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In 2014, Leon dares to have the courage to ask Ada’s hand in marriage.
It was two years after the events of China and he accepted (as much as it ate and tore him alive), that Leon would never hear from her again, that being her deathbed. Though, that all changed when 3 months after finding out about Simmons and what she destroyed, his phone dinged twice, his eyes widening in the screen with the number and the messages relayed on it.
Hey, handsome.
Miss me?
Leon knew he should have been angry and bitter from the no contact from her, since her heard she died, but they have long settled that between them, him getting used to her need to contact him whenever she can or had the time and it was such an Ada way to write to him, that he couldn’t help but feel his lip twitch into a smirk.
He wrote back two messages.
Yeah.
Your compact mirror kept me company while you were gone.
After that, they didn’t stop communicating with each other.
Everyday or whenever they could, a little hey or how’s your mission, would be sent to one another. They would either send a long message (usually it was from him, because he liked explaining the details of his life and to keep her in the loop, making it seem like she is there with him in his apartment as Ada listens intently to what the DSO has given him today) or very short ones, sometimes it was done to check up on another or if they would meet each other again.
Ada is usually the one to give her location to Leon.
The first time he gave her the coordinates to him, Leon almost freaked the fuck out. He knew his phone was given to him by the government and they could confiscate any time they wanted, so he was about to say why she shouldn’t do that and they can track her with her number, before she quickly wrote out it was a burner phone, saying she can get a new one or break it, if the government ever did make good on their promises and search Ada with the warrants out for her.
Ada was lucky he was in the same place as her.
They met in the little park right outside his apartment, Leon giving a tour around his neighborhood and the gates of the White House as she laughed to herself that they didn’t even know the enemy was close to them. He shook his head with a laugh, amazed how she can always toy the line like that in her field of work.
She blew his mind the next time they met was actually in the White House, sneaking into a ball the president was hosting as she snickered to herself the whole time as they were dancing that she only was here to steal a dance and to give him a heart attack, both knowing full well they were here for the same person that was holding another bio weapon that can spell disaster for all of them.
The laugh Ada let out when Leon told her she got a little thanks from the president for what she did was one he would cherish forever, thinking of ways to get to show her real self like that again.
They didn’t stop meeting after that.
What once felt like a fleeting chance to see Ada, now became a regular occurrence, always being able to spot her wine red blouse or dress out in the crowd. She texted him first, giving him the coordinates of the place she is at and the hotel she is staying in, Leon making the walk or drive to it. He joined her at the bar, ordering something non-alcohol because he promised he would do better for Sherry, Claire and Chris, Ada silently proud of him for doing better from the smirk she threw him under her virgin pina colada to not make him feel left out. They talked until Ada seemed ready to go upstairs and they spent the night together, never leaving the room until morning. Leon’s eyes widened the first time he saw Ada still underneath the bed sheets, having gotten under her side of the bed being cold by the time he woke up.
Leon couldn’t help but blurt out the question why she stayed, the desire to know burning his chest, hoping silently to himself it was because of him.
Ada smiled gently, cradling his face.
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want to go yet, Leon.”
He hid his smile behind her hand, kissing the palm to let him know this is reality and she is here with him now, actually staying to say goodbye to him this time.
It was a dangerous thing to do with her, knowing she could leave and not say anything to him at any moment, but he got used to her staying and keeping him accompanied till breakfast.
They met in the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Italy, following Adam’s guides of where to go since she seemed to know those places like the back of her hand. Her times living in the shadows taught her all the local places and became friends with the people there, however brief her time was, wanting to make sure Leon and her wouldn’t be considered tourists.
This pattern continued until Spain where, ironically enough, did the idea of proposal make itself known to him.
As usual, Ada sends her location, accompanied with a little text, stay in the lobby, do not come to the bar. He responds with a quick okay and steps inside the Marriot, getting used to lavish taste as the years went by. He sits himself down in one of the newly greened couches in the lobby, getting himself comfortable as he waits for Ada’s arrival. It’s not less than five minutes after he sit down does he stop her signature red, elegantly making her way towards him, before her black heels stop right in front of him. Leon gives her a small smile, his usual way of saying hello to her, before she bends down to plant a small kiss on him, careful to not leave any of her red lipstick behind.
