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You had spent most of the week trying to persuade Leon to take you to the autumnal fair that landed in your town, normally he was away doing whatever the government needed him to do, you guessed all the mad scientists like the irony of doing it around Halloween. But this year was different he was finally home and you bet you were going to show him all the things he missed every year. "So where do you want to start?" you asked him, your arm was looped through his as you led him through the beautifully decorated archway. The smell of pumpkin spice filled your senses the further you both walked into the fairground, children laughing, flashing lights from all of the rides you could tell were beginning to take a toll on Leon so you softly squeezed his hand to bring his attention back to you. "Wherever you think is best Sweetheart" Leon replied a large smile plastered on his face. You knew he was reluctant to come here but now he was seeing the autumnal lights dance in your eyes as you stared at them in adoration, an image that would definitely become a core memory, he knew he had made the right decision. "Maybe we can start at the back and work our way to the front? But first dinner!" You suggested. Leon chuckled as you didn't wait for his answer instead you began dragging him off to the many food stalls.
Leon looked down at the churros in your hands and two coffee cups in the other as you walked back over to where he was leaning against a hay barrel wall, yet another cheesy grin on your face as you handed him his items. "I thought you were getting dinner?" he laughed as he accepted the sugared treat, savouring the taste of the cinnamon sugar as he took his first bite. "Yeah this is dinner" you giggled, he couldn't resist leaning down and capturing your lips in a sweet kiss - a literal sweet kiss as he collected every bit of sugar that had stuck on your lips. "You ruined my challenge" you jokingly whined at him. "What challenge?" He spoke, confusion littered over his face. "The one where you can't lick the sugar off your lips until you finished the food, but now you licked it all off," you said. Leon chuckled as he admired your smile, this was your element; he loved your cute little outfit with the pleated skirt and fluffy socks covered with the oversized cardigan. "You were already sweet enough, you didn't need any more sugar" he grumbled, pulling you into his side. You sink into the warmth of his jacket, a small indication to the man that by the end of the night you might attempt to steal it from him, leaving him exposed to the evening chill. Though he supposed he's endured worse and for you he would endure anything if it meant to keep that smile. "You are so cringe sometimes" you scoffed as you looked up at him, only to be shocked at his face finally relaxed. Leon chuckled before taking a sip of his drink, savouring the warmth until the taste of pumpkin spice began to form in his mouth. You watched as his face cringed as he tried to work out if he actually enjoyed the taste or not. You chuckled as you sipped enjoying your own, watching him as he eventually gave in and accepted the weird aftertaste. "Aren't you glad you tried this?" You chuckled as you watched his face cringe yet again at the taste. "Absolutely fucking not," Leon grumbled as he looked down at you, his words causing you to chuckle.
Instead of Leon peering at every dark corner watching for anything to take you away from him or anything else that would break this comforting bubble you had formed around him this evening; he was looking at all the families and listening to the children laughing as they picked the giant stuffed toy their parents had won for them at the many booths of games (silently making a promise to attempt to win the extra large bear he had spotted at the tin can shooting booth). Leon observed the many couples sitting in the Ferris wheel smiling at each other as they finally reached the top, smiling at the silently as he created another promise to finish the night off there as he created a mini bucket list in his head. He never thought he would experience this, never thought he deserved to be able to sit and enjoy the small things the world had to offer each season. Often wondered why you stayed when he couldn't make any promises of always being there or why you constantly made sure he experienced the smaller things in life. But now he was here, he understood all that he had missed since he had been in training and was sent on mission after mission. You always assured him that you did these things because you loved him and always thought that he deserved happiness too, to experience the things he fought so hard to protect without him even knowing. He felt your hand grab him squeezing it yet again, grounding him as you then began to lead him further into the festivities.
"We are not doing this" he grumbled as he stared at the horror house. "Come on, it won't be that bad" you pleaded, dragging him into the line without allowing him to protest further. And yet again he was surprised by how much he enjoyed it, he wasn't scared; He wouldn't be after having faced things far worse than the actor who crawled at your feet as you entered the room. However, he wasn't enjoying it because of the actors - no he was enjoying it because of you getting scared, even going as far as to belly laugh at your high-pitched screams or the way you would jump back into him. Leon would be lying if he said his heart didn't swelled with pride knowing that your safety beacon instantly found him as you got constantly scared. Grinning at the feeling of your timid frame hiding behind him as he walked through each entrance first. You were shaking by the time you had left the haunted maze yet a large grin was still plastered on your face with evidence of your enjoyment. You hadn't even had the chance to cool down until the worst scare came. Your hand gripped Leon's arm tightly as you began flinching away with a scream as the man crept up behind you. Your reaction caused Leon to stiffen having also missed the man creeping up behind you both. A cold sweat washed over him as he turned to face whatever threat, his body automatically choosing his fight response instead of his flight.
