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Leon Kennedy was exhausted. Just weeks after rescuing the President's daughter he was whisked away on another death defying mission of extreme importance. It went mostly well…mostly. But unfortunately there were casualties, and each death was like a weight on Leon's back; another life he couldn't save…
“I'm home,” he announced as he arrived at his apartment, though it seemed he needn't have done so as his roommate, companion, partner was either sleeping or not currently in, and he simply shut and locked the door behind himself as he entered the dimly lit home.
With a heavy sigh, Leon kicked off his shoes, not wanting to trail only God knew what kind of biohazard was stuck to them throughout the place. Carrying them in his hand, he headed to the kitchen to grab a trash bag before making a bee line for the bathroom.
It was past time for a wash.
Carefully removing his clothing and tossing them in the trash bag, Leon turned on the water to max heat and hit the button to turn the shower on. His body staggered slightly as he blinked sleepily, stepping into the tub, immediately awakening the moment the piping hot water hit his skin. It was necessary to wash himself on the highest setting, perhaps for his own peace of mind than for any scientific reason. Heat kills most things right? Then perhaps along with the dirt, sweat and blood, it could wash away his regrets, his failures, and whatever biological contaminate clung to his hair and skin.
The smell of cedar wood and sage filled the air as he lathered his washcloth with soap and began to scrub his body clean. He already felt lighter, fresher as the dirt and grime was washed away. The images in his mind of innocent lives lost, comrades suddenly gone, clung to his thoughts until he ducked his head under the shower, lathering his hair with soap, letting the hot water soak his sandy blond hair and rinse out all the dirt and oils, all the heaviness and clinging thoughts. All of it was washed away…for now, but he knew it would take him a long time to recover from the ordeal.
After showering, Leon toweled himself dry, noticing for the first time additional scars that littered his body. There was the long scar along his abdomen that he got weeks ago when he and Ashley removed the parasites they had been infected with. There was a scar along his shoulder that, honestly, could have come from anything. There were several knife wounds from his fight with Major Krauser. There were bruises and abrasions from his most recent mission that would probably take days to heal…
Without so much as a sigh or any acknowledgement, Leon wrapped the towel around his waist, grabbed his toothbrush and paste and began brushing his teeth. A knock on the bathroom door drew his attention, and he unlocked it, completely unphased when Luis burst in saying something in Spanish that he was far too tired to translate, but probably had something to do with needing to use the restroom.
“Oh, sweet relief,” Luis sighed in contentment as Leon finished brushing his teeth. “Sorry to barge in on you like this, Leon. But, when nature calls…”
Leon snorted in reply, rinsing his mouth with water, before gurgling with mouthwash and sticking his toothbrush back in the holder. As if nature needed to call in order for Luis to barge in.
“You sure that's not an excuse just to see me?” Leon teased, and Luis chuckled softly.
“Oh please, all I need to do to see you is start speaking Spanish. You practically throw yourself into my arms every time you hear it.”
Leon felt himself blushing as he threw on a pair of boxers before dressing himself in a pair of plaid pajamas and a random white t-shirt with several wrinkles. He knew Luis was teasing, but the man wasn't wrong. Something about the way Luis spoke any language, made Leon's heart flutter. But when Luis spoke Spanish, Leon couldn't keep his hands off of him. It did something to him, awakened some ravenous beast that wanted to devour every inch of him. He felt both embarrassed and ashamed, but Luis would always tell him that there was no shame in being turned on by your significant other.
Clearing his throat, Leon hung his towel back on the rack and grabbed the trash bag from the floor.
“I'll see you in bed. Gotta do a bit of laundry.” He said before exiting the bathroom, hoping Luis didn't notice how red his face was.
.*.*.*.*.
Leon and Luis shared a California King sized bed that was so comfortable Leon almost fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillows. However, he missed the warmth of Luis next to him, and after the mission he had, he could really use the comfort. Leon turned over on his side to face Luis, but it seemed as if the man was already asleep, his back facing him. Still, he couldn't silence that part of his mind that wanted, no needed, comfort, nor did he want to awaken Luis. With a heavy sigh, Leon carefully moved towards Luis, hugging him from behind which caused the man to mumble a few words Leon didn't quite catch.
“I'm sorry, did I wake you?” Leon asked, but Luis shook his head.
“It's fine,” he replied. So that was a ‘yes’, then. “How was your mission? You were gone for a while.”
