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“Hold still.” Leon breathes, warm fingertips dancing across the dips and curves of your face, ghosting over supple skin with a meticulous touch. In the dim light of the abandoned Umbrella facility hallway, he glows. You're enchanted with the way his shimmering blue eyes are focused intently on the injury you sustained above your left eyebrow. There’s a tickle from the way the blood lightly trickles down in the smallest stream, falling down the angle of your brow bone. You close your left eye, grimace at the sensation and you’re tempted to itch it. However, Leon is adamant you keep your hands on your lap while he assesses the damage. Never did you take Leon Kennedy for a medic, but you supposed it’s a skill anyone in the field should learn should the time present itself. A first aid kit was familiar to you and you’d patched him up more times than you can count, but rarely did the time come for him to do the same for you. Not as if you never were wounded, but you were self sufficient and quick.
His warm breath fans across your face as he murmurs to himself, “Won’t need stitches, but let me clean you up.”
When he pulls out an antiseptic wipe, you cringe. He doesn’t miss the way you eye him and it causes him to chuckle.
“That’s gonna sting.” You point out with a slight distressed intonation.
“Yeah, crazy how disinfecting does that.” Leon is quick with the sarcasm, leaning closer to your face and ripping the packet open to retrieve the small wet wipe. You squeeze your eyes shut. He drags it gently over the cut and you hiss in discomfort as soon as it makes contact. There were a lot of pain levels you could tolerate, but you never were able to successfully get over the sensation an antiseptic wipe brought on.
“Damnit—“ You scrunch up your nose, “That’s annoying.”
He hums in acknowledgement, finishing it up before pulling out a single butterfly bandage from his person. Prepared. It was reasonable. You carry similar items around out of necessity and you would be surprised if Leon didn’t. He carefully placed it down before taking the smallest step back to admire his handiwork.
“Call me Dr. Kennedy from now on.” He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes twinkling with amusement. You merely rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t hide the smile that curled on the corners of your lips. For as long as you have known him he was always the type to make silly little jokes and witty remarks. Sometimes he was just plainly a smart ass. It was endearing most days and comforting on others. The job you both had was emotionally draining and took a huge mental toll on anyone. It was a miracle you’d managed to make it through your first mission without completely psychologically breaking down, but that wasn’t much of an achievement. You leaned back against the wall as you remained seated on the crate in the middle of the hallway. Leon took this time to check on his handgun, but you wondered if he actually suspected anything could be wrong with it or if he wasn’t sure how to carry the conversation.
“Alright, Dr. Kennedy. ” You leaned back with your hands bracing your weight behind you, kicking your feet which dangled over the edge of the crate. Leon snorted, holstering his handgun and crossing his arms once more.
“Yeah, that’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” He had his mischievous little smirk on his face and you wondered if he considered himself some sort of comedian. Many of his remarks were so strange you couldn’t help but laugh. It only spurred him on to continue making them despite the small ounce of secondhand embarrassment they’d give you. And you fully had the heart to tell him they were dumb.
“Let’s get going before I die via your dumb jokes.” Sliding off the crate, you landed on your own two feet with a slight stumble. You rotated each ankle for a second to wake them up and stretched your arms straight up in the air. Breaks, no matter how short, always left your body more tired than rested.
It was only a few hours ago that you both had begun your mission to collect a very important file from the computer system inside an old Umbrella Facility. Not much information was relayed to either of you of the contents within; only that it’s important you recover it as soon as possible. However, you were not alone here. That much had been obvious from your previous encounters. Lurking within the shadows were experiments roaming outside their containment. From information gathered in your search, you’d learn this was not a planned exodus from their facility. It was a catalyst from the Raccoon City incident and subsequent trials. Getting out would not be easy for these experiments, but it didn’t seem they were in any hurry to explore the outside world above them. No, they were far more simple minded and few had any actual purpose outside of doing what parasites and viruses do; overcome and control.
You could understand why Leon had been assigned this mission, but your specialty was stealth. Close encounters were not your strong suit and you were not trained to be in the heat of combat. Instead, you were initially groomed for the shadows. Although you were equipped to handle just about any situation should the occasion arrive, you were used to covering another agent's back and sneaking about. Assassin wasn’t the word they would use, but it was how you were nonetheless viewed.
