attention lowered more often than not.
The moment they had settled, the questions were poured over Aang all at once. Sokka and Toph tried to remain respectful to your presence while asking for your story, meanwhile Katara hadn't questioned the two of you at all, but evidently curious herself.
Aang had kept it brief, offering information sparingly about your history. He had said that the two of you had met while he was traveling, that things had moved quickly and you fell in love, that it had simply felt right.Â
And being the Avatar meant having to oversee Republic City, he couldn't stay where he had met you, so the decision to get married had been made quickly, making you two return together, to build something here instead.
It was obvious they had many questions, but they sure as hell would not question their friend right in front of you.
Congratulations had followed, quiet and measured, and then the moment had passed, left to settle beneath everything that came after.
It was Sokka who filled the silence again, though this time not with questions, but with usual new ideas that spawn in his tinkering brain.
"So I've been working on this new design," he began, already gesturing with his hands despite the food still in them, his voice picking up pace as his excitement took over.Â
"It's basically a reinforced mechanismâstronger joints, better rotation, and if I get it right, it could handle way more pressure than anything we've built before."
"Exactly!" Sokka said, pointing at him with a quick nod. "I'm thinking something that could carry more weight, maybe even support multiple functions depending on how it's built."
Toph snorted softly. "So... you're just upgrading what already exists?"
"That's notâit is to improve efficiency." Sokka replied quickly.Â
"Sounds the same to me."
"It's not the same," Sokka insisted, already leaning further into it.Â
"Efficiency is important. You can't just throw things together and hope it works."
"You literally do that all the time."
"That's different," he said, without missing a beat. "That's instinct."
Aang laughed, slipping into place as though nothing had changed between them, his attention fully caught now.
"No, wait, that actually sounds really interesting," he said, his tone brightening. "If it can handle more pressure, you could use it not only for transportation, but construction too!"
"Exactly," Sokka said, pleased, already building on the idea. "See, this is why you get it."
Toph tilted her head slightly. "Yeah, because he's the only one listening."
The conversation carried on like that, Sokka speaking the most, his words running ahead of themselves as Aang kept up easily, asking questions, offering ideas, while Toph cut in whenever she pleased, her remarks sharp and comical each time.
You remained quiet beside Aang, your hand still resting around his arm, your gaze lowered more often than not, contributing nothing to the conversation yet not removed from it either.
Katara was quieter still, her attempts to keep up with the conversation falling short no matter how carefully she held her smile in place.
She spoke when needed, but for the most part, she said nothing at all, her attention shifting, her gaze returning to you more often than she would have liked before pulling away again.
Time passed quickly as it does when you're enjoying yourself, until the light outside began to soften, the sun lowering, shifting the room into a quieter shade.
Eventually, Aang took note of the time and your tired figure, his attention drifting from the conversation as he set his cup down.
"I think we should head home," he said, his tone gentle, though final.Â
"It's been a long journey, and I want to get her settled in."
No one protested, agreeing quietly with a few nods as the evening drew to a close without resistance.
You both rose slowly and Aang moved toward the open balcony, the evening air slipping in as he stepped outside, a soft note leaving his whistle.
It did not take long for Appa to respond.
He floated close to the railing as Aang secured the travel bags onto the saddle before turning back to you, offering his hand as he helped you up first. Only once you were settled did he follow, stepping lightly onto Appa's head as he glanced back one last time.
"See you guys soon."
And then Appa rose, the wind lifting around him as you both left the balcony behind.
Once you had both left, a quiet settled over the three of them. The room, which had only moments ago carried conversation and liveliness, now held something far more glum.
Katara no longer held onto her smile. It faded slowly, the effort behind it slipping away until her lips formed a frown. She remained seated for a moment longer, her hands resting in her lap. The situation pressed in around her, suffocating her.
Sokka noticed it immediately. He had been watching her since Aang stood to leave.
"Katara..." he started, softer now, the edge gone from his voice.
She blinked, as though being snapped out of a dream. When she looked up, the smile she gave him was small and practiced, held together with effort.
"I'm just going to get some air," she said, not waiting for him to respond.
She stood up, her hands smoothing briefly over her clothes, an unnecessary gesture meant to steady herself, and then she turned toward the door.
Sokka pushed himself up immediately.Â
"Katara, waitâ"
She didn't.
She stepped out before he could reach her, the door sliding shut behind her with a soft finality. And whatever she had been holding in place gave way, unseen.
Sokka stopped short, the words he had meant to say left unfinished, his hand lowering slowly back to his side. He remained standing for a moment, staring at the door, as if expecting it to open again.
He exhaled sharply, the tension in him settling into something heavier as he dragged a hand through his hair before dropping back down onto the cushion, leaning back on his hands.
For a long time, he had not been entirely thrilled when he first noticed what had been forming between Aang and Katara. It had been uncomfortable at first, something he had watched with suspicion, protective instinct getting the better of him.Â
But time had softened that resistance and he came to to accept it once he noticed how much his sister really adorded Aang. And Aang, was his best friend. Of all the people, he could trust him with Katara.
He had come to see it as inevitable, something that was bound to happen, and had secretly been expecting to take place already.
Thisâ
This had not been part of that expectation.
"...Okay, what just happened?" he said after a moment, his voice sharp.
Toph did not answer immediately. Her head tilted slightly, getting more comfortable on the floor as she stretched out her limbs.
"That was bad," she said finally.
Sokka let out a short breath, sitting up straighter.Â
"Bad? Toph, that was really bad." He ran a hand through his hair again, frustration settling in now that the moment had passed.
"He justâwhat, disappears for ten months, comes back, and suddenly he's married?" His voice lifted slightly, disbelief breaking through.Â
"Since when does Aang do something like that without telling anyone?"
Toph leaned back slightly, her arms crossing, her expression unchanged.Â
"Since apparently eight months ago."
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
Sokka pushed himself to his feet again, pacing once across room before turning back toward her.
"She was waiting for him," he said, quieter now, though the weight behind it remained.Â
"You know that, right? She didn't say it, but sheâshe was waiting."
Toph didn't interrupt.
"She thought..." he started, then stopped, exhaling through his nose as the frustration tightened again.Â
"I thoughtâWe all thoughtâ!"
He didn't finish that either. The pieces didn't fit together cleanly anymore.
"He didn't even say anything! I am sure one letter wouldn't have hurt! I mean, what the hell was that story? I don't buy it for a second." Sokka continued, his voice lower now, though the edge hadn't left.Â
Toph shifted slightly, her tone still calm, though less dismissive now.
"Yeah. He was lying." She says casually, as if it hadn't been the confirmation Sokka was looking for this entire time.
"What?! What do you mean?"
"What you said, Snoozles. Their story. Aang was lying. He probably didn't say much because he knew I would catch his lies."
"Wait...does that mean Aang is in trouble?"Â
"Don't think so. From what I sensed, she didn't seem like much of a threat, and Twinkle toes did seem to care for her, there was no lie there." She explained her observations.
"Then I don't get it, Toph. What did Aang lie about?" Sokka questions, keeping his motive straightforward.
"None of what he said was a lie, but it wasn't the entire story. All I'm saying is, he said just enough of the truth to not make me suspect anything."
Sokka was livid.
"Why do you look so relaxed?! Aren't you mad at him? This doesn't seem like the Aang we know!"
"Chill out. I'm sure he's okay. Although...he's not one to think things through. Not when it comes to helping people anyway."
Sokka perks up at Toph's insinuation. "You think he's helping her?"
"My best guess."
"Well, that's no excuse," Sokka shot back immediately.Â
"He knows better than that. He should know better than that. We are always here to help, he knows that!"
"Maybe he just didn't need our help for this. From what I felt, he seemed happier, at least since I last met him.
Sokka's shoulders remained tense, his jaw tightening as his gaze stayed fixed on the door, though there was nothing left there to see. The space Katara had occupied was empty, her absence settling heavily into the room as Sokka grew worried for her.
"...I should go after her," he said, already half-turning.
"Give her a minute," Toph replied, her tone steady. "She won't want an audience right now."
Sokka stopped, even though the tension in him remained coiled tight, he did not argue. Instead, he hesitated in his step for half a second before lowering himself back onto the cushion.
"...He really messed this up," he muttered, the frustration slipping through despite the effort to contain it.
Toph tilted her head slightly at that, her expression unchanged.
"Did he?"
Sokka looked up at her, frowning. "What do you mean did he? You saw her."
"Yeah, I did," she said calmly. "I'm not saying she's fine. I'm asking how exactly this is all on him."
Sokka let out a short, disbelieving breath, the sound sharp against the quiet. "Tophâ"
"No, think about it," she cut in, forcing him to listen whether he wanted to or not.Â
"It was obvious Katara liked him. I'm not arguing that. But we also thought it was obvious Aang liked her too."
Sokka opened his mouth to respond, but the words stalled, choosing to let her finish.
"And maybe he did," she continued. "Maybe he still does. But technically, they were never official on any grounds. "
"That doesn't meanâ" he started, but she did not let him finish.
"It means nothing was decided," she said. "If somehow Aang's feelings changed, we can't blame him for it. "
Sokka's expression tightened, then softened enough to show that he understood Toph's argument.
"That doesn't make this okay," he said after a moment.
"I didn't say it did," Toph replied. "I'm saying we can't act like he broke some rule or something."
Sokka leaned back slightly, dragging a hand over his face as he let that sit, the frustration in him shifting.
"It's justâughh! Married? Aang won't do something like that on a whim!"
"But he did it already."
"I know. Did you see Katara's face? Even Aang must have noticed it, it was that obvious, fuck!"
"He didn't do it to hurt her."
Sokka didn't respond immediately.
"No," he admitted after a pause. "Of course not."
Aang was not careless, and he was not cruel. He did not make choices like that without reason, which meant there had to be one.
If Toph was vouching for the authenticity of Aang's marriage to you, thenâ
"...He really meant it," Sokka said, the realization settling in slower this time, heavier.
Toph nodded once. "Yeah."
Sokka exhaled, some of the tension leaving him, though it did not ease what remained.
After a pause, Sokka spoke again.
"What you said earlier... about him not telling the whole truth." His gaze flicked toward her. "Do you think we should tell Katara?"
Toph didn't answer right away. She leaned back slightly, considering the situation. Katara was a fierce woman, and although Toph was sure she won't do anything drastic, even she couldn't trust to stop things from going downhill.
"Not yet," she said after a moment. "She's already dealing with enough. Telling her that now isn't going to help."
Sokka frowned, though he didn't argue.
"So we just... don't say anything?"
"For now," Toph replied. "We wait. Maybe once Zuko gets here. We'll have a good old Team Avatar huddle! Uhh...without the Avatar, of course."
The answer did not satisfy him completely, but it settled enough for him to let it go, at least for the moment.
Toph shifted slightly, adjusting her posture before speaking again.
"When is Zuko getting here anyway?"
Sokka glanced at her, the shift in topic catching him slightly off guard before he answered.
"He should arrive by tomorrow afternoon."
Night settled over the city without resistance, the last of the noise fading. By the time you got settled in your new home, the world outside had quieted, leaving only the soft hush of the empty streets.
Inside your home, you lay beside Aang, the distance between you nonexistent, skin against skin beneath the covers, the warmth of him melting into your flesh. Your head rested against his chest, eyes fluttering to a close to the steady rhythm beneath your cheek.
Each breath of his matched your own without effort, his arm lay beneath you, holding you in place, while his other hand moved slowly through your hair.
Your fingers shifted lightly against him before your voice broke through the stillness.
âIt seems your friends do not like me.â
Aangâs hand stilled for a brief moment before continuing its slow movement, his touch no different than it was before.
âThey just met you,â he said. âIt was unexpected.â
âThat is one way to describe it.â
âTheyâll come around,â he said after a moment. âIt just takes time.â
There was no bitterness in your voice, only an acknowledgment that did not seek to challenge him. You shifted slightly, lifting your head to look at him.
âThat water tribe girl,â you said.Â
His hand slowed, and you felt the shift immediately. You held his gaze for a second longer before letting it fall, settling back against him, your cheek returning to its place over his chest, though now, the rhythm behind his chest had upped its tempo.
âThat was her,â you continued, lifting your head again, your eyes finding his. âWas it not?â
He did not answer immediately. To be honest, he did not need to. You had understood plenty.
âYes.â
The word settled between you, and you smiled.
âI see.â
You heaved a sigh, feeling your own heartbeat speed up.
âI am sorry,â you said after a moment.
Aang's reaction was immediate as he frowned faintly
âThereâs no need for that.â
"I feel as though there is." His hand stilled again, resting lightly against your back now, no longer moving.
âI made my feelings very clear to you, you didnât do anything wrong,â he said.
âPerhaps not,â you answered. âBut that does not mean no one was hurt.â
The honesty in your voice did not leave room for dismissal. Something in his expression shifted then, softening.
âSheâll be alright,â he said after a moment, though the words carried less certainty than he might have intended.
You did not respond to that directly.
âYour friends are important to you.â
âYes.â
There was no hesitation.
You nodded faintly, your breath evening out again against him.
âThen I hope they will come to accept me.â
âThey will,â Aang replied, more certain this time, his hand resuming its slow movement through your hair, steady, grounding. âIt just might take some time.â
The tension eased slightly, but Aang didn't need to see your face to know what you were feeling at the moment.
Then, almost as an afterthought, his tone shifted.
âAnd you havenât even met my closest friend yet.â
You tilted your head slightly, just enough to look up at him again.
âOh?â
Aang smiled faintly.
âZuko,â he said. âThe Fire Lord. Heâll be visiting soon.â
He leaned forward to press a kiss to your forehead, urging you to sleep, before settling his head back onto the pillow.
when FIRELORD ZUKO takes a liking to AVATAR AANG'S mysterious new BRIDE.
TORN BETWEEN TWO ROADS ! â aang x reader x zuko
PLOT. republic city is finally at peace, and for once, katara allows herself to hopeâmaybe now, after everything, she and aang can finally become something real. but when aang returns after eight months, he isnât alone. he comes back with you at his side, introducing you as his wife. suspicious yet helpless, his friends do their best to welcome you, even as nothing about this sudden marriage makes sense. but while everyone else keeps their distance, one person doesnât. and perhaps Zuko gets a little too comfortable with the avatarâs new wife.
CHARACTERS. AANG and ZUKO.
CHAPTER WARNINGS. 18+, mdni, angst, takes place 10 years after atla, age gaps. reader is 21, established relationship, mean sokka (no hate for him please, i am just a bitch hahah), little arguing (lowkey fight), fem reader, atla spoilers, no spoilers for legend of aang, not proofread.
(please check the story masterlist for the story warnings.)
WC. 5.8k
masterlist : story masterlist
chapter one
a/n: i did not expect the response i got for the first chapter. i am genuinely glad that you all enjoyed it, for which i would also suggest you to please read the a/n at the end!
p.s: do not ask me the layout of katara's house. just know that it's big and like the one we see in the movie, except i have made up everything inside for convenience.
Morning came quickly, and with it, Fire Lord Zuko.
Sokka, Katara, and Toph had come to greet him at the harbor, and while they did think to call Aang, knowing him to be an early riser, they just guessed he would be occupied with his wife.Â
Zuko walked alongside them, his presence drawing the occasional glance, though far less than it might have elsewhere. Here, in the Republic City, titles blended more easily into the crowd, and even a Fire Lord could pass through without bringing everything to a halt.Â
His attention remained forward, though it shifted slightly at the way the others had been speaking since he arrived; their awkwardness was blatant.
And when he had asked where Aang was, it was Sokka who finally said it outright, unable to hold it in any longer.
"He's married."
Zuko slowed half a step, eyes widening at the revelation. He was expecting an 'Oh, he slept in!' or 'He's busy with Avatar stuff, y'know?', but this was the most unlikely answer to the question he had asked.
"What?" he repeated, the surprise clear.
"Yup. He came back yesterday with a suspicious-looking lady, and then he introduced her as his wife!"Â
Sokka spoke animatedly, which really didn't help his case while explaining something that was already hard to believe.
"Oh. Good for him."
Zuko's reaction landed poorly. Sokka turned toward him immediately, incredulity written plainly across his face.Â
"Good? How is that your takeaway from this?"
Zuko frowned slightly, not in a defensive manner, but genuinely confused by the response.Â
"He's married," he said, as though that alone should explain it. "What's not to be happy about?"
Sokka stared at him for a second longer before his face shifted. Without saying anything, he tilted his head just enough, his gaze flicking briefly toward Katara.
Zuko understood, sparing a small glance at the Waterbender. He did not comment on it so as to not acknowledge the implication aloud.
So he spoke again, not entirely changing the topic but not dwelling on the previous conversation.
"What is she like?" he asked.
Toph gave a small shrug, her posture loose, though her answer came like she had it ready. "Couldn't tell you much. She barely spoke."
"She was all gloomy." Sokka added.
"That's not true Sokka, she was just tired." Katara said, and the fact that she spoke at all drew their attention immediately.
"She's..." Katara paused for a second, then continued, "she's beautiful."
Everyone visibly faltered in their steps, making Katara let out an exasperated sigh.Â
"Can you guys please stop? I'm fine, alright?" she said, a quiet firmness entering her voice as she looked at them.
"Can you stop looking at me like that? It's like you're walking around eggshells whenever you talk about Aang."
No one responded. Frankly, they didn't know what to say.
"There's nothing wrong," she continued, voice softer now. "He's happy. And nothing makes me happier than that."
Zuko drew a quiet breath, feeling the air grow awkward by the second, so he spokeâÂ
"Where is his wife fromâ"
He couldn't finish.
Sokka's attention snapped elsewhere mid-step, his hand lifting abruptly as he pointed across the street, his voice cutting through Zuko's question.
"Look! There's Aang...woah."
All of them (except Toph) followed his line of sight, and there, moving through the street were you and Aang.
You walked beside him, your arm encircled around one of his. Aang greeted those around him with the same open warmth he always had, children waving as he passed, some giving a gentle bow.
But it was not Aang that had held their attention.
It was you.
The difference from the day before was unmistakable.
Where you had once appeared in plain robes, you now stood adorned in the finest of fabrics, silks that caught the light in all their glory, draped carefully over your form.Â
Delicate jewelry framed you, resting at your neck, your ears, your wrists, your hands, even woven into your hair, each placed with grace as though they were a part of you.
It was a stark contrast. Not only to what you had worn the day before, but to him.
Aang, in his simple robes, untouched by ornaments except for his prayer beads and the Air Nomads symbol he wore proudly, stood beside you without any attempt to match you in your regal ensemble.Â
It felt...unexpected.
The distance between all of you closed naturally, meeting the group halfway.
You had inclined your head slightly, offering a small bow in greeting, as Aang excitedly greeted his friends.Â
He left your side momentarily, moving to give Zuko a hug after not having seen him for over a year now.Â
Once Aang returned to your side, you finally spoke, and it felt as though they were hearing your voice for the first time.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of the Fire Lord," you said, your tone refined. "I have heard of your tales and your journey from my husband. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."
Your gaze rested on Zuko trying not to linger on the scar across his face. Simultaneously, Zuko took in every inch of you with a quick skim.
There was a confidence in the way you held yourself, in the way you walked, even in the way you spoke. The structure of your speech, the practiced tone, the accustomed comfort of status.Â
It was unmistakable, and Zuko took note of it easily.
