Thank you for all your supportđ„č let me know if I need to take down any pictures/gifs that I may use as I get them online!
I try to follow everyone back as long as youâre 18+ and have it in your bio âš Iâm also a current grad student who works full time so sorry if I take forever to get back to you and to update any fics!
Currently working on: Leon S. Kennedy, Zeno Wesker, Albert Wesker, Kirsh and Daryl Dixon.
If youâre bored, check out my Quotev account I made when I was 13 lolol. There are some good stories (I promise) and yandere reader inserts (that need updating, yikes) that Iâve made over the years đ
Anyways, most of my content is 18+ but doesnât always include smut, so MDNI! Some of the âin the workâ fics may or may not be posted. Iâm still trying to figure tumblr out. Still donât understand some things lolđ Stay tuned!
I DO NOT age up or write for minors!! đ«
Alien: Earth 18+đ¶ïžâš
Synthetic Heart- Kirsh x Cyborg Reader
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Alternate Ending/ Standalone Fic
From Ashes, Born Anew- Kirsh x Hybrid Reader
Boy Kavalier turns you into a Hybrid. Neither you or Kirsh know how to appropriate react to this change but there is one thing Kirsh knows. Youâll always be his
Prometheus/ Alien Covenant 18+đžđ„
David 8 x Cyborg Reader in the works (Yandere | Dark Themes | Body Horror)
Heart bound 18+ | Leon S. Kennedy x Reader- No matter how long youâve loved Leon. You canât compare to her. Heavy angst | Smut
Relax babe, I got you | Leon S. Kennedy x Reader
Nights Like This | Leon S. Kennedy x Reader in the works
Zeno Wesker x Reader in the works
Heimdall x Reader in the works
Yandere x Reader in the works 18+- All Rights Reserved
Sincerely, Mine | Yandere OC x Reader - (Uploaded on Quotev. Will be updated in second POV)
After all these years...he finally had you, even if you couldnât remember him. You were beautiful. You were his. And he wasnât planning on letting you go. So who were you to defy him?
Impulsive | Reverse Harem OC x Reader (Uploaded on my Quotev. Will be updated in second POV)
Being a newly widowed Doctor at the Moonlight Asylum for the criminally insane supernatural was terrifying enough. However, when you get involved in an ongoing investigation, you have no choice but to run and your close beloved patients are the only ones who could help you. The only problem...is that you're human and their impulsive behavior isnât helping the situation. Letâs hope you can keep your sanity as you try to keep their lustful thoughts at bay while on the run. After all, it shouldn't be too hard for you right?
Masterpiece | Serial Killer OC x Reader in the works
A âhumbleâ serial killer who artistically rids society of filth curiously turns his sights on you. Â
âCalloused hands coaxing you into submission⊠I want to make you my art. I want you to writhe under my touch while I bask in your warmth, sending me on a high before the light leaves your eyes. That is what I think when I look at you. But how could I act on my innate desires when you plead so beautifully under my touch. Swooning me with words that rile me up. All you desire is to be set freed and Iâll be the one to do just that. Youâll be my masterpiece.â
They looked at each other unsure what to think. Â Not understanding. You leaned back slightly in the chair, ignoring the pull on your wrists.
âAnd trust me,â you added, âyou really donât want to be around when he decides to act on one.â
::::
He trained you to stay alive. How to think fast, move smart, and not freeze when it matters.
So when you get attacked in your shared home. You know heâll show up. Even if he never really says how much you mean to him.
Words: 4886
You were standing in the kitchen, making yourself something to eat. The spoon moved slowly through the pot. Stirring the sauce as it thickened and swirled with every motion. Steam rose up gently, filling the space with a warm familiar scent that clung to the air.
Your eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. 23:46. It was late â too late for a proper meal maybe â but you were hungry anyway. Just something warm before bed. Something simple.
Music played softly in the background. Low enough to blend into the rhythm of the room. Your hips swayed faintly to the beat without you really noticing. The apartment felt calm in that late-night way. Dim lights and nothing demanding your attention.
The window was slightly open. A cool breeze slipped inside, moving through the kitchen and brushing lightly against your skin. It carried the fresh night with it.
For a moment everything felt relaxed.
But stillness at this hour always felt a little too good to be true. You paused for a second, spoon hovering above the pot. The music kept playing. Everything exactly the same as before but something felt⊠sharper than it shouldâve.
You shook the thought away.
It was just a quiet night. You moved your hand to stir the sauce once moreâ
Then you stopped.
A sound cut through the room. Small at first. Almost nothing. Then louder.
A crack at the front door.
You froze. The spoon hovered above the pot, forgotten for a second as the music kept playing.
You listened anyway. Nothing followed. No footsteps. No movement. Just silence sitting too heavy in the walls.
ââŠProbably nothing,â you muttered under your breath. More to convince yourself than anything else. You turned slightly back toward the stove.
Then the second sound hit. Not a crack this time. A slow, deliberate shift. Like something pressing into the door again. Testing it.
Your stomach dropped instantly. This wasnât the building settling.
You set the spoon down slowly. For a second, you just stood there, listening again. You were trying to understand what kind of something it was. Another faint shift at the door.
That was enough.
You moved.
Quietly, you stepped away from the stove. Your eyes scanning the kitchen in an instant. The room suddenly felt different. Every object more noticeable than before.
Your hand reached for the nearest thing you could use. A heavy kitchen knife.
You didnât hesitate as your fingers closed around the handle. Music still played in the background. Almost insulting in how normal it sounded.
You turned it off. Silence hit immediately.
Now every sound mattered. You backed away from the kitchen slowly. Careful not to drag your feet. Eyes fixed on the hallway leading toward the entrance.
Hide first. Then see.
You slipped into the darker side of the room. Positioning yourself where the light didnât fully reach you. Close enough to move fast. Hidden enough to disappear into the space.
Knife steady in your hand. Breathing controlled.
The front door stayed quiet.
And thenâ
A faint click from the door. Your entire body reacted before your thoughts could catch up.
One step.
Then another. The door opened slowly. Like whoever was entering already knew the space too well. That was enough.
You moved.
Fast.
Silent.
You crossed the distance in a heartbeat, slipping out of the kitchen shadow with the knife already raised. No hesitation. No second guessing. Exactly like he taught you.
Aim. Commit. End it quickly.
You struck. The blade came down in a clean movement. But the moment your attack landed, something was off.
No stumble. No real resistance. Just adjustment.
Effortless. Your wrist was caught mid-motion. Firm grip. Immediate control. Before you could even register the shift in power. Your arm was twisted â not painfully but decisively â redirecting your momentum instead of fighting it.
The knife slipped from your hand. Clattered somewhere out of reach.
âââ
You barely had time to inhale. Your balance was gone. A single smooth movement pulled you forward. Then turned you and your feet losing contact with anything stable as your body was guided down to the floor.
Controlled.
The floor met your back in a dull impact. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to stop you.
And then he was there. A steady weight above you, pinning your arms in place with practiced ease. One knee securing your movement, one hand keeping you grounded without pressing too much force.
Silence filled the space.
Thenâ
ââŠGood.â
His voice was calm. Close enough that you felt it more than heard it. Your breath hitched. Recognition hit a second later.
ââŠHey, darling.â
The tension in your body didnât vanish all at once. Frustration and relief colliding as you exhaled sharply through your nose.
You tilted your head slightly. And without thinking twice. You reached up. Your hand finding his face. His skin was warm under your fingers. He didnât stop you.
Just looked down at you â expression steady, unreadable in that familiar way of his. You pulled him down just enough to press a quick kiss to him.
Then another. Small and short. Like a reset button after impact. Only then did he finally speak again.
âYou hesitated,â he said. You let out a laugh. Still pinned beneath him.
âYouâre heavier than I expected,â you muttered.
A pause.
ââŠThatâs not what I meant.â
That earned the faintest change in his expression. It was almost nothing but enough that you knew he heard you.
You let out a breath, your fingers still resting lightly against his jaw.
ââŠSo,â you murmured, glancing up at him, âhow was work?â
A beat of silence. His expression didnât change.
âUneventful.â
You huffed quietly.
âOf course it was.â
Your hand slid down slightly, resting against his chest now. Holding yourself after the sudden adrenaline.
âLet me guess,â you added, a faint smirk tugging at your lips, ânothing went wrong. Everything went exactly according to plan and you didnât break a sweat.â
Another pause.
ââŠMore or less.â
That made you smile again.
âIâm glad youâre back.â
He didnât react to that either.
But his grip shifted slightly â as he finally eased some of his weight off you. Though he didnât fully let you go yet.
âYou dropped your guard,â he said instead.
There it was. You sighed.
âHi to you too.â
For a second, neither of you moved. He looked down at you. His eyes fully focused on you.
Then he moved closer.
His other hand caught your wrist â not tightly but firmly enough to guide it away from his face.
âYouâre not focused,â he said quietly.
You blinked up at him.
ââŠExcuse me?â You said amused.
His expression didnât change. âI knew where you would attack.â
That made a faint smile tug at your lips.
âWow,â you murmured. âDid you come back from your mission just to roast me in my own kitchen?â
A pause.
His thumb pressed lightly against your wrist once. Checking.
âYou hesitated,â he reminded again.
You let out a soft breath through your nose, still smiling.
âI didnât hesitate,â you said. âI recognized you.â
Another beat.
Your fingers brushed lightly against his wrist now. Returning the touch like it was nothing new between you.
âThatâs your fault, by the way,â you said casually.
His eyes narrowed slightly. Not in annoyance. In assessment.
ââŠExplain.â
âYou make the same footsteps every time you come home,â you said. âItâs kind of predictable.â
That earned the smallest pause.
ââŠNoted.â
You hummed softly, almost satisfied.
Only then did he finally release you properly. Slow and controlled. Shifting back just enough to give you space to sit up.
You stayed close for a second longer than necessary.
Just enough time to breathe.
âSee?â you murmured, smoothing a hand through your hair. âProgress.â
His gaze didnât leave you.
ââŠDebatable,â he said.
That earned another laugh from you.
Before you could think too much about it. You leaned forward again and pressed a quick kiss to his jaw. Not teasing this time. A habit more than a statement.
You pressed your lips only for a second before pulling back.
He didnât react outwardly. But his eyes followed you.
ââŠYouâre distracting,â he said finally.
That made you smile.
âGood,â you replied lightly. âThen my guardâs not the only thing dropping tonight.â
A pause.
Then, as if deciding the moment was already over. He shifted fully back and straightened.
:::::::
âGreat,â you muttered while glancing toward the kitchen. âMy foodâs definitely ruined now.â
Without waiting for a response you turned and walked back toward the stove.
The apartment felt normal again. Almost like nothing had happened. You reached for the pot, giving the sauce a quick stir. Checking the heat.
Behind you, you could hear him move towards you. Steps crossing the room. Always the same.
You glanced over your shoulder.
âYouâre staying this time, orâ?â
You let the question hang in the air. He stopped a few steps behind you.
âTonight, yes.â
You nodded slightly to his answer.
âGood.â A small pause.
Then, softer: âI made enough for two.â Silence settled between you again.
âIâll be gone tomorrow.â
Your hand slowed slightly in the pot. Not stopping. Just enough to show you heard him.
âCity?â you asked.
âYes.â
You hummed quietly, processing it without making a big deal out of it.
âHow long?â
âNot sure.â
Of course not. You let out a breath. âAlright. Try not to get into trouble.â
:::::
Later that night, the apartment had settled into a stillness.
The lights were off. Leaving the room in soft darkness. Broken only by the glow slipping in from outside. Somewhere in the distance, the city still moved but it felt far away.
You lay in bed, the warmth of the blankets wrapped around you. Your body slowly relaxing after everything. Beside you, he hadnât moved much since lying down.
You could tell he was still awake.
It was in the way he breathed. Like he wasnât fully letting himself rest.
You moved slightly. The mattress dipping under the small movement. For a moment, you stayed where you were. Staring into the dark listening to that familiar breathing beside you.
Then you turned. Slowly, without thinking too much about it you moved closer to him. Your hand found him first. Resting against his chest. The fabric of his shirt was warm beneath your fingers.
You let yourself settle there.
Closer now, your head coming to rest just below his shoulder. Fitting into that space like it was something youâd done a hundred times before. Which you did.
For a moment, he didnât react. Didnât pull you closer. Didnât move away.
JustâŠwatched you silently.
Then, after a second, his arm shifted. It came to rest around you with enough pressure to keep you there. A controlled adjustment. Like he had simply accepted your presence.
Your fingers moved slowly against his shirt until they settled there. Holding onto that steady warmth without thinking. The silence between you wasnât cold. Just your way of communicating.
ââŠYou should sleep,â you whispered. Your voice softer now, already edged with exhaustion.
A pause.
âI will.â
You were not fully convinced but your eyes are already closing. Your breathing began to slow, matching his without effort. He didnât move again. Didnât adjust. Nor pull away.
Just stayed exactly where he was. His arm still resting around you. Â Outside, the distant sounds of the city blurred into the background.
Inside, everything felt Safe. And this time, when sleep finally pulled you underâ
You didnât fight it.
:::::
Morning came quietly.
Light filtered through the curtains, stretching across the room. Â You didnât move at first. His arm was still around you. Exactly where it had been the night before.
For a moment, you just lay there, listening to his breathingâsteady now. Awake.
Of course. You shifted slightly, enough to look up at him.
âYouâre leaving.â
Not a question. A small pause.
ââŠYes.â
You nodded faintly. No surprise.
Your hand rested briefly against his chest before you pushed yourself up. The warmth leaving with the movement. The room felt cooler immediately.
He was already sitting up behind you. By the time you stood. He was moving efficient. Like a switch had been flipped back on. You followed him out of the bedroom. Rubbing the last bit of sleep from your eyes as he started gathering his things.
Jacket. Gear. Everything in its place. You reached for it before he did. Picking up his jacket and holding it out to him.
He took it without a word. As he slipped it on you stepped closer. Your hands moving automatically. Straightening the collar, smoothing the fabric over his shoulders. A small habit. Unnecessary.
Still he didnât stop you. Didnât comment on your behavior.
Just stood there, letting you. When you were done. Your hands stayed for a second longer than needed. Then you leaned in and pressing a quick kiss to him.
Soft and short. A goodbye, nothing more. You pulled back but didnât move away completely.
âEverything locked,â he said.
You huffed under your breath.
âI know.â
His eyes stayed on you.
âWindows.â You exhaled, just a little amused now.
âYes.â
âAvoid routines.â
That made you pause for a second. Then a smile crossed your lips.
âWow,â you said. âYou really think I wasnât paying attention?â
ââŠI think you get comfortable.â
There it was again. You shook your head to that.
âIâll be fine.â
His eyes stayed on you a second longer. Then he gave a small nod.
âStay alert.â
You rolled your eyes.
âGo,â you said softly. âBefore you start to miss me.â
A brief pause. Then he turned.
By the time the door closed behind him, the apartment felt different.
The day went by slowly. It was late afternoon when you said goodbye to the cashier at the small store near your block. Grocery bags hung from your arms as you made your way home. The weight slowly digging into your fingers with every step.
All you could think about was getting inside, dropping everything and making something warm to eat. Maybe putting on a series afterward and falling asleep on the couch without meaning to.
A small smile tugged at your lips at the thought. A quiet weekend. Simple. Exactly what you needed.
âWhere is my man when I need him?â you mumbled under your breath as you shifted the bags higher in your arms.
He wouldâve taken them without effort.
Of course he would.
You reached your building a few moments later. Letting yourself inside before making your way up the stairs. The hallway was as still as always as you moved closer to your door.
Key in hand, you stopped right in front of it.
For a second, you just stood there.
Then you saw it.
The damage wasnât obvious at first glance. But once you noticed it, you couldnât unsee it. A faint mark near the  lock. The frame slightly misaligned. Too subtle to be an accident. Too specific to ignore.
Your grip on the grocery bags tightened. Your expression changed almost instantly â tiredness fading into something sharper.
Awareness.
Slowly, you shifted one bag down and reached for your phone. Your fingers didnât hesitate this time.
Did you finally bring me flowers?
Send.
The message left your screen.
:::::
Somewhere far away, Hunkâs phone lit up.
He read the message once. That was enough.
Without a single word to his team. He left and nobody questioned it. He was the leader, after all.
But everyone knew where he was going.
Home
:::::
Back at the apartment, you locked your phone and slipped it into your pocket.
Your hand immediately moved to your side. Your fingers brushing against the small knife concealed there. You didnât draw it yet. Just made sure it was there.
Then you unlocked the door.
And stepped inside.
The silence hit you first. The door had barely clicked shut behind you when something movedâ
Fast.
From your left. You reacted before you fully registered it. The bags dropped.
A hand shot toward youâaiming to grab, to restrainâ
You pivoted sharply, body turning on instinct. Your arm came up, deflecting the grip while your other hand moved just as quicklyâ
The knife was in your hand now. No hesitation. You drove it forward. A sharp gaspâshock more than painâas the blade caught fabric, skin. Not deep, but enough.
Enough to make him stumble back.
You didnât wait. Step in. Elbow to the ribs. He folded slightly, breath leaving him in a rough exhale as you twisted out of his reach.
Space. Create space. Your eyes snapped upâ
âand something slammed into your face.
Pain exploded across your cheek, sharp and immediate. Your head snapped to the side. Balance slipping for a split second as the impact rang through you.
Too slow.
You stumbled but didnât fall. Instinct kicked in before the pain could settle. The second intruder stepped in, trying to follow up, to finish what he startedâ
You moved first.
Your hand shot up, catching his wrist mid-swing, twisting hard. His momentum worked against him as you stepped in close, closing the distance before he could recover.
Your knee drove up into his stomach. The air left him in a choked sound as his body folded forward.
You didnât stop. The knife in your hand flashed againâquick and controlledâforcing him back. Forcing space between you.
He stumbled, disoriented, trying to regain his footingâ
You shoved him. Hard enough to send him crashing back into the wall. A dull thud echoed through the apartment as he dropped.
Still.
For a secondâ
everything went quiet again.
Your breathing was heavier now. Faster.
Your cheek throbbed where he hit you. A dull pulse spreading under your skin.
But you were still standing. Still holding the knife.
Then more footsteps sounded behind you.
You turned just as they rushed you â no time to recover.
A hand tangled in your hair, yanking your head back hard enough to rip a sharp cry from your throat. Pain shot through your scalp, forcing your balance off as your vision jolted.
Before you could react, something slammed into your side.
