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The sea had been raging since early morning. Chris watched it from the shore as he absentmindedly adjusted the strap of the board under his arm, his gaze following the irregular movement of the waves crashing against the coast. There was enough wind to make the water more unpredictable than usual, whipping up white foam on the surface and carrying the intense scent of salt and moisture inland. Seagulls flew over the nearby harbor, carried by the warm currents as the sun began to rise slowly above the horizon.
It was a good day for surfing.
It was also a terrible day to teach someone who supposedly could barely stay upright on a board.
Chris let out a slow exhale before turning his gaze toward Leon.
There lay the real problem.
Leon stood barefoot on the damp sand, holding the board with an expression that blended apparent innocence and amusement. The DSO agent had a natural knack for unnerving others simply by being nearby. Especially him. The wind blew his blond hair back, and the tight wetsuit he wore next to his skin, highlighting every curve and muscle, could barely contain the omega scent that the heat and the sea breeze seemed to constantly waft around him.
Chris had noticed it from the first day he saw him. He still remembered that first encounter as if it were yesterday instead of so many years ago. Even with suppressants, he could appreciate Leon's captivating scent, flooding his nostrils and twisting something in his chest. A mixture of fullness, warmth, and possessiveness that he had never felt for anyone else.
An alpha like him could never ignore the way his instincts reacted to Leon's scent, that silent tension the omega stirred in every fiber of his body.
Leon's scent wasn't strong or overpowering; it didn't work that way with omegas trained to control it in professional settings, especially in his case as a government agent. But it was there nonetheless, hidden beneath the sea salt, the sunscreen, and the humid summer heat. Something soft —white jasmine in the top notes, mixed with warm vanilla and that intimate base of sandalwood— that became dangerously addictive every time Leon got too close, to the point that Chris had been trying for days not to breathe any deeper than necessary around him.
That was exactly why he'd hesitated so much before agreeing to this. Teaching surfing meant closeness, a lot of physical contact, and too much time together in the water. Too many excuses to touch him and correct his posture.
Chris knew perfectly well what something like that could awaken inside him if he didn't control himself, even just a little. Ever since Claire had introduced them years ago, he'd felt hopelessly drawn to that young man with the mischievous smile and deep blue eyes. And since then, their friendship had inevitably grown closer. An alpha and an omega, chained to their similarly dangerous jobs, sharing an unlikely friendship that everyone questioned.
Not because Leon was an omega —everyone knew he was the most skilled and efficient in his field; no one disputed that— but because their obvious chemistry was the talk of both organizations.
Chris knew this; he'd heard about it, though he'd always considered it little more than a romantic exaggeration built around alpha and omega biology. People destined to find each other. Compatibilities so precise that the pheromones seemed to recognize each other before their owners were fully aware of it. People used to say that when this actually happened, the scents stopped feeling separate and began to intertwine into something new; a mixture impossible to reproduce with anyone else, warm, addictive, and deeply intimate. As if instincts knew something the heart took longer to accept.
Such perfect compatibility, creating a unique harmony and aroma, was like a fairy tale. Souls meant to be together.
Chris had never really believed in that, or maybe he'd simply never allowed himself to. Loving Leon was complicated enough even without adding the absurd and dangerous idea that their bodies might be made to fit together like that. Besides, he'd always been too careful around him to cross certain lines. Since that first encounter, Chris had kept his pheromones under control obsessively, using suppressants and keeping his distance whenever necessary. He had never wanted to invade Leon's space with something as intimate as his alpha instincts, especially knowing the trust that existed between them.
He loved him too much to turn that into pressure and succumb to his most primitive instincts.
Besides, Leon, though naturally flirtatious, warm, and friendly with almost everyone —even with that slight, ironic edge that always accompanied him— had never given him any real reason to think he wanted anything more. Never a clear hint or an open invitation to let his guard down. So Chris had learned to live with it in silence, but with the constant, exhausting desire to get closer. With the almost instinctive need to claim something that had never been his. And yet, he had continued to choose to hold back time and again, because losing control would mean risking something far more important than his own desires: Leon's trust.
When Leon showed up three days ago with his easy, impossible-to-resist smile, along with a proposal that left him completely speechless, Chris knew he was in for serious trouble.
"Claire says you know how to surf."