You carried the weight of upbringing, much like himself. You carried royalty.
He inclined his head slightly in return, his response just as respectful.
"The honor is mine," he said.
Your attention shifted then, moving to the others.
"It is good to see you all again," you continued, offering a small smile that did not overreach.Â
"I apologize if my company yesterday was lacking. I had been traveling for days without pause, and though I would have preferred to settle into our home sooner, I understood that Aang wished to make up for lost time."
At that, you glanced back at Aang, and he met your look with a sheepish grin, one hand lifting to the back of his head in a gesture far too familiar to everyone there.
"Sorry," he said lightly. "I was just really excited."
His hand dropped soon after, settling over yours where it rested against his arm. You only shook your head faintly, your smile remaining.Â
"There is no need to apologize." Then your gaze shifted again.
"You are Katara, correct?" you spoke, turning to the Water Tribe girl.
The moment you spoke her name, you felt Aang flinch against you, your eyes snapping to your connected hands before returning to Katara.
"...Yes?" Katara answered with a question hidden beneath it.
"The food you prepared yesterday was lovely," you said. "I am grateful for the effort you put into hosting us on such short notice."
Katara blinked once, caught off guard by the sincerity of it.
"Oh...that..." she said, her words settling unevenly before she steadied them. "It was my pleasure."
You nodded slightly in acknowledgment before continuing.
"I understand from Aang that we are to gather at your home again this evening."
"Yes," Katara replied, more certain with her voice now. "I'll have everything ready by eight."
"I see," you said. "Aang and I shall arrive earlier to assist you."
Katara's response came quickly, almost like a reflex. "Oh, there's no need for thatâ"
"I insist," you said gently, and although you had just met, the finality in your words left little room for refusal.
 "We will be there at six. Won't we, Aang?"
There was the smallest pause before Aang glanced at you, then back at the others, his smile returning easily.Â
"Yeah, Katara, we want to help."
"We'll be there too," Sokka added quickly, his words coming out faster than intended. He wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but something about your presence at Katara's home unsettled him.
"I will join as well," Zuko said, his voice steady, his gaze returning to you with quiet interest.
Toph let out a small huff. "I'd offer, butâ"
"You're coming anyway," Sokka cut in immediately.
A quiet laugh passed between them, light enough to ease the moment.
Aang shifted, his attention returning to you as he remembered his agenda for the day.
"I promised to show her around," he stated, the grin stretching across his face in excitement.
"I'll see you guys at noon!" he said, before guiding you forward once more, his hand engulfing yours as he pulled you along with him.
By the time the sun had reached its peak, the earlier bustle smoothed beneath the midday heat. As promised, Aang had left to meet his friends. He had left you at home not long before, trusting you to settle in at your own pace.
He found Appa waiting, ever patient, as he climbed onto his back, Momo already darting up to join him, settling on his shoulder. The flight was short, and it did not take long before the city gave way to an open stretch of land just beyond the outskirts of the city, leading uphill to a stumped cliff.
His friends were already there, waiting for him. Aang was excited to spend some time with them. He had sensed your presence make them feel awkward around him, so he thought this might come as a good opportunity to ease their friends into his new marital life.
Sokka stood close to the edge, his posture restless even as he was still, while Katara remained close by, her attention shifting at the sound of Appa's descent. Toph sat relaxed, floating a few rocks in the palm of her hand, and beside them stood Zuko, his presence quieter than the group.
Appa landed and the wind settled around them as Aang stepped down, and Momo wasted no time in leaping off after him to greet the others.
His gaze moved across them, a small smile forming. It felt nice to have the group back together. And he hoped for you to gently be included in the future.
His friends on the other hand, had a different plan They trusted him. That much had never been in question. But even their trust was wavering as curiosity came knocking down those carefully built walls.
The scheme had been made before he arrived. It was simple. Get information out of Aang. Simple.Â
And perhaps if they had asked straightforwardly, Aang wouldn't have denied them.Â
But Sokka just had to ruin it all by starting off the conversation withâ
"You know, Aang, you really shouldn't let your wife walk around dressed like that. Isn't she supposed to wear your monk robes now? What even was that?"
He let out a short laugh, the sound landing unevenly against the quiet of the hill.
Aang's expression shifted, his easy grin dropping so dramatically, they were sure the entire city felt the pressure in the air drop.
Beside Sokka, Toph let out a sharp exhale, her hand coming up to her face in immediate exasperation.Â
Katara did not hesitate, a quick motion of her hand sending a splash of water directly into Sokka's face with enough force to deliver a slap.
"Heyâ!" Sokka sputtered, wiping at his face as he turned toward her, ready to argue, but Aang's voice came sooner than his.
"What are you trying to say, Sokka?"
Aang looked as though he would lash out, but he didn't. His voice wasn't loud, and it didn't need to be to feel the growing anger beneath it.
The tension followed, unsettling them all. For a brief moment no one spoke, because this had been uncalled for. None of them wanted their 'reunion' to start on a bad note, much less end on it.Â
So Zuko gives an attempt to salvage it in the easiest way he could think of. Throw Sokka under the bus.
"That was very rude, Sokka," he said. His gaze moved briefly toward Sokka before returning forward. "Why should Aang have a say in what his wife chooses to wear?"
There was a pause before he continued, his voice lowering to soften the weight of what he was going to say.
"Besides..." he added, the word carrying a hesitation he did not fully understand, "I think she looked rather...beautiful."
The last word came slower than the rest, and though his expression remained composed, something in him had bloomed.
Katara had been correct in describing you.
Zuko's dilemma went unnoticed by everyone else, slipping beneath the surface without acknowledgment.
"Yeah, whatever," Sokka says, brushing off Zuko's scolding with an edge in his voice.
"I'm just saying, Aang, if people see the your wife walking around dressed like that, they're going to start talking. You're the Avatar for Spirit's sake! No one's even heard of her before, and suddenly she shows up with you looking like that? People are going to assume things."
He didn't stop there.
"They might think she just married you toâ"
"I beg of you to stop talking!" Toph cut in loudly, her tone sharp not only from annoyance but also concern
She could feel it, the subtle rise of rage encircling the area where Aang was sitting. Sokka threw his hands up slightly, frustration quick to follow.Â
"Hey, I don't mean it in a bad way! I want what's best for him."
The words did not land the way he had intended them to.
Somewhere in Aang's mind, he knew that Sokka would be a challenge. He knew Sokka would not be accepting to your presence, always having been the sensible one in the team. But the horrible implications he made about you were too much.
Yes, he had expected for Sokka to be unwelcoming, but he didn't think he would stoop so low to imply something so vile.
Aang moved before he realized, words spewing from his mouth as he still fought to hold back his anger.
"My wife," he said, the words coming out sharp, an unfamiliar tone that did not belong in their usual conversations, "left her home for me."
He rose to his feet as he spoke, the motion slow as his presence shifted with it.
"She chose to come with me to a city she doesn't know, to be around people she's never met, and the only things she has from her home are what she brought with her."
Sokka unconsciously took a step back, and even though Aang was further away the distance was evidently closing.
"If she wants to wear them, she will," Aang continued, "And if she wants more, then I will give them to her."
He took another step forward.
"That's her choice," he said. "Hers. Not mine. And definitely not yours, Sokka."
The space between them closed completely, and Sokka watched the boy he once towered over meet him eye to eye, where he could see that he had definitely struck a huge nerve.
Toph was on her feet, stepping close, her hand lifting slightly just in case.
"Whoa, easy, Twinkle Toes," she said, her tone lighter than the tension warranted. "Sokka's just being Sokka. Don't let it get to you."
"Yes, Aang, he's talking nonsense," Katara added quickly as she shot her brother a sharp look.
Zuko remained where he was, silent.
"It didn't sound like nonsense to me," Aang said, and in a single motion that came as quick as lightning, his hand caught the front of Sokka's collar, gripping it firmly to pull him slightly off balance.
"Do we have a problem, Sokka?"
The man in question gritted his teeth, his brain telling him to end the fight and apologize, but instead he chose to bite back just as fiercely.
"Yeah," Sokka shot back, the restraint he had been holding slipping away. "I do have a fucking problem."
Aangâs face twisted more, but he let the older man continue, understanding this wasnât something as shallow as about what you wore.
"You disappear without a word for months, and then you come back married?" His voice rose and the frustration in it no longer contained.Â
"We're your friends, Aang! We're supposed to be your closest friends. Don't you think that's something you should've mentioned?"
Aang's jaw tightened, his grip still firm. He heard what Sokka was saying, and as much as he understood the weight behind it, Sokka's previous words, the way you had been spoken about, refused to settle.
Neither of them moved. But then Katara stepped in, her hand pushing against Aang's arm.
"Aang, let him go."
Toph was already there beside her, offering her silent support.
He let go.
Sokka stumbled back half a step, adjusting his shirt with a quick, irritated motion, watching as Aang spoke.
"It just... happened," Aang said, his voice quieter now, though the edge remained beneath it. "I don't always have the time to send out a letter for every little thing."
"Every little thing?" Sokka repeated, disbelief cutting through the words. "You got married. How is that something little?"
"Stop it, Sokka," Katara said, but he didn't stop.
"No," Sokka said, shaking his head, the frustration still too close to the surface to be dismissed.Â
"I will be honest, Aang. I do not like your wife."
The words landed harder than anything else he had said before.
"I know you're hiding something," he continued, his voice lower now. "And you can't even be honest about it with your own friends."
Something in Aang snapped.
"Maybe," he said, "you should realize for once that you don't need to know everything!"
Sokka held his gaze for only a second longer before he let out a frustrated breath, the anger in him growing.
"Forget it." he muttered, turning away abruptly.
He didn't look back.
"Fuck this. I'm done."
He started walking down the slope without waiting for a response, his steps quick as he stopped for no one.
Katara hesitated only briefly, glancing back at Aang momentarily, before following Sokka, her hand catching Toph's arm and pulling her along with her despite the protests that came from it.
"Hey! I can walk on my ownâ"
And within moments, they were gone, leaving Aang and the Fire Lord behind.
The wind moved across the hill, filling the silence as it brushed through the grass.
Appa approached first, lowering his head to nudge against Aang in an attempt to cheer him up. Momo followed him, settling near him with a soft chirp before climbing closer, pressing himself to his side.
Aang did not move them away. He let himself settle onto the grass instead, the tension still present in his posture. His gaze remained fixed somewhere else, thoughts going haywire, wondering how quickly it all went downhill.
Beside him, Zuko lowered himself to sit as well. He did not press, did not interrupt, allowing Aang to process the situation at his own pace.
Time passed in silence for a while, then, eventually, Zuko spoke.
"I do not mean to pry," he began, his tone slightly tentative. "but is your wife of royal birth?"
The question was not meant to be intrusive, but it felt as though it was, so Aang did not answer immediately.
For a moment, there was only the wind again, moving through the space between them.
Thenâ
"Noble," he said.
Zuko nodded his head slightly, accepting the answer for what it was, though his thoughts did not stop there.
"From where?" he asked after a moment.
Aang's gaze did not shift.
"A smaller nation close to the Earth Kingdom."
The explanation ended there and Zuko didn't ask anything more.
He understood restraint well enough to recognize it in others, and whatever was unsaid, he let it remain that way. Aang wouldn't go to such lengths if it wasn't important.
"I hope that you can find it in yourself to forgive Sokka."Â Zuko said after a moment.
Aang's expression did not change, though is posture softened at the though of his oldest friend.
"Only if he apologizes," he replied.
"Well...yes. Of course." Zuko assured.
Evening settled in fully by the time they gathered again, the sky dimming into a softer hue that filtered through the open windows of Katara's home.Â
Everyone had arrived at six, just as promised.
All except Sokka.
You stood beside Aang and Zuko in the kitchen, your hands occupied with small tasks Katara had asked each of you to do, easily settling into the mood for preparation. Aang moved beside you, while Zuko did his best to assist.Â
In the living section of the room, Toph had claimed the couch entirely, stretched out without any concern.
The conversations moved easy enough. You weren't much involved in the talking part, and you hadn't notice the underlying conflict between the group.
By the time you glanced up again, the light outside had shifted further, and the absence of a certain someone was all too blaring.
"Will Sokka be joining us at eight after all?" you asked, your tone unassuming, though the question itself stilled the room.
The discussions through the room came to a halt, taking you off guard by the sudden silence.
Aang answered before anyone else could.
"Do not worry about Sokka," he said too quickly, and though the edge in his voice was subtle, it was enough to make you take note that something was wrong.
You turned slightly toward him, your hand lifting instinctively to rest against his arm.
"Is everything alright?"
"Mhm." He gave an unsure hum.
"What he means is, Sokka isâ"
Katara began, but she did not finish.
The door opened.
"I'm here."
Sokka stepped in without ceremony, the spare key tossed carelessly onto the counter with a small clatter that cut through the air.
"Sorry I'm late," he added, already moving across the room, dropping himself onto the couch beside Toph, who barely shifted at his presence.
"I'm glad you could you make it, Sokka." You greeted politely, but got no response.Â
"Would you like to help us out?" You prodded yet again, only to be met with aâ
"In a minute. I just got here."Â
His words shut you up as you frowned at his behavior. He was very unlike the Sokka Aang had once described to you.
"If you're just going to be lazy, then come back at eight." Aang's voice came sharp this time.
He swiftly turned his back to the living area as he moved toward the stove, focusing instead on the task in front of him.
The room stilled again.
You glanced between them, and after a brief pause, you simply stepped after Aang, returning to your place beside him, your hands resuming their quiet work, peeling through the peas with careful attention.
Katara watched for only a second longer before she exhaled softly.
"I'll be back," she said, and her gaze lingered on Aang for a moment before she turned away, stepping out of the kitchen and into the living area.
Zuko noticed the way the space between you and Aang had closed again, your voices lowering for something private, so he followed Katara's lead, stepping away to give you both some distance without making it obvious.
In the living area, Sokka leaned back against the couch, his earlier frustration still present beneath the surface.
Katara did not sit. She stood in front of him, her arms folding as her voice dropped.
"You need to apologize to him."
"I will," Sokka said, almost immediately, his voice riddled with guilt. "Of course I will."
There was a pause.
Then he added, "But you can't tell me you don't agree with me."
"I don't."
Zuko's voice cut in before Katara could respond.
"I think she is rather lovely."
Sokka let out a short, incredulous breath, turning toward him with a look that bordered on disbelief.
"Okay, stop with the compliments," he snapped. "It's weird coming from you."
Toph pushed herself up slightly on her elbows, a grin pulling at her expression.
"Oh, this is interesting," she said, her tone carrying that familiar edge of amusement. "Has Zuko taken an interest in the missus?"
"Nonsense," Zuko replied immediately. "I am stating what is obvious. They suit each other."
His gaze shifted then, drawn back toward the kitchen as the others followed.
Through the open space, they could see the two of you clearly. Aang standing close you, speaking in hushed whispers and big smiles.
Perhaps he says something funny, because you reached for him, your hand lifting to land a playful slap on his shoulder, only for him to catch it before it landed.
His fingers closed around yours as he brought your hand upward planting a kiss to the inside of your wrist.
Katara looked away first, and her gaze shifted sharply, her focus fixing elsewhere as she tries not to dwell on what she just saw.
"Come on, Zuko," she said. "We still have dinner to finish."
She did not wait for a response, already turning back toward the kitchen. Zuko followed shortly after, stepping away and leaving Toph and Sokka alone.
It was nightfall by the time dinner ended. The table had been cleared, dishes left soaking, and a bottle of wine had been opened for those who wanted it, though tonight it was only Toph and Zuko who indulged.Â
Sokka had declined, his reason simple. He wanted to keep a clear head for what he had to do.
He had to apologize.
So he stood outside on the balcony with Aang, the doors shut behind them, their voices muffled by the glass, leaving the rest of the house quieter.
You did not remain in the living area.
The unfamiliarity of his friends still remained, so when Aang stepped away, you excused yourself with the pretense of needing water. The kitchen welcomed you back as you sat upon the open counter, a glass in your hand.
Zuko noticed.
He had been seated in the living area, his attention divided between the balcony and you. Your absence had settled firmly in his awareness.Â
Katara and Toph remained focused on the figures outside, so he rose without announcement. The soft sound of his steps did not reach you until he was already there, a glass of wine held loosely in his hand.
"Do you not drink?"
His voice broke through your thoughts as you looked up, pulled back into the present.
"Oh...I used to, my father would allow me a couple sips during dinner." you said, smiling fondly at the memory, but instantly a scowl tainted your face, as though you had remembered something foul.Â
"I abstain now that I have married Aang." You ended, smile returning.
"Did he ask you to do that?"
"No," you answered. "I chose to. Out of respect for my husband's culture."
You weren't sure of the Fire Lord's motives in approaching you, but you decided to make the best of the situation.Â
"May I ask what happened between him and Sokka?" you questioned, your eyes meeting his in confidence. Zuko was sure you were examining for even the slightest nuance.
Zuko did not answer immediately, knowing it wasn't his place.
"I think it would be better if it came from Aang," he replied at last.
Your expression did not change.
"What difference does it make, Fire Lord Zuko, if you were the one to tell me?"
"The difference lies in trust," he said. "You may not take my words lightly if they come from me, and I would prefer that there be no unnecessary conflict between us."
"And you suspect there will be," you said, not as a question.
Zuko exhaled faintly.
"I believe there would be," he admitted. "Because unlike Aang, I would not soften what was said."
A small sound left you then, something close to a laugh but not entirely one.
"I may not have known Aang for as long you have, but even I know that Aang is not one to gain a temper against his friends so easily. At least, not anymore."
"You would be surprised at his younger self." He humors.
You chuckle, but your fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
"Then maybe you can tell me this," you continued, your voice lowering.Â
"Was the reason of their fight, me?"
Zuko hesitated.
"...You could say that."
"Was I insulted in my husband's presence?"
His silence was answer enough.
"Pray tell," you said, the calm in your voice almost poisonous. "what exactly was said?"
"Many things," he replied. "Things I would hope you take with a grain of salt, since it came from Sokka."
"Funny."
You did not remain where you were.
The glass was set aside, forgotten, as you stepped down from the counter, closing the distance until you stood before him, your gaze lifting to meet his.
"Aang spoke to me about you. I didn't even know he was friends with you until yesterday."
"That's surprising, considering everyone knows of the Avatar's feat of ending the 100 year war, including my involvement."
"I didn't think to connect the dots."
"Hmm."
"He told me about how you met. A very endearing story. The lengths one goes to for their honor."Â
Zuko couldn't tell if that was meant to mock him, but that phase of his life still remained something he was ashamed of, so the frown on his face was inevitable.
"Do not be upset. I didn't mean it as an insult. I'm only mentioning it because it's something I can agree with."
You clarify, setting the cup of water down onto the counter before continuing.Â
"Which is why I figure you will understand that," you paused, your voice steady as you finished your sentence. "My honor is not something I treat lightly. It is very dear to me."
You stepped even closer, the space between you narrowing until it left little room for anything else.
Zuko did not speak.
There was something in the way you held yourself despite the quiet fracture beginning to show, that felt familiar. It did not come from recognition of you, but from something he had once carried himself, something he had fought to reclaim.
Honor.
It wasn't just a word, it was once his purpose and now his treasure.
"I understand." he said.
Your composure faltered then. Your jaw tightened, you did not look away, and Zuko noticed there was a sheen to your eyes now.