Air rushed out of your lungs as you were driven forward, barely catching yourself before another strike followed. A rough grip caught your arm, twisting it back at an angle that made your shoulder scream.
You struggledâkickedâfoughtâ
But they didnât stop.
Didnât hesitate.
Another blowâthis time to your ribsâforcing a broken breath from you as your strength faltered for just a second too long.
And that was all they needed.
Something struck your head.
The world tilted instantly. Your vision blurring as your knees gave out beneath you. You barely felt yourself hit the ground. Your grip on everything slipping too fast to hold onto.
Your last thought flickeredâ
Save me
Then everything went dark.
::::
When you came to, it wasnât gentle.
Your head throbbed first. Pulsing pain that made it hard to think. Your vision swam as you forced your eyes open, blinking against the dim light.
Wrong. Everything felt wrong.
Your armsâ
You tried to move.
Nothing.
Your wrists were bound tight behind the chair. Rough material biting into your skin. Your shoulders protested immediately. Sending sharp pain down your arms as you tested it again.
Tied. Just Great.
You let your head fall back for a second. Breathing slowly through the ache before lifting your head. They were still there. At least two of them. Maybe more.
Watching you.
âWell,â one of them spoke up after a moment, voice rough, almost amused. âLook whoâs awake.â
You didnât answer right away. Just looked at him.
Silent.
ââŠYou donât talk much, do you?â he added, stepping a little closer.
A small laugh left you.
âOh, I do,â you said, your voice quieter than usual but steady. âJust not when I donât like the company.â
That earned a small scoff.
âCareful,â he muttered. âYouâre not really in a position toââ
You tilted your head slightly, cutting him off.
âYou should probably leave,â you said, almost casually.
A pause.
Then a short, humorless laugh.
âYeah? And whyâs that?â
Your lips curved faintly despite the situation.
âMy boyfriend holds grudges.â
Another pause.
They looked at each other unsure what to think. Â Not understanding. You leaned back slightly in the chair, ignoring the pull on your wrists.
âAnd trust me,â you added, âyou really donât want to be around when he decides to act on one.â
::::
For a second there was silence. Then they started laughing at you.
Small at first and then louder. Filling the room with mocking tones.
âDid you hear that?â one of them scoffed. âHer boyfriendââ
The words didnât finish. They just⊠stopped.
A dull thud followed.
The laughter died instantly.
âWhat theââ
No one had heard the door. But he was there. The second man turned too late and he dropped just as quickly as the first. His voice cut off before it could rise into anything more.
Panic settled into the room. Now they understood.
You barely had time to process what was happening but you could not hide a smile. One moment they had been laughing. Mocking you and the next. Two of them were on the ground, unmoving.
Then a hand grabbed you.
You were yanked back against the chair. Pain shooting through your shoulders as something cold pressed against your throat. A knife.
âDonât move!â the last one snapped. His voice was unsteady and shaky. His grip tightening like it might give him control.
Your breath caught as the blade pressed closer. Just enough to remind you how little space there was between threat and action.
Your eyes lifted.
And found his.
Hunk stood a few feet away, completely still. Like he had all the time in the world. No wasted movement from him. Just that steady, unreadable look locked onto the man holding you.
âBack off,â the man stammered, trying to sound in control. Though the tension in his voice gave him away. âOr I swearââ
He didnât finish.
Because Hunk moved.
Fast.
The man behind you tensed. The knife pressing closer against your throat as he tried to pull you back, using you as leverage.
Hunk closed the distance in seconds.
His hand shot out. Catching the manâs wrist before the blade could press any further. The grip tightened instantly before he twisted. With brutal force.
The manâs hold broke with a loud scream. Â His fingers losing the knife as it slipped from his hand and hit the floor.
He reacted too late. Hunk stepped in, forcing him away from you. Using his own momentum against him to keep him away from you. The movement was quick.
The man tried to resist, but he didnât get the chance.
A short struggle.
Then nothing.
His body went slack and dropped to the floor beside the others. The room fell quiet again.
Only your breathing was heard now. Hunk didnât look at the others. His attention shifted immediately to you.
He stopped in front of you, taking a second to look you over. Your face, the bruise forming along your cheek. The way your shoulders were pulled back by the restraints.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Not much.
But enough.
âHold still,â he said.
His voice was low. Â He reached behind you, fingers finding the bindings at your wrists. There was a brief pause, then a quick motion as he cut through them.
The pressure released instantly.
Your arms dropped forward, the sudden freedom sending a sharp ache through your shoulders as the blood rushed back in.
Hunkâs hand came up without hesitation, steadying your arm before you could fully react. Just enough to keep you from losing balance.
âEasy,â he added. His grip stayed for a moment. Making sure you were stable before letting go.
His eyes moved over you again, more carefully this time.
Checking.
The bruise on your face. Your ribs. The way you held yourself.
âYouâre hurt.â
âYou should see the other guys,â you muttered. Your voice a little rough as you rolled your shoulders, trying to ease the stiffness.
Hunk didnât react to the joke.
But his hand came up again. Fingers brushing lightly against your cheek. Careful. Like he tried not to be to ruff with you. He turned your face just enough to get a better look at the bruise forming there.
His touch was steady. Firm enough to keep you still, but not enough to hurt. For a moment, he didnât say anything.
Just looked.
Taking it in. Then his thumb shifted slightly. Brushing just beneath your eye in a way that felt⊠softer.
âYou should have left,â he said.
You huffed softly, leaning into his hand just a fraction.
âYeah,â you murmured. âI know.â
There was a brief pause.
Then, without another word he pulled back. He moved to the bathroom to grab a cloth and a bottle of water, anything usable. He returned just as quickly.
âSit,â he said, though you were already doing exactly that.
The cloth was damp when he pressed it gently against your cheek. The contact made you wince slightly. But his grip adjusted immediately. Trying to be more careful.
âSorry,â you muttered.
He didnât answer. But the pressure eased.
His attention stayed on you as he worked. Cleaning the small cuts on your skin, checking your ribs with careful movements. Â You watched him for a moment.
âYou got my message,â you said quietly.
A small pause.
Then, a slight nod. You smiled faintly at that. Even if it pulled a little at the soreness in your face.
âTold you,â you added under your breath. âI make the best codewords.â
Another pause. His hand stilled for just a second before continuing. As if the words had registered somewhere deeper than heâd show. When he was done. He didnât move away immediately.
Instead, his hand came to rest briefly at the side of your neck. His thumb brushing lightly against your skin. Not rushed. Just making sure.
::::
âYouâre staring,â you murmured after a moment, your voice softer now.
His hand stilled briefly at your neck before he pulled it back.
âIâm checking,â he replied.
You laughted lightly, but didnât argue. The apartment had gone quiet again. Not tense this time.
You moved. The exhaustion finally catching up to you now that everything had calmed down. Every movement reminded you of it. Your ribs, your shoulders and the dull ache behind your eyes.
Hunk noticed. Of course he did.
âCome on,â he said.
It wasnât really a suggestion.
::::::
The bedroom was dim, the curtains half-drawn. Letting in only a faint trace of light from outside. It felt quieter in here. Safer.
You sat down on the edge of the bed first. Exhaling slowly as the tension in your body started to catch up with you. Now that everything had stopped, it hit harder. The soreness, the exhaustion, the adrenaline.
Hunk stayed near the door for a moment, like he always did. A quick glance around. Checking. Making sure.
Only then did he move further in.
You watched him as he pulled off his gloves. Setting them aside with the same calm precision he did everything else. Like nothing had happened.
Like this was just routine.
ââŠYouâre bleeding too, you know,â you said quietly, nodding toward his hand.
He glanced down briefly.
âItâs not mine.â
Of course it wasnât.
You huffed softly, shaking your head a little before easing yourself further back onto the bed. Every movement pulled somewhere, but it was manageable.
âYouâre really bad at the whole âcomfortingâ thing,â you added after a second.
He didnât respond right away.
Instead, he stepped closer. Stopping beside the bed. His gaze moved over you again.
âYouâre talking,â he said. âThatâs a good sign.â You let out a small breath that almost passed as a laugh.
âWow. Reassuring.â
A faint pause. Then, without another word, he sat down beside you.
Close. Not distant anymore. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight.  You shifted after a moment. Carefully, inching closer until your shoulder brushed against his side. Not asking. Just⊠doing it.
He didnât move away. Didnât comment. His arm came up a second later, settling around you â steady and firm, like it belonged there.
That was enough. You let yourself lean into him fully this time. Resting your head against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was slow, unchanged, even now.
You focused on that. Let it pull you down. ââŠThey were loud,â you murmured after a moment, your voice softer.
A pause.
âI know.â
Of course he did. Your fingers curled lightly into his shirt, grounding yourself there.
âYou scared them.â Â Another pause.
ââŠGood.â
Simple. But it made you smile anyway. Silence settled again, but this time it was different. Not empty. Not tense.
Just quiet.
Your eyes were already closing.
âTold you,â you murmured. Half-asleep now, your voice barely there, âyou hold grudges.â
His hand shifted slightly against your back, a small and steady motion. Not correcting you. Not denying it.
âI remember,â he said. Sleep took you not long after that.
He didnât move.
Not until he was sure you were safe.
Summary: You feel it before it happens.
The danger. The pain. The warning you never asked for.
It keeps you alive.
It keeps him alive.
But this time, it almost breaks you. And when itâs over and your body finally gives in.
Heâs still there. Protecting you.
Words: 5665
The steady thrum of the helicopter filled the cabin, vibrating through the metal floor beneath you and Leon.
Your head rested against the cold window, eyes closed as you steal a few moments of rest after the mission. The faint reflection in the glass showed Leon beside you. His gaze fixed on you rather than the darkness outside.
His hand held yours firm and gentle. His thumb drawing slow absent circles over your skin.
He sighed. The flight wouldnât last much longer. Soon, youâd be landing. Straight into another assignment waiting at the White House. No real break. No time to recover.
It was better that you were asleep.
The last mission had been rough. Harder than most. And Leon already knew this night wouldnât end anytime soon. Not until everything was handled so you both could finally go home.
If that even happened. His eyes moved on you, his grip tightening slightly. You had done an irreplaceable job at his side out there. You always did. And that was exactly what worried him.
Because no matter how capable or strong you were. You still had that same instinct he did.
To step forward first.
To take the hit.
To sacrifice yourself if it meant someone else would make it out.
He hated that.
Not because it was wrong. But because it meant you could be taken from him just as easily.
Leonâs jaw tightened faintly. He couldnât lose you. Not like that. Not at all.
His protective instincts had never really faded. Not since the day he first saw you.
Back then, you had been something entirely different. Not an agent.
Just⊠someone who needed saving. And from the moment he pulled you out of that place. From those cold walls and sterile lights â something in him had refused to let go.
It didnât make sense. You had been a stranger. But it hadnât felt like it. It had felt like losing you would have meant losing something important. Something he hadnât even understood yet.
Seeing you again after DSO training had been⊠strange. You werenât the same person he remembered. You stood taller and stronger. Determined in a way that left no room for doubt. A rookie, officially â but not really.
Not to him.
God, he had tried.
More than once. Tried to talk you out of it. Tried to convince you to stay away from this life. From the danger and constant risk. The pressure that came with it. But you had made up your mind long before that.
And Leon had known it. So instead, he accepted it. He trained you. Took you on missions. Taught you everything he could â not just how to fight, but how to survive.
And you learned fast. Faster than he expected. Somewhere along the way, you stopped being someone he had to watch overâ
and became someone he trusted to watch his back.
Someone he relied on.
Someone heâ
Leonâs thumb stilled against your hand as your body suddenly jerked slightly against the window.
His eyes snapped back to you.
You were trembling. You were having a nightmare and he definitely knew what it was about.
::::
Darkness swallowed everything.
Cold metal beneath you.
The sharp sting of restraints digging into your wrists.
Flickering lights overhead, barely holding on.
Voices echoed around you. Distorted and distant.
âHold her still.â
Your breath hitched.
Noâ
Not again.
You struggled. Panic rising fast and your pulse was pounding in your ears as shadows moved closer. A gloved hand reached for you
âNo, wait!â
A sharp sting in your armâŠ.
:::::
You woke with a gasp.
Your body jerked forward. Your breath uneven and your  heart was pounding violently against your ribs as if trying to escape.
For a second, nothing made sense. You were sweating slightly as you tried to steady your breathing.
Suddenly, two strong hands came into your field of vision. Gently but firmly cupping your face.
You flinched, your body jolting again â until you realized it was just Leon.
âHeyâhey, itâs okay.â His voice was calm.
He shifted closer from the window seat, pulling you into his arms without hesitation. One hand stayed at the side of your face while the other wrapped securely around you. He was holding you against his chest.
âItâs alright,â he murmured again.
Before you could say anything, he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. The contact made something in you loosen. A quiet breath slipping past your lips as the tension slowly began to fade.
You closed your eyes, leaning into him. Letting his warmth anchor you back in the present.
âIâm sorryâŠâ you mumbled under your breath.
Leon only tightened his hold slightly. His hand moving gently through your hair before he placed another soft, reassuring kiss there.
âYou donât have to be,â he said quietly.
You buried your face in his shoulder and your arms finally moving to wrap around his back holding onto him tightly. You needed this â needed the closeness â to calm yourself down.
Slowly, your breathing began to steady.
You knew you were already close to the White House. The last thing you wanted was to show up like a complete mess.
âThe same dream?â he asked after a moment. Still holding you without letting go.
You nodded against him.
âYeah⊠the same shit all over again,â you muttered. Your voice sounded tired.
Leonâs thumb moved gently along your cheek. Trying to make sure you know he is there for you.
âIâve got you,â he murmured.
âThank you,â you whispered. Pressing a soft, grateful kiss to his cheekbone.
:::::
âWeâll be reaching the designated location soon,â the pilot called from the front of the helicopter. His voice cutting through the steady hum of the rotors. He glanced back briefly, his eyes scanning on the two of you for just a second before returning his focus to flying.
You were still holding onto your man. Your face half-buried against his shoulder when you slowly opened your eyes again. The lingering warmth of his embrace made it harder than it shouldâve been to pull away â but you did.
You shifted back into your seat, straightening up. Though your hand remained in Leonâs. Your fingers stayed loosely intertwined. Like neither of you was quite ready to let go just yet.
Your gaze drifted over his face, taking in the small details. The faint tension in his jaw, the way his eyes were still fixed on you searching, making sure you were really okay.
He didnât say anything. He didnât have to. You gave his hand a light squeeze. A silent reassurance.
Iâm okay. Donât worry.
For a moment: he looked into your eyes â then a faint, almost tired smile tugged at his lips. Only then did he look away. His attention shifting toward the dark window beside him.
Outside, nothing but night stretched endlessly ahead.
âFive minutes,â the pilot added.
Five minutes until landing. Five minutes until whatever waited for you next. Your grip on Leonâs hand lingered just a second longer before relaxing slightly.
Another mission.
Another fight.
This life was tough but you were happy you were not alone in it.
You sighed softly as you leaned back into your seat, letting your head rest against it. Your gaze drifted to the window, watching the clouds pass by in slow, endless waves as the helicopter cut through the night sky.
For a moment, everything felt almost calm.
You closed your eyes again, just briefly.
A dull headache had started to form, pulsing faintly behind your temples. You had hoped to get at least a little sleep during the flight but that hadnât really worked out.
Not with your mind the way it was.
Your thoughts began to blur, drifting somewhere between exhaustion and silence-
until the pilotâs voice cut through it.
âAlmost there.â
You exhaled, shifting slightly in your seat â when suddenly a sharp chill ran down your spine. It hit you instantly, like being thrown into ice-cold water.
Your eyes snapped open, your body tensing as you tried to make sense of it, to catch what was going on.
But deep down⊠you already knew.
That feeling. The same one every time. The quiet, unmistakable warning that something was about to go wrong.
Something bad was coming. Your grip around Leons hand tightened without you even realizing it.
But he noticed. He always did. He knew you well enough to recognize the shift instantly. The tension in your body, the way your focus sharpened.
Something was wrong.
âWhat is it?â he asked, his voice low, already alert. You swallowed; your eyes still fixed on the view outside. The city lights passing far below, distant and indifferent.
ââŠSomethingâs wrong.â
Leon didnât question it.
His posture straightened instantly, his free hand already moving toward his weapon as his gaze followed yours into the darkness.
The feeling only grew stronger the moment you landed. It didnât fade. If anything, it tightened its grip around your chest.
You and Leon moved through the White House side by side. Everything looked normal.
Too normal. Agents passed by. Staff hurried through the halls. Quiet conversations echoed off polished walls.
But none of it eased the tension building inside you. You made your way toward the meeting room. Your steps slowing slightly without you meaning to. The closer you got, the worse the feeling became. Sharp and pressing, impossible to ignore.
Thenâ
Everything went dark.
A silence fell over the hallway for a second, before distant noise started to rise.
Your breath caught. Your hands began to go numb. A cold sensation spreading through your fingers as your entire body tensed.
It was happening. Your gaze snapped to Leon, your brows drawn together in clear worry. You didnât even have to say it.
Something was very, very wrong.
You looked around, trying to make sense of what was happening.
A few people stood nearby, just as confused as you were â murmuring, glancing at each other. Waiting for someone to explain the sudden darkness.
Your gaze moved over them, one by one.
Nothing. No obvious signs. No movement out of place. Everything looked⊠normal. But you didnât believe that for a second. Not with that feeling still clawing at your chest.
You started moving again, slow and cautious, your senses sharpening with every step. Leon stayed close behind you. His hand already resting on the holster of his gun, ready.
You reached for your own weapon as well, drawing it smoothly. Your movements precise and controlled.
âStay sharp, darling,â you muttered under your breath as you followed Leon into the next corridor.
More people had gathered there. Agents, staff, security. They stood in small groups, looking around with growing unease. Waiting for orders or for answers. Some spoke in hushed voices trying to figure out what was going on.
You moved a little closer, your gun rising in front of you. Your grip steady despite the tension building in your chest.
Thenâ
Your breath caught. Your eyes snapped across the room, scanning again. Faster this time, more focused.
And then felt it crawling in your fingernails.
One person.
Your gaze locked onto him. A man standing slightly apart from the others. Shoulders tense, head lowered just a little too much. To anyone else, he looked shaken. Normal even.
But to youâ
Something was off. Your stomach dropped. Your fingers tightened around your weapon.
ââŠLeon,â you said. Your voice barely above a breath as you stepped just a little closer to him. You didnât take your eyes off the man.
âThat one,â you murmured.
