is it okay to ask for more lost hope? just wanted to say that you’re deeply appreciated in this world and don’t let anyone make you think otherwise 💙
Overworked
This is related to my main fanfic Lost Hope!
A/N: Thank you so much for those words, I appreciate it!! And I love getting requests about Lost Hope 🩷Also ty for 100 followers ily :)
C/W: Re4 Leon x reader, DSO setting, you were captured and experimented on by Umbrella, you now have abilities, Carlos and Helena are your friends at the DSO, mentions of alcohol, fluff
W/C: 1.9k
The office remains quiet, an eerie silence taking over the usual hustle and bustle of busy agents and chatter filling the rooms. Most of the lights are off, only the odd few lamps lighting up the halls in a warm glow. But you haven't noticed, rarely paying attention to your surroundings.
Your eyes are drying out from the amount of intense focus you've put towards writing numerous reports for recent missions. You haven't had a chance to finish the one from last week after being sent on another mission shortly after coming home. So you've been sitting here at your desk for hours upon hours, your hands would be aching if you could feel it, which you suppose you're lucky in that sense to be able to surpass what would've been your body's limit to work.
Your desk is cluttered with files and papers, an organised mess you like to call it to anyone who pays you a glance of judgement in passing. You haven't really had the time to sort any of it out, back to back missions mean you haven't seen your bed or your home for a while, your brain is certainly fried.
You hear the heavy tread of footsteps throughout the hall, gaining closer and closer until they stop at the doorway to your office. You know who it is based on his breathing patterns and sound of boots. So you don't lift your head to greet him, too motivated to get the report over and done with to be free of any stressors for as long as you can get. Anything for you to get more than 3 hours of sleep and relax with Leon.
"Can I help you?" You mumble from your seat, eyes glued to the words in front of you.
"I should really be the one asking that question." Carlos finally speaks, leaning his weight onto the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Go on then." You raise an eyebrow, your voice quiet from excessive tiredness.
"Can I help you?" He drags his words out.
"With what? And how?"
Carlos slowly approaches your desk, dragging a chair from one of your fellow co-workers to sit beside you. He leans down to rest his arms on his legs, looking at you, studying you for any signs of stress and symptoms of being over-worked. To which he finds many.
"Me and Helena are heading into town for a drink, you coming?" he asks. You never decline an invite into the city, enjoying any time being out in the public eye with your friends, living as normally as you can since being free of Umbrella up your ass.
"I'm working, shouldn't you be doing the same?" You question, turning your head to meet his gaze through your heavy eyes.
"Well, no. It's 8 o'clock (Y/N), you are the only person here right now, apart from the cleaners." Carlos softens his voice.
"Jesus, when did that happen?" You lean back into your seat, stretching your arms over your head with a groan before dragging your palms over your face to cover the yawn breaking free from your exhausted body.
Carlos waits for an answer, impatiently with his fingers tapping the table and an eyebrow raised expectantly. "Okay okay, I'm coming. Let me just let Leon know." You rummage through your bag for your phone buried right at the bottom, practically left and forgotten beneath all your stuff.
You quickly type a message for him to see whenever he picks up his phone. He's in the gym, keeping himself distracted and busy by pushing his body to all sorts of limits. You don't mind, why would you? It's better than his previous coping methods, and you're more than happy with the outcome on his body. His biceps have grown more, if that's even possible anymore. His back is broader, muscles basically on the verge of spilling out of any fabric attempting to cover them. Exaggerating? Maybe but not far from the truth.
You head out of the office, leaving the unfinished report on the desk for tomorrow as you see Helena waiting outside for you both. "Finally, what took you so long?" She pushes herself off the pillar she's leaning against.
"This one was being a bit too stubborn." Carlos nods his head in your direction.
"Hey! Not my fault I have a backlog of reports." They both give you an amused look, causing you to break out a laugh. "Okay maybe my fault, but not really since I haven't had any free time."
"Speaking of, how did the mission go the other day?" Helena asks as you begin walking through the city.
You fill her in on your latest mission with Leon and another agent, which might have been the easiest mission you've been on in a while. It was literally an in and out situation, apart from the one bastard who certainly put up a fight. He managed to get a few punches in, not that it mattered to you at all, but you tore him up pretty well whilst Leon was busy getting answers from the dickhead in charge of the whole shenanigan, and the other agent had been recovering the stolen samples of the T-Virus.
After a good 15 minute walk, which helps ease your mind slightly with inhaling fresh air in what feels like the first time in ages, you finally enter the bar. The dim lighting welcomes you, along with the strong scent of alcohol wafting into your senses. You choose the seats at the bar, since all the booths and tables are taken.
The 3 drinks you've consumed have certainly taken the edge of the remaining tension and stress off your mind, you and Carlos are rambling on about the most random and stupidest subject possible, it would never be your chosen topic of conversation if you were at all sober. Helena occasionally quips in with a joke, mostly making fun of Carlos.