"Do you really?" you asked.
"I do," Zuko answered. "But I also do not want you to turn against Sokka because of it. He is still Aang's closest friend."
"Perhaps he will not be for long."
Your response had come without any hesitation, and it stumped him.
You drew in a quiet breath, the tension pulling inward once more as you turned away. You grabbed the glass of water you set down, draining it in one motion before you started rinsing it with more force than necessary.
Behind you, Zuko remained still.
Until now, he had believed Sokka's concerns were rooted in something else. Namely, in the history between Aang and Katara. But standing there, watching the way your single statement had carried a genuine threat behind it, he began to see it differently.
Maybe, Sokka was not disappointed by the unwritten story of Aang and Katara.
Perhaps he feared what your presence would do to the group, because he saw something in you the others failed to see.
Zuko returned to the living area and he noticed you leaving the kitchen in the same moment, your movement quick, and he assumed you had gone in search of some quiet corner of the house.
By the time he seated himself again, the balcony doors had opened.
Aang and Sokka stepped back inside together, the earlier tension between them no longer sharp, though it was not entirely gone. After all, Aang may forgive, but he was not one to forget easily.
Zuko's scanned their dejected faces, so to lighten the mood he jokesâ
"Were you both crying?" he asked.
"No, we were not!" Aang and Sokka answered at once, their voices overlapping in perfect unison, and for a brief moment, something familiar surfaced between them.
Laughter followed, and it felt like they were all kids again.
Aang's attention shifted soon after, his gaze moving across the room before settling into a small frown.
"Where is she?" he asked.
Zuko leaned back slightly. "She stepped out. I believe she went to find the restroom."
Aang's expression tightened just a fraction. "I don't think she knows where it is."
"She's a big girl," Toph said from the couch. "She'll figure it out."
"I can go check," Katara offered, already stepping forward.
Aang stopped her before she could take another step. His hand caught her arm gently, halting her movement. Her breath hitched, the reaction subtle as her resistance dissolved beneath Aang's touch.
"I'll go," he said instead. He did not wait for a response before turning, already moving out of the room in search of you.
In his haste, he did not notice what had slipped loose. It was Katara who saw it first, her gaze dropping toward the floor just after he had disappeared from view.
"His emblemâ" She pointed.
The small piece lay near where he had stood, the Air Nomad symbol detached. Zuko reached for it before anyone else could, his fingers closing around it with care.
"I'll bring it to him," he said, stepping away from the others, the emblem held loosely in his hand, as he moved through the unfamiliar layout of the house, turning once, then again.
And then he found you both.
He stopped before either of you noticed him.
You both stood close, your hands pressed against Aang's chest, your fingers curled slightly into the fabric. Aang's hands rested at back as his arms engulfed you.
Zuko stepped back instinctively, retreating into the shadow of the wall, turning his gaze away even he remained where he was, his presence hidden.
He did not watch.
He listened.
A soft sound broke through the quiet as you pulled away, your voice following after.
"Why won't you just tell me?" you asked, the words catching at the edges. "What did Sokka say?"
Aang did not answer, and the silence went on with the occasional break of your sniffles, enough to confirm what had not been said.
"Zuko said he insulted me. Did you just forgive him for it?" you pressed, your voice breaking slightly.
"...Not exactlyâ"
"It's a yes or no question," you cut in, sharper now, though the hurt beneath it did not lessen. "Tell me, what did he say, Aang?"
"Please stop crying," Aang whispered as you pulled you into a hug yet again. "I'll tell you everything once we're home."
You sobbed against his chest, your breath uneven, before you braced yourself for your next words.Â
"Did...did you tell Sokka about...what happened...â"
"I would never!" He exclaimed softly, pulling away slightly so he could meet your eyes. "I would never disrespect you like that, I promise you."Â
"But Sokka did, didn't he? And I consider you forgiving him is just as disrespectful."
"I forgave him because he was sincere with his apology. Sokka is not someone who acts on his feelings like that."
"How is that meant to justify anything."
"It means, whatever was said about you was his anger directed at me."Â
There was a pause after his statement, shifting your eyes from his as you closed them shut.
Your grip on him tightened, inhaling softly to you ease your emotions.
"It seems my presence has caused a lot of harm. And it's only been a day."
"It is not your fault. My friends felt deceived because I didn't tell them about you. I chose to stay silent."
You knew Aang meant well, but you were taking his words at face value.
"...I feel as though I have trapped you. I should have never agreedâ"
"You are the best thing that has happened to me. I know it may not have seemed like it in the beginning, but I do not regret asking you to marry me. I never will."Â
His tone softened further as his hands lifted, cupping your face, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had already fallen.Â
"I am sorry that you've been having a hard time around my friends."Â
Even though he didn't need to, his apology was reassuring, and you shook your head with a smile.
"It's alright. It shows how much they care for you."Â
At your words he smiles, thumbs brushing your cheeks.
"Let me take you home. I'll explain everything."
You nod, head tilting back as he leaned closer for a kiss. The kiss was not brief. It was deep and vulnerable, the shine of tears still tracing your cheeks.
Then there was nothing more.
Zuko did not stay. He stepped away as quietly as he had arrived, your conversation left behind him.
When he returned to the others, Katara noticed his failed excursion immediately, eyes dropping to the emblem still in his hand.
"You couldn't find him?" she asked.
Zuko glanced down at the emblem, then back at her.
"No." he said calmly. "I'm sure he will return for it."
chapter three coming soon...
a/n: fair warning, this story will have darker themes in the future. my vision for this story is very straightforward and to the point, so yes, the characters may seem ooc at times. but i gotta do it for the plot. just promise me, no one will hate on the actual characters, okay?
can we please normalize not tagging a reader x (character) that is not happening in the fic?
im looking at you zuko writers that tag sokka x reader in your fics. my man is already unappreciated enough as it is, but going at his tag and almost finding more zuko content then his own gotta be a slap in the face
SUMMARY you and leon are birds of a feather, whether you realize it or not.
PAIRINGS leon kennedy x bau agent!reader
ERA re6 (i imagine re6 or di!leon but it can honestly be any era after re2!)
TROPES found family, emotional scars, tragic past, & more!
LAST UPDATED april 12th, 2026
ౚৠâ ïœĄË HEADCANONS:
JUST AN AGENT | leon learning you are more than the field agent he thought you were.
ౚৠâ ïœĄË ONE SHOTS:
coming soon!
ౚৠâ ïœĄË FICS:
48 HOURS | you must team up with your boyfriend, leon, to stop a potential attack on washington, d.c.
AUTHOR'S NOTE!
i've been inspired to make a crossover au with criminal minds and resident evil! please feel free to send requests for this!! links will be added when the headcanon/oneshot/fic is posted!!
this is very much a self-indulgent au lmao but i hope you all enjoy!!
Summary: In a world where soulmates swap bodies once per lifetime for a few hours, you are unfortunate enough to swap during a mission. You do not have a good time.
Yandere batfam fans you do not perceive this post. It's not here. Unless you like Leon, then perceive all you like :)
----
"What the fuck."
It seemed like you were in a mansion. Opulent ceilings, fancy decorations, all that jazz. Yep, just casually, in this mansion. Great.
Why were you in this mansion, you may ask? You would love to know! Because as far as you knew, you were chilling in bed, about to go to sleep, and now you're in this freaky mansion with distant groans that were really starting to scare you.
"Where am I?" You mumble, staring at your hands as if they belonged to an alien. They might as well of, because they were not your hands. These hands were calloused, littered with scars that spoke of a lifetime of violence. You experimentally clenched one of them, it responded.
Despite these hands not being yours, they certainly acted like they were, responding to your panic and shaking alongside you, as you stumbled forward into a nearby bathroom.
It was not a great bathroom. The lights were mostly dead and is that.. Yep. A dead body lied on the ground, empty eyes staring into your soul. A circle of blood surrounded her. You tried to step around it.
Oh. A distant part of you thought, looking upwards. I'm in the women's bathroom.
You looked up, making eye contact with the person in the mirror, with this stranger that could never be you.
And I'm a man.
----
You were not proud of the monumental freakout you proceeded to have. Honestly, you were just thankful you didn't need to use any of the nearby toilets. You could only pretend to have not seen a bathtub full of blood once before it shreds your blissful ignorance. As long as you don't look at it again, it's not there, that's what you decided.
Unfortunately, what you couldn't ignore was a buzzing in one of your ears, a feminine voice suddenly speaking through them.
"Leon? Are you alright? You haven't checked in, and it's been a while. Is there a problem?" The new voice sounded kind, and while that was reassuring this whole situation was far too outlandish to calm you down. Maybe she'd be able to help you?
"Uhm.." You spoke instinctively, only to be startled into silence by the shock of hearing a voice so unlike your own speaking instead. You tried to shake off your suprise and continued.
"Hey. So um, this Leon guy, I am... not exactly him. I'm someone else." Well, you can't say you didn't try.
"What? Leon, what are you talking about?" There was concern in the woman's voice, maybe she worried that you were concussed or something, though you can't imagine that a man as built as you were currently ever getting a head injury.
"Are you okay?" She continued. "The virus shouldn't be having any effects like this, do you know what's going on?"
"No?" You tried. "No I have no idea what is going on. I was in bed, about to go to sleep, and now I am in what I can only view as literal hell with some very weird groaning going on and a dead woman at my feet. I am not doing well, and I would like to go home, right now actually." Your response gradually progressed into feverent ramblings, the panic starting to eat away at you again. You couldn't handle this.
There proceeding silence was so potent you felt like it would eat you alive. You clutched at the sink below you, but that only reminded you that your hands weren't even yours and you had to let go.
"Fuck..." You muttered.
"There's no way.." The woman responded. "Are you... Could you be Leon's soulmate? This late..?"
"Maybe?" You responded, voice feeling tight in your throat. Everything was wrong right now, and you just wanted to be right.
"I- look, this is going to be a lot to ask, but. Have you ever had any combat training?"
"Nope."
"Any stealth training?"
"Never."
"Used a gun?"
"This is the first time in my life I've even seen one in person."
"What about an axe?"
"Nah."
"Oh dear." She muttered, before a brief pause. Eventually she came back to you though.
"I hate to do this to you but, could you have a look at Leon's- sorry, your neck?"
You decided to look, considering there was not much else you were willing to do. You spotted horrible black marks, seeping through the skin there, and leading throughout the rest of your, uh, his body?
"What the hell is that." You asked, more of a demand than a question.
"That is our problem. It's this virus every survivor of Raccoon City is now facing. It's killing us, and it's only a matter of time before it kills Leon too." You blinked, surprised. You didn't even know Raccoon City had survivors. So you got your soulmate swap right before his death? The world sure is cruel...
"So why are we here then..?" You muttered.
"Because this is our only hope. We have reason to believe that this man has knowledge about the virus that we don't. It's our last shot."
You were not liking where this is going.
But she continued anyways. "Leon is investigating right now, we have no one else. Maybe you could find a safe space and wait for the switch to end but.. to be honest, I'm not sure if Leon has that kind of time. He's.. in the terminal stage."
"So.. so what, explore this creepy mansion in hopes of finding a cure? With what I'm seeing I feel like I'd die way more I find anything!" You cry out, feeling the injustices of the world weighing on your back. Why, oh why did you have to be soulmates with a fucking madman.
"Look, Leon is trained, the body you are in is trained. I have no doubt that you can get through this, you just have to try. Hey, what's your name?"
You gave your name, reluctance coating your tongue. You hated this.
"I'm Sherry. It's nice to be working together. I'll follow along with cameras when I can okay, you can do this."
"..." You didn't respond. You didn't feel like you could.
You slowly trudged out, feeling the walls narrow in on you. You felt like crying.
----
Okay you were definitely not the only person that had been here.
The rooms were littered with corpses, zombies dead a second time due to bullet wounds or knife stabs. You didn't look too long, and you didn't need to, it was certainly a sight.
You had found one zombie alive, but it didn't seem to see you, only responding slightly when you walked a little too loudly.
So you tried your best to ignore all the bodies, carefully stepping around them when you could, and inspecting any interesting looking bits of paper. You had found nothing on this mysterious neck virus.
You had however, found a corpse that was spontaneously erupting.
"Wha... Sherry...?" You began, limbs beginning to tremble. "What's happening?"
"Oh." Was the response. It was not very reassuring. "It seems like they're mutating."
"What. What does that mean." You stumble backwards, pulling out your- Leon's axe from your back and holding it up in front of you like a shield.
The body grows a red, bulbous head. Its pulsing. It notices you, grating out an ear piercing screech.
"Hey. Hey!" A voice calls out in your ear. It's your voice? At least you think it could be, but you're extremely distracted right now.
"Close your eyes." It calls. "Now."
"What?" You mutter.
"Now!"
So you close them. Not being able to see the monster in front of you was almost worse, honestly, but if this was how you were going to die, so be it.
"Raise your left hand." The voice demanded. "And wait for my signal. When I say, swing down."
You did, waiting for the executioner's call.
"Wait, wait. NOW!" It exclaimed.
You swung down, hearing an awful squelch of firm metal hitting flesh. A warm, sickening liquid coated your face. When you opened your eyes, the creature in front of you was dead.
You felt tears well up. You shook.
"Well done." Your voice called. "It's as Sherry thought. You have my training, but not the mental ability to use it. When you remove your ability to make judgement calls, the only thing you have left to use is my training."
"I.. really do not want to do the rest of this nightmare blind." You trembled. "I'm sorry... If you're my soulmate, can you come back here now... Please? I can't do this... I really, really can't."
"I would've if I could." Leon? Responds. "It was tough enough getting through to Sherry already with just your phone."
"Please..."
"Here, breath with me." Leon walks you through a few grounding techniques. It barely helps.
"I don't understand how you can do this. It's a complete utter nightmare. There's... There's blood all over me, this body is completely unfamiliar, my voice is weird, I walk differently, there's some kind of terminal condition apparently!" You hug yourself. It's all you have. But even that is strange, longer limbs wrapping around a much bulkier body than you're used to.
He sighs. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect to be linked to a civilian. Missions like these are the norm for my life."
"I didn't expect to be soulmated to an agent either." You reply, voice dull after all your previous panic.
"When this is over, I promise, you will never have to worry again. I promised to myself ages ago I would never make my soulbond go through what I did. I mean it." Leon's determination is clear to hear, although in the cadence of your own voice it provides a strange effect. You don't take him too seriously.
To be honest, you aren't expecting him to live.
You blink, and you're at home.
There is a phone in your hand. It's your phone, it's displaying the live feed of a camera, focusing on Leon.
Your ID is on your bed nearby. Everything else seems undisturbed.
The man on the camera produces a whetstone, scraping it one handedly on his axe.
He speaks. "Sherry." He calls out. "Cut the live feed, they don't need to see anything more. It's too much already."
Your phone cuts to home screen.
You are left alone.
----
You enjoy a week of peace. Enjoy is a strong word though. And actually, so is peace.
You suffer a week of nightmares. That's much more accurate.
Your soulmate is a man borne of survival, coated in scars that speak of countless tales that you can't even imagine. He is a man you cannot fathom even existing.
And yet, he is bound to you.
You don't want him to be. The brief period of your swap had been the worst hours of your life. The fact that soulmates only ever swap once is your salvation. You never wanted to do it again.
He doesn't contact you. You don't know if he survived. From what you knew, it's very likely he died. You were just thankful you didn't get him killed, or worse, die as him. It's happened before to people.
You sighed, turning to look out your window.
There is a Porsche. Outside your house. Why?
A man steps out. He is wearing black, no trace of weapons at all. And yet, you feel a shiver go down your spine.
You feel in danger.
You watch him walk up to your door and knock.
You don't move.
He sighs, and reaches into his jacket pocket. He pulls out a key, pushes it into your door. You hear your door unlock.
"Hey!" His voice calls out. You slowly stumble over to the stairs, making eye contact with him.
"I'm here to get you. It's time to get going."
You stare at him. "Where?" You ask.
"You've seen too much. You can't live a normal life anymore, no one would allow it. I've tried. So, you're getting the next best alternative."
He walks up the stairs, firm, confident steps as he strides up to you.
"You'll be staying with me." His hand locks around your wrist, and he pulls, taking you with him as he pulls you out of your house.
"What? I can't just live with you! And what about my life, my things!" You screech, clawing at the hand that feels like an iron bar. It doesn't budge.
"Everything's been arranged." He responds, completely ignoring your struggles. He opens the side door of his porsche, pushing you in. It locks behind you, an ominous click that sends a shiver down your spine.
He opens his own door in the front, sitting in the driver's seat and starting up the car. "Anything important from your house will be taken separately to our house, and your family has been informed that you are going into witness protection."
"Witness protection?" You shout, yanking at the unmoving car doors. "I- seriously I just met you, I can't go with you!"
Leon sighs. He pulls down the glove box revealing a syringe.
"We are currently doing this the easy way." He informs you, his stare burns into you, freezing you down to the bone. "You know what I'm capable of. Do you want the hard way?"
You remain silent.
"I meant what I said. I'm never going to allow my soulmate to experience the pains that the world showed me. I'm protecting you. Even if you never understand that, I'm never going to stop either." His eyes narrow, memories clouding his gaze.
Synopsis: You, a traditional Alphaâs daughter, have always done whatâs been expected of you. Never stepped out of line. Never talked back. Leon, heir to the enemyâs pack, an infamous soldier who has taken too many of your packâs wolves. Are bound by fate to be mates. Neither parent will allow such a union. Will you two risk it all to be together? Or will fate ask too much?
Warnings: Alternate Universe, werewolf Leon, werewolf Reader, Language, angst, Shakespearean language, A/B/O dynamics (does not dominate the fic in any way, just used to designate wolves), other supernaturals might come up, more to be added later.
Authorâs Note: Welcome to werewolf Leon, Besties. I had two ideas, one for older Leon (which I still might write later), and one for younger Leon. After yaâll voted, younger Leon won, so here you are Star-cross'd Lovers. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Let me know if you want me to tag you in future updates.
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
âWhy canât I understand a flippin' word this guy is saying?â Ella, your best friend, half-yells, then continues in a mocking voice. ââFrom forth the fatal loinsâ whose loins are fatal? If your loins are feeling that bad, maybe go see a doctor.â
âThis is Shakespeare,â you point out.Â
âI donât care if itâs Julia Quinn, speak English,â she insisted.Â
âDid you just liken Julia Quinn to Shakespeare?â you asked, mouth falling open in dismay. âThe greatest author of the English language compared to a modern-day romance author? Not that Julia Quinn is talented, but come on.â
âIs there a difference?â she asked with her whole chest. Â
âOh my god, Iâm walking away from you now,â you say, picking up your books and walking away from your friend.Â
âWait,â Ella yelled, gathering her things. âWait for me.â
Despite her mocking your favorite author, you did wait for her. âWhy do I put up with you?âÂ
âBecause you love me,â she smiled, kissing your cheek.