And not even a second later, he turned. Without warning, he lunged at another person whose back was turned. A sharp scream pierced the corridor as she was bitten hard in the neck. Blood spattered and panic erupted instantly.
Chaos broke loose.
People scattered in every direction, screaming and tripping over each other, desperate to escape. But you didnât stop.
You moved forward with your weapon raised. Every sense on high alert, instincts screaming at you that this was far from over.
:::
By the time you finally reached the President, he was already being fitted into a protective vest. Tension written all over the room.
Jason was standing near a hidden safe behind a painting, pulling out weapons with practiced movements and handing them over to you and Leon.
âSorry weâre late, Mr. President,â you said, your voice steady despite everything that had just happened.
âEveryone ready?â Jason called out as the last weapon was taken. A few quick nods and thumbs-ups followed. No hesitation. You moved out together, coordinated, pushing through the corridor toward the Presidentâs safe room.
The halls were no longer quiet.
Gunshots echoed as you took down the infected along the way, each movement precise.
You stayed close to Leon, your gun raised as you turned another corner. Clearing it quickly before moving on.
By the time you reached the safe room, things had only grown more tense. You left Patrick behind and followed Jason further down the hall.
There was no time to slow down.
âWe split up,â Jason ordered, his voice sharp and controlled as he looked between all of you. âAnything that moves â put it down. Donât let anything get near the safe room.â
You nodded, tightening your grip on your weapon. With that, Jason and Shen May moved off to cover the sides, disappearing down separate corridors.
You and Leon exchanged a quick glanceâ
then turned and headed up the stairs together.
You peeked around the corner. Scanning the area carefully before giving Leon the signal that it was clear â for now.
Without hesitation: you both moved forward, quick and coordinated. Â Like it was second nature. It always was.
You cleared the next section together. Covering each otherâs angles with practiced precision until you stepped into a large, open room.
The space was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the floorâ
and filled with movement.
Zombies staggered in the room, slow but relentless.
You didnât waste a second.
Both of you raised your weapons and opened fire. Taking down the zombies one by one with controlled shots.
You were finishing off another figure when that familiar  feeling hit. Something was rushing straight toward Leon.
âLeon, takââ you started, but the words caught in your throat as the zombie lunged at him.
âShit,â you muttered under your breath. Adrenaline pumping as you sprinted forward, every instinct screaming to reach him in time.
With a precise kick you slammed into the zombie, knocking it off Leon. It hit the ground hardâ
but you were already there. You planted your foot firmly against its throat, pinning it down as you raised your gun and fired.
One clean shot.
The body went still.
âDonât you dare touch himâŠâ you muttered under your breath. Your voice low and sharp before your attention snapped back to Leon.
You stepped toward him quickly. Reaching out and grabbing his hand, pulling him back up onto his feet.
âYou okay?â
He steadied himself, his grip tightening briefly around your hand before letting go.
âYeah,â he said, a little breathless. âIâm good.â His eyes met yours for a second longer than usual.
âStay close to me,â he said, more serious now. You huffed lightly. âYou were the one on the ground.â A faint smirk flickered across his face.
âYeah. Not happening again.â
âBetter not.â With that, you both raised your weapons again. Finishing off the last of the infected on the floor with precise shots.
You were trailing behind Leon as you walked down the underground hall where a large U-boat was waiting. You barely listened to what the captain was saying about it. How advanced it was, how reliable.
Your thoughts were somewhere else.
Still stuck on the last few hours, where you had to fight for your life once again. A zombie outbreak⊠in the White House.
It didnât make sense. Something about all of this felt off. Your gaze shifted ahead, watching Shen May and Jason as they walked in front of you. You couldnât quite figure them out.
It wasnât that they werenât capable agents â far from it. But something about them felt⊠suspicious.
You hadnât brought it up to Leon yet. But maybe now youâd find the chance.
You picked up your pace just slightly, closing the small distance between you and Leon.
âLeon,â you said quietly. He glanced at you immediately, slowing just enough to fall into step beside you.
âWhat is it?â
You hesitated for a second, your eyes flicking ahead toward Shen May and Jason before lowering your voice a little.
ââŠSomethingâs off.â
That was all it took.
His expression shifted.
âYeah?â he asked. You nodded slightly.
âI canât explain it. But⊠them. This whole situation.â You exhaled. âIt doesnât feel right.â Leon didnât brush it off. Didnât question it anymore.
Instead, his gaze moved ahead, more focused now.
ââŠAlright,â he said after a moment. âWe stay sharp.â
A small pause. Then his hand brushed yours.
Barely.
âStick with me.â
Your fingers twitched slightly at the contact, but you didnât pull away.
âWasnât planning on going anywhere,â you murmured. That earned you the faintest hint of a smile from him.
::::
You and Leon followed a few steps behind Shen May and Jason as they led the way into a small conference room aboard the submarine. The walls were bare metal, the lighting low and the hum of the engines thrummed through the floor.
Jason began explaining the plan, but as expected, most of it was vague. âWeâll investigate the source of the breach from here. Thatâs all you need to know for now.â
Shen May added nothing more than curt nods, her eyes scanning the room like she already anticipated trouble.
Leon leaned slightly toward you, whispering, âTheyâre not saying much.â
You nodded, your unease growing. âThatâs⊠all they told us. Nothing concrete about the mission itself.â
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. âFigures. Classified. Typical.â
The two agents finished their briefing, exchanged a few quick words with you and left without another glance. The door sealed shut behind them, leaving only you and Leon in the quiet room.
You exhaled, letting your shoulders relax just a fraction. The tension in the corridor had followed you in. But now it felt manageable. You glanced at Leon. His eyes, usually so guarded, softened as they met yours.
âNow that itâs just usâŠâ you began, but your voice trailed off, unsure how to start.
He gave a small half-smile. âYeah?â
You stepped a little closer, feeling the warmth of him beside you. âI donât know⊠I just feel like thereâs more going on than theyâre letting on. I canât shake it.â
Leonâs hand brushed against yours again, firm but gentle. âThen we watch each otherâs backs. Thatâs all we can do right now.â
âYeah. I count on you.â A light smile curved your lips. âBy the way, darling⊠your jacket is suiting you well.â You reached out, letting your fingers trace over the leather. Moving slowly up toward his chest, then tilting your hand toward his face.
Leonâs eyes flicked down at your hand, then back to yours. The hint of a smile tugging at his lips. âIs that so?â
âYeah,â you murmured. âYou look really handsome. You knew I love this jacket the most, didnât you?â
He caught your gaze, a warmth lighting his eyes. âI might have guessed.â His hand moved up to your cheek. His thumb tracing gentle over your skin. âAnd I love that you notice these things.â
You leaned in slightly, heart fluttering. The hum of the submarine faded into the background. For a moment, it was just the two of you. The warmth of his hand, the quiet intimacy of a room suddenly too small.
You tilted your head, lips hovering just a breath from his. âLeonâŠâ
His eyes locking with yours. Heartbeat pressing against yours.
And thenâ
A sharp metallic clang echoed down the hall, breaking the spell. Both of you froze.
Your chest tightened, an instinctive shiver running down your spine. That same low, uneasy pulse â the one youâd come to trust â spiked in your head. A dizziness teased the edge of your vision, and a sharp throb formed behind your temples.
Something was coming. Something bad.
You grabbed Leonâs arm, your grip firm. âLeon⊠somethingâs wrong,â you whispered, voice tight but urgent.
His eyes flicked to yours, instantly alert. âWhere?â
Before you could answer, the lights flickered and dimmed, the hum of the submarine shifting into an uneasy vibration
âLetâs go. We need to find out whatâs going on.â
You nodded slowly and fell in step behind him as you left the room. Your steps were cautious, each one measured as you tried to pinpoint the source of that nagging sense of danger.
As you both approached the U-boatâs control room. You ran into Jason again. The scene that greeted you made your stomach twist. Dead bodies sprawled across the panels, motionless and eerily silent. Your eyes flicked from shadow to shadow, scanning for anything that might still pose a threat.
Jasonâs eyes moved over the bodies scattered across the control panels, his expression hardening slightly.
ââŠWeâre not alone down here,â he muttered under his breath.
Then his gaze snapped to you and Leon, voice turning sharp and commanding.
âAnything that movesâtake it out. Donât hesitate.â
Leon gave a short nod. âUnderstood.â
You tightened your grip on your weapon, the unease in your chest growing heavier by the second.
âWe split up,â Jason added. âFind any survivors.â
Leon didnât argue. He just glanced at you briefly.
âYouâre with me.â
âAlways,â you answered quietly.
::::
The two of you moved out together. Stepping into a narrow corridor leading deeper into the submarine. It was too quiet.
Only the low hum of the engine filled the space but even that sounded⊠wrong now. Your steps slowed.
That feeling came back. Stronger this time.
A sharp pressure built behind your temples. Your breath catching slightly as your senses stretched too far, trying to grasp something you couldnât yet see.
âLeonâŠâ
He glanced back immediately. âWhat is it?â
ââŠI donât know yet,â you murmured. âBut somethingâs here.â
Thenâ
A faint sound. Scratch. You both froze. Another one.
Closer this time. Leon slowly raised his knife. Eyes scanning the dark corners of the corridor.
ââŠHear that?â You nodded. Your ability spiked.
Not a warningâ
A flood.
Your vision blurred for a second as the signal hit all at once. Too many movements. Too many directions. Your stomach dropped.
âHunââ
Something moved. A rat darted out from the shadows.
Then another.
And another. The floor came alive.
A swarm burst forward, pouring out from vents, pipes, cracks in the walls. Filling the corridor in seconds. Hundreds of them. Their bodies overlapping, screeching, claws scraping violently against metal.
Your breath hitched.
Too much. Your ability spiraled out of control, trying to track every single one at once. Pain shot through your head.
Your knees nearly gave out.
âHey â stay with me!â Leon grabbed your arm instantly, steadying you before you could collapse.
âIââ your voice broke slightly. âToo many⊠I canâtââ
The swarm rushed forward. Leon didnât hesitate.
âMove!â He pulled you back fast, forcing your body to react even when your mind lagged behind. You stumbled with him, gripping onto his arm as he dragged you toward the next section.
The rats flooded after you. Fast and relentless.
âUp!â
Leon grabbed onto the overhead mesh and pulled himself up, then immediately reached down for you.
âGive me your hand!â
Your vision swam, but you forced your arm up. He caught you instantly, pulling you up beside him as the swarm rushed beneath your feet.
You clung to the metal above, your arms trembling. Not just from the strain, but from the overwhelming pressure in your head.
The rats piled below you, jumping trying to reach.
Your breath came uneven.
âLeonâŠâ
âIâve got you,â he said firmly. âDonât look down.â
You squeezed your eyes shut for a second, trying to steady yourself.
Think. Focus.
Leon dropped down briefly, smashing a pipe open. Water began flooding the floor quickly, spreading across the metal surface.
Your eyes widened slightly despite the dizziness.
He grabbed a cable next cutting into it with quick precision.
âHold on!â
He jumped back up beside you just as the exposed wire hit the water.
A violent surge of electricity shot through the flooded floor.
The swarm convulsed instantly.
High-pitched screeches filled the corridor as the rats thrashed, bodies jerking uncontrollably before going still.
Silence. Your ears rang faintly.
But your bodyâ
Your body gave out. The tension snapped all at once.
Your grip slipped.
âHeyââ
Leon caught you immediately, one arm locking around you as you sagged against him. âIâve got you,â he said, pulling you close and keeping you steady.
Your head dropped briefly against his shoulder, breath shaky.
ââŠtoo muchâŠâ you whispered. âIt was everywhereâŠâ
His hand moved to your back.
âI know,â he murmured. âYouâre okay. Just breathe.â
You nodded weakly, holding onto him as your senses slowly calmed. Though the echo of that overwhelming feeling still stayed in your head.
:::::
Silence slowly settled over the corridor, broken only by the faint crackle of dying electricity.
Leon still held you close, his arms firm around you as if letting go wasnât even an option. His eyes searched your face. Focusing on how pale youâd become, the worry in them impossible to hide.
There wasnât much he could do.
Your ability â something you never asked for â was pushing you to your limits again and all he could do was keep you upright. Keep you close, hope it was enough. And he hated it.
Hated how helpless it made him feel.
His grip tightened slightly, almost unconsciously. Like if he just held on a little stronger, it might somehow keep you from slipping away. But it didnât change anything. He couldnât take the pain from you. Couldnât quiet whatever storm was raging inside your head.
And that feelingâ
It dragged him back.
Back to a place he never really left.
To Raccoon City.
To the chaos. The screams. The people he couldnât save.
His jaw tightened.
Why did it always feel like this? Like no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he fought, it was never enough. Why could he never protect the people that mattered to him⊠the way he was supposed to?
His gaze softened again as it fell back on you, his hand moving up to your face, thumb brushing gently over your cheek.
ââŠIâve got you,â he murmured quietly, more to himself than to you. âIâm not letting anything happen to you.â
âIâm sorry, darling,â you whispered, your voice faint. âIâm holding us back again.â His expression tightened instantly.
âHeyâno,â Leon said. His hand cupping your cheek a little more securely. âDonât say that.â
You let out a shaky breath, your fingers still gripping his jacket weakly. âI can barely stand, Leon⊠if this keeps happeningââ
âIt wonât,â he cut in gently. âAnd even if it does, we deal with it. Together.â
Your eyes flickered up to his. âIâm supposed to have your back⊠not slow you down.â
A quiet exhale left him. Almost like he was holding back.
âYou are,â he murmured. âYou always do.â
His thumb brushed over your cheek, slower this time. âYou warned me. Back there⊠more than once. Iâm still here because of you.â
Your grip on him tightened slightly at that.
âYou donât see it, do you?â he added quietly. âYou think thisââ his hand moved slightly. Gesturing to you, to the strain you were under â âmakes you weaker.â
You swallowed, saying nothing.
âIt doesnât,â he said. âItâs the reason weâre still standing.â
The words settled somewhere deep in your chest. Easing some of that tight pressure that hadnât just come from your ability.
Your breathing slowly steadied. Your body still leaning into his but no longer on the edge of giving out.
ââŠstill feels like Iâm falling apart sometimes,â you admitted quietly.
His lips pressed together for a moment before softening again. âThen fall apart with me there and not alone.â
Your eyes softened at that, something warm flickering through the exhaustion.
ââŠyouâre really not letting go, huh?â
A faint, tired smile tugged at his lips. âNot a chance.â
Your eyes slowly lifted to meet his again. He was already watching you. Every line of his face softened. As if you were something fragile he didnât want to break.
A small, nervous smile curved your lips. You leaned in just slightly, keeping the movement gentle. He responded immediately. Closing the last space between you and your lips met halfway in a soft kiss.
Your hands moved naturally. Yours gripped the lapels of his jacket, feeling the warmth and texture beneath your fingers.
The kiss deepened just a little and his other hand slid to the small of your back. Pulling you closer. Your free hand threaded lightly through his hair, holding him with the same careful insistence he held you.
Your lips moved slowly against his, opening just enough to let his mouth nudge yours in tiny, teasing rhythms. The touch was electric, but soft.
Even as the kiss became more confident. Your hands stayed connected. His movements guided yours, every brush and pull a quiet conversation was an exchange of trust and care.
When you finally eased back, your foreheads rested together. Your hands stayed. His still on your cheek. Yours gripping his jacket. Both of you reluctant to break contact.
A soft, shy laugh escaped your lips.
ââŠI needed that,â you whispered.
Leonâs lips curved into a satisfied smile. âMe too,â he murmured. His arm still wrapped securely around your waist.
For a long moment, you simply held each other, letting the tension of the day slip away. Just for a while.
After a few quiet minutes, he whispered softly, âYou ready to take down the bad guys with me again?â
You nodded slowly, a determined spark in your eyes. âYeah⊠letâs take down these pieces of shit.â
He pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head. âThatâs my girl.â
When you both finally made it home exhaustion hit you all at once. It settled deep in your bones.
After taking down Jason in his final form. You had barely been able to stand. The mission alone had been enough. The constant strain of your ability. The overload of it all had pushed you far past your limits.
At least it was over. For now.
You had already signed off for a few days of vacation. Not that it would last long. These days it felt like everyone was going B.O.W. shopping and somehow you and Leon always ended up right in the middle of it.
A quiet breath left your lips as you let yourself sink back onto the mattress in your shared bedroom. Your body relaxed instantly against the familiar softness. Muscles finally giving in after hours of tension.
For a moment, you just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Letting the silence settle around you.
And this should be the time that you felt asleep. At least that was the plan. You just didnât.
Your mind kept running.
Fragments of the mission flickered behind your eyes. The noise, the chaos and the overwhelming rush of your senses. Your head throbbed faintly. A dull reminder of everything you had pushed through.
You turned your head slightly, glancing over at Leon. He looked just as worn out, though he tried to hide it like always.
ââŠYou sleeping?â you asked quietly.
He let out a small breath, shaking his head. âNot even close.â
A faint smile tugged at your lips. âYeah⊠same.â
Silence fell again but this time, it felt restless.
You pushed yourself up slowly. Running a hand through your hair. âI donât think I can stay in here right now.â
Leon looked at you, already knowing where this was going. âYeah?â
You nodded, a small spark returning to your eyes. âLetâs go for a ride.â
There was a brief pause. Then the corner of his mouth lifted. âThought youâd say that.â
::::
Not long after, you were outside.
The cool night air hit your skin instantly. It cleared your head just enough to make you breathe a little easier.
Leonâs bike stood waiting, dark and familiar under the dim streetlights.
He swung a leg over it first, then glanced back at you. âYou good?â
You nodded, stepping closer before climbing on behind him. Your arms wrapped around his waist naturally. Your body pressing against his back as if it was second nature.
âAlways,â you murmured.
The engine roared to life beneath you. The vibration humming through your body.
And then you were moving.
The city stretched out before you, streets mostly empty at this hour. Lights glowing softly against the night. The wind rushed past you. It was cool against your face, tugging at your clothes.
You leaned into him slightly, your grip around him tightening just a little. Out of comfort.
Leonâs hand briefly left the handlebar, reaching back to rest over yours for a second. Giving it a small squeeze before returning his focus to the road.
You smiled softly against his shoulder. The ride was smooth. Steady.
The sound of the engine. The rhythm of the road and the quiet understanding between the two of you. It was perfect.
You let your head rest against his back. Eyes half-closing as the tension slowly slipped away with every passing streetlight.
ââŠThis helps,â you murmured.
Leon tilted his head slightly, just enough for you to know he heard you.
