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"Grace."
Grace stiffened in her chair as the voice of Agent Dempsey snapped her out of the intense concentration she was in. Quickly saving the report that she was writing and removing her glasses, the omega swiveled her chair around to face her superior.
"Yes, sir?" she asked, clenched fists loosening slightly when her voice came out steady.
"My office, please," Dempsey replied curtly. He left no room for arguments or questions as he turned around and marched away, clearly expecting her to follow.
Grace was quick to jump to her feet, intentionally ignoring a few curious stares from nosy colleagues as she trailed behind the alpha. She fiddled with one of the scent patches on her neck, glad that the barrier prevented her anxious pheromones from permeating the room. (Who was she kidding? Anyone in the room could still tell she was nervous, scent patches or not.)
By the time they reached his office, Grace was already picking on a hangnail and attempting to calm her heart rate with measured breaths. Dempsey opened the door and gestured for her to enter, holding it open for her as she crossed into the threshold of his domain.
To her surprise, she was met with a woman already seated in front of Dempsey's desk. The woman turned in place, subtly eyeing Grace over the rim of her glasses.
"Grace," Dempsey began as he closed the door behind them and shuffled around to sit at his desk, "this is Agent Ingrid Hunnigan with the FOS."
"Agent Ashcroft," Hunnigan greeted, standing from her seat and holding out a hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."
"L-likewise," Grace replied as she took Hunnigan's outstretched hand and shook it with more firmness than her voice could portray.
With pleasantries out of the way, Hunnigan cut straight to the point as she sat back down. "I'm here on behalf of the DSO to recruit your assistance with a matter regarding Special Agent Leon S. Kennedy."
Grace, who was moving to sit down as well, nearly fell the rest of the way into the chair at the mention of the older omega. "Leon?" she asked reflexively, mind already running wild with different scenarios of things that could've gone wrong. "Is—is he okay? Is he h-hurt?"
"Physically speaking, he's perfectly fine," Hunnigan reassured, fidgeting slightly with her glasses. "Still recovering from his last mission with you, but no new injuries to report."
The stitches in Grace's side pulled in sympathy at the mention.
God, a week.
It had barely been a week since the Rhodes Hill incident.
The DSO had cleared Grace to return to her normal life (could she even consider it normal anymore?) after confirming that she wasn't infected and making her sign every NDA under the sun to ensure her silence. But she was still adjusting to returning to the life she had before.
Before she witnessed the monstrosity that was Victor Gideon, whose mutated visage haunted her dreams every night.
Before she experienced Zeno's cold demeanor and even colder words, whose memory still caused shivers to run down her spine.
Before she was chased and bit and scratched by things that were once people. A creature who used to be a little girl like Emily. Hospital staff who knowingly or unknowingly were experiments themselves. A police officer who was just doing his job. They all took their pounds of flesh from her, but that would never make up for her mom's death at Wrenwood—
Grace snapped herself out of her detrimental train of thought, fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs. Swallowing past the tightness in her throat, she focused her eyes back onto Hunnigan. Before she could spiral again, Grace pushed for clarification, "I-if he's fine, then…?"
Hunnigan studied her for a few seconds, giving her time to recompose herself—almost long enough to make Grace start fidgeting—before she answered, "He's been compromised by his own instincts."
Grace blinked, taking a moment to process the sentence. Once she did, her eyes widened in disbelief. "He's—he's gone feral?"
"It hasn't reached that stage yet, but it won't be long until it does—which is why it's imperative that you be taken to him without further delay."
"Yes," Dempsey cut in with an acknowledging nod towards Hunnigan, "Agent Hunnigan and I have already worked out the details to speed this discussion along." He directed his attention to Grace, tone even, "Consider this a special assignment. Officially, you'll be put on extended leave until this matter resolves. Unofficially, you'll be working with the DSO until Special Agent Kennedy recovers, or until someone is able to relieve you from your post. Any reports regarding this assignment will be kept confidential and processed through the DSO…"
Dempsey and Hunnigan spent the next few minutes going back and forth on any necessary procedures, and before she knew it, Grace had gathered her belongings from her desk and was whisked away in a DSO vehicle with the FOS agent at her side.
They sat in the backseat quietly for a good portion of the trip, mostly because Hunnigan was occupied typing furiously on her phone and Grace didn't want to disturb her. She turned her gaze out the window, watching trees and buildings pass by as she tried not to disappear too far into her head.
The silence between them was eventually broken by Hunnigan as she looked up from her phone. "Once we arrive at headquarters, I'll take you to Leon immediately. According to the last update I received, they were going to attempt to relocate him to a quarantine suite. Unfortunately, Agent Reed hasn't updated me on the current situation, so I can't say for certain what his condition is going to be."
"Okay," Grace said with a small nod. She eyed the divider that separated the front cabin from the backseats, confirming that it was closed for privacy before continuing, "Wh-what was Leon's condition? L-l-last you heard, I mean."
"He was starting to become more volatile," Hunnigan answered as she sent off another text on her phone before placing it in her lap. She met Grace's gaze, eyes sharp as she relayed what information she could. "He wasn't quite combative yet, but it was a close thing. Growling, posturing. I'm sure his scent would've been overpowering too, had he not been wearing patches."
Grace hummed in acknowledgement, wringing her hands as doubt starting to seep into her chest. "And you—you think I can help?"
"I do," the FOS agent replied without hesitation. When Grace said nothing and just continued to clench and unclench her fingers, Hunnigan let out a small breath as she loosened her posture, voice slipping into something more genuine rather than just factual. "Look, his mate and pack are either stationed elsewhere or are out of the country, but even if they were here, I still think you would be the best person to help right now. I wasn't given full details on Rhodes Hill and ARK, but I do know that you saved him and other Raccoon City survivors with Elpis. And knowing him, he's most likely grown attached to you. Leon trusts you—implicitly. I don't need a mission debrief to recognize that."
Grace felt her face heat at the praise, a tiny smile spreading across her lips as she uttered a quiet thank you. Her shoulders relaxed a fraction and she settled more comfortably in her seat as she regained a bit of confidence.
"Do we know what m-might've set off his instincts?" she inquired, hoping to get a better feel for the situation given how little she knew.
Hunnigan shook her head. "We're still unsure of an exact cause, be it internal or external factors. His labs after the mission came back normal, same as you. Granted, we haven't been able to run anymore tests on him given his current lack of cooperation."
Grace's brow furrowed, trying to think of anything about her last interactions with Leon that stood out.
They were being treated by DSO doctors who dressed their wounds and conducted countless tests on them to determine if they were clean from infection. Leon had refused to leave the younger omega's side throughout the entire process. Both of their scent patches had stopped working hours ago, and Grace's exhausted and anxious scent instinctively drew out his protective pheromones. His scent had worked wonders to keep her calm, an eye in the storm of sterile tools and indifferent hands.
When she had expressed concern for him—still anxious over his wounds or a resurgence of the T-Virus—he simply smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"Trust me, I feel better than I have in ages. Elpis really worked. Talk about a miracle in a vial."
…Oh shit.
