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Luis wasn’t great at asking for help. Both metaphorically and literally.
Receiving help, however? He was great with it. Luis had always taken extra steps to seem gentleman-like, and from his experience, there was nothing less ‘gentlemanly’ than declining somebodies assistance.
Luis was good at that. He was good at accepting the aid from a flustered, stuttering young man, or the strong helping hand to get back to his feet from a giggling and blushing lady. All the while thanking them with a wink and a smile, and maybe a kiss on the cheek or two. Luis could get away with that facade all he wanted.
Not anymore, though.
Not after the world had seemingly driven a knife into his back (that one was literal), and twisted it back out again. Escaping from Spain with his now-partner, Leon Kennedy, was probably the best thing that’d ever happened to Luis. He could be as guilt-ridden as he wanted to be, but he was by Leon’s side.
That’s all that really mattered. In what Luis believed to be his final moments, he was wholly expecting Leon to not even blink twice at his death. Especially not after he admitted to helping create the one thing that ruined Leon’s life forever.
And, to top it all off; Leon helped him.
He helped him back up to his feet, helped him escape the country and helped him secure his freedom in America. Leon basically begged the government for it. In fact, one of the few memories Luis had those following nights when they got home were of Leon on countless phone calls, talking nonsense as Luis drifted in and out of sleep.
Those first couple months consisted of basically round-the-clock care. Luis could hardly walk, considering he had a giant hole in his back, and no matter how much he smiled and waved away his injuries, Leon took care of him. He never needed to ask for anything, Leon was always somehow spontaneously there when he needed him.
In fact, he remembered one night painfully well; or, more accurately, didn’t remember what happened. Doped up on a particularly large dosage of painkillers, Luis had spent the entire evening sobbing violently into Leon’s arms. He was hardly even in his own head. And looking back Luis could just barely remember himself crying into the blonde’s white shirt, repeating over and over something along the lines of “ why did you save me, Leon?!”
“You should’ve left me there in Spain!” of coarse, he wasn’t exactly fully aware of what he was saying, but even still, Leon had spent that evening rubbing his back and talking him through it all. And when the morning came and Luis came-to, Leon reassured him that it was fine and just a side effect of the painkillers.
And that all worked perfectly fine for Luis. He never had to ask directly for help, which meant he never had to feel guilty about receiving it.
And even after Luis had basically completely recovered and was already scheduled to join Leon on his latest mission, the blonde still offered his assistance. If his muscles were too sore to be able to wash his hair at night, Leon was happy to help. If Luis felt like he was going to struggle down a staircase or while carrying something, Leon, without fail, would have an arm wrapped around his side in seconds. It didn't matter how small or how awkward the request was, and it didn't matter how embarrassed or guilty Luis felt for all the assistance; his partner was always there for him.
Luis had always remembered to follow it all up with a “ Gracias, mí príncipe” and a smile- he sure as hell wasn’t about to loose his flirtatious reputation just because he was recovering- But every so often, genuine curiosity would overcome him.
“Why do you help me so much, Cariño?” Luis had asked one evening, seemingly out of nowhere.
Leon just casually shrugged in response, “let’s just say it makes me feel better”
At the time, Luis had laughed at the way he’d referenced his own words. But as the days went by, and Leon kept repeating that exact phrase everytime Luis asked about it;
He was starting to believe it genuinely did make Leon feel better.
So Luis let him be. He’d do anything in the world to make Leon happy again. And besides, as long as he never had to directly ask for anything specifically… he’d be ok.
It was a lazy Saturday evening. Coming up about four months since Leon and Luis had returned home from Spain. Luis had recovered surprisingly quickly, and their time spent together made Leon grow especially fond of his partners company. Staying up late to watch movies, or even just to bask in each others presence, such as this particular evening, were becoming commonplace. Sometimes they’d spend hours talking about anything from shared interests to their traumas, and sometimes they’d say nothing.
This was one of those evenings. Luis had just come back into the living room from an especially long shower, the warm water making him sleepy and drowsy.
Leon was curled up on the edge of the couch, typing away at something on his laptop. The light from the blue screen illuminated his face and sculpted all his features like a statue. Luis wasn’t an idiot to his own feelings; he was madly in love with Leon. But he didn't feel ready to admit that to him.
Not yet, anyways.
“You look sleepy”
“Thanks for noticing,” Luis yawned, taking his place next to Leon. “Your showers nice. It’s warm”
Leon chucked at that, “You can have the blanket if you want,” he offered, leaning over the armrest to pull out a decorative blanket.
“It’s not very warm, though..”
“You’re not using it, no?”
Leon shook his head, “nah, take it, you look tired”
Luis did feel tired. He graciously took the blanket, even if it was quite thin and barely covered him. He wrapped it around his shoulders, bringing his knees up to his chin as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He let out a big, long, comfortable sigh. Not even bothering to move the hair out of his face.
“Comfy?”
“ Mmfphmm”
Luis glanced over his side to see Leon smiling. But it was that kind of smile he only ever saw in cheesy American rom-coms. The kind of smile that was so, utterly genuine, Luis wanted to hide his face to keep himself from blushing.
It was…. Nice to feel wanted. Genuinely wanted. Sure, Luis has had countless lovers. And he could sweep anyone off their feet in record time.
But he’d never felt genuinely loved and cared for before. Not since his Grandfather passed away, at least.
That realization made Luis remember something. One of those integral, childhood memories that sticks with you forever.
He broke his gaze from Leon, suddenly feeling very, very exposed.
Luis wanted to ask something of Leon. He wanted to ask for something. But what he wanted was….
Rather personal. A bit too affectionate.