 Scrunching your nose, you push her away with a smile. âOkay, okay, you made your point.â
âSo what do you have planned for the rest of the day?â she laughed, linking your arms together.Â
âGoing to the dress shop with my mom,â you answer. âI have the final fitting for my mating ball dress. What about you?â
âMy mother set up one last etiquette class for me,â Ella made a face. âAs if one more class will help anything. All this formality, the elders' love drives me crazy. Come on, itâs 2026, the day of debutantes, curtseys, and it's 200 years ago. Letâs just have a normal dance party, let all the single wolves mingle and find their mates. But noooo,â she waved her hand dramatically around. âWe get to descend the stairs, curtsy to the Alpha and Luna, eat this fancy dinner with all the proper etiquette, and dance choreographed dances. Boring.â Â
âTechnically, weâre not debutantes, and weâre not entering society,â you point out. Youâve never minded tradition. You kind of liked getting all fancy for these dinners, and having choreographed dances definitely helped you avoid stepping on your partner's feet.Â
âYou say that because youâre the Alphaâs daughter, and youâve never come to one of our after parties. You should come,â Ella declared, grinning. âItâs so much fun! We dance all night, and someone always brings the good alcohol.âÂ
âThe good alcohol?â you ask.Â
âYeah, you know, for shots and stuff,â Ella said, bouncing a little. âCome tonight. You can tell your parents youâre staying at my house.âÂ
âI donât know,â you shake your head. âIâm the Alphaâs daughter. Last thing they want is me there.â
âHow do you know? Youâve never been to one,â Ella pointed out.Â
âMy father could potentially show up looking for me,â you respond. âHow would that go over?â
âThatâs why youâll tell your parents youâre staying at my house. They wonât know to look for you at the party. Theyâll believe youâre at my house doing makeovers, eating ice cream, and watching movies,â Ella smiled. âCome on, what do you say?âÂ
âUmâŠâ you look down at your feet, then back at Ella. Youâre not going to lie, youâve always been curious about these parties Ella goes to, but youâve never dared to go. You have been known to be, and called, a goodie two-shoes, goodie-goody, or fuddy-duddy. You hated all those names; you just enjoyed being at home with your books and family. Still, youâve always wanted to attend at least one of these parties. âWell, I am technically an adult.â
âYes, you are,â Ella agreed. âYou are a badass 23-year-old woman whoâs graduated from Columbia top of her class. You have the right to go where you please.â
âSo if I tell them, going out with friends, it wouldnât be lying,â you continue to rationalize.
âExactly,â Ella agrees.Â
âOkay,â you nod. âIâd love to go.â
âYay!â Ella cheers, pulling you into a tight hug. âWe are going to have so much fun. You can borrow one of my dresses.â
âWhatâs wrong with my dress for the mating ball?â you ask.
âItâs a long ball-gown,â Ella points out. âNot something one would wear to a party like this.â
âOkay, what do you wear?â
âA short, low-cut dress that makes all the boys cream their pants,â Ella responds, wiggling her eyebrows.Â
âOh, I couldnât,â you shake your head.
âOh, you can,â Ella grinned, taking your arm back in hers. âAnd you will.âÂ
Something about that statement made you nervous about the entire night's events.Â
Later that day, you were getting ready for the mating ball when your mother, Luna of the pack, walked in. âSweetie, need any help?â
âCan you zip me into my dress?â you ask, setting your makeup.Â
âOf course,â she smiled, helping you into the deep navy blue off-the-shoulder satin ball gown you bought for the mating ball. âAlbert is going to love seeing you in this dress.â
It took you a second to place the name. âOh yes, Albert the wolf father wants me to meet. What if we donât hit it off?â
âYou will,â your mother insisted, zipping you up. âHeâs a delightful boy. He graduated top of his business school and is already set to take over his fatherâs company within the next five years. You two are a perfect match.â
âOkay,â you agree, as usual. âOh, Mom, Iâm going to stay the night over at Ellaâs tonight.â
âYouâre not going to one of those parties Iâve heard about, are you?â she asked, hands on her hips. âThatâs no place for you.âÂ
âNo,â you shake your head, turning to face her. âThereâs this new Dracula movie she wants me to watch.âÂ
âAre you sure thatâs it?â she narrowed her eyes.Â
âYes,â you smile, nodding your head. âThatâs it.â
âOkay then, have fun,â she kissed your cheek. âYou look absolutely beautiful, sweetheart.â
Turning to look at yourself in the mirror, you had to agree. âThanks, Mom.â
âIâll let you finish getting ready; your father wants to leave in five minutes, so donât dilly-dally,â she instructed.
âYes, Mom,â you agree, still staring at yourself in the mirror. Your entire life, youâve done everything your parents asked of you, played the part of the perfect Alphaâs daughter, so why shouldnât you take one night off? Whatâs the harm in dropping the part for one evening? What could go wrong?Â
An hour later, you sat next to your parents at dinner, across from Albert Wesker and his mother. Son of the Alpha and heir to the KiĆĄobran Pack, you knew your potential mating with him would bring in much-needed medicinal assistance. Your pack, the Silverclaw Pack, best known for its warriors, was losing too many good wolves to the war with the Elderwood Pack, and is in true need of medicine and expertly trained doctors. Still, something about Albert made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. One look at his red eyes, and you knew you did not like him.Â
âMy princess here graduated top of her class from Columbia in Social Work,â your father bragged about you.Â
âImpressive,â Albertâs mother agreed.
âAdequate,â Albert said, pushing around his food. âMuch like this dinner.â
âAlbert,â his mother hissed at him, turning to you, her smile widened. âWhat made you go into social work? Surely itâs not for the money.â
âI want to help those society has forgotten about; both among the packs and the humans,â you tell her, earning a scoff from Albert as he dropped his fork, loudly, on his plate.Â
âIs there a problem with wanting to help people?â you demanded, his better-than-everyone attitude starting to anger you.Â
âNot if youâre a naive little girl,â Albert drawled. âBut it seems you are.âÂ
âAt least Iâm not an insufferable churl who fancies himself a pedant but rather is an utter buffoon,â you smile sweetly at him, knowing it didnât reach your eyes.Â
âThat is enough,â your father demanded, forcing you to close your mouth. âApologize.â
âApologize?â you demand. âDid you not hear what he called me?â
The look and growl from your father forced âIâm sorryâ out of your mouth and towards the better-than-everyone, Albert Wesker.Â
Smirking, he picked up his fork. âI forgive your vacuous outburst.âÂ
Snarling under your breath, the rest of the evening went much the same way. Even your forced dances with Albert looked to be a study in awkward silence. One last polite curtsy, you turn on your heel, hair hitting him in the face, and march away.Â
Finding Ella in a corner, you finally scrunch your face and shake, needing to shake off the cooties Albert left. âHe is the most arrogant, egotistical wolf I have ever had the displeasure of meeting.â
âYes, he is,â she agreed, linking your arms. âAnd thatâs the wolf your parents expect you to mate with?â
âIt is not happening,â you shake your head. âI would rather go rogue than spend one more moment with that creature.âÂ
âHow are you going to break it to them?â Ella asked.
âIâll just tell them Iâm not interested in him. Theyâll understand,â you insist, even as a part of you doubts.Â
âYouâll have to tell me how that conversation goes,â Ella drawls.
âLetâs get out of here,â you say, needing to put as much distance between you and Albert as possible. âYouâre right, these things are boring.â
âYou want to leave early?â Ellaâs eyes go wide.
âWell, has the other party started?â you ask.
âYes,â Ella nods. âBut you never leave these things early.â
âTheyâve never had Albert Wesker at one before,â you shiver again. âCome on, letâs go.â
âAlright,â Ella agrees with a smile. âYou going to tell your parents?â
âNo,â you shake your head, still angry at your father for making you apologize to that jerk. âIâm an adult now. I donât need their permission anymore.â
âI like this new you,â Ella grinned, walking towards the exit. âLetâs get out of here. I found the perfect dress for you to wear to the party.â
âOooo,â you laugh with Ella, walking out of the mating ball an hour early.Â
Half an hour later, you found yourself studying yourself for the second time that evening. The dress she gave you was a light pink, off-the-shoulder, a-line lace dress that came to many too inches above your knees.Â
âAre you sure this isnât too short?â you ask Ella.Â
âPositive,â she said in her own black strapless A-line mini dress. âYou look stunning.â
âI feel like I should put on pants, or something,â you say, pulling the dress down.Â
âDonât be silly, you have those amazing legs, show them off,â Ella gushed. âNow come on. Letâs go.âÂ
After agreeing that no one will drink and drive, you two left Ellaâs parents' house for the party, which you believed was on the edge of pack territory.Â
âAre we even on pack lands anymore?â you ask, noticing how far sheâs driving.Â
âTechnically no,â she shakes her head. âThis is what the elders call No-Manâs Land.â
âWhat?â Your eyes go wide. âWhat if something happens to us? My father couldnât do anything without risking angering the Elderwood Pack.â
âStop being so dramatic,â Ella rolled her eyes. âNothing is going to happen. Weâre just a bunch of young adults drinking and having fun.â Parking the car, she grabbed her clutch purse. âNow come on, or are you going to chicken out and make me take you home?â
Biting your lip, you look back towards the pack lands, then in front of you at the bonfire, and other wolves, about your age, dancing, drinking, and having fun. Remembering Albert, and the reconning waiting for you at home regarding how you acted towards him, you shake your head.Â
âIâm staying. Letâs go,â you say, turning off your phone and opening your door.Â
âThatâs my girl,â Ella cheered, linking arms with you once again before announcing to all the other wolves at the party. âEveryone! The Alphaâs Daughter has arrived and is looking to do her first body shot! Any takers?âÂ
âWhat?â you demand, pulling on Ellaâs arm. âI am notâŠâ
âIâm game,â a young alpha wolf with the most stunning blue eyes you have ever seen stepped up.Â
âLeon, perfect,â Ella smiled, pushing you towards him. âSheâs all yours.âÂ
Catching yourself before you fall all over Leon, you mouth to Ella, âI hate you.â She just smirks, waves, and walks away to find her own drink.Â
âUh, hi,â you scratch your chest, as you give your name.
âFirst party?â Leon asked, bending a bit to catch your eyes.Â
Straightening, you nod. âYeah.âÂ
âDonât worry, I wonât make you do a body shot,â Leon smiled kindly, bending to take out two beers from a nearby cooler.Â
âThanks,â you smile, taking one from him. âTo be honest, I havenât drunk much before now either.â
âA true Alphaâs Daughter then,â Leon chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. âYou sure this is the right place for you to be?âÂ
âNo,â you shake your head, opening your own beer. âBut my parents are trying to set me up with this horrible wolf. I need them to see me as an adult and not some child anymore.âÂ
âAnd partying and drinking is the way to do that?â Leon shook his head, setting his beer down. âLet me take you to your pack lands. You shouldnât be here.âÂ
âNo,â you step away from Leon. âI want to be here.â
âNo,â he shook his head. âYou want your parents to treat you like an adult. This is not the way to do that.â
âHow I decide to show them Iâm an adult is none of your business,â you declare, turning on your heel to leave. âGoodbye.â
Instead of the epic moment of hitting him in the face with your hair and leaving to find Ella, you end up tripping over your own feet and falling face-first towards the forest floor. Just as fast, you found yourself in Leonâs arms, staring up into his blue eyes with a long red fated-mating bond wrapping around you two. Warmth spread through your whole being as the bond locked you two together, the world fading to nothing except you two. Youâve heard of finding your fated mate, as rare as it is. Many things had to go just right for the two wolves to meet, so most wolves never bother trying. Here, at a random party in the woods, you found yours. Surely your parents would not deny something as sacred as the fated-mating bond.Â
Taking in Leonâs strong jaw, cleft chin, and blond hair, you focus on how soft his lips looked. Hand on your face, you close your eyes as Leonâs face draws closer to your own. Lips coming together, you feel the bond slide in place down your spine, move through your whole being, and lock you together with Leon.
As he licked your lips, seeking entrance, Ella abruptly pulled you away from Leon.Â
âWhat the?â You growl, claws already out.Â
âYou canât mate with him,â she spoke quickly, holding her hands out. âThis is Leon Kennedy, heir to the Elderwood Pack.âÂ
âWhat?â you ask, wolf so close to the surface, your eyes show bright amber. âHe canât be.â
Leon licked his lips, eyes closed and breathing hard, obviously trying to control his own wolf. âI am,â he confirmed.Â
âMy only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me That I must love a loathĂšd enemy,â you whisper, fighting the urge to fall back into Leonâs arms.Â
Summary: He never gave up and when his boss gives him a new mission, heâs hesitant. That is, until it involved a woman with a missing sparkling slipper.
Warning: Cinderella Trope, girlâs got an evil stepmother and shi. Smut will come in the future! Leon is an awkward virgin. Uh idk what else yet
2.4k words
â***â
After Candence kicked Leon out, he stood there for a few second. The sparkling shoe was held safely in his arms. He furrowed his brows in annoyance and desperation. He had to find you. What if you were in there trapped? And forced to do this? He felt the urge to save more people, including you.
He learned his less before and he won't be tricked again. He knew by heart, you were doing this against your own will.
"So, what do we do now?" Sherry asked through comms.
"They're hiding somethingâŠ" he turns and heads to his car. "Excluding the twins. But the maid? She's nervous."
"We haven't seen the driver or the other maid," Sherry added. "I got their employment records thoughâŠ." her voice soon died down.
"Sherry? What's wrong?" He got in his car, turning it on and the heater to warm himself up.
"It only shows that there's only five people living in the Kensington's residents," Sherry explained. "Candance, the twins, the head maid and their driver. There's nothing about another maid."
Leon sighed. "Fuck. Where they spitting out nonsense?" he mumbled. His eyes soften for a moment as he gently placed your sparkling shoe on the passenger seat.
"I'm assuming their mother hides everything from them. They're very much innocent. Though I'm not sure about the slightly evil one."
Leon sighed, gripping his wheel. "Looks like we're at plan B."
"Going door to door?"
"You bet it."
â***â
Leon's determination left the DSO department astonished. The Leon S. Kennedy going to houses to apartments, looking for his suspect that wore a sparkling shoe? People started calling him, Prince Charming. Even Sherry was calling him that, going as far as saying 'Yes, your highness.'
Then came a night where Sherry knew he was harboring some interesting and unknown feelings for you. He walked into her office, standing there awkwardly.
Sherry raised a brow and pushed her chair back, raising a brow. "Need something?"
"UhhâŠ" He scratched the back of his neck. "The footage⊠from the ball. Send it to me. All of it. Please." He quickly walks out of her office after that awkward conversation, although he didn't even let Sherry response.
Sherry rolled her eyes, with a knowing grin. "Could've send me an email."
And that night in his office, he watched his conversation with you. You seemed to be enjoying yourself that night. Like it was your only time to be free, even though stealing maybe something you didn't want to do.
He analyzed the color of your hair, your skin, body language, voice. Then he worked his way to your exposed chest, your neck, up to your chin, your lips, your sparkling eyes that seemed to hold in need of saving. And he was willing to save you. His mission currently, was to find you, get the virus off your hands and take you in for questioning. His mission, but it's what the DSO wants. What he wants, what his true mission by heart, was to save you.
'I wouldn't know⊠I'm just doing my job, you know?' Your voice stayed in his head. The only annoying part was how sad you seemed, like you didn't want to leave him at all that night.
It seemed you were begging him to take you in, to help you, to fix your life. But you also seemed afraid, worried that it will just make things worse.
He glanced at your shoe that was placed on his desk. It still shined. He just hoped you're still shinning out there, waiting for him.
â***â
"Close the case?" Leon repeated what his boss said, but with much surprise and confusion.
Pff, so what if it's been two months already?
His boss nodded. "We can't afford to waste time on our suspect anymore. We have more issues to worry about." He slides a folded Leon's way. "An anonymous tip gave us intel of where the D-Virus now is. It's in France, the lady said."
"But I can't justâ" Leon sighed. "There is a woman out there who is forced to stealâ you're going to have to get someone elseâ"
"She asked for you," his boss interrupts.
Leon froze but soon he relaxed. He takes a step forward. "Who asked for me?"
His boss throws him a micro chip which he easily catches. "Sounds like your Cinderella and it looks like she does need you." His boss smirks. "You could kill two birds with one stone."
Leon gently caresses the micro chip before looking back at his boss. "When?"
â***â
Leon still didn't enjoy masquerade balls. He couldn't determine or identify anyone with stupid masks on. Including you.
"Boss said he's never seen you this determined," Sherry said.
Leon shut his eyes and groaned. "Why do I have to admit everything?"
"Just saying!"
"Okay, enough about me, let's get inside." He puts stupid ugly itching ass mask back on. He just hope it doesnât give him some allergic reaction again, like the first time.
While he made his way to the big gala, your conversation with the dispatch stayed glued in his mind.
"Hello, this is DSO, how many I help you?" The dispatch asked.
"There's going to be another bidding in France," you said softly.
"What?"
"It's in the city, hosted by François Spirito, a Mafia leader."
"Oh uh okayâŠ" notes were written.
"He's bidding it but also in the works with more scientists to clone the virus."
"What virus?"
"The D-Virus," you replied. "I recommend your best DSO agent and to come early. So bring⊠uh⊠Leonardo Da Vinci," you tried not to chuckle at the name before ending the call.
"Whoâ? Uh ma'am? Ma'am are you there?"
"You're smirking," Sherry popped his bubble.
His smirk dropped. "I don't think I did."
"You did."
"Did not." He smirked at the end.
â***â
You nervously tapped your foot against the tiles, crossing your arms. You stood in the far corner of the even bigger ballroom. You were nervous, very nervous. This is your first time doing something wil your own will.
Rewind, Ella didn't finish you. (Not that way). And you'll never know why. But the time you woke up after that beating, you were at what seemed to be a hospital. The doctors didn't question you, but after you recover, you were kicked out. With only a bag of the same clothes from the ball, a new pair of shoes, your lonely sparkling shoe and some cash to get by.
You don't know if Candence is aware you're alive. Or if she's aware of her own daughters' doing.
Back to the present, you immediately shriveled up when you saw him enter. You hide behind a tall marble pillar. Wait, why are you hiding? You asked him to come here, it'll be ironic to avoid him.
You peeked your head out, seeing him trying to blend in the crowd. He stood tall and confident, casually taking a glass of champagne from one of the waiters. You watched him take a sip, his face scrunching at the awful flavor. You chuckled when he takes his head and almost sticks his tongue out.
Suddenly, because of your mysterious laughter, his head quickly snaps in your direction. Your smile dropped and you quickly hid behind the pillar again. "Okay, I probably have a lot to explain. Where do I even start?" You mumbled to yourself. You looked back. "Shit! He's getting closer!"
"If he's going that way, I'll go this way to avoid himâ" You almost screamed when he was right in front of you, but he quickly covered your mouth.
Once you calmed down, he slowly released his hand from your mouth. "Where have you been?" is what he asked, his voice a bit frustrated. "And what's with being a scaredy-cat? You're the one who asked me to show up."
"WellâŠ" You puck your lips in a teasing manner. "You didn't have to show upâŠ?"
He rolled his eyes before bringing his hand forward. "Leon S. Kennedy," he finally introduced himself properly. "Not Leonardo Da VinciâŠ" he blushed a bit.
"I know."
"What? you knewâ" He sighed and took a step forward, invading your space. "Okay, you can't just keep me in the dark forever. I've had enough of it. Tell me everything from start to now," he demanded.
"You can⊠call me Silver?" you shrugged and gulped when he took another step. "Okay I can⊠butâ"
"No buts." He glared.
"There is a but!" You huffed with a smile. "When I asked you come here, it's not about me."