"Could Elpis have something to do with it?" she asked aloud, the words spilling from her mouth before she could stop them. "I-it's not like it had a—a warning label on it, l-let alone a side-effect list. Spencer barely had any documentation on it at all. Oh god, and w-we sent a vial to Sherry—"
"Grace," Hunnigan cut through her vocal tirade swiftly but not unkindly. "Whatever is causing this, we'll find it. I'll let R&D know to investigate further into any potential side-effects of Elpis, and I'll contact Agent Birkin to see how she's faring. Right now, you just need to focus on Leon, okay?"
Grace inhaled sharply, allowing the air to expand her chest and sit in her lungs before she expelled it in a shaky exhale. "Right. Yeah."
The FOS agent sent her an encouraging nod. "You'll do well."
Grace returned the gesture, a small spark of determination igniting inside her. Spirit not quite lifted but at least steadied, she looked out the car window once more, noticing that they were pulling into a security checkpoint. Once the guards cleared the vehicle to continue through the gate, it wasn't long until she and Hunnigan were dropped off at the main entrance.
"The quarantine suites are located near the back of the building," Hunnigan informed lowly as she easily weaved through winding hallways, Grace trailing a few steps behind her. "We'll meet with the security detail who was handling Leon's relocation first so you're not going in completely blind, but be prepared for a quick entrance."
"Got it."
They rounded a few more corners until they were met with a long hallway of doors on either side of it with indicator lights above each door to denote if they were vacant or occupied. Three of them were being utilized, but Hunnigan wasted no time in marching over to the occupied room at the very end of the hallway. Grace could only assume that it was chosen purposefully to keep Leon out of the way of harming others.
Muffled cursing drifted through the door, and Grace's muscles tensed in anticipation as Hunnigan swiped her badge to disengage the lock, allowing them to enter the room.
Grace gave the room a quick cursory glance as she followed Hunnigan inside. There was another door opposite the one they just entered that she assumed led into the actual quarantine suite. A window (one-way glass, maybe?) spanned the same wall as the suite's door. A small table with four chairs was situated in the center of the room, positioned so that whoever resided there could observe the suite's occupant through the glass. Some cabinets with countertops lined the opposite wall, a sink splitting the space with snacks on one side of it and a coffee pot on the other. Overall, it took Grace only a few seconds to catalogue the small environment before her senses tuned into the ongoing conversation.
"—swear, that bitch is gonna get it—"
"You know he's not in his right mind, man—"
"Like I give a shit—"
"Agent Reed, Agent Perkins," Hunnigan snapped, drawing the two men's attention to her. Her stony eyes flit between the two ruffled agents. "I assume you have a good reason as to why I haven't received an update on Special Agent Kennedy's condition in over an hour?"
The shorter of the two clicked his teeth in annoyance, clearly warring with himself on whether or not to remain professional. He uncrossed his arms and stood up straight, not-so-subtly puffing out his chest.
"As you can see," he griped, gesturing to his head and neck, "we were a bit preoccupied."
Grace couldn't contain her wince as she examined the various wounds. The most noticeable one was the scratches on his cheek, blood weeping from the wound as it had yet to clot. He appeared to have also sustained a hit to his nose, which would no doubt lead to bruising around his eyes later. There were also smaller scratches on his neck and arms. The collar of his shirt was ripped and…oh shit, was that a bite mark?
Just how deep into his instincts had Leon fallen to resort to that?
"Perkins," Hunnigan ordered, "status report. Now."
"Right," the taller, less beat up agent acquiesced. "Shortly after his relocation was mandated, Special Agent Kennedy became increasingly aggressive. We attempted to…calmly…subdue him at first," he glanced at Reed, who huffed, "but it got to the point where we were required to use physical restraints. Once he was restrained, we were able to transfer him here. Unfortunately, he remains hostile enough to warrant continued restraint until his instincts abate."
"You—you mean he's still cuffed?!" Grace exclaimed, rushing to the window and looking into the next room.
The suite itself was honestly quite bare. It housed a small kitchenette in one corner with a mini fridge, and there was a small dresser with a TV sitting on top on one end of the room. On the other end of the room was a full-sized bed, and there—lying on his side with his hands cuffed behind him—was Leon.
The younger omega felt a twisting in her gut, but it wasn't from anxiety like it normally was. No, this was pure, protective rage.
She turned to the two agents—who were supposed to be Leon's security detail, who were supposed to keep him safe—and did something that she never thought herself capable of.
She growled, low and threatening in her chest.
"Give me the keys," she demanded through the rumbling in her throat.
Agent Reed snarled in return, and Grace was suddenly hit with the bitter pheromones of an angry alpha. The sharp smell of burnt spices nearly choked her, shaking her out of growling but not enough to compel her to fully submit. Did he remove his scent patches—?
"He's gone feral," he sneered, taking a step towards her as he began to posture, "and until you get that through your little brain—"
"Enough, Agent Reed!"
The alpha's head snapped to Agent Hunnigan as she strode over, her fury not quite hidden behind her professionalism. She held out her hand, expectant. "The keys."
The tense air in the room thickened with each second that Reed merely stared at the outstretched hand in front of him. Grace's muscles strained, preparing for whatever may happen next as Reed visibly weighed his options. After a short eternity, the alpha relented, pulling the cuffs' keys from his pocket and dropping them into Hunnigan's hand.
"You are removed from Special Agent Kennedy's case, effective immediately," she stated, ice-cold glare never faltering from Reed's as she handed the keys to Grace. "A report will be filed for behavioral misconduct while on active duty. Your suspension date and length will be determined by your superior officer. Replace your scent patches and remove yourself from the premises."
The alpha grumbled as he turned away, snatching the new scent patches from Agent Perkins's offered hand before strutting out and slamming the door behind him.
Grace hesitantly let her muscles unwind, metaphorical hackles smoothing out as the burning smell instantly began to dissipate upon Reed's exit. She unclenched her fists, the keys leaving an impression in the skin of her palm. She stowed them in one of her pockets, metal clinking quietly with the movement.
Anger bled away until all that was left was worry, simmering uncomfortably in her gut as she studied Leon's form once more. The older omega hadn't moved from his side, veins protruding from his forearms as he subtly struggled against the padded handcuffs (small mercies, Grace supposed). Her eyes trailed upwards until they landed on the back of his head and…oh what the fuck—
"Let m-me in there now," she half-demanded-half-pleaded, not bothering to conceal her horrified expression as she spotted the strap of a muzzle tied around his head.
"Of course," Hunnigan relented easily as she stepped over to the suite's door, Grace close on her heels. "But listen," she paused, catching Grace's gaze and holding it sternly, "use extreme caution. If he really is feral like Reed claims, he might not recognize you. If he thinks you're a threat and tries to do anything, you need to get out, okay? Your well-being comes first."
"Okay," Grace replied, neither agreeing nor disagreeing to the statement, knowing full-well that they would have to pry her away from Leon before she willingly left his side.
Hunnigan raised her brow but input the code to the door without further argument, and finally, Grace was inside, the door shutting behind her with a low click as the automatic lock activated.
She almost keeled over at the wave of pheromones flooding the room. The scent of a forest engulfed in flames made her want to scrunch her nose and cough, but she refrained as she instead focused on what the scent was projecting—fear, panic, pain, fear, anger, fear, fear, fear!
She stopped herself from the innate urge to rush to his side, attempting to take in a calm breath. She needed to remain at least somewhat rational to safely lead Leon away from the precarious ledge he was balancing on.