Chris looked up slightly from the book he was pretending to read, frowning.
"Sort of."
Leon smiled.
"Teach me."
And Chris, who had been a complete idiot for years when it came to Leon Kennedy, had said yes.
The first day was relatively bearable, but Leon kept falling over. It was too much for a trained agent with superhuman agility and razor-sharp reflexes. Chris found it a little strange. He tried to convince himself it was normal; surfing wasn't easy for beginners, and the waves were rougher than usual that morning. Still, there was something odd about the way Leon lost his balance. It didn't seem like genuine clumsiness, but rather a deliberate lack of effort just before he managed to steady himself and stay upright on the board.
But Chris decided to ignore it for the sake of his own sanity. He had too many more pressing things on his mind, such as trying to ignore the tingling sensation in his stomach caused by Leon's proximity.
"Bend your knees more," he murmured, moving up behind him, near the shore where the waves were breaking.
He'd tried to get Leon to ride his first wave, but Leon kept falling, so now they were back at the shore, readjusting his stance on the board lying on the sand. Leon turned his head toward him, too close. Chris could feel the heat of his body even through the wetsuit.
"Like this?"
"No. Wait."
He ended up placing both hands on Leon's waist to correct his posture.
That was a serious mistake.
The omega froze immediately under his hands, and Chris felt something warm and primal react instantly inside him to that simple touch. The scent of salt, sea, and Leon's damp skin hit him too close as he tried to focus solely on the board. Jesus… he was grateful that Leon's scent suppressants were so effective. If he could actually smell him, Chris wouldn't have been able to resist pressing his face against Leon's neck and breathing him in slowly, right over his scent gland.
He had to stay professional; he couldn't lose control over something like this. He took a deep breath, trying to hide the unease that was beginning to rise in his gut.
Keep it tactical, Captain.
"Keep your center of gravity here," he explained in a much deeper voice.
Leon looked up at him and smiled.
Shit.
That was the beginning of the problem.
The second day got even worse.
The sea was calmer that morning, though it still breathed heavily beneath the warm summer breeze. The waves broke more gently near the shore, and the sun began to reflect off the surface in golden flashes that made him squint. In the distance, the sound of seagulls flying over the harbor could be heard, mingled with the constant roar of the ocean and the murmur of other surfers farther away from them.
But Chris barely paid attention to any of that, because Leon had been too close from the start of the day. It was starting to feel intentional.
"I think this board hates me," Leon muttered as he tried to get back on, still laughing after falling for the third time in less than fifteen minutes.
Chris automatically grabbed the edge of the Leon's board before it was swept away by the waves again.
"The surfboard isn't the problem."
Leon looked up at him, drops of water slowly sliding down his neck until they disappeared into the hem of his tight wetsuit, while his wet hair clung partially to his temple.
Holy shit... he was so handsome.
"Oh, really?"
Chris cleared his throat before speaking. He had been staring blankly like an idiot.
"You're not concentrating."
"I'm trying not to drown, Captain. Give me some credit."
Chris let out a small, weary exhale through his nose, though part of him was still reacting absurdly to the sound of that relaxed voice so close. And calling him captain had been a blow too treacherous for his alpha ego. An absurd tingle rose up through his stomach.
On top of that, Leon kept touching him constantly. He brushed against Chris's arm underwater when a wave came too fast, clinging to him with absurd excuses as they retrieved the boards. On several occasions, he ended up practically pressed against his chest every time he lost his balance, and Chris had to hold him up before he ended up swallowing salt water again.
And the more Chris tried to convince himself that it meant nothing, the more aware he became of every detail. Of the omega's warmth enveloping him even in the middle of the ocean, his closeness, and the involuntary tingling inside him. Of the damp sand clinging to Leon's skin and the pressure of his fingers clinging to his arm just a few seconds longer than necessary before letting go.
This was starting to feel like torture, and not just because of desire. That Chris could control; it would have been easy to handle. The real problem lay in something deeper and more dangerous for both of them. Chris had been in love with Leon Kennedy for years in a way so quiet and deep-rooted that he no longer even knew exactly when it had stopped being something manageable.
He'd been doomed from the moment Claire introduced them. Now he had to spend hours holding him underwater while his alpha instincts constantly reacted to everything he'd been suppressing for far too long.
But today Leon smelled too good… Even with suppressants.