“The mission was…” but Leon didn't quite have a word for what the mission was. “Successful.” Leon decided. “But it was a lot to process…”
He didn't know how to convey that he wanted to be held without sounding needy. He wasn't sure he was even ready to be this vulnerable with a man he only dated for several weeks. Would admitting he needed human touch be too much too soon, or would it be expected?
“Are you okay?” Luis asked, and Leon could feel the weight on his shoulders increase as he began to hyperventilate. The death of innocents, the death of comrades weighing on his mind as tears brimmed in his eyes. He wasn't ready…wasn't comfortable with Luis seeing him like this. But he desperately needed affection, desperately needed a hug and for someone to tell him it was going to be okay.
“Leon?” Luis had turned to face him now, and it was too late for Leon to turn away, to hide the tears, to be the strong person everyone thought he was…the strong person everyone expected him to be.
“Could you hold me?” Leon asked, and in an instant, Luis's arms were around him, pulling him in closer, peppering his face with tender kisses, as Leon sobbed into his shoulder.
No one had ever seen him like this, not even Ada. This was a Leon Kennedy that he only showed when he was alone, where the only comfort he had came from himself, where the only arms to hold him were his own…
“Hey, you're going to be okay,” Luis whispered as he rubbed Leon's back in soothing circles. “It's going to be okay.”
And Leon believed him. Right here, right now, everything was truly going to be okay…He would be okay…
.*.*.*.*.
The next day, Leon woke up drenched in sweat. He felt nauseous and hot, and there was a terrible pounding in his head. With a groan he rolled over, feeling the bedside table for a cup of water, but there wasn't one. With a grunt of frustration, he climbed out of bed, and instantly vomited on the wood floor, falling to his hands and knees. Luis didn't seem to be nearby, because the commotion would have brought him in instantly. This was fine, he would just have to fend for himself for awhile.
He carefully stood on unsteady legs, careful not to step in the mess he made as he slowly headed in the kitchen to grab the mop bucket, filling it with hot water and oil soap, then carefully dragging both mop and bucket into the bedroom. The task took a total of ten minutes, but it felt like a lifetime. His body was so heavy, and his stomach seemed desperate to empty its contents.
In short, he felt like hot garbage.
He left the mop bucket in the center of the room, and walked over to the bed and collapsed upon it. He'd put it up later, but for now, he needed to rest.
When Leon next awoke, he was tucked under the blankets while someone dabbed his face with a warm, wet, cloth. He had no idea how long he had been sleeping, but it was so nice to be looked after.
“Mm. How long was I out?” He asked, his voice raspy and rough. He barely sounded like himself.
“Pretty much all day. It's already 4pm. If I hadn't come back home because I forgot some important documents…” Luis sighed, clearly distressed. “But that can wait. I have some chicken soup cooking on the stove, it'll be another five minutes or so. If you can't eat the meat, just drink the broth. It'll do you good.”
“Thanks, Luis,” Leon mumbled, his eyes rolling slightly, unable to focus.
“If you need anything, please call me,” Luis replied, his voice firm. “I need to go check on the soup. I'll be right back.”
Luis stepped out of the room and Leon shrugged off the covers.
“It's hot,” he complained to no one in particular, pulling off his shirt, his skin already covered in a thin layer of sweat. Without the shirt, it felt a few degrees cooler, but his body was still hot as a furnace. He needed to cool down. He flipped his pillow over, and immediately relaxed as the cool fabric touched his heated skin. A shame it didn't last long. Leon groaned miserably as he waited for Luis to return, tossing and turning as he tried and failed to get comfortable.
Being sick sucked. He hated it. But there was nothing he could do except sweat it out.
“Here, Leon. I brought you some medicine.” Luis's voice was like an oasis in the desert, and all Leon wanted was to cuddle, but he bit back the impulse. After all, he could be contagious. The sound of glass clinking on wood was heard, and the smell of savory broth made Leon's mouth water.
Luis helped Leon into a sitting position, and measured out the medicine. Leon grimaced as he saw the dark contents, knowing this was gonna taste like ass. But hell, anything was better than being sick all day. So, without too much fuss, he downed the bitter medicine, coughing and sputtering at the horrific taste.
“I know, I know,” Luis said, attempting to soothe him. “But it'll help you feel better in no time. Are you able to eat?”