"Leon…?" she verbally reached out, testing the tremulous waters to see if she could break through the instinctual haze the other omega's mind was trapped in.
A deep, foreboding growl answered her, along with a sudden spike of scorched wood.
Danger-fear-anger!
She nearly whimpered at his terror, never once imagining that such a response would be directed at her.
Breathe, Grace, she thought, willing herself to keep her composure and think. It probably doesn't help that he can't see you either. If he doesn't recognize your voice right now, then maybe…
Her fingers lightly grazed one of the scent patches on her wrist, faltering for a moment before she steeled herself and swiftly removed one patch and then the other. She wasn't exceptionally practiced in projecting certain feelings through her scent, but she had to try. There was no other way.
Pain-fear-anger, anger, fear—
Leon's pheromones were still saturating the room, but Grace's own scent gradually swirled into the space, warm apple and cinnamon gently countering the smoky notes in the air.
Safe. Calm. Protected. Warm.
—fear, panic, fear…fear…
Safe. Calm. Protected. Warm.
…fear…? Warm…pain, warm…
Removing the remaining scent patches on her neck, she tentatively moved closer, encouraged when she received no negative feedback—only Leon's continued message of warm and pain.
After what seemed like forever to her but was only minutes in actuality, Grace finally rounded the bed, and she struggled to maintain her comforting scent when her heart squeezed at the sight before her.
The older omega's eyes were half-lidded in a daze, but the bright gold irises indicating his deep feral state were hard to miss. With the muzzle fully covering the lower half of his face, it was difficult to tell the full extent of his injuries, but she could easily discern the beginning bruises of a black eye and a sluggishly bleeding cut on his temple. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened further in a grimace as he emitted a weak, agonized whimper.
"Oh, Leon…" she whispered, kneeling before him so that she could try to meet his thousand-yard stare. It took all her mental fortitude to keep the tremble from her voice. "Hey, I'm here. It's Grace. I'm here."
All she got in return was a slow blink, gold eyes disappearing behind tired lids. Another whiff of pain wafted in her direction.
"I-I know, I'm sorry," she said, slightly despondent. "I'll make it better. I just—just need you to trust me, okay?"
Testing to see how he would react, Grace tenderly grazed her fingers through his hair, keeping her touch light and unobtrusive as she moved a few strands out of his eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to receive a positive response this time as a croaky purr reverberated from the back of Leon's throat.
"Good, that's good," she encouraged, a tiny smile twitching on her lips. "Okay…"
Running her fingers through his hair a few more times, she determined that he was docile enough for her to try to remove the muzzle. She kept up a steady stream of (hopefully comforting) words, softly dictating her next movements, if not for Leon's sake then for her own.
"I-I'm gonna take this off now, okay?"
Grace leaned forward just enough to get a better vantage point on the muzzle's straps without towering over Leon's head. She made quick work of the buckles, swiftly undoing the restraints until she could carefully pry the muzzle off his mouth.
"There we go," she murmured, placing the offending contraption on the floor without a second glance. "Bet that feels better."
Something between a sigh and a croon fell from Leon's lips as he stretched his jaw. Warm, warm, warm…pain, warm…
Safe, calm, protected, her own scent replied.
"I'll get the handcuffs off next," she stated, keys jingling in her hand as she retrieved them from her pocket.
The other omega hissed out a small rumbly whine at the sound as the deep, creamy notes of his sandalwood scent hitched into charred territory again. Fear…
"No, it's all right," Grace hurriedly soothed, gingerly placing her hand on his shoulder as she pushed out more calming pheromones. "Y-you're okay. It's okay."
Once his scent evened out again, Grace rounded the bed for easier access to the padded cuffs, doing her best to telegraph her whereabouts to Leon simultaneously. Her slightly shaky hands hindered the precise movements she needed for the task, but eventually she managed to unlock the handcuffs and slip them off his wrists.
"There! All done," she exclaimed triumphantly, hiding the cuffs and keys in the drawer of the nightstand so that they were out of sight. She returned to Leon's front, stifling the impulse to wring her hands as she hovered in place. "Do you want to move at all?"
Leon laid quietly on his side, eyes—still a bright gold—staring aimlessly past Grace. The younger omega was about to repeat herself when he let out a soft grunt, shifting his limbs until his arms were tucked to his chest and his legs were pulled closer to his body.
Needless to say, it was…weird seeing someone with a presence larger than life look so small. For someone like Leon to be reduced to such a vulnerable position… Grace's heart weighed heavy in her chest.
"I've got you," she murmured as she tentatively sat on the edge of the bed, caressing the strands of hair out of his eyes where they had fallen again. "We'll get through this, an-and I won't leave your side until we do."
Mindful of his head wound, she continued to rake her fingers through his hair momentarily and lightly scratched his scalp—resulting in a small, happy rumble from the man—as she took stock of his injuries. His black eye thankfully hadn't swollen shut, and the gash on his temple had slowed its bleeding. There was a lighter bruise on the apple of his cheek, no doubt tender to the touch even if it was superficial. His bottom lip was busted, blood having long since dried after leaving a trail down his chin.
Righteous fury swelled in her chest again, and—even though she tried to suppress it—something must have slipped into her scent to indicate her anger.
Leon's eyes sharpened ever so slightly, pheromones questioning. Danger?
"A-ah, sorry," Grace said, plastering on the best reassuring smile she could muster. "I'm okay. Just thinking too much."
Before her hand could pass through his hair again, Leon deftly yet delicately seized it. Stunned by the action, Grace did nothing to resist his movements as he cradled her hand in his two large ones. A comforting warmth quickly encompassed the appendage as he tenderly squeezed it. Safe. Protected.
She barked out a surprised laugh. Leave it to Leon to comfort her when it should be the other way around. "Thank you. R-really, I'm okay. Now, let someone else take care of you for a change, yeah?"
Once she convinced the older to release her hand, Grace prioritized removing his scent patches before anything else—rightfully so. She knew that they must've at least been either leaking or defective, given that she could distinguish his pheromones at all, but the little patches were absolutely drenched in Leon's scent. The adhesive that helped them stick gently to the skin were made obsolete by the sheer amount of oils his glands had produced in such a short amount of time.
She carefully removed the ones from his wrists first, easily peeling them off and tossing them into a nearby trashcan. She grimaced in sympathy when she examined his wrists. The skin going around each wrist was slightly pink (no doubt from the handcuffs—despite the fact they were padded), but the glands themselves looked especially irritated. They were darker in color and swollen most definitely to the point of pain. Removing the patches from his neck revealed the glands there to be faring no better.
Trying to think of what steps to take next, she was vaguely reminded of the days shortly following her presentation. Her newly developed scent glands had been sensitive and slightly puffy. She would get teary-eyed whenever she accidentally bumped her wrists into anything, and she couldn't wear shirts with high collars without them rubbing her glands raw. Mom—Alyssa? No, too weird. She was still her mom—had sat with her while she was bundled up in the bed of whatever hotel they had called home at the time, gingerly massaging the tender skin.
"It's to express the surplus of oil in the gland," she had explained. "It'll help them regulate pheromone production and heal faster. They may be sore for a while after like a bruise, but it'll help in the end."