Leon was taken aback by your explanation. He thought you wanted him to find you, which he would still unknowingly do without hesitation. "I've been trying to find you for the past two months!" He ran his fingers through his hair a bit dramatically. "You're hiding something. Someone is putting you up with this and I want to be there to stop it."
Your eyes widened, now you were taken aback. Woah. You schooled your expression and cleared your throat, looking away. "Later, we still have a missionâ"
He gently grabs your chin and forces you to look his way. "Then promise me."
Your jaw dropped slightly, staring into his cool blues behind that mask. "I⊠promise." you nodded slowly.
He leans back, his hand dropping from your chin. "Good." He brings his arm up for you to wrap it around. "Now let's walk around before everyone thinks we're in the middle of a divorce."
You quietly wrapped your arm around his. While you two talked around the ballroom, you would steal some glances at him, which in return he caught.
Leon sighed. "What?"
"Are you that worried about me?" You asked with a smirk.
He narrowed his eyes away, his arm squeezing against yours without realizing. "It's my job."
"To favor an ordinary woman?"
He let out a small laugh. "You're not ordinary," he replied. "And I don't favor. Saving a life still counts rather than saving no one. And you're not no one."
"You're full of surprisesâŠ" You hummed. "You're not an artist. Your name is Leon and you're an agent for the DSO."
"Look who's talking."
"Well we both have our reasons! You just decided to reveal your secrets!"
You two talked nonsense to kill time, eventually getting near François Spirito's suite. Leon's radiation device was able to track the gas of the D-Virus. It had no smell, but its gas alone was infecting everyone. Or so you thought.
"Everyone is like those creatures from our last encounter," you commented. "Do you think they're immuned?"
"Immuned and probably hungry for it." He coughed slightly.
You frowned. "You okay?" you asked, placing a hand on his bicep.
"I'm fineâŠ" He caught his breathe. "Just⊠get old, you know? Arthritis?"
You stared at him dead in the eyes and wacked his head. "âŠ.you're not funny."
"Leon, I put the security cameras on loop. You're good to go," Sherry confirmed.
Leon placed two fingers near his ear. "Thanks, Sherry." He stares back at the guards before looking back at you. "Okay, lets get rid of them. You ready?"
You two walked straight to the two guards, immediately they reacted with. "This room is off limits."
"You're at your limit." He throws an unnecessary kick at the one guard's head. "Silver, get the other guy!" he shouts at you.
You pulled out your lipstick from your purse and fried the other guy's brains off. Once both guards were down, you two stared at each other, before only you laughed.
"What?" His chest heaved, yet he gave you a small breathy smile.
"It take you that long?"
"To kill this guy, yeah." He shakes his head. "Can't use bulletsâ and what is that? Lipstick?"
"Mhm! You can still use it!" You beamed and held it up at him. "Wanna try?"
"Try like what? Taze me?" He raised a brow, leaning back.
"NoâŠ" You turned the bottom of the lipstick to get more product. "Try the color on youâŠ"
"No." He crossed his arms and turned his head away.
"No seriously, this might be the right shade for youâ"
"No chance."
"Don't you have kids who put makeup on you?"
"I don't have time forâ"
"Guys!" a voice picked up loudly from Leon's comms. "Focus please!"
"Oh right, sorryâŠ" You took a step back. "Ladies first." You gestured to the door. He shakes his head with a smile before opening the door.
No one was in François Spirito's suite, which was good. But unfortunately, they'd have to sweep the area to find the vital. "Jesus, there's barely anything in here," he mumbled in frustration.
"To your left, Leon," Sherry said.
"My left?" He turns to face at the campfire, where you're already snooping around. "Find anything?"
You glanced at him. "The safe is behind the camfire."
Leon coughs again, making it seem like his legs gave out as he knelt to look past the campfire. You ignored it for the time being. He pours a bottle of water into the fire, extinguishing it, before placing a magnetic device on the safe. "Got the safe, Sherry."
"On it," she replied back. In just a few seconds, she unlocked the safe. "Got it."
The safe slowly opens, cold foggy air coming out. You waved away the cold air to find⊠nothing.
"What?" You blinked, too confused to hair a ticking sound. "I swear it was in here, it should beâ"
"Get Back!" Leon immediately pulls you away from the campfire and shields you from the sudden explosion.
In a split second, your ears rung in pain. You groaned, feeling a big load of weight on you. You opened your eyes to find an unconscious man on top of you. But no ordinary unconscious man, an unconscious Leon.
Your eyes widened when you realized it was him without his mask. His forehead was pressed up against yours, arms caging you like armor. You slowly got him off you and gently slapped his face. "Leon? Leon, wake up!" You pull back when your white glove becomes soaked with blood. Not yours, but his.
Because of the sudden explosion, guards with pale rotting skin and fleshing hungry gazes burst into the flaming room. "Shit."
Summary: With further investigation and with the help from Sherry, Leon knew where the shoe came from. He just still didnât know who did it belong to.
Warning: Cinderella Trope, girlâs got an evil stepmother and shi. Smut will come in the future! Leon is an awkward virgin. Uh idk what else yet
2.6k words
â***â
Leon stood behind the mirror, along with other investigators. Inside the interrogation room, was the wannabe Salazar. Or so Fredrick Salazar, literally and actually the cousin of the Salazar Leon met in Spain.
The knife you so plunged deep pass Salazar's throat miraculously healed, leaving him alive. So DSO detained him immediately for questioning.
Sherry stood next to Leon, crossing her arms. "So you were right."
"Mhm," Leon hummed, not seemingly there with the other agents.
"Leon, if you're not feeling well, you can go sit outside," Sherry suggested. "Or maybe go to our doctor to check on thatâ"
"I'm fine. It's just a bite. It's not going to infect me, don't worry," Leon assured her.
"Have you sold the D-Virus to anyone else?" An agent asked Salazar. "To who?"
"I never once sold it. Never!" Salazar repeated, glaring at the mirror, as if the Spanish man knew tha Leon was there. "It was stolen by you people!"
"Our agent never got to the vital in time," the agent stated, looking through Leon's report of the mission. "It was stolen by an unknown woman in a silver dress. Do you know her?"
"How would I know? We were all wearing masks." Salazar snarled.
The agent sighed in annoyance. "I'll ask you again. Where are the other vitals you've sold?"
"I never sold them, not until today. I was going to bid, to make money, to be rich and take over this planet with my minions⊠until she!" Salazar pointed at the picture of you. "Took it!"
"So the Silver Gal is the only person in this entire world is in possession of the D-Virus?"
"Precisely." Salazar leaned back and scoffed. "I should've known⊠her jewelry were plastic and barely shine. Yet she still took my guests' attention, even your little blonde boy over there."
The agent blinked and turned to the mirror. "What?"
â***â
"You've been working here for 3 decades and suddenly you got distracted?" The boss huffed, pacing back and forth. "We are standing here talking while someone has one of the most dangerous bio-organic weapon on this planet and you decided to take the time to chit chat with her?!"
Leon took in silent, running his hand through his hair. Finally he sighed. "Can't a old man make small talk?" He joked.
"Flirting with the enemy, you mean? An enemy you weren't aware of?"
"Okay, cut her some slack! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't think I'd be here standing while you give me a lecture," Leon explained. "And if it make you feel any better, I already have Sherry running through some purchasing files."
"Oh like a shoe is going solve this."
Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "Look I never got to be a normal cop, but this is one way to find someone."
â***â
After that unbearable lecture, Leon makes his way to Sherry's office. "Okay, give me what you got," he said, seeing Sherry already possessing useful information.
"The shoe is actually a designer," Sherry stated.
"Thatâs not what I'm looking for." Leon frowned in annoyance.
"You didn't let me finish.â Sherry then explained, moving the monitor to let Leon see. "This shoe leds back to a clothing company that is currently going bankrupt and check this out."
She pulls out the owner of the company, the baroness, alone with female twin. "The women are models for their own clothing line. Look familiar?"
Leon's eyes widened at the familiar appearance. The women on screen do look familiar to him, yet they seem to shine as bright as you did at the ball. "Well I⊠only remember her lip, so I can't be so sure."
"You only remember her lips?" Sherry smirked.
"Do your job. Are there any other women in the family."
"Just them. From what the Siler Gal is, 'just doing her job' she maybe working for her own mother," Sherry guessed. "Should we sent a squad over to pay them a visit?"
"I'll go."
Sherry knitted her brows in concern and annoyance at Leon's stubbornness. "Leon, from what you experienced at the bidding room, what if it's worse over there?"
Leon shakes his head, disagreeing. "And gets hurt? No thanks. I rather not risk it⊠besides⊠something tells me she's doing this against her own will. She's held at gunpoint," he explained. "You saw how ashamed she was⊠even came to my aide as well."
Sherry paused for a moment and nodded. "You're right. She even played as your wife as wellâ"
"Okay, that's enough of you for one night." Leon shuts her computer off and waves at her dismissively.
Sherry bursted out laughing. "Enough of me? Looks like you don't need comms when you're gone looking for your CinderellaâŠ" she teased.
Leon paused. "Turn it back on."
â***â
You sulked as you did the dishes in the kitchen. You sighed, scrubbing the grime off one plate harder.
The head maid, Elinna furrows her brows in concern. "Whatâs going on, honey? Don't tell me you got injured during your missionâŠ" she sighed. "I swear tha old hag should've sent someone else to do the job. Not her heirâ"
"No no I'm hurtâŠ" you sighed again. "Just preparing." You shrugged.
"For what?" She places a comforting hand on your back.
"For the worse."
"Tell me."
You turned to her. "I met a guy at my mission. He was you knowâŠ" you smiled shyly. "Handsome, blonde, tall. He was packed as well."
"Oh well that doesn't the worse at all."
"His name was Leonardo Da Vinci, can you believe that?" You chuckled.
"Let me guess, he wants to steal back his Mona Lisa?" Elinna joked.
You laughed loudly. "That's what I said!" You cleared your throat. "Uh the point is⊠my shoe slipped."
"Okay⊠and?"
"Turns out that man is with like the police and that shoe⊠is one of the baroness's productsâŠ" you cringed, feeling ashamed and small. "This is the part where I feel like I'm screwed."
Elinna gasped. "(Y/n)!" She looked back at the kitchen door. "The baroness will burn you alive! She will kill you know!"
You dropped your head. "I know! I know! But it was an accident! I didn't mean for it to happen!"
"no no no, they can't take you! Oh god, they took your mother, your fatherâ rest in peace and now they're trying to take you away!" Elinna sniffs. "Oh god, she's such a horrible womanâŠ"
"Look, I am afraid but⊠even it was an accident⊠it was still my fault. And once she finds out, I'll take it," you said with determination. "I'll take whatever punishment she had for me and I'll live with it."
"You go, sweetheart." Elinna cups your cheeks. "but what if the police find out that you were forced upon this?"
"It would be hard to convince them⊠these days, justice is never served." You shrugged.
The baroness could have picked anyone in this house. With her clothing line going bankrupt, she had very few money to pay someone else to steal the D-Virus. So she chose you. If you were kill, no would know. Because she erased you from this world, you had no record, nothing. Not even the police would be able to know who you were.
At first, you refused, but when she put their only driver at gunpoint, you obeyed.
She picked you because you were useful but disposable as well. You were a good spy and slave to her. And she knew you weren't easy to kill, but you easy to manipulation. You cared, that was the problem. You grew up with these servants around you, so she knew your weakness.
Despite being the true heir to the company, it didn't matter anymore. With you gone, her eldest daughter, your younger half-sister would be the next in line. That is, if the baroness would finally retired or die.
"Elinna! Get the door!" The baroness suddenly snapped you out of your own thoughts.
"A visitor?" You blinked.
"In this pouring rain?" Elinna raised a brow.
"Elinna, you fat old lady, get the door!" Shouted a further more bratty voice. That was your younger half-sister Ella, twins with Anna.
"Dear god, that woman is in her late 20s and she still acts like that?" Elinna laughs with you as you both made your way to the entrance.
You stood behind Anna, who seemed nervous. "It's a cop," she whispered towards you.
You froze. "A cop?" Shi, I'm out. You thought.
Anna turned her head and nodded anxiously. "Mother said that he's part of DSOâŠ" Yup, you're screwed!
Elinna fixed her uniform before opened the door. "Hello sir, how may I help you today?"
"I'm looking for the owner of this residents," said a voice so familiar to you. "By the name of Candence Kensington?"
With that, you quickly went back to the kitchen. You couldn't go out there, you'd ruin things further!
Before Elinna could say anything, everything paused as loud and thundering heels clicked. "That would be me," Candence's voice echoed. She walked down the stairs. "Elinna, it's rude to leave our heros in the rain, let him in." she turns, walking to the living room.
Elinna's eye twitched. "Right." She turned to the cop. "Come in."
"(Y/n)! Bring us tea!" Ella shouted towards the kitchen.
â***â
You were already on with the tea, warm, steaming and ready to be poured. You stood next to the door, in hopes that the cop doesn't see you. You should've known! Leonardo Da Vinci was an undercover cop! Now he's chasing your ass for the virus! Well technically, Candence is in possession of the D-Virus.
The first person who walked into the living room was Candence herself. She gave you a deadly look which meant you were most definitely going to be killed or disposed of⊠or maybe just turned in and blamed for.
Candence sat in the large chair, in front of the coffee table. While Ella and Anna sit across from the cop.
"Introduce yourself, sir," Candence started. "Clearly you know who we are but we don't know you." she snapped her fingers for you to pour the tea.
Before you could, Elinna quickly stops you. "I'll do it, before he figures you out," she whispered.
You nodded and turned to me, still able to hear the cop introduce himself. "I'm Leon S. Kennedy, DSO," he said.
Once the door closed, you blinked. Okay, so you're really screwed.
"You look good for your age," Anna said softly.
Ella elbowed her sister gently. "I think he knows that already. He's not here for compliments!" She whispered.
Leon clears his throat and nods at Anna. "Thank you, but she's right. I'm not really here for that." He turns to Candence, taking out a sparkling shoe, placing it on the coffee table. "I have an unknown suspect on the loose. She's is a woman in silver and she was wearing this shoe."
Candence stared coldly at the shoe. "Thatâs my brand, yes," she admitted. "But I don't think you will find your suspect here."
Leon raised a brow, seemingly skeptical. "Ma'am, I'd like to speak toâ"
"It's Miss," Candence corrected him.
"Well MissâŠ" Leon started. "I'd like to speak to your daughters privately and individually."
Candence shrugged and forced a clear tight smile. "Alright, you can start with Anna." She stood up, with Ella following her.
Before Candence could leave, she grabbed Elinna by the arm. "Where is that clumsy woman?" She snarled quietly.
"I don't know, Miss." Elinna shrugged.
Meanwhile, you were panicking, walking back and forth in the servants' diner. "I was talking to a cop this entire time!"
"How did he track us?" Malcom, the driver for Candence and the twin asked.
"My⊠shoe slipped. And it's Candence's brand," you cried, gently hitting your head against the wall.
He spits coughs out your coffee. "Why would you use that woman's clothes to begin with?!"
"I don't know! Why would she chose me to do her dirty work, leave me with nothing and expect me to get what she wants?!" You spat back. "I don't have fancy clothes! And I can't afford fancy clothes!"
â***â
"So yeah, I stayed home that day. And it most definitely wouldn't be Ella. I highly doubt it sinceâ well she's into balls and what not but I wouldn't think she want to be a part of stealing anything," Anna explained.
Leon writes a few notes down, nodding. "Do you suspect anyone in this household to have worn this shoe?"
"uh⊠maybe our maid?" Anna shrugged. "But you know, they're not allowed to wear other people's belongingsâŠ"
Leon raised a brow. Their maid? The old woman behind him? "That woman behindâ"
"Oh no, ourâŠ" Anna sighed sadly. "Other maid. Elinna is our head maid."
"So it's just, you, your sister, mother, two maids and the driver? In this house?" Leon asked.
Anna nodded. "Malcom is our driver, yes." She tried to hide the fact of how delighted she said Malcom's name.
"What is your other maid's name againâ"
The door bursted open before Leon could finish. Candence stood tall and talking to them. "I think that's for you today, Mr. Kennedy⊠my girls and I have a meeting to attend. I wouldn't want to be late to that."
Leon stood up. "I still have to interview your other daughter, Miss."
"Come back when you have enough evidence and a search warrant, okay?" Candence smiled. "Now Elinna walk Mr. Kennedy to the door, my girls and I have to get ready."
Elinna nodded and turned to Leon. "Right this way, sir."
Leon mumbled something under his breath in annoyance, gently grabbing the shoe, dusking it off before putting in his bag. He walks with Elinna to the door.
While they walked, he heard chatter down below and paused at a staircase leading down. "Where does that led to?" He asked.
"Oh that's the servants' dining room," Elinna replied nervously.
Leon forced himself to brush it off and continued walking. He clearly knew that the Kensington family was hiding something big. He didn't have enough evidence to dig deeper into this house. Finding evidence with no warrant is illegal evidence and can't be used during court. The baroness is hiding something. He thought. But the twins know nothing, he assumed from Anna.
When Elinna led him to the door, he pulled out his card. "Call me if anything happens."
Elinna nervously took the card and nodded.
â***â
"Mom stop!" Anna cried, shielding you from Candence.
You were barely conscious, unable to hear or see. But you can feel Elinna place your head on her lap, moving your hair out of your face.
"It was an accident, Miss!" Elinna defended you as well.
"mom please, whatever she did, she didn't mean itâŠ" Anna sobbed.
"That cop will be after us! It's the DSO for heaven's sake!" Candance gripped her fists. "I should've turned you in and blamed you but that cop has a soft for you, he'd believe you!"
Your face was barely recognizable, nose bleeding, black eye, face swollen, a few bruises around your body and a numb hand that was forced into boiling water. You felt Elinna's fingers on your neck and she gasped. "Her pulse is weak! We have to take her to the hospital!"
"And have you tell how this happened?" Candence raised a brow before turning to Ella. "You finish her."
"Yes, mother," Ella obeyed, with the same dark glint as her mom.
"Quickly, we must sell the vital and leave. Elinna get off her and start packing our things. Malcom, get the car ready," Candence ordered and left. "After you're done with that brat, dispose of the body, bury or burn, just make sure no one knows. And you if disobey, you're next."
Summary: Leon is given another mission. Though this time wearing a mask, little information and a mysterious lady in silver catching his eye.
Warning: Cinderella Trope, girlâs got an evil stepmother and shi. Smut will come in the future! Leon is an awkward virgin. Uh idk what else
2.5k words.
â***â
"You ready, Leon?" Sherry asked through the comms.
Leon closes his car door, putting on his masquerade mask. "Yeah," he said gruffly. He never thought he'd get a mission like this. It wasn't something he was used to, something he never done. Going undercover. Fake ID, fake name, different car.
Usually he'd do missions regarding all the way back to viruses, raccoon city, or maybe saving a president's daughter. But no, the agency gave him this mission for the time being. Sherry calls it a break after getting their vaccines.
Leon frowned, adjusting his mask. "Who still does masquerade balls?"
"Apparently this party does." Sherry shrugged, her computer popping up more information. She lets out a cold and unsettling sigh.
"What is it?" He asked while scratching his cheek. God, he found this mask to be itching.
"Well looks like this isn't no normal mission anymore." Sherry sighed deeper. On her screen, she brings a photo of a vital, containing some dark black liquid inside. It seemed alive despite it being just a picture. Beside the picture, information. "Leon, take a look at this." She sends the information to his phone.