“There’s bingo going on,” Ada greets him, hand lazily laying on his shoulder.
Leon blinks, caught off guard by her statement.
“What?”
“It’s happening across the street. The locals say they have some food prizes now, thought it would be fun to do for our little catch up.”
“You’re joking,” Leon can’t help but say, in disbelief she is taking what he said almost six years ago quite literally. “You heard me say that?”
Ada’s mouth twitches with a smirk, covered elegantly by her hand.
“It was quite amusing to hear when I was watching you.”
Without another word, she grips onto his hand and lifts him up, walking him to the little place where the game is at. They actually play bingo, both winning a pair of headphones and iPod to their delight. Leon can’t help but laugh out of bewilderment.
Ada stares at him with amusement, leaning herself comfortably into her hand.
“Bringing back memories, Leon?”
The man huffs, both knowing this is far better than the cult they found when he rescued Ashley.
“Better than the cult. At least this time, the people here are playing bingo.”
Her smile is warm, as if she is also taking this moment to make better memories of Spain.
“Good.”
They leave after saying their thank you’s, their pleasant words charming them and wishing they come back again soon. Leon holds onto their winnings, Ada teasing him about always being a gentleman as he opens the door for her. They make their way back to the Marriot, going back to her room and kiss, it being passionate and full of hunger as it does every time they meet each other. They have sex and after a quick shower, fall asleep with one mother, Leon pulling her close to him. When the sun rises, the warmth of it touching his skin, the man can’t help but to open one of his eyes, always surprised but happy beyond words to see her still on her side of the bed, curled up next to him.
Ada wakes up soon after him, teasing grin on her face as she leans her head against his chest.
“Morning, handsome.”
Leon smiles at her, holding onto her tighter as he knows she could be leaving soon. He presses a kiss to her forehead.
“Morning, Ada.”
The woman gives him a quick kiss to the cheek to start his morning, before she gets up, claiming the bathroom to be hers first. Leon gets up with a groan stretching out his back and arms from their overuse the past week. He ruffles his head before the bed creaks under him as he lifts himself up, beginning his routine.
They get dressed and ready for the day in under an hour, both surprised to see they have overslept, Ada joking perhaps they are getting old enough to do that now. The sun is high enough to let it be known it is noon, way past breakfast, but Leon still offers it, knowing that is when she usually leaves and goes into her next mission.
“Breakfast?”
Ada shakes her head, leaning against the little white table of her hotel room.
“I was thinking about lunch,” the woman suggests casually as she looks out, watching the pedestrians walk whenever their next destination is. It’s quite a busy day outside and Ada loves to people watch, making up stories and identifies to those that pass by her. “It’s such a beautiful view from our hotel room. So, why don’t we order some room service and enjoy the afternoon here.”
Leon told his head curiously to the side, the question front and center in his brain. Lunch? Room service?
“Lunch?” He voices out his thoughts, brows furrowing tightly. “You usually don’t stay that long.”
She gives him a coy smile, as if she is letting him know he is about to learn something new from the women in front of him.
“Maybe I wanted a change of pace, Leon. It can get exhausting eating the same breakfast food all the time.”
He brings the room service menu without a second thought, letting Ada take control of what to order, since she claims his taste for food is bland and dry, all while making him fully aware his card is going to be used for this entire meal. Leon lets out an annoyed huff, but willingly takes his credit card out, making a passing joke it’s the government paying this one. The woman rolls her eyes as she takes his card, speaking fluent Spanish to the service worker for what they want as her finger gets lost in the phone cord.
Once placing their orders, they open the balcony doors outside, the warm breeze a welcome change from the freezing ac. They work to put the painted white metal table in the center, letting them have the best view they can as they watch the people below them, not knowing their fate is being judged by the woman next to him. Leon and Ada sit and wait until they hear a knock on their door, him going to get the food for them as he sets up their meals, Ada being the one to tell him which one is which. With a quiet thank you, she takes a bite into her meal, savoring it with a cup of tea she ordered, as she fixes his usual black coffee that he always puts with a packet of sugar, as much as he claimed to like it straight, a detail only Ada would notice. It’s perfect the way she makes it, Leon sending her a nod of gratitude, getting a small smile from her in return. Her brown eyes sparkle when they tear away from him, noticing their first victim of Ada’s tales. She eagerly starts to tell him of the women in the hat’s life story, claiming that she owns a little antique shop with her sister, a business they have been running for years.