Grace silently thanked her mom for always being so forthcoming with information like that, no matter how big or small, embarrassing or not.
She slid off the bed—not without a small, questioning chirp from Leon, which she responded to with a comforting hum—and shuffled a few steps over until she reached the kitchenette. Luckily for her, she found a small rag with minimal searching. Turning on the faucet, she let the water heat to a gentle warmth that was just above room temperature before she soaked the rag. She wrung out the excess water and turned off the faucet before returning to Leon's side.
"C-can—can I see one of your hands, please?" she asked as she sat back down again, though she knew she wouldn't get a direct answer.
She ghosted the fingers of her free hand over one of Leon's, hoping to convey her intentions a little more clearly for the other. Thankfully, he appeared to catch on as he all too happily intertwined his fingers with hers in a quick squeeze before he stretched out his hand for her to take. She maneuvered it onto her lap so his inner-wrist faced upwards, the angry-looking patch of skin staring up at her.
"Th-this may sting a little…" Grace warned before pressing the rag on one side of the gland and massaging as gently as she could.
Leon uttered a choked off hiss, muscles tensing and eyes squinting shut. His scent flared briefly again with a singular, sharp note. Pain!
"I know, I'm s-sorry," she apologized promptly out of habit, "but it'll help. I promise."
She continued her delicate ministrations for a few minutes, faintly humming a random tune in an attempt to distract Leon from the discomfort. His posture gradually relaxed as the seconds ticked by and as the gland that Grace focused her efforts on deflated. Once the swelling went down considerably, she deemed it good enough to give that particular gland a break. With a featherlight touch, Grace dabbed away the remaining oil before setting his hand back on the bed. She lightly patted the back of his other hand, and Leon soundlessly complied, nose scrunching at the start of the massage but unwinding near the end.
After completing the process with his second wrist, Grace eyed the scent glands on his neck and hesitated.
Though it wasn't an outright taboo to touch someone's neck glands, it was generally frowned upon if you did so without being someone's mate or pack member. Since they were so close to a vulnerable part of the body, neck scent glands were held in higher regard, symbolizing that person's trust in whoever they allowed to touch. There were exceptions, obviously, such as in a medical emergency—which is exactly what this is, Grace told herself. Being feral for an extended period of time wasn't exactly healthy, nor was it encouraged.
Swallowing past the tightness in her throat and ignoring the heat in her cheeks, Grace shyly placed her hand on his shoulder and tapped her finger a few inches from his scent gland. "C-can I do this one n-n-next?"
Leon froze under her hand.
Grace froze with him, ice shooting through her veins as she watched his eyes go distant and unseeing. She felt more than heard the beginning rumblings of a growl in his chest, but something made him quickly snap out of wherever his mind had dragged him to. It didn't take her long to realize that it was her scent that pulled him away from the depths of his memories.
Guilt, sad, regret, her pheromones screamed, the smell of burnt cinnamon apples still clinging to the air despite her best efforts to smother it.
Leon trilled at her worriedly, gold irises piercing into her own light hazel ones as he finally pushed himself into a sitting position. Grace swiftly removed her hand, afraid to accidentally touch anywhere that might trigger him again.
That was evidently the wrong move.
Leon's concern only grew, continuous little croons and chuffs spilling from his lips as he reached out to her.
"W-w-wait, I—" Grace tried to weakly protest, but she cut herself off with a surprised squeak as he gently yet insistently pulled her onto the bed with him. "U-um, okay…"
She followed his wordless instructions as best as she could, allowing Leon to adjust her position however he saw fit. He stacked a few pillows against the headboard behind her and fluffed them, not so subtly scenting them as he fussed over their placement. Once he was satisfied with his work, he timidly pushed on her shoulder with a quiet chirp.
Grace leaned back against the pillows until she sat comfortably against the headboard with her legs splayed out in front of her on the bed. She couldn't help but melt into the pillows slightly when she was delicately enveloped by the warm, leathery scent of sandalwood and…ah, there it was: a hint of vanilla.
She would be lying if she said she hadn't been looking for that vanilla undertone ever since she caught wind of it in Raccoon City. For a brief moment, she was transported back to one of Mom's many nests. They weren't always the same shape or the most luxurious since they traveled often, but Grace found immense comfort in them nonetheless, especially when Mom's vanilla and citrus scent was still fresh.
She felt the telltale sting behind her eyes that typically predated tears, but she was broken from her spell by a weight settling onto her lap.
Looking down, she watched in muted shock as Leon confidently laid on his side and placed his head on her lap. He reached his arm behind him, patting the bed in search of something until his hand met hers. Softly grasping it, he pulled it around and rested it on his neck, almost right on top of his scent gland. His thumb caressed the back of her palm before he let go and began purring. Loudly.
If he were in his right mind, Grace imagined that his face would probably be flushed in embarrassment, though she didn't necessarily think that he would complain.
The water that clouded her vision earlier came back with a vengeance at the overt display of trust.
"Oh…" she breathed, letting the shock fall away as it was overtaken by fondness. A few tears managed to slip past her defenses, but she quickly wiped them away before Leon could notice.
The older purred harder—if that was even possible—the longer they sat in silence. She could feel the vibrations from his throat and chest, the sensation gradually calming her nervous system until she could regulate her pheromones again. It might've been slightly selfish, but she basked in the comfort Leon willingly provided for a few minutes, allowing her heart to steady and hands to stop shaking.
After regaining her composure, Grace reached over for the now cool washrag that she had previously discarded on the side of the bed when she crawled onto it at Leon's behest. She adjusted it in her hand so that a relatively clean part of it was at the forefront, softly tapping his skin in warning. "I-I'm gonna start now, 'kay?"
Of course, she didn't receive a verbal reply, but she felt the way he ever-so-slightly dug his head further into her thigh, firmly resting his weight there to demonstrate his consent. Taking the silent sign for what it was, she cautiously massaged the gland on one side of his neck. She felt his purring briefly hitch as he tensed in pain, but he quickly melted again as she continued.
Grace found herself getting a little lost in the motions, not losing her gentleness even when her mind began to wander. She fell into a bit of a trance as she was surrounded by the soothing scent of sandalwood and vanilla, Leon's silent mantra of content-warm-protected making her drop her guard.
Safe… So safe and warm… She couldn't remember the last time she felt so at ease. Mama's nest was—
Wait, what?!
Hold on.
Where the hell did that come from?
Grace blinked her eyes hard in an attempt to clear her head. When did she start thinking of Leon as… For heaven's sake, she just met the man a week ago. She had no right. Hell, she didn't even know what the other omega would think about this (not that she had any plans on divulging this new information any time soon, if ever). Sure, they went through hell together at Rhodes Hill and ARK, and he trusted her enough to let her release Elpis, and she trusted him enough to save them, and—
Fuck, she didn't have time to dwell on this. She needed to take care of him and focus on bringing him out of his instinctual headspace.
"O-o-other side," she choked out, patting his shoulder.
Leon dutifully followed her guidance, rolling over so that she could access the gland on the other side of his neck. She tried not to get lost in her thoughts again as she methodically carried out the massage one more time. She was just glad that Leon didn't seem to catch onto her internal plight; she managed to control her scent before it got out of hand again.