He flashed his gaze away. Hoping desperately that Leon wouldn’t notice.
“Do you need something?”
Joder.
Of coarse Leon noticed. ‘Eres un idiota, Luis’
“No? I’m fine, why do you ask, Muñeco?” Luis hoped his attempt at flirting would throw Leon off his trail. He found that Leon was very easily flustered if Luis complimented him. Especially if it was in Spanish.
But Leon didn't take the bait. His eyebrows furrowed,
“Hey, if somethings wrong.. I’d rather you tell me-“
“ No! No, quierida , it’s fine, I just…”
Luis trailed off. His gaze went back and fourth between Leon’s and the rings on his fingers he was playing with.
He knew that if he wanted Leon’s help… he had to ask. It was now or never. But that still didn’t quell the rising anxiety in his chest. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The two of them remained in silence for a bit, before Luis finally spoke up;
“Can… can I ask you for a favor, Leon? I-if not, it’s ok-“
“Of coarse,” Leon set down his laptop, sitting up straight to meet Luis’ gaze. His expression was full of sympathy and patience, and Luis wondered how often other people got to see this
“What do you need?”
Luis fumbled with the rings on his fingers. They suddenly seemed like the most interesting thing in the world him right now.
“It’s.. I know it’s rather personal, but uh..”
‘ Díos mío, Luis, just say it’
“W-would you mind if.. uh.. you could play with my hair or something?”
When at first Leon didn't respond, Luis began to panic.
“I- y-you don’t have to, if you don’t wanna, I just.. when I was little my grandfather used to play with my hair when I got tired and- joder, I’m sorry, I-“
Luis was cut off when Leon patted his shoulder. He turned his head around to see that Leon had already set up a little pillow in his lap.
“Just lay down here,” he said, so casually, too.
“If you need to stretch your legs out, just let me know”
Luis didn't know what to say. All he could do was mumble a very quick, very quiet “ Gracias” before awkwardly nestling his head down on the pillow, still wrapped up in his blanket.
He felt a little stiff, tensed up and unsure of wether he was doing the correct thing or not.
But the second Leon began running his hand through his hair, every single worry he had slipped away from him in a heartbeat.
He tried not to whine at the sensation, but it was hard when Leon was just so damn good at this somehow??
Luis settled for another long sigh, nearly melting into the feeling of Leon’s soft grip on his locks. He hadn’t gotten a haircut in far too long, and it easily went down to his shoulders now. He hadn’t had his hair this long since pre-transition.
But Leon just expertly ran his fingers through the ends, gently pulling apart any knots before returning to the top of his scalp to move away Luis’ fringe for him.
He felt like he was in damn heaven.
Just the way the blonde seemed to know exactly where to run his fingers though- where on his scalp to put more or less pressure on, and he even went as far as to rub his neck every now and then for crying out loud- Luis could have easily fallen asleep right then and there in Leon’s lap.
In fact, he almost did.
Struggling to keep his eyes open, Luis let them flutter shut every now and then. He tried to stay awake for Leon, but it was getting difficult. After he shut his eyes and took a suspiciously long time to open them again, Leon finally took noticed and gave a light laugh;
“You’re falling asleep, Luis”
“ Mmmnoooo I’m nooot”
Leon bit his lip and smiled, giving his hair a tiny rustle.
“I definitely think you are”
“ I’m nooot Leooon I’m just resting my eyes”
Luis lazily tried to lift his hand and wave Leon away, hoping to at least stop his teasing- but to no avail. His hand just flopped back down again. He was way too tired to even care.
“Do you want me to read you a bedtime story or something?”
Luis chuckled to himself sleepily, “Well I wouldn’t be opposed to it”
Suddenly, Luis felt the weight under him shift; and realized a couple seconds too late that Leon had actually gotten up to move. He began to whimper at the loss of contact, but quickly realized with a small sense of horror;
“W-wait, Leon, I was just joking, you don’t actually have to read me a book-“
“Sure I do,”
Leon shrugged from the other side of the room. His voice characteristically nonchalant and casual
“Let it be my treat, how about that?”
Luis just shrunk into the pillow, too anxious to argue. He hoped he hadn’t overstepped a boundary, but… Leon was offering, right?
After less than a minute of searching the corridor bookshelf, Leon came back holding a very familiar novel
“Uh, the only books I own are magazines apparently, and also your copy of Don Quixote..”
Luis couldn’t help but smile to himself. He always had a copy of Don Quixote on him, no matter where he was. And something about Leon offering to read a book he loved so dearly, enough to memorize it all, to the point where he could recite it in his sleep, was…
Touching.
“My ‘Reading Voice’ isn’t the best either, though..”
“That’s fine,” Luis was eager to have Leon return back to the couch.
“I’m just flattered you’d for his for me”
Leon smiled back, returning to his spot in the corner and repositioning Luis back onto his lap.
With his free hand, he carded his fingers through Luis’ long hair, and began to read the book from his left hand, holding up the slightly tattered and well-loved pages.
Luis sighed contently, letting his eyes flutter closed as he put his whole trust into Leon to keep him safe while sleeping.
“In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind, there lived not long since one of those gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old buckler, a lean hack, and a greyhound for coursing. An olla of rather more beef than mutton, a salad on most nights, scraps on Saturdays, lentils on Fridays, and a pigeon or so extra on Sundays, made away with three-quarters of his income.”
Luis was quick to fall asleep, absolutely dead to the world; but Leon kept going anyways. He kept running his hands through his hair and smiling regardless.
“They will have it his surname was Quixada or Quesada. This, however, is of but little importance to our tale; it will be enough not to stray a hair's breadth from the truth in the telling of it….”