It catches up to him that the scene between them is so domestic, it particularly makes his teeth ache and heart throb. This routine is something they have done so many times before, but on this day it feels different, as if something new is blooming between them. And then with widened eyes, it connects in his brain how he wants every day like that to be with Ada.
The realization strikes him so suddenly, it almost feels like he has always known this, it building up inside him with every encounter he had with Ada over the years
Leon wants to stop their little game of chase. He wants Ada to be with him, always.
It seems he went quiet for far too long for Ada to realize, her being the one to always notice first when he traps himself into his mind, it being another reason as to why he loves her and wants her to be by his side.
She throws him a questioning look covered with a sly smirk, but Leon can read her easily now, and can see the worry flashing in her eyes.
“Leon, didn’t I tell you not to think so much?”
Her question snaps him out of his little trance, but the want and desire for her to be in his life burns, it feeling overwhelming him. He laughs to himself, hand slipping to the impulsive purchase he made just before he went to see Ada.
“You told me not to.”
“Right,” Ada says with a nod as she puts her tea cup down, brow raised high. “What’s making you like this, Leon?”
A silence draws out between the two of them as Leon plays with the velvet red box in his hand. It was a silly and not well thought out purchase when he saw those silver rings gleaming in the jewelry store he was mindless window shopping from. The man doesn’t realize he is entering the shop until the bell above the door chimes, signaling his intention to look around. It doesn’t take long before he finds them, listening halfheartedly to what the salesman says about the rings and how significant the silver was and what it means to the lovers that wear it. All he sees when looking at them is how much he wants him and Ada to have them, to show who they love and how good it would look on her and pairs nicely with her brown eyes.
The salesmen said they were on sale. Leon buys them seconds later.
He takes a deep breath, steadying himself for what he is going to do next. Leon, for some reason, knows this is his perfect moment to propose to her.
“You can tell me if this is stupid for what I am about to do next.”
Ada throws him an unimpressed glance, lips forming into a straight line.
“Leon.”
Leon sighs, here goes nothing.
He doesn’t have the words right now to say what he wants to showcase, the drive to get the rings out of the open being the only thing on his mind as he brings the
“It’s—Look. I know we have gotten used to texting one another and finding each other whenever our missions align, but I don’t want that anymore and I don’t think you want it either. I know you haven’t been taking as many missions as you used to and you are finding reasons to stay longer with me, hell, you never stay last till lunch. I want to be able to see you every day and not just on a chance. I want to have you by my side and live a life we can both enjoy. I can’t picture it without you anymore and I want to wake up knowing you will be there everyday after tomorrow. I want you here, so..”
He can’t think of any more words to say, mind a mess because the drive to get the rings out of the open being the only thing he can focus on as he brings the red box out on the table, the lid brings the rings to life. For the first time, Leon knows he has thrown Ada off her game, eyes widen a fraction as to what he is asking of her and the future he wishes to share.
“I found the rings while here. They are cheap and I can easily return them if you don’t want this, but—”
“Okay.”
Leon blinks, once again caught off guard by her actions.
That’s it? She said yes?
“Huh?” Leon dumbly replies.
Ada rolls her eyes as she brings the velvet box towards her, inspecting the rings. She finds the one made for her, slipping it on with ease, the silver looking perfect on her. Leon’s heart squeezes with affection, not truly believing the reality he is seeing right now. She throws him an amusing smirk, “You knew my ring size? How sweet, Leon.”
Leon learned it after holding her hand between his so much, knowing every inch of the way her fingers curl into his and how they always make him come undone. He drew circles over and over every night with her head buried in his neck until he figured out the size that would fit her perfectly.
His mouth hangs open stupidly, before he clamps it shut, swallowing before he can speak again. Leon’s blue eyes never leave the sliver of the ring.
“That’s it? That’s all it would take?”
