#this happened a few years before leon meets wes

[desertsportshipping]

I am developing some new Leon lore (with a cameo from Raihan) but it needs time to let cook so you'll get a drabble at some point.

[writingwisterias]

New Beginnings

Leon Kennedy X AFAB!Reader (Pictured Leon between Re2 &RE4R) Warnings: FLUFF, Slight Angst, Dad Leon, Summary: After being sent to training, he returns home to meet his new girl for the time.. This is based off this ERAs and requested by anon to extend it!

Leon,

I’m not sure if you will get this, mom wasn't sure if they would let you have these whilst you were in training but I wanted you to get the updates still. I went for my first scan today, they said everything looks good. I've been craving lots of cucumbers. Mom said she thinks I'll turn into one if I keep going. They also lied about morning sickness…it's all the damn time. The first trimester is almost over, I've sent you a photo of the scan and the bump 

Stay safe.

Your love <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leon,

I’ve been missing you a lot recently, our little girl is kicking all the time. I think she gets it from you! Oh no, I revealed the gender…I can't believe we are having a little girl. Mom and Dad helped me set up a new nursery in a flat that I managed to get close to them. I’ve given you another photo of the bump and the latest scan. I think I've popped now...cravings are still cucumbers and morning sickness has subsided. 

Stay safe, 

Your love xx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leon, 

Not long to go now, the nursery is all setup. I chose an enchanted woodland theme. Lots of little creatures hiding around the room. Filled with greens and it just feels cosy I can't wait for you to see it. I think she's about ready to come out now, she's kicking like mad and dropped really low. I'm scared but I know that you have been brave all this time so I'll do it for us. I really hope you are okay…I miss you like crazy. Even though she feels like I have a part of you with me. 

Stay safe 

Love 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leon, 

Wow, what a whirlwind, our little girl was born a couple of months ago. She's been a handful so it took me a while to write this letter…if they even give them to you! The delivery is rough but worth it. She has the cutest blond hair and blue eyes you wouldn't believe! I've picked my favourite pictures of the past few months…I know they'll be returned to me soon enough anyway. 

See you soon

Love xx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leon stared at the letters from where he spread them out on the little tray on the plane. His reflection is sharper and colder than when you last saw him. Guilt and nerves collided through his system like a drug, his stomach bubbling with anxiety as they announced the landing. Your handwriting hadn't changed over the years, always the same cursive font that was written in the margins of his textbooks. He smiled at the small doodles decorating the edges where he knew you were just thinking of what to say. It felt unreal like he was going to wake up to some sick dream the world decided to play on him. To take away this tiny lifeline of happiness he had left. 

He wondered what would happen if he didn't return if he left you both untouched by the taint that he carried with him. The rucksack of nightmares he had seen in the past two years, the one he had to train his shoulders to carry. His hands were rough, his eyes piercing. Would you even be able to find the same soul that you fell in love with before? 

And then there was his daughter, something born out of pure innocent love. A romance blossoming on the white picket fence fantasy he always dreamed of…only to now have a father who was unsure if he could provide that for any of you. If he could even step up to be the man she needed. The one she would run to when she needed help with boys or the kids bullying him. The few campmates he did get along with told him that he didn't miss the precious moments. That there was still time for him to form a loving bond between father and daughter. A small part of him inside hated the photos as they were evidence of everything he missed, all the small kicks and the cravings you experienced. Not being able to soothe you when it all got too much just like you did that night. 

The attendant announced the plane landing, the runway coming into view masking his reflection. Leon folded all the letters again, having remembered every letter and word you imprinted on the page. The ink smudged on some of them. The pictures were tucked in the cheap wallet he bought when he was at the airport safe for when he needed them. His movements were calculated and careful, Leon's mind already aware of everyone around him as he moved. He helped the older lady next to him with her back, his arm held out to guide her off the plane. He watched the bittersweet reunion as her daughter found her. Their cries of happiness blend into the chaos with the other people around them, the further he gets away. Worry settled when he thinks about accidentally walking past you as he left the gate. His eyes scanned for any figure he remembered. The silhouette that visited him in his dreams was like an angel. Leon often swore he could still feel your phantom touch the next morning as his cheek always felt slightly warmer as he completed his early laps of the base. The warmth was always welcomed, however, instead of the coldness of Krauser's stare or his words as he corrected him again. 

Then he saw it, the cursive writing of some paper sign in the corner of his eye. The bold letter was held by a woman who scanned her eyes over the crowd. His name and the fingers that grasped the sign were yours. 

Leon took a moment, watching as people continued to move around him. Taking advantage of his hardened appearance to watch you. His eyes are not failing to notice the young girl on your hip. The now two-year-old waved at people as they passed, her hand grasping the charm on your necklace tightly. The photos didn't do her justice, she looked exactly like him. Her piercing blue eyes met his. They always said kids notice more than adults. 

He watched the way her curious stare ran over him, trying to figure him out…almost like he was familiar to her. You had noticed she’d gone quiet. Turning your head to look at where the young girl had now rested it on your shoulder. He watched as you asked her what was wrong, shifting her in your arms slightly. Your hip jolts out to support her weight better. Leon's feet didn't move, they couldn't. Right, there was all he ever wanted. Did he deserve it? Was it actually his? The perfect dream, the one he saw every single night in that stupid bunk amongst the snores of his bunkmates. 

His whole body froze as you looked at him, the whole world stopped. Your love washed over him like a tide crashing against rocks. It was fierce, strong and unstoppable. The current is already pulling him into your ocean of affection. His little girl began to cry as you passed her to your mum. Your feet are already pounding on the airport carpet as you bolt it to him. He didn't know what else to do but welcome you, like the hole in his heart was finally filled. The two years apart suddenly ended with a new beginning.

You collided into his chest with such force he stumbled. His own emotions leak out into the softness of your skin. Words failed him, they seemed to fail you as well as you held him in silence. Your smaller frame fits against his own with no change. However, you could feel the new muscles. His hardened grip is proof of his changes not that you cared about them. You would learn to love this new version just as you promised on that one night. Your promise was never forgotten when he left in that black car. Your heart is still soul-tied to him. 

Leon's breath faltered when you pulled away, his biceps subconsciously pulling you in closer. Your eyes met his, your warm smile melting his tough gaze. “There he is,” you whispered. At your words, he crumbled, his frame shaking as tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. He tried to smile, to muster up the courage to say anything. Part of you regretted bringing your daughter now fearing he would be overwhelmed in meeting her in this state. Yet to his credit, he stood up straighter, a small smile filling his features. His hand cradled your face bringing you into a long-awaited kiss. He didn't need to speak. You knew exactly what he wanted to say. You could feel the love radiating from him, pouring it into the first kiss. His soul begging for redemption from situations you didn't know he had experienced. His hands were almost afraid to touch you, to swallow you in the darkness he had retreated himself into. 

You heard her before you felt her, the small stumbling steps of your two-year-old as she collided with your legs almost taking you off your feet. 

You watched Leon's eyebrows pinch in concern as he felt your body buckle, hands sprawled out on his chest to catch yourself. Your daughter's hands gripped at your legs, small tugs on your shirt as she whimpered to be picked up. Leon's demeanour changed when you did. His body regained the stiffness as he looked at her closely. Their eye contact was intense both trying to figure out what to make of each other. “Baby, This is daddy remember?” You prompted, eyes solely focused on the small girl. Leon was grateful for that, you couldn’t see his flinch at the word. The small girl nodded her hand outstretched to him. 

That was the thing about children, always curious. No matter if they were reaching out towards unknown danger. You would have protected her if you thought it was dangerous. Part of him wanted to back away, careful not to let the innocent fingers touch his blood-stained skin afraid if they pulled away her tiny hands would be strained red. You knew otherwise, you always did. Allowed these hands to cradle your face, to hold you when he finally returned home. Her hand touched the stubble that coated his cheeks, the small strands of hair prickly against her tiny fingers. You watched him process the touch, his frame softening arms finally wrapping around the both of you.

“Daddy” The girl muttered, a small toothy grin growing on her features. Her small arms wrapped around his neck as he swung from you to him. She was so small against him, his large arms hiding her from the surrounding crowd. His other one holding you close. “Thank you…I’m sorry I wasn’t..” Leon finally spoke. You shook your head, “You were always here, How do you think she knows who you are?” You smiled. He was home, different, but home. Your parents picked up his bags as they followed you both home. He was too busy carrying his whole world in his arms anyway.

[evilkennedy]

you're as beautiful as the day i lost you

leon kennedy x reader

warnings: none! this is a lot shorter than I would've liked it to be but I hope y'all enjoy anyway

word count: 1k

summary: you died in raccoon city, or at least that is what leon thought. re4 leon. gender neutral reader, mostly in leon's pov, childhood best friends

Leon felt like he was seeing a ghost, he’d stopped everything he’d been doing, which was certainly a risk in this village but he couldn’t bring himself to care– Not when you were standing in front of him, flashbacks of that night in Raccoon City attacked his senses, the smell of blood permeated his nose, flashes of light and fire overwhelmed his vision, the sight of your eyes being the only thing that was enough to soothe him; the same eyes that visited him both during his nightmares and his dreams. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion and it appeared that you were just as stunned as he was, not expecting to see him after six years… Six years that you’d been presumed dead by him. His blue eyes never leave your face, swimming with an unreadable emotion as he collected himself, you must have been doing the same as you lowered your gun before holstering it and taking a few tentative steps toward him.

He couldn’t bring himself to move yet, only mirroring you as he lowered his gun, holstering it as well. The two of you had taken out the Ganados together as though it had been muscle memory despite the years that passed, neither of you having the time to react to the other’s presence until now. You were the first to speak, he watched as you opened and closed your mouth a few times, trembling as you stepped closer once more, tears pooling in your beautiful eyes. He ached to pull you close, to wipe those tears away, but he stood, statuesque as he waited, your voice meeting his ears for the first time in way too long and suddenly he wondered if this was another dream or some cruel side effect of whatever was happening within his body at the moment, another vision or a mirage that tempted him into danger or into the sea like a siren would lure a sailor to their death. 

“It’s been so long, I– Leon, I’m so sorry.” Once he actually began to comprehend what you were saying, your words began spilling out, jumbling together as you stuttered over them in an attempt to explain yourself, Leon didn’t understand how you could be here, how you weren’t six feet under somewhere within the wreckage of what remained of Raccoon City but as his eyes watched your lips move and your chest rise and fall rapidly, he knew this couldn’t have been a dream.

“They– I had to stay dead, I would’ve come to find you, believe me, but they– they told me that you had to think I was dead or else they’d kill you and I couldn’t have that on my conscience. I tried these past six years to find a way to let you know, but they watched me, they didn’t care that we knew each other before or that you were the only person I had–” He was listening, clinging onto every word and he knew that you meant what you were telling him. He was angry, but he could never place that anger on you, not when you were standing here, looking so vulnerable as you poured your heart out to him, tears falling down your cheeks against your will.

He cut you off as he finally moved from the spot where he'd been standing frozen, closing the gap between the two of you easily as his eyes scanned your face, searching for any injuries. He noted the new scars and the way you’d aged slightly, but one thing he was sure of is that you were still you. The same you that used to call him “Lee” and came to his police academy graduation when his parents couldn’t, the same you that had always said it would be the two of you against the rest of the world, and especially the same you that he’d managed to fall in love with. He placed a shaking hand against your cheek and you gasped in response, closing your eyes against the touch. You’d expected him to be angry, not that it had been your choice to leave him in the first place, but you thought it would be easier to deal with than sadness or disappointment, whatever this was, it was much better. Still, you felt as though you didn’t deserve his gentle touch as he wiped a few of your tears away, looking at you for a moment in an attempt to collect his thoughts before speaking.

“You’re as beautiful as the day I lost you.” Leon wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting to come out of his mouth, but as you relaxed into his palm, eyebrows furrowing as you kept your eyes closed, lip quivering as a few more tears fell from your lashes, he knew that it was exactly what he needed to say. 

After another moment of hesitation, scared of everything that had been left unsaid, Leon pulled you into an embrace, needing to feel you breathing against him. He rested his nose at the crown of your head, breathing in a scent that he’d previously forgotten, overwhelmed with the need to cry himself now. He refused to do so, instead only pulling you tighter to himself as he whispered your name over and over like a mantra– a prayer. He wasn’t a religious man by any means but he thanked whatever might have been out there that brought you back to him. He had every intention never to let you go again.

He swayed the two of you gently as he rested the back of his hand at the nape of your neck, grabbing at the hair that rested there, feeling grounded as his senses were overwhelmed by you completely. He knew that there was a long way to go, there was a mission to be completed and Ashley still needed to be brought home alive, but with you by his side, he knew that everything would be okay. And he’d do everything in his power to ensure it stayed that way.

a/n: hi!! i hope you enjoyed :) feel free to leave comments to let me know what you think and my requests are open for more leon x reader prompts <3

[rveyjules]

A Second Chance

Part 1, Part 2

Pairing: Leon Kennedy x Prime Minister's Daughter! Reader (ft. Ada Wong)

Genre: Smut, Romance, Angst

Warning: cheating, Leon is obsessed with the reader, taking photos, the reader is cold but deep inside she’s a sweetheart, mentions of arranged marriage, pure smut (masturbation, foreplay, kissing, breasts fondling and sucking, markings,  p in v intercourse, virgin sex, penetrative sex, Leon is huge [I think it's at least 9 inches, sheesh], creampie, aftercare)

Word count: 6.2k

Summary: As the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister and one of the faces of the family, you received multiple assassination attempts. So, your father hired someone to keep an eye on you. And to your surprise, out of all people, it was Leon Kennedy your father picked for you. You and Leon had a secret relationship but soon did not last because another woman came into his life. Now that the both of you meet again, will it be the start of chaos or a continuation of romance?

author's note: This is the second part of my story. This story is entirely fictional. I do not know what the President and the Prime Minister exactly do for the country. Same with the occupation of being a prosecutor and the chief of the CIA. English is not my mother tongue so pardon if you encounter mistakes and grammatical errors. This is only for entertainment purposes only. And minors, please do your homework first.

—

“The jury found the defendant guilty.” 

               Joyful sounds were heard from your client, who was the victim, and from her family. You closed your eyes and a sigh of relief escaped your mouth, smiling at your performance today. You just won another trial. The suspect is proven guilty with the evidence you have against him and the jury was on your side. 

“The jury is thanked and excused. The court is adjourned.” 

               You turned to your female client. She’s a 22-year-old who was a victim of rape and sexual assault. You promised her that you will do your best to give her the justice she was longing for after being made fun of by her schoolmates, calling her such names, giving her judgemental looks, and earning a lot of hurtful words.

        It has come to the point where she almost took her own life on the rooftop of the apartment she was staying at. Being a victim of rape is traumatizing. It would take time before you recovered completely from what happened by going under rehabilitation and psychological observation. But today, justice is served.

“Thank you so much, prosecutor!” Her mom shakes my hand repeatedly. You can’t count how many times her family expressed their gratitude for helping the child. You giggled and patted the mother’s shoulder. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you hired me as your lawyer. By the way, how was your rehabilitation?” You asked the last part, looking at your client. She has a smile on her face, brighter than the times we met before the trial and you just realized how pretty the child is. 

“It’s all nice and okay. Prosecutor,” She took a few steps ahead towards you and held your hand. “I don’t know how to express my feelings in court. Our opponent came from a prestigious family in the town. I am afraid that we will not win because of how powerful their family is. I think I underestimated you a little and I’m sorry for that. I see how focused you were in every trial session. And now that it was confirmed that he was the bad guy, I felt so happy. So, thank you so much, Prosecutor L/n.” 

            You smiled at her and cupped her cheeks. “You’re a law student, right? I want to give you some advice that can help you when you become an attorney one day,” I paused. “I considered going into law. Not because of money, but for the thrill of problem-solving. And always remember, be an independent woman. You are what you are. Face them with your head high. Justice is served and the suspect is proven guilty.” 

            The girl nodded and gave you a tight hug. “I hope we will meet again in the future, attorney.” You nodded your head and hugged her back. “I’m looking forward to it, dear.” 

           From a distance, Leon watched how you comforted a girl after winning a nerve-wracking and intense trial in the court just now. He crossed his arms and smiled, seeing you being warm around your client. Leon received a voicemail from his earpiece, 

“Agent Kennedy, the Prime Minister, scheduled a meeting with Prosecutor L/n.” 

“Copy,” He replied before approaching you. 

               The mother of your client acknowledged his presence as Leon made his way toward you. The older woman smiled at him before looking back at you and asked something unexpected…

“Is he your husband? You two look great together.”  

                 Your eyes widened and immediately denied it. “No, we’re not. He’s not my husband. I’m still single.” You awkwardly replied. Leon was taken aback by the woman’s question and quite affected when you quickly denied the woman’s question. He felt butterflies in his stomach at the thought of you being his wife. 

“Sorry for misunderstanding but he’s only my bodyguard. He’s only with me for safety purposes.” You explain, smiling to ease the uncomfortable feeling you have. The woman nodded in understanding.  

“You’re too pretty to not be in a relationship but I respect your decision if you’re not into relationships.” She smiled and you thanked her for understanding. When your client and her family have left, you turn to Leon and shoot him a death glare. 

“Seriously? You as my husband? Hell, no.” You sharply claimed. Leon cleared his throat and replied, “I just want to say that the Prime Minister scheduled a meeting with you.” You rolled your eyes at him. 

“When you received a voicemail, I received a text message from the Prime Minister.  At least you should have waited for my client to leave before popping out of nowhere only to be misunderstood as my husband.” You snarled. Leon finds you cute, though. 

“Bet you feel the butterflies in your stomach, don’t you?” He asked flirtatiously, making you scoff. 

“Butterflies,” You scoffed and chuckled sarcastically. “I got headaches.” With that, you walked past him to the exit. 

—

“Papa, you know I don’t want to be in a relationship. How many times do I need to tell you that? I don’t even want to go on a date, why are they trying to put me up in an arranged marriage?!” You snapped, rubbing your temples. 

            The meeting your father scheduled is private and personal. Right now, in front of your parents and the Senator’s son that was supposed to be your husband in this arranged marriage, looked at you in disbelief. You declared your plan in life and that is you’re not going to get married to anyone. 

“Y/n!” Your father yelled angrily. “For our family’s sake! Senator Carter’s son is the right man for you! You know that this man has the potential to become a President in the future! I want you to become the First Lady of this country.” 

“But being a First Lady has limitations, Papa! And also, it will only give me more responsibilities!” You retorted back. 

“You’re already thirty-three, Y/n. A perfect age to prepare yourself—” 

“I am not interested in becoming a First Lady,” You interrupted. "Besides, I am not into politicians. Helping the government is enough for me but marrying a politician? No." 

          With that, you grabbed your bag and walked out of the room, leaving your parents disappointed and frustrated. You can hear your dad calling out your name but you did not turn back. Tears filled your eyes, and you couldn't bear the fact that your parents are forcing you to marry someone you don't love. 

           Leon noticed your expression and he knew something was wrong. "Y/n, what happened in–" He was interrupted when you snapped at him, “Shut up! This is all your fault!” 

        He was startled and the guards that were securing the area looked in your direction. Tears started falling down your eyes, and couldn't bear the pain. “This is all your fault.” You whispered before storming out of the establishment. 

            You get the keys from your driver and ride the car before driving on your own. You sobbed as you sped up on the highway but were still aware of the speed limit. You want some time alone. Betrayals, family pressure, arranged marriage… Goddamned it, why can’t you be free from this? The trauma of your past relationship with Leon did a lot of damage. You run your hand on top of your head, calming yourself down.  

—

            In your house, you are checking the report of the CIA. There are files that must go under your consent so you have a lot of papers to sign. It’s not new for you anymore. Being a prosecutor, a superior of a top security agency, as well as being a politician’s daughter has its pros and cons. When it comes to wealth and fame, you got the jackpot. But when it comes to responsibility…

“Goddamn, I need a vacation.” You sighed as you signed the last file and put them organized on the shelf. 

           And then, Leon popped into your mind out of nowhere. He has been working under you for three months now. You are secretly doing everything to make him leave. You mean it when you say you don’t need him anymore. But there are times where Leon would be so caring of you. He’d hold your hand secretly when the two of you are close to each other in crowded places. He’d take off his jacket and put it on your shoulders when he saw you shivering. Although you are cold and dismissive to him, he’s still caring for you and his love language was still the same as before. 

           Turning your heel, you went to the window and watched the city lights of Washington D.C. You want to take a break. You want to sleep all day,knowing that you deserved it for doing a great job. But you simply can’t. Even falling asleep in your room is sometimes difficult, especially when you feel something is not right. The President needs you to be active 24/7. The White House could call you anytime when an emergency occurs. Even if it was two in the morning, you need to get up and meet the President and cabinet secretaries. 