"That's what I'm saying!" You butt in once Carlos makes a point you actually agree with.
"Exactly, cheetos are superior to any other snack, I'd even say they're better than Takis." He proudly folds his arms over his chest
"Woah now." You hold up a hand in defence, your voice dropping an octave deeper. "Takis are...so much better than them. I mean, look at all the flavours, you have the regular ones and then–"
The warm weight of a familiar touch rests on your waist cutting off your words and train of thought, blonde hair falling down over your shoulder as soft kisses are pressed into the nape of your neck. You turn around in joy, already knowing who it is.
"Leon!" You exclaim, wrapping your arms around his head to bring him into a tight hug.
"Hey," He smiles back, pulling away to kiss you, gently tucking away a messy strand of your hair behind your ear.
"Nice of you to join us." Carlos pats his arm from the seat next to you.
"Theres an empty seat over there you can get that." Helena points to the space next to a group of friends on the other side of the bar.
He follows her gaze, thumb ever so slightly rubbing small circles on your hip, a comforting touch you've loved for years that reminds you he's there, especially now more than ever. It helps to keep you present, reminding you that you're safe.
"I'm fine here." Leon speaks from behind you, one arm stretching around you to rest on the bartop keeping you close to him, enclosed with your own friend group and further from the others next to you.
"You getting anything?" You quietly ask him, knowing he won't opt for anything alcoholic, something you've managed to help him work on since all the shit that went down the past few years finally came to an end.
"No," he shakes his head, leaving a gentle kiss to your forehead, "I have something in the car."
You hum, turning back around to face the others. "So, care to fill me in on whatever nonsense you were discussing?" Leon questions.
"Actually yes, I need you to back me up here." Carlos lightens up.
"Oh no." Leon mutters under his breath.
"Cheetos or Takis?"
Leon blinks, shaking his head at the random question. "What?"
"Just answer it." You laugh at his reaction.
"I dunno, I guess Takis, more flavours." He shrugs.
"Aha!" You clap your hands, pointing a finger in Carlos's face. "That's exactly what I said." You grin with pride, looking over your shoulder up to Leon.
He looks down at you in amusement, a soft smile growing on his lips as your slightly flushed and intoxicated self bats your eyelashes at him. He likes seeing you like this, laid back and enjoying yourself. It's all he's ever wished for you.
It's been a difficult couple of months, adjusting back to work and missions after your trip to Capri. You've been waking up nearly every night from vivid nightmares taking you back to your time at Umbrella, recalling all the abuse and pain you went through.
There are times a panic attack has crept up on you from a random trigger, even from just watching a show with Leon. And he's been there for you through all the hard times, just as you have been for him in the past. He's held you in his arms, whispering soft words of comfort into your ears as you come down from the fear sending you into shock.
"That's so wrong, Hel what do you think?" Carlos's face morphs into disappointment.
"I couldn't give less shits about what snacks are better." She replies before chugging back her drink.
"Gee, thanks for the support." He rolls his eyes.
The four of you ease into conversation, your face lighting up the room with your joy. If you were to have seen yourself months ago, you'd never guess this was your life now. You finish the half full glass of your drink, the fruity flavours resting at the back of your throat.
"We have a new mission." Leon speaks after a while, whilst Carlos and Helena bicker about something new.
You let out a dramatic groan, covering your face in your hands. "When?" Your voice is mumbled.
"2 days." He rubs your shoulder with his hand.
"Great, just gotta finish the other reports before then." You sit back up straight.
"And you need sleep, otherwise you won't be much help to me out there." Leon adds, pointing his eyes at you as if trying to tell you something more.
Understanding immediately, "Fine, let's go then." You stand up, more than happy to go home and see your bed, saying your goodbyes to Carlos and Helena before walking out to the cold evening air.
You walk step-in-step with Leon, he wraps an arm over your shoulder to keep you close to him, he prefers that to holding hands, which he claims seems 'Tacky'.
You get home, stripping off your clothes to head straight into the shower, of which Leon happily joined you. You change into your pajamas, crashing onto your bed for the first time in days with a relieved sigh, Leon climbs into bed beside you, pulling you into his chest as his fingers thread through your hair.
Hopefully you'll manage to get a restful night in Leon's arms tonight, recharge your body for 2 more days of grueling paperwork before yet another mission takes over your life. You can't really complain, since you'd rather spend your time protecting the world from threats of bioweapons and possibly prevent what happened to you to repeat to another innocent person.
Anything is better than the excruciatingly long days spent underground surrounded by the same white walls for years, despite how much you may complain about work.
A/N: I’m not gonna lie, didn’t really know what to write for this but I really wanted to include the dynamic between Helena and Carlos from Lost Hope too this time!
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