Work Text:
Leon parked his car in the apartment complex’s car park and rested his forehead against the steering wheel, taking a moment to breathe.
He had just returned from Spain, where he’d managed to save the president’s daughter and, luckily made it back in one piece. He was exhausted, aching from his injuries, and completely jet-lagged.
With a weary sigh, he leaned back in his seat and checked his phone. A message from Claire greeted him.
Claire: Has your “classified” date released you yet?
He chuckled at the message, a small smile tugging at his lips.
It had been six months since they’d started dating. Six months since Leon had realised that Claire was his person. The one who truly understood his heart, even when he struggled to put his feelings into words. One drunken night, he’d finally confessed how he felt, and the rest was history.
He’d messaged her the moment he’d landed, but he knew he wouldn’t get to see her straightaway. There had been post-mission procedures to get through, reports to file and most importantly, a meeting with the president.
The man had barely stopped thanking him.
But as grateful as Leon was to be back, all he really wanted was Claire. He missed her more than he cared to admit.
His job made things complicated. He couldn’t tell his girlfriend much about his missions, and although Claire understood the nature of his work, he knew she hated watching him leave without knowing when he’d return. She’d always joke that he had two girlfriends: her and his classified missions.
Honestly, he couldn’t argue with that.
With another tired sigh, he typed out a reply.
Leon: Yes. Just got to my place. I’ll see you in the morning, babe?
He assumed Claire was already asleep back at her place. It was two in the morning, after all.
Putting his phone away, Leon climbed out of the car and made his way towards his apartment. Every step sent a fresh ache through his body, and he groaned under his breath.
All he wanted was a hot shower and a few uninterrupted hours of sleep. Preferably a week’s worth.
When he finally reached his door, he slipped his key into the lock and turned it. He pushed the door open, expecting darkness.
Instead, the lights were on.
Leon frowned. Did I forget to turn them off before I left?
His exhaustion didn’t stop his instincts from kicking in. He pushed the door open cautiously and stepped inside, scanning his surroundings.
The first thing he noticed was the smell of freshly cooked food. Then he noticed how clean everything was.
His apartment looked spotless, warm and lived-in. There wasn’t a trace of the emptiness that usually settled over the place whenever he was away for weeks at a time. Everything looked as though someone had taken the time to care for it.
Leon stepped further inside, and then he saw her.
Claire.
She was curled up on one side of the couch, fast asleep, her phone loosely held in one hand. Her head rested against a cushion, and her breathing was slow and peaceful.
She’d been waiting for him.
Something warm bloomed in Leon’s chest.
He hadn’t expected her to be here. She’d cleaned his apartment, prepared food, and somehow made the place feel less like an empty flat and more like a home.
His home. Their home, if he was being honest with himself.
A small smile tugged at his lips as he carefully lowered himself onto the couch beside her. Ignoring the dull ache in his body, he reached out and brushed the back of his fingers gently across her cheek.
She looked absolutely ethereal to him.
Her red hair was twisted into a neat, high bun, with a few bangs framing her face. She wore one of his hoodies with a pair of comfortable shorts, looking so peaceful and at ease that he couldn’t help but stare.
“Beautiful.” He murmurs.
Claire stirred, her brows knitting together slightly.
“Leon…” She murmured sleepily.
“Hey, baby.” He whispered.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked at him in confusion. For a moment, she simply stared.
Then she rubbed her eyes, as though trying to wake herself up properly. Leon sat beside her, smiling softly. Then it hit her. He was right in front of her.
She sat bolt upright, her phone forgotten as both hands flew to his arms. Her eyes travelled over him, searching his face and checking every inch of him she could see, as though she needed to make absolutely certain he was real.
Leon watched her with an affectionate chuckle.
“Red, I’m real.”
A watery laugh escaped her before she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace.
“You’re back!”
Leon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he buried his face against her hair and inhaled her familiar, sweet scent.
Home. He was finally home.
Claire clung to him for another moment before pulling back just enough to cup his face between her hands. Her blue eyes searched his features, taking in every cut and bruise, the exhaustion behind his eyes, and the way he seemed to carry the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.
Whatever this latest classified date had involved, it clearly hadn’t been easy.
“How are you?” she asked softly.
Leon gave her a tired, lopsided smile. “Like I just won a bingo game.”
Claire let out a soft laugh, shaking her head before he could come up with another corny joke, she leaned forward and kissed him.
Leon didn’t hesitate.
He drew her closer, settling her comfortably in his lap as he kissed her back a little more deeper. Pulling her against his body which completely grounded him. For the first time in weeks, the tension in his shoulders began to ease.
Claire had missed him terribly.
There was something uniquely awful about loving someone whose life was filled with danger, especially when all you could do was wait for a message and hope it meant they were safe. She knew enough about Leon’s work to worry, but never enough to understand exactly what he was going through.
It was a difficult position to be in.
But now he was here, safe in her arms, and she wasn’t going to take a single second of it for granted.
Eventually, Leon pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. When he opened his eyes, he was met with Claire’s blue ones gazing back at him. She wore a soft, contented smile, her hands still cradling his face.
His lips curved into a playful smirk. “You missed me so much you’ve been squatting in my apartment?”
Claire immediately gave him an offended look. “Excuse me. I was making sure my boyfriend felt welcomed.”
“That’s very noble of you.”
“I’m glad you appreciate my efforts.”
He chuckles at her sass and leans in, leaving soft kisses along her jawline. His hands slip beneath her oversized hoodie, settling gently against her waist as he finds comfort in the warmth of her skin.
Claire smiled, tilting her head to give him better access.
“Also.” she continued, trying to sound stern despite the smile tugging at her lips, “I didn’t want you coming home to an empty apartment. I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed, so I cleaned the place, cooked your favourite food…”
Her voice softened.
“And I didn’t want you to be alone.”
Leon froze for a moment, he couldn’t think of anything to say.
It was always the sincerity of her words that got to him. Claire had a way of reaching past the walls he’d spent years building, reminding him that beneath the job, the classified missions, and the constant danger, there was still a person who deserved to be loved.
Sometimes, he forgot how lucky he was.
He spent his life protecting people, risking everything to bring others home safely. He’d grown accustomed to coming back to empty rooms, patching himself up, and carrying on as though nothing had happened.
But Claire had never let him believe that was all he deserved. She made sure he had something to come back to. Someone.
Leon pulled back just enough to look at her properly. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed the faint shadows beneath her eyes and the tiredness she was trying to hide behind her smile. It wasn’t easy for her either.
His chest tightened.
Without another word, he gathered her into his arms and held her close, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
Claire wrapped herself around him just as tightly, one hand slipping into his blonde hair as the other rubbed soothing circles across his back.
Neither of them spoke for a while. They didn’t need to.
For once, Leon didn’t have to be the agent who always had a plan, the man who could handle anything thrown his way, or the person everyone depended on.
He could simply be Leon.
Claire pressed gentle kisses to his hair, holding him as though she could make up for every lonely night they’d spent apart.
“Welcome home, Leon.”’