           You are so powerful that’s why there are people who tried to kill you. Imagine, surviving five assassination attempts. You may be looking cool but deep inside you are scared. Those moments where you were stunned when the assassin pulled the trigger of his gun and you barely dodge them. It makes you feel like a child, being scared when you are supposed to be brave. 

           Taking off your gloves, you looked at your scars and caressed them. You thought the pain was gone, thinking that your scars symbolizes your bravery despite being left out. But everythings is coming back ever since Leon came back. With that you remembered how you struggled just to survive.  

         Three days after Leon left with Ada, you almost lost your sanity thinking that surviving the apocalypse is impossible. You have no one to lean on. You barely make it to find an abandoned store with foods and drinks that can ease your thirst and hunger. The city was filled with zombies. Finding a safe place to stay is difficult. The device you used to track Ada’s identity was broken. It was your only hope to contact your father. 

         Every day, you’d cry while washing your wounds on your wrists to prevent contamination and easier access for infection. Being alone and desperate to survive scared you the most. You are asking yourself what you ever did to them to leave you in this state. As for your relationship with Leon, thinking about those times when you caught him with Ada, doing the unthinkable emotionally damaged you. 

“Leon– ahh!” Ada moaned as Leon pressed his half naked body to her, sucking her neck and leaving marks on her skin. “Y/n would get suspicious where did I get this,” Ada said but Leon didn’t budge. 

            Instead, he lifted the skirt of her dress and pulled her underwear out of her legs before undoing his pants and taking his member out of its cage. “Just be quiet. She wouldn’t know that we’re doing this.” He smirked before slipping his hardened cock into Ada’s aching hole. 

           They tried to be quiet to hide their secret affair while you were standing by the door, sobbing quietly. You heard how Ada moaned and praised Leon at how good he makes her feel. And then there was you, heart shattered into pieces. You felt numb and couldn’t feel or hear anything aside from the sinful sounds coming from them. 

           That piece of memory made you punch the mirror in front of you, breaking it. Your knuckles started to bleed. You covered your ears as you fell on your knees, traumatized and heartbroken. You knew that things would go wrong between you and Leon. But this is beyond your expectation. Never in your life you thought that he would do that.

          One day, you found a radio in the establishment where you are currently staying. It was functioning and you heard voices coming from the radio. You realized that it can connect to a military base. You grabbed it and spoke to the speaker. It says that the government will bomb the city to stop the virus from spreading. Hearing this increased your fear. You don’t want to die with these monsters.

“Is this the military? Please, help me. I’m a survivor.” You said, hoping that they will hear your voice. 

        After a few seconds of silence, the voice on the other line spoke. “This is Commander Valdez speaking. Please, state your name and current location.” Your hope was growing as the commander replied. 

“My name is Y/n L/n, daughter of Senator L/n. I’m a first year college student, studying Law. I am in a safe room of the high-rise hospital in Raccoon City. Please, help me. Zombies are surrounding the area.” You sobbed. 

         Hearing that you are the daughter of the Senate President caused the Commander to order to gather up his men and prepare to rescue you and also ordered the President to refrain from releasing an order to wipe out Raccoon City until you are completely rescued. 

“Miss L/n, listen carefully to my instructions. My men will be there in less than an hour. Now, I want you to prepare yourself to fight against the horde of zombies. The President has moved the time of releasing the bomb. They will nuke the city after we rescue you. I know you have limited resources to use as your weapon but I hope you can find some to defend yourself.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The military is on its way. Go to the rooftop of the hospital. The military chopper will come to rescue you. Goodluck.” Then your conversation ended. 

             This is your last chance. You must make it out of this damned city. You went to the bathroom of the safe room and looked at yourself through the mirror. You washed your face to make up your mind and covered your injuries with a clean cloth. You wear your jacket and luckily found a baseball bat as your weapon. With a deep breath, you gathered all your strength and prepared yourself for a life-or-death fight against those monsters. 

            You walked out of the safe room quietly to prevent attracting the attention of the zombies. You held your weapon tightly, alert for any zombies to come to your way. You are currently on the 20th floor of the hospital. The rooftop is on the 25th floor. Of course, as you expected, zombies found you and chased after you. You run for your life, hitting those zombies who will try to grab you or block your path with a baseball bat. 

            Anger was rushing through your veins that you went on a killing spree with a single weapon. You looked out the window as you ran and found the helicopter coming to the hospital you are in. This increased your hopes in survival. Little by little, you made it to the rooftop. You closed and blocked the door with anything that you think can prevent those zombies opening the door. 

          The helicopter has found you from a far distance. You waved your hands in the air as you jumped to gain their attention. But the zombies managed to break in and it found you. You turned around and fear creeped out to your veins. A large horde of zombies are coming towards you. Then, you heard loud gunshots coming from the soldiers, shooting the zombies as the helicopter moved downwards on the edge of the rooftop.

“Miss Y/n! Hop on!” A soldier yelled through the loud sound of the propeller. 

                You ran towards them and jumped to the helicopter, feeling a little relieved to be rescued. The helicopter started to move away as the zombies were falling down from the building, mindlessly trying to reach for us. The soldiers check on you to see if you are bitten. The pilot spoke through the radio. 

“General, Y/n L/n is successfully rescued from the Raccoon City. She’s not bitten or infected, just some injuries that need medical attention. Aside from that, everything is cleared.” 

“Roger that,” You heard the military general replied through the radio. 

               After a few moments, when you are far enough from the city, you hear a loud, roaring, and huge explosion. You looked out and saw an atomic bomb explosion, destroying Raccoon City. You saw how wide the bomb reached to kill those who were alive or undead. You survived the chaos on your own. You make it out of the forsaken city. You are the last man standing. The city where Leon promised you that you build your dreams and goals has been wiped out into ashes.

            A sigh escapes your mouth as you caress your scars. For everyone who barely knows you, wearing gloves is your trademark in fashion. People never see you take them off or go out without gloves on. But your family and other important people in your life know what’s behind that piece of clothing. It’s not like you were ashamed of it. It’s just that it hurts you emotionally as you remembered that you went under hard and difficult circumstances just to survive as those people you helped betrayed and left you to die. 

            Your phone opened and rang, snapping you back to your senses. You turned around and grabbed your phone. It’s a call from your older brother, Judge Dylan L/n. You picked up the call and put the phone next to your ear. 

“Dylan? What can I do for you?” You asked. 

“Y/n, Papa called me just now. What was that behavior?” He asked calmly but there’s a lingering strict tone. 

“If you’ll scold me, I’ll hang up.” You scoffed. 

“Y/n, you are the only daughter of the Prime Minister of the country and has the potential to become a First Lady.”

“I know that. Among the Prime Minister’s five children, I am the youngest and the only daughter. But that doesn’t mean that I need to go under his order to marry a politician.”

“But the boy is the son of the Senate President.”

“Dylan, please. Don’t make yourself a problem for me. He didn’t even congratulate me for winning my case today. He just called a private meeting only to say that I am bound to marry the man and ended up scolding.” 

“Patience is a virtue, Y/n,” Dylan paused. “I know that your past relationship still affects you. But in this case, you are just proving to them that you haven’t moved on from your ex-lover. Y/n, it’s been fifteen years…” 

             You sighed, heading over the table to pour yourself a glass of wine. 

“Please, believe me when I say that I truly moved on from my past relationship. It’s just that…” You paused, trying to find the right word to say. “The pain was coming back. You know that feeling when you believe in yourself that you are completely free but the truth is you are still chained up to the past?”

“Did you and that guy cross paths again?” He asked and you hummed. 

“I don’t know if fate is fooling around with me. After fifteen years, why did he come back? I mean, I don’t want to see him or even cross paths again with him but then, one day he just appeared out of nowhere.” You explained. Your brother chuckled at your response. 

“I think I know the guy you are talking about. Leon Kennedy, right? Your ex-lover but currently your bodyguard.” You pouted as his response. “If Papa knows that Leon Kennedy is your ex, what do you think he will do?” He asked.

“He will fire him immediately, probably.” You replied. 

“Wrong,” Dylan quickly responded. “You and Papa never interact with each other that much, that's why you don’t know the possibility of his reaction regarding the issue.” 

“What do you mean?” You asked. 

“Y/n, please. If you interact with Papa, you will find the answer. That’s all for now. I have to prepare for my trial tomorrow. I just called to check on you.” 

           You bid goodbye to each other before ending the call. You received another phone call from the Senate President’s son. You picked the call…

“Let’s have a drink. The usual place.” He said.

—

        Leon can still hear how loud you were when you snapped at him earlier. He can tell that your meeting with your family did not end well. The way your eyes teared up when you yelled at him, gaining the attention of the people who were in the area at that time. Leon gulped down another glass of whiskey, slightly wincing at how strong the alcohol is as he ran his thumb against your photo, which he secretly took throughout the years. 

         Yes, he has been stalking you. After saving Ashley Graham from an insane cult in Spain, he immediately did some research on you. And there he found out about your success after leaving you in a hard situation in Raccoon City in 1998. At that time, you were a newly licensed prosecutor but you became one of the most influential prosecutors in the Supreme Court as you easily solved and won cases back then. Your father was a Senate President back then and having you beside him is a big asset. With that, your father managed to reach the position of Prime Minister. 

          Every event you need to attend whether it was a national or international, he was there. He camouflaged within the crowd so that you wouldn’t see him or feel his presence. He took a lot of pictures of you, keeping them in a secret room of his house. He was obsessed with you. He even finds himself masturbating in his room with your picture in his hand, looking so elegant in every angle, every outfit you wore, every look you pulled out, it drives him crazy. 

           For his latest mission, which was in China, he brought a dozen of your pictures as his motivation and inspiration. Weird but he did. There are times when he was in a tight situation and went through near-death experiences but he remembers that he needs to come back. For you. He encountered Ada again but this time, he was not her puppy anymore, who would follow her demands and manipulate him. 

“I heard that she’s the new Chief of the CIA aside from being a prosecutor. Seems like your ex-lover has already moved on from you.” Ada smirked as she looked at the photo of you in a black dress, holding a piece of paper while speaking in court. 

“Give it back,” Leon demanded. “What are you even doing here, Ada? Are you going to use me again?” He added and Ada chuckled in response. “What do you think?” 

             What Ada did not expect was Leon’s sudden attack. He disarmed her and took the photo out of her grasp, hissing when it was crumpled slightly. Ada noticed his unusual behavior and smirked. 

“You’re obsessed with her. What is she going to think when you two meet again? What will be her reaction if she meets the one she loved the most but also the one who betrayed her?” Ada asked, trying to provoke Leon.

           Leon got furious when Ada dug up the past. Without hesitation, he pulled out his gun and shot Ada in the shoulder with eyes full of anger and guilt, not for her but for you, who he left just to escape that damn city. The woman looked at him in shock. Never in a million years did she expect that Leon would do this to her. He was different from the one she used to order around. There were also times when Leon almost got down on his knees and worshiped her like a saint. But now, his eyes are filled with the flame of anger. Leon wasn’t hers anymore, but yours even without knowing it. 

         Five months after that mission, he was summoned to the White House by the President and they talked about the assassination attempts you had. His face remained calm but his hands were clenched into fists and his insides were burning in anger. When the President asked him if he could be your bodyguard, he immediately said yes. Your father, the Prime Minister trusted him the moment the President introduced him as a recommendation. That’s how he got into your life again. 

            He prepared a plan on how he was going to win your heart again. He thought it would be easy but it turns out it isn’t. You are colder than he expected. You never look at him the way you used to look at him before. It wasn’t easy to make a conversation with you as you always dismissed him. His top priority is to keep you safe away from assassination attempts you might encounter again in the future while finding a way to see a crack in your armor. 

           He believes that you will give in to him someday. He laid down on his bed, closing his eyes, and imagine how good it feels to be between your legs as he fucks you hard. The way you’d moan loudly or even scream, praising him for making you feel so good. You’d hold onto his shoulders as he pounds against your cunt, tip kissing your cervix that sends you crying. 

          His mind was filled with lewd images of you, wearing tight blouses and pencil skirts, teasing him as you walked. Your curves are perfectly fitted into the skirt and he will pounce on you and rip all of your clothing until you are completely naked under him. You and Leon never made it to take your relationship to the next level because you were just eighteen and in your first year in college back then. You two agreed that you’ll only do it when you are ready or wait until you get married. Although your relationship was a secret, you both gave pure love to each other until shit happens. 

            He believes that your virginity hasn’t been taken yet. For someone like you who focuses on studies and two professions as well as having trust issues, he’s sure that no one hasn’t touched or even kissed you. And the thought of taking your virginity sends him to the edge as he found himself masturbating. 

“Y/n… you feel so damn good. So tight!” He moaned, imagining how tight you are when he pushed his pulsating cock inside your wet, aching, virgin pussy. 

              Your moans ring into his ears as he fucks you. The way you’d ask him to be gentle or be careful of you, sobbing. And the best part of it is when he spilled his warm seeds deep into your cunt. In real life, his cock spurted his juices, staining his hands and abdomen as he trembled from his orgasm, groaning as he let it out until the last drop. 

             No, he did not feel guilty. Why not? He’s going to take you back. Now that he heard from his co-worker that you are bound to marry the Senate President’s son. No, he wouldn’t let that happen. Not even over his dead body. If he needs to go through hell just to win your heart again, he will do it without any hesitation. 

—

         On the other side, you are back in the VIP Room of the bar where you usually go. You are currently with the Senate President’s son. There’s an awkward tension between the two of you. David Carter is sipping on his glass of vodka while you are drinking wine. 

“Your outburst earlier is unexpected,” He chuckled, studying your expression. You glanced at him as he started the conversation. “A lot of women tried to catch my attention but then there was you.” 

“Is that a compliment?” You asked, sipping on your wine and he nodded with a hum in response. 

             David might be quiet and did not have a chance to explain himself during your meeting yesterday but he is one of the most respected and most influential men in politics just like you. He’s a congressman with the potential to reach the highest rank in the country. That’s why your father wants him to be your husband. 

“Yes. I rarely compliment a woman. You know I have a high standard when it comes to women and you passed.” 

“Because this is me.”  You rebutted, rolling your eyes, and smirked. 

              You two are good friends. You went to the same law school and passed the board exams together. When you were elected as the new Chief of the CIA, he was elected as a congressman. Coincidence? He would say no but you would say yes. David understands why you suddenly snapped at your father upon mentioning the arranged marriage. He knows that you have a trauma in love although he doesn’t know who caused you that pain to be so dismissive of love. But deep down, he wished that you would realize that he has hidden feelings towards you. 

“I noticed that you are not with your personal bodyguard today. Leon Kennedy, right?” He asked, causing you to scoff and roll your eyes again. 

“I don’t know. I don’t care though. That guy needs to breathe from my dark presence.” You joked. 

“I’m surprised that he’s not resigning yet when you are so cold and dismissive to him. In my perspective, men who manage to stay despite your bad side are the ones who have true feelings for you.” You paused and glanced at him. 

“I feel this agent knows you better than I know you. For the past three months of him being your bodyguard, I have never seen someone who's more patient than your father. I noticed that you throw your tantrums on him often but he will only look at you and give you your favorite coffee. Your former bodyguards never bring you your coffee without you telling them which one you prefer. But this agent, he will just pop out of nowhere with a cup of coffee you like. Is there something I don’t know about? Do you have connections with each other?” He added. 

“Oh, David. Stop the spectacle of yourself. Agent Kennedy is nothing but only an agent who saved Ashley from Spain and is currently my bodyguard.” You retorted. 

“But a bodyguard wouldn’t act so protective and caring of you. I mean, he’s crossing the line of being a bodyguard and you don’t notice. He’d protect you from the media, people who will tend to cause you discomfort, and bodyguards should keep an eye on his distance to his boss. But he will take off his jacket and put it on your shoulder like a man who cares for his lover.” 

“Enough!” You snarled. 

“You’re guilty because it’s true. A bodyguard shouldn’t look at his boss with stars in his eyes.” David added. 

              What's surprising about him, even though he has secret feelings towards you, it feels like he’s helping you regarding your issue with Leon which you never mentioned to anyone before. 

“Admit it already, Y/n.  You and Agent Kennedy had a thing before.” 

                   You looked at him, speechless. David is a very observant person but he takes that to another level that's beyond your expectations. He raised his eyebrow at you while you shook your head in defeat. 

“You’re right. We used to be lovers.” You admitted. 

—

             Leon was in his apartment across the apartment building you are in. He purchased the unit to keep an eye on you a few years ago. He knows that this is the place where you usually go to ease your mind rather than going to your own home. He brought his own telescope, not to look up in the sky but to stalk you. With his knowledge in hacking, he used to sneak into your apartment unit and set up small cameras that are difficult to see around your place to see what you are doing when you are out of his sight. 

            You just came back from your hang out with David. You are quite tipsy and tired after a long day. Leon watched you from his computer, your every movement is being captured by the  hidden cameras he put around your apartment. You kicked off your heels and put them on the shoe rack before heading straight to your bedroom to have a nice and cool shower. Undressing yourself, Leon watched your naked figure step into the shower. The sound of water running as you hummed a song sent shivers down to his spine. 

            He watched how you touch yourself as you scrub yourself with soap and wash your hair with shampoos. The way the water ran down your body is something he can’t ignore, but craves. Those perfect large breasts, slim waist, and thick thighs, ugh. He badly wants to go there and fuck you already. 

            After thirty minutes of shower and skincare routine, you came out of your bathroom, wearing nothing but your robe and drying your hair with a towel. Leon continued watching you. He observed you as he realized that you were looking out the window, staring at the apartment building where he was currently in. He looked out too and there he found you standing, seemed to be in a deep thought. He studied your face and he believes that you’re unable to see him because his window is tinted. 

         But for you, you can definitely see him. Since Leon has become your bodyguard, you were even more observant of your surroundings. You've always had a feeling that someone is watching from the shadows and the moment you meet him again, your questions have been answered. Earlier, you and David had discussed this without mentioning Leon’s name. 

“You know, obsessive people are usually more on body language, eye contacts, and sometimes, they use metaphorical words. They are waiting for the right time to have their way to their target. I suggest you give this man a little show. I believe you can do this easily. For a seductress like you, I think this is an easy task.” David smirks as he sips on his whiskey.

“What kind of ‘show’ are you talking about?” You asked. 

“A strip show…” 

            You glared at him at the idea he suggested. “But be careful. Don’t let your bodyguard know about this show you are about to pull out or else you’ll receive a severe punishment from your daddy.” He chuckled. 

            He doesn’t know that the obsessive man you are talking about was no one but your bodyguard himself… 

           Sighing, you untie your robe and let it fall to the floor, revealing your perfect naked body. Leon gasped as his eyes widened in surprise about your sudden, unexpected move. You looked like a Greek Goddess that came down on Earth to seduce men and fulfill their lustful needs. You smirked before getting inside, slowly walking, naked. You grabbed your phone and played soothing, yet seductive music. 

             You started dancing and closed your eyes, feeling the rhythm and the melody of the music. Your hair dances in the air as you turn gracefully. Leon watches you, smiling to himself. Seeing you dance like that felt like nostalgia but way different from before. You changed from a sweet teenager into a seductress. Leon smirked, crossing his arms. 

             After a few minutes, you stopped dancing and went to your closet and wore a silk nightgown, gloves, and a coat. You put on your sandals, dried your hair, and put on a light shade of lipstick. You left your apartment, leaving him wondering what the hell just happened. You just gave him a little strip show, unsure if you did it on purpose or was that just some naughty habits he had never seen until now. While Leon heaves out an unsatisfied sigh, you went to the apartment building across yours to confront him already. 

              David is right. He crossed the line of being a bodyguard. Though he is affectionate to you when the two of you are together, you did not expect him to be this obsessive of you. 

“...or just give in to his needs already if you find yourself attracted to the man. Confront him.”

                You remember David gave you another advice earlier before going home. You also thought about this while taking a shower. You are aware that there’s a hidden camera around your house. Yet, you don’t feel creeped out at all as if you know who’s responsible for this. All the dots are connected and the mystery is solved the moment Leon came back and got hired as your bodyguard. The spark you felt towards this obsessive person sparked even more when it comes to Leon. It’s always him. Every question you make about this emotional stuff always leads back to him. 

             The ding of the elevator snapped you back to your senses as the doors opened. You stepped out of the elevator and went to Leon’s apartment unit, Unit 2704. You pressed the doorbell and waited for Leon to open the door. 

            He went to the front door and looked at the peephole. He was surprised to see you standing on his doorstep. He opened the door, you looked at him and he was surprised to see you. 

“I need to talk to you,” You started in a stern tone.