Chris could recall times when he had seen the Omega without chemical barriers. The suppressants usually worked very well. But sometimes, during long missions or stressful situations, they weren't enough to mask his pheromones and the captivating scent that had always fascinated Chris. Leon had always been careful about that, very professional, in fact. But occasionally, the scent would inevitably escape: white jasmine in the top notes, mixed with warm vanilla and that intimate base of sandalwood that lingered in his memory long after it had faded. Sometimes there was something darker beneath it, a soft trace of anise and aged whiskey that emerged especially when Leon was tired or emotionally drained. Or angry.
Chris didn't take pride in how perfectly capable he was of recognizing Leon's scent. It had been etched into his memory, for better or worse, from the very first time he smelled it. Even during his mandatory annual rut with the BSAA, Chris would recall that scent to satisfy his sexual needs. He never wanted the comfort of any omega, nor had he ever wanted anyone else in his bed.
Never.
He could have done it. He could have found an omega, had wild sex with him, and released that urge burning inside him. It certainly would have been easier and much more practical. Many alphas resorted to temporary arrangements during those weeks to keep their instincts in check and avoid ending up completely shattered, physically and mentally.
Chris could never do it. Every time he closed his eyes, he ended up thinking of Leon. Of what it would really be like to feel that scent surrounding him without any chemical barriers in the way. To truly have him close, in his arms, letting go for once after so many years of pretending it didn't exist.
And God.
Now he had the omega practically glued to him in the ocean while he tried to survive this with something resembling dignity.
"Okay, I think I've got it this time," Leon announced.
He didn't.
The board barely moved forward for a few seconds before losing its balance again, and Chris reacted automatically, grabbing him by the waist before he ended up completely underwater. Leon burst out laughing immediately.
"Well. Almost."
Chris froze for a moment, too tense to react quickly. Leon's body was pressed against his, and water trickled between them. Suddenly, he became acutely aware of their proximity, and his body began to respond. He felt his neoprene suit was too tight in certain places. The heat began to spread through him, settling in his chest. Leon was looking at him closely.
"You're enjoying this way too much," Chris finally murmured.
Leon tilted his head slightly toward him.
"Learning to surf?"
"Of making me suffer."
Leon's smile widened a little more. There was something dangerous in that look and Chris felt his mind go haywire at the sight of it.
"I didn't know you were suffering, Captain."
Chris should have pulled away immediately, but instead he kept holding him for a few more seconds in the water, feeling his heart pounding too hard as the sea lulled slowly around them. Leon looked incredibly handsome, glowing in the sunlight with moisture clinging to his flawless skin. He had that same confident smile. Damn, he was captivating.
But on the surfboard… Leon looked like he wanted someone to hold him up, because he couldn't stay on his feet for even a minute.
Chris deeply hated how much that affected him.
"Let's try again, Chris."
Leon's voice interrupted his thoughts. The man was already back on his surfboard. Chris let out a defeated sigh.
He had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.
The third day was a complete disaster.
At dawn, the sea was rough, churning violently. The wind pushed the waves forward with force, causing them to crash against the nearby rocks and cover the shore in salty foam. Although it was a good day for surfing, one had to be careful not to underestimate the sea. Seagulls could be heard in the distance mingling with the ocean's roar, and the air smelled of brine. Dark clouds overhead hinted at an impending storm.
Chris considered canceling the session that morning, but Leon insisted. He adjusted the strap on his board, thinking about the omega. He had spent too many years losing all kinds of battles to him. He couldn't say no to him. He had a huge soft spot for Leon, which, in this case, was a terrible mistake.
They were surfing, balancing on the waves in the middle of the churning sea and the force driven by the wind, when Chris saw Leon disappear beneath a wave that was far too big, just a few meters away from him. Chris felt an irrational fear that left him paralyzed. It was a savage, overwhelming terror, appearing straight from his alpha instinct to protect him and keep him safe.
The ocean roared violently all around him as he dove toward the spot where he had lost sight of the omega. The water pounded against him, propelling him through the waves and raging current. The salt stung his eyes, but he barely noticed. He was only looking for Leon. He had to find him.