âYeah,â he called back. âKnew it would.â
For once, there was nothing chasing you. Nothing waiting around the next corner.
Just the two of you, riding through the night and finally able to breathe.
they injected me with mental illness when i was a baby because they didn't like that i radiated moonlight and had stars inside my eyes. they were jealous of me.
Tracking your husband down was no simple task but reuniting with him and joining him on his mission made it all the better. They just didnât expect you to be like himâŠjust with enhanced abilities.
Had this fun little idea I just needed to share. Could be a stand alone or in the same universe as Heart Bound 18+. Sorry not not sorry for the bad jokes. Kind of crack and badass energy reader vibes who struggles to take things seriously except when it comes to her husband lol. So angsty and fluffy, gore, fighting, violence and mentions of near death and spoilers. Sorry for any missed mistakes, enjoy!
âYou Grace Ashcroft?â
No one would ever believe Leon had such a badass wife. Not that everyone knew you two were even married, since it was more of a need-to-know basis. So when you tirelessly drove for hours to make sure your husband was okay, you werenât quite sure what to expect. But you were more than prepared.
You needed the practice anyway.
âY-yes.â The young lady stuttered, shaking beside you. She seemed hesitant even to approach you, but honestly, could you blame her?
With a soft grin, and blood drenching nearly your entire body, she was so conflicted. âWonderful!â You beamed, hoisting her up, leaving her in awe of your strength. âHeard you needed help, thought I should drop in.â
She nodded, shakily holding a gun you immediately recognized. âI-I do. I got k-kidnapped by this man, and Iâve been trying to figure out how to get out of here and-â She swallowed thickly, looking around to see if there were any infected around. âIâmâŠIâm really scared.â
Wiping away the blood the best you could, you offered her a gentle smile. This poor girl was so scared she didnât even ask who you were or how you knew her name. âNo worries, I got you. By the way, have you seen a man? Tall silver fox. A little broody in natureâŠbut once you get to know him-â
"W-what?â
âAh nothing!â You cleared your throat, reloading your ammo with a sharp turn down the dark hallway. âCome with me-â
âWait, the guy part of the DSO? Y-you know Leon?â
Flashing her a grin over your shoulder, you couldnât help yourself. âOh yeah, we go way back.â
To be fair, Grace didnât need to know you were looking for your husband. You didnât want to give anyone any leverage in this already zombie-infested place. Both of you preferred it that way to keep each other safe. However, you werenât supposed to be there, and you definitely didnât use your old credentials from the DSO system, which forgot to deactivate your account, to further look into the details in Leonâs case.
He had been gone a couple of weeks for his mission, but after you lost contact with him, you were already on your way. Paranoia was never really in your vocabulary when it came to Leon. You respected the time he needed out in the field, but this time it was different.
Something was off, and youâd be damned if you let your husband deal with it on his own.
Pondering further on the thought, you had no idea why Leon would even think for a moment you wouldnât track him down, especially when he and Sherry had been experiencing symptoms of infection that had been affecting survivors of Raccoon City but not you.Â
The mere idea haunted you enough.Â
So you made your way to his last location only to find a massacre. âWell, shit.â
And after hours and hours of probing Sherry on her private phone-poor girl, she finally gave in and filled you in on more details. Victor Gideon, the man behind the chaos, was a name you hadnât heard in years. Although your Uncle was one of the leading researchers at Umbrella back then, you do recall he spoke about Victor and the oddity that was him.Â
But that was years ago, and if this guy was causing strife for your husband, you were going to help put him down.
âSo, are you DSO-watch out!â Grace shouted just in time for the sounds of glass breaking and snarls of the infected echoing down the hall.Â
With a quick step, you avoided any unnecessary injuries, lodging your combat knife through the skull of an infected as you pulled Grace out of the way to stab another. She couldnât pull her eyes away from you, mentally screaming at the chaos and keeping close to your side for safety.Â
Itâs been a couple of years since you did anything this vigorous, and this place was sure as hell keeping you on your toes, but not as much as your little one.Â
âHey, you know that nice big shiny gun you got there?â You politely asked Grace, going back to back with her, to deal with another wave of infected surrounding you.Â
âY-yeah.â
You gave her a box of ammo. âUse it.âÂ
Shot after shot, you easily took them down on your end, and though Grace was holding her own, she was struggling. You quickly assisted her, telling her to take a deep breath and calm her nerves.Â
âLook, youâre doing really well so far. They canât get any lessâŠdead than they already are.âÂ
You could tell your words didnât quite register, as you could see her looking off into the distance with a vague expression and a slight shake in her shoulders. âI think itâs incredible for someone who got kidnapped and hasnât had much time out on the field, youâre doing a hell of a good job-â
The guttural groans of another infected reanimating back to life reached your ears as it grabbed Grace. With a scream, she struggled to reequip her gun. You could hear it apologizing to her and begging her to help, but sadly, there was nothing to be done. Though it hurt more than anything, you quickly grabbed the back of its head to avoid it biting either of you, slamming it into the wall before shooting it in the back of the skull.
âQuite rude.â You hummed, wiping the blood off your hands on the wall. âUgh, the sad part is that they donât stay dead, but back to you, Grace. Youâre doing a great job. Keep your chin up and your aim straight as best as you can, and youâll make it out of here, I promise. You need to live, and if you could save a life while youâre at it and cover your rear, do it. We were all scared once until we had someone we needed to protect.âÂ
Though she was still shaken up, she gave you a small nod. And guiding her through the center, you can tell her confidence grew more and more, but when you came across Emily, you knew this was going to be a little difficult in this already fucked up place. So after you told Grace to stay with her, you searched the center, looking for anything of value to help get them out of there.
âSorry guys, Iâm taken.â You mused to yourself, taking down more infected as you went. You looked to your side but forgot your husband wasnât there. âRight, bummer.â
Leon wouldâve been so proud of that joke.
Pushing forward, whoever designed this hellhole had you searching high and low, but there was still no trace of him. So after you found the last quartz baffled by the mere idea if everyone had to do the same thing every day, you rejoined the girls.Â
âJeez, the things I had to do just to get this tiny thing. You guys okay?â You asked, leading them carefully back to the main entrance. Grace answered for both of them, carrying Emily. She was a sweet, blind girl, but you could sense something inside of her was wrong. She was infected as well.
Chalk it up to the experiments that were forced on you or the non-consensual âvaccineâ your Uncle administered to you when you were younger, but it didnât take a rocket scientist in this place to figure it out.Â
Though unsure of what exactly was wrong, it made you think back to your family. The one you couldnât save. The friends you couldnât save. There was no reason for Emily to be here. In fact, that sentiment carried over for Grace, the infected here, you, and Leon. âYou guys get as far away as possible. Straight down the road, itâs a good walk but close enough-hereâs my car keys. If itâs compromised, you find the best next way to get out of here.â
âWait-wait. YouâŠyou sound like youâre leaving us?â
Reloading your gun, you offered her a soft smile. âUnfortunately, I have my own mission here, but take care of each other, okay?â
âWe will. H-how are you getting out?â
âDonât worry about me, I have a ride!â Just have to go find him first. âAnd Emily, make sure Grace doesnât get herself in more trouble.â
She gave you the tiniest of smiles, hanging onto Grace just a little tighter which warmed your heart. âOkay!â
With another nod Graceâs way, you let them both go.
It didnât take extremely long to find Leon, but it annoyed you nonetheless. Thatâs until you got a crazy idea.Â
A stupid crazy idea.Â
You decided to scale the outside of the center, looking for any clues and hoping to get a view of any rooms you didnât have access to. âDonât look down. Donât look down.â
You had nearly given up on your mountain climbing escapade when you finally saw him. However, your bright smile dropped when you saw Leon tied to a chair. This wouldâve been enticing in other circumstances, but watching your husband have a tarp set up behind him and enduring harassment by that man, if he could even be called that, angered you to no end.Â
He was no doubt going to kill him.Â
âOh hell no.â Although this was one of the most stupid things youâve doneâŠthat Leon had to personally witness, you had no choice. Thankfully, Leon always had a plan as stoic and sarcastic as he was, you just needed to buy him some time.Â
So when you saw the man steadily approaching him with a scalpel, you shot through the glass, the bullet hitting him dead on through his hand, taking off some fingers. Though you wanted a head shot, the strange contraption on his head was most likely not going to kill him, regardless of whether you tried, but you were glad it gave Leon enough time to cut through the rope and get the jump on Victor.
One thing he hadnât expected to see some woman covered in blood charging through the window like a maniac. âAm I late to the party?â Aiming at Victor, you took your side by Leon seeing him hold back a very evident sigh.Â
âRight on time.â He quipped beside you with a hint of irritation in his voice. Of course, the one person he treasured beyond all else was here.Â
Victor observed you with blood dripping down his hand as he held his fingers with the other. He was more mutilated and infected up close than you couldâve imagined.Â
âI see.â He hummed, creepily tilting his head to observe you. Leon protectively stood in front of you as you slowly reached for your spare gun to give him. âQuite the fascinating specimen. The wife, Iâm assuming?â
Now thatâŠhad your blood running cold. How the hell would he know that? Or was he trying to gauge a reaction out of you?Â
With a grin, you peeked your head out from behind Leon. âAnd youâre the asshole who doesnât brush his teeth, Iâm assuming?âÂ
You missed the subtle smirk from Leon as Victor pointed at you-or tried, threatening to approach.
âAnother step, Iâll take two more fingers off those grubby hands of yours.â You warned, raising your gun once more, making Leon follow in suit.
âSuch a shame. Another ignorant fool, but I know you. I recognize that soft face of yours.â Unconsciously, your brow twitched at the sound of his voice. You couldnât help it when it came to creeps like him. âYour Uncle worked at Umbrella, didnât he?â
For a moment, it was as if your breath had been snatched right out of you. Memories of the past hitting you like a freight train with no regards of your being. "Ah, he did." Victor smiled, âThatâs where I know you from. Itâs been years my friend. Iâm surprised his research paid off. And still you lookâŠuntouched.â
What in the fuck?
âIâd love for us to have a conversation-â
Another shot rang through the air and right into Victorâs shoulder. âNo thanks.â Leon intervened, causing Victor to snarl at him and throw a whole tray of surgical tools right at both of you. Without a second thought, Leon grabbed you, shielding you out of the way as one of the tools snagged him right in his arm.
âPerhaps, another time.â Victor smiled, making a run for it.Â
Pulling out your gun, you unintentionally pushed past Leon to chase Victor, emptying your clip just to have him be undeterred and escape. âShit!â Childishly stomping your foot, you sheepishly turned back to see Leon not too far away, holding his arm. âUhâŠhe got away.âÂ
Leon just stared at you. He obviously couldnât see Victor anymore, so your unneeded confirmation didnât need a reply. You pursed your lip, rocking back on your feet to think of something to tell your husband. âWellâŠon the bright side, we kind of know why heâs after Grace, right?â You hummed with a pep in your step, returning to the room. âBy the way, I helped get her out-â
Quickly, you were pressed against the wall, Leon trapping you with one arm and his hips. The heat that crawled up your skin was enough to comprehend that he was not happy you were there. âJeez Leon, I know you missed me but nowâs not the time.âÂ
That innocent smile of yours softened his heart just a bit as you spoke into your earpiece, trying to save yourself from his wrath. âHey, Sher. I found our man of the hour.â
âAmazing, let me patch through to him right now!âÂ
Leon spoke to Sherry through his ear piece, pulling away just a moment before accusingly pointing at you and quietly mouthing, âIâll deal with you later.â
Feigning a gasp, you whispered back. âYou did not just use your dad tone on me!âÂ
He ignored your comment as you crossed your arms, drawing your attention to the laptop that was left out. Itâs been a little while since you were out on the field with Leon, even if he wasnât happy it felt like old times where you would fuss over each other and have each otherâs back all the same.
âTalk to you soon.âÂ
With that Leon looked over the computer one last time as you sat on the table beside him carelessly swinging your legs. âI canât help but hate itâs always something tied to Umbrella.â You pointed out. Â
âMe too.âÂ
Then Leon calmly diverted his attention to you, eyes furrowing in disappointed but you beat him to it. âI told you not to have me come save your ass!â
âWhat?â
âYou heard me Mr. Kennedy and look-â You pulled him closer to you seeing the wounds at the side of his neck and arm. âYouâre injured and I bet you lost that brand new fancy coat I bought you so donât even deny it!â Pulling out some herbs and a health kit, you quickly made something to stop the bleeding and possibly ease the pain. âThat son of bitch is going to pay for touching you.â
âThat right?â
âMhm.â You were so deep in thought that you hadnât realized Leon boxed you in, placing his arms on either side of you until he was inches away from you. âI canât see your neckâŠ.if youâre soâŠâ Trailing off, those blue eyes of his pierced yours. No matter how much desire you held for each other, you guys were never going to put each other in a position where youâre both blind sided.Â
âI didnât want you here,â Leon whispered as you attempted to tend to his wound. âYou, better than anyone else know itâs dangerous.â
âAs if we hadnât faced worse things out there.â
âThatâs not the point. Whyâd you come here?â
Grinding your teeth, you couldnât meet his eyes before your hands fell into your lap. âWith everything going on with you, Sherry, and the other survivors, and the fact I couldnât get a hold of you-by the way, would it kill you to answer your phone?â Leon didnât say anything in response to that, so you puffed out your bottom lip before confessing. âSomething felt off. I just got in my head, and I needed to make sure you were okay.â
âSo you put yourself in danger? Now youâre on their radar. The exact opposite of what I need right now.â
âI understand Leon-truly. But did you forget Iâm more than capable of taking care of myself?â You kept your gaze calm yet fierce gesturing to your body. âYou know the skills I possess and the ability to-â
âBaby, thatâs not an excuse.âÂ
âIâm not trying to. I needed to be here with you.â
âYou didnât need to.â
âYes Leon I did. Iâm not going to let you die out there or suffer alone, not if I could help it.â Your heart pounded wildly in your chest, and a burning sensation returned with a vengeance. You needed to take a breather and regulate your heart rate.
Leon immediately sensed it, dragging a chair to sit in front of you, his hand resting on your thigh to help calm your nerves. âWhat am I going to do with you?âÂ
âUgh, donât do that. Iâm all gross and covered in blood-"
âBe quiet.â Pulling you in by your waist, he rested his head into your lap, closing his eyes.
You could see the fatigue on his face, the infection reemerging to take hold of him. Both of you knew why you hadnât been affected in the slightest. You had some sort of advantage where you werenât susceptible to infection like the average person. Even if your Uncle did inject you with a âvaccineâ with the hopes of making you 'immune' without knowing the full ramifications, your blood seamlessly mutated with whatever virus he concocted in the lab. Â
You were the perfect subject.
A weapon.Â
The ability to harbor a potentially deadly virus capable of wiping out humanity, all while keeping your livelihood, consciousness, and sanity, was something to behold. You never used that to your advantage unless you had no other choice. Especially with him. You couldnât reel it back in. The emotional conundrum and overwhelming desire to eviscerate anyone in your path when it took hold disturbed you. And the repercussions were swift and relentless if you werenât careful.Â
Leon remembered when he first saw it, dealing with the Iluminados years ago. Something took over you, making you bleed from your eyes, nose, and mouth to defend him against an enemy. He thought it was the Las Plagas at first, but then you were violently shaking, and then you tore through everything half-conscious. Fear filled his mind. Not because of how your blood-soaked eyes assessed every threat, but he thought you were going to die, and he thought he had to be the one to put you down. But with one look at him, those blue eyes of his brought you back after you saved his and Ashleyâs lives.Â
Now he knew why the government was keeping you on a short leash, but that was no excuse. They had no right to treat you the way they did when you never harmed a civilian or deviated from the mission.
Once he saw that soft smile of yours break through that monstrous identity you tried to conceal and had been fighting for years, he knew you were still there, despite how disgusted you were with yourself.Â
Never again would he allow them to hurt you. He would rather have death take him than let you go through something that horrific especially when the government got a hold of you after the Racoon City incident.
Leon wasnât able to verbalize how he thought he didnât deserve you but he remembered how well that conversation ended last time. But the more he thought on it, he did deserve this. He did deserve your love. He did deserve to want to have some sort of self preservation without the guilt of not helping everyone he could.Â
He pushed the thought away of failing you, and possiblyâŠlosing you.Â
âI missed you too Leon.â Gently brushing his soft hair out of his face, you let him enjoy this simple moment of peace. But not without teasing. âYou better not be falling asleep now mister, we still have more ground to cover.âÂ
âFive more minutes.â
âOne.â
âFive.âÂ
Warmth flooded your chest. âFine, Iâll sit right here until youâre ready. Itâs been a long day.âÂ
When he finally pulled away with his legs spread and his hands resting on his knees, he filled you in all the details you may have missed before you guys made your way through the center.
âI gave Grace my keys to get out of here. I just hope they didnât run into any trouble.âÂ
Leon paused, slowly turning to face you. âKeys? For the brand new car I just bought you?â
Oh shit.Â
You pursed your lips again, scratching the back of your head. âUhhh...I couldnât exactly uber to you.âÂ
âSo you gave away your keys for your brand new car?â
With a sigh, you kicked your leg up. âI needed a new one anyways-â
âYou didnât. How were you going to get out of here if you needed to escape?â
âUh carpool with you?â
âWhat if I wasnât here?â
You let out a dramatic sigh, throwing your head into his chest. âShush.â
âYou canât just shush me and pretend we arenât having this conversation.â
âShush.â
âHey-â Placing your finger over his lips, you shushed him once more but all he did was continue walking.Â
âI wouldâve figured it out. Donât I always?â You called after him.Â
âYou do. Sometimes.â
Somewhat offended you looked at him, trying to match his walking pace. Curse those strong long legs of his. âWhat do you mean sometimes?!â
âYou make questionable decisions.â
âWonder where I learned that one from!â You retorted.Â
âThatâs debatable.â
âNo thatâs the truth, and nothing but the truth.â You hummed, walking in front of him.Â
Smack.
