Work Text:
- GET-TOGETHER
It was an awkward helicopter ride.
Zoe was staring off into space. Mia was staring off into space. Ethan himself was staring off into space. In fact, only Leon was not staring off into space, too busy staring at his phone. Leon was also the only one who would not describe the ride as awkward. Ethan was sure Leon was in denial, or maybe just desensitised.
Mia finally broke the silence.
“Where did your friend disappear off to?”
Leon, reluctant to face her, put his phone away without looking up.
“Tying up loose ends. His mission is technically less extraction and more disposal.”
Mia nodded, looking grimly satisfied. Zoe crossed her arms, glaring at Leon.
Leon looked up.
“Extraction is still ongoing, of course,” added Leon at the same time Ethan groaned, having found his way to an epiphany.
“Right, Lucas. I forgot about him.”
Leon turned to Ethan with a smirk.
“Don't let him hear you say that, it would hurt his feelings.”
“Oh, I know,” replied Ethan. “I’m counting on it.”
Zoe barked out a laugh.
Silence fell over them again. Ethan slouched in his seat and closed his eyes. Leon observed him for a moment longer before turning away.
- OVERDUE
Ethan was relieved. So was Mia. Getting divorced was for the best.
“Don't be a stranger,” said Mia with a wave before getting into her car and driving away.
Despite promising each other to keep in touch, Ethan wondered how likely that actually was. Mia's lies aside, what happened in the Bakers’ house left its scars on both of them.
- SOS
Ethan was at a loss: a familiar state for him to be in, though no less annoying for it. What was worse, Leon was of no help either. Who knew it would be this hard for a federal agent and a certified bioweapon to come up with a date idea? Then again, they had very limited options, with Ethan being more or less confined to a safe house in the middle-of-nowhere America. Ethan felt Leon's head drop on his shoulder, seemingly fast asleep.
Defeated, Ethan opened the laptop on the table in front of him and prepared to type.
He could not think of anything to type.
He let his hands drop.
“I need to buy a gun,” Ethan said wistfully.
Leon raised his head back up to stare at Ethan in disbelief. Ethan pointed at him accusingly.
“I knew you were only pretending to be asleep.”
“You barely know how to shoot a gun,” said Leon, ignoring the comment.
“I still need a gun,” argued Ethan.
Leon squinted.
“I'm not buying you a gun.”
“But I don't know shit about guns.”
Leon crossed his arms.
“So why would I buy you one?”
“Quality time?”
Leon frowned. Ethan shrugged.
“Do you have a better idea?”
- TEMPORARY POV
Leon stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, clutching the sink as he tried his best to remain cool and collected.
“It’s going to be okay. You will have a perfectly normal date with a guy you met in a literal haunted house, and if you embarrass yourself, you can always just die.”
Leon fiddled with the collar of his jacket.
“Which, with my luck, might happen anyway,” he muttered under his breath, combing his fingers through his hair. “And Ethan's too, honestly.”
- DESTINATION UNKNOWN
Ethan held on for dear life as Leon floored the car, driving past a sign welcoming them into the town.
“I should've never let you drive.”
Leon snickered and shot Ethan a brief look. “It’s my car.”
“Still. Jesus.”
“No, it's actually Leon,” said Leon, helpfully correcting Ethan, who was now staring at Leon in mock-contempt.
“You aren't funny.”
“I am a joy to be around!”
Ethan made a face. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Leon cackled.
Upon reaching the town-proper, Leon slowed down. A little. Too little, if he were to ask Ethan, which was incidentally why he did not.
“So, are you gonna tell me what we’re doing?” asked Ethan.
“Wait and see,” said Leon, sounding beyond pleased with himself.
“Well, that's not worrying at all.”
“Good, trust is important in a relationship.”
“Don't think I won't run us off the road,” threatened Ethan.
“Promises, promises.”
“There’s something wrong with you,” Ethan groaned. “Can you at least tell me what the town's like?”
“Haven't even heard of it before, honestly. Probably has great coffee?”
Ethan let out a snort.
“Yeah, okay. Exactly what we need in the middle of the night.”
“It's only ten!”
“Sure, and if you drive us into a STOP sign, I'm breaking up with you.”
“That’s a little harsh. I mean, you're technically dead already, you have nothing to worry about.”
“You say the sweetest things,” said Ethan sarcastically.
“It's one of my better qualities.”
Ethan pointed at him judgmentally.
“There's only so many times you can say that.”
Leon parked the car in what turned out to be a drive-in cinema.
- DATE START
For all the time they had spent together in the past three months, this was their first real date. Ethan was sure Leon must have pulled off a miracle to get them both here, as Ethan's own requests to visit the nearby town had gone ignored.
Ethan did not remember much of the movie in the end. It was hard to focus with Leon's hand in his and Leon's terrible, terrible jokes. By the time Ethan tried shutting him up with a kiss, the credits were already rolling.
The kiss was very effective, nonetheless. Leon grinned right after, looking as happy as Ethan had ever seen him.
“So, was this better than the greenhouse?”
“Yeah. Though for you, I don't regret the greenhouse either.”
- NO RETURN
“I'm officially upgrading from middle-of-nowhere America to middle-of-nowhere Romania.”
“Europe is nice,” Leon offered from the couch. Ethan rolled his eyes in response.
“How nice can the middle of a forest be?”
“I promise I'll visit,” said Leon, trying to placate Ethan. “Often.”
Ethan sighed and dropped on the couch next to him.
“Okay, I guess it won't be so bad.”
Famous last words.
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