Once she wrangled her thoughts back under control and finished tending to Leon's neck, Grace patted his shoulder again and subtly shifted her legs. Catching on quickly, Leon slowly sat up with a quiet grunt, purrs finally petering out as he faced her to observe her next move. In doing so, Grace was met with the various injuries on his head that she had briefly forgotten about and immediately set her sights on a new objective.
"Can you stay sitting up, p-please?" she requested as she slid off the bed, holding up her hand to stop him from following her when it looked like he was about to get up. "It's fine. I-I'm just going over—uh, here."
She stepped over to the kitchenette again, discarding the used rag in the sink. Drumming her fingers against the counter, she glanced around the space in search of anything resembling a first aid kit. When nothing caught her eye, she began searching through the few cabinets that were there.
Low and behold, she found what she was looking for.
On the very top shelf of the cabinet above her.
"Sure, because putting the emergency kit there makes perfect sense," she muttered to herself with a sigh. Leon sent her a questioning coo, so she shot him a small smile over her shoulder. "All good. Just—just figuring out the logistics."
Not spotting a stool or step ladder in the room, she stared at the kit that taunted her from above before she decided to go for it. She extended her arm as far as she could reach, fingertips just shy of brushing against the white plastic container. A little noise of effort and frustration escaped her lips upon realizing she was so close yet so far, so she hopped to get the few extra inches she needed to close the gap.
That was a mistake, apparently. Was her luck just that bad today?
The stitches in her side—which only felt like they were stretching before—erupted in white-hot fire, stinging so intensely that stars burst across her vision.
"A-ah—oh, shit!" she cried out in a mix of pain and fright as the first aid kit crashed to the counter and then the floor, haphazardly spilling its contents everywhere.
Before she could catch her breath, a warm presence materialized at her side. Leon crowded into her space, whining as his hands floated helplessly about her, unsure if his touch would harm or help.
"I-I-I'm fi—"
Grace couldn't even get her reassurance out before the door to the suite burst open, hitting the wall with the force of the two agents darting into the room.
"Special Agent Kennedy! Step away from Agent Ashcroft!" Perkins ordered, taser gun in hand and ready to fire.
"What the fuck?!" Grace screeched, adrenaline coursing through her at the confusing turn of events.
She yelped as Leon practically yanked her behind him, cocooning her between him and the counter. The older omega instantly puffed up to create a bigger target out of himself, shielding her from the supposed threat that entered his domain. He snarled viciously, scent whipping through the room with more intensity since his patches were off.
Protect-protect-protect-danger-DANGER-PROTECT-PUP!
…Oh.
Well then.
Grace couldn't help but slump against him, pressing her forehead against his trembling back as her body overloaded on the sudden rush of his pheromones. She mewled softly, instincts winning out as her head spun with the revelation that Leon actually thought of her as his pup.
Mama…
Her awareness faded in and out for a bit as she soaked in Leon's protection, his broadcast of pup-pup-protect-pup-MY-PUP making it difficult for her to regain control of her cognizance. She only came back to her senses when her hand brushed her stitches, a strong ache blooming throughout her side. That's when she realized that someone was speaking to her.
"—croft, can you hear me?"
She wearily lifted her head to peek over the growling omega's shoulder, and her gaze met a man that she didn't recognize. Blearily, her mind supplied her with the conclusion that this agent probably replaced Agent Reed.
"Don't worry, we'll get you out of here soon," the agent soothed, eyes earnest and hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Do you think you can step out from behind him?"
She blinked slowly.
…What? Why would she…want to do that? Did they think she was scared?
Her brain was still trying to process his request when he took a step forward.
"Agent Ashcroft—"
Leon pounced.
His leg shot out and knocked the taser out of Agent Perkins's hands, stunning him in the process. The other agent rushed at Leon in an attempt to grab him, but the omega dodged. He crouched to the floor, sweeping the agent's feet out from under him, causing the agent to clip his head against the bed frame. Then he shoved Perkins away in a fit of animalistic rage and swiped the taser up from the floor. He shuffled carefully but swiftly until he was guarding Grace once more, lips still pulled back into a snarl and eyes burning gold.
"Fuck…" the unnamed agent on the floor gasped, cradling his head.
Leon hissed in response, eyes flicking to him but keeping the taser trained on Perkins.
Grace's mind was reeling, grappling between trying to take charge of the situation and falling back into the comfortable haze.
Thankfully, she didn't have to decide.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Grace cringed at the female's voice that crackled from some unseen intercom speaker, digging her face into Leon's shoulder. His growls lessened slightly, free hand coming back to graze her uninjured side in reassurance as his gaze scanned the room for the new intruder.
"We believe Special Agent Kennedy attacked Agent Ashcroft," Perkins replied to the female's—Hunnigan's, Grace realized—voice.
"You believe?" Hunnigan asked incredulously. "Well to me, it looks like Special Agent Kennedy is protecting Agent Ashcroft from two fools who invaded his pseudo nesting room. You do remember that Kennedy is currently feral, not incapacitated, correct?"
Leon's ensuing yowl and battle-ready stance only enhanced the threat behind Hunnigan's statement.
Perkins deflated where he stood, hands coming up in surrender, aware of the fact that this was not a fight he was about to win. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good," Hunnigan said, voice a little less severe. "Are you able to get Agent Miller out?"
Perkins wasn't even able to take a full step before Leon tensed and hissed again, effectively stopping the other in his tracks. He grimaced, "Negative, ma'am."
"Shit…" Hunnigan cursed, the subsequent pause weighing heavy as she presumably thought of a plan. "…Okay. Alright. Agent Ashcroft, are you with me? Grace?"
It took all of her strength to lift her head from Leon's shoulder, gaze languidly landing on the one-way window, her own dazed reflection staring back at her. "Mm…yeah…?"
"Grace, I need you to get Leon to stand down," Hunnigan implored smoothly. "Perkins and Miller are no longer a threat. They're going to leave, okay?"
She blinked as the order registered in her brain, slow as molasses. As tired as she suddenly was, Grace almost wanted to ignore the nice woman's voice, but if it would get the two intruders out of their space…
She waded through the fog in her mind, clawing her way out until she breached the surface of her instincts. Unsure of how long her clarity would remain intact, she acted as fast as she dared.
"Leon," she beckoned, pulling on his shirt slightly to garner his attention. The rumbles in his chest hitched, pausing as he glanced back at her before refocusing his sights on the targets in front of him, growling resuming. "Leon, hey…"
Grace slithered out from behind him, shifting to gently hug his front and tuck her head under his chin. His snarling ceased almost immediately, a tiny croon falling from his lips as he wrapped his free arm around her, the other arm with the taser gun faltering slightly. She could feel how his muscles were still pulled taut, ready to defend her at a moment's notice.
"It's okay," she breathed. She lifted one hand and delicately set it on the crook of his elbow that was raised in the air. "It's okay, Leon. They're leaving. Please, let them go… Leon…"
The tension was so thick that she could cut it with a knife. A few precious seconds passed. The whole room stilled as they waited for the older omega's final decision.
After what felt like forever, Leon abruptly huffed and let his arm fall to his side, hand still clenching firmly onto the taser in case he needed to raise it again. His hold on Grace tightened ever so slightly, nestling his cheek in her hair despite the glare he no doubt still sported. Grace closed her eyes and nuzzled back, whispering a soft thank you into his shirt as she heard frantic shuffling from the agents.