Ada’s warm chuckles fill up the space of their hotel room, somehow calming the man down just a bit. She flexes her hand, getting used to the ring being on her finger, smirk still present on her face. Once done, the woman looks at him with a softness so foreign to him, that he couldn’t look away, making sure it is memorized to not forget how it looks and how he wished to see it again, if Ada lets him.
“It is all that it takes,” Ada responds, hiding how funny she finds his bewilderment. She looks down at the ring before returning her gaze back to him. “You’re right. After so long, I’ve come to realize, perhaps I am tired of running and want a place to stay, with you. I want a life to be by your side and every day and wake up to starting it with you. I wanted that since what happened after in China.”
It’s everything Leon wants to hear, but deep in gut he knows there is going to be a but in there, it always is with Ada. He knows it when she looks away from him, staring off in the distance from the window.
He hopes what she says doesn’t break his heart.
“But?” Leon supplies, waiting for the shoe drop. He should be terrified, waiting for the no, but against his better judgement, he believes this will go well.
Ada smiles sadly, as if she is holding herself back from something she would want now, but can’t.
“But, not right now.”
Leon nods, accepting the fact it might not work out for them and it might be like this forever, something he can’t do as he brings the red box back to him, but that train of thought stops when Ads grabs onto it too, face warm that makes his chest feel with hope.
“That doesn't mean I didn’t mean what I said. I want that life when you, Leon. I really do.”
The man doesn’t say anything as he watches her slip the ring off and return it in the box, making sure it fits snugly back inside. Ada holds both the object and his hand gently.
“Before I say yes though, I have a couple..things to finish and clean up. I want them done and gone, before I come back to you and we can live the life we want, but in order to do that, those things must be finished first.”
Leon can suspect a couple of the things she is talking about, wondering what kind of missions that could be holding her back. When he younger and naive, he used to get so mad how he could never know, but over the years, the feeling has soften, and he knows sometimes it is better he only knows she is okay and have little bits of pieces of information of what her missions entail, growing more and more thankful when she has let her walls down and told him straight up what her missions about. This time though, he probably won’t get an answer, but in the future (Leon hopes) he will.
“How long will that take?” He asks not unkindly, just a genuine curiosity comes out of him. He has gotten used to her going on missions for months, working on their communication if they wanted to make this as real as a relationship as they wanted. A simple text or call was enough to show Ada was okay and to keep him going until the next time he saw her. It’s something that he knows Ada appreciates as well, but will never say it out loud.
Ads shrugs, showing him the honesty she has been trying to work with him.
“I’m not sure, but I will come to you or contact you when I am done.”
Another question pops in his head, the thought always bouncing around his head whenever her work is brought up.
“Will you continue your mercenary work, even when you finish those things?”
Ada laughs out loud at that, the same one she had when he told her about the president thanks to hers. He cherishes it again, but well aware he should have known she would never leave her job behind so quickly.
“Oh, Leon. Don’t ever change,” She smoothly replies as she gives him back the box, a special promise being held in it.
Leon grabs onto the velvet object as gently as she did, cradling it as if carrying his entire world, which it did. It represents their want for a future together and one where they have a more permanent place in each other's lives; partners, husband and wife.
The man gives her an honest and real smile, the truth coming out of him as it has always done since the moment he met her in Raccoon City.
“I’ll wait,” Leon tells her, showing his commitment. “I’ll wait whenever you are ready.”
Ada mirrors his smile, showing her beautiful teeth.
“Good.”
They clean up the rest of their room service, Ada taking a bit or two from his food, something he pretends to be unwilling to give it up to her. Leon stakes the place as she brings it to the front of the door, where they both know it was time for her to go. Ada cradles his face between her hands before giving him a kiss, gentle and sweet as it has become over the years. As they part, she has one request for him.
“Keep my ring warm, okay?”
Leon was already going to do that, mind made up about that as he stokes his thumbs across her hands, savoring their last moments together.
“I will.”
Ada’s out the door not a minute later, red lipstick on his lips as she leaves Spain behind.
And Leon waited.
Leon waited as the weeks and months passed by. He waited as the seasons changed and he meant when he said he could wait forever how long however she needed, patience came along with his age and as the years went by. They would occasionally see each other, whenever they could, meeting up twice in Indonesia. Leon gets a text from Ada whenever possible, always staring off with hey handsome or not getting yourself into trouble, are you? He smirked silently to himself, texting her quick hey and no, before asking her how she has been and if her missions are going well. She gives him whatever she likes, Leon learning to accept all he can with her, waiting patiently for when she wants to tell him everything.