The scare actor soon backed off after being faced with Leon's death stare, his eyes turning dark as he watched the man retreat to his spot. "I thought you said it wasn't that bad" he muttered a poor attempt at a joke as he turned to face you, enclosing his arms around you not only to calm you but himself. "Well, I didn't expect that last one" You meekly responded as your heart rate finally slowed down. "Probably wasn't my best idea- but at least we did it first. We can try to win a prize now as we calm down" You spoke, a soft smile placed on your lips as you looked at him, your hand gently guided his face back to yours as you worried that you had ruined the evening with the scare house. Leon's eyes finally met yours, and you could see the fear that lingered in his eyes - he also didn't expect the last scare and his body was now still calming down as he looked at you. He gave you a quick kiss before dragging you towards the booth where the large teddy bear was located.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think the maze would trigger us both like that" you apologised, Leon hadn't said anything as he guided you through the crowd of people obviously lost in his thoughts. Guilt had been eating at you alive as you didn't even think to consider what the maze could have done to trigger anything he had yet to tell you about. Leon's shoulders sagged as he stopped turning to look at you again, he forced a smile onto his features as he looked down at you. "Don't worry about it, we both didn't expect the last actor. It's not your fault" he said giving you another tight-lipped smile. He wasn't mad at you, no he was worried at how quickly the protective side of him came out, worried that you would now be afraid to go outside with him as he flipped like a switch. "Leon, I'm not worried." your angelic voice called out to him, breaking him from his trance of overthinking. "I understand, you were just keeping me safe, I'm not mad," you said squeezing his hand, the action yet again grounding him. Something so small and familiar continuously brings him back to you, like a tug on a soulmate bond.
Leon swore your grin would be engraved in his brain until the day he died when you were handed the large bear he had spent the last 30mins obtaining for you. He watched with a large smile as you flung it around with you, hugging it tightly. "I think this will be a good replacement for when you go away. You've just got to cuddle with it for a few days so it smells like you" You joked as you walked alongside him, still clutching the oversized bear which was now swung over your back. Leon's smile grew at your words, he wondered if anyone has died thinking their partner was so fucking cute. "You are so cute" he chuckled bringing you in close to his side as you both walked towards the Ferris wheel.
The line wasn't very long as most of the families had left. The night chill was in full force as you held yourself as close to Leon who was now holding your teddy. His jacket just looked so warm, so cosy with the fur decorated around the edges. Leon looked down at you as he felt your hands begin to slide around his waist in an attempt to gain some warmth from his jacket. "I thought you wouldn't get cold without a jacket" he teased. "Well...it's not my fault you have the ultimate jacket" you retorted, still trying to worm your way even closer to him. It wouldn't surprise Leon if you tried to slip your arms in and wear the jacket with him at this point. He attempted to pry you away from his body, holding the bear for you to koala on instead as he shrugged his jacket off. Shivering slightly as his body was met with the chilly breeze, it was nothing like the cold wet rain he had run around in whilst he was in Spain. You practically moaned as he draped the jacket around you, the fabric swallowing you in his scent and warmth. You were both soon ushered onto the Ferris wheel, you cuddled close to him as the wheel began to move. When you finally made it to the top you felt him relax, you watched as he sunk back into the cold chair, holding you close to him as he took in the view of your home town. To you it was a pretty sight, to him it was a reminder of all the homes that he fought to keep safe, to prevent the things he had seen filter back to his home. "I'm proud of you Leon...for fighting so all of these people can be safe. For doing it without even a thank you" You whispered. You felt his arm tighten around you, you didn't expect him to reply but you knew he always listened to it, and appreciated your small reminders of how much he did for the world despite how horrible it was to him. "I love you" You whispered again before bringing his lips to meet yours, savouring the kiss before you felt the Ferris wheel begin its descent.
"I hope you had a good time" You spoke as you walked back to the car, a large bucket of cotton candy in your arms as he carried the comically large bear. Leon smiled, looking back at the retreating glowing lights. "I did, thank you- for bringing me here" he smiled. "Well you have to make sure you buckle up the bear, he's got to stay safe," You said as you got into your side of the car, his rock music filtering through the radio. Leon chuckled as he made sure the bear was strapped in safely. His hand laid on your knee once he had started to drive off, chuckling as you laid your head on the window and began to sleep on the way home. He wouldn't change anything of this for the world.