On the other end, Leon takes his phone out and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess, some new virus?"
"If this virus is still with us, it could mean that the vaccine won't work. Stronger than the T-Virus," Sherry explain.
"Well this should be a piece of cake." Leon stuffed his phone back into his pocket. "I'm going off during security, see you then."
"Stay safe, Leon." With that Sherry's voice goes quiet.
Leon makes his way to the mansion, where other cars pull up to the entrance. Rich people, with feathers in their hair, gold and silver on their clothes. And is that a live cat on that woman's shoulder?! It was a good decoy, but clique. A masquerade ball, but under that a bidding arena.
"Ticket?" A security guard asked. Leon silently but casually handed the man his ticket. And as the guard checked if the ticket was real, Leon took a glimpse at the tattoo on the guard's neck. He glances at the other guard across, same tattoo as well.
This organization must be new, very new, probably funded by someone who worked with Umbrella or even the remote village in Spain. Whoever it was, they were alive and still wanted to carry on their boss's corruptions.
The security guard nodded to the other and let Leon pass. He fixed his tie momentarily, walking into a large hallway with adorning lights, chandeliers and gold statues.
Pass the glorious hallway, led to the magnificent ballroom. Chitchatter was from left to right. As he examined the ballroom, he whispered for Sherry. "You there, Sherry."
"Still here," she said.
"Can you get a hold of the security cameras for me?" He glanced up, most of the cameras were hidden by vegetation, flowers as such. Some even placed on tables, pots, and even the guards had their own on their chest. Very small, but when you're a professional, you'd know what they're up too.
Well now that Leon thought about it, he didn't really know what was going on. All he knew there was a bidding going on for this new virus. And Sherry couldn't find information about who was most likely to win the bid. Everyone was rich here.
"Look at him, he's alone," an old woman whispered, her gaze at Leon's tall figure.
His solo presence was clearly eye catching. Like what? A nice tall, 'hopefully rich' gentleman alone? Where was his wife? Where are his eager children that needed a marriage to be sealed?
"Oh godâŠ" he cringed and turned his back from the young ladies.
"Whatâs happening?" Sherry asked.
"Nothing." Leon cleared his throat. "Focus on getting a hold of those cameras," he whispered.
Once Sherry hacked into the system, she smirked. "3 o'clock your way. And I don't think you'd need to pull out your gun."
"What do you meanâ"
"Hello, good sirâŠ." a bubbly young woman appears behind him.
Leon slowly turns around. "HelloâŠ" he spoke awkwardly.
"Why are you alone? Is your⊠wife anywhere?" The woman asked, inching closer.
"Uh yes," he lied, frantically looking around in hopes avoiding whatever this was. "she's overâ"
That's when his tongue was tied. A woman in silver, awkward trying to refuse a young man's offering of something. He couldn't see her face, not with the mask in the way.
She leaned away, hands behind her back, gripping her fingers. Maybe she was in desperate need of someone to get this man off her sight.
"There." Leon exhaled softly. Before the young woman in front of him could speak again, he puts a hand in front of her face. "Sorry, I have to save her from that man." His feet were already moving subconsciously.
"uh Leon? What are you doing?" Sherry asked, watching him through the cameras. "This isn't part of the planâ"
"Sh. Isnât it odd enough that she's alone too?" Leon defended. Yet on the other hand, he can tell that the woman in silver also brought the attention of young bachelors. He for one, can't help but be one of them. And maybe, he could use her as a temporary partner. Although, he shouldn't completely trust on a total stranger. Not like⊠the last time.
"This mansion allows guest rooms," the man asked you again in a suggestive tone.
You sighed in exhaustion. "I'm not interestedâŠ" you cringed, forcing a smile. "And beside I haveâ"
"A husband," Leon finished your sentence, his chest close to your back.
You froze, cranking your head at the blonde man behind you. "uhâŠ"
"Husband?" The man frowned. "But you said you cameâ"
"Yes I didâŠ. I justâŠ" You stood your ground, glancing back at Leon. "Didnât know my husband followed meâŠ"
Leon crossed his arms. "Alone with no security?" He made small talk. You played the part well, very well. If he was the man, he'd be convinced as well.
You sighed and rolled your eyes, waving your hand dismissively at him. "Canât a woman have some alone time?" You glared at the both of them.
"Not in a place like this, dressed like a diamond." Leon stood in front of you, the man now forgotten. Once you two were a few feet away from other guests, he leans forward and whispered into your ear. "you know about the bidding tonight?"
You blinked and chuckled, starting at him like he's dumb. "No need to whisper. I mean, no one is talking about it but this is what the masquerade ball was for." You examined his figure for a moment. "First time�" You guessed.
Leon leaned back, a little flustered. "Something like thatâŠ" he narrowed his eyes away, seeing the young women fuss over him once again.
You see where his eyes went and cleared your throat. You wrapped your arms around his arm. GOD DAMNâ "So then if you want to talk about the bidding. What will you do with the virus? Sell it again?"
"I'd use it on myself," Leon lied with ease, wanting to look like a rich man with simple greed and power.
You snapped your head at him. "Really? I would rather like test it on someone else to see the side effects and how much pain it doesâŠ"
Leon chuckled. "Why⊠waste time? Think about how much I can take over the city in one swipe?"
"Huh⊠fair enough, I guess."
The floor suddenly shook and in instinct, Leon made sure to hold onto you. "You alright?" He asked softly. He knows he shouldn't be so concerned about someone who's also here to bid for a new virus, but he couldn't help it when your presence astonished him. There was no realization when every time his heart skipped a beat at your voice. He had a feeling you don't belong here with people like this.
"Yes, thank you." You turned to see guests walking to the middle of the ballroom.
"All guests, please come to the center of the ballroom."
You smiled cheekily at Leon. "Shall we uh�" You were asking for his name.
"Leonardo." My god, did Sherry have to be so extra with this fake name? He thought. He cringed at the last part. "Da⊠VinciâŠ" he looked away embarrassingly, he couldn't help it. Once this was all over, he was gonna scold Sherry on giving agents better convincing fake names.
You covered laugh with a cough. "L-let's get goingâŠ" you forced him to walk with you to the middle of the ballroom.
â***â
With so many guests, the elevator going down to the bidding room was very tight, a little claustrophobic even. You puckered your lips. "SoâŠ" you smirked. "Is like⊠your family a bunch of artists?" You chuckled.
"SureâŠ" Leon can't help but laugh as well.
"let me guess, one day, your family will try to steal back The Mona Lisa?"
Leon slightly looked away shyly. "Maybe⊠with the Virus, surely."
"Uh huh⊠that makes perfectly since now that you're here."
"And? What's about you? I never caught your name." Leon smirked back.
"O-ohâŠ" you froze. "Me? My name?" You pointed to yourself.
Leon crossed his arms, still staring smugly. "Mhm. You haven't said much about yourself. It's my turn."
"Uh⊠Well my name isâŠ" you smiled awkwardly, looking for an escape. Man, I'm back at square one! You thought. Suddenly the elevator stopped. Everyone stood in a dimly lit room. You snapped out of it. "Restroom!" You ran with heels.
"Hey! Wait!" Leon reached out for you, but he knew he canât just pause on an important mission for a woman.
"Sorry! Uhâ period! You know! Don't want blood on my pretty dress!" You made a terrible excuse and soon disappeared.
Leon turns back to the main issue with the frown. "I heard everything," Sherry comes back.
"Fuck, I forgot you were here," Leon grimaced.
"You know I've never seen you this distracted by a woman, not likeâ"
"Don't push it."
"Okay! Okay!" Sherry laughs. "But this is the first time, I've seen you more nervous over a woman than Mr. X."
"I said don't push it!" He whispered harshly. "Just focus on the mission."
Sherry pouted. "Ironic much?"
"Oh please, it's not like I've decided to take a coffee break during the job," Leon remarked. "And heyâŠ"
"Yeah?"
"After this⊠can you⊠try to get information on that woman?" Leon mumbled.
"âŠ"
"Uh Sherry?"
"'Don't push it!' You said. Yeah yeah whatever." She laughs. "Now the real deal, the bidding starts in 10 minutes. Doors are automatic, cameras on, and I think I see our host getting ready for a speech."
Leon shakes his head in annoyance. "Short, stubby, Spanish accent. Could be Salazar's cousin."
"Except for the medieval wear," Sherry added.
"Now I present youâŠ" The wannabe Salazar snapped his fingers. "The D-Virus!" A pillar rose in front of him, revealing a small vital with the black liquid. It was placed neatly on the pillar like an ancient artifact.
"23!" someone shouted, the bidding had already begun.
"23 dollars?" Leon whispered in confusion.
"I think he means 23 million dollars."
"Oh." Leon frowned. "I⊠knew thatâŠ"
"Sure you did."
As the money rose, so did the guests urges. What is going on? He glanced at their skin, seeing how pale its become. These weren't ordinary rich corrupted people. No, this goes all the way back to the time he saved Ashley from that village in Spain.
Soon the guests' skin started to rot and decay, shouting. "I'd give my life! Give it to me!" "No! Me! I'd give you my life, my children! Everything!"
"What the fuck is going onâ"
Suddenly the power goes out, leaving everyone stunned and confused, including Leon himself. "Sherry, was that your doing?"
"N-no it wasnâtâŠ" she frantically tried to get the system back. "I don't think someone hacked into the system, whoever it was, they sabotaged the electricity."
"Security? Where are my guards?!" WS (Wannade Salazar) shouted. "Someone search the area! And keep the D-Virus safeâ" his voice dies down, a small knife plunged through his throat.
Leon's eyes widened when he sees a familiar and glistening figure. You, the silver woman.
"Shit," Leon cursed but it wasn't something he should be worried about for the moment.
The guests turned at him.
"YouâŠ" one said, that being, the same bubbly woman who was trying to win his heart moments ago. "You and your wife are trying to steal the virusâŠ"
Leon scoffed with a teasing tone. "Yeah sure, she and I apparently have different plans." He loaded his gun. "But don't worry, I'm stealing the virus but destroying it afterwards. You should be happy."
Heads pop and burst like ballons. People's heads were gone and in return, parasites. Leon sighed. "I suddenly feel young againâŠ" he shoots them.
Meanwhile, WS body's drops to the floor, letting him choke on his own blood. You used your lipgloss to break the thick glass that secured the vital. It shattered before you quickly took it and stuffed the vital in your purse. Then you used your lipgloss again to shatter the window to escape.
The wind howl, making you squint your eyes. You were about jump out before you heard Leonardo's painful cry. You whipped your head back in fear, seeing the poor guy getting bitten by one of those creatures. Looking back, he wasnât here for greed but for saving.
You sighed. "She is going to be so pissed." You took a step back from the window and made your way to the first floor.
(Uh fight fight and more fighting)
Once the last body dropped, Leon sighed in relief. "FinallyâŠ" he groaned and coughed at the pain on his shoulder, where he was previously bit. But he soon ignored it when he narrowed his eyes to your escaping figure. "You," he said softly.
You froze and slowly turned around. "Me?"
"Yes, you. Who else?" He laughs half-heartily. "What are you doing to do with it?" He asked gruffly nonetheless.
You glanced at your purse and shrugged, with a sad smile. "I wouldn't know⊠I'm just doing my job, you know?" Your heels clicked, making your way to the window.
"Hey waitâ pleaseâ" he chases after you and you walked faster, clutching your purse.
He worried for you, because outside from that window, was the sea. And you jump with your back facing it. He wasn't able to fully grasp onto your ankle, only your heel.
His upper body outside from the window, your bright, silver heel in his hand. He watched as you fell, your eyes locked onto each other.
If only it was easy without the mask. His chest heaved with every deep breathe. He was left confused and almost disappointed.
Who was this woman in silver? Why did she come for the virus? If she didn't want it, then who wanted it? Did she work for them? Why did she seem almost ashamed?
For all he knew and had was your figure engraved in his memories and a sparkling shoe as the only evidence of your presence being here.
Chapter two here
A/n: first time using tumblr as a wattpad fanfic writerđ Iâve used this app to read fanfics but I couldnât even find the button to add a post for myself. Uhh anyways hope you like this leon kennedy fanfic!
Also thereâs probably so many typos but donât worry Iâll try my best to come back around fix them
Older Mentor!Leon Kennedy x DSO Agent!Reader Slowburn đȘ»đ»đ„
Summary: You are in the deepest pits of the hell that is the friendzone. He's your co-worker, your mentor, 13 years older, and, to top it all off, you met when you were a teenager. Nothing could ever change the fact that Leon Kennedy saw you as a kidânot even your one-sided feelings you've had for him for nearly a decade... Or so it seems.
CW: Leon is 38 and reader is 25. They've met when she was 16, so do with that what you will. I obviously do not condone any of what happens in my fiction to be imitated IRL by anyone, but just to make it clear as a heads up: Leon has never felt any romantic attraction to reader while she was a minor (or even many years after that).
Note: Angst, fluff, and eventual smut. This is a slowburn and we're gonna make them work for it y'all. Also this is very RE core when it comes to stereotypical sci-fi horror.
[âGrandpa?â Leon scoffs in mock offense as he takes the weapon, reloading it with a nonchalant precision that only comes with fifteen or so odd years of experience.
âWell, you insist on still calling me âkid,â so, I shall retaliate. Just so you can feel how annoying it gets.â
âYeah, except Iâm not a grandpa. You, on the other hand, are a kid,â he smirksâway too smugâand then proceeds to walk past you...]
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, TBA
â â â â â
Chapter CW: Death, canon typical gore.
"Roost, Raven One here. Iâm at the specified location. Come in.â
â...â
âRoost, this is Raven One. Over.â
â...â
âRoost? âŠShit.â
The radio clicks when you turn it off, useless now that youâve concluded there was truly no signal.
âNo wonder she couldn't reach himâ, you think to yourself, readjusting your shoulder harness one more time before continuing to advance through the dark hallways of the underground facility. Some kind of abandoned military base from the time of God knows which warâyour brain is too fried to try and figure it out.
Itâs been a long day. Your cat woke you up way too early to feed him, you burned your toast for breakfast, missed your metro stop, and then proceeded to have the longest most tedious day of filing reports and answering emails. That was the life of a DSO agent outside of trauma-inducing missions: even more trauma in the form of clunky keyboards and multicolored paper clips.
But right before you were ready to call it a day and finally head home to enjoy some takeout and pass out on the couch, dear old Hunnigan came in with an emergency requestâwell, more like an orderâtelling you you need to join your favorite person in the world on his tedious mission after heâd gone MIA.
Leon S. Kennedy.
The one person youâre sure youâd sacrifice just about anything for just to keep around. Your DSO partner, your colleague, your mentor, your friend.
Hunnigan was breaking protocolâLeon wasn't gone for nearly long enough to deploy another agent to get him, and if he was, a team would be sent out rather than a lone person. But she had a hunch that things went to shit, and when Hunnigan has a hunch, you listen.
Especially when itâs about him. You don't take risks when it comes to him.
When you later arrived at the location of the last ping of his whereabouts, geared up with weapons youâre not cleared to take out, you were surprised to find two familiar faces who were coincidentally deployed to the same facility by a different group: the BSAA.
âJill? Is that you?â you had asked confused when light caught the silhouette of Jill Valentine surrounded by still-warm bodies of fallen guards, blood staining her clothes. You would've been scared shitless if you didn't know and trust her already.
Jillâs eyes widened in surprise as she called out your name, âdid Leon manage to call you?â
âNo, but Hunnigan said heâs gone MIA and sent me to his last ping. Iâm not exactly here on official terms⊠What are you doing here? Whatâs going on?â
âWell, look who joined the party,â a voice rang out behind Jill as Chris Redfield came in through a metal door.
âChris? I take it you two are on a mission? What happened to Leon? Where is he?â you fired up questions as you already started to feel worry settle in your veins.
âHe was supposed to go after Adamsâthe one responsible for this clusterfuck of BOW hellâwhile we were supposed to take out the incubating tanks. But that was hours ago and heâs made no contact since. Signal seems to be jammed around here,â Chris replied grimly, all traces of humor gone from his tone.
âWe couldn't get through to reach the lab yet with all the bullshit weâve encountered in this place, but destroying those tanks is still the priority if we don't want things to get even worse,â Jill added with an almost apologetic tone before placing a comforting hand on your shoulder, âhey⊠Iâm sure heâs fine, he won't be taken down that easy. But since you're here to find him, just promise you won't do anything too reckless. And find us as soon as you can, Iâm begging.â
Your jaw clenched in determination as you nodded, âIâll meet you as soon as Iâm able to locate him. You stay safe too.â
âStart with the west wing through that hallway. We haven't cleared that area yet and Iâd guess that's where youâd find him,â Chris gestured to the corridor on your left, and that is all you needed to hear before you left them to go on your search.
You recall Chris's directions and Jill's reassurances as you keep the grip on your gun steady. Walking with quick, measured, steps you try to keep yourself from being detected by roaming guards. Lucky for you they are few and far between, probably thanks to the two agents giving them a hard time and keeping them busy.
You search through the west wing, going through door after door, and ,after subduing a standing guard near a set of double doors silently, you find what looks like prison cells.
Ah. Typical.
As you shine your flashlight through each cell, heart racing from adrenaline, you find yourself hopingâprayingâthat if you do find him here, heâs somehow still okay.
And the universe delivers, because when the LEDâs beam reveals a familiar silhouette in the far end cell, you hear yourself let out a sigh of relief at the sight of him, all limbs attached, and breathing. Bound, gagged, and unconscious on the floor, but breathing.
You direct the lightâs direction upwards to see the hinges more clearly and notice bulky rusted door pins. Itâs a wonder heâs being kept in such an old place, it means all you have to do is jam away those pins and get the door to unhinge, youâll just have to use some brutal force and hope no oneâs nearby to hear it.
With your trusted knife and more than a little elbow grease, you manage to complete the task, but not without scraping your arm on the rusty door in the process. Youâll have to get a tetanus shot. Again.
The ruckus of the metal gate being pushed and prodded somehow did not wake Leon whoâs still unconscious when you come to crouch beside him, removing the cloth gagging him. Your heart aches at the sight of the bruises on his cheeks, and even more so when you lift his eyelids to find pinpoint pupils, a sign of opioid sedation.
You don't waste anymore time. You take out the naloxone from the small medical pouch stripped to your hip, and you hastily bring it to his left nostril and press the plunger, releasing the mist into his airways. âCome on, LeonâŠâ you plead.
A second later, his body jerks when he takes in a sharp gasp, eyes flying open as heâs jolted back into consciousness.
Gently grabbing his head to steady him, you speak softly to his confused state, âhey, hey, itâs me. Youâre okay. Iâm here.â
It takes him a minute before your words and his surroundings register, blinking rapidly as his breathing evens out.
âWhat the hell are you doing here, kid?â he asks in a gruff tone as he sits up with a grunt.
You sigh. Because of course that's the first thing he asks.
âIâm here to save your ass, you know, like the capable agent and colleague I am?â you huff before circling around him to cut off the restraints on his wrists.
âYouâre not supposed to be here. Did Ingrid send you?â
âYes, because youâve been MIA for hours, and clearly she was right to send me. You were overdosing."