The door opened and closed behind her. Finally, they were alone once more.
Leon tossed the taser carelessly onto the counter in favor of resting his hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her away from his chest. Grace whined at the action, already missing the inviting body heat. Leon quickly brought his hands up to her cheeks, thumbs caressing the skin and cooing to her comfortingly as his worried eyes roved over her to check for injuries. When he found none, he purred, pleased, and swiped his cheek along her temple before guiding her to stand by the kitchenette counter again. A determined glint flashed in his eyes as he turned and marched towards the bed.
The feet of the bed scraped against the floor as he shoved the bed up against the corner of the room and then clambered on top of it. Grace silently observed as Leon began to throw pillows and blankets around in an attempt to…build a nest. Her body slouched at the mere thought of such a comfort, daydreaming about how good curling up in a nest sounded right that second when her attention was diverted by someone calling her name.
"Grace? Grace, are you all right?"
She looked at the window again, wondering if she somehow met Hunnigan's gaze as she replied, "Yeah, I'm…I'm fine." She inhaled deeply and straightened her posture, hand gingerly holding the side with stitches as she continued, "But I have a request, Agent Hunnigan."
"Of course, Agent Ashcroft. What can I do?"
Grace slid her eyes back over to the older omega in the room, who was still fussing with his current task. He grumbled as he carefully rearranged the limited bedding over and over again, occasionally stopping to rub something along his wrists or neck to scent it. Grace frowned as she noted the intermittent tremble in his hands while he worked and the light sheen of sweat that began to build up on his skin despite his increasingly pallid features. God, if Leon kept overexerting himself like this…needless to say, it wouldn't be good.
He needed rest. Somewhere that he could actually rest and not worry about the next intruder that might barge in unannounced.
Emboldened, she resolutely turned back to the glass and stated, "I-I would like to request the relocation of S-Special Agent Kennedy to my residence. H-his condition will only continue to deteriorate if he stays here."
Silence permeated the air momentarily, Leon's shuffling and soft huffs being the only sounds to fill the seconds as they ticked past.
Eventually, a sigh resonated through the intercom. "Unfortunately, I agree with your assessment. It might take some time to push the paperwork through and get approval, but I'll do my best to expedite it."
Grace blew out a relieved breath, dipping her head in gratitude. "Th-thanks."
"It's the least I could do," Hunnigan uttered gently. "The two of you just try to relax in the meantime, okay? I'll let you know when transport is ready."
With that, communication with the outside cut off once more, and the world shrunk until it encapsulated just Grace and Leon.
She finished her conversation with Hunnigan right on time as well, because Leon chose that moment to trill in her direction. She shifted her attention to him once more, and he beckoned her to join him in his nest with an outstretched hand, another chirp escaping his lips.
Her eyes danced across his features again; dried blood still marred his skin, and he was somehow both pale and bright red. Exhaustion and fever no doubt. She looked down at the first aid supplies scattered on the counter and floor, feeling morose about the mess but deciding against cleaning it up and searching for what she needed. His wounds didn't seem too severe anyways.
Still, she grabbed a few washrags and ran them under the faucet again, one cool and one warm, as Leon called for her all the while. Wrung out rags in hand, she cautiously stepped over the kit's supplies and approached the bed, mindfully kicking her shoes off before she allowed Leon to help her crawl into the nest.
He crooned happily, seemingly delighted to have her share this space with him and be within arms reach of his defense. His gold eyes glimmered hopefully, seeking something that Grace was quick to provide.
"I-It's a lovely nest, M—uh, Leon," she praised, smiling through the almost slip up. "Thank you, f-for inviting me in."
The older preened at the compliment, shooting her a little smile of his own as he sat back against a mound of pillows. He tried to pull her with him, but she politely resisted, shuffling on her knees instead to move closer to his side.
"L-l-let me clean you up a little bit first," she explained, holding up the rags.
When no arguments came, she started with the warm rag first, wiping it along his chin and temple as delicately as she could to remove the dried blood without aggravating the scrapes further. Leon didn't even flinch when she accidentally pulled the skin a little too taut, an apology quickly falling from her lips. As she worked, Grace registered the heat billowing off his skin, her chest twinging in concern. Yep, definitely a fever.
Tossing the used rag onto the foot of the bed just outside of the nest, she switched to the cool washcloth and tenderly dragged it along Leon's flushed skin. Brushing his forehead, cheeks, chin, and even his neck, she wiped away the sweat that had built up from their encounter with the agents. A satisfied purr rumbled from his chest, eyes drooping into half-lidded crescents as he tried not to doze off—though he was quickly losing that fight, Grace noted with a breathy chuckle.
When she finished cooling him off for the time being, she threw the rag behind her to join the other one she discarded and sat on her heels, not sure what to do next. She glanced around the nest, awkwardly shifting her weight as she inquired, "Uh…where do you want me t-to…?"
Sensing her hesitation, Leon reached out and gently gripped her hand, giving it the lightest tug to guide her into crawling over to his other side. She settled snugly between the wall and his torso, in which Leon noticeably positioned himself as a barrier between her and the suite's door. Her heart warmed at the notion, fondness flowing through her veins.
Leon lifted his arm in quiet invitation, chuffing encouragingly until she burrowed into his side. He wrapped his arm securely around her shoulders, subtly scenting her hair as he rested his jaw on the crown of her head. Soft sandalwood and vanilla swirled into the air again, pushing out the last of the bitter notes from before until Grace was enveloped in comfort.
Safe. My pup. Protect pup. Safe.
"You…you should rest, too," she spoke through a yawn, her own eyes drooping now. "They won't…bother us right…now…"
Grace tried to release her own reassuring pheromones—safe, protected, warm—to convince him to relax, but he merely chuffed again and scented her harder.
She quickly lost herself in the haze, nuzzling her nose in the dip of his collarbone as she all but melted against him, lulled by his steady heartbeat.
Time was a fickle thing when she was constantly dozing in and out of awareness. She distantly wondered if this was how Leon currently felt (although worse, presumably, since he was feral): losing herself to impulse, not being able to rely on her own rationality, having to trust that the other person in the room would care for her when she could barely think.
Again, she was thrown back to her days with Mom in her nests. She had floated in a light trance then like she was now, swathed in safety and comfort.
She didn't realize it before, but it'd been way too long—years—since she'd been able to let go like this. Since she was able to place her trust in someone enough for her to do so.
Maybe she was overdue for indulging a little in her instincts as well.
So she drifted. The period between each blink was indiscernible.
The one constant that she registered when she was coherent was that Leon was not resting with her. He fidgeted with nervous energy, tracing patterns into her bicep, clenching and unclenching his fists, or shuffling his feet. His eyes also never strayed from the door except for when he turned to check on her.
At some point, she was roused to full consciousness by the dull vibrations under her cheek, elicited from the low growls of the older omega. Her head perked up off of his chest, mind alert as she glanced around the room to perceive whatever Leon had deemed a threat.
"Agent Ashcroft, are you with me?"
"Oh," Grace sighed, relaxing a little at the sound of Hunnigan's voice filtering through the intercom. She rested a palm against Leon's sternum, effectively quieting his rumbles without a word. "Y-yeah, I'm here. How, uh, how long was I out?"