Though usually, their text conversations ended the same way, eyes widening every time Ada is the first to ask.
Keeping my ring warm?
He always chuckled before sending a picture of the red box, where the ring is safely stored next to his bed. His own ring hangs around his neck, squeezing it whenever he misses her. He texts back, always.
How he fell for such a woman like Ada, he isn’t sure, but he can’t imagine a life without her. Leon’s waited long enough to start a life with her, he can wait until she is ready.
It took half a year before Ada came back with her “yes,” it happening when he least expected it.
For once, the DSO decided to give him the weekend off, giving him props for a job well done. His debrief ended with the sun still being out. He could see the green of the trees and let his eyes soak in the sun’s orange rays. It’s a sight he doesn’t get to see often, so he lets himself enjoy it for a minute or two. Leon shovels out his keys and walks to his car, letting himself take the more scenic route, taking in people walking the hurried streets of Washington, the children laughing and the traffic lights that seem to be on his side today. The drive to his apartment doesn’t take long, gathering the little paperwork and keys he has in the passenger seat before he climbs the stairs up his apartment. The keys for his apartment door are ready for his hand, Ada’s teddy bear key chain shifting from the movement, before it clicks in his brain that something is a miss. The door is already left open, slightly ajar, as if someone is already inside and Leon knows exactly one person who can do that when he is not here.
When Leon opens the door, he is met with a sight that takes his breath away.
Sitting in his kitchen as if she owns the place is Ada, leaning against the island with a glass or red wine being her only company. The woman turns her head slightly as shebholds it in place at the stem, shifting her hand deliberately to catch the sun’s light, letting the sliver of the ring shine in his apartment. There are no words that need to be communicated for Leon to know that yes, she accepts his proposal.
There’s only a singular thought as Leon holds his doorknob as a smile breaks across his face, that’s going to be my wife.
“You know, you never told me you lived so close to a courthouse, Leon,” Ada greets him with the sly smirk he came to love appears on her face, twirling with her ring (her ring) that he proposed to her all those months ago.
Living in Washington meant you were bound to be near a courthouse. It was almost as if the two went hand and hand together. With almost every politician, lawyer, government official and anyone else one can think of here, they needed as many as they could deal with various court cases, hearings and crimes as they could. It was what made Washington run like a well oiled-machine as they handled these cases in a timely manner and brought justice whenever they could. The courthouses were even used for the locals to deal with minor charges, disputes, housing arrangements, and marriage certificates—
Oh, shit.
That coy smile grows bigger when the realization dawns on him, their eyes finally meeting each other.
“It seems like we are taking a quick trip to the courthouse today, Leon.”
Leon couldn’t help but to let out a laugh, both in disbelief and so full of happiness, that after almost 16 years since he first met her, he can finally call her his and his hers. For the longest time, he thought a reality like this wouldn’t be possible, with her always out of reach and staying in the shadow and the chase they always needed find one another seemed like it would never end, until the night six months ago where she admitted she wanted it and would come when she was ready and he’s never been such a happy man until now. He has such few joys in his life and it seems like with Ada now being in his life, more will be coming, something that only makes his heart pound faster. He focuses on her coy smile as he steadies his breath to put the ring on his finger, matching Ada now. Leon joins her on his kitchen island, leaning against it as he watches her eyes soften, taking in how big he actually is smiling.
“We would need a witness for that, Ada,” Leon goes along with her plan, already mapping out the closest courthouse to his apartment.
It’s her turn to let out a short breathless laugh as puts all her attention towards him. She cradles her face in her hands, smiling at him as if she knew something he didn’t. It used to make him feel uneasy, but now, it’s a little funny to him, wondering why she got him this time.
“Aren’t Sherry and Claire in town? I know you had a small lunch with them today before your meeting with the DSO.”