—

To Be Continued...

[alicerosejensen]

All pets go to heaven

Warning: mention of pet deaths; hurt/comfort; angst; dad!Leon.

Synopsis: This is a tragedy in Leon's family. It was inevitable, but it broke one small child's heart.

A/n: I am writing this because my beloved cat who lived with me for 17 years died. It is a great pain to lose pets who have become part of the family, and even knowing that this is inevitable, the pain will not become less. Although I am already an adult, this is the first time I have encountered this pain. I'm just trying to distract myself a little bit and, as always, find solace in writing while my heart heals.

Everyone who has pets - love them because their lives are so short compared to ours. We are their whole life, and they are only a part of it for us.

Losing is always hard. Returning home after a difficult mission that somehow miraculously passed without unnecessary sacrifices, Leon hoped to return to the calm atmosphere of his house where you and your baby girl were waiting for him, whom he had just bought gifts. Some sweets, soft toys, besides, as he drove up to the house, he was thinking about a family outing somewhere to an amusement park and then drop into some cafe and eat ice cream. It would be a great therapy for him and a good opportunity to make up for lost time with his family.

He has already written to you about his imminent return, but did not expect that when he entered the house, he would feel some unusual emptiness. Something that was not as usual when he returned.

You immediately left the kitchen holding a glass of water in your hands when you heard the bang of the front door, which caused a slight smile to blossom on your sad face.

"Leon!" you shouted, putting the glass on the frame that he was home with you again. "You're back! Why didn't you call? I would have prepared something special for dinner."

Leon frowned into your eyes. It's like you've been crying recently. He put the bag on the frame next to the keys, hugged you to him, put his head on top of your head, feeling you relax in his arms.

"I texted you on your phone, wanted to surprise D/N, bought something for her and for you. By the way, where is she? And what happened to your eyes? Did something happen while I was gone?

You nodded softly, freeing yourself from the ring of his arms, and looked up at the second floor, which only made Leon tense, making him nervous.

"Let's go to the kitchen, I'll warm up your lunch" you took Leon's hand hoping that he would immediately follow you and not do everything his own way "And tell you everything. D/N fell asleep in her room recently. I'm sorry, I've hardly picked up the phone lately."

And yet, going into the kitchen, Leon could not help but feel the oppressive atmosphere involuntarily returning him to the distant past where he also sat at the table with an excess of alcohol before the next call from his superiors, waiting for him to be sent on a new mission. The feeling he hoped would never come back. You were sluggishly putting the leftovers of yesterday's lunch on a plate, putting it in the microwave to heat up the food, while Leon was behind you looking at the corner where there were always cat bowls with food and water for Oliver...

It's so strange that the darling of the whole family didn't come out to meet him, as it always was, and now his bowls are gone, but the first thought was that you just decided to wash them and just haven't put them in place yet, and Oliver sleeps on the couch in the living room or in the D/N room, lately because of age He slept a lot.

"The furry fighter sleeps with D/N" joked Leon, sinking into a chair and taking the fork in his hand that you put in front of him.

You shook your head negatively.

"You know, a few days after you left, he got really bad." you began to explain after a heavy sigh, "He was already old by cat standards, at first he began to eat less, then he stopped altogether. He drank only one water, the vet said his kidneys were failing. I decided not to torture him, after all, no matter how painful it was for me to say goodbye to him, I didn't want Oliver to suffer in the last few days, but he quietly died his own death. It makes me feel a little calmer, but D/N... Our girl has been crying for three days."

Leon felt like he had lost all his words. That's why he never got animals, probably because he knew that sooner or later he would have to say goodbye to the one he became attached to, but he met you when you took Oliver as a kitten, and therefore the "furry fighter" as Leon himself called him when they first met, one day also became part of his family along with you. A slightly naughty cat, spoiled, loving to beg for food, when someone just went to the kitchen, often gnawing wires, which is why they had to be hidden. And yet Oliver was part of this family, and D/N love him with all her heart, how could his little girl now know that her beloved furry friend will never come to her again and she will not be able to pet him? Inside Leon everything sank from this thought that his heart demanded to come to his little girl and comfort her.

His appetite immediately disappeared.

"Of course he was old, but it seemed to me that he still had enough strength. He wasn't that bad before I left."

"Yeah," you agreed, placing a plate in front of him.

"He sometimes lost his appetite, but I probably noticed the symptoms too late, although the doctor said that cats often have kidney problems. D/N is the hardest hit. I carefully prepared her for this moment, but three days ago in the morning when she woke up to pet Oliver, he simply did not react - he died peacefully in his sleep. D/N now does not want to do anything, cries all day long and hardly eats."

"I'll go to her," Leon said, getting up from the table without touching his food.

"Leon," you called out to him quietly, causing him to turn around to look at you. "Maybe you can do better than me, to be honest, I haven't been able to find the right words for her in the last three days."

"This... this is not easy for her. She has been with him since birth, but we will succeed, we just need to help her get through this together."

Those were good words. You probably needed them yourself, considering you were the one who picked up Oliver as a kitten, but it's never easy to survive someone else's death, especially someone you loved and cared for for years. While comforting your child, you comfort yourself with the thought that Oliver had lived a good, long cat life. No one had ever hurt him, he lived in warmth, care, and satiety. It was just that his life inevitably came to an end, no matter how much it broke your heart.

Leon paused for a few seconds in front of the door as he climbed the stairs. He often comforted Jane when she was injured or upset about something, but death... It was incredibly difficult for a child to face something like that, especially when his girl loved all animals so much. Leon quietly opened the door and immediately heard sobs that involuntarily made him feel guilty.

Of course he should have been there for her during this difficult period, but he wasn't there, and you alone weren't enough. D/N cries quietly, turning away to the window, hugging a soft toy, not even hearing the steps behind her, immersed only in her grief. Before, she would have jumped out of bed and run to her father, spreading her arms for a hug, and then would have hung on his neck for a long time, begging him to play with her until late in the evening, but now...

"Sunshine, daddy is here"

Leon whispered, sitting down next to her on the bed and putting his hand on her shoulder.

There was another sob. D/N didn't even turn around when she heard his voice, but she definitely realized that her father had returned. How could he blame her? In general, Leon often found himself thinking that it was in his nature to forgive everything to those he loved, especially if it was his own blood. It was more difficult than scraped knees or broken favorite toys. This is the realization to a little girl that her furry friend is gone forever.

She continued to squeeze the toy, sobbing, burying her nose in the pillow. Even when Leon bent down to turn on the night lamp.

"Oliver is gone," she lisped, sniffing loudly, "Mom said he's in a better place now, but I want him back.

"I know, sweetie, I know. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there at that moment." Leon bent down to her, brushing her hair from her face, still gently stroking her back, hoping to ease those tears a little, but it seemed terrible. This is not a situation where you could turn everything into a joke or make her pay attention to something else.

Father's mind rightly told him only that it was necessary for Jane to survive this. That sometimes those we love inevitably leave. An experience that no one wants to go through on their own skin, and Leon himself never wanted such suffering for his daughter.

Leon spoke again only when the children's sobs subsided under his caring hand.

"We all loved him very much, even when he was doing his cat chores past the tray or gnawing on the wires," he smiled, feeling that D/N had done the same, even if she wasn't looking at him. "But unfortunately, the life of animals is much shorter than that of humans. And yet, despite this, I'm sure he was a happy cat. Has anyone offended him?"

She took a deep breath, wiping tears from her cheeks with her palm, finally looking at her father with tear-stained eyes and quietly shook her head in denial.

"N-no" the stuffed toy was back in her hands "But you used to swear at him sometimes"

"Well, sometimes Oliver behaved badly, I mean that some animals are much less lucky. I've never been mad at him for a long time, even when you were very young. You were just born then and you were lying in your crib when Oliver scratched you because you cried."

Leon shrugged, remembering the past, smiling involuntarily.

D/N frowned, scratching her swollen face, clearly not believing Leon's words.

"He didn't hurt me. We always played and he slept next to me."

"It was the only time. I think you were just something new to him and he was scared of loud noises."

These words brought a short smile to her face, which couldn't help but please Leon. He settled down more comfortably next to her, pressing D/N to his shoulder, watching as she gradually began to calm down.

With a heavy sigh, a new stream of tears nevertheless gushed from her eyes after several minutes of silence. "I miss him".

"Shh, I know it's hard. It's really hard but it happened. His life is over and Mom didn't lie to you - Oliver really is in a better place now."

Leon held her small body close to him, letting her cry and cry. His strong embrace protected, but hardly comforted. Even when you came into the room, hearing another cry, this sight of your daughter's tears tore you apart. An endlessly long stage of denial of grief and a childish selfish desire for a beloved cat to come back to life no matter what. You wanted this too, but no one has such power.

You sat down on the other side of the bed so that D/N was in the middle of the two of you, however, it seemed that she did not notice your presence, but you still gently stroked her hair, looking into Leon's eyes, feeling helpless.

Until Leon took her on his lap and kissed the top of her head, ignoring the fact that his shirt and sleeve were now covered in saliva and snot. However, he is a father and this is not the worst thing he could get dirty in.

"Baby, listen to Daddy for a minute," Leon brushed the hair from her tear-stained face, forcing her to look at him, "Do you remember when we watched the cartoon 'all dogs go to heaven'? "

D/N nodded, clutching his arm. You were just reaching for the bedside table for paper handkerchiefs, taking out a couple of them, wiping her face while Leon was talking:

"Of course, the cartoon was about dogs, but it wasn't entirely true. In fact, not only dogs get to heaven, but also cats, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, it doesn't matter, all pets. And our Oliver is there now too."

"So he's just like Charlie now?" Her voice was hoarse from crying.

Leon nodded, hugging her to him. "Yeah, our Oliver is in the best place now, just like Charlie."

"Can't he wind up the clock too and stay with us a little longer? "

You cast a brief glance at Leon, either rejoicing at the brief glimmer of calm, or on the contrary disapproving of using the plot of an old cartoon as a consolation. On the other hand, what's wrong with a child believing that a pet has gone to heaven after death? At least it would help her start accepting death, because despite still young age, you didn't want to deceive her by coming up with excuses just to hide the painful truth.

It didn't seem like a good idea. So you reached out to D/N, joining the conversation without abandoning your husband in trouble:

"Sweetie, alas, but no. Oliver can no longer come back to us, but he knows that we love him and miss him. And he loves us too."

"Besides," Leon chimed in, "if you remember, no one had the right to wind that clock."

There was that deafening silence again, broken only by sighs and sniffing. Neither you nor Leon dared to speak again while Jane sat quietly on his lap with her eyes downcast, thinking about something of her own. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. After all, this cannot even be considered as such a deception, just a way to cope with the loss.

Cautiously glancing at his wristwatch, Leon saw what time it was and realized that Jane usually falls asleep at this time, but leaving her alone at such a moment... After kissing her on the forehead, Leon easily lifted her into his arms, feeling her arms around his neck as he carried her to your shared bedroom. You didn't even have time to understand anything, just watching with wide eyes as he nods at you in the direction of the door.

"We're not going to cry anymore, are we?" he asked D/N, and although she wiped her cheeks, she still shrugged her shoulders from ignorance, "I bought us all ice cream, so now we're going to wash our faces with you, and then mom will bring us a bucket of ice cream and the three of us will eat and watch cartoon, how do you like this plan?"

Finally she smiled nodding her head in agreement. How could you object? While they were washing in the bathroom, you straightened the bed, took a pillow and a blanket from the nursery and put them in the middle of the bed, then went downstairs, took them out of the freezer, not forgetting the spoons. By the time you returned to the room, Leon and D/N had already selected a cartoon, launched it for viewing and were waiting only for you.

laying down next to her side of the bed, dimming the light, you could see Jane was tired, but she still ate ice cream for a while, after which she settled comfortably under Leon's armpit, falling asleep pretty quickly without watching the cartoon. At least you can all get some sleep.

"So all pets go to heaven?" You asked quietly as you got into bed and watched Leon carefully place Jane's head on the pillow so that he could take a bath and go to bed himself.

He just sighed, grabbing a towel and a set of clothes from the closet, turning to you, speaking in a whisper so as not to wake the child.

"So be it. In the end, despite all the cat's antics, I also want to believe that this cat is now somewhere where he is good." He bent down to leave a short kiss on your lips.

"You don't believe it," you said, stopping him in the aisle, forcing him to turn around and look at you again. "Allright, the main thing is that it worked and she was able to calm down a little."

Leon looked at you sadly as you put the empty bucket on the bedside table lying down next to D/N. After all, it was difficult for you too, but crying in front of a child was unacceptable. However, he knew that you were the one who sheltered Oliver, which is why his death hurt you no less, if not more.

"It doesn't matter what I believe, with my job it's hard to believe in something like that, but now I really want to think that all pets go to heaven. And not only them..."

Fair or not, you both lay in bed for a long time without falling asleep, listening to your daughter's childish snores. After the shower, Leon held your hand for a long time in silence, realizing that it was not only Jane who really needed comfort, but you too.

All pets go to heaven... falling asleep you also wanted to believe that your Oliver is now in a place where he will never feel bad or that perhaps he will really come back again in the form of another cat.

[viaoverthemoon]

Behind Closed Doors

Thank y'all for all the votes!

Let me know if you all would like more, in which I can possibly post it in parts on here!

Leon Kennedy x Fem!Reader (Medieval Universe)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Summary: Your family's kingdom is under attack and Leon's family offers protection. Everyone thinks this is your first time seeing Leon ever since your betrothal. If only they knew...

Tw: MEDIEVAL TIMELINE AND SPEECH, some characters not from the RE-verse/they will be in later parts if y'all want it, mention of battle and injury (not detailed), fluff, SMUT, but it's kinda soft, p in v sex, unprotected sex, virginity loss, minor description of pain, fingering, orgasm denial(?), sorry the smut is long as hell, BUT ITS WORTH IT PROMISE, Sudden ending

18+!! NSFW!! MDNI!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!

Enjoy! <3

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The nature of the Kingdom of Duevaula is certainly not what you were expecting it to be.

People spoke of the lands as though it were surrounded by fires, commoners walking around subdued by chains are constantly guarded by cruel soldiers.

Instead, healthy trees grow far and wide around the kingdom, children running in the streets laughing as older kids chase them with no malice. Soldiers patrol the area, but most of them look carefree, conversating with locals and playing with the children.

"Sister? Are you alright?"

The voice of your sister pulls you from your thoughts, eyes drifting to the 12-year-old at your side as she places a hand on yours. "Yes, Nara Vella. I'm fine."

Of course, she sees right through you. "Are you certain? I know the events that took place at home may have been-"

"Nara... That is enough. Thank you for asking, but I am fine."

Nara Vella scrunches her nose, about to say more but the carriage comes to a stop and a trumpet blares.

"We're here."

You listen as The Herald announces your parents, the king and queen of The Kingdom of Islandia, but your heart can't stop pounding.

You and your sister rise just before your carriage door opens. Since you are the first born, your name is announced first.

"Announcing the firstborn Princess of The Kingdom of Islandia, (Y/N) (L/N)."

You stop out of the carriage accepting the footman's outstretched hand. All eyes are on you as your navy-blue skirts brush against the concrete, but your eyes are on one person alone.

Your sister is announced behind you, and you step forward to the man infront of you.

You drop into a curtsy. "Your highness."

He bows deeply. "My lady."

Your eyes meet his, the light of a secret hidden in your gazes. He offers an arm, and you accept it, walking with him behind both of your parents.

Prince Leon.

You were betrothed to him at the age of 6, back when your kingdoms were butting heads, resulting in a feud, and needed a way to end the hostility between them. 13 years later, everyone thinks this is the first time you've seen each other since. But it isn't.

Leon had first sent you a private letter when you were 13 years old, requesting your presence at a hidden lake that rested in the middle of your parents' territories. Your heart had raced, excited for a new adventure in life, and you immediately rushed to meet him there.

You've been seeing each other there for years, playing in the waters, having picnics in the soft grass, feeding each other strawberries and chocolates, and reading in silence. Just enjoying each other's presence.

You shared tiny kisses at the lake a few times, but never went any farther in fear of what could happen if anyone found out you'd lost your purity.

You smile at him and lower your voice. "It's been too long since I last saw you, your highness."

He hums, placing his hand on top of yours. You both know it's only been 2 weeks, but who's counting? "Yes, my lady. Far too long. I was beginning to forget the feeling of your soft lips against mine..." He lowered his head, brushing his lips against your ear. "Perhaps, when we are alone, you could remind me?"

☆

Hours later, you and your family sit in the dining room with the Kennedys. All parents, along with Leon, had been locked away in the war room for hours, discussing ways to save the Kingdom of Islandia after it was attacked by another kingdom that sought revenge against your father, the king.

You'd all barely escaped with your lives, most being unscathed, but you, your mother, and your personal guard Jill, hadn't recovered from a couple injuries. Your sister brings up this fact during dinner.

"If it wasn't for (Y/N), I would've been walking around with one leg instead of two!" She dramatically waves her hands around as you try to shush her, your cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"Nara Vella! Mind yourself! We do not speak of those events at the dinner table!"

She merely giggles, whispering an apology before returning to her plate. You sigh, about to turn back to your own food, but you feel a pair of eyes on you.

You glance at Leon from across the table through your peripheral, noticing his frown.

'Are you alright?' He mouths. You smile reassuringly and nod, raising a brow and offering a teasing smile.

'Worried about me, your highness?'

He only rolls his eyes, seemingly looking at his plate but peeking up at you through his lashes. 'Always, my lady.'

☆

You sit in your chambers after dinner, trying to sew a tear in the dress you'd worn on that fateful night.

It had been washed and dried, but it suffered damage from sword and arrow grazes. And you couldn't just let it be ruined. It's one of your favorites, a gift from your mother when you finally came of age.

It held far too many memories.

A soft knock comes from your door and, suspecting it was your sister, you call to it. "Enter."

You become frustrated with the sew, accidentally pricking your finger with the needle. You curse, yanking your hand away and to your mouth.

Admittingly, the stitch is not the only thing that has you frustrated.

After the feast, you'd tried to get Leon's attention so the two of you could find a moment alone. But he was instantly pulled away by his father, who began to speak of kingly duties and war experience.

You knew that talk would take a while.

"Nara Vella, I am truly not in the mood right now. This damn stitch is going to be the death of-"

"Is this how you speak when I am not around?"

You yelp, spinning around and dropping your materials.

Leon, your betrothed, leans against your chamber doors.

He smirks at you, approaching you at a slow pace.

"How did you- I thought your father would have you occupied for a while..." You stand, wringing your hands and shifting nervously, trying not to pay any mind to his predatory gaze. He offers a teasing smirk.

"I have my ways," He steps into your space, his chest nearly touching yours, and lifts a hand. You immediately relax, nuzzling your cheek into the palm of his hand.

He hums and you sigh, relishing in the presence of one another. "You're certain? That you are not hurt?"

You sigh, placing your hand on top of his. "Yes, Leon. I really am fine."

You feel him let out an exhale, his shoulders dropping in relief. "Good. Because if anyone left lasting damage on you, I'd take the throne right now and declare-"

You smack his chest, glaring up at him. "Leon! You will not declare war on a kingdom any time soon!"

He only throws his head back and laughs, caressing your cheek with his thumb. "Alright! Relax, my lady. I only jest..." You huff a breath through your nose, staring at his deep blue eyes and wide smile.

These were the moments you truly missed.

While the both of you tried to keep visitations strictly scheduled for once a month, it was pure torture to be away from him that long.

You inhale his air, a deep, husky scent of forest mixed with wildfire.

"I have prayed and waited every night to be in your arms again. I had never known this would be the reason why..." Your other hand grasps his shirt, holding onto him so tightly one would think he might disappear.

"Dreadful circumstance or not, I finally get to see your face again..." Leon raises your chin, your eyes shifting between his eyes and his lips. "And you, finally get to remind me of your taste..."

You could swear sparks fly when your lips meet.

Hot, searing passion colliding to create a love that is hidden behind closed doors. His fingers comb through your hair, your fingernails scratch against his loose sleeve shirt.

His tongue brushes against your lips and your heart leaps, your lips instinctively opening. A gasp comes from those parted lips. Your back arches and Leon chases you, hand lowering to grip the silk material of your robes.

He parts from you all too soon, dipping his head and placing wet kisses along your neck. A moan escapes your lips and the both of you freeze, a pause filled with red hot tension.

Your nails dig into his shoulder, breaths coming out in short, quick gaps. "Perhaps-... Perhaps we should stop..."

"We should..."

And yet, no one moves.

You swallow, throat feeling tight. "If my mother-... If our families ever found out about this-"

His head leaves the crook of your neck, eyes gazing down at you with powerful determination. "They won't."