Finally, he managed to grab his arm underwater and dragged him toward the surface with all his might. Leon broke the surface, coughing and instinctively clinging to him. Chris held him too tightly against his body, unable to contain his desperation. He wasn't going to let him slip away again. Chris was gasping for breath from the effort of dragging them both along. Panic sent his adrenaline surging, and all he could think about was getting him to safety.
His pheromones went haywire, and he couldn't stop them. The mingling of their scents, triggered by the stress of the moment, hit him like an electric shock.
Sea salt and humidity. Adrenaline. The omega's agitated heat escaped his suppressors and suddenly enveloped Chris in white jasmine, warm vanilla, and the intimate base note of sandalwood. For years, Chris had associated that smell with home. But beneath it all lay so much more: the dark touch of anise and aged whiskey; traces of gunpowder and cold metal clinging to the skin of someone who had survived violence far too many times. The final note was weathered leather, warmed by the sun and the ocean.
Leon had never smelled like a docile omega. Perhaps that was why Chris was so lost with him. Even when he was agitated, stressed, and vulnerable in Chris's arms, Leon still smelled like a free, strong, and indomitable man. The fear of losing him was excruciating, leaving Chris momentarily unable to think. His body began releasing pheromones filled with protective warmth. The scent of warm amber intensified, filling almost the entire space and creating a protective barrier. Next, cedar rose up—damp and strong—alongside bergamot mixed with tobacco. This was a reaction to nearly losing the omega beneath the water, a stressful situation. He tried to control his fear, but the hint of iron, earth, and raw metal was unavoidable. The anxiety had been all too present. Finally, the scent of lavender spread, creating a welcoming calm. He felt relieved to have Leon in his arms. They slowly enveloped the omega, silently reassuring and protecting him.
Chris could feel the scents colliding and then merging in a devastatingly natural way amid the foam and saltwater. The scents of both were far too compatible, as if they had been trying to find each other for years, even though they remained determined to stay apart.
In that moment of contact, the whole world seemed to shrink as their pheromones mingled into a single scent, leaving them dazed and lost in thought. Chris felt Leon's heat against him, his hands clinging to his shoulders. He felt the omega breathe heavily against his neck as the waves continued to crash around them.
Chris pulled away abruptly, as if he'd been struck by an electric shock too strong to bear. Their bodies were swept toward the shore, now just a few steps away. The visceral fear he'd felt when he'd nearly lost Leon was still pounding against his chest.
"That's enough for today," he growled softly, trying to control his temper.
Leon looked at him in surprise, still breathing somewhat heavily.
"Chris—"
"I said enough."
Tension immediately rose between them.
Chris began to make his way toward the shore, still too tense to relax his grip on the board, while the wind continued to lash the water around them. His heart raced wildly, rumbling in his chest. The worst part was that he no longer knew if he was more unsettled by fear or by how his pheromones had reacted to Leon just seconds earlier.
That hadn't been normal.
Alphas and omegas whose scents seemed to recognize each other in an almost inexplicable way. Their compatibility was so precise that their pheromones stopped feeling separate and began to create something new between them: a warm, deeply addictive mixture impossible to replicate with anyone else. It was as if their instincts knew something long before their hearts did.
Chris remained skeptical of all that predestined bond bullshit. He didn't want to let his life be ruled by the hope of something that might not be real. Leon had always been out of reach for someone like him.
What he'd just felt couldn't be real.
As he was walking away from the sea, Leon caught up with him on the still-wet sand.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Chris turned toward him immediately.
"Do you think this is funny?" Chris snapped angrily, not understanding why he felt so frustrated.
Leon frowned.
"What?"
"You keep pushing, getting closer and making a mockery of me. You falling over every five minutes."
"Because you pull away every time I try to get closer to you."
Chris stood still and watched him, unable to look away. The wind whipped foam around their feet as the ocean roared behind them.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Leon let out a small, humorless laugh.
"Of course I do."
Chris looked away, trying to regain some semblance of control before saying something that would ruin years of friendship.
"Leon…"
"You know what the worst part is?" the omega continued, his voice now softer. "That you keep acting like you're the only one who can smell it."
Chris's heart literally stopped for a moment. The silence between them grew so thick at that moment that he could barely make out the sounds of the sea and the wind. He could only hear the energetic pounding of his heart and his own labored breathing.
Leon held his gaze for a few more seconds before grabbing the board and diving back into the sea.