âAh!â Swirling around, Leon pretended he didnât just smack you right on your ass. âThat was super unprofessional!â
âAh so this is professional now?â He smirked, trying to get under your skin. You obviously had no jurisdiction to even be here.Â
âOkay-okay youâre still upset.â You stopped in front of him. âEven though we just had a heart to heart that I wasnât going to leave you here alone.âÂ
âThatâs before I realized how deeply you screwed yourself over. I donât want to have to worry about you whileâŠâ He squeezed his hand, the infection ever present plaguing his mind.Â
âStop fussing over me Leon. We need to worry about Grace and about you...â
âThatâs rich coming from you. I canât if youâre here and-â
Wrapping your arm around his neck, you pulled him into a soft kiss. What was it about you that made him continuously gravitate towards your warmth?Â
Maybe he just needed you to ease his worries and ground him. Something to let him know you were still by his side even if this place could be the death of him. He wanted to resist. He had a mission to get back to. But when your hands trailed down across his skin, one on his cheek and the other on his chest right over his heart, he couldnât deny you.Â
He pulled you in by your waist deepening the kiss, and dipping you back for just a moment. It brought so many memories that kept him going.Â
âIâm not upset youâre here.â He gave you a solemn expression pressing his forehead against yours. âJust donât want you to end up hurt or something worse just trying to protect me. Promise me, youâll watch your back if I canât do it for you. And prioritize yourself first if anything happens to me. Donât be a hero.â
Normally you took promises very seriously, solidifying it with a pinky hold. You wanted to poke fun of the idea of how youâll have your fingers crossed or even whisper âno promisesâ. But he needed reassurance even if you couldnât fully give it.Â
Pressing a thumb under his chin, you pecked his lips one last time. âRelax babe, you know I got your back. Through better or for worse, remember?â
âAlways.â
For a moment, you stayed there in each others arms, now you were be able to continue the- âSoâŠ.are you guys okay now? I donât need my parents to be fighting the rest of the mission now.â Sherry mused.Â
âOh god-â Of course Leon forgot to mute his earpiece. âCâmon letâs just go.âÂ
.
.
.
Now the journey to help Grace was not easy. Emily was injured, Grace was taken by some unknown man and everything was still trying to kill you. Not to mention your new car was unfortunately destroyed in the aftermath in which you got an earful for.Â
However the further you guys went, it made it seem like Leon was the real suspect trying to take the both of you out.Â
You repeatedly telling Leon âbe carefulâ,  âdonât do thatâ or âwatch outâ seemed to fall on deaf ears as you were making your way through the city you once knew being chased down by a huge random spider and mutated dogs. The day couldnât get any better and when Leon decided to ride a motorcycle, oh goodness.
âHang tight.â
You never saw the way he was smirking to himself when you were clinging onto him for dear life screaming, âFuck! Fuck! Fuck!â  Over and over again when he decided to use a collapsed building as momentum to catch up with Victor in a high speed chase. If the fall didnât kill you, you sure knew your heart would.Â
âThat wasnât that bad.âÂ
âNot that bad?â With a wobbly step, you knees nearly buckled from the sheer force of adrenaline flooding your system. However, Leon was quick to grab your waist pulling you to his side.Â
âSee? Youâre fine.â Before you could chastise him, he kissed the side of your head. âLetâs keep going, no turning back now.â
Ugh, heâs so lucky.
Nodding in agreement, you guys visited the Police Station, the emotional pain that came back had you feeling like you were that young girl whose parents didnât want her again.Â
âThink I should try one of the sodas?â Your voice cracked in an attempt to lighten the mood. âOr do you think Iâll mutate into something weird and funky?â
âDefinitely something weird.â He whispered behind you.Â
You both knew that day was one of the worse days of your entire lives. Leon stood there from time to time, zoning out and looking through old memories and trinkets of the past. You came across your old desk, the pain becoming too much as tears brimmed your eyes, your Auntâs office not too far, as your fingers brushed over her name. Days like this you remembered you never got to say goodbye nor did you find her body but an old burnt picture of you, her, your cousin and Uncle sat there.Â
Leon watched you from afar. He wished he got to know you before all this devastation. Wishing to live a life free of death with you was one of his biggest dreams. You changed so much from back then. You were scared for your life, thinking you were going to die but damn did you push through and fight for the both of them.Â
Now you were a smart ass like him.
âYou know? Iâd imagine coming in one day to see you sitting at your desk, typing away whatever tasked they assigned you.â Throwing Leon a glossy eyed gaze, you rolled your eyes before Leon pulled you into a hug, needing your warmth to ground him again.
YOU CANT SAVE ANYONE
The words of the people he lost were screaming and digging its way into his mind, the dizzying guilt becoming too much.
You canât save Grace.
You canât save Emily.
You canât save Sherry.
You canât save your wife.
And you canât save yourself.
âOh really?â You rested your hand over his heart. It was beating so hard to stay alive.Â
âYeah. Came up with all sorts of scenarios how I was going to run into you at the station.â
âGive me your best one Rookie.â
Then there he was giving you all sorts of scenarios. âMaybe accidentally bumping into you, dropping all your documents on the floor so Iâd have no choice but to help you pick it all up.â
âSuch a classic!â You laughed, feeling the heat crawl up your neck. âWhy would you want to do that?â
He shrugged, âJust wanted to be near you. Then I thought about accidentally spilling coffee on your brand new blouse or something along those lines.â
You deadpanned, âLeon-what the hell? That wouldâve burned me!âÂ
âYeahâŠdidnât think that one through. Wasnât one of my proudest thoughts.âÂ
With another playful eyeroll you tossed his way, your journey had to continue. But when you faced the man who took Grace you were gobsmacked.
Was thatâŠWesker? You werenât exactly close to Wesker back then but you knew how his traitorous behavior helped destroy STARS. Even praising you that you could be one of the special members along side Jill and Chris if you worked hard enough. What a load of shit. And then when the man brought back the tyrant, memories for you and Leon came rushing back.Â
âUgh, what in the high school reunion bullshit is this?â You groaned out, seeing that Wesker look a like disappeared with Grace. You guys needed to catch up.
âNo idea, but Iâm sick of this shit. Ready?âÂ
âYes sir!âÂ
.
.
.
After dealing with the tyrant, and making your way deeper into the ruins of the city you once held dear you both traversed the new facility known as ARK.Â
âYou think theyâll ever learn?â Your question went unanswered as you cleaned your combat knife, exhaustion evident from your sluggish movement. âBabe?â Turning behind you, you saw Leon staggering behind you and his knees crumbling from underneath him. In an instant, you ran by his side, your heart violently hammering in your chest as you steadied him.Â
âW-we have to keep going.âÂ
âNo, we can stop for a moment!â
âWeâre so close.â
With a little force, you pushed Leon into the wall, guiding him into a resting position. âYou need a breather. I can feelâŠI can feel the infection moving around inside you, donât ask me how. I donât know how to describe it but I can obviously see it spreading all over. So if you need a moment, weâre going to take it. Iâm right here, okay?âÂ
Hugging his head to your chest, you could feel him convulsing within your arms. You donât know how long they would last or how frequent they would become but youâd stay by his side as long as possible.
âOkayâŠ.okay Iâm fine.â
âEasy officer!â You stopped him from moving, âIâll be the judge of that and uncross your arms-donât give me that look.â
Leon smiled down at you despite everything. He may not make it, he kept thinking to himself but he was going to keep trying. He needed to do it for you. To save who he could and go back home.
âYouâll be fine, now letâs go big boy. We see what that-totally not Wesker clone- named Zeno has some enhanced abilities. If things go bad, leave him to me-â
âNo.â
âNo?â
âThatâs not up for discussion.â
Squeezing the bridge of your nose, you looked at Leon. âLeon you are not physically capable.â
âAnd you are?â
âWell-â You scratched your head. âI havenât been out in the field for a while but I didnât forget how to fight. If heâs anything remotely similar to me I can handle it. You get Grace out of there while I give him something to play with-â You paused, tilting your head in disgust. âSorry-sorry that came out worse than I intended but my point still stands.âÂ
âNo, I told you to prioritize yourself. Promise me you will. Iâm not gonna watch you kill yourself. Youâll stand down.â
âLeon neither am I. I can do this-â
âOnly thing youâll be doing is standing down or Iâll make you turn back and wait at some rendezvous point.âÂ
Although you were angry it couldnât reach the surface. This was coming from a place of fear. Both of you were scared of losing each other. But you needed to be strong for the both of them given his condition.Â
You were going to try and that wasnât up for debate.
Leon observed your deflated mannerisms, âJust promise me okay?â
Swallowing, you couldnât say the words. âIâŠpromiseâŠâ The dishonesty was nearly palpable. Leon nodded your way entering where Zeno and Grace were and Zeno was no doubt lecturing her about the importance of utter nonsense.Â
And when he addressed Leon then you, it stirred up something within Leon he hadnât felt in years.
âVictor was right. I do know your face.âÂ
You glared at him. âApparently everyone knows me, arenât I popular today.â
âYour Uncle was a researcher wasnât he?â
âNothing new.â You spat in a matter of fact tone, keeping your eyes on Grace and Leon.Â
Taking another puff of his cigarette, he quickly snuffed it out beneath his shoe. âYou were nothing back then. I could almost remember how easy it was to snap your neck.â
Blinking back in surprise, you were a little taken back by his admission. What the fuck was wrong with all of these people? Never mind that. âDudeâŠI was just an intern.âÂ
âNow look at you.â He proudly announced. âPerhaps, they shouldâve listened to your Uncle.â
Though you didnât want to hear anymore of the nonsense he was spewing, you couldnât help the curiosity that plagued your mind. What did your Uncle hope to gain? âYour Uncle was working with The Connections. Believed his lifeâs work for creating antivirals was overshadowed by Umbrellaâs other pressing projects-â
Letting out a yawn, you interrupted his history lesson. âIâm getting real sleepy.â
Zeno smirked, looking over your figure. âI bet you canât even fathom youâre a weapon. All that work perfectly preserved in one host. Once Grace helps us uncover Elpis, you will be the next step.â
âNot on my watch.â Leon stepped forward, aiming his gun with you right by his side.
âDonât embarrass yourself Mr. Kennedy.âÂ
Shot after shot he fired in Zenoâs direction who moved faster than your eyes could keep up. Shit. You needed to focus if you were going to take him down. Flickering your eyes to Grace then back to Leon, you needed to intervene especially when Zeno was just a bit faster than your dear husband and his rapid regeneration was a critical issue.Â
Before you know it he put Leon in a chokehold after elbowing him right in his throat making you spring into action. Jumping on Zenoâs back, you wrapped one arm around his neck while the other had your gun to his temple.
âDonât make me fuck up your perfect posture.â You growled, giving Leon the opportunity to take another shot, but Zeno was unfortunately quicker.
âAh I nearly forgot about you-â He kicked Leon square in his chest, causing him to go flying.
âLeon!âÂ
Before you could pull the trigger, Zeno reached for your arm, flipping you over his shoulder and slamming your back straight into the ground, knocking the wind right out of you. Iron flooded your mouth, as it felt you were choking on your blood feeling some sort of paralysis setting in. Leon called your name, pain evident in his eyes but when he tried to get up, blood spewed out of his mouth.Â
I promise to protect you Leon.Â
âHow touching.â Using his shoe, Zeno tore your gaze away from Leon directing the attention back on him. âI have to say Iâm disappointed. This is bigger than the both of you-â
Lodging your combat knife right in his knee, you could feel your body slowly healing. He staggered back, but was quick to grab you by the top of your head, bringing you to eye level. Wonderful. You kicked the knife further into his knee cap making him drop you as you kicked his legs from underneath him.
âDo you guys ever shut up? Or was that something that was genetically copied from the real Wesker?âÂ
Oops.Â
It wasnât the first time your mouth got you in trouble. Unfortunately that was never going to change and you kept underestimating his speed. Zeno back handed you, slamming your face straight into the metal railing, breaking your nose in the process and busting open your top lip. He ignored Leonâs and Graceâs pleas to leave you alone as Leon cursed under his breath missing another shot.Â
Wiping the blood from your nose, you shakily turned back to Zeno with a grin. âI bet Wesker hit harder.â His hand was wrapped your throat as he pressed you against the railing that was bending rather quickly under the pressure.
âI do wonder how long itâll take to undercover the mysteries in you.â Tightening his grip around your neck, the lack of oxygen had your lungs and body screaming for air. âHow many times do you think Iâll have to cut you open and sow you back together until I get answers?â Dragging his fingers over your stomach intimating that of a surgical tool, he stopped right below your breasts. Your vision darkened, as your body began working overtime to keep you alive, getting ready to defend itself. You needed to control it. Needed to tame it. You couldnât let it go too far. Digging his hips into you to ground you against the railing, he pushed you further back to get a better look at you-how embarrassing.Â
âMaybe you are the next step of human evolution. Perhaps, after I killed him.â He gestured to Leon. âIâll get you to that next step-â
A bullet went straight through Zenoâs head, giving you time to grab the axe Leon threw your way and embed it deep into Zenoâs neck. You wasted no time to using all your strength into head butting him, cracking his nose in the process and breaking his shades that carelessly fell to the ground.Â
âHard pass creep.â Rolling you neck, you steadied yourself, the shaking in your bones becoming harder to pacify. Breathe. Just breathe. You need control it, you told yourself, for Leon, for Grace, for the ones counting on you.
Adrenaline flooded your veins, your eyes burning so badly they bled, turning a omnious blackish red color replacing your normal soft ones. You didnât want to get to this stage but your body had a mind of its own, and acted on instinct when threatened close to death or subjected to pain
âQuite fascinating.â Zeno swung the axe back at you but you side stepped him, grabbing it from him and embedding it on the other side of his neck.Â
Your heart was accelerating at an unprecedented rate, and the only thing you tried to hold onto was Leon and your little one at home. You had to go back. You had to do something. But the way your mind seriously fought against you, brainwashing you into killing was something you had not experienced in years. Blinded by rage, you had forgotten where you were and who you were. Everything became blurred and your only objectives was to kill the one that was causing you harm.
âStill disappointing with all your strength. All that power. You canât see the gift given to you.â An immense pain stabbed through your lower abdomen. âAll that wasted potential.â It plunged deeper inside of you, forcing your legs to falter. Unable to even produce a scream, your humanity was slipping forcing you to remain silent. âItâs okay, I can tell you havenât been subjected to training in your superior form.â
With your mind going, you could still hear him speaking and your body struggled to heal any wounds or possible broken bones or fractures. Zeno gently released until you collapsed on your knees, petting you as he left you there. âNow you stay here, Iâll be back for you later.â
Gritting your teeth, you heard muffled sounds. Why did everything feel so muted? And strange? Muffled sounds of talking. Muffled sounds of gun fire. Nothing was making sense. You were aware something sharp was lodged deep inside of you as blood poured from your mouth. Maybe your body understood that you needed to remove the foreign object to proper heal but the pain was unbearable.Â
Forcing yourself to look around, you saw others, and one familiar face stared right at you. The only thing connecting in your mind was home.
âGet up.â
âYou need to get up.â
âPlease.â
Eventually you blinked at the command, unsure how to follow but you forced yourself to stand. And when you heard your name. A flood of memories pushed through forcing you to remember your purpose, your goal, your family, your husband-
Shit.
Ripping the knife from your gut, you threw it right at the back of Zenoâs head. âGuaranteed to give you headache asshole.â You joked, finally able to break through the mind fog. Though it was a fight hanging onto your consciousness you took a deep breath. âSuch a shame, guess youâll always be second best Zeno.âÂ
You grinned, picking up your gun you dropped. âDonât worry though, Iâll get you set up with a nice therapist-if you survive.âÂ
Cocking your gun, you emptied your clip into his back but when he pulled his gun on Leon you forced yourself to stop.
âYou okay?â Leon warily questioned you, ignoring the barrel to his head. Despite how terrifying you mustâve of looked, and your heart on the verge of imploding, you nodded.
âDonât worry.âÂ
It wasnât until Grace threatened to shoot herself did he yield, giving Leon the chance to cause a diversion and escape in the most dangerous way only he could think of.
And while you guys regrouped, you were having difficulty reeling yourself back in. Leaning on a wall, giving yourself some space, you were taking jagged breaths as your body was forcing itself to heal your deepest wound.Â
âA-are you okay?â Grace asked trying to approach you, but Leon stopped her and gently grabbed your shoulder instead. You pulled away but he didnât let go, forcing you to look at him with your eyes twitching about.
âCome back to me.âÂ
Those simple words struck something inside of you, as you looked into his deep blue eyes and leveled your breathing. Your eyes returned to their normal hue, and you could finally feel yourself coming down from that terrible place.
âIâm here-â Forcing a smile, you winced struggling to take another deep breath. âIn pain but you know that goes.âÂ
Leon stared at you, fatigue crawling up his bones as his eyes were nearly blood shot. âYou promised-â
âI promised myself to save you Leon.â Grabbing his chin, you brought him closer. âI think I made out just fine.â
âBarely.â
âThatâs not fair to me.â You giggled. Then the realization dawned on you when you remembered Grace was watching the both of you. Her eyes flickered back and forth between you and Leon, seeming to connect the dots. If she did she didnât say anything.
âI-I didnât know you were like him.â She pointed out, looking up to the ceiling gesturing to Zeno.Â
Shaking your head, you couldnât help but smile. âCanât be, Iâm not a wanna be clone.â You shrugged, pushing yourself off the wall to wrap your arm around Leon to help him walk. âNow come on, we have to figure out the rest of this mess.â Leading the way through the underground debris of miscellaneous things, Leon was getting weaker. So when you had to send Grace on her to get help you guys get back up, you told her you were proud of her as you let Leon take a breather.
And when you and your husband were finally alone again, you expected him to chastise you. âYou can yell at me if you want?â
âWhat good would that do babe?âÂ
âI donât know, youâre quiet. Say something smart.âÂ
He looked over at you, blind dripping from his mouth as another coughing fit started. âThat I should trust you more to fight by my side.â
âOhhh not that smart now.â You dapped the blood away with a napkin, allowing him to lean on you for support.Â
âSmart ass.â
âHey, youâre the expert. Iâm just the humble student.â
âHumble? Is that what theyâre callinâ it nowadays.âÂ
Resting your head on his chest, your hand reached out to feel his heart beat. âWhen we get back up there-â
âLeon, Iâll do whatever to make sure youâre alive so donât turn me away. Weâve gone too far at this point.â
Tilting your chin to look up at him, he smirked. âI was going to say, if youâre going to use those abilities of yours, give me a heads up so we can kick his ass together. Canât let him get away with touching you.â
Ah he was perfect.
âYes sir!âÂ
Though your pain was still there since you were rarely ever forced to use your abilities to that extend, you looked and felt much better than Leon. You sat by him through the convulsions, coughing fits and his pain though he never voiced them out loud.