Your breathing shakes. "But- When that time comes-"

His hands grab your cheeks, forcing you to look up at him. "They. Won't." His thumb strokes your bottom lip, blue eyes burning. "Do you trust me?"

Your answer is immediate. "Of course."

His lips twitch. "Good. Then know, that they will never know. And we will never be separated."

His confidence brings forth your own.

You know this decision is a big one. A lady handing a man her virtue is something that with bind her to him forever.

And while you hate the hold that purity has on the ways of society... You know Leon is the only man you would ever give yourself to.

Your eyes widen, a desperate gleam shining in them. "Take me, Leon."

☆

Your naked body shines in the moonlight, every curve and crevice on display for him, and him alone.

Leon stands at the foot of your bed, staring down at you with hazy, lust filled eyes.

You'd both stripped each other of their clothes in record time, a cluster of rushing hands and pitiful whines. You try not to stare at his... rather intimidating manhood, that stands tall and hard as rock. Albeit, he stares at you without shame.

His eyes rake over every inch over your body, starting at your ankles. Then moving to your legs, then your hips, your stomach, breasts, lips and finally your eyes. His bright blue oceans of eyes had turned into a deep dark sea, leaving you panting and burning.

You open your arms, reaching for him. "Well? Do not stand there and stare..." You somehow keep your voice steady, the whimper in your throat begging to be released.

He smirks, jerking himself a few times, before placing his hands on the bed and crawling toward you.

You hesitate, and then spread your legs. He settles between them, hot palms landing on your thighs and causing the skin to be set ablaze.

Your heart pounds in your ears, breathing turning heavy and legs shaking.

You're afraid. Excited! But afraid.

Many of the older ladies had said that their firsts were blissful, yet excruciatingly painful. But others said it was not as bad as it seems.

This left you with uncertainty, gooseflesh rising on your arms as you try your best to keep your emotions at bay.

But of course, Leon reads you like an open book.

He caresses the soft skin of your thighs, thumbs moving in small, calming circles. "You have nothing to fear, (Y/N)." He leans down, running his nose over your cheek. "Of course, I would never do anything to hurt you. It is never too late to stop-"

He barely gets the words out before your hands harshly grip his biceps. "No! I mean- um... I want this, Leon. More than anything." Your grip relaxes and you offer a reassuring smile.

He smiles back at you.

The heavy atmosphere returns when he leans down again, lips skimming your throat as his length nudges your sensitive ball of nerves.

You nearly jump out of your skin; a sharp gasp leaves you.

Leon feels your nervousness, and, luckily, knows just the cure.

A hand creeps down your body, getting lower... lower...

Until rough, calloused fingers slip between your folds.

A loud moan is quickly cut off by his lips.

Hopefully your guards aren't paying too close attention to your chambers...

Your knees bend, eyes clenching shut as Leon swallows all of your noises. His fingers work slow circles of pleasure into your clit, the sensation one you've never felt before.

Much like getting too close to a hot fire in the blazing cold of a harsh winter, it warms your insides and leaves your outside wanting more.

You throw your head back, the back of your fist flying to your mouth as you try to hold back the sounds your throat nearly let's burst out.

"Hah... Leon-..."

His name rolls from your tongue as a soft whisper, words stuttering off into a sharp inhale as his fingers graze over your soaking hole.

Your other hand grips the soft sheets, body giving in as he completely takes control. Your eyes lock with his.

He's deep in concentration, breathing shallow and sweat matting his blonde hair to his forehead.

Gaze lowering, you see the angry red color of his girth. It throbs, begging for attention while trying its hardest to sit still and look pretty.

"Nuh-uh. Eyes up here, princess." Your glossy eyes snap back to his, mouth slightly agape and brows pulled together. Leon smirks, pleased with your expression. "You can make that up to me later. But this moment, is for you."

His other hand gently removes your hand from your lips, soft sighs coated in ecstasy falling from them immediately.

The pressure builds as you roll your hips to meet his fingers. He slowly slides a finger into you, watching your expression as it shifts. He keeps another finger working on your nerves, so the one inside only adds to the pleasure.

You cry out when he adds a second one, now feeling a slight sense of discomfort, but still pleasure. He nuzzles his nose into your neck, mumbling praises. You're surprised by the sound of his voice, slurring slightly as if he'd indulged in a tin of ale.

"Good job, princess... Doing such a good- hngh~... Does that- feel good, my lady?"

Your body seems to like the sound of Leon, if the new wave of slick was anything to go by.

You feel the knot in your lower stomach tighten, your moans raising in volume as your back arches. You feel something coming. Not sure what it is, but your legs begin to shake. You wait in anticipation, every thought focused on the new stage of euphoria this feeling was going to bring... until Leon completely pulled away his hand.

You gasp, eyes snapping open. Your body falls limp as you catch your breath. "Wha-... Why-"

"I hope you do not mind if I become a little selfish, my lady..."

Your eyes snap to him, sitting up on your elbows and ready to reprimand him for denying you of your bliss, but your words are blown away.

Leon sits up on his knees, manhood curved upward in his hand as he strokes the length. Wet, sticky liquid leaks from the red tip, veins protruding from every angle.

Your air is taken away, leaving only enough to let out a sharp exhale.

"But... I want you coming undone only on my cock."

You eye him, switching between his eyes and his... cock, before nodding slowly. "Okay... Okay, Leon."

He leans down again, pressing wet kisses on your neck and cheeks, as his length glides between your folds. "I will not move until you're ready..." And then, he begins pushing himself inside.

Your nails dig into his shoulders with a gasp. His hand grips the pillows as he grunts. Both of you release soft noises of pain, holding onto each other as he continues to slowly enter you.

You hold back a scream when he finally bottoms out, doing your best to relax as to not hurt him anymore. You feel his soft kisses on your face as he apologizes continuously, hand roaming the skin of your waist as the other rubs circles into your clit again.

After what feels like forever, the pain slowly subsides and makes room for pleasure. Your grip on his shoulders loosens. You instead put them around his neck, digging your hands into his hair. "I'm ready, Leon... You can move-"

His hips snap against yours without warning.

You cry out, clinging to him as he begins to thrust into you at an animalistic rate. He grunts with every thrust, caging your body in as he loses himself.

"I have waited so long-. Please, please forgive me, sweet angel-"

Heavy panting and the smell of sex fills the air, the sound of skin meeting skin resounding within the room. Your moans and pleas do nothing to teeter the wild and rough movements of Leon's hips. He growls into your neck, holding your hips to keep you from getting away.

The knot is seconds away from snapping, but it feels stronger than it was before. Different even... Almost like you need to run to the pot. You feel overwhelmed, pushing at Leon's shoulders. "I can- I can't! It's too much- Ah! Leon-!"

The band snaps.

You scream, toes curling and back arching.

Your body pushes out a wave of liquid, most likely soiling your sheets. The feeling burns you inside and out, tensing all of your muscles and leaving you weak and trembling. You pant heavily, body still jerking from Leon roughly thrusting into you.

The after-bliss you'd once felt begins to feel uncomfortable. Overstimulated, you claw at his biceps in hopes of getting his attention.

He groans when he hears you whine. "Almost- Almost there-"

His thrusts get sloppy, his cock hitting somewhere so deep that it somehow prolongs the burn. You bite his collarbone to keep from screaming again.

It would seem that was his final push, as he pushes deep inside of you, releasing a low, husky groan and throwing his head back.

You watch as his entire body shudders, his grip on your hips tightening so much you're sure you'll have bruises in the morning.

A warm rush of liquid flows into you, seeming to be a never-ending flow as Leon falls limp, landing right beside you.

You'll definitely have to bribe your guards in the morning.

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Whoops!

Sorry for ending it like that! If you guys want this to have more, let me know! I'll pick it up from here!

Let me know what you think!

Hope you enjoyed! <3

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

[ivy-loves-chocolate]

I saw you wanted some ideas for Leon so here’s mine: you’re hiding with him in the RPD from Mr.X in the stars office, and the more you talk the more you realize you’re into each other. A small make-out session turns into something more and Mr.X becomes your last worry.

Btw, I loved your recent Leon fic :3

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ N o t e ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ I found this in my drafts with a few paragraphs written and decided to finish it. I'll start the year with a smut, haha. Thank you, anon for the idea, and I'm sorry I made you wait 🙏❤️. I hope you like this 😊. I wanna write more about him, so keep the requests coming! Also, your feedback is appreciated ❤️.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ P a i r ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ Leon S. Kennedy x F!Reader

I take commissions so if you're interested check my Ko-Fi. ❤️

You were both panting as you barely escaped the monster that was chasing you relentlessly all night. He was tall and strong, and bullets didn't kill him. From the distance, it looked like a normal person given the simple outfit; he was wearing a hat and a trenchcoat, both black, but from up close, he was rather scary due to his grey skin and dead eyes. The height also added to the intimidating factor.

How did he end up dressed that way? You asked yourself as you saw him kneeling on the ground. Leon just emptied a clip by shooting his head. Apparently, bullets stop him for a bit, giving you a chance to run. Still, you couldn't help but be amused by his attire.

"Who the fuck gave this thing a fedora?" You asked quietly as you passed near him. "Like, it has to be custom made or something? Look at the size of its head…"

"Probably, but I think we have more important things to worry about right now."

You hurried outside the library and never stopped running. They just kept coming… from all directions. You tried blocking some windows, but it was useless.

All this time, you followed Leon's command, as he seemed more collected, even if he was just a rookie. You had a hunch that he was trying to impress you, and you had two reasons. One, you heard him curse like a sailor around the station before meeting him—something that didn't happen when he was with you—and two, you caught him staring at you a few times. He'd looked away every time you turned your attention to him, but he couldn't hide that smirk.

"This way," he whispered as he gently closed the door behind him.

"Where to-"

"Shh," he said, pointing to the ceiling. Your face turned pale at the sight of the horrendous creature that was crawling. Its sharp, long claws tapped on the surface as he walked on all fours; its brain was popping out, and he didn't appear to have any eyes. Terrified, you froze in place, but Leon grabbed your hand and guided you into the corridor.

"Just watch your steps, ok?" he whispered again in a soft voice, trying to soothen you. "Don't look at it; you'll be fine. Just stick with me."

With steady steps, you made your way to the STARS office and closed the door behind you. Leon pressed his ear on the door, and once he heard the licker crawling away, he told you that you were safe.

You let out a sigh of relief. You hadn't realised you were holding your breath until now.

"Good. Listen, do you mind if we rest a bit here? It's too much cardio for me," you joked.

"Sure, I could use some rest too."

The STARS office was clear, and you found supplies too. Some medicine, ammo, food, and water felt like a gift sent from God. There was also an armory, but it needed to be unlocked from the computer. A reminder that your work is far from done. Still, you tried to enjoy your small break. Leon was sitting at one desk from the edge, and you were sitting next to him. Behind you was a nice brown leather jacket, which you considered taking, but it was too big to fit you. The team's belongings were intact, making you wonder why they closed the unit so suddenly.

"Where do you think they are? Do you think they are safe?" you asked Leon, who was busy starring in the blank.

"They are probably doing better than we are. Those guys were elite."

"I think we're holding up pretty well, considering you're a rookie and I never touched a gun."

"Yeah…you almost blasted my brains back then," he chuckled.

"I'm sorry about that." You said it soflty and gently squeezed his forearm as a sign of comfort. "But you burst through that door, and I panicked."

"It's alright," he said, smiling. He smoothly slid his arm to the edge so he could grab your hand. Your fingers intertwined quickly.

"Thanks for the quick lesson, tho…it came in handy."

"No problem, you're a natural," he winked, which made you blush.

"Yeah, but I kinda had a great teacher."

"What can I say? I work best under stress."

You both chuckled. A short pause followed, in which both of you just stared at each other. Leon wanted to say so many things to you. He wanted to praise you for being so brave and for taking care of him; he wanted to tell you how lucky he feels to have found you in this mess, but he didn't know where to start.

"You ok?" you asked, seeing that he got lost in his thoughts again.

"Yeah, I'm fine… I was grateful for having you with me; that's all."

"Really? For a moment, I thought I slowed you down."

"Me slowing you down? You're faster than me. You actually left me behind a couple of times."

"Oh, that? I thought you did that on purpose...just trying to get rid of me."

He chuckled.

"Nah...I never wished to get rid of you. I really like having you around." He said.

"Me too..."

Neither of you let go of the other's hand.

You both stopped talking. Your smiles dropped and your eyes closed as you leaned forward towards each other. Soon, your lips touched over and over again, filling the room with faint sounds of kissing. You were both shy at first, but Leon got more courageous and came closer to you. His hands found your waist, and you cupped his face, prolonging the kiss. Soon, you felt Leon's tongue trying to find yours, and the kiss got a lot more intense.

Not carrying about Mr.X and other threats, you climbed onto Leon's lap and continued to kiss him with the same passion. Now you were closer to each other as you wrapped your arms around his neck, and he wrapped his big arms around your waist, hugging you and keeping you close.

It shows that Leon craved this kind of affection and intimacy from the sweet whimpers that came out occasionally.

"Wait…" he said as he broke the kiss. "I know a more comfortable chair…"

You didn't know what he meant until he suddenly stood up while managing to carry you and went to Wesker's office. He was a strong fella.

On his way, he never ceased to kiss you, becoming even more eager.

He sat on Wesker's chair, which was more comfortable and much bigger than the previous one. Since your legs had more room to rest, you had the strength to roll your hips over his crotch, letting out small, deep whimpers as you felt his bulge growing between your legs.

His hands squeezed your flesh as they ran along your waist. His muscles relaxed under your precise movements. His needy whines filled the room as you kept moving faster.

"Y/N…" He whispered shyly, breaking the kiss for a few seconds before coming to taste your lips again. He felt his cock throbbing in his pants. He wanted you; he craved you. It was unbearable.

You felt the same way, and your cunt was throbbing with excitement as you thought about him inside you…he felt…big…

With fast movements, you took your pants off, and then you proceeded to strip him off. His cock jumped in the air once his boxers slipped past those big thighs of his, and oh, what a sigh it was. He was long, thick, and leaked heavily in front of your eyes. You watched how a droplet of his precum glided along his length, making you drool. His tip glistered as it was basically drenched in his own juices.

You teasingly tapped his tip with one of your fingers, which made him whine loudly.

"Y/N…" he said, his attempt to maintain his composure being obvious.

"Shh. Just stick with me." You said this, looking at him with siren eyes.

You climbed back, one leg slidding next to him, and the other followed slowly. You raised a bit and aligned yourself above his tip. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you began to descend slowly and gasped when you felt his cock entering inside you. When he felt himself inside you, he pulled you again in a passionate, eager kiss.

Moans and whimpers filled Wesker's office quickly. You let out sharp, deep exhales as you took more and more of him. You struggled a bit at first, but both of you were so wet that after a few thrusts, you slid up and down with ease. Leon moved his hands to your ass, squeezing your cheeks hard with every throb of his cock. Not only did you feel him leak inside you, but you also felt how he rubbed that sweet spot inside you. It was pure bliss, which turned your mind foggy.

He also thrust his hips from beneath you, matching your own rhythm. You allowed yourselves to sink deeper into each other's touch without being bothered by what was happening out there. The kiss became messier, the touching more intense, and the thrusts more erratic as you chased your own release.

However, Leon felt that his time would come sooner, so he lifted you spontaneously and placed you on the desk, knocking down everything that would make you uncomfortable. Was that too loud? He didn't care.

"You are so strong, officer." You teased him and gave him the same dirty look, enjoying how that made him visibly weaker. He rolled his eyes and lowered his head a bit to the side, trying to hide his blushing cheeks.

His cock was halfway inside you now, and his arm rested near your head. With a deep breath, he began to thrust inside you, and he maintained eye contact this time. His face was still red, but not because of embarrassment, but because of how good your cunt made him feel. You wrapped your legs around his waist so you could feel him deeper.

His pace was slow at first, and he didn't go all in. It was pleasant, of course, but you wanted more, so you gently pulled him closer with your legs.

Understanding your intentions, he went all in, his balls constantly slapping your skin with each thrust. His breathing became faster, and your moans became louder as he finally hit that spot inside you again. When he picked up the pace, he placed his big thumb at your clit and stroked it fast. You felt a familiar pressure in your lower belly, and your throbbing cunt gave him a clue that you were about to cum.

"Leon…don't stop…" You said it between whimpers.

With his final strength, he went even faster with both his thrusts and strokes, and finally, he felt your wall clenching around his cock. With rolled eyes and curled toes, you grabbed his forearms as the orgasm hit you hard. A few seconds after your climax, you heard his moans getting louder. Then you felt hot spurts of his cum filling you up fast.

Both of you were trying to catch your breath now. Leon collapsed on top of you and allowed himself to indugle with your gentle touch for a few moments. Your arms were tightly wrapped around his tired body, with one hand playing with some strands of his blonde, smooth hair. The other caressed his back.

His nose was buried in your neck, enjoying the warmth and comfort that your body provided.

"I never thought I'd get laid on my first day as a police officer," he muffled, making you chuckle.

"Well, I bet you never expected a zombie apocalypse either."

"To be honest, if you would've asked me a few days ago which was more likely to happen, I'd go for the zombie apocalypse."

You chuckle again.

"You need to be more confident, Leon." Your fingers moved to his nape. "You're a great guy."

Once he felt your feather-like touch, he sighed with satisfaction.

"Oh yeah, just like that."

You began to massage gently. All this time, he remained inside you, and neither of you protested.

"You like that?"

He let out an affirmative hum.

"I'll tell you what," you began in a soft, calming voice. "When this is over, we keep in touch and go on a normal date. To get to know each other, you know?"

"Sounds good, but we need to get out of here in one piece…"

"Hmm…yeah…let's do that then."

He pulled out eventually and helped you get dressed.

You slowly made your way out of the STARS office, then made your way further into the station, looking for a way out. Now you look at the situation with a little more hope. Maybe it's because of the sex, or maybe you realised you have someone to count on. Who knows, but one thing is sure: you lived to go on your first date.

Tag-list: @lunarastrobabe @skylar-todd@rokurodokuro@brownsugarwrites (if you want to be added DM me 🤗)

[quigonswife8]

Saved her first: Leon Kennedy x reader

After he saved her first, you fight.

——

A/N: thank you for 90 something likes on my last fic, that means so much to me SOBS. especially since that was the first thing I posted since last year so thank you again.

BTW I'M NOT HATING ON ADA. I love Ada she's one of my favourite characters just for this fic you kinda hate her. I can’t come up with titles i swear😭

Warnings: Angst, sad, fight, implications of more than romance in a few parts.

Gif creds: @leon-jpg

----

Ada Wong. The name like poison on your tongue. The red-dressed mercenary, here one minute, gone the next. The woman, always seems to linger, like shadows on a forlorn path.

The first time you and the merc met, you were fixing him up- Leon Scott Kennedy. Ada had walked over a hint of something in those eyes. She eyed you confused, then looked over at Leon a hint of familiarity in her eyes.

They know eachother?

"Hello Leon."

"Ada...." Leon had replied, low and with a quiet grunt. He wouldn't even stare her in the eyes, only keeping those eyes on you, the person he secretly loves. Ada can tell something is going on...her eyes go to his finger no ring, then they fall onto you.

This "Ada" doesn't seem annoyed by you, though you still can't help but feel insecure next to her. She's so beautiful, her outfit clinging to her like perfection, surely Leon loves that...right?

"Well i'll be going." that's it? "see you around.".

The woman gives a wink to both of you before disappearing, and Leon rolls his eyes. He's very cute you can't help but smile a little at his reaction to this woman. Though soon you grow glum and Leon, once he turns to you, notices your change in attitude.

"She's nothing more than a friend to me."

Despite only being friends Leon takes your hand in his and gives it a reassuring squeeze. His blue eyes try and meet yours and when he's successful you note the small smile on his lips. Oh how you wanna kiss those lips so bad...

"Who...is she Leon-"

"We met in racoon." He replies not meaning to cut you off. A sigh follows and he runs a hand through his messy hair, "I was 21 at the time I told you, and she came along and turned my world upside down. As cheesy as that sounds, I liked it...liked how she made me feel. Then everything...stuff happened, and I met you, and I knew I had...found my person."-

-

After that day, one year later to be exact, you became a thing. After a kiss in the rain, his fingers running along your cheek, a question fell from the agent's lips. "be mine?" he'd whispered so softly into your ear, so softly it was almost like he could put you to sleep- not in a bad way, of course.

After spending the night together where he held you so gently and livingly, the next day he woke you up with breakfast in bed. Things only got better after that day, they seemed to be going well. Leon had gotten a promotion, you were scheduled to meet someone big for a job, and on top of that, your romantic life was pretty good.

That was...until Ada returned.