Sherry and Claire surprised Leon today, the both of them getting permission from his higher ups to “drag him away from his desk and be able to enjoy a nice meal,” as Claire put it so kindly to him as she pushed him out the door and to a restaurant they both know he would like. They stayed there for two hours, catching up with one another and learning how their lives have changed, Leon hanging into every detail of how they both seem to be living normal lives now. Claire talked a mile a minute of her new house, job and the little vacation she is taking to Washington, wanting to catch up with Sherry and to annoy Leon as much as she can, her words, not his. Claire always brought joy into his life.
Leon should have known she was in there, ordering food as she takes into account how long the two of them would be here to be a witness at the courthouse.
“You spying on me now, Ada?” The man can’t help but reply with, smirk small, even if he already knows her answer.
Ada throws him a playful look, as it was very obvious she has been doing that the whole time as she takes a sip of her wine.
“You know I know you better than yourself, Leon.”
The statement was one Leon tried so hard to reattach from, believing Ada couldn’t understand him nor be able to see him for who he is. Now, he knows it’s true because she knows the way he thinks and acts, having to convince himself she is always going to be two steps ahead of him (which she usually is), but now, she can wait for him to catch up and be able to be honest with her.
Still, it brings him some amusement that Ada’s habit of spying on him never went away.
“I’ll ask them. Claire will have a hell of a laugh.”
“Good boy,” Ada purrs. A warm feeling settles in his chest, as if it was always meant to be like this with her.
Leon raises his brow, knowing there is a better term for her to use.
“Good husband?”
Ada copies him and raises a carefully curated brow.
“We are not there yet, Leon.”
He places his hand on hers, using the one where the silver ring resides on his finger. Their rings are warm.
“But I will be soon, Ada.”
“Yes,” Ada says softly, a fond tone he hasn't heard before. She brings her hands down towards her, grip gentle on his matching rings. His heart almost stops with the affections filled up inside him, noting how wonderful they look together. The woman is playing with his ring before even realizing it, the action already becoming a comfort to him.
There is one more thing they need for the courthouse though, to officially be husband and wife.
“You have a dress?” Leon asks amusingly, tilting his head to the side. If there is one thing he knows about her, Ada always knows how to dress for any occasion.
“You have a suit?” Ada fires back.
The man chuckles, deep and rich. Of course, Leon does. He always needed one on demand for whenever the president or government decided to throw a party.
He gathers the wine glass, needing it to be washed before they go off to their next destination, holding it carefully as she was before. Water rushes into the sink as he takes his time cleaning the glass, getting rid of the people again the win left behind. Leon can feel the burning stare of Ada and the smirk on her face, as if she has decided what house chores each of them have to do, already planning out their life in front of them.
It’s something Leon thought he could never experience with Ada and now he knows he can and will, he is never going to lose it.
“Ready in five?”
Ada nods, only making his smile just a bit bigger. She slinks her way to his side, waiting patiently for him to lower his head to press a quick peck to his cheek. The woman stares at him for a moment, before she pats his chin gently, taking a second to run her fingers along his stubble.
“Don’t be late.”
Leon snorts at that, the teasing joke of “you were six months late,” at the tip of his tongue, but he silences it with a soft kiss to her forehead, moving some of her black hair behind her ear, a domestic moment he hopes more to come.
“Never, not with you.”
Ada lets out a pleased hum, before she walks away, making her way towards his bathroom, letting him know she is already claiming that area as hers. Her heels click against the wooden floor, making a sharp stop at the door, turning her head towards him.
“Make sure you shave your stubble, we have to look our best at the courthouse.”
Leon rolls his eyes, answer fulfilled of when she would comment on it. He huffs as he puts the wine glass back in his cabinet.
“Sure.”
The sound of the bathroom door locks echoes throughout the kitchen, signaling to him he should start getting ready.
Leon smiles softly to himself as he shuts the cabinet door, envisioning the way Ada is going to use the compact mirror he left in his bathroom to apply her red eyeshadow, heart full as he knows over the years it will slowly be filled with every product she uses. He is halfway through closing the door, when he pauses in his tracks, eyes catching onto the small red lipstick stain he forgot to wash, Ada leaving an imprint of herself already.
He shakes his head with amusement, gaze turning soft the longer he looks at the lipstick stain. Red is a color he is going to get used to around their apartment.
Now though, he has a quick call to make to Claire and Sherry.