"It's been about two hours," Hunnigan replied. "Sorry I couldn't get it done faster, but Special Agent Kennedy's relocation has been approved. A car for you two is ready and waiting at the back entrance. There's just…one stipulation that I was not able to waiver."
Grace's breath hitched in trepidation. "And that is…?"
"…He must either be restrained or sedated during transport."
…Seriously?
The higher ups were just determined to make Leon's suffering worse, weren't they? They were supposed to be helping him out of his feral headspace, not pushing him further into the depths.
"Fuck," Grace whispered, shaking her head in disbelief as her blood ran cold. Running her hand through her hair, she sat up—despite Leon's mild vocal protests—and forced herself to make a decision. "Fuck, okay, uh… Sedation. O-only enough to keep him calm."
Like hell she was going to put Leon back in cuffs and a muzzle.
"I'll send someone in shortly—"
"No!" Grace interrupted, eyes wide. "N-no, I'll—I'll administer it m-myself."
Obvious hesitation filled the silence, but Hunnigan relented soon enough. "Very well. I'll have an injector prepared for you soon."
Nothing more was said as Hunnigan presumably left to carry out her word, leaving Grace alone with her thoughts.
Well…almost alone.
Leon crooned at her side as he also lifted himself into a sitting position, their shoulders barely brushing together as he did so. Grace gave him a small smile to hopefully assuage any worries he may have had, scooting to the edge of the nest until she was able to climb out of it and off the bed. He whined despondently, scent dipping into something sad before she could reassure him.
"Y-you made a great nest, Leon, don't worry about that," she soothed as she slipped her shoes back on. Thinking quickly on her feet, she attempted to entice him, "B-b-but m-maybe you could h-help me build a nest in my home? It's—it's been a while s-since I've—um…"
Truthfully, it had been a while since she felt the urge to nest in her own apartment, let alone in any capacity. It was a few months after Mom's murder when she last tried to make her own nest, but it never felt right. Was it because of the near-constant stress she felt trying to scrounge her life together after Mom's death? Possibly. Was it because she consciously knew that the nest was missing the vital piece of her mother's touch? Definitely.
Grace snapped out of her thoughts when Leon rumbled his agreement, pleasant scent returning as he shuffled his way to the edge of his nest.
"O-oh! Here, let me help…"
She held out her hands, offering to help him balance as he followed her out of the nest. He laid his hands on her forearms, accepting her assistance with a tender squeeze as he slid one leg off the bed and then the other.
When he found his footing and went to let go of her arms, Grace lightly gripped one of his wrists and pulled him closer to the door just as a small medicinal compartment opened in it, revealing the requested med injector. She swiped the sedative from the tray, scrutinizing the vial that housed the clear solution in it like her eyes alone could determine if it was safe. But no, she…she could trust Hunnigan. The FOS agent had been nothing but helpful since the start, and it sounded like she was at least somewhat close with Leon. Hunnigan wouldn't knowingly allow anything harmful to be added into the solution.
Curling her fingers around the cool metal, Grace caught Leon studying the injector in her grasp with a skeptical look before he turned his fevered gaze back to hers. He wasn't quite able to bite back a whine, eyes clouding with confusion as he gulped nervously.
"I know," Grace sympathized. "I-I don't want this either, b-but it's the only way they'll let you come with me. This will just…help you relax for the trip, okay?"
Leon didn't seem fully convinced, but he wasn't displaying signs of resisting either. Still, Grace brushed her thumb over the pulse point on his wrist in a comforting manner, refusing to let her eyes stray from his.
"I won't let anything else happen to you. I promise."
The solemn conviction in her words appeared to be enough for him.
He steadily held her gaze as he rotated his arm to expose the thin skin of his inner elbow to her. She nodded her thanks before drifting her eyes down, searching for a vein. When she found one, she pressed the injector over it with just enough force to trigger the mechanism for the needle. Once the clear solution drained fully, she removed the injector from Leon's skin and placed it back into the tray in the door so whichever nurse or doctor on the other side could dispose of it.
The sedative hit the older omega's system fast. He stumbled in place, the feverish flush high on his cheeks making it look like he was tipsy. His eyelids fluttered wearily as a feeble chirp fell from his lips, alerting Grace of his increasingly delirious state.
"Whoa—hey, I've gotcha," she said as her hands shot forward, clasping his biceps to steady his wobbly stance. "Here, lean on me."
She sidled up next to him and slung one of his arms around her shoulders, allowing him to lean some of his weight on her while she wrapped her arm around his waist. Her free hand came up to grasp his wrist to secure him in place, his fevered skin warm under her touch. For a brief moment, she was transported back into the depths of ARK, hauling Leon's deteriorating body into a colossal yellow-lit chamber that harbored either their salvation or their doom.
It was all dependent on her next move.
"I've gotcha," Grace murmured.
Leon responded by settling his weight firmly into her side, crooning softly as his tired gold eyes met hers.
"I trust you."
A tiny smile curled her lips. She could almost hear those same three words that he uttered back then in the current moment.
Turning towards the door, she called out, "A-Agent Hunnigan, we're ready!"
It only took a few seconds for the automatic lock to disengage and for the door to swing open, revealing Hunnigan—alone, thank goodness. She swiftly yet calmly backed up a few paces to not encroach on the still feral omega's space. She assessed them both quickly, eyes darting over the two before she nodded. "Follow me. The car is just outside."
Grace hoisted Leon's weight further on her shoulders as they followed Hunnigan out of the examination room and into the hallway. She noticed two agents trailing a few yards behind them while they shuffled down the hallway, but she wisely didn't mention them, lest Leon try to break free from her hold.
True to Hunnigan's word, it didn't take them long to reach the outside, even with Leon practically dragging his feet on the too squeaky clean floors. There was a set of doors with push bars and an exit sign glowing red above them at the end of the hallway; stepping through them led to a large covered car runway with a black SUV already waiting for them. Opening the door to the backseat, Grace struggled briefly to maneuver Leon into the vehicle, partly due to his clumsy movements and partly because he refused to let go of her at first.
"It's okay, in you go. That's it," she whispered encouragement as she finally managed to get him properly seated. "I'll be right behind you. J-just give me one second."
She gently shut the door to not startle him, turning around to face Hunnigan as she finally closed the distance to approach Grace.
"Thank you f-for all your help, Agent Hunnigan," she sighed, mustering a small smile.
"Please, call me Ingrid," the other woman replied with a quirk of her own lips. "It's really me who should be thanking you. I know there was that rough patch with Perkins and Miller, but Leon seems to be responding well to your care."
"Oh, uh, y-yeah…" Grace laughed bashfully, once again reminded that Leon's pheromones were blatantly spelling out his thoughts about her to anyone who caught wind of it. (Fortunately, Leon's scent currently swamped her own.)
"Like I said, he's grown attached," Ingrid recalled with a grin. Her jovial expression sobered slightly as she continued, "Also, I managed to get in contact with Jake Muller, Sherry's mate." Grace perked up at the name. "She's doing well. Her instincts are heightened, as you suspected, but they managed to catch on before she could go feral like Leon. They're both taking time off until everything settles down."