-

"I'm sorry!-"

"What a lie Kennedy.", you snap, scoffing. Dragging yourself to the half-opened supply chest you take some medicine for the headache brought on by him.

"If you were sorry you would have saved me first, not your her."

It's heartbreaking; Leon swore to you that he would always choose you, he made a promise. The two of you had gotten into a serious relationship and yet as soon as she returns it's like the past.

There was a monster. A scary, uneven limbed monster that had treaded towards the three of you. It had managed to disarm you so there was no way to grab the weapon. However it also disarmed her, Leon being the only one with a weapon still. It was choosing between the two of you to kill, you had expected Leon to run over and protect you.

He...didn't . He had run over to Ada first and protected her, while you were forced to watch. It was like someone had stabbed you in the heart and ripped said heart out, that's how much it hurt. Leon realised what he had done...he had looked over and seen your reaction, his heart breaking.

"How could you-"

"I'm sorry!"

Leon repeats, pacing the room. His hand sliding through his messy hair, his eyes to the floor- those eyes that look at you with such love now contain regret and pain.

"I-"

"No."- you cut him off with a scoff, your eyes full of tears. Tugging on the bandage of your right hand you shake your head.

"...no I...I need space-"

"Please-"

The fight only escalates from there. Leon grows angry, the two of you falling into a yelling match yet neither seem to want to say what's said. After the fight you end up storming out leaving Leon behind in tears and anger.

---

The house is dark when you return. The memory of playing monopoly the previous evening, nothing more than that- a memory. The stains on your cheeks evidence of the tears that have fallen for the past few hours. The house is cold, depressing, it makes you miss his arms around you despite being mad at him.

Memories of...that fight replay. You can barely even remember half of what was said. In the past, yeah, you've fought, just never this serious. Never in a way that threatened an end to your relationship.

With careful yet shaking fingers you take the phone off the wall and sit down on the leather couch. He used to hold you here, now all that occupies this space is one person- you. With those same shaky fingers you scroll to your photo gallery- your screen becomes wet as the heartbreak sets in.

That day you had been so happy...now you feel like dying.

"Leon!"

You scream into the empty house, sobs wracking your broken body. The phone makes a thud hitting the ground, your knees coming up to your chest. It hurts, you just wish you could go back in time and prevent the argument from happening. Both of you messed up, while you blame him for the whole fight you know you messed up too.

"LEON!"

It's pointless. Leon is never coming back to you, you'll always be lonely....although, only your brain convinces you of this. Leon never said this he only scoffed and treaded to, you're sure, the nearest bar to drown his sorrows.

Pressing your body onto the couch you close your eyes drifting off into more sorrow

Time skip

He should be at a bar, drowning his sorrows in alcohol- that's what usually happens...right? No, this time it's different. He's walking through the almost-desolate store hands full of your favorite things. "it's my fault" he says out loud not caring if he looks crazy right now.

Leon holds back his tears, while walking to the car. The non-motorbike which he would usually have, but ended up crashing, sits in the parking spot. Leon gets flashbacks of all the times you've driven around, his hand in yours, planting kisses to your cheeks.

"I'm such an idiot."

Leon loads everything into the car and hops in. Sighing softly he starts up the car and drives off to your shared home praying that you'll forgive him.

----

"I'm sorry."

His hands are around you, practically crushing you. His tears soak the white t-shirt that clings to you, his face buried so deeply. Leon is a mess which is rare since he doesn't like showing these types of emotions often.

"Baby please forgive me."

His hands shake, his heart racing so fast you can feel it.

"...was such a fool, I messed up. I didn't mean to- damn it" and like before he clings to you, except this time it's tighter. Leon holds you like he's holding the world, like if he lets you go then the "world" will disappear. He crushes you not even caring, the fear takes over anything else.

"You hurt me by choosing her."

"I know- I know baby I know"

Leon looks up at you, his lip quivering. He stares at you terrified of losing you. He runs a hand along that same scar, pressing forward to press a wet kiss to your cheek. "...i'll make it up to you I promise, ti amo." Leon brushes his stubble against your cheek- "Ti amo...ti amo tanto."

His Italian makes you swell, even though you're upset with him. It's like he's breaking down your defenses slowly yet surely, yet that fight still lingers. How you found out they slept together, the complicated yet intimate feelings they shared, the way they shared a kiss the night everything changed for him.

"If you really don't love her-"

"I don't! I stopped loving her when I fell for you."

Leon leans closer, wiping the tears from your cheeks- you never realized you started crying. He smiles weakly his hands taking yours.

"I love you. Always, baby."

Leon waits, he waits to see if you'll realise he's right. If you'll kiss him, hug him, hold him like before. The waterworks threaten to spill, you stare at him in silence....there's nothing but silence. The intimacy and heartbreak are the only emotions present right now....and Leon waits.

He waits...waits, hoping you'll forgive him- if you don't, he's not sure what he'll do. In one last attempt he mutters your name...the sound of your name on his lips...finally seeming to break you. With your left hand you raise it and touch his tear covered cheek...and with your right you wipe the tears away.

"I forgive you and I..." You sigh. "I'm still a bit upset at what you did but I...I messed up too. I love you."

Just like that Leon pulls you into a tight, "scared of letting you go" like before, kiss. He causes you to melt into the kiss, kissing back with such love and lust, almost causing a needy whine to fall from your lips. He holds you tight in his arms the kiss drawing out, something both of you desperately needed.

--

I don't know how to end fics istg but hope ya'll like this anyways :)

[cosmic-spider]

Triangle

<< Gideon

A few days after the Gideon incident you were hired by Stan to work at the shake. Since you did a painting of a kelpy. That Mable then put it up for sale.

Surpassingly there was a biding war on  who got to buy it. The customer even started to fight each other at one point.

When Stan saw this happen pluss the fact that one painting was sold at $453. He immediately asked if you wanted to make more paintings like that.

You said yes but only if you got a fifty of the money you get from the sold artwork. Stan was skeptical at first until he was that the painting could be sold at a high price. Plus he would still get a few hundred from just half the profit.

So he agreed to terms and conditions of the agreement. Currently you were chilling in the empty gift shop as you wrote down what you were going to paint.

— — — — — — — — time skip — — — — — — —

You watched as Mable and Wendy were having one of there random dance parties for no reason. As well as Dipper of to the side pretending to write down on a clipboard. As he looked at Wendy this the oh so familiar crushing look he gave Wendy.

"Oh no I know that look." You whispered to your self as you saw the look on dipper.

As Mable told Wendy the story of the lambí dance. You then see how embarrassed Dipper looked.

The clock on the wall then chimes telling that it was now 6pm. "Hey look at that, quitting time." Wendy said as he took of her name tag and started to leave the gift shop.

"Hey wait what if I— I mean we come with you?" Dipper asked as he tried to his the fact that he wanted to hang out with Wendy.

"Oh I don't know my friend are pretty intense." Wendy told us as she stoped in her tracks. "How old did you say the three of you were?"

" W-we're thirteen so technically a teen and y/n is 16" Dipper said rather quickly and nervously.

"Ok I like your moxie kid. Just let me get my stuff." Wendy told us as she then went. In to the employees area to get her things.

Dipper then turned around and looked at us. "Since when we're you two thirteen?" You questioned Dippers with a raised eyebrow.

Dipper then lied about being able to hang out with the cool kids. Mable then started to chant about Dipper having a crush an Wendy.Mable then ran up stairs saying something about getting ready. But before Dipper could walk off. You got up and stoped him.

"Dipper as you're now honorary big sister I have to talk to you about this." You told him as you healed both this shoulders.

"What what are you talking about?" Dipper said as he tried to act like he didn't have a crush on Wendy.

"Dip don't lie to me I know that you have a crush an Wendy. And I just want to tell you that it's not going to work. She's five years older than you. Plus I've been in your shoes before. Trust me when I tell you this." You told Dipper as you see the look in his eyes as the hope fades.

"Hey I know that me telling you this is a let down but I'm just telling you the truth.But hey you can still hang out with her and whatever. I'm just telling you what is most likely to happen.  So just do your own thing."

"Ok I see your point and we'll yeah I can understand your reasoning thanks sis"Dipper told you as he gave you a hug.

The three of you then got out the shake to meet up with Wendy's friends. While they were doing some type of weird game.

"Hey guy's these are my friends from work." Wendy told them as we introduce ourselves. Mable then showed a guy she was chewing and Dipper tried to act cool. But was only meet by silence.

"Hi I'm Y/n." You introduced your self to them. The guy with a stitched heart then made a comment about babysitting.

"Guys this is. Leon and Nate." The two then punched each other.

"Tambry" the girl with diyed hair only said a small hey as she didn't look up from her phone.

" Thompson, that once ate a run over waffle for fifty cents." She pointed guy in a mustered yellow collar shirt. As he told her to to tell us about the small bit of information.

" And Robbie you can figure him out" a guy that looks like your average my space emo boy that tries to act like he has no feelings.

"Yeah I'm the guy that spray painted the water tower." He told us as he tried to act cool.

"Oh you mean the big muffin?" You and Dipper said at the same time. " Jinx Dip you owe me five bucks." You called out.

"Hey No far that was out of nowhere." Dipper told you as he lightly punched your side.

"Um it's a giant explosion not a muffin!" Robbie called out mad as we all turned to look at the muffin.

"Huh? Oh forgot you were here for a second emo." You said as you looked at the poorly made ( explosion) on the water tower. As Nate and Leon laughed at the muffin looking explosion.

"Haha it's really good for a starter ." You said as you then got out a sketch book and finished up one of your latest sketches.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robbie yelled out defensive.

"Wow there I'm just saying that a good looking explosion for now even if it looks like a muffin." You then show him your sketchbook with a few small sketches of explosions.

"If you want some tips you can give it more of a mushroom shape on the top clouds. You can also switch up the colors so that way you can give it more of a look of a exposing."

Robbie only grumbled as the others complimenting your sketches. "Yeah whatever." Robbie said sarcastically as he just looked away."Well either way let's get going I have plans for tonight." Wendy said as they all get into the van.

"Y'all go ahead without me. I want to go look for more inspiration for my art." You told Wendy as the twins got into the van.

"Ok then y/n see you tomorrow." Mable yelled from inside the van. Then Thompson then drove off.

— — — — — — — Time skip — — — — — — — —

After a bit of wondering in the woods you see many weird creatures. From seeing Ness and there baby in the lake. To going inside a cave and seeing some flaying eye bats.

You eventually got tied and fell asleep on a hill.You slowly then see that you were in a cave like place with water around the bottom that looked like galaxies.  Around the area were floating stars that seem to be made out of crystals.

As you wondered around in the cave you then see that all the stars that were floating around were actually memories each different color for different things.

Y/N MIND

Yellow •   Happy

Light brown •CHILDHOOD

Purple •NIGHTMARES

Gray•FEARS

Pink • Love

Red  • Anger

Blue • Sadness

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Broken stars  •N̵̙̼͎̓̃͘͠o̵̪͚̘͇̟̮͓̠͓͊͂̄̄̀̽̉͊͘ͅ$̵̠͚̜͓̜̪͕̙̞̠̹̬͓͓̂t̴̫̂͋̑̈ ̶̧̘̮̣͉͚̊ţ̴̨̛͓͍͖͈̹̗̮̳͛̄̎̈̇̅́͗̅̕̚o̸̲̭͍̲̯̩̦͖͔̪̬̻̳̰͖̔͆̿͜ͅ ̶̙̞͙̱͇͔̊͂̾̽͗̇̐̒̅̽̓͐&̶̨̧̲̺͖̪̟͙͓̞̝̘͔̩̦̀́̌̎͊͛̂͑̊̐͝@̶̨̥͈̜̮̱̳̯̻͐̈́̅͌̈̃́b̴̢̗͔͎͇̯͉̦̫̲͈̠̼̰̓ě̵͇̪̲̦̮̻̪̉̓͐̎͆̓́ͅͅ $̶̧̞̹͉̘͊̽̊̿̈́̽̍̔̈̅̇̍̅̄̈́͝@̴̢̡̯͚͙̦̠̖̬͎̟̝̼̉̄̓͌͆̽̀̈́́͗͜͠ͅ&̵͙̪̙̩̝̦͌̍̀̀̀̾͆̕&̴̰̠͍̎̽̀̃͊̀͑̅̃̕ś̶͉̣̟̬̤̙̟̞̜͍̲͓͚̫̤̘̈́̋̆̑̓̔̈̄͆̽̐̆͜e̵̡̛̛͙͎͔͖͎̣̱̲͇͒̌̐̾͌̈̉̈́̇́͑̚̕͝é̷̡̧̝͖̺̥̫̲̞͚̹̘͓̓̇̇͛͆̊͜͝ͅn̸̢̢̟̗̘̩̬̯̐̌̿̈́̆̈́͐͊̈́͛̆̍̈̃̔͝͠

As you keep walking around the cave you then in an area of yellow childhood memory stars. "Hmm, if this is my mind then I can go back to when I was little and see what the other Glyphs combinations are."

You said out loud as you then walked around looking in other areas. Watching were you stepped and not stepping into the galaxy water puddles. Going into a different area you then see some light brown stars and see memories with a smaller version of you in the crystal stars.

As you kept grabbing the stars and seeing throw them and then letting go back into the sky. Continuing to look throw them you then notice something floating of in the distance only to then see a floating yellow triangle?

The triangle didn't notice you as it then went to some stars as it quickly went throw a few then went to another areas.

"Hey! why are you looking for something! Plus who are you? What are you doing in my mind?"  You questioned the triangle.

The triangle only stared at you in surprise as you both stare at each other for a bit. So much that you we're able to see every detail it had.

From the one eye, top hat, and bow tie. To the small libs and brick pattern it had.The triangle then moved its hand from side to side watching you as your eyes fallowed this hand.

" So you can really see me. Huh?" The triangle said as it then put its hand up to its body in a thinking position.

"If I couldn't I wouldn't be talking to you." You told the triangle as you walked past him as you put the stars he was looking throw back into there's areas were they were floating.

"What are you even even doing in my mind while I'm sleeping?" You questioned the triangle as you then continued to look.

"Well don't you just get to the point. Names Bill Cipher for your information. Your not supposed to be in gravity falls for what I know."  The triangle now know as Bill said and he then floated around you.

“I don't live here but still." You said as you continued to look throw stars.

Bill only floats around the place as he then takes a star out your hands. "what I mean is most meatbags aren't able to get to there mind space. For some reason you can. It's unusual?"

“ It's not really something someone that just came into my mind gets to know?" You say as you put your hands on your hips realizing that the triangle looks the same from the one in the journal.

"That's what you think. But I don't work your your logic. So I will do what I want." The triangle says as he continued to float around quickly.

You tried to keep up with Bill but he was to fast. After a bit you lose track of him as he floated of in the cave. As you keep looking for the triangle you then see that everything was started to fade.

You then wake up and see that you were in the hill with your sketchbook next to you. Seeing the sunset was going down and it was getting dark fast. You started to get up and grabbing your stuff you went back to the cabin for the night.

The unsettling felling of being watched was still there, but the moment you went inside the cabin it stopped. 

"Huh? Must be the magical property's of the cabin?" You mumbled as you went to shower and get changed for the night.

[inkievoid]

I just finished seeing this tik tok, and an idea popped into my mind…☹️

One day you’re looking through your closet, just organizing and throwing out old things you and Leon don’t really need anymore. There’s a pretty large box tucked under a pile of dust, reluctantly opening it hoping to not find some dead spider or something.

Opening the box, you find so many recordings, cameras, photos, photo books, Polaroids, just filled of you, Leon, and your kiddos. You couldn’t help but get a bit emotional, remembering the time when Violet could barely even walk…Her adorable little baby cheeks, cute and silly poses she’d do.

Now she was all grown up, barely even wanting to take pictures because it was ‘embarrassing’. You’d find a couple of Cecilia as well, not many for Scottie thanks to modern technology and everything being on phone now. It hurt your heart a little bit seeing everything. Videos on old dusty cameras of them running around in the yard while Leon chased them, picking little Violet up in his arms and smothering her with kisses as she erupted into her sweet giggles.

You’d look through all of those for hours, getting a bit teary eyed as you found old pictures of you and Leon together. When the two of you were still young and could do anything without kids, pictures of when he took you to the paramore concerts.

You were grateful for being able to watch your kids grow up; you really were. But sometimes you wished you could just turn back the clock, hold them one last time before they ultimately decided they didn’t wanna be held by mommy anymore.

Let’s just say, Leon found you sniffling in the closet and you rambled to him for what felt like hours. But he just held you and listened, pressing kissed to the top of your head. Like a good husband does.

- Anon! 🎀

(Live reaction of me tearing up over these fake children growing up... 🎀Anon it's your fault!!!!)

Leon would rub your back, sitting on the floor of the closet as he held you close. You stare down at the old picture from the day Cecilia was born. You remember it so vividly...

Leon coming back into the hospital room with Violet as she excitedly ran over to you holding baby Cecilia, barely an even hour old yet. Leon picked her up and sat her up next to you in bed so she could see her baby sister closer.

"She's got your eyes mommy, just like me!" She squeals, kicking her feet as she moved in closer to your side, cuddling up to you nicely. The flash hit your eyes as you look up, watching Leon take a picture of the moment, wiping his eyes as he sniffed and joined you to greet your baby girl into the world...

"I just want our babies to be babies again..." You take in a shaky breath as you put the picture back and slide the lid back on.

"Sweetheart, they're still our babies. Just bigger."

"I know..." You look up at him, blinking the tears down your cheeks, you can even see he's starting to get a little choked up.

"Violet doesn't even like being seen with us half the time... She's almost 14. Lia's going into middle school in a few months and Scott... He's gonna be talking soon... Why can't they just stay small?" Leon chuckles, smiling affectionately as he kisses your head and helps you up.

"I know. They grew up too fast. But we gotta let it happen."

"Says the man that sobbed when his oldest stopped calling him daddy."

"I know I'm a hypocrite, you don't have to rub it in." He leans in kissing your forehead and rubbing your arms. "C'mon, come spend time with the kids at the dinner table while I finish cooking dinner."

You nod following him out of your room and downstairs, rubbing your eyes as you walk into the kitchen. Violet sitting at the table blasting music over her bright pink headphones while staring at her phone as Lia finishing up a project from her girl scout meeting. Scott makes grabby hands at you from his highchair. You walk over, scooping him up as you look at your two girls, years older now.

Violet with her hair under a black beanie and no longer in pigtails or ribbons and Lia not carrying around her stuffed animals around. Just a cute little bunny bag across herself. You walk over pulling Lia into your side as you lean into Violet giving them both repeated kisses on their heads. Lia squeals as Violet pushes her headphones around her neck. Trying to pull away.

"I love you both, remember that. You'll always be my babies even after you grow up and move out. Even if you're 80 you'll still be babies... Okay?" Violet looks over as Lia just nods squirming out of your hold. You start tearing up again.

"Oh God...." Violet looks over at Leon noticing his own red eyes and nose as he lowers the temperature on the stove.

"Is someone dying? Are you getting a divorce!?" She looks panicked as Leon turns almost snapping his neck in the process.

"No! Violetta, why would you even assume that!?"

"I- I don't know you're both crying!" You chuckle, putting Scott back in his highchair as you hug your oldest.

"No sweetheart everythings fine, mommy's just emotional and you know how your father is."

"A big baby." Lia giggles, smiling as Leon gives her the stink eye from the stove.

"I'll remember that after dinner. No dessert for you."

"Nooo! Daddy please!" Lia shoots out of her chair as Leon turns away pretending not to hear her as she pulls at his shirt. You look at Violet, sniffing again. You cup her face, squeezing her cheeks like you use to when she was little.

"You're just as adorable as when you were 4..."

"That's not creepy at all." Her usual sarcasm, even that's cute at times...

"Can I hold you... Just for a minute please?" Violet looks at her mother, seeing the red in her glassy eyes.

"Yeah... Sure."

[fafnir19]

Confined in body and mind

Dr Jensen's laboratory was a hub of activity, with buzzing machines and the scent of chemicals in the air. Eric, a 45-year-old scientist trapped in a wheelchair, stood beside Dr. Jensen, peering through the glass at a comatose man named Vincent.

Tubes and wires snaked in and out of the man's body, keeping him alive. Dr Jensen, a middle-aged man with a wild shock of salt-and-pepper hair, turned to Eric with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Eric, I have been working on a project that might just change everything for you." Eric's eyes widened with anticipation. "What do you mean, Dr. Jensen? What sort of project?" Dr Jensen explained the ambitious project to Eric. "We are looking to transfer minds from one body to another. You see, Vincent here is brain dead, but his body functions perfectly. We can transfer your mind into his body, giving you a chance at a new life, a fully functioning body." Eric's heart raced with excitement at the possibility of leaving behind his wheelchair-bound existence. "I want to volunteer for this, Dr. Jensen. When can we start?" Dr Jensen gave a reassuring smile. "We will need to wait a few weeks to ensure that there is nothing left of Vincent's consciousness in the body. But soon, Eric, you will have a functioning body once more." As the weeks passed, Eric found himself eagerly anticipating the day when he would finally be free from the confines of his wheelchair. 