Shattered glass from the lighting fixtures above your heads crunched under the weight of your boots. The bulbs flickered, struggling to stay alight from the damage they sustained. Your finger gently tapped the side of your handgun in anxious anticipation for the next encounter. You stayed close to the left wall with Leon standing very closely behind you. The heat from his body radiated off of him and ghosted the surface of your skin with its warmth. The close proximity made it difficult to stay focused, but the paranoia creeping up along your spine did enough to keep your attention. The light faded out quickly the deeper you both went until you were left in absolute darkness. Turning in your flashlights, you glanced around. There was an eerie silence filling the air and you felt as if it were suffocating you. Sweat beaded on your forehead and cascaded down your face. No matter what you faced previously, it did nothing to ease your fear. Bioweapons were dangerous and your composure wavered despite the mask you adorned to appear neutral. It showed in your pupils as they dilated from the adrenaline response coursing through your body and in the way your shoulders tense as if you were trying to keep yourself together.
“Ease up, will ya?” He spoke in a soft voice, and you could hear the smile in his words.
“What a comfort you are…” You mumbled with an eye roll. Leon placed his hand on your shoulder blade. It was meant to actually appear comforting, but you nearly jumped out of your skin with a sharp gasp. You wanted to hiss at him to not do that again, but a low moan echoed through the darkness. Goosebumps decorated your skin as a chill ran along your spine, causing you to shiver. You wanted to turn off your light and hide in the darkness; pretend you were nothing. But Leon stepped up next to you. There was something about him at that moment. It was on the tip of your tongue, but the words were so far from your grasp you couldn’t describe it. Though you do know it made you feel guilty. It was easy for him to catch the telltale signs of your anxiety and fear. More than once did he step up to ensure you felt safe and protected despite you both being agents in the sign line of work.
“Let me lead the way.” He was firm and left no room for argument. You merely nodded. With your agreement, he aimed his handgun forward and moved along the narrow hallway. The closer you both got, the louder the moans were. They were harrowing and barely there and inhuman all the same. A luminescent glow brightened the inky blackness and you could just make out the window which allowed you to peer into a lab. Each step closer brought a near crystal clear view of an inhuman silhouette pressed against the near indestructible glass. You both paused and calculated your options. You could either move forward and risk the creature inside breaking loose and attacking, or you could find another way around it via alternative paths. Not a single bone in your body felt at ease walking right past it, but even a different hallway could lead you both to something far worse than your current predicament.
Leon turned to face you with an expression you couldn’t quite place. You chalked it up to him thinking strategy, but you wondered if he was just waiting for your call. He had told you a long time ago that he trusted your judgment back during a particularly difficult mission in Taiwan. Cautiously, you dared to speak up in hushed whispers, “Under.”
His eyes followed yours to the space beneath the window; a blind spot if it could even see. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second in surprise before relaxing into an unreadable expression. With a nod, he waited for you to take the lead. You slowly stepped closer with careful steps among the loose debris. Your descent towards the floor on your hands and knees was ever so cautious and deliberate. The shadow on the wall stayed in position to where the creature was, but nothing indicated it knew of your presence. Everything about its build was subhuman from its heavily deformed head and long, lanky arms. It was freakishly tall from what you would tell. You were thankful you did not have to look at it head on for you’d be unable to forget the image ingrained in your head due to it. It was ideal to minimize contact with as many as you could to ensure a smoother, quicker success.
After what felt like ages, you both made it past your unwelcome guest and around the corner far from its prying ears (if it could hear). You leaned up against the wall, inhaling deep breaths to steady your beating heart. Leon wiped the sweat from his brow. It seemed more of an annoyance to him than anything, but you were easy to scare in complete honesty. His eyes soften when he finally levels his gaze on you, moving closer, but not too close. His presence was meant to be soothing and not overwhelming. He affirmed his intentions by gently petting your head, sliding his hand down the side of your face in a comforting caress. You snorted, waving his hand away.
“What are you? My boyfriend?”
“I could be.” You froze, staring up at him with wide eyes. He pats your cheek, laughing softly before walking away. You hardly had any time to catch up on the conversation. Pushing yourself away from the wall, you match his pace down the hall as you both enter an ill-lit area.
“You don’t just get to walk away after that.” You hiss, bumping up against his back and causing him to lurch forward in a misstep.
“I can do whatever the hell I want.” Leon teases which only frustrates you further.