Leon tsks stubbornly, âChris and Jill are here, they would've gotten me out eventually. You didn't have to come.â
You stand up with another huff after freeing him and cross your arms as you look down at him with an exasperated look, âyou know a thank you would be nice.â
âItâs not that Iâm not grateful, it's that I know you probably broke protocol to get here and put yourself in danger. But fine. Thanks, kiddo.â
You purse your lips and look away, feeling the familiar frustration rising whenever he insists on treating you like some kind of fragile, clueless child. You hate that he still sees you the same as he did nine years ago when you first met. You were sixteen, a powerless teenagerâa kidâand he has continued treating you like one nearly a decade later.
Noticing your scowling expression, Leon softens his tone when he extends a hand with a warm smile, âhelp me up?â
Rolling your eyes, you take his gloved hand in yours and pull him up to a standing position. However, you both quickly realize that may have been too soon post overdose reversal when he stumbles into you and your back hits the wall with his weight pressing on your body.
âShit⊠Are you okay?â you ask worried, trying to deliberately ignore the way your heart skips a beat at the proximity, your hands reflexively moving to his biceps to help support him.
Leonâs breath tickles your neck before he pulls back enough to look down at you, one hand on the wall, the other on your shoulder, âyeah, sorry, just need a minute.â
Youâre unable to maintain eye contact, feeling like your heart might stop, or you might do something stupid like look down at his lips and lean in for a kissâ
Get it together.
Leon catches your fleeting gaze, a ghost of an amused smile on his face when he squeezes your shoulder, âI am okay,â he murmurs reassuringly.
âI know."
Your answer is curt, even if you do relax a little bit at his reassurance. You know why he is reassuring you. He thinks you're nervous because you're worried for himâwhich you areâbut you're mostly nervous because you've been in love with him since the day he saved you.
There isn't a day that passes by when you don't remember it. That afternoon, when you came home from high school, expecting to find your depressed dad lounging on the couch with a drink like he always did, everything changed when you instead heard groaning noises coming from the upper floor.
You had walked up the stairs with careful footsteps, calling out to your father with a shaky voice and your mind running a thousand miles a minute trying to figure out what the noise was. Nothing would have prepared you to find his standing corpse in the corner.
Unbeknownst to you, your father had turned into a cannibalistic monster after he didn't take the medication that kept his transformation at bay for the previous six years. Since he kept you in the dark about his military work and what heâd endured in Penamstan, you had no idea youâd ever come home to this one day.
It happened so fast, but you remember every second. One moment he was standing there, all gurgling noises and rotting flesh, and the next he lunged after you as soon as you called out a weak âdad?â
You never ran as fast as you did that day, your untrained legs carrying you through the house and back down the stairs, tripping on the last step with a thud but quickly scrambling back up for the front door and yanking it open.
He had been right on your tail, way too fast for something thatâs supposed to be dead. You recall how your life flashed before your eyesâliterallyâwhen he grabbed the back of your hoodie as you got out on the front porch, pulling you for what you could have only guessed would be a generous bite to your neck.
Thatâs when a bullet whizzed past your head and hit him right between the eyes, sending your zombified father sprawling on the floorâactually dead this time.
And then, you looked up and your eyes met his.
Leon.
It was spring 2006, Leon was investigating the ex Mad Dogs unit members after deducing Jason was about to execute a bioterrorist attack. He thought questioning them would give him more information about Jason and his infection with a possibly mutated T-Virus.
Leon had quickly come to find out all the men of the defunct unit were dead by suicide, except for Jason and your father. So when he came to your home that day to talk to the latter, he came prepared to deal with the worst.
Unfortunately, his intuition proved to be right when just as he parked his car by the driveway and stepped out, a screaming girl came running out into the front yard with an infected closing in her.
Leonâs limbs moved on pure muscle memory when he withdrew his gun and shot the zombie right in the head, and then watched with a tense jaw as its blood splattered on the pavement, brains spilling on the floor.
That was the first time he felt grateful to having lost his parents as a kid. Because as harrowing as hearing the gunshots of the men that took their lives that night through the thin walls of his bedroom was, heâd still prefer that to having them turn into zombies who try to eat him, and then watch as they get put down like rabid dogs.
When you had fallen to your knees in sheer shock and horror, Leon did not hesitate to crouch by your side to tell you âyouâre gonna be okayâ. He couldn't help offering some kind of reassurance, even if he was aware of how hollow the words sounded to a girl whoâd just lost her father in the most gruesome of ways possible.
But you believed him as you met his ice blues, his eyes so full of care you had no choice but to cling to his every word, and continued to do so ever since.
Another squeeze to your shoulder brings you back to the present moment, still leaning on the wall with him leaning on you.
âDonât tell me Iâm too heavy for you,â he quirks an eyebrow with a playful smile.
âDamn right, youâre too freaking heavy,â you respond in a grumble, poking his sideâstill not meeting his eyes.
âThat means I need to train your ass some more, then. We can't have you slacking off, rookie,â he flicks your forehead with the hand that was on the wall.
You immediately scoff and shove himâcarefullyâoff you, âIâm not a rookie anymore!â
Leon chuckles, swaying lightly before he finally regains a steady balance on his feet, âyouâll always be a rookie to me.â
âYeah, youâve made that clear enough,â you grumble under your breath before handing him a spare handgun, âcome on, grandpa, we need to find Jill and Chris.â
âGrandpa?â Leon scoffs in mock offense as he takes the weapon, reloading it with a nonchalant precision that only comes with fifteen or so odd years of experience.
âWell, you insist on still calling me âkid,â so, I shall retaliate. Just so you can feel how annoying it gets.â
âYeah, except Iâm not a grandpa. You, on the other hand, are a kid,â he smirksâway too smugâand then proceeds to walk past you, gun held firmly as he prepares to lead the way.
Newlyfound Vigour
Leon Kennedy x Fem!reader
The cure to Elpis strain seems to have awakened something in the old man. Smut 18+, shower sex, marathon sex, domestic
Leonâs fingers tap against the leather-clothed steering wheel of his Porsche Cayenne; a sleek yet attention drawing car amidst the pattering rain that had caused traffic to slow. He looks at the clock for the third time in a minute. In the distance, through the slightly blurry windshield the traffic lights finally turned green. He said heâd be home by ten, quite a short message after being gone for two weeks. It was nine forty-five already and heâd be damned if he made his girl wait.
The moment the car in front moved he swerved right, cutting traffic like a madman until he finally made it out to emptier streets. What were police gonna do anyways? Write him a parking ticket the government would pay for him? And he really fucking desperately needed to see you. Since Grace injected him with the antidote only hours ago, there was a newfound vigour burning in him. It could be the adrenaline of escaping deathâs grasps yet again, what difference would it make? But there was a problem making itself rather evident in those pants of his, straining the fabric obscenely. If you were right here, right now, youâd sink on your knees with that pretty smile and press a kiss right onto that fat bulge. The thought makes him bite his lip; he really canât afford to crash right now.
Pulling up the driveway at nine fifty-six, he doesnât bother to park his car properly. Long strides to the door, hand hovering above the bell until the door just opens. You stand there, smile on your face and he just knows youâve been waiting in the kitchen where one could oversee the street. His perfect girl.
âHello, doll.â
And youâre already on him, arms around him, face buried into his chest. Oh he missed your smell, your soft touch. He holds you tight, heart clenching when he sees your apron. You must have been cooking up something in anticipation of him making it home. Such a lucky old man he is.
âI missed you, Leon.â
You mumble, deflating in his arms.
âMissed you, too, baby.â
He heaves you up and you let him carry you inside, legs around his waist as he closes the door, kicks off his shoes, setting you onto the kitchen isle. Sure enough there is chicken parm and pasta on the stove, some sweet treat in the oven.
âI donât deserve you.â
He sighs. Your eyes already glued onto him, scanning for any changes. Two weeks might not be long, but in his occupation two weeks were a lifetime.
âYou do, Leon. Wanna eatâŠorâŠ?â
You grind your hips against his crotch. He doesnât answer, just kisses you. Lips hot, needy against yours, tongue licking at every patch of skin he could find. Something desperate, somethingâŠnew? You donât think about it too much, just enjoy all the attention your getting while feeling up his pecs to his ridiculously muscular shoulders down his tapered waist. The body that made you whole, that carried you around like a bride and did unspeakably obscene things with you. All fucking yours.
He nips at your lower lip until you open and he digs into you with all he got. Arms at your chest, massaging your soft breasts, no bra. You knew him too well. He pulls away when you become short on breath.
âBedroom?â
You nod. Picking you up, he brings you to your shared bed. Throwing off his incredibly pretty coat at the door, he loomed over you in that tight turtleneck. The dark one that accentuated his physique. Always says itâs just for comfort, but you know he loves the way you look at him when heâs got it on.
On his back, your cunt right on his face, grinding down that slick tongue of his until your thighs give out. His fingers sunk into the fat of your ass, pulling, squeezing, buried deeply in the swollen folds of yours, clit against his nose until all he smells is your creamy cunt. Orgasm after orgasm, the pent up two weeks of radio silence finally fades.
Your weeping pussy is twitching and wrecked when you finally get off him, on all fours as he kneels behind. The fat head caught your clit a few times when instead of sliding in, his dick slipped off in the slickness of your hole, the bulbous tip simply refusing to enter something still so tight, making him switch to fingering you so he could feed his cock into you with filthy squelching. It burns good, so good. You had missed him inside you, wrecking you, making you feel small. His shaft thick and creamy with your slick, pounding into you. He always has been intense, never ending stamina making you cave far earlier than he, but this was more. There was precise clarity behind each thrust. Movements that made you feel like a virgin again. And even when he blows a load into you, hot semen flooding against your cervix, he didnât relent until you came around him again.
He devours three plates of your food, starved from only eating protein bars and whatever nutrient lab shit he was given, Half a pitcher of homemade ice tea along. Makes sure to thank you between every other bite, making you smile, with his cum dripping out of you.
In the shower afterwards, wanting to clean yourself up, he has you propped against a ceramic wall, legs around his waist as he pounds into you. Arms at his neck, face suck into his shoulder as moans bubble from your chest. The hot water kept on spraying onto you, his skin snug against yours, hands holding your ass. Deep, slow strokes. He had gotten hard amidst dinner to your surprise, but who were you turn down another round? Swallowing him snugly in your heat, you throw your head back against the cold tiles.
ââs so good.â
You slur out, eyes rolling as a knot in your stomach builds. Deep inside, it just grows and grows. It feltâŠdifferent. Weird, but good. Youâre too fucked out to do anything about it anyways, suspended mid air.
âI know, doll. So fucking good for me.â
You donât even realise it happens at first. White, hot bliss that made you shiver, thighs clenching around him and then the squirt of sticky juice hits right against his abdomen. You open your mouth in surprise, but donât get anything out with how he continues to fuck into you.
âL-Leon-â
You try to call for him, telling him.
âShh, I know, baby. I know.â
It must have been one of the hottest things he ever did; making you squirt just like that, fucked against the shower wall after having ate you out for a good hour before, then just keeping up the pace as you completely lost yourself. Little rambles of âohmygodâ escape your lips as he rolls into you a few more times, blowing a second load into you.
All damp and clean on the bed, he absentmindedly plays with you cunt, observing just what de did to you; slick kept on dripping, all swollen folds and an angry red clit that throbbed every now and then. Pretty. So beautiful and all was his work. The thought makes his length spring up again, heavy between his legs.
All showering was for naught when he has you in his lap, bouncing your tired body like a toy. He kisses you, thanks you for loving him, all while his hips and arms do the work. You canât even kiss him back, pliant in his hold, letting it happen, let coil after coil snap. His legs were drenched, bushy crotch coated in a bright sheen. The digital clock read one thirty-seven.
One fifty-five and you were dozing off on your tummy, his cock rutting in you like it was his first round. You must have squirted onto the towels Leon placed down, because you can feel your lower half just covered cum.
Two sixteen and his mouth was on you. You must have slumbered somewhere in between, but the moment his lips closed around you clit you were pulled right back. Tears were streaming down your face, three fingers inside you not even feeling like a stretch anymore. Â You felt used up, drained but your hips keep on rolling for more. You donât even know if you were having orgasms anymore, just know youâd take what he gave. And if that meant him slurping out his own cum out of your wrecked hole.
Two thirty-nine and he had you full-nelson on his lap again. You could see yourself in the full length mirror on the wall. Speared onto his cock, eyes droopy, his lips on your neck. Every bit of friction on your clit was devastating. Slick was dribbling out of you like a faucet, the carpet most likely in need of a deep cleaning.
Three eleven. He softens, hands stroking your body as you fall asleep. Baby blues taking in your body, littered with bites and kisses. Gorgeous. Keeping himself plugged in you, all it takes is him closing his eyes and he is gone.
"Fuck, you're soaking wet, baby." Leon grunted into your ear as his fingers curled inside you in all the right places.
"Leon," you moaned, holding onto his shoulders as he had you pressed against the wall, his hand pressed knuckles deep as he moved his fingers slowly in and out of your cunt. "Faster...please..."
"Such a needy, little thing, arenât we?" Leon chuckled and pumped his fingers faster inside you in a come hither motion, massaging that sensitive spongy flesh inside you he knew made you come undone.
You cried out as pleasure mounted in your core, grabbed his shoulders harder as your insides squeezed and rippled around his fingers and a jet of glistening liquid shot out from your pussy.
Leon groaned as your juices soaked down his hand. "Fuck look at you... such a pretty mess for me."
divider by: @cafekitsune & @thecutestgrotto
word count: 4.7k
synopsis: You accepted you would never be his first choice and after five years you decided enough was enough and decide to divorce Bruce.
warning: Divorce, miscommunication, Bruce being emotionally constipated
a/n: Alrighty, the final part of this series đ„č First and foremost, I just want to thank everyone who left the sweetest messagesâreading them genuinely makes my day.
I know some of you would love more parts to this series, and maybe in the future Iâll add a few epilogues. But for now, Iâm going to wrap it where it ends. While I know this might not be the ending some of you were hoping for, I never meant for this fic to become this long or to drag it on. As much as Iâve had an absolute blast writing it, Iâm ready to close this chapter and focus on the other ideas I have.
Thank you to everyone who read this series and I hope you enjoyed đ€
Bruce left not long after. Despite everythingâdespite the drinking, the kidnapping, the revelationsâthe exhaustion hadnât caught up to you yet. you felt wide awake, your mind was reeling.
You poured yourself a glass of ice-cold water and wandered toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Gotham, the city spread out beneath you in a glittering sprawl of light and shadow.
Gotham.Â
A city of sin and corruption.Â
A city you had always wanted to help.Â
And the city Bruce had been protecting all along.
For years, youâd only ever seen the mask he chose to show youâthe careless playboy, the billionaire who spent recklessly, partied endlessly, and drifted through life untouched by consequence. And yet, all this time, he had been Gothamâs silent guardian.
Looking back, the signs felt painfully obvious.
Batman needed money to have such fancy gadgets. Bruce had it.
Batman vanished at night. So did Bruce.
The scars. The motivation. The years-long disappearance.
You had noticed everythingâjust never let yourself connect the dots.
Now that you had, you were left trying to reconcile the man you loved with the man he had hidden from you.Â
You exhaled slowly, fingers tightening around the glass before you took a sip, the cold grounding you.
You loved him. As much as you had tried not to. As much as you had tried to leave⊠You still loved him and it turned out he loved you too.Â
Your gaze drifted across the rooftops, scanning the skyline, half-expecting to find a his silhouette perched in the shadows, watching you. Protecting you from a distance, the way he always seemed to have.
For the first time, you didnât know whether you wanted him to come closer⊠or give you space.
The next morning, you woke to the sound of relentless knocking.
With a groan, you rolled out of bed, your head pounding in protest as you shuffled toward the door. When you pulled it open, a delivery man stood there, clipboard tucked under his arm.
âMrs. Wayne?â he asked.
You sighed. âAs of this moment, still.â
He blinked, clearly unsure what to do with that, before recovering and holding out the clipboard and pen. âSignature, please.â
You signed absently.
The moment you handed it back, he stepped aside and waved over his shoulder. âBring them in!â
Your eyes widened as several men filed into your penthouse, arms full of bouquets. One after another, they kept coming until the entryway was overflowing with colour and the air was thick with sweet, familiar floral scents.
You stared, stunned.
They werenât just any flowers.
They were your favourite flowers. Every single one of them. The ones you loved and would bring to the manor in a small fresh bouquet every week. It was a little thing that you did to bring joy to your day.
By the time the last bouquet was set down, your penthouse looked more like a conservatory than a home.
You didnât need to ask who was responsible.
What tightened in your chest was the realization you hadnât expectedâthat despite everything, despite the distance and the secrets, he had paid enough attention to know every single one of your favourite flowers without you telling him.
As the delivery men filed out one by one, Selina strode in, her steps confident. She stopped short, eyes widening as she took in the sheer amount of flowers filling your space.
âWell,â she mused, a slow smirk spreading across her face, âI guess someone finally came to his senses. Grovelling suits him.â
Your head snapped up at the sound of her voice. âOh my godâSelina!â You rushed toward her without thinking. âAre you okay? I completely forgot to text you. I shouldâve checkedââ
She waved you off dismissively. âRelax. This kitty has nine lives. Just a bump on the head.â Her expression softened as she looked you over more carefully. âWhat about you? Are you alright?â
You let out a slow breath. âIâm fine. Brââ You cleared your throat, catching yourself just in time. âBatman got to me before Riddler could do anything.â
âDid he now?â Selina drawled, one brow lifting as she very clearly clocked the near slip. âSo he finally got the balls to tell you.â
You blinked. âWhat?â You frowned, doing your best to ignore the way your heart stuttered as you forced an air of innocence. âTell me what?â
Selina gave you a long, unimpressed look. âSweetheart,â she said lightly, âIâm already aware that your husband moonlights as Gothamâs favourite bat.â
You went completely still. âHe told you?â
She shrugged, entirely unbothered. âNot exactly. Letâs just say we run in⊠similar circles.â
You stared at her, processing, then blurted, âYouâre a vigilante too?â
Selina laughed, the sound warm and sharp. âGod, no. I have standards.â She smirked. âYou probably heard of me as Catwoman.â
âThe burglar?â you asked flatly.
She pressed a hand to her chest in mock offence. âThief, darling. Burglar sounds so⊠inelegant.â
You stared at her, mind scrambling to reconcile the woman standing in your penthouse with Gothamâs most infamous cat-themed menace. âYouâre telling me one of my closest friends is a wanted criminal.â
Selina grinned wider. âAllegedly.â
You let out a breath that was half a laugh, half disbelief. âGotham really does love a double life.â
âOccupational hazard,â Selina said lightly. Then, more seriously, âBut now you know why I clocked Bruce years ago. Takes one to spot one.â
You shook your head slowly. âI was married to Batman and best friends with Catwoman.â
Selina gave a satisfied hum. âYou do have excellent taste in company.â Then she winced, like sheâd just remembered something she probably shouldâve led with. âMe, Bruce, Oliver, and Clark.â
Your eyes narrowed immediately. âWhat about Oliver and Clark?â
She met your gaze. âGreen Arrow and Superman.â
You stumbled back a step before dropping onto the couch, elbows on your knees, head falling into your hands. âSo whatââ you let out a breathless, disbelieving laugh, ââyou all knew? All this time? And no one thought to tell me?â You looked up at her, hurt flashing through the shock. âWas this a joke to you? Some kind of⊠club I wasnât allowed into?â
Selinaâs expression softened immediately. The teasing edge vanished.