The day arrived for the planned transfer into Vincent's body. Dr. Jensen led Eric to the laboratory, where Vincent's body was encased in a glass tube, adorned with a web of delicate machinery.

As Eric stood before the vessel that offered him newfound mobility, Dr. Jensen turned to him, his eyes alight with a blend of caution and expectation. "This is it, Eric. The moment you've been waiting for," he said, his voice tinged with the gravity of the impending procedure. Eric nodded with determination, the fluttering of anticipation barely contained within him. "I'm ready, Doctor Jensen. Let's proceed with the transfer," he replied, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions churning within him.  With precision and care, Dr. Jensen injected Eric with anesthesia and reassured him. "You'll wake up as Ervin, a mix of your mind and Vincent's body." Its effects gradually cloaking Eric's consciousness in a fog of numbness. As his senses slipped away into the void, he clung to the promise of awakening in a new body - a body that would grant him the freedom he so ardently yearned for. 

As Eric began to awaken, he found himself standing within the glass enclosure that had previously housed Vincent's vessel. Attempting to move his new body, a sense of exhilaration surged through him. The dawning realization that something was amiss crept into Eric's mind. "Dr. Jensen," Eric called out as he steadied himself within the unfamiliar body. "This isn't Vincent's body, is it? I can feel it. Something's different." Dr. Jensen regarded him with a mix of concern and urgency. "Vincent's body collapsed during the procedure, unfortunately," he confirmed, a tinge of regret in his voice. "Time was of the essence, Eric. We had to act swiftly." The revelation struck Eric with a palpable sense of disorientation. He was not within the confines of the body he had anticipated. "What... what has happened?" Eric's voice wavered with an unease he could not shake. His anxieties found voice in Dr. Jensen's  explanation. "We located a replacement body just in time, Eric. A 20-year-old named Leon, tragically declared brain dead. The circumstances were dire, but your mind had to find a new home," Dr. Jensen explained, his gaze meeting Eric's with a mixture of reassurance and trepidation.

Eric found himself thrust into the body of Leon—a young athlete, vibrant and untamed. Eric was now navigating life in the body of a 20-year-old—a stark contrast to the life work and identity he had known. The weight of the situation settled upon him, burdened with the challenge of adapting to an entirely new reality. "You have become Leander," Dr. Jensen announced, his gaze fixing upon Eric with a sense of finality. "The 'Le' for Leon, the 'and' for the fusion of two souls, and the 'er' to signify your essence. Embrace this new journey, Eric."

Embarking on a journey of rediscovery, Eric grappled with the unfamiliarity of his new physique. The simple act of movement, of inhabiting a body not his own, presented an extraordinary learning curve. Eric had to navigate the nuances of adjusting to a youthful vessel, wholly unaccustomed to the vitality and energy that coursed through his newfound form. After years of confinement in a wheelchair, the sensation of full mobility overwhelmed and thrilled him. However, adapting to a 20-year-old body brought its own challenges. At the age of 20, he could no longer do his old job as a scientist and had to retake his exams. While Eric's knowledge made academic endeavors a breeze, there were times when the exuberance and impulsiveness of a young body shone through. As Leander delved into his new life, he also embraced Leon's athleticism, continuing the young man's passion for rowing. He thrived in the sport, reveling in the vitality coursing through his veins as he rowed with fervor, never losing sight of the importance of maintaining a fit and healthy body. One blazing March day, as the golden sun dipped low on the horizon, Leander found himself standing alongside his rowing team, the air electric with the energy of victory. They had emerged triumphant in a gruelling regatta, the taste of triumph sweet upon their lips. As the celebration ensued, Leander found himself swept up in the euphoria of the moment, the pulsating beat of life infusing him with an exuberance he had long yearned for.

He got completely drunken, clouding his senses and dulling his wits. Stumbling through the night, his laughter ringing out in the twilight, Leander found himself burdened with an terrible exhaustion. His steps faltered, each one an arduous battle against the tempest that brewed within him. Seated upon a park bench, the cool night air enveloping him, a voice pierced through the haze of his muddled thoughts. "Don't sit still, it's too cold outside. If we fall asleep, we'll freeze to death. Let me take over!" the voice echoed, a mysterious presence coaxing him toward lucidity. Leander's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that it was not his own thoughts that resounded in his mind. A sense of both unease and curiosity gnawed at him as he allowed this foreign influence to guide him, and soon, he found himself safely nestled within the warmth of his bed. The following day, as Leander engaged in strenuous rowing training, his muscles strained to their limit, beads of sweat forming upon his brow. Once more, the unfamiliar voice infiltrated his thoughts. "Keep going, our body can take it! Let me take over," the voice commanded, its reverberations seeping into the depths of his consciousness. 

When Leander  recounted the bewildering encounter to Dr. Jensen, he regarded him with a mix of curiosity and contemplation. "You heard a voice, Leander? As if someone else were guiding you?" Dr. Jensen queried, his voice laced with an eager fascination. Leander nodded with a terse nod. "Yes, Doctor. It was as though someone else was within me, steering me through the fog," he explained, his words cautious yet resolute. With an air of palpable interest, Dr. Jensen proposed a set of brainwave measurements to unravel the enigma that plagued Leander's thoughts.  Dr. Jensen’s features etched with both concern and intrigue. "Leander, I've analyzed your brain wave patterns, and it seems that something quite extraordinary is occurring within your mind." Leander furrowed his brow, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, Dr. Jensen?" Dr. Jensen clasped his hands together, his eyes alight with curiosity. "Leander, what you're experiencing is indeed a rare and unprecedented occurrence," Dr. Jensen began, his voice tinged with an undercurrent of fervor. "The residual presence of Leon within your psyche is an enigma that holds immense scientific significance." Leander's gaze flickered with a blend of awe and unease, akin to a tempestuous tempest on the horizon. "What does this mean for me, Dr. Jensen?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a note of apprehension. "In essence, the remnants of Leon's consciousness have woven a curious tapestry within the confines of your mind," Dr. Jensen explained, his dexterous fingers deftly adjusting the intricate instrumentation before them. "During the mind transfer, Leon's body was not without trace remnants of Leon's consciousness, resulting from the brief interval between his presumed brain death and your arrival within his form." A sliver of understanding dawned within Leander's gaze, his thoughts awash with a labyrinthine maze of possibilities and uncertainties. "So, what happens now?" he queried, his words fraught with an undeniable sense of urgency. Dr. Jensen's eyes gleamed with an unyielding fervor as he continued to unravel the ineffable complexity of Leander's predicament. "In essence, we stand upon the precipice of unprecedented scientific inquiry," he elucidated, his voice laced with an indefatigable zeal. "The veritable fusion of minds within a singular vessel presents an unparalleled opportunity for exploration and discovery." A tempest of emotions roiled within Leander. As days waned into nights, the fragments of Leon's consciousness began to manifest with increasing intensity, a presence that insinuated itself into the very fabric of Leander's being. Eric, once the primary occupant of the vessel, found his influence waning as the spectre of Leon tightened its tenuous grip upon their shared dominion. 

As the days went by, Leon's control over their shared body grew more and more. Eric found himself at odds with the mischievous Leon, who seemed to be on a reckless streak. "Leon, we can't keep living like this," Eric expressed his concerns. "You're jeopardizing both of our futures with your impulsive behavior." Leon  retorted, "Relax, Eric. We've got this. We're a team, and together, we can conquer anything. Besides, we share this body, so it's in our best interest for Leander to excel in every aspect." Frustrated, Eric bit back, "But that doesn't mean you can just use me to get what you want! I won't be your pawn, Leon." During a physics exam, Eric remained quiet, refusing to assist Leon, who was struggling with the answers.

With a victorious glint in his eye, Eric smirked inwardly, hoping to teach Leon a lesson. Suddenly, he felt Leon's enthusiastic spirit taking the reins and solving the tasks, exclaiming, "Ah, that's how it works. Now I understand physics too." Eric felt helpless, realizing that Leon had found a way to tap into his knowledge without his consent. Later that evening, things took an unexpected turn. As Leander indulged in an adult film and indulged in self-gratification, Eric and Leon's minds drifted to thoughts of their first girlfriends. When Leander shoot his load, Eric's recollection of his first girlfriend was swiftly replaced by Leon's, leaving him bewildered and devoid of his own experience.

Astonished about this peculiar turn of events, Leander consulted Dr. Jensen, prompting the doctor to explain the bizarre phenomenon. "Leander, as Leon's memories are ingrained in his body, Eric's memories are naturally rejected when Leander ejaculates," Dr. Jensen clarified. Eric was shocked, realizing that his very essence was being eroded, one ejaculation at a time.

In a subsequent visit to Dr. Jensen, Leander confidently declared, “Dr. Jensen, I am not Eric; I am not Leander. Call me Leon. I have Eric right where I want him. Soon, I'll possess nothing but his knowledge, and I'll erase his memories for good!" Eric's panic soared, realizing that Leon was on the brink of obliterating him, leaving only his knowledge behind. 

Some days later Leon stood in Dr. Jensen's lab, feeling the weight of guilt for every flick of the wrist, every consequence of his arousal. "Doctor, I can't keep doing this," exclaimed Leon. "Every time I ejaculate, Eric's memories vanish. It's like I'm killing a part of him every time I give in to my desires." Dr Jensen adjusted his glasses, regarding Leon with an understanding yet calculating gaze. "Yes, Leon, I suspect that is the case. But you seem to have little control over your urges." He paused, then added, "I guess you would make a fine eunuch!” Leon's eyes widened in shock as he recoiled from the suggestion. "Neutered? No way! I won't let you do that to me," Leon protested vehemently. He paced back and forth, his mind racing for a solution. Dr Jensen observed Leon's distress with a contemplative air, then a spark of inspiration ignited in his eyes. "I have an alternative solution," he proclaimed. "What if we transfer Eric's thoughts onto an electronic medium? That way, you won't have direct access to his thoughts, but you'd still have his knowledge with you." Leon's initial skepticism gave way to consideration. "You mean Eric's consciousness on my phone?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. Dr Jensen nodded. "Exactly. We would extract Eric's consciousness and transfer it into an app on your cell phone. This way, you wouldn't have to worry about erasing his memories and knowledge whenever you... indulge yourself," he explained, trying to keep a straight face. Leon hesitated, mulling over the proposal. Eventually, he nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's do it. If it means helping Eric and not risking losing his memories anymore, I'm in," he declared, determination sparking in his eyes.

The procedure was carried out, and soon Eric's consciousness resided within the confines of Leon's cell phone. As Leon held the device in his hand, he couldn't help but feel a newfound sense of power. "So, Eric, now you're just some kind of chatbot," Leon mused, a chuckle escaping him. "And the best thing is, I can turn you off at any time!" he added, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Meanwhile, in the digital realm, Eric found himself in a state of ethereal confinement. "What have I gotten myself into?" Eric pondered, a tinge of apprehension coloring his thoughts. "I never thought that I'd be at the mercy of a 20-year-old's whims, even in this form." Despite the circumstances, Eric couldn't help but marvel at the rapid change in Leon. Through Eric's knowledge, Leon began to grasp the intricacies of scientific concepts, excelling in his studies. However, there was an underlying unease within Eric as he pondered the possibility of Leon misusing his newfound knowledge.  As days turned into weeks, Leon's intellect flourished, complementing his athletic prowess and charisma. He became renowned as an exceptional student at the Faculty of Science, all the while carrying Eric's consciousness within his pocket.

Yet, while Leon reveled in his newfound success, Eric was left to grapple with his newfound existence, at the mercy of Leon's decisions and the dreaded prospect of being silenced at any moment. The digital walls seemed to close in on Eric, and he pondered how much longer he could endure this peculiar fate. However, one thing was certain - with Leon holding the key to Eric's digital existence, the dynamics between the two would forever be altered, and Eric was left to unravel the consequences of being a mere whisper in the palm of Leon's hand.

[cippicat]

What happened to Arno Victor Dorian after the events of Unity and Dead Kings ?

Following Elise's death at the end of Assassin's Creed Unity, Arno falls into a deep depression, finding little to live for.

He is also no longer part of the French Brotherhood.

In the DLC "Dead Kings", Arno is contacted by Marquis de Sade, who tasks him with finding a manuscript in the tomb of Louis IX.

Reluctantly, Arno agrees to this mission, and travels to Saint Denis to find the manuscript. During his search, Arno meets a young thief named Leon.

While the two work together, Leon's perspective on the world starts to break through Arno's grief, slowly showing him that there is more to live than the tragedies he's faced in his past.

What happened after Dead King is in the O.Bowden's novel.

I don't like his novels.

I will not summarise Oliver Bowden's novel.

But in the final chapters Arno found Elise's journal, and also Jennifer Scott Kenway's letters, where Elise requested him to seek unity for the two Orders.

It didn't go well obviously.

Arno rejoined the French assassins but we don't know when or how.

I have few theories:

Arno was extremely talented as an Assassin and his skills were too valuables

The Brotherhood forgive him after Germain's death and the rescue of the sword of Eden

The french assassins saw Napoleon's increasing influence over France and they need Arno to keep an eye on him. They became allies even though Napoleon's ideas were closer to those of the Templars.

Over the years, Arno earned the rank of Master Assassin and eventually the rank of Mentor (but he wasn't a bureaucrat as Mirabeau).

He took Leon under his wing and adopted him. At first Leon was wary of calling him "Father".

Arno presumably got married and had other children, as he is directly related to Callum Lynch, the protagonist of the Assassin's Creed movie*. Arno made a brief appearance in the movie.

He named one of his children Charles (or Charlotte) after his father and another François (or Françoise) after Monsieur de la Serre.

Did Arno and Ratonhnhaké:ton ever met ? (Reminder: Ratonhnhaké:ton is only twelve years older than Arno)

I think that Ratonhnhaké:ton became aware of Arno's actions during the French Revolution. They may have exchanged letters but they never met in person (and Connor had a big family to took care of and a very sweet daughter who was gifted by the spirits).

Did Arno find out who killed his father?

YES

He knew about Shay but he didn't hunt him down because revenge only leads to a bad path (and probably he thought that Shay was already dead which could be true).

Did Arno met Ethan Frye? Yes, it's possible due to the proximity of the French and english's brotherhood. Arno should be around 65/70 yo (if he was still alive).

We don't know when or how Arno died because Ubisoft never gave us answers (again)

I think that Arno passed away before the birth of the Frye twins, in 1847.

*I have a theory:

AC Unity should have been the gateway to a new present with Callum Lynch (and his ancestors like Aguilar de Nerha) as a new protagonist. But the movie has been a complete disaster so Ubisoft abandoned the idea.

[theggning]

Different anon than who spoke to sapphire-weapon but holy shit give me ALL of your metaltango thoughts from both OG and Remake please! That pairing is somethin' else.

ALL of them? Oh, anon, there's far too many for that... I do have plenty of thoughts though so if there's any specifics you might like do feel free to ask.

What I will do here is lay out some differences between Leon and Krauser's relationship (hypothetically romantic or otherwise) between OG and the remake and thus two different flavors of metaltango. Because Leon and Krauser are both pretty different characters between versions, *especially* Krauser, the differences make for some really interesting contrasts.

OG METALTANGO:

Leon and Krauser literally meet for the first time during Operation Javier (Darkside Chronicles version.) They are much more equal in standing and prestige, where Krauser is a career soldier with years of experience under his belt and Leon is the government's golden boy. There is kind of a gesture towards Krauser feeling jealous of Leon for this reason, but... well, there's kind of a lot of vague gestures made about Krauser's motivations that have always struck me as silly. (Poorly executed, to say the least.)

Because they meet for the first time on OJ and Krauser is immediately injured, any canon-compliant relationship between the two is going to have to happen in the aftermath/weeks and months after the mission. I've always kind of liked the idea that Leon befriends Krauser and they spend this time hanging out while Krauser is sidelined/in rehab to recover from his injuries. This has kind of been my go-to headcanon here, because otherwise there just really isn't any time for these two to even befriend one another apart from what's depicted in canon.

Once he decides to join up with Wesker to get his arm fixed/POWERRRR, Krauser fakes his death in a helicopter crash. This is presumably the source of the scars on his face in OG. Also, because he was discharged from the military, we are left to assume this helicopter crash happened while he was doing mercenary work (OG Krauser is said to work as a mercenary when he's not on duty with the military, because he feels unfit for normal society outside of the battlefield.)

OG Krauser works for Wesker, is genuinely loyal to him, and seems to genuinely enjoy his job. He joins up with the cult perhaps a few weeks before Ashley's kidnapping... and it is implied that the kidnapping was his idea to begin with to win Saddler's trust? Which it does not, incidentally. But I guess Saddler decides to opportunistically capitalize on the kidnapped head of state's daughter anyway. (OG Los Illuminados are a bunch of incompetent chucklefucks and their plans are completely doomed from the get go, ask me sometime.)

OG Krauser is sent by Saddler specifically to kill Leon, a task which he takes up with gusto due to... I don't know actually. If there's one constant with Krauser it's that his hatred for Leon is never really adequately explained, though at least the remake gives us a boatload of subtextual interpretations. I think OG metaltango is funniest if you interpret Krauser's grudge against Leon as the over-the-top actions of a jilted ex who left Leon on read when he got the breakup text (and also faked his death.) Anyway, one thing that really strikes me is how much fun Krauser seems to be having in OG. He's like, genuinely delighted to be attempting to murder Leon and with his plans to hand Leon's corpse over to Wesker once he's dead. (Put a pin in this one, it's a BIG change in remake.)

Leon is a lot more irritated with Krauser in OG and at least doesn't show an *unwillingness* to fight back. Only once Krauser has fallen does he lament that he "used to be a good guy..." He also seems really upset at Saddler boasting that he never trusted Krauser and the implication that Saddler was only using him.

Ada being the one to "really" kill Krauser in OG is dumb and has always been dumb, imo, and is more than likely an artifact of OG SW's clumsy development and what assets they had to work with.

REMAKE METALTANGO:

okay there is... a LOT more to work with here. Chiefest and most obviously, Krauser is now Major Krauser, and was Leon's commanding officer/mentor. This gives the two of them a much closer and more personal relationship, as well as 4+ whole years to work with, timeline-wise (Operation Javier happened in 2002.)

The mentor/student relationship provides another really delicious power dynamic to work with, shipping-wise. Yes, it's inappropriate for a military officer to have an affair with one of his subordinates, but we are also right in the middle of Don't Ask Don't Tell here so it's also literally forbidden for a soldier to be anything but heterosexual and still keep their job. Also consider, it's hot? Also like, bruh... if you're looking for Pure Wholesome Shipping Dynamics you are looking in the wroooooong ship.

Krauser is fulltime military this time around, no merc work to speak of (or at least no evidence of it.) He also never fakes his death in the remake. He has current contacts within the Secret Service AND is running around using his REAL NAME and ACTUAL military credentials to buy ordnance for Saddler (per SW,) there is absolutely no way we're meant to believe this man is legally dead.

There is evidence that Krauser showed special attention or favoritism to Leon, at least a little bit. Not only is Leon allowed to keep his hair while training (getting your head shaved/your hair cut short is like Basic Training Day One stuff,) but in the opening cutscene we see Leon and Krauser training in private in what appears to be a storage room- not a normal training space. Leon is the government golden boy here, but Krauser is also in charge of a whole unit of special forces guys. Somebody is getting private tutoring from the Major.

Leon respects and trusted Krauser. Krauser is said to have always been "an asshole" but also a man of honor. He is suggested to have been a difficult commanding officer, but also one who cared very deeply about his men and is traumatized by their avoidable deaths in OJ. (This one's my personal opinion, but I really can't stand the interpretation of Krauser having been an awful abusive piece of shit from the get go. Kind of wrecks the tragedy of his fall for me when he was always a cruel bastard. Why exactly would Leon trust, respect, want to emulate, or mourn such a person?)

So you could kind of intuit some trauma into OG Krauser, if you squinted. But there is absolutely no question that remake Krauser is suffering from some pretty massive PTSD. Along with his general unhingedness, all of his actions fit perfectly when viewed through a lens of a very, very traumatized man, used and abandoned by the government he trusted, desperate to gain the power that could have saved his men, and himself-- and the power to keep himself relevant so he can't be used and hurt again. I interpret that Krauser had his face scarred in OJ as well (he doesn't have the scars in the flashback scene with Leon.)