“So you want to be my boyfriend?” You attempt to turn the tables, but he only hums in thought; unfazed by your question.
“How about we talk about this after we finish up.” Was all he said before he turned your attention back to the task at hand.
Despite what Leon said, you two, in fact, did not speak more about it after. Well, at least not your idea of “after” which is directly preceding the original mission. You were impatient, sure, but you were antsy. It could have just been a bit which wouldn’t surprise you. Leon very well could have been pulling your leg and expected you to catch on immediately, but that wasn’t the case. You were confused. Confused in the long helicopter ride home and as you sat with some doctors who checked you over as protocol. The light in the room was blinding thanks to the crisp white walls and white, well, everything. It was sterile and bland as expected. Your fingers gingerly touch along the white bandage above your eyebrow. Hours ago Leon had cleaned you up as best as he could, his face dangerously close to yours in concentration. You could remember the heat rushing to your cheeks as you studied the blue of his eyes; the way they shimmered and entranced you.
The years had flown by, but your feelings for him remained the same as they always had after your excursion in Raccoon City. He kept you level-headed in the midst of terror; a light of hope in a lifeless place. He always had the resolve you did not and, for that, you envied him. Determination found a home in the marrow of his bones, leaving naught a second thought in the face of great peril. It was embedded deep within his personhood and was one of his more admirable traits. You didn’t know why you joined him in becoming an agent at the time, but now you know the reason. You had fallen for him, plain and simple. You wished to share in future victories with him, understand him like no other, and be near him as much as physically possible. He felt like home. He was your home. And you had resigned to never being with him in the way you wanted, but he lit a hope deep within the hollow cavity of your chest. A blazing fire of endless possibilities and opportunity with just a few words.
You were snapped out of your thoughts with the heavy door opening, whipping your head upward to see who came to visit. Leon peeked in, a curious look in his eyes before smiling and entering.
“I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.” You tilted your head, beaming up at him.
“Nah, just an extensive check-up. They just let me leave my room.” He took a seat in the stool in front of you; the one the doctor used when he went over your file with you.
“Did you mean it?” You blurted out. You wanted to cut to the chase. If he was only joking then you needed to know immediately.
“What do you think?” Leon matches the tilt of your head. There’s a mischievous twinkle swirling in stunning blue.
“I think you were, but you weren’t either. Honestly I’m confused. I want to believe it wasn’t a joke, but you’re so hard to read.” Pausing, you gauged his reaction before continuing, “It was just so…sudden and out of nowhere. I can’t have you playing with me like that.”
There it was. The slight tremble in your voice towards the end of your sentence. It was embarrassing, but unavoidable as your feelings welled up inside you. Everything you had hidden within you all these years was bubbling up the surface at an uncontrollable rate. You had spent so much time meticulously calculating your every move and response to him to avoid this, but the dam broke. You were vulnerable, you were naked.
“I don’t know why I said it either. I mean, I do, but I don’t know why I said it at that moment.” He looked down at his hands as he gestured to express something he couldn’t quite put into words.
“I want you to mean it. Like, a lot. I never wanted someone more in my life, Leon.” Now it was your turn to look down at your hands, but you were picking the skin around your fingernails nervously. The sound of him standing on his feet redirected your attention back to him. He stepped forward, leaning down at eye level with you.
“I mean it. I don’t know if we’re gonna have a happily ever after, but I don’t need one. I just want to know I got to love you.” There it was. That word stole the air right out of your lungs. You could hardly breathe under his intense gaze. His eyes looked down at your lips then back up to your own. There was a question in his eyes.
Can I?
You inhaled, leaning up to bump your nose against his. He takes the opportunity to close the gap and it leaves you breathless. His lips against your soft, plump ones. The way they fit so well together as if you were made for each other. It’s so soft and gentle and warm; it leaves no room for uncertainty. He only pulled away a millimeter, resting his forehead up against yours.
“I’m kind of a mess by the way.” He murmurs, hot breath fanning your face, “I’m scared of commitment and I won’t always believe how you feel about me.”
It was honest. Unequivocally honest and real.
“I’m the same way, don’t worry.” Your fingertips graze along his cheekbone, the most sincere and genuine smile he had ever seen gracing your face. It was unadulterated joy. It was infectious, too, as he found himself grinning from ear to ear right back before leaning in for another kiss.