Chris followed him with his eyes for barely a moment, fear returning to his body for fear of losing Leon among the raging waters. He was so confused by the omega's behavior that he stood completely still.
But Leon stepped onto the surfboard with perfect ease. He looked natural. Elegant. Riding a massive wave whipped into a frenzy by the wind and the approaching storm. The wave lifted him up under the cloudy afternoon sun, and the omega cut through it cleanly, balancing on the water with a fluid, beautiful confidence that left Chris literally breathless.
There was no trace of clumsiness, no hesitation. Just experience and absolute control. That display left him speechless, hitting him immediately. What the hell was that? Leon had known how to surf from the very beginning.
The omega finally paddled back toward shore and stepped off the board in front of him, this time without a smile, without his usual jokes or games. Just a seriousness that left him devastated.
"You… know how to surf." Chris's voice came out all jumbled, too confused.
"Yes."
Chris felt his chest tighten with an absurd mix of relief, anger, and something far worse.
"Then what the hell was all this?"
Leon swallowed slowly before answering.
"I wanted to know what it felt like."
When he spoke, the vulnerability in his voice hit Chris so hard that he felt an overwhelming urge to hug him. Instead, he frowned, confused.
"What?"
Leon looked down at the sea for a second before answering.
"For someone to take care of me without expecting anything in return."
It pierced his heart like a bolt of lightning. Leon was a man who always kept moving forward. He was someone who smiled even when exhausted. He was the one who survived on his own and turned any emotional wound into a joke. He never let anyone get too close.
Chris had never really thought about how tired Leon must be from maintaining that indifferent façade when, inside, he was falling apart.
"Everyone expects me to handle everything on my own," Leon continued more quietly. "To keep functioning despite my traumas or wounds. To be okay, even though I clearly am not."
The pause that followed his words lasted a few seconds.
"And you, too."
Chris felt a terrible guilt slowly closing in around his heart because it was true. He had always treated Leon as if he were too strong to need support or as if breaking down were incompatible with his nature. He had never seen Leon vulnerable or afraid. Leon was always willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
"With you..." Leon finally looked up at him. "I wanted to let my guard down for once. That's all."
The wind carried their scents between them once more. This time, Chris didn't try to pull away.
Amber and jasmine together.
Cedar mingled with warm vanilla.
Tobacco, whiskey, sea salt, and hot metal, drifted slowly as if trying to coexist for far too long. They were totally compatible, so perfectly so that they slipped under the skin and nestled somewhere deeper than instinct itself.
Leon took a step closer.
"I've been holding back for years, smelling you from a distance but longing to have you with me," he finally admitted. "Suppressors, distance, control... as if having those instincts with you were a bad thing."
Chris swallowed slowly, overwhelmed by everything he was hearing from Leon. He felt lost and stupid for not realizing it sooner. He would have given anything to turn back time.
"I didn't want to invade your space," he murmured almost out of breath.
"Chris." Leon's voice was softer now. "I've been wishing for years that you'd stop pushing me away."
Those words were the final blow to what little control Chris had left.
"I didn't want to ruin this," Chris admitted with brutal honesty. "You're my sister's best friend. Jesus… I'm so in love with you, Leon. I thought that if I crossed a line, I'd lose you as a friend forever."
Leon's expression immediately softened into a warmer, more vulnerable look that Chris had never seen before. It tugged at his heart. Before Chris could react, the omega took another step toward him until he was practically pressed against Chris's body.
"Look at me."
Chris did. He could never deny Leon anything. What he found was exactly the same fear reflected there.
"I didn't want to surf with you just to play," Leon murmured. "I just wanted to be close to you without you running away every time our pheromones mingled."
Chris felt something break softly inside him. All week, Leon hadn't teased him merely out of desire; he'd been trying to get closer. He'd hoped Chris would stop treating him like something unattainable or forbidden.
The omega slowly raised a hand until his damp fingers brushed his wrist. At that moment, Chris stopped resisting. The ocean continued to roar around them, but the waves were slowly softening under the golden light of the sunset. It was as if even the sea had finally grown weary of so much pent-up tension.
Leon smiled in a way that took Chris's breath away. An indescribable warmth swirled inside him.
"So, are you going to keep pretending this isn't happening?"