You werenât sure what you were going to face with Elpis or what was going to happen when you got back up there but when Grace helped you guys find a new path and eventually reunited with her, you knew it was time. It wasnât going to be easy but you trusted Grace enough to make the right decision.Â
And returning to Zeno to see his smug expression, pissed you off but this time you were more in control. Level headed. And you needed to be if you guys were to get out of here. Holding Leon, you watched Grace get to work with the password, giving her a nod of reassurance.Â
Thankfully she was successful, and when it opened up to reveal some sort of viral component Zeno didnât hesitate to take it and use it on himself. And the funniest part of it, it healed him, reversing the virus and essentially purging him of his abilities.Â
âThat is so funny.â You hummed out in amusement watching how he panicked upon finding out his powers were neutralized. Zeno was in disbelief unsure how to handle the truth of it all. âSuch a shame all that intelligence went into being evil. So lame.âÂ
Injecting Leon with the antiviral, you could see how your husband was quick on his feet and moving faster than he had in ages. You grinned, feeling pride swell inside of you as you joined his side and when you guys had to face Victor-again you both were finally able to destroy the last loose end of Umbrella. Hopefully.
However, when Chrisâs team finally decided to show up, you gave them a piece of your mind. âI reached out to Chris days ago, what took you guys so long?â You questioned as they sheepishly apologized to you. You knew it wasnât their fault since Chris had a phenomenal streak of arriving late to everything but having them rescue you guys made you feel delighted.
And after you checked in with Grace who was in high spirits, you began walking around to stretch your tired legs. It was far from over especially if your Uncle was working with the Connections and his work was practically still flowing through your veins. The antiviral may not work for you but you were glad you could close this chapter of your life and move forward.
âMrs. Kennedy, got a minute?â
With a smirk, you crossed your arms, barely turning your back to that husky voice. âDepends on whoâs asking.â
âJust some guy trying to buy you a drink.âÂ
Turning back to your dear husband, you couldnât help but play along. âUnfortunately, you know Iâm married.âÂ
A hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you close. âAnd he left you here all by yourself?â
You couldnât help but let out a sigh of content, placing your hand on his biceps to feel the rigid muscles you couldnât wait to explore more of later.Â
âNope, heâll be here any second and heâs going to kick your ass.âÂ
âThat so?â  He leaned in closer to you, pushing you against a wall, far from any eyes. âGuess I have to show him whoâs boss.âÂ
âOh no, you have no idea who youâre up against.â You giggled, feeling his warm bruised lips against your own, trailing down to your neck. âStop, someoneâs going to see Leon.â
âNow youâre worried about that?â
Throwing your arms around his neck, you playfully hit his firm chest. âCanât believe itâs officially over with Raccoon City at least. Didnât think weâd ever come back here.â
âMe too.â He sighed, looking over the city before diverting his attention back to you. âWeâll get to the bottom of it and eventually cure you, you know?âÂ
âAnd if we donât?âÂ
âGuess weâre gonna have to continue figuring it out as we go, wonât we? Iâm not going anywhere and-â Leon pulled you in once more allowing a small gasp to leave your lips and a sly smirk to spread across his face. You could tell he was up to no good. âNeither are you.â Leaving one more kiss that left you weak in the knees, he grabbed your hand. âNow letâs go home, I have too much pent up energy that I need to release.â
âUgh, you ruined the moment you pervâŠI do too.âÂ
.
.
.
.
Finally getting home was one of the best feelings ever. Your little one was in bed and you were unpacking anything and everything you had on you from the trip. However, a little green herb caught your eye and curiosity started getting the better of you.
Grabbing the herb you extensively observed it between your fingers, leaning on Leonâs bare back in the process. Working your way closer to him you carelessly wrapped your arms around his side, showing him the plant.Â
The both of you had been using these on missions for years and never once questioned its healing properties. You didnât even know how it happened to be in the most convenient places or where they even originated from.  âAre we ever going to question why we use these orâŠ.â
Leon looked over the herb with tired eyes. âHm, better we donât.â
âGotcha.â A moment of silence passed. âBut youâre not even a little curious?â
âNope.â
âFine fine, Iâll let you sleep.â Another moment passed, as you gently placed it on the night stand. Maybe you were blinking too hard in the dark but Leon turned to you wrapping you in his arms.
âGo on, ask your question.â
âI didnât have a question!â You mumbled under your breath.Â
âLiar,â he mumbled, already on the cusp of dozing off again. âIâm listening.â
Cuddling more into his side, you smiled. âShould I plant a bunch of these in the garden? Since youâre already accident prone?â
Leon lightly chuckled, sleep already claiming him again. âYes babe. Plant whateverâŠyouâll make it beautiful. You only create beautiful things.â
Thatâs all you needed to hear before lightly kissing his forehead, allowing sleep to take hold of you too.
Going down memory lane, youâve realized no matter how long youâve loved Leon you know you canât compare to her. Leon convinces you otherwise
Heavy angst with a sweet ending. Smut. Cheating. Sorry for any mistakes I missed!
Sequel or standalone fic- Relax babe, I got you
You recognized that burning in your lungs. The way your muscles constricted so tightly you thought you were going to die. The blurring of your vision with each breath along with that suffocating sensation settled deep in your chest. You were past that werenât you?
So how did it come down to this?
The man you once knew inspired you to be stronger, think fast on your feet and how to survive. But now, the emptiness filtering into your heart had you wishing for better days. You remembered the days where he was so full of hope of the future.
So bright and cheerful.
Those blue eyes of hisâŠoh you remembered those all too well. You found yourself staring at old photos, the skies or the ocean that brought you some of comfort when he was away.
The serenity of it all, failed to capture that certain beauty that was stained into his heart and soul. That unknown secret he kept hidden from all eyes to see.
And yet, you couldnât help but fall deeper in love with him.
You remembered all those years ago when you first moved to Racoon City. Your Aunt and Uncle took care of you after your parents deemed you old enough to be on your own. They werenât bad people you reminded yourself. Just some people werenât equipped in raising a child so they did their job for 18 years before sending you on your way.
You barely had enough to scrap by making every purchase count and second guessing every decision. It wasnât until your Aunt heard the news and moved you in with her family. Your cousin was younger than you but was so happy to finally meet you and your Uncle was a Scientist who worked for the pharmaceutical company Umbrella.
Both your Aunt and Uncle fought over who was going to take you under their wing but your Aunt was a fighter.
She immediately got you a job as an intern at the Raccoon City Police Department. She was a well respected Captain who was loved by all it seemed. And although you were tasked with doing all the minuscule things no one really wanted to do, the pay was not only decent but you got the chance to meet some of your good friends Jill and Chris who teased you about everything under the sun but protected you like no other.
You felt loved for once in your life.
Though you never got to see them as often as youâd like you had only wished you could join them one day.
Then you met him.
Leon Scott Kennedy.
You donât know when the adoration for him started but when you were assigned to make sure the new recruit-the rookie had everything he needed before his arrival you were thrilled. You would communicate with each other over email and then when you guys got the chance to speak to each other over the phone you couldâve sworn your heart was going to burst right out of your chest.
You were so young and silly, you knew that more than anyone.
But when you found out he was taken, you immediately backed off. Disappointment clouded your heart, yet, that didnât stop Leon from checking in. You werenât sure when the lines between professionalism blurred when he called you after work hours but you told yourself not to give yourself any hope.
And you wish you stood by that.
He quickly became your long distance best friend and even Jill told you, âJeez, stop day dreaming about the Rookie. Iâm sure heâll call you anyways.â
The knowing look she use to throw your way with Chris giving you a comforting pat on the back never failed to make the heat rise to your cheeks.
âImagine when he gets here.â Chris retorted back one time.
The laugh they shared had your stomach doing flips until you informed them that he had a girlfriend and that you stood no chance. The pride you felt finally having something to stop their teasing was soon replaced with pity. They didnât say it then but that knowing look they passed to each other quickly made it worse.
You were falling for a taken man.
The guilt brewed inside of you so much you couldnât bear to look at the photo he sent in months ago of himself. Not that you were religiously doing so. Thatâs until you got a phone call one late night where he confessed he was going to break up with his girlfriend. Your heart broke. You werenât sure if it was for him or the unexpecting girl but you blamed yourself.
You never voiced that thought out loud and Leon quickly defended himself.
âIâŠI know how it sounds. Iâm moving far away for a new job. It just doesnât make any sense for me to move to a new city while she gets left behind. She deserves to live her life.â
You didnât know how to comfort him then. Nonetheless, you tried your best, questioning if he was making the right decision and all he told you was, âIâm following my heart.â
You never wanted to think about it too much. It struck a nerve so deep you werenât sure if you wanted to bother yourself with the truth. Strangely enough, you trusted Leon. He was a good man.
Heâs always been.
Months turned into weeks and the day of his arrival was approaching faster than you expected.
That was until all hell broke loose. Now you could look back and chastise yourself for missing all the signs. The agitation and paranoia etched into your Uncleâs brow when he came home late at night shouldâve been the first indicator something was wrong. Then mysterious people on the news were getting attacked followed by civil unrest to mandated city wide locked downs that turned into pure chaos.
Your Aunt was working overtime and you had no one to talk to about everything was going on. Chief Irons supposedly had everything under control but you couldnât trust that man after your Aunt started suspecting him of illegal activities. Everything was happening so fast, Jill and Chris were nowhere to be found and the only thing your Aunt advised you to do was to reach out and tell the rookie to stay away.
.
.
.
With shaky hands, you did just that. It was the first Leon heard your voice filled with fear and uncertainty but you needed to keep a brave face.
âJust stay put, okay? I canât disclose anything more than that. Iâm sorry Leon.â You told him quietly.
âAre you sure? Is everythingâŠokay?â
The softness in his voice had you wishing he was there beside you but he wasnât and you needed to keep going. You would hope the lie you told would bring yourself some sort of comfort but it didnât.
You had no idea what the future would bring.
âIâll talk to you later?â
Your eyes became glossy as tears were on the precipice of falling. âSure thing Rookie. Talk to you soon.â
That was the last time Leon heard from you.
There was so much chaos going on within the city you could barely sleep. Then one day your Uncle woke you and your cousin in the middle of the night. He was rambling on and on about how everything turned out and how he never excepted the scientists, researchers, and doctors to be so careless.
Neither you or your cousin even had time to put on proper shoes before you guys were ushered into the car. You relentlessly asked for where your Aunt was but your Uncle didnât have an answer. That night the rain was unforgiving and the blocked off roads and back ways had people fleeing for their lives.
âIâm scared.â Your cousin whispered.
You just held them tight, unsure how to convince them everything will be alright.
âI just hope that vaccines works for you guys. Theyâll know I took it.â Your Uncle shakily whispered under your breath. âI justâŠI couldnât live with myself if you guys ended up like them. Those infected.â
âInfected? What are you talking about Uncle? What vaccine? Whatâs going on?â Your questions fell on deaf ears as your Uncle sped down the road.
âIs mommy going to be okay?â
The honking of cars and blaring lights blinded your visions and the car swerved so hard you and your cousin nearly got whiplash.
âPlease we need to slow down. Weâre going to crash.â You pleaded, looking back to see your cousin had tears brimming their eyes. He ignored you as sirens blared throughout the air and helicopters flew over head.
What the hell was really going?
âIs mommy going to be okay?â They asked you softly, digging their fingers into your shirt.
You could feel your throat closing. But you were an adult and you needed to make sure they were okay. So again, you put on your brave face and offered a gentle smile, your hand reaching out to brush some disheveled hair out of their face.
âHey donât worry. Everythingâs going to be-â
BANG
.
.
.
.
You had no idea how long after until you woke up. The pain reverberating in your head was unlike anything you had ever experienced. Your vision blurred and the sounds of screams and strange noises surrounded you. With a groan, you forced yourself up noticing your side was empty as you called out for your cousin with a strained soreness in your voice.
Dirty rainwater from the streets flooded the car that seeped into any and all cuts and bruises. It wasnât until later you realized the car was upside down and it wasnât until the strong smell of iron reached your nose did you realize your cousin and your Uncle were gone.
The cry that left your lips only alerted danger to come your way. You didnât know what they were in the dark but when you painfully freed yourself from the car, you realized it was people and you had to go.
Breathless spouts of air left your lungs as you ran barefoot down the city streets of Raccoon City.
Everything burned.
Frantically your eyes flickered across all the chaos that ensued in what felt like mere seconds. You searched for anyone or anything that wasn't trying to kill you. A crushing wave of despair filled your senses but you didnât stop.Â
You couldnât.Â
Nothing in your entire life could have prepared you for the devastating events that altered the entire course of your life. You tried for the police station with hopes your Aunt was alive but you soon found yourself cornered. Every hallway you turned more and more kept emerging from the darkness.
You had no weapons-well not anymore since one of the infected snatched it from you. With nothing to defend yourself and your feet bleeding, you knew this was it. This was how you were going to die. You closed your eyes, wishing for a quick death but you knew it was going to be excruciatingly slow.
That was until you heard the sounds of rapid footsteps and gunfire that had you reeling back in fear. You heard the sound of bodies dropping and the groans of the infected die down but you couldnât bring yourself to move.
Not until you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder. âHey, you okay?â
Your eyes flickered opened so quickly, and when blue eyes pierced yours, your heart skipped a beat. In the flesh in front of you was Leon. You couldnât believe he saved your life. He was more handsome that you couldâve imagined and if the circumstances were better you wouldâve pulled him into a tight hug.
ButâŠwhy was he here?
âYouâre bleeding, is it okay if I look at your wounds?â
âLeon..?â
He stopped, blinked once then twice. âUh yeahâŠthatâs me.â
âI canât believe it.â
âCanât believe I saved you?â He sent you an awkward smile that was laced with confusion.
âNoâŠI canât believe youâre here-I mean Iâm grateful b-but I told you stay away! Why the hell are you here?â
âWhat are you-â Leon blinked again, his eyes widening before he finally met you at eye level. His eyes glossing over your features, your eyes, nose, lips. âItâs you.â He leaned in to give you a hug then immediately pulled away rubbing the back of his head unsure how to greet you. âSorry IâŠI honestly didnât expect I was going to see you here. I mean I was hoping but-â He cut himself off diverting his eyes elsewhere but you.
âI didnât expect to see you either Rookie.â You smiled despite the pain. âI just wish we werenâtâŠyou know⊠fighting for our lives.â
He swallowed, grinding his jaw for just a moment before sadly agreeing with you. Carefully helping you onto your feet, you never knew he would be so awkward yet so gentle. And though every step pulled at your sore muscles and open wounds he repeatedly apologized, staying by your side every step of the way.
âFor the record, the âWelcome Leonâ sign was half my idea.â You mused, as he held your side. You had long forgotten about it but it hung in one of the offices in vibrant colors. The adrenaline from the car crash and running bare foot through the city streets finally taking its toll.
âOnly half?â He teased, tossing you a grin.
âCanât take all the credit nowâŠâ You sighed, thinking about how youâll never get the warmth of everyone back again. âI wish you were able to see it all.â
Leon took note of the sadness in your voice. You told him about your family. About the chaos the past week and how everything escalated beyond anyoneâs control.
He hung on to every word, as it was your turn to apologize to him for dumping all of this on him. You knew you werenât the only person who experienced sudden loss. So when he finally found somewhere safe, he decided to let you catch your breath and tend to your wounds. âIs it okay if I lift your shirt?â He shyly asked, seeing there was blood seeping through the material.
âJust skipping dinner huh?â You joked, looking up at him with tired eyes. You were most likely going to die anyways so why not indulge yourself.
You could tell he was taken back by your boldness and attitude. And although, the subtle flirting had his chest feeling warm, he was happy to find some sense of normalcy amid all this death.
âIf we-When we make it out. I owe you.â
You were lost for words. âUhâŠyeah, Iâll hold you to it.â
A pained smile made its way on your face as he delicately pulled your shirt over your head revealing soft skin that was littered in bruises, blood and⊠a bite.
Thatâs when Leonâs smile dropped. He just had to put down Lieutenant Marvin and now possibly you?
âW-whatâs wrong?â You nervously asked.
âYou were bitten.â
Pure fear flooded your veins, as you never knew you were bitten and soon tears flooded your eyes. How could you not have noticed? âAmâŠI going to die?â
Your question hurt Leon more than anything. You were a liability now, you knew that and you knew you would most likely change any minute now. ButâŠas of now nothing ever happened. Your symptoms never worsened and even when Leon comforted you and cleaned your wounds, you felt a bit better.
âDonât think like that.â He held your hand, and squeezed it even when he didnât know if youâd make it. âIâll do my best to keep you alive. I promise you that.â
You nodded, painfully following him not wanting to be left alone.
âBesides, I owe you dinner. What were you thinking?â He flashed you another grin, his gun postioned just in case another infected got the jump on you.
You couldnât help but roll your eyes and the warmth crawling up your cheeks wasnât helping. âWhatever you like.â
Thatâs when she showed up. Ada Wong.
Jealousy wasnât the right word that could describe the feeling bubbling inside if you.
Nausea.
Pain.
That burning sensation.
It quickly proved you were inferior to her. You became the liability that would slow Leon and her down. The tears threatened to resurface and when she found out you were bitten, the cold barrel of the gun that found its way to your temple was unlike anything you couldâve prepared for.
âHey-no!â
You were glad Leon intervened because you couldnât defend yourself if you wanted to. It was embarrassing. Humiliating even. From her perspective you both understood the implications of getting bitten.
âSheâs bitten. Sheâll turn. Iâm saving us and her the trouble.â Ada pressed.
Deep down you werenât sure if she could be trusted. You knew the FBI wouldnât send a single agent to uncover the mysteries of Raccoon City falling apart or whatever evidence she needed. But you understood, you guys needed help. And if you needed to be taken out, you wanted it to at least be on your own terms.
Leon stood in front of you, declaring that she was going to have to shoot him to get to you. Never in your life would you have expected those words to roll off his lips, especially for you. âNo. If anything happens to her-â The look he gave you, trailing over your injured figure reassured you. There was something unspoken between the both of you. Something neither of you were able to voice over the last couple of months of knowing each other. âWeâll deal with it.â
And with that Ada resigned, lowering her gun to look at both of you. âDonât say I didnât warn you.â
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You remember how he breathed life into you. A second chance when you had already given up on yourself. Your throat felt dry as you stared out the window. The home you built here was beautiful. Peaceful. You needed it after all these years-Leon more so. He carried more weight and guilt more than anyone you knew in this field of work.
You jumped at the sudden kiss placed on your neck that was slowly trailing down until it stopped at your shoulder. Hands found their way to your waist as you were pulled into his warm frame. âWhat are you doinâ up here alone?â
With a gaze over your shoulder, you looked up into those blue eyes of his. The passion still there, dulled by years of relentless work and loss but still ever present.