“I can certainly try,” Leon replied, and he felt the bed dip as Luis sat next to him, seemingly intent on spoon feeding him the soup. It was sweet, really, but it also felt odd being waited on, and he couldn't keep himself from blurting out:
“You know I can feed myself, right?”
“Are you sure?” Luis asked, studying Leon closely. “I don't mind staying by your side, you know.”
“I'll be fine. I can handle this much at least.” Leon replied, taking the bowl of soup from Luis's hands and stirring the broth with the spoon. There was still steam rising from bowl, and the smell of the soup was enticing. To demonstrate his point, he consumed a spoonful of the soup, instantly feeling refreshed as the strong taste of garlic and herbs hit his senses. It was delicious.
“Very well, but if you need anything don't hesitate to call.” Leon's heart fluttered in his chest as Luis brushed a hand against his cheek. “I'll let Rebecca know that I have an emergency situation to handle. We can meet another time.”
“Rebecca Chambers?” Leon asked, surprised. Since when did Luis know her?
“Yes. She was interested in my research with the plaga, and with that amber sample out there…” Luis sighed, and Leon knew he felt responsible for the sample being only God knows where. “But that can wait. You're more important, Leon.”
“I'll be fine, Luis. Saving lives is more important.” Leon wasn't sure why he was suddenly pushing Luis away when all he wanted was to hold him close. But he didn't want to be greedy, needy, when Luis had an important job to do. “Go meet Rebecca. You made me soup, you gave me meds. I'll be fine.”
There was a moment of silence between them, and Leon felt as if Luis was peering into his very soul. He internally shrank under his scrutiny, not wanting to be perceived, to be seen. Not wanting Luis to see the parts of him that he tried to keep hidden.
“Do you want me to leave your side?” Luis asked suddenly, and Leon felt himself freeze up inside. Of course he didn't want Luis to leave his side…but he had a job to do, and Leon was capable of caring for himself for a while.
“You have a job to do,” Leon replied, gazing into Luis's beautiful dark brown eyes for the briefest moment before returning his attention to his soup.
“That's not what I asked, Leon. Do you want me to go?”
No.
Yes?
“I…” But Leon couldn't find the words, his mind blanking as the migraine only worsened causing him to wince in pain.
“I'm here for you, Leon. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
Stay with me, he thought to himself. Please, just stay. But he couldn't bring himself to say the words, and exasperated, Luis stood up and turned to leave. Afraid to see Luis go, a part of him desperate for human contact, Leon grabbed Luis's hand and held it firmly, pulling Luis back to his side.
“Look, I don't need you to spoon feed me or pour medicine down my throat,” Leon admitted, his heart racing as the words poured from his lips. “But if you could stay by my side, just for a little while…I would really appreciate that.”
“Why didn't you just say so, Leon?” Luis asked, a look of concern on his face.
“I don't know. Because you have work to do. Because I'm not some clingy five year old that needs constant attention…” Leon hesitated to say the words that was on his heart and mind, but exhaling a breath through his nose, he added:
“Because the last time I allowed myself to be vulnerable with someone, they used me. And I sort of shut myself off ever since…”
There, he admitted it. He opened his heart, allowed himself to be vulnerable again, and now he waited for the stab in the chest or back so that he could close himself off once more.
Except, the stab never came. Instead he felt a pair of surprisingly strong arms hold him, and something soft and warm press against his forehead.
A kiss…
“I don't plan on using you, Leon. Nor would I ever think less of you if you wanted or needed me by your side.” Luis's words were like a soothing balm to Leon's weary heart, and his blue eyes became misty with tears. “As for my work, it can wait until your fever goes down. It's urgent, yes, but not as urgent as your needs are.”
Leon chuckled softly, but more in embarrassment than in mirth, tears rolling gently down his cheeks as he sniffed and wiped them away. Luis took the soup from Leon's hands, setting it down on the bedside table before climbing into bed with him and pulling him into a hug.
“And I don't think of you as a clingy five year old,” Luis added, gently. “I think of you as a 27 year old who happens to be secretly needy.”
Leon snorted at Luis's gentle teasing, resting his head against the man's chest, allowing himself to be held. It felt nice, being in Luis's arms like this, and Leon's heart began to calm.
“Please don't leave my side,” Leon whispered softly, and Luis kissed him lovingly on the cheek before whispering in his ear:
“I'll be with you until you get sick and tired of me.”
“That'll never happen,” Leon confessed.
“Then I will never leave.”