He could feel his own pulse beating against Leon's fingers on his wrist. Their seductive combination of scents enveloped them, creating an atmosphere of pure sensory indulgence. Chris watched him for a few more seconds before answering. This time, he wasn't going to make that mistake.
"I don't think I can keep doing it, even if I wanted to."
The omega held his gaze in silence. The wind gently ruffled his damp hair, and the sea continued to breathe behind them. Something about Leon was different now, not just relief but also a weary calm that Chris didn't remember ever seeing so clearly in him before. It was as if he had finally stopped expecting rejection. Leon let out a small exhale through his nose and lowered his gaze slightly toward the tiny space that remained between them.
"Well," he murmured, "I was honestly starting to run out of ideas to get your attention."
This elicited a low, weary, and incredulous laugh from Chris.
"Pretending you don't know how to surf was your best plan?"
"It worked pretty well, Captain."
"It almost gave me a heart attack three times."
Leon smiled a little more broadly this time.
"Yeah, but you caught me all three times."
The comment hit Chris hard. Leon wasn't just talking about the water. Chris felt his chest tighten slightly as Leon continued to look at him with that calm, open gaze that made it impossible to hide behind excuses.
"I didn't know how to get close to you without you pulling away," Leon admitted after a few seconds. "Every time our pheromones started to mix, you put up walls again."
Chris swallowed slowly.
"I thought I was doing the right thing."
"I know."
Leon had never doubted his intentions. He'd never interpreted his distance as rejection or disinterest. He understood exactly what Chris had been trying to do all those years: protect him, even from himself.
The omega took a small step closer, and their bodies mingled in the salty breeze.
"You didn't have to keep me at a distance for fear of hurting me."
That was the final straw for Chris. For too long, he'd been convinced that loving Leon meant holding back constantly. He kept his distance and stifled his instincts. He had to pretend that he didn't want to surround Leon with his alpha pheromones, make him smell like him, mark him in a thousand ways, and keep him close until the world no longer seemed dangerous.
Now, Leon was looking at him as if that were exactly what he'd been waiting for all these years.
Chris slowly raised a hand until his fingers brushed against Leon's damp waist.
This time, there was no fear or rejection.
Their scents continued to blend together gently: jasmine and amber, warm vanilla and cedar, rough tobacco and dark whiskey, bergamot combined with anise, softened by sandalwood and lavender. It was a combination so perfect and deeply harmonious that it seemed to calm their instincts rather than set them wild. It was as if both bodies had finally stopped fighting against something inevitable.
Leon closed his eyes for a moment as he felt him draw closer.
And God.
That small reaction nearly destroyed Chris completely. For the first time, he felt that Leon wanted him close, too.
Chris pulled him closer until their foreheads touched. They breathed in the scent created by their closeness. It was a perfect harmony of scents and sensations. Chris sighed with relief, allowing the calm to envelop him like a warm blanket.
"So...what do we do now?" he finally asked much more quietly.
Leon opened his eyes and smiled gently and honestly, a look that Chris suspected would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Now you stop treating me like something forbidden."
Chris's heart gave a painful lurch because that was exactly what he'd been doing all this time: He had been rejecting his instincts, his need for closeness, and his own feelings.
Leon slowly raised a hand and placed it against Chris's chest, right over his erratic heartbeat.
"And maybe," he continued more softly, "you'll let someone take care of you, too, Captain."
Chris was speechless and overwhelmed for the tenderness of Leon's words. He brought his face closer again, gently brushing his lips against Leon’s. He was afraid of breaking that moment. The tender, warm contact ignited a tingling sensation that spread from the corner of his mouth, clouding his senses. The scent around them intensified, and everything lay latent between their heartbeats. Then, Chris sealed the kiss with a soft whisper of breath. The caress turned to fire —sweet and throbbing— overflowing with their pheromones. He could feel Leon smiling against his mouth, ecstatic as if that kiss had sealed their fate.
Chris felt something warm spread slowly inside him as the sun began to sink into the ocean, tinging the water golden and orange all around them. He'd spent too many years surviving completely alone without taking risks for fear of making a mistake. Too many years believing that loving Leon could only end in distance, loss, or pain.
But there, with the sea slowly calming behind them and the storm fading on the horizon, Leon still held his gaze without fear. Chris realized for the first time that he wasn't destined to lose him.
This time, he could allow himself to have what he had always longed for.
The End