âArenât you nosey?â You hummed, twisting around in his arms to place a warm kiss on his lips.
âNosey huh?â He tossed you a look and before you knew he picked you up.
âLeon!â You cried out, a laugh filling the air as you wrapped your legs around him. âBehave yourself.â
Grazing your hands over his muscles that were protruding from under his shirt, you loved the way he would carefully man handle you. Tossing you on the bed, he pinned you beneath him, his lips finding yours as his hands made quick work to discard your shirt.
âBehave myself? Around you?â
You had no idea when he became such a tease. That didnât matter since you couldnât help but be drawn back into him. You could get lost in him for hours.
Months.
Years even.
You could feel his erection pressing in you, painfully waiting for you. But no, youâd have him wait. Your dearest husband could handle that.
âWhatâs on your mind?â He asked, pulling back just a little to look at you. His lips mere inches away enticing you in ways you couldnât fathom.
You wanted to say his cock but for some reason you couldnât.
âIâŠI was just thinking about the first time we met.â
âDamn.â He sat back a little, eyes drifting away as it caught him by surprise. âTime sure flew by.â
You vaguely smiled, unable to meet his eyes. âIt did.â
Silence filled the room, as your throat became dry. âWell, as Claire put it. It was a hell of a first date, donât you think?â
Forcing a sad smile, you crossed your arms. âIn a way.â
Your mind kept pulling you back to Ada.
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You sat there, waiting for Leon. The journey to this point had been horrendous. You did your best to pull your weight so you could prove yourself useful. Ada hovered over you, waiting to the pull trigger the moment you turned but it never came.
Youâre not sure when she decided to trust you but perhaps it was when you offered to patch Leon up after he got shot and later help her chase down Dr. Annette Birkin. Your Uncle often spoke about her, her husband and their young daughter Sherry. Despite everything, you hoped the little girl was safe and if you could save her you wouldnât hesitate. You werenât able to save your family so maybe you could save her. Save others.
And there you were with Ada being chased down by some monster as you tried to find another. You hated to admit she was good at her job. And the red dress that perfectly framed her body drew attention to all eyesâŠeven Leon.
So when she pulled Leon in for a kiss, your heart dropped. You had just helped her after her own injury, staying by her side so she wouldnât be alone. She even joked that Leon was too good for this corrupt world.
âThis world will eat you two alive if you arenât careful.â She remarked. âIt happens to everyone.â
In a sense, you agreed. After everything he was still trying his best to do good. And though you didnât truly know Ada and Leon, the betrayal hurt more than anything. Especially when you both found out she was a mercenary trying to get a hold of the T-Virus. The thing that started it all.
But even then, you can tell Ada wormed her way into Leonâs heart.
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âStop thinking.â Leon mumbled against your lips, kneading at your breasts making you throw your head back against the pillows.
You wrapped your arms around his neck. âI canât.â
âFine. Since weâre going down memory lane-â You gasped, when he suddenly flipped you onto your stomach. âRemember after we left Raccoon City?â
âMhm.â You couldnât trust your voice as he spread your legs, kneading your ass and toying with the band of your pants.
âI lost you for six years.â
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âSo why exactly did I travel out here in the middle of nowhere on short notice?â
âYour assignment was in the files. Youâll be working with a trusted partner.â Your agent spoke to you over your earpiece.
âWow, how exciting. No early brunch and mimosas to get acquainted?â You teased, checking your equipment and restocking your ammo. Pulling out your combat knife, you wiped off all the fresh blood careful not to get any remnants on your skin.
âCanât help with the jokes can you? Didnât you get debriefed?
âZoned out.â
âYou cannot be serious! Did you read the files on retrieving Baby Eagle? And meeting Condor One at the rendezvous point?â
You grinned, looking over the small village. âWho?â The frustrated groan you heard on the other side of the line was more than enough to make you laugh. âYou know Iâm just messing with you. Lighten up. Why would I fly all the way without knowing?â
âI donât know! You tell me. You have a habit of causing me nothing but stress. I think I have a heart condition because of you.â
You feigned innocence, âAt such a young age?â
âI donât know where you get your devious nature from. Youâre lucky youâre really good at your job, you were scouted out by the White House.â
You shrugged to yourself, âNo, not lucky. Just a sarcastic girl whoâs good with guns.â
âWellâŠall things considering you are special.â
With a sigh, you looked up at the clouds. âIf you call being forced to work for the government thatâs been holding me hostage for the last couple years special then sure.â The memory of everything tormented you nearly every day but you tried to keep everyone you treasured close to your heart. Hoping one day youâll be back to find them. If you really had the chance you couldâve but they had you had on a short leash until further notice. âAt least all that trauma made me funny.â
âSorry-oh Iâm getting new information. Condor One-â
The sound of footsteps behind you had your gun drawn in the direction ready to put whoever it was down.
âGreet all your partners like this?â
That voice.
Before you could blink, you were disarmed making you reach for your combat knife to defend yourself. âPulled out the welcome wagon just for you.â
âI can tell.â Your gun was returned without further argument as you stared at the man with bated breath. The muscles in your body tensed as you looked over his form, observing the exhaustion etched onto his face. Those blue eyes of his lost the vigor you once witnessed all those years ago but he was still him.
He was still beautiful.
âWhatâs going on-â
You immediately held your earpiece, cutting your agent off. âSorry Iâll update you as we go. Going radio silent.â
Leon didnât really look at you. Or couldnât meet your eyes. Itâs been years since you last saw him, and now you were assigned to save the Presidentâs daughter with him? You werenât sure to pull him into a hug or pretend your personal desire to rekindle something you believe you couldâve had with him wasnât there.
âIâm guessing these past years werenât too kind.â
He lightly scoffed, looking over the village. He couldnât even muster a smile. âSomethinâ like that.â
âI had no idea they were partnering me up with you. IâŠitâs been years Leon. How have you been?â
Leon looked down to his hands, observing the callouses on his fingers, seeming to not want to engage in this conversation with you. You swallowed, crossing your arms leaning against the cliff side rocks.
âJust peachy.â His tone was sharp yet laced with frustration or anger you couldnât quick pinpoint. âWeâve got ground to cover and-â
âI missed you.â You blurted out. The emotional turmoil bubbling inside of you was overwhelming. Leon froze, struggling to meet your gaze but unable to walk away.
âYeahâŠâ
âJust yeah? I know itâs been years Leon and Iâm not the first person youâd probably want to see all things considering-â
Leon sharply turned to you. No anger just disappointment. âIs that right? Youâre not the first person Iâd want to see?â
You were stumbling over your words. What was wrong with you?
âSix years. I looked for you whenever I had to chance.â He shook his head, tearing his eyes away from you. He proceeded to walk away leaving you behind as you grabbed the rest of your gear and followed. âGlad to see youâre just fine.â
You had no idea but that comment had your blood boiling. Storming ahead of him, you stopped him right in his tracks pushing back on his firm chest.
âIâm sorry to burst your bubble Leon. I can tell you went through a lotâŠI could see it in your eyes.â You trailed off, eyes softening just a bit as a subtle whiff of melancholy tried to crawl up your bones. âBut I wasnât perusing around living my best life. I was taken in. Interrogated to the point they thought torturing me may get me to talk. But surprise-surprise they realized I had no connections with my Uncle.â You spat.
âOh you didnât know about my Uncle before he died? The one who worked from Umbrella, trying to flee with the vaccine he stole that couldâve saved thousands of lives and ended up leaving behind my Aunt and killing himself and my cousin? Yeah that one used a drug on me to combat the T-Virus back then but he messed around it without knowing the full ramifications. It messed me up so bad. The symptoms were unbearable. Everything felt like hell and the government told me well if I wanted to get better considering my âspecial circumstancesâ then I should work for them. So sorry if I couldnât find the time to look for you or Sherry or Claire. Or my friends Jill or Chris. I felt pretty useless back then and knew I need to do something with my life for my own sanity and health after we survived Raccoon City. I didnât even want to be around meâŠso why would I put that on you?â
Why were you so furious? Tears threatened to fall and you cursed yourself for being so weak. After so long, this was how your resolve was crumbling? You turned away, finding some uprooted end of a tree to sit on.
Leon stood there for a long while watching you. He remembered the scared injured woman who he was willing to die for back in Raccoon City-still was. The woman he was excited to see before the virus ripped everything apart. The woman who defended and protected him even when she was bleeding out.
He took a seat beside you, trying to find the right words. âIâm sorry.â He tried to meet your gaze that was glued onto your dirt covered boots.
Shaking your head, you couldnât help the guilt that buried itâs way inside of you. Never truly leaving you even on your good days. âNoâŠIâm sorry. That was unprofessional, I should know better by now.â
âGuess weâve both been through hell.â
You chuckled rubbing your hands together to release some sort of tension, âMustâve purchased a one way ticket or something.â
Leonâs smile struggled to meet his eyes as he turned your way. He didnât close the gap between the both of you, just stared from where he sat hoping to find that look in your eye to prove you wanted him near.
âWe sure did, didnât we?â
You werenât sure how long the both of you sat there. You had a mission to complete but the unresolved tension and pain needed to slowly unravel in some way or form.
âThey told me you had no interest in seeing me. Or seeing any of the survivors.â He finally spoke.
Furrowing your brow you looked at him. âThatâs not true.â
âDeep down, I knew it wasnât.â He sighed. âThey didnât want me reaching out to you or looking for you no matter how hard I tried-conflict of interest they liked to say. Or complications. Or respecting boundaries.â
âWell whoever told you that lied.â The anger forced its way back up but you quickly pushed it down. âTheyâve kept me on short leash, monitoring everything. Iâm surprised they even wanted me for this mission.â
âThat checks out.â
You both let out a sigh at the same time, making eye contact that had both of you smiling in no time. âGuess we better get going.â Slapping your knees, you forced yourself to stand with a slight wobble in your step.
âYeah.â Taking the lead, you started mapping out the new location to scout and infiltrate but stopped when Leon latched onto your wrist. âI still got your back, you know that right?â
The urge to kiss him burned into your very being the longer you looked at him. âOf course. I got yours too-always. Weâll get out of here just like we did back then.â
The subtle relieve in his eyes was enough to raise your spirits. âWe will. I owe you dinner after all.â
âYou remembered that?â You sheepishly asked.
A not so obvious smirk plastered onto his face as he gestured to the road ahead. âCouldnât forget it.â
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A soft smack on your ass brought you back. âCareful mister!â
âWell, I was speaking to you.â The way his hands trailed down from your neck and down your back before situating itself on your waist had you craving his touch.
âIâm glad you found me, okay?â Your voice held a subtle hint of an attitude. âNever lost me. We just needed some time to find each other.â
âSame shit.â
âWatch your mouth!â
âCome sit on it and watch it for me.â
The heat that traveled straight to your core was unbelievable. He always knew what to say and what buttons to push.
âI hate you.â You mumbled hiding your face into the pillows.
âOh? Is that so? Did you want me to stop?â He huskily whispered in your ear, dragging his fingers down your clothed slit. âHmm seems like you donât. Guess someoneâs eager.â
âShut up-â you gasped when he pulled your pants and panties down in one swift movement, plunging his fingers inside of your warmth.
âIâll never get tired of this sopping wet pussy.â He hummed, stretching you out. You tried to reach behind but all he did was grabbed your arm and pin it behind your back. âBet you miss this when Iâm away, huh?â
Ugh, you hated how his fingers worked its way inside of you, filling you up to the brim. âCanât hear you.â He grunted, wrapping his hands around the front of your neck and carefully pulling your head back so he could meet your eyes.
âMaybe.â You teased, before his fingers made its way to your clit. The tension inside of you was bound to snap at any moment. âD-donât stop.â
âIs that what you want babygirl?â He whispered, watching the way you fell apart under his touch.
He had no idea what he did to deserve you. No idea how he was going to make up for the pain he caused you.
Adaâs appearance during that mission put a damper on your mood. All the progress between you and Leon, becoming undone. Leon blamed himself for being so blind. So oblivious to the way he slowly carved your heart out and constantly left you bleeding. He protected you no doubt but when Ada showed up he changed. Ada changed the way you saw the world and she was right. The world screwed you both over but that never stopped you from doing good and trying to prove yourself.
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âAdaâs hereâŠagain?â You questioned, when you both split for a while to cover more ground. The uncertainty in your eyes spoke volumes but never truly knocked much sense into him.
âI just feel so weak when sheâs around.â
âWhy do you say that?â Leon retorted.
âDid you forget she betrayed us? I thought I lost you to her already. And I feel like Iâm going to again.â
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Those soft breathlessly moans from Leon left you grinning as you came right on his fingers. âYou think this proves anything Mr. Kennedy?â
He smirked unbuckling his pants in a slow manner. âYou tell me Mrs. Kennedy. What would you like me to prove?â
âHmm that youâre mine.â You playfully stated, looking over your shoulder. âAnd that I have your love.â
He knew it was under the guise of frivolous banter, but he knew he owed you everything. That sweet smiles of yours was going to be the death of him. He didnât deserve you. And when you guys worked years together to build everything he single handedly torn it down.
But even if he gave you the world, that wouldnât equate to everything you sacrificed for him.
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The downpour was relentless and the earth shattering thunder ferociously rippled through the night skies. He was going back home after a mission but this time, there was a stench of guilt and perfume that hung to his clothes.
He had no idea how he was going to face you. The guilt would eat him alive and destroy the foundation of trust you guys built together over the years.
The years had been beautiful. So what the hell possessed him to do something so idiotic?
Unlocking the front door, he was soaked from head to toe, expecting to see the place littered with empty beer bottles, dirty dishes and clothes but the house was spotless.
His breath hitched. He had no idea you were back from your mission. Ever since Ashley and him put in a word for you, the President himself stepped to ensure you receive a lifetime payment for the wrongdoings you endured and a new opportunity to work with the DSO, along side Leon if you wished.
âLeon? Is that you?â
A cloud of nausea overtook him when he saw you step out of your shared bedroom, wearing a brand new robe with nothing underneath, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes.
âWelcome back, Iâm sorry I couldnât reach you so I assumed you were still on your mission and I really wanted to surprise you.â His phone died hours ago, and that wasnât even a thought in his mind. He was so out of it, he didnât notice you placed a kiss on his lips and grabbed his arm pulling him along. âBy the way-â You poked his chest. âThe place was filthy and we talked about the drinking babe. You donât have to cut it all out but please for your health, my sanity and your poor liver take care of it. I also made dinner but I know itâs super late and youâre no doubt tired but you need to eat. So, I could whip you up something smaller to eat or a little snack? How does that sound?â
The way your smile brightened the room made him feel like he could do anything. It reassured him when no one else could and motivated him to keep going. You brought that side out of him and he was blessed to have you in his life.
What the fuck was wrong with him?
âLeon, you okay?â You sprang into action, holding him steady as he swayed back and forth before collapsing in your arms. âLeon? Leon! Oh my gosh, let me call someone-â
Before you could even step out of the kitchen, he was on his knees pulling you closer. âIâm sorry.â
âYou donât have to apologize for collapsing! Are you okay?â You sank down next to him as he shook his hand, throwing his head into your shoulder. You had no idea what was going on or if he was injured. âI canât help you Leon if you donât tell me whatâs wrong-â
And thatâs when you saw the lipstick stains on the collar of his shirt. The smell of alcohol still lingering on his breathe and perfume. The way you were able to pick up on things much quicker than others seemed more like a curse than a gift.
Your composure faltered as you pulled away, unable to look at him. âWho was it? Was itâŠwas it Ada?â The only thing you could hear was the rushing of your blood and the pounding of your heart.
Black spots blurred your vision and an uneasiness settled in your bones. You knew the truth. So why bother yourself?
âYeahâŠâ He swallowed.
âI-I fucking knew it.â It was the first time Leon heard you cry out like that. You clutched at your chest struggling to breathe, the burning in your lungs amplifying to the point you thought you were going to pass out or do something drastic. âItâs always her LeonâŠtime and time again you prove you canât get over her. If you-if you love her so fucking much leave me out of it!â You spat in between soft sobs. The tears hadnât come in full force but they were coming and you wouldnât allow him to see you like that again.
You stood up, knocking down a beer you had left for him on the counter, its contents spilling everywhere as you took off to your room, locking the door behind you. Leon, of course, ran after you attempting to comfort you even if he was the source of your pain.
âBaby please-â He squeezed the bridge of his nose trying to stop his own tears. âI-Iâll explain everything. You deserve all that and more. Just please donât lock yourself away all night.â
He could hear you softly sobbing on the other side, breaking his heart in only ways you could. He didnât want Ada. But time and time again she was there. Maybe he expected her. Maybe he knew she was capable. Maybe he wanted to save her. He wasnât able to save much people nowadays but he stupidly held onto to a slither of hope she would change her ways to be a decent person.
But each time he would turn her way, he was missing out on you. The one who trusted him more than anything. Was there for him through the drinking, through the depression you both shared and were still overcoming together to the ptsd that plagued your minds to the soft intimate moments that he cherished above all else.
If he needed you, you wouldnât be too far. âWe both have each other you know? I still have your backâ You told him once and he kept your words close to his heart.
He sat outside the bedroom door all night. But after hours and hours, he found himself nodding off and when the morning came, you were gone.
His body felt heavy, head pounding away as he searched the whole place seeing all of your belongings and every inkling of you was gone too. It wasnât until he saw a glass of water, two painkillers and a short note addressed to him did he know it was over.
Leon. Youâre a good man thereâs nothing else in this world that could change my mind but I canât be with you. I alone canât provide enough love for the both of us. Not without you. I need you to love and respect yourself enough to know youâre worthy of love and appreciation. You know if you love someone, you know the commitment and devotion that comes with it. Through the good and bad times. We were both fighting our own demons and I love you more than anything so thatâs why I canât be with you. I need to respect and love myself enough to walk away and not destroy myself in the process by comparing myself to others to fight for your love. I hope you find what youâre looking for and truly love the next person who comes along. Take care. Lay off the beer. - Always Yours.
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âI love you.â Leon grunted, sinking his cock inside of you until he bottomed out. âYouâre perfect.â
Without warning, he pulled himself out before slamming back into you. Your slick velvety walls, coaxing him in deeper and deeper, making it harder to pull out.