âNo,â she said firmly, crossing the room to sit across from you. âIt was never a joke.â She leaned forward, forearms on her thighs. âIt just wasnât our secret to tell.â
You let out a weak scoff. âThat seems to be a running theme.â
âBruce didnât want you knowing about this life,â Selina said evenly. âAnd out of respectâfor him, and for youâwe kept you in the dark.â
You grumbled under your breath, anger and exhaustion tangling in your chest.
Selina reached out then, placing a steady hand on your shoulder. âAs much as I hate to admit it,â she said, wry but sincere, âthe idiot did have a point. Knowing paints a target on your back. A bigger one than the one you already had just by being you.â
You swallowed. âSo instead, I got lied to.â
Her grip tightened slightly. âYou got protected the only way he knew how,â she said quietly. âPoorly? Yes... But out of love. Heâs an idiot most of the time, but he does love you. And heâs been miserable ever since you asked for the divorce.â
You lifted a brow slowly. âSo you knew about that before I even told you?â
Selina winced. âGuilty. He confessed the night you asked for it, and while he might not have said it outright, he was heartbroken.â
She drew in a breath, then sighed. âAnd if weâre committing to honestyâŠâ Her gaze held yours. âI should probably tell you Iâm the reason you got kidnapped.â
Your stomach dropped. âSelina.â
âI know,â she said quickly, before you could speak. âI know.â Selina exhaled, running a hand through her hair. âNygma owed me a favour. Oliver and Clark were nearby, making sure you were safe. I took a gamble.â Her gaze held yours, unflinching. âYou needed to know the truthâand Bruce needed to stop freezing. He was going to let you walk away because he thinks suffering quietly is some kind of virtue.â
You closed your eyes and drew in a slow, steady breath. When you opened them again, you looked at Selina, exhaustion weighing heavy in your chest.
âBut does knowing the truth even make a difference at this point?â you asked softly.
Selina shook her head. âOnly you can answer that.â
When you didnât respond, she sighed, her tone gentler now. âThen let me ask you this,â she said. âDo you love him?â
Your throat tightened. You didnât trust your voice, so you nodded instead.
Because you did. You always had.
You pressed your lips together, fingers curling in your lap. Loving Bruce had never been simpleâbut trusting him with your heart, after years of distance and coldness? That felt like standing at the edge of a building and deciding whether to jump again after already learning how badly the fall hurt.
âLoving him isnât the problem,â You swallowed. âTrusting him is.â
Selina reached out, squeezing your hand once.Â
âYouâre allowed to love him and be angry,â she said gently. âYouâre allowed to take your time. And youâre allowed to walk away if, in the end, loving him costs you more than you can afford.â She paused, her gaze sharpening just a little. âBut donât walk away because youâre scared.â
You looked at her.
âBruce let his fear control him,â Selina continued softly. âAnd it almost cost you. Donât make the same mistakeâdonât let fear decide for you and then live with that regret.â
Monday finally arrived, heavy with all your unresolved problems.
Bruce still hadnât signed the papers, and after everything that had come to light between you, you existed in a strange, fragile in-between. Nothing was settled, nothing was resolved. So you chose the one place that had always grounded you.
Wayne Enterprises.
It might have been your husbandâs company by name, but you had made it your own in every way that mattered. You ran the operations. You commanded the meetings. You had built your confidence there, forged your backbone steel-strong against men who looked down on you. In the business world, your reputation was known to be razor-sharpâa shark, they called you.
And right now, you needed that side of yourself.
You still hadnât returned to the Manor choosing to stay in your penthouse that was under your name. After getting ready, you headed downstairsâonly to stop short.
Bruce was waiting for you. A cup of coffee in one hand. A folded paper bag in the other.
At the sound of your approach, he scrambled to straighten upâshoulders squaring, posture instinctively formal despite the nerves written all over his face.
You slowed a few feet away.
âI thought you were giving me time,â you said quietly.
He nodded without hesitation. âI am.â Then, after a beat, he added, softer, âBut I never said anything about me.â
You watched him carefully as he went on, voice steady but raw beneath the surface. âIâm choosing you. Whether you choose me in the end or not.â His jaw tightened, resolve settling in. âI will always choose you. Iâve just done a terrible job of showing it.â
For a moment, you had no words.
He took a small step forward and held out the cup and the bag. âBreakfast,â he said. âFrom the coffee shop on 23rd. The one that you love.â
You accepted them slowly, almost absently, then glanced at the orderâand froze. Everything was right. The exact order down to the littlest preferences.
âHowâŠ?â you started.
âYou always skip breakfast,â he said, cheeks flushing faintly. âAnd having it sent to your office wouldâve been made it cold by now.â
Your brows furrowed as the implication sank in. Youâd always assumed it was your assistant who would make sure you had your breakfastâanother small convenience you never questioned.
âYouâŠâ The word slipped out before you could finish the thought.
He shrugged, almost sheepish. âYou get too busy to eat otherwise.â
You were still reeling but he didnât wait for a reply. He opened the passenger door and gestured for you to get in, tentative but hopeful.
âCan we go to work together?â
You nodded.
Relief crossed his face instantly, softening into a boyish smile you hadnât seen in years. He helped you into the car before sliding in after you.
As the car pulled away, you tried very hard not to blush under the weight of his attention. He kept glancing over at youâquick, stolen looksâas you lifted the cup and took a sip. There was something almost painfully earnest about it, like an eager puppy watching for approval. It made you remember the boy he used to be, before the two of you grew apart.
You reached into the bag and pulled out the pastryâthen paused.
His lips parted slightly, anticipation flickering across his face. But at the sight of your hesitation, a frown began to form, as he assumed it was a sign of rejection.
Instead of taking a bite, you broke it cleanly in half and held one piece out to him.
His eyes widened. âItâs for you,â he started to protest, already shaking his head.
âJust accept it, Bruce,â you said evenly.
He hesitatedâthen nodded and took the offered half.
From the front seat, Alfred caught the exchange in the rearview mirror. A small, satisfied smile curved his lips at the sight of you two.
âSoâŠâ Bruce began, his tone trying and failing to be casual, as if he hadnât been worried about your reaction all weekend. âDid you get the flowers?â
You nodded, taking another bite of your pastry. âI did.â You glanced sideways, curiosity flickering. âHow did you know all my favourites?â
His gaze met yours. âEvery week,â he said quietly, âyou bring home a vase of fresh flowers. Always the same ones.â He swallowed, then went on, softer. âTheyâre the ones that grow in your parentsâ garden. You used to say it was the most magical place in the world when we were kids.â
Your breath caught at the memoryârunning through the garden with Bruce as you played hide-and-seek, laughter echoing between the hedges. Lounging in the sun when the games tired you out, his head on your lap as he napped while you carefully weaving flower crowns from whatever you could pick from your motherâs garden without getting scolded.
A faint smile crossed your lips as the image surfaced of him wearing the crooked crown youâd made proudly. When you glanced at Bruce, the look in his eyes told you he was remembering it too.
You hadnât realized how much of that boy heâd kept hidden, holding onto such memories.
You didnât get the chance to say anything more before the car slowed and Alfred pulled up in front of the company.
Bruce moved before Alfred even had the chance to open the door. He stepped out first, then turned back, extending a hand toward you without hesitation. You accepted it, your fingers sliding into his, and his grip tightened slightly as he helped you out. Almost instinctively, he drew you closer, his hand shifting to rest at the small of your back.
Together, you began to climb the steps toward the entrance.
âBruce!â
You stiffened at the sound of Julieâs voice. You made a move to keep walking, unwilling to watch her hang off of him. But Bruceâs hand shifted, firm at your waist, holding you in place.
You shot him a sharp look. He ignored it.
Instead, he turned with a polite, tense smile as Julie approached.
âBruce,â she greeted brightly, then her gaze flicked to you and lingered a beat too long. Her smile thinned. âOh. You two made up?â
You lifted a brow, unimpressed. âIs that a problem?â
Julie shook her head quickly. âNo, of course not. Itâs justââ she hesitated, tilting her head. âThat fight looked serious. You seemed very harsh on Bruce. Unfair, even.â
Before you could respond, Bruce spoke.
âMy wife had every right to be angry,â he said smoothly, his tone calm but firm. âIf anything, sheâs been more than understanding.â
Julie paused, her gaze flicking between the two of you as she tried to figure out what changed between you two. âWell⊠thatâs good,â she said at last, forcing a smile. âI was actually here to see if you wanted to go for brunch, Bruce?â
Bruce turned to you instead. âDo you want brunch, honey?â
You blinked at the endearment, momentarily caught off guard, then shook your head. âI have work to get done.â
âYouâre always such a workaholic,â Julie laughed lightly.
âShe is,â Bruce agreed mildly, a faint curve to his mouth. âThatâs why the company is where it is. Sheâs the true powerhouse at Wayne Enterprises.â
Julie laughed lightly but it didnât quite reach her eyes. âOf course,â she said tightly. âStill, brunch wouldnât take long. It might be nice to get out of the office for a bit.â
You shook your head. âUnfortunately, I have a full day.â
Time was already slipping through your fingers, and Eden wasnât going to secure itself. You needed focus on closing that deal.
Julieâs smile brightened, quick and eager. âI guess itâs just me and you then, Bruce.â
âI have a full schedule as well,â Bruce replied evenly. âA board call, then meetings.â
Julie blinked, then laughed again, as if brushing it off. âIâm sure Y/N doesnât mind handling that.â
Something sharpened in Bruceâs expression. His gaze narrowed, voice firm and unmistakably cold. âSheâs my wife,â he said. âNot my secretary.â
âBesides,â he added calmly, ânow that our deal is over, it wouldnât be appropriate. Iâm a married man.â
Julie recoiled as if struck, her composure cracking before she scoffed. âSince when does that matter? You two are divorcing.â
âThatâs not your place to comment on,â Bruce said coolly.
You turned to look at him, genuine shock flickering across your face.
Julieâs laugh died mid-breath. Her eyes widened. âBruceââ
He didnât let her finish.
ââand it never has been,â he continued, voice low and precise, the tone he reserved for boardrooms when someone had just crossed a line they couldnât uncross.
Julieâs mouth opened, then closed. âI was justââ
âMy marriage is not a topic for your speculation,â Bruce cut in smoothly. âOur divorceâif and when it happensâis not your business. Nor is how we handle our relationship until then.â
Color bloomed high on Julieâs cheeks. âI didnât mean it like that,â she said quickly. âIâm just saying thereâs nothing wrong with two friends going out." She looked to you, "Come on, Y/Nâyou shouldnât overreact about Bruce and I being close.â
You lifted a brow, but before you could respond, Bruce spoke again.
âJulie, you seem to forget,â he said calmly, âthe only reason I attended those brunches was because you had information I needed.â He didnât raise his voice. He didnât need to. âAnd for the record, my wife hasnât said a word about your behaviour. If anything, sheâs been far too patient. This isnât about herâitâs about you and your lack of respect for my marriage.â
You look at Bruce in surprise, wondering exactly what information he needed from her to be going to these brunches.
Julie laughed, the sound was sharp and brittle. âSo whatâbecause Iâm done helping you, you decide to dump me?â
Bruce arched a brow. âOur relationship was purely business. You helped me by confirming whoâs been leaking details of the Eden project to Lex,â he said evenly. âBut letâs not forget how youâve been playing both sidesâfeeding Lex personal information as well. Including news about my marriage.â
Julieâs face drained of colour.
âYouâyou canât prove that,â she said, the scoff coming a beat too late, and too shaky to sound convincing.
Bruce didnât blink. âYou were the only one we told,â he said evenly. Selina and Alfred didnât count because he knew they would never betray you and him âAnd the very next day, media outlets started speculating. Lex suddenly seemed very certain about the state of my marriage.â
Julie opened her mouth, then closed it again.
âIâve been clear with you before,â Bruce continued, his voice steady and unraised. âY/N is the only woman I will ever choose. That hasnât changed. It wonât changeâmarriage or not.â His gaze didnât waver. âI fulfilled my end of the deal. I made sure Lex left you alone. In return, you helped me find who was leaking company information and trying to sabotage Eden. That means thereâs nothing left between us.â
With that, he gently pressed a hand to your back, guiding you forward.
Julie panicked and reached out, fingers wrapping around his arm. âPlease, Bruce!â she pleaded. âHe threatened me!â
Bruce stoppedâbut only long enough to look at her, his expression glacial. He calmly shrugged out of her grip.
âYou went back to him of your own free will,â he said coolly. âAfter I pulled strings to make sure he left you alone. Your choicesâand their consequencesâare not my responsibility.â
âBruce!â Julie cried.
He didnât look back. He simply led you past her, his hand firm and steady at your back, leaving her standing there with nothing but the knowledge of her own mistakes.
âSo,â you murmured once you were out of earshot, your voice low, âthatâs why you were hanging around Julie.â
He nodded without hesitation. âShe was close with Lex,â he said quietly. âAnd heâs been doing everything he can to sabotage Edenâblocking permits, stirring up Nexus, trying to gain control of those properties. Julie was the access point I needed to shut it down.â
He glanced down at you then, lips curving faintly. âWhat?â he added, almost incredulous. âYou actually thought I liked her?â
He scoffed softly, shaking his head. âThereâs only ever been one woman for me. Thatâs you.â His expression softened. âYouâve been working too hard on this project. I didnât want to distract you with Lexâs schemesânot when I could handle it quietly.â
You nudged him gently at the side, a small smile tugging at your mouth despite yourself. âYou certainly went about it in the most frustrating way possible.â
As the two of you stepped inside, your assistant was already there, posture snapping straight at the sight of you. Her gaze flicked to Bruceâquestioning, waryâbut you gave a subtle shake of your head, a silent later.
She cleared her throat, clutching her tablet a little too tightly. âLucius wanted to meet with you about the Central City and Metropolis branches. Theyââ
âThat can wait,â Bruce cut in smoothly.
He didnât even look up at her. His attention was fixed on his phone, a slow, almost smug smile spreading across his face at whatever he was reading.
âWe have a meeting to attend.â
Both of you blinked.
âI do?â you echoed, at the exact same moment your assistant sputtered, âShe does?â
Your assistant went pale instantly, fingers flying across the screen as she scrolled through the itinerary, panic sharpening her movements. âIâI donât have anything flagged. Thereâs no meeting listed, no external call, noââ
Bruce finally looked up.
He turned the phone toward you, tilting it just enough for you to see the screen.
Eden Project â Partnership Confirmation
Dear Mr. Wayne,
Dear Ms. Wayne,
On behalf of the Nexus Board of Directors, we are pleased to inform you that Nexus has voted to move forward with the Eden Project in partnership with Wayne Enterprises.
Following further internal review, we are confident that Wayne Enterprisesâ proposed frameworkâparticularly its emphasis on environmental remediation, regulatory compliance, and long-term community infrastructureâaligns with Nexusâs strategic and ethical objectives.
Pending final legal review and standard contractual formalities, we are prepared to proceed with the transfer of the designated properties and to establish the agreed-upon equity and oversight structures discussed in prior negotiations.
Our legal and operations teams will coordinate with Wayne Enterprises within the week to finalize timelines and next steps. Final terms can be discussed in person today.
We appreciate your patience throughout this process and look forward to a productive partnership.
Sincerely,
Andrew CunninghamÂ
Chief Executive OfficerÂ
Nexus Corporation
For a moment, the world went quiet.
Your eyes traced the words again, slower this time, as if you needed to be sure they were real. Voted to move forward. Prepared to proceed. Final terms can be discussed today.
Your breath caught in your chest.
âThey agreed,â you whispered, the words barely audible.
Bruceâs mouth curved into a soft, satisfied smile. His hands settled on your shoulders, warm and steady. âThey did,â he said simply. âYou did it.â
Your assistant made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a choked laugh. âOh my godâoh my god, you did it,â she blurted, already moving. âIâllâuhâIâll clear the rest of the day. Legal, Lucius, opsâeveryone.âÂ
You barely heard her.
Years of planning. Of roadblocks. Of watching Lex circle like a shark, trying to tear it out from under you. All of it crystallized into that single email glowing on Bruceâs screen.
You looked up at him, disbelief and triumph warring in your expression.Â
âYou knew,â you said softly.
He nodded. âI didnât want to say anything until the decision was officially confirmed. A⊠coincidental leak of Julie and Lex discussing the real motivations behind his interest in the Nexus properties found its way to the board late Friday night.â His mouth twitched faintly. âAndrew doesnât like being cornered. But he hates being lied toâand threatenedâeven more.â
FridayâŠthe night you were kidnapped.Â
The realization hit you all at once. That was why heâd asked for time when you confronted him about Julie. He hadnât been stalling to make an excuse. Heâd been waiting until he could lay everything out at once.
Part of you could have chosen anger. Could have clung to the fact that, once again, heâd been doing this behind your back. And there was still so much to unpack about his disastrous communication skills.Â
But beneath all of that, the truth remained.
Heâd done this for you.
Selina was right. If you walked away nowâif you let fear make the decision for youâyouâd regret it. Because as flawed as his choices had been, as much as heâd hidden and hurt you along the way, Bruce had never stopped standing at your side. Protecting you through the shadows. Taking care of you the only way he knew how.
Something warm and dangerous bloomed in your chest.
The world seemed to narrow then, the hum of the building fading until there was only the two of you amid glass windows and polished floors. Without thinking, you reached up and cupped his face, your fingers trembling as tears blurred your vision and finally spilled over.
âThank you,â you choked out.
Bruceâs expression softened instantly. His hands came up to cradle your face in return, thumbs brushing gently beneath your eyes as if he could catch every tear before it fell.
âI know I havenât been the best husband,â he said quietly, the words stripped of bravado or charm. âI know Iâve hidden behind excuses and silence.â His voice thickened, raw and unguarded. âBut if you can find it in your heart to give me one more chance, Iâll prove to you the feelings Iâve been too much of a coward to show.â
A shaky breath left you as you nodded, tears slipping freely now.
âOne chance, Bruce,â you whispered.
It wasnât blind forgiveness. It wasnât even a clean slateâyou refused to pretend that years of absence, silence, and hurt could simply be erased.
But all relationships had their ups and downs, and yes, yours was less a series of bumps and more of a mountainâa steep, unforgiving mountain carved with old wounds.
But if he was willing to climb it with youâhonestly, this timeâthen you were willing to take one last step forward and give him a chance.
The grin that broke across his face was brighter than anything youâd seen from him in yearsâunrestrained, almost boyish. You barely had time to gasp before he surged forward, kissing you deeply, as if afraid the moment might slip away if he didnât seize it.
Around you, the office eruptedâwhistles, cheers, and clappingâbut Bruce seemed to exist in a world where it was only the two of you.
When you finally pulled back, breathless and laughing through tears, he reached into his pocket. Your heart skipped as he opened his palm, revealing your wedding ring.
He took your hand and slid it back onto your finger with a tenderness that made your chest ache, as though he understood exactly what he was silently promising you. After how close heâd come to losing you, this time he was determined not to make the same mistakes.
âWell, Mrs. Wayne,â he murmured, resting his forehead against yours, âlet me finally give you the marriage you deserve.â
And for the first time since youâd said divorce, the word husband no longer felt like a hollow titleâbut the promise it was meant to be.
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