A breath that she didn't even realize she was holding whooshed out of Grace. "Good, that's—that's good. H-has R&D found anything on Elpis?"
Ingrid shook her head. "Nothing drastic has popped up yet. Right now they're thinking that it's just the body's natural response to receiving the cure. With their immune system no longer being bogged down by the T-Virus, Leon and Sherry's hormone levels most likely spiked to essentially catch up on lost time. I'll send you the full report later, but odds are, it's just their bodies trying to regulate themselves again."
Grace's shoulders sagged in relief. Thank god… It wasn't fatal. Sherry and the other Raccoon City survivors were going to be okay. Leon was going to be okay. She just had to get him through this, and his system would take care of the rest until it wore off.
"Here," Ingrid interrupted Grace's train of thought, holding out a business card. "If you need anything, give me a call or text. It's my direct number."
Grace took the card gratefully. "Th-thanks, again."
"Anytime," Ingrid shrugged off with a little wave. She glanced behind Grace, a smirk fighting its way onto her expression as she quipped, "I think we best cut our conversation here though, otherwise someone might be tempted to claw his way out of the car to you."
Raising a brow in confused suspicion, Grace looked over her shoulder and was met with the sight of Leon pathetically pressed up against the window. She could barely hear the start of an exhausted whine over the car's rumbling engine.
"Ah, r-right! I'll keep you updated, Agent—uh, I-I mean, Ingrid!"
Grace didn't wait for a response as she swiftly rounded the vehicle and climbed into the backseat, scooting over until she was in the middle seat. Once she was within reach, Leon immediately tilted over to rest against her, cheek nuzzling her hair as he lightly scented her, purring in contentment. Grace saw Ingrid gesture to the driver out of the corner of her eye, and just like that, they were on their way to her apartment.
She had never been more thankful for the privacy divider in the car than now. Not only did it ensure that Leon wouldn't perceive their escort as potential threats, but it also kept his scent contained. Throughout the entire trip, Grace balanced Leon's sluggish body against her own, and the older omega took it as the perfect opportunity to scent her, fragrant sandalwood quickly overpowering the clean car smell.
Grace couldn't even find it in herself to feel awkward when they finally arrived at her complex, concentrating solely on getting Leon into her apartment rather than the curious eyes of the front desk clerks.
"Okay, and…here we are," she murmured, partly to herself and partly to Leon, as she unlocked the door and guided him through the entryway. "Home sweet home."
She slipped her shoes off and helped him do the same, successfully removing them without him toppling over. Not wasting any time, she led him past the kitchen and living room to the empty second bedroom. It was supposed to be her nesting room, but when she never felt the urge to nest… Well, it would be utilized now. She'd probably convert it to a bedroom for Emily soon enough, once the DSO cleared her.
The room itself was awfully vacant. Grace's cheeks heated in embarrassment when Leon's semi-drugged gaze swept over the bare nesting pad and simple dresser.
"Yeah, um…l-like I said, it's…it's been a while," she explained, rubbing her arm self-consciously. In an attempt to work off her sudden anxious energy, she strode over to the dresser and began pulling out various blankets and pillows, rambling all the while. "I-I-I kn-know it's not much, b-but you can start with these w-while I grab some stuff from my room, and—and maybe some s-snacks and water, too. I-I don't think either of us have had anything t-to eat or drink in a few hours—"
A light touch on her shoulder stilled her in her tracks, arms piled high with soft blankets and squishy pillows. Gentle hands gathered the mass from her, delicately placing the nesting materials onto the pad before she was gingerly pulled into a strong, protective embrace. Grace's mind blanked at the contact for several moments, arms frozen in the air as she gradually comprehended the rumbling under her cheek and the hand caressing her hair.
It felt nice…soothing.
Her taut muscles slowly unwound as she surrendered to the hug. Gathering her wits about her, she silently reminded herself that Leon would be the last person on earth to think lowly of her for not nesting. On the contrary, he appeared rather eager to help rectify that fact when she first mentioned it at the DSO facility.
"Yeah…you're right," she sighed as she lightly gripped his shirt at the sides. "One step at a time."
Leon discreetly rocked them side to side for a bit, purrs emanating from his chest and calming pheromones floating in the air. Grace soaked up the comfort willingly until her heart steadied and her mind quieted. When she felt ready, she withdrew from his arms—though not without a tiny bit of reluctance on both their parts—and turned his attention back towards the heap of blankets and pillows.
"Why don't you get started?" she suggested with a gentle smile. "I'll be right back."
The older omega shot her one last considering look before he relented and began sifting through the nesting materials.
Taking that as her cue, Grace ventured out of the room and into her bedroom. She stripped the bed of its comforter and pillows and grabbed a few extra blankets she had lying around, mildly struggling to carry everything in one go back to the nesting room. Once she added that to the existing pile of materials—which exuded a happy chirp from Leon—she retreated back to the kitchen. She swiftly procured some granola bars, crackers, and water bottles, then snatched another blanket off of her couch as she passed by it. Her last trip out of the nesting room was to the bathroom, where she raided her small medicine cabinet to acquire a bottle of fever reducers.
Upon her return, she found that Leon had just completed constructing the base of the nest and was patiently waiting for her return. His eyes glowed with muted anticipation as he trilled warmly towards her, entreating her to join him. She placed the medication next to the stash of food and drinks on the edge of the nest before she crawled in.
She barely settled on her knees next to him before he was handing her a pillow with an expectant expression. She timidly took the pillow from him, watching him out of her peripheral as he started scenting a blanket. Following his lead, Grace timidly ran the plush fabric over the scent glands on her wrists, projecting calm and safe in her scent as well as she could.
Eventually, she found that the feelings she originally fabricated transformed into something more natural as she allowed herself to relax in the ebb and flow of building a nest with Leon. Her instincts guided her movements as she adjusted a pillow here and added a blanket there, scenting everything as she went. She would occasionally hand something over to Leon, and vice versa, each of them wordlessly requesting the other to scent something.
The warm pheromones of happy and satisfied omegas imbued the room as they completed the nest together.
Grace observed the structure around her with content pride, not realizing that she was purring until Leon sent her a fond smile and softly chuffed. Normally, she would have choked down the vibrations out of mortification, but it just felt…right to share this small joy with the omega that she was quickly beginning to view as a familial figure.
Not wanting to break the peaceful quiet, Grace carefully leaned over the side of the nest and grabbed two bottles of water and granola bars, giving one of each to Leon. They ate and drank in companionable silence, mindful not to drop any crumbs into their painstakingly crafted nest. She also handed him two fever reducers, and he took them without a second thought. Once her instincts were satisfied—they were safe in her apartment, they were in a comfortable nest, and their hunger and thirst were quenched—Grace's eyelids started to grow heavy.
Leon deftly grabbed the bottle of water from her and set it just outside the nest before he encouraged her to lay down against him. She burrowed into his side once again, the familiar position relaxing her further as she nuzzled into his neck. He delicately draped a light blanket over the two of them, soft rumbles emitting from deep within his chest as he hugged her closer.
Internally, Grace knew that a potentially awkward conversation was in her near future once Leon fully came to his senses, but for now… With their scents intermingling and with Leon cocooning her in his protective embrace, Grace slowly drifted off into a restful slumber.