âN-no Iâm not.â
Leon arched your back, pulling the most sweet salacious sounds from your lips, thrusting into you at a new angle. âI just want to hear your sweet moans or you begging me to go deeper. You hear me?â
It was embarrassing how easily Leon made you cock drunk, wanting nothing more than him to fuck you like he always did. The sound of your sex squelching under the pressure of him, filling you up and hitting the right spot that had you on cloud nine. All youâve ever known was Leon. It was silly to think about it but when when he embraced you and focused on nothing but your pleasure it was hard not to.
âI asked you a question.â He wrapped his armed around your chest, pulling you to his chest so you sank further on his cock. His fingers trailed down to your clit once more toying with it and abruptly stopping to mess with you.
âDonât stop.â You demanded, reaching your arm behind you to grab a fistful of his hair to smash your lips against him. âY-youâll regret if you stop.â
âIs that right?â With a smile, he jerked his hips up into you, his cock deliciously splitting you open. He knew he was going to come any moment but he denied himself an orgasm if yours didnât come first.
The sounds of skin slapping echoed so loudly in the room, you couldnât concentrate. âStop talking.â Grinding yourself onto his cock it earned you the most sexiest grunt to ever leave his mouth.
âFuck-â Throwing his head back, he grabbed your waist anchoring himself to fuck you at an unrelenting pace. âYouâre perfect you know that?â He repeated, kissing your temple down to your lips all the way to your neck leaving small bruises for him to enjoy for later.
You smiled, putting one hand on his thigh to ground yourself as you couldnât take him any more of him. âYou think so?â His fingers squeezed your sensitive nipples, desperately grasping at your breasts.
âI-I know so.â
Closing his eyes, his hips began stuttering against you as he became increasingly more focused on your clit and rolling it between his fingers. âLeon, Iâm gonna come-â
The way you clenched around him, already waiting to milk him dry. âDonât wait for me baby.â
You tried your best to hold off, but you couldnât deny yourself the wave of pleasure that came quicker than youâd like. âF-fuck Leon.â You cried, pulling him into kiss as his thrust became more erratic. âY-you can come inside me.â
âThat was the plan.â He mumbled against your lips, his cock unable to resist you, pushing him into that orgasm he was denying himself for so long. Pumping himself slowly into you, you could feel him practically throbbing and when his hot seed shot deep inside of you, you couldnât help but throw your head against him as another orgasm forced itself upon you.
Hot cum ran down your thighs, and Leon couldnât help but spread it across your skin. âBe a shame if it went to waste.â
âYou made sure it didnât.â You teased, rolling your hips onto his semi-hard cock.
Grabbing your chin from behind, he looked at you with mischievous glint in his eyes. âDonât start something you canât finish.â He gently kissed you. âNow, let me run you a hot bath. My knees are killinâ me.â
âYour knees? What does that leave for me?â You chuckled, feeling the crackling of your bones. âAh shit-okay. We need to invest in some new joints.â
âWe should. Itâll save us the trouble.â He groaned, slowly coming out of you as he watched his cum leak out of you.
âYou said it.â Reaching your arms out, Leon smirked as he picked you up bridal style, carrying you straight into the bathroom.
When you finally got situated with him behind you in the bathtub, you couldnât help but trail yours eyes over the black marks similar to that of necrosis that had slowly been spreading across his body. âI wish I was going with you this time.â
Leon placed a kiss on your temple, pulling you closer to him. âYouâre safer here.â
âThatâs not the point Leon. You shouldnât be suffering with this alone. You shouldnât have to go back to that hell hole.â
âWhich one?â He mused.
Crossing your arms, you lightly slapped his chest. âI donât want you suffering anymore and your dry humor isnât saving you from this conversation either mister.â
For a long while, Leon didnât say anything as he watched the way you caressed him as if he was the most fragile thing you ever came across. However, it wouldnât be the first he saw you so vulnerable like this.
âI donât deserve you.â
Looking up at it, the furrow of your brow was his first warning. âStop saying that.â
He diverted his eyes away from you. âItâs true.â
Angrily turning around to face him you situated yourself to straddle his lap as the water recklessly sloshed around the both of you. âCut that shit out Leon. Mistakes were made. And we worked through it. I forgave you a long time ago. So stop using that as excuse to justify this as a punishment you deserve. Youâre a good man Leon. Even years later, you still canât see that?â
Leaning on his arm for support, Leon just looked at you with glossy eyes. âWhat would I do without you?â
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Two months.
Thatâs how long he hadnât heard from you. He was an absolute wreck, going on missions without taking care of himself and drinking himself near to death. He didnât see you when he came home. He didnât even see you at work since a week later you left, he found out you put in your resignation. No one gave up your address. No one gave up your new number. He felt like he was going mad. He wish he was able to explain that night. Wish he didnât do something so stupid to the one person he held closest to his heart.
He tried-oh did he try his best to track you down to the point it was borderline stalker-ish. He had forgotten you were phenomenal at your job and that included disappearing if you needed to. He called you every day and night when he had the chance with no luck. And the phone calls he received from old friends asking about you and even Claire reaching out to make sure you were still alive, had him worried. They questioned him again and again asking what happened. He wasnât surprised you never spoke ill of him, or had your private business out there for all to know, that wasnât in your nature but if your shared friends were worried, something had to be wrong with you.
Right?
However, when he received a call from Claire who sounded nervous beyond belief he didnât hesitate to listen. âSheâll be pissed off if she finds out I told you this but sheâs a couple states away. A colleague of mine recognized her so I reached out. Apparently sheâs been spotted near this cafe last Tuesday. Goes there often Iâve heard. Just donât spook her away Leon-I mean it. Sheâs not at her best.â
âThanks. It means a lot Claire.â
âAnd whatever the hell you did. Please apologize like your life depends on it.â
âI will.â
With that, he immediately made arrangements to get you. For the first time in his life, he was terrified and his hands shook at the thought of seeing you again. Would you be angry? Would you give him the cold shoulder? Threaten to kill him? He needed to find out. And if you werenât at your best, he needed to do everything possible to rectify that for you.
It took a couple days but he soon found the address of where you were last seen, and scouted the area. He parked half a block away from the cafe, talking to himself and rehearsing how he was going to approach you.
He was so deep in thought, he hadnât seen you leave the building right outside where he was parked in front of.
âThank you!â It was your voice that caught his attention and there you were not even ten feet away from him. With a hand on your stomach and a bright smile, you shook the hand of what seemed like a doctor? Were you sick?
Claire mentioned you werenât at your best, and if he was being honest with himself you hadnât changed one bit. Oh he could just die right there, seeing how the sun illuminated your skin in the best possible way.
Then there you were heading to the cafe Claire mentioned. He slowly trailed behind you watching for any potential threats until he couldnât anymore.
The cashier greeted you with a bright smile. âHey! The usual?â
âYes, please. You know me so well!â You giggled.
It was now or never.
Pulling out his card with a shaky hand, he finally approached. âIâll take what sheâs having.â
The cashier looked over at you then at him as you whispered rubbing your belly. âItâs okay, I know him.â
He didnât expected that.
They beamed, congratulating the both of you. Huh? Leon was lost, what were they on about? He wasnât expecting that level of calmness and now this cryptic-
âThank you, same time next week?â You called out over your shoulder making the cashier violently blush.
âYou betcha.â
Now, his heart was pounding so hard in his chest, but he needed to stay focus. Had you already moved on? It had been two months after all.
He followed you outside, past his car and to a more isolated part of the local park. It was a cozy area with a small pond that had small ducks honking at each other, however, your eyes trailed everywhere as if searching for someone or something.
âSeems like someone has a crush.â
You chuckled, âDoubt it, they just get flustered easily.â
You sat down, holding your stomach as Leon was slowly connecting the dots. Not once did you spare him a glance as you offered him his portion of the food he kindly paid for. He gently took it hoping you would look his way.
âLooking for someone?â
âYup.â
Your answer was absent of any hostility.
âWill they beâŠupset if they see me talking to you?â The somber tone in his voice finally made you flicker your eyes at him for a moment before diverting it back to the small pond.
Shaking your head, âItâd be a little weird if he was upset. I can talk to whoever I please.â
Leon didnât know what else to say. He assumed from that statement you werenât seeing anyone but who was this man you were looking for.
âSee him often?â
âHere and there.â Taking a sip of your drink, you were happy it brought some sort of energy. âFine, let me stop being vague. He was an addict, Iâd get him food whenever I can but I sent him to get help. Told him if he really wanted to change, he would do it no matter how bad the voices got in his head and there were people just like him in a rehab not too far from here. And if he was interested, I mightâve pulled some strings to have a job available at the cafe to keep him off the streets. I knew he was on the right track if I hadnât seen him around.â
âHow long has it been?â
You smiled taking another sip. âTwo weeks.â
Leon was surprised, the dedication you had to help others never failed to warm his heart. You truly were an angel. âThatâs amazingâ
âI always had hope you know? I just wanted to help but he did it all on his own.â
Those word resonated with him. He wanted to desperately hold and tell you, he was proud of you and never expected anything else.
âDoes that mean thereâs hope, even for me?â His question hung in the air, like a scary thought come to life waiting to be crushed.
âAlways Leon.â With a sad smile, you placed your hand on your stomach hoping he would get the hint. âFor the three of us too.â
His hand trailed down from your face down to your hand. Donât twist the knife just yet, he pleaded to himself. Not wanting to misinterpret your actions or assume the worse, something in his chest tightened keeping him from breathing.
âIs itâŠmine?â
The way your smile dropped, had him feeling sick to his stomach. You nearly hit him. Nearly struck him with all your fury. You even wanted to give him a couple of good whacks with your pastry but you didnât and settled for a calmer approach.
Kind of.
âYou really piss me off sometimes, you know?â Trying to keep your leg from shaking, you took a deep breath. âIâve never been with anyone else Leon!â
Leon stared at you in disbelief. He knew that truth when you told him a while back. At first he didnât want to believe it, someone as beautiful and intelligent like you didnât have a line of suitors waiting outside your door? You made the same face, scrunching up your nose and furrowing your brow before walking away, no longer interested in entertaining him. Of course, he didnât let you get far and apologized with a soft kiss not intentionally wanting to humiliate you.
âSorry.â
Rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms. âItâs fine.â
âNo I mean for everything.â
A chilly wind blew through the air causing you to unconsciously shiver. Instantly, Leon removed his light coat and hesitantly wrapped it around your shoulders.
âWere you going to tell me?â He asked, looking at the ducks gathering their little ducklings by the pond.
âYes, I wasnât going to keep this from you. You deserve to know.â
âWhen?â He pressed softly. âItâs been two months. How long have you known?â
âI had an odd feeling when I resigned. Then I really knew when I missed my second period and went to the clinic.â
Leon hid his face in his hands before sitting back up. He had no right to question you like this but he needed to know. âI wish I knew sooner. I tried to call everyday, whenever I had free time to hear your voice and-â
You rested your hand on his. âI know. I needed time. You owe me that. I was going to pay you a visit this weekend but you beat me to it. Guessing Claire said something?â He froze, not wanting to give Claire up. âNo worries, she told me she would.â
Well that made things easier.
âYeahâŠbut Iâm here if you need anything. Iâll make sure you guys are taken care.â
âYouâve always done that Leon, did you forget?â
Again he struggled to find the right words, âThank you.â
âThat doesnât mean weâre back together or that youâre staying with me. Thereâs a hotel two blocks away you could stay at. If I need you, Iâll call you. I go to the clinic every Tuesday you can join me during my appointments if youâd like-by the way if that was your attempt at following me, it was terrible. I recognized your car the moment I stepped outside so I knew it was a matter of time.â
Oh shit.
It wasnât perfect but this was his second chance. Whoever it was blessing him he couldnât be grateful enough.
So thatâs how it went. Leon showed up at your place every Tuesday to take you to your appointments. You donât know how he managed considering he had his own life and missions to complete but even if he was running late, he apologized to you. Weeks turned to months and you were starting to show more and more and Leon was getting exceptionally nervous when you were alone.
âIâm capable Leon, donât worry.â You told him one night as you allowed him to stay for dinner. He had to leave in the morning but he wanted to spend as much time with you as possible.
âNo doubt about it.â He assured you, stirring a pot. âJust donât want you stressinâ yourself out.â
âYou stress me out!â You joked, setting the table. The thought alone left him in shambles but that smile of yours eased his nerves.
Dinner was delicious and just as you were about to clean up, Leon took you by your hand and led you to your backyard. âIâm sorry.â
âSorry? The food wasnât that bad Leon.â
âNo. About Ada.â You looked away from him, the urge to walk away burning you. âI shouldâve never done what I did. The mission went terrible wrong. I got what I needed but there were so many lives I couldnât save and-â
âLet me guess Ada showed up?â Your sarcastically inquired. âHer normal routine.â
Leon let out a bitter scoff thinking back on how it all played out. âYeah. We shared a drink or two. One thing led to another and-â He closed his eyes already thinking back on that regretful moment. âIt wasnât untilâŠwe kissed did I really realize how fucked up it all was. Never slept her, if you were ever wondering that. I just knew I couldnât face you. Ada has always been there since forever now and I knew how much her presence influenced my idiotic actions and hurt you over and over again.â
Rubbing his thumb over your knuckles, he placed a soft kiss on it. âI know I could never make up for what Iâd done but I will die for you. For both of you. Life without you was and has been torture and I didnât realize how your absence made me want to be better man. Donât deserve itâŠI donât deserve you. But you deserve happiness, and if youâll allow it. I want and need to be by your side. I want to build new memories with you. I want to grow old and die by your side.â
Holding your hand, he got down on one knee before you. âI know weâre not together right now but this is my promise to you. I promise to be the one by your side through sickness and in health. I canât stand another moment where I wake up and you and our child arenât there. You kept me alive and stood by me through the worse and I will be here for you until itâs my time. I know this isnât idealâŠand I wish I brought you somewhere nicer but IâŠI love you. I still have much to prove but if you even take the time to think about it, itâll make me the happiest man in the world.â
Pulling out a velvet box in your favorite color, he opened it to reveal a beautiful ring with your birthstone surrounded by smaller diamonds in an intricate design that complemented it.
âWould you forgive me and marry me?â
âYes!â
You shouldâve hesitated but in that moment and time, you knew it was the right decision. And when you finally kissed him, and pulled him into a warm embrace after months with not much physical contact, he knew he won in life. And he was going to make sure he gave you the best life since you never failed to brightened his.
One thing you never told him was after you left, a month had passed and Ada randomly showed one day apologizing to you. You expected her to throw it in your face that she was able to steal Leon away from you but she has no idea about you or Leon. You wanted to call bullshit, but she knew you two worked closely together but you kept your relationship so private that not even she or the DSO knew about it. She explained that Leon deeply regretted his actions, proclaimed he loved you and that he needed to confess his wrongdoings. He didnât know how he was going to tell you especially since you had your reservations about her since the very beginning and she completely understood why given her line of work.
âHe made a stupid mistake-we both did and I know heâll slowly kill himself over this. I know youâre the only person heâll really listen to so donât let him do that. Heâs a good man.â She whispered.
You listened to every word she said, offering her something to eat and drink to calm both of your nerves. âI know he is so Iâll think about it Ada. Thanks for stopping by.â
And from then on. The rest was history.
When you finally gave birth, you and Leon moved into your new home. You never knew youâd get to see the day he would be a father carefully holding his child. He did extensive research with you about everything pregnancy related during the prenatal and postpartum stages and everything baby related he could get his hands on. Especially speaking with private specialists who would deal with your condition.
Neither of you were perfect, not in the slightest but you both made it work. Neither of you had family to help take care of the baby but your friends came through like they always did.
And when the day for the wedding came along, it was more than you couldâve ever dreamed of. It wasnât a big one, but it was for you and Leon and thatâs the only thing that mattered. Though you were scared to see her showing up, he eased your worries by announcing you were his wife and nothing was changing that.
Not in this lifetime or the next.
.
.
.
âOkay you got everything?â You looked through his belongings, stuffing additional ammo in there for him just in case.
âSeems like it.â
âItâs going to be a long drive.â You pointed out, handing him some food for the road.
âWhen isnât it?â The clipped tone in his voice only made you look into those blues eyes of his and hold his chin. You knew he was upset because he was going to be gone for a long while. The fear of uncertainty clinging to the air about his condition.
âYou got this okay? You got Sherry too. Donât forget to say hi to her for me. And donât make me end up coming to save your ass.â
He scoffed, exiting the car. For a moment you thought he was angry from the vague expressions on his face but he suddenly pulled you in once more, pressing his lips to yours as if it was his last. He always did this when he went away on missions but you both knew time was running out. He wanted you by his side more than anything. You were always able to figure anything out but he knew he wouldnât be able to live with himself if something happened to you.
With a hand lingering on your waist, he closed his eyes resting his forehead against yours. It was always you at the end of the day. Grounding him in ways no one could ever do. And you loved each other all the more for it.
âWell, you do have a habit of saving my ass.â
Tears found your eyes again as you fixed the collar of his jacket, his eyes peering into you like no other man could. âYou started it, you know?â A moment passed as you struggled to say the one thing that haunted you every day since his symptoms appeared. âI know youâre going back to deal with on your own. So please justâŠcome back to me. Back to us.â
With another kiss, he pulled you into a hug. Affection was something Leon had learned to appreciate and yearn for over the years. It wasnât easy, you both knew that but you sought each other time and time again.
You were heart bound from the very beginning.
âI promise.â He paused for a moment, feeling the weight of everything. The pain in his body. The memories of it all coming back to him with a raging vengeance. Even if it all went to hell, he knew one thing.
âThereâs no other home than you.â
.
.
.
.
âGive them a kiss from me.â
You playfully crossed you arms, âYou already did.â
âGive them another one-â
âWait daddy!â You heard the pitter pattering of feet as your child who was the splitting image of Leon came running.
Leaving the car once more, Leon couldnât resist to scoop up his five year old. âHey, I left you sleeping? What happened?â
Wrapping their tiny arms around his neck, he pulled them into a hug. âI-I wanted to say goodbye and that Iâll miss you and tell you I really really love you!â
There was nothing better than watching the people you loved most in the world. Leonâs heart melted, smiling down at his child that had your eyes with so much emotion, love and pride.
âYou know, Iâll miss you more than anything. And that I love you way more. Just take care of mommy, can you do that for me?â
Your child offered Leon a sharp salute with a huge grin plastered on their face. âAlways!â
There was no question about it. He was coming back home. No matter what.
How many of the Woodbury refugees they brought to the prison do you think Daryl couldnât look at without seeing their faces as theyâd been that night, screaming for his and Merleâs blood