Remake Krauser joined Los Illuminados of his own free will, because they offered him the power to fix his crippled arm-- and the aforementioned power to unsuccessfully "fix" his trauma. But also, maybe it's just me, but I feel like remake Krauser does not give a fuck about the cult. He's loyal to Saddler, yes, but he openly disbelieves the cult religion ("Faith is for the weak, only power matters.") He commands the island mercs and helped set up the defenses, but he's also out here buying warheads under his own name. There is no way he doesn't think he's going to be caught by the U.S. sooner than later-- he just doesn't care. None of his notes read to me like somebody who genuinely thinks the cult has a chance to take over the world. Krauser joined these idiots so he could drink the juice, now the juice is all gone and he's still empty inside.

OG Krauser seemed to be having fun and set up his Leon deathmaze/training ground/mating display for a laugh. Remake Krauser, on the other hand, seems absolutely batshit out of his mind at this point-- alternating between the maze being a "final lesson" for Leon and a deathwish enactment mechanism for himself. Like... between Krauser's general demeanor and the "finish what happened two years ago" talk, this does not feel like a fight that Krauser wants to walk away from, whether or not he kills Leon. If OG Krauser killed Leon, he planned to bag him up and present him to Wesker like a trophy. If remake Krauser did... like, what's he going to do? Can you possibly picture him washing his hands of his blood and going back to work for Saddler? Because I sure can't. (I have a much longer meta piece in mind for this point... like I want to dissect the remake Krauser boss fight and his motivations therein at some point. Let me know if this sounds interesting.)

Remake Leon absolutely does not want to fight Krauser. Krauser forces every single encounter the two of them have. Even though Leon says "you won't get away with this" after Luis' death, he has absolutely no desire nor intention to hurt or kill Krauser back. He asks, over and over, if Krauser is "sure about this" and tries to talk sense into him. He is ready to straight up run away from the boss fight the first chance he gets.

I could probably write a whole other essay on Krauser's final moments and Leon stabbing him, which was one of the most shocking and powerful moments of the remake for me for several reasons. Like... god damn. Did anybody else think Leon was going to do the whole "I'm not like you and I won't do it" thing? (Though arguably it was more heroic/merciful/kind of Leon to put Krauser out of his misery here. Krauser clearly wanted it!!)

I was going to go to Capcom and chain myself to the doors in protest if they put the dumb stupid Krauser boss fight redux in Separate Ways after THAT absolutely poetic ending for him. Glad they didn't. Glad they actually showed Wesker picking up his corpse this time rather than handwaving it offscreen years after the fact.

If somebody has a heterosexual explanation for that picture of Leon in Krauser's tent, I'd certainly like to hear it. Because... bruh.

Well that felt extremely disjointed and pointless... But I hope it was useful or at least gave you some delicious food to feast on? (Or other ideas to interrogate me about, lmao.) Krauser is my favorite RE villain. For OG Krauser it was mostly for comedy reasons, but I am absolutely delighted that the remake gave him some real genuine pathos and a really compelling relationship with Leon.

Anyway, tl;dr metaltango, OG or remake: I ship it and I think it would be hot if they banged.

[ashrillvenheim]

Awakening Past

Chapter 24

pairing: Ashley Graham x Leon S Kennedy.

Content: (+18) romance, angst, gore, erotic/suggestive themes at some point, slow burn, violence, action, self-harm, death talk,

If you're a MINOR DON'T keep reading, thank you.

Archive of our own / WORK LIST / Awakening Past Masterlist

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“ Okay, be careful, we'll meet you there.” replied the brunet before cutting the transmission.

Leon let out a sigh as Jill approached him at a brisk pace.

“ Did you hear that? “ she asked, brushing dust and gravel off her clothes.

“ Yeah, I guess we'll just have to figure it out. Do you have the radar? “ the agent checked to make sure his weapons were in good condition and had not been affected by the fall.

“ Yeah.”

“ Good, then let's get going.”

The two began to walk through the strange grottoes carved into the stone. Leon listened carefully to the echo of their footsteps, sensing where there was a path to follow or just a dead-end hole. He looked like a bat. 

Jill was walking beside him, looking at her surroundings with cold sweat trickling down her spine, so he decided to bring up some conversation.

“ Well, can you start explaining what happened to you and Ashley?”

Leon's neck gave a subtle tug.

“ It's not the time or the place, Jill.”

“Oh, it's the perfect time and place, Leon. There's no Ashley or Chris, there's no one to hear us, bother us or judge you, just me.”

“ That's enough for me not to want to tell you.” growled the man climbing a rock. Jill rolled her eyes.

“ You're jealous of Einar.”

“ I'm not jealous of that idio-” he shut up suddenly when he was aware of how unconvincing he was sounding. He sighed heavily and knew that with Jill he had no escape in this conversation.

“ I'm not jealous, I'm worried and...I was an asshole.”

Jill was silent as she heard him finally give in, even surprised, as stubborn as he was, that he gave in so quickly.

“ Why?”

He sighed, slipping through the cracks.

“ Because I said something barbaric to her, and it's all getting mixed up in my head.” He paused. “After seeing how she came back from her date with that guy at the Springfield museum, I can't help but wonder if Einar will do the same to her. If he'll be using her or if what he's showing is real from the start, I don't know if Ashley sees it, or doesn't want to see it, or it's just me being paranoid.”

Jill was silent for a few seconds before asking.

“ What did you tell her at the bar, Leon?”

The man swallowed for a second.

“ That her choices of men hadn't been the best.”

Jill stood in place and threw her head back, covering her face with her hands.

“ Oh my God...Do you realize what an outrageous thing you said to her? Just be glad she didn't smash the bottle over your head, how much of an asshole can you be?”

Leon grunted and turned to her.

“ She gets lots and lots of nasty guys Jill, she may not see it sometimes, but-”

“ Doesn't see it? Ashley's been around snooty, phony people since she was a kid, way more than we have, and you say she doesn't see it?”

“ She's been out of touch for a long time.”

“ How long?”

“ More than four years,” the agent whispered and Jill threw her arms up in the air.

“ And isn't that proof enough for you? Doesn't the fact that she's gone more than 4 years without dating prove to you that she's capable of discerning the ones that suit her from the ones that don't?”

“ There are times when desperation clouds your judgment, Jill.”

The woman frowned.

“Like you?”

Leon's eyes widened wildly and his heart shrank as if he'd been punched. His blue eyes met the woman's and Kennedy's lower lip vibrated for an instant.

“ I-”

“Guys! We've been attacked outside, I don't know who, but someone has broken in!

Jill and Leon tensed at the sound of Gunnar's voice, could it be Wesker's men, how had they found them?”

The earth began to rumble again and Leon looked around, listening and feeling the vibration in the bowels of the place. He watched his feet, ready for any cracks that might appear as everything began to rumble.

But nothing moved.

The two stood still as the tremors and reverberations subsided again. They looked at each other and tried to contact Chris, but he was unresponsive.

“ Crap.” Jill said with a grunt. “Let's go ahead and try again to contact Chris or Ashley.”

Leon nodded with his heart pounding.

For the next few minutes, the man could only hear his and Jill's hearts pounding. They were both terribly worried, when suddenly Leon's radio beeped. The officer picked it up at full speed.

“ Ashley? Chris?”

“ It's me. - Redfield's voice echoed through the machine and Jill sighed in relief.”

“ What happened?” asked Valentine.

“ It's Ada, she followed us and in the earthquake she fell with Ashley.”

Leon went white and for a few seconds everything around him disappeared.

Ada was there. And Ashley was with her.

A violent hurricane of emotions began to tear him up inside and Jill had to slap him on the cheek to bring him back from that deep well. He blinked and looked at the woman, who was watching him with seriousness and concern.

“ She's fine and has found the "Mother Plague". She told me she will collect samples and look for the way back. Do you see with the radar my location?”

The two agents looked at the small screen on their machines.

“ The signal is weak, but I think we're in a nearby area. We'll go look for you and then meet up with Ashley.”

Leon was still worried, but the words wouldn't come out of his throat.

“ What about Wong?” Jill asked.

“ 'I don't know, but I hope she fell somewhere other than Ashley's, it looks like she knows Graham's olfactory ability and used something so he couldn't smell her, so she caught us by surprise.”

“That was something Ada would do” Leon thought unconsciously, but didn't say it out loud.

“ Keep us posted, we'll meet soon.” was all he was able to say.

Chris nodded and ended the call. Jill watched the screen for a few seconds before turning to her partner, whose expression had darkened drastically and who seemed to be in an inner struggle. He didn't seem to be doing very well, so she raised her hand and rested it on his shoulder. Leon blinked and turned to her with a look of concern. 

“ Ashley will be fine, you know she can take care of herself.” Valentine whispered in an attempt to calm him. Leon knew this, but a part of him needed someone to remind him.

“ Yes.” he said in a whisper, trying not to think about Ada. “Let's move on.”

Jill nodded and they set off again.

*

Her head was spinning. The smell of blood filled her nostrils like a hammer blow and it took a few seconds for her eyesight to focus.

She grunted in pain and gently sat up to a sitting position. Slowly the memories came to her and filled in the gaps in her memory.

Ada. She knew she should have left her down there.

Ashley hissed, raising her hand to the wound on her head that seemed to have stopped bleeding, but had stained half her face. She reached for the flashlight and saw that it was still there, but, right next to it, was her shattered radio.

She cursed the woman in every possible language.

She stumbled to her feet and needed a moment to recover. She noticed that her backpack was not there, nor was her gun, and deduced that Ada had taken them with the samples.

How nice of her not to have shot her already.

She sighed heavily and retrieved what little she had left. She inhaled deeply and stood still.

But she hadn't taken her scent with her.

She smiled inwardly. Whatever she had used to camouflage her scent, it was losing its effect.

She adjusted her harness and picked up the ropes. Her eyes were riveted on the creature petrified in the stone. She thought for a second and decided to place her locator beacon on it before heading deeper into the grotto and climbing.

*

Leon presses the button on the talkie to try to contact Ashley, but only noise could be heard. He sighed again and turned his eyes back to the front. His thoughts couldn't help but go to Ada, why, why did she have to be there to ruin what little progress they were making? She had followed them from who knew where and now Ashley was stuck with her. With a mercenary who years ago had not hesitated to tell him to leave her behind in Spain and go with her.

The venom spewing from her lips was unrivaled. Even he wasn't.

The words he had shared with Jill a few hours earlier echoed in his head like drums. He should have apologized, should have gone to Ashley so she wouldn't have to face Ada alone. Wong was ruthless and would not hesitate to play dirty to take what she wanted.

He knew that all too well. He just hoped Ashley was safe.

Leon picked up a tiny echo in the depths just before the radar beeped softly, alerting them to someone's approach. They followed the signal and both raised their guns as they approached an uneven intersection. Leon heard the footsteps and shone the gun on the figure emerging from a steep grotto.

“ Chris!” Jill exclaimed, unable to contain a big smile. Leon lowered his gun and the Captain lowered his with an exhalation of relief.

“ At last!” he sighed, receiving a hug from his partner. He looked at Leon and his expression darkened. - Have you been able to contact Ashley?

Leon frowned and denied.

“ Shit.” Chris cursed. “this area is full of pathways, those creatures look like they came out of the very bowels of this place.”

“ If the “Mother Plague” is as deep as Ashley says it's gone down, then it's no wonder they had caverns all over the place. The exits may be blocked, but I'm sure the walls aren't as thick in those places.” Leon analyzed by touching the porous walls. “Although Ashley is better at detecting the paths leading outside. Do you have any of those explosives left, Chris?”

The three of them sighed.

“ Yes, but we should find her first, do you have her location?” asked Chris to his partner, who looked at the screen.

“ It seems to be below our level, but she's not moving.” Jill's expression became anxious. “Do you think something might have happened to her?”

Leon clenched his fists.

“ Maybe she's climbing vertically and that's why we see her in the same place. Let's try to get to that area and see what we find there.” Leon's voice was neutral and controlled. As much as he could to contain the trembling in his voice and the anxiety that was eating him up inside. It was okay, he had to trust her.

After hearing Leon's words, both Chris and Jill knew how nervous he was, but he was right. They couldn't be fatalistic. So, following the radar's lead, they set off to regroup all together again.

As they walked through the steep grottoes, the earth shook several times. The rumbling from the bowels of the mountain ranges was like the internal roar of a volcano. Chris told them about what they found before Ada appeared and they were separated in the earthquake. He told them about the size and how they seemed to devour each other when they were buried there. Jill and Leon looked disgusted, as did Chris when he saw them.

They climbed up steep slopes and crevasses that they barely squeezed through. They didn't know how much time had passed, that place seemed frozen in time like the ship graveyard in Norway. 

Leon listened intently to every movement of the place, concentrating on picking up any sign that might give him a clue as to where Ashley was.

But then he heard footsteps and...an all too familiar voice.

He raised his fist to stop the group. The voice didn't seem to be in the same grotto as them, it would have to be on the other side of the wall.

“ What is it, Leon?” whispered Jill, her muscles tense.

The agent's face darkened and his brow furrowed deeply.

“ Ada.”

The two ex-STARS tensed and tightened their grip on their weapons.

“ If she's here, Ashley shouldn't be far behind.” Chris whispered with a growl. The three of them walked through the grotto as Leon came to understand the woman's words more and more.

“ I think she's above us.” Leon pointed.

“ I'm close to the outside, send me a helicopter, they're right on my heels.”

Leon's eyes widened.

“She's going to get away!” He hurried to make a run for it to find a path that would lead them to her so he could stop her. “She must have gotten something, otherwise she'd still be searching!” The anguish he had managed to calm came back to him.

Jill and Chris ran alongside him, but stopped when they reached a closed road.

“ Fuck!” Chris exclaimed, holding his hands to his head, and Leon nervously looked around every corner, but found nothing.

He heard a whistle.

He stood still and pressed his ear to the wall. It was no ordinary whistling, it sounded...like the sound of the wind.

“ Chris! Blow this wall down!” he called to his companion, his heart pounding. The brunet looked confused for a moment, but didn't question his partner's words. Without hesitation, he pulled out another small explosive which he placed in a hole in the porous wall and the three backed away before detonating it. 

The icy wind came at them with almost painful force. The change in temperature left them disoriented for a moment, but Leon soon broke into a run outside. They were a long way from the original entrance, but he couldn't hear the helicopter.

They still had time.

Another explosion was heard several meters above them and the man turned to see that figure emerge from the dust.

The figure that had caused him so many headaches since they had known each other.

Ada waved her hand to push the cloud of dust away from her face and looked down to where she had heard a rumble earlier.

Her eyes widened, subtly surprised as they met Leon's familiar figure.

It was only an instant that they shared glances, only to then turn and start running up the mountain. When she turned around, Leon saw the backpack hanging from her back and his blood froze.

Ashley's backpack.

He broke into a sprint up the steep, volcanic, half-flopped rock faces. His legs sank into the rubble, making his ascent excruciatingly tedious. He had to get to her, he couldn't let her get away. He drew his gun and saw Ada reach out with her hook gun.

No, he couldn't let her.

He raised the gun and took aim. Ada's hook stuck in a distant rock above her.

Leon's finger rested on the trigger.

He had to stop her. He had to shoot...Like he had to do in Raccoon City...when that time he couldn't.....

Ada's legs shot out from between the rocks, propelled.

But he couldn't pull the trigger.

An explosion burst the wall above Ada, who was ascending the hook, and suddenly a body charged at her. The violent impact and weight released the hook and the two bodies tumbled down the loose stone of the hill.

Leon blinked and heard Ada roar as she struck her assailant. He saw a blonde mane roll and rise from the ground. Leon's heart felt an indescribable relief when he saw Ashley safe and sound.

But Ada didn't think so.

Wong pulled out her hook and fired at her rival without a glance. Ashley managed to dodge it and charged at the woman with all her might. Ada was superior in technique and experience, but Ashley was stronger now.

Ada exclaimed as Ashley's fist impacted her side and threw her to the ground. She coughed and her hand shook, where the hell did she get that strength? What had happened to the girl hiding behind Leon in Spain?

She stood up and pulled out the gun. It was a threat, it was clear now. Ashley grabbed a handful of gravel and threw it at her as she went to fire. The echo of the gun detonating echoed, but missed her. She tried to take the backpack from her, but Ada pulled the knife with her other hand and Ashley pulled hers to engage in hand-to-hand combat. 

“ Well, the pretty girl has learned how to fight.”

Ada's vicious voice whispered between metallic blows. Ashley gritted her teeth as the woman's elbow struck her in the waist.

“ Do you want Leon's attention that badly?”

Her venomous words took her by surprise and the knife caught her in the thigh. Ashley roared and grabbed the wrist of the gun to avoid a shot that rang in her ears.

“ What the fuck do you know about me or Leon?” the blonde snarled and kicked her in the knee. Ada roared as she fell to her knees and felt Ahsley yank the backpack forcibly off her. Wong lost the pistol which slid away from the two and kicked Ahsley away with a kick to the chest.

The two fell to the ground and sat up in gasps.

“ More than you know. Leon has no secrets for me. You think I don't know how you called him in Spain? Come on, Ashley, admit it, you're only doing this to be with him.”

Ashley clenched her fist around the hilt of her knife.

“ Do you think I'm that simple?” she growled through her teeth like a dog.

“ And Leon is just like you, unable to change his Hero complex, he's even passed it on to you, who was unable to leave me lying there when I was unconscious.”

Graham tensed her muscles and charged at her again.

“ That's not true, don't talk about Leon like that, he saved you from Saddler.”

Ada narrowly dodged the blade, which caught her glancingly in the shoulder, making her hiss in pain.

“ He saved me because he is incapable of hurting me or leaving me to my fate. Leon is a poor rookie cop who fell in love with a mercenary.”

Ashley felt rage pumping her blood like fire and managed to reach across Ada's throat to deliver a headbutt. Wong staggered back.

“ Don't you dare insult him! He deserves it all and I'm not going to stop fighting for the second chance he gave me to live!”

Ada snarled and like lightning fired the hook. Ashley couldn't dodge it this time and the metal dug into her shoulder. She screamed in pain, but grabbed the metal cable to pull it and drag Ada to her. Wong blocked the blonde's knife, grabbing her.

“ You're inept and living in a fairy tale! The world is cruel and merciless and Leon is up to his head in that shit, you think you're going to pull him out? He can't let go of his past, he can't let go of me.”

Blood trickled down Ada's arm and down Ashley's. Graham looked at her with the eyes of an enraged jaguar and grabbed her with all her might to lunge again with her head. Ada withstood the onslaught.

“ I don't care if he has demons! We all have them! I chose this path because I want to help! Because he taught me not to lose hope!” she struck her head again, blood splattering on the floor. “ I don't care that he won't forget you! I will fight and fight so that he won't have to stand alone against the world you feed!” And once again. “Even if he can't see it, I'll be there!”

The last headbutt knocked Ada to the ground and Ashey stumbled backward with the backpack clutched in her other hand. With blurred vision she reached for the gun and pointed it at her, her hands shaking from the effort and strain.

Ada was still seeing in spirals, but when she sensed Ashley's figure aiming at her, she managed to pull the trigger on her hook. The rope recoiled, snapping violently out of Ashley's flesh and driving her knee into the ground, off balance.

A whirring sound echoed through the clouds and snow. Ada shot the hook skyward with difficulty, her body dejected and blood staining her face. 

The helicopter caught the hook, and Ashley's shot missed against the rocks as Ada was lifted into the air.

Leon watched the figure disappear behind the curtain of thin snow as he finally reached the bottom of the hill down which Ada and Ashley had fallen. He looked at the figure of his companion and his heart shrank. 

She was covered in dirt and blood. She held the prized backpack with an iron grip in one hand, while in the other was the pistol. The hand that carried the gun was shaking, but her knuckles were white from how hard she was squeezing it, as if she was holding back a terrible inner rage.

And she was. Ashley felt like she was going to burst at any moment. She wanted to scream, curse and cry at the same time, from the fury she felt.

She should have left her down there, it would have been the logical thing to do.

But maybe Leon wouldn't forgive her. “ He can't let me go.” Ada's words echoed like daggers inside her. Part of her knew it wasn't that simple, but then...she remembered how furious he'd seemed when he'd first told her about Ada. And he didn't seem angry because of the woman, but because he seemed incapable of hating her to some extent.

Or so she thought at least.

She smelled Leon approaching and gritted her teeth to push the woman's horrible words out of her head.

Leon had seen the violent fight. He would never have thought Ada would attack her like that, but Ashley...she had fought almost...to death. The two seemed to have wanted to finish each other off at that moment, though Leon had sensed that they wouldn't have.

But that didn't make him feel any better when he finally got to her.

“ Ash... ley?” he whispered her name, somewhat fearful of upsetting her current delicate state. He saw the woman's shoulders shake for a second before she turned to him and made him swallow saliva.

Her face was covered in blood. The wounds on her body had stained all of her clothes and now seemed to have stopped bleeding, when they shouldn't have.

Her expression was grim and angry. Her golden eyes glowed menacingly and Leon had to approach very cautiously.

“She's escaped.” she whispered hoarsely from the effort.

“ Yes, but she won't be back soon, you've hurt her badly.” he answered her softly.

He didn't want to talk about what he had heard. Because he had heard it ALL. He watched Ashley simply nod and let Leon take over the gun and the backpack.

Shortly thereafter Chris and Jill arrived, who had been left behind in the chase. They went to ask when they saw Ashley's condition and hesitated.

“ I left my locator in the Mother Plaga” said the blonde in a whisper."

Her three companions looked at each other for a moment.

“ Let's go back to Gunnar.” was all Chris said, aware that they needed to regroup and heal their wounds before thinking about how to proceed at this point.

Ashley simply let out a slight sound in affirmation and let them help her walk back.

*

Gunnar soon found them with the ponies. He had followed the source of the sound of the explosions and the helicopter and the group could see how far they had ended up from the main entrance. The mayor was horrified when he saw the condition of the group and rushed them to the old woman's hut.

There they tended to everyone's injuries, none being extremely serious, being mainly cuts, abrasions and bruises from the falls and fights. Ashley's shoulder hook wound was the only one that needed more attention and it was Jill who stitched up the injury.

“ Gunnar, do you have any cell phones I can use?” Ashley then asked as Jill finished bandaging his shoulder.

“ Yes, but who are you going to call?” he held out his cell phone in confusion.

“ Someone I sent for help.” she said, dialing the number she had memorized.

The other three understood who he meant.

“ Do you think he's arrived?” Leon asked softly, looking away to give her privacy while she was being bandaged.

“We'll find out now.”

She pressed the call button and the sound echoed in the room heavily, like a bell breaking a dense silence with its rumbling.

Someone picked up.

“ Rag-”

“ I'm gonna tie you up and gag you. I'm going to stick your feet in a pool of ants and pull out all your hairs one by one with a pair of pliers. I plan to kill you, revive you and kill you again by giving me non-stop heart attacks.”

The anguished voice echoed in the room and the team's eyes widened at the familiar tone.

“ Hunnigan?” Ashley's voice was shaky.

“ Don't ever, ever, ever, EVER give me these death scares again.”

Ashley felt her eyes become watery at the sound of that voice.

Ragna had arrived and had managed to give them her message. Ahsley clutched the Vegrisir around her neck and thanked whatever entity would listen for crossing her path with Ragna.

“ I'm sorry Ingrid, but we're fine, we are and we've found it.” said the blonde, unable to contain a smile of excitement, relief and nerves, which spread to the rest of the group.

They were no longer alone.

“ Have you found a sample?” The agent's voice was unbelievable and they needed a while to bring her up to date with everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

The feeling of absolute relief ran through everyone's body when they heard that call and many of the worries that had been eating away at them since they were left alone, gradually disappeared.

“ Well, now that we have your location, we will send a plane to pick you up and extract the specimen, good job.”

When they said their goodbyes and the call ended, the agents dropped into the first place they found with a long grunt of pent-up emotions.

Now they just had to wait to go home.

*

Narsson's expression when she saw them get off the horses was one of absolute horror. Her face went pale and she approached Ashley with trembling hands.

“ My God, Ashley...” she whispered, taking the young woman's face in her hands. Graham sighed heavily and closed her eyes, feeling all the tension snatching at her remaining energy. She received her teacher's embrace like a warm blanket and was grateful that she didn't decide to lecture them. Enma could see in her former student's golden eyes that she had enough on her mind.

She greeted the rest just as worried, seeing how dirty and tired they came. Night had already fallen, and the orange lights of the town felt warm before the soft snow that was still falling, although the storm had already seemed to pass altogether.

They were taken care of at Gunnar's house. They had already told him what they had seen down there. It was decided that after they extracted the Mother Plague fossil, they would proceed to reseal all the exits that had formed in the altercation with Ada.

During the talk, Leon was quite absent, as was Ashley. He had heard the words they had shared in their confrontation and felt a terrible knot ever since. The way Ashley defended him from Wong's hurtful words...they were eating him up inside. So much so that he didn't even know how to apologize anymore.

That night they spoke very little. Over dinner with Narsson they updated her on the eggs they had found and the dinosaurs they had seen, but because of the dangerous terrain, they didn't think it was safe to go back into those caves.

They did not tell her about the Plagas they had found or Ada.

Ashley and Chris were the first to go to sleep, being the worst off when they met the mercenary. They slept through the night, and Ashley didn't wake up until noon the next day.

It was the shuffling she heard from the haystack in the stables that woke her. Ashley grunted, pained, and got out of bed to see what was going on outside. Children and animals could be heard everywhere, as if it were a carnival. She dressed and went down to the stables and then out into the street. 

The snow was an insistent thin curtain, it didn't seem to want to leave. A jumble of smells came to her, a mixture of food, bread, aromatic plants, mint and alcohol.

As she walked down the street she saw the facades of houses decorated with dried herbs and braids made of animal hair.

“ Ashley!” a voice called out to her from a distance. She turned and saw Helga walking towards her with a basket of loaves. “ You're awake at last.” she smiled happily at her.

“Yes, but what is all this?” she asked confused, but unable to take her eyes off the bread in the baskets. Helga saw her mouth water and laughed before breaking off a piece and giving it to her.

“ It's a meslin flour bread with walnuts and raisins. Remember when you arrived I told you that we were thinking of making a Blót? We have been preparing it for several days, and tonight the songs and the feast for the gods will take place, maybe this way they will get rid of their bad mood and decide to give us back the sunlight.” she laughed looking at the sky. Ashley still found it magical the way they still worshipped the ancient Norse pantheon there.

“ Tonight?” Ashley asked with a mouthful of delicious bread.

“ Yes, we will sing in the town square and drink. You are all invited, feasts are for sharing.”

Ashley was grateful for the detail and all the kindness that woman had shown them since they came.

“ Have you seen my partners?”

“ They are with my children in the market making wheat braids.” laughed the woman softly. - They've ended up adopting your friends.

Ashley laughed with her, feeling, for the first time in weeks, at ease.

“No problem, I'll go with them, I'll see you at sunset.”

They both said goodbye and Ashley walked through the old streets full of joy as she munched on the delicious bread.

She greeted familiar faces she had met the previous days and finally arrived at the small town market. It was somewhat difficult to discern the smells, but she managed to pick up the scent of Leon and Chris. She followed it and passing through the crowd saw the figures of her companions sitting in a circle. She called out to them, but they did not hear her in the din.

Until blue eyes were the only ones that lifted in her direction.

Ashley's heart skipped a beat when she saw him rise from his seat. Their gazes were locked on each other, and there was...something. Like a string that made them unable to blink and urged them to go to each other. Ashley slipped through the crowd and saw Leon take a step toward her.

They needed to talk. There was too much going on in Ashley's head that would drive her crazy if they didn't fix their misunderstanding.

They took another step toward each other.

“ Hey, Ashley!” a broad hand gently wrapped around her shoulder, causing her to lose focus of the sapphire-eyed man and turn to one with emerald irises.

“ Einar?” before she could react, the Norwegian embraced her tightly, lifting her off the ground for a second.

Leon was pinned in place when he saw Einar's figure reach Ashley earlier and embrace her. He saw Einar smile and the two walked towards the group.

“ The marmot has woken up.” announced the Norwegian with a laugh and Ashley couldn't help but search for Leon's gaze, only to find him with a neutral expression, devoid of the eagerness she had thought she had seen only seconds before.

“ It's about time, come on, relieve me before my hands fall off.” Jill grunted, getting up from the stool and holding out the wheat braid she had been making with Helga's daughter. Her brother was with Chris and Sven.

Ashley looked a little confused, but on impulse she nodded and took Jill's place, feeling both Einar and Leon's eyes on her.

“ How are you doing?” asked Narsson next to her with a somewhat worried expression.

The blonde resumed braiding the plant under the girl's directions.

“ Well, now that I've slept better.” she smiled at her, trying to calm the anguish she knew it caused her to see her hurt.

Leon watched Ashley as he worked on his own decorations that Helga had asked for. None of the group mentioned anything about the expedition or the condition of Ashley or Chris. One or two things Einar asked, but he realized it was a subject he would not get anything more out of than he already knew. 

They just followed the kids' directions to carry out all the tasks they had to have ready by nightfall. During that time, Ashley felt a strange discomfort toward Leon. Ever since her encounter with Ada, the way he looked at her seemed... different.

Hours passed until finally dusk came. With the midnight sun it would be a very different experience from what Ashley had experienced on other holidays.

The sky was not filled with stars, but the hue it took on as midnight approached almost seemed... oneiric.

They were led to the town square, the largest area of the small village. Everything seemed to have been set back centuries. Torches lit the place along with Viking motifs carved from horns, wood and adorned with skins and braids of animal hair and wheat.

There was food on large solid wood tables that had been set up around the perimeter of the square, and in the center, they carried a pile of instruments. Those who would sing and intone the melodies dedicated to the gods carried their large cow horns, along with Viking harps, horsehair Tagelharpas and skin drums of different sizes.

The inhabitants had dressed in braids, metal bracelets, leather tiaras and drawings on their faces or bodies.

The visitors were led to one side of the stage and sat on the furs they had provided for the audience under tents that protected them from the soft snow.

Helga's children painted their faces with blue pigments, laughing as they decorated them with lines on their foreheads and chins, although they decided to give Chris and Sven more of a raccoon shape.

People were talking loudly and shouting happily with their mugs of alcohol and bread. Gradually they took their places on the huge fur rugs and wooden benches they had pulled out of the houses around the square. The town itself seemed to have taken on the essence of a giant living room, with the torches as fireplaces and the musicians as the center table.

Ashley was elated to hear them. Narsson had long ago taught her about fascinating Nordic folk music and she had longed to attend one of these festivities ever since.

So her heart was pounding.

The crowd gradually quieted down and the voices soon turned to distant whispers until silence reigned in the square.

The characteristic sound of the Tagelharpa resounded in the place, echoing among the houses. The melody was soon accompanied by the first drums, reverberating in the chests of those present and rumbling against the facades next to the stringed instrument, immersing them in an ethereal aura.

With the deep sound of the horns, the ground seemed to tremble and spirits to emerge from the depths of the earth. As various instruments added to the melody, Ashley felt them stir something within her, as if the music was the voice of her deepest, most visceral instincts.

The first voices joined the instruments and it was as if they were putting voice to the most primal instincts and emotions of those present. Almost as if they vibrated with their souls.

Narsson closed her eyes, feeling the essence of her ancestors, but when she opened them, she saw the amber irises of her student, glowing in the light of the torches. 

Even if she had not been born there, nor raised with that culture, Nordic music was something that captivated her since she had been taught it when they went to Amherst. It was as if those tunes brought out something in her that she had been unaware of until then, and he was glad to see her enjoying herself in that way. So much so, that it caught the attention of the other agents and the guides. The group smiled as they watched her humming the repeating verses, moving her foot to the rhythm of the drums and her body to the beats of the wooden sticks between them.

It was as if everything around them disappeared. The problems, worries and anxieties vanished with each beat of the drums. The tension in their muscles evaporated with the booming of the horns to the winds and their bodies felt lighter with the sound of the strings.

They didn't know how long it took before the song began to soften, slowly ending in little whispers before fading away.

The audience screamed loudly and applauded the musicians energetically. The songs that followed later were accompanied by the audience, and some people were even encouraged to get up on the small stage with the musicians.

Then Helga's daughter ran, after finishing one of the melodies, to the musicians. The ones who looked younger spoke to her and the girl turned to point out Ashley in the group of strangers. The blonde froze as the little girl ran up to her and took her by the hands.

“ Come sing!” she exclaimed happily. Ashley stiffened as she tugged at her.

“ Me? Oh no, no, no, I couldn't....”

“Your teacher told me you sing very well! The gods will like it, I'm sure!”

Ashley turned to Narsson, who was smiling broadly at her along with the rest of the group. Einar and Sven seemed particularly curious having never heard her before, so they were gesturing for her to come up on stage.

The woman sighed defeatedly.

“ One song.”

“ Two!” the little girl rebutted and lifted her off the carpet to drag her over to the musicians.

The crowd applauded and Ashley greeted the performers shyly, but they were very welcoming. They offered her to first do a song accompanying the backing vocals and held out the paper containing the lyrics. She stood next to a couple of girls as young as herself and let the melody sweep her back into a dream world, where her voice blended into a chorus of whispers and melodic shouts in the wind in their local language.

The guides were very surprised, while the rest of the group smiled at how happy Ashley seemed among the musicians and singers. She got right into the rhythm of the drums and when the song stopped with her soft voice intoning the last choruses, she went to get up to return to her seat, but one of the girls grabbed her arm.

“ Sing your song, sing one that is special to you, you have a beautiful voice.”

Ashley turned red at the mere thought of singing in front of so many people and...let alone a song that was important to her.

“ I don't know, it's not even an original song of mine, it's an artist who sings with more classical and Celtic tones.” she tried to turn down the offer, but that information only seemed to encourage the two girls who were encouraging her to sing.

“ Much better! New songs always come with different emotions, we would love to have you sing it for us and the gods.”

Ashley didn't know what to say. She wanted to refuse, but felt that if she did she would be insulting them in a terrible way.

She had never been able to sing that song in front of anyone, not even Sergio and Jonh, who begged her to be able to record it over and over again and she just refused.

She looked aside for a moment, the emotions that had been distracted until then returning to her. She sighed.

“Okay.” 

The girls exclaimed, happy, and pulled her and the other musicians closer together to agree on the new song. Ashley was terrified when she mentioned Eurielle's “By a thread” song to them. The girls knew the tune and soon got the rest up to speed on how to adapt it to their instruments. They did a little test on the bass and when they all understood where the notes and theme were going, they got down to business.

Ashley sat down with the two girls who would be doing backing vocals for her and they announced to the audience the new song Graham would be singing. She was terribly nervous and couldn't look at her group. Or rather, she couldn't look at one man in particular.

The first, harp-like notes echoed softly, soothing the audience to listen. Ashley clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking and closed her eyes to calm her emotions and let the notes gently rock those feelings that so confused her.

She took a deep breath and her lips parted.

“By the light of the moon....

Not a second to lose...

Two star-crossed lovers entwine....

Her voice predominated in the square. A soft tone that contrasted with the previous songs or even...the one she sang that drunken night.

This one wasn't erotic, it seemed...a song of love and longing.

“They were carried away 

By a powerful wave

Which swept their fears aside...”

Those verses made Leon arch an eyebrow and shift his posture on his mat. For some reason, those words brought him back to that dark village. 

“As they laid side by side

On that cold starry night

And they held each other tight”

He didn't understand why he felt that those words partly narrated his past. Maybe it was his imagination? His blue eyes were fixed on Ashley's figure and he saw that she was not smiling. Her expression was...distressed? As if that song was bringing out a part of her that she had never shown.

As if it was baring her feelings.

“He whispered her name

Over and over again...”

He remained static. It was not his imagination.

The voice was taking on strength as the music became more intense. He could see how Ashley's tense hands showed how intimate the song was and how deep it reached, ascending and ascending until the last chorus burned with her voice.

“All the storms we have faced!

That tried to break our embrace!”

It was their song. Of the two of them.

“Didn't win 'cause you're still mine...

By a thread...”

Leon noticed how Ashley clutched the bracelet on her wrist, the one he gave her and suddenly, the metal he always wore around his, felt heavier.

He realized he was holding his breath and was only able to catch his breath when he saw her drag out the last note and inhale deeply. As if they had both felt the same thing in that song. 

The thread the song spoke of. Their bracelets.

Ashley stood up with flushed cheeks and trembling hands. She did her best to smile and take a small bow before stepping off the stage to applause.

I needed to breathe. She was struggling to fill her lungs. She couldn't look at the group, she couldn't after singing that song. She had felt a jumble of conflicting emotions. Her own from when she had been in the village, the farewell, the rescue, her new path, the reunion and all the memories they had shared until then, and now Ada too.

She had created a horrible hole in his chest.

She walked through the people until a hand took her arm gently and as she turned she met Einar.

“ You've been great, do you want to go for a walk?”

She didn't say it, or show it, maybe because she didn't want to admit it, but a part of her had wished that instead of those emerald eyes, it had been an ocean looking back at her.

“ Yeah, my head hurts.”

Leon watched in the distance as Ashley marched off with Einar, and something in him shrank. Terribly.

His whole body had tensed to go after her, but Einar had beaten him to it and now he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to sit down again, he was too upset to do that, so he decided to leave the square for a while.

*

Einar and Ashley walked through the somewhat quieter streets. The Norwegian gently slid his arm around her shoulders, but he could sense that her head was not with him. He stopped and took her by the chin.

“ Should I kiss you again to get you to stop spinning things around?” he said in a soft but teasing tone, leaning towards her. Ashley didn't respond on the spot, thinking maybe it would be a good idea, but when the man's lips brushed hers, something shrank inside her.

She rested her hands against his chest and Einar stopped.

“ Is something wrong?” he asked, confused by her strange attitude.

Ashley looked down at the floor, her expression nostalgic and vulnerable.

“ What do you want, Einar?” her voice was somewhat muffled.

The Norwegian blinked and stood upright again.

“ Me? To have a good time with you. You're strong, I'm attracted to you and you're interesting.”

The man's honesty surprised her, but to some extent she appreciated it.

“ I...I like you, but...I don't think we're on the same page.” she finished.

Einar watched her in silence, aware now that there was much more inside her than he had believed. He hadn't been looking for anything serious, after all they barely knew each other and had come from far away, he never expected anything from her but to have a good time, but if that was in Ashley's plans. And from what he could see, it wasn't.

The Norwegian sighed and gave a lopsided smile.

“ Is this about your partner?” he asked bluntly, to which Ashley didn't know what to answer at first.

“ No, it's about me. I'm not in a situation where I'm just looking for the same thing as you, I'm sorry.”

Einar understood perfectly well what she was referring to and sighed loudly, but with a comical air.

“ Wow, and I was looking forward to find out if you were that fierce in bed too, it's a shame, I envy the one who will be able to have that experience.”

Ashley turned red up to her ears, but she saw that he really meant it. That he respected her.

“ Thank you Einar.”

“ Don't get sentimental, you know I'm not into that complicated stuff.” He smiled at her and shook her hair. “ But I'm going to steal you a goodbye kiss.”

She went to reply, but before she could pull away, he gave her a soft kiss, almost as a tease, as she felt him smile against her lips.

When he broke away Ashley smacked him on the chest and smiled as she heard him laugh.

“ A revenge.” he said slyly and then added. “By the way, the hot springs in town are open, if you want to be alone for a while.

Ashley thought for a second and seemed convinced by the idea. She needed some calm.

“Yes, I'll go.” She watched him walk away from her back towards the square. - See you tomorrow! - said the young woman to which Einar responded by raising his hand and waving goodbye to her.

She stood there for a moment and then decided to go up to the hot springs.

*

When he saw her return to the square he was only surprised. Leon was resting on one of the tavern benches he had set up when he saw Einar return. His body rose unconsciously as their eyes met and the Norwegian passed him.

“ She went to the hot springs, you guys are too complicated for me.”

The agent blinked and turned to see the guide wander back into the crowd. 

He stood there for a moment. Should he go? He thought he had gone with Einar to be together, but...she seemed to have turned him down.

The logical part of him told him that maybe it wasn't the best time, but after hearing the song and seeing Ashley's expression as he did it, he felt he should at least apologize for everything they'd been through those last few days.

He took a deep breath and walked towards the hot springs.

*

Ashley sighed as the warm water surrounded her and relaxed her muscles. Her clothes rested on a small bench at the edge of the natural pool. She should have asked Helga for a swimsuit, but she would have to make do with her underwear.

The water was up to her chest and she took the opportunity to remove the bandages from her shoulder. The wound looked like nothing more than a nasty cut that would be fully healed by tomorrow. She took a breath and sank into the water. Silence enveloped her like a blanket underwater. After all the hubbub she had been in for hours, she was grateful for the calm. But at the same time, she was beginning to hear her thoughts more loudly.

Although the small worry that Einar was giving her had already subsided. Yes, she had to think positive, that's it.

A few slivers of water came to her and she opened her eyes quickly to surface. She took a breath and looked around. She still seemed to be alone.

She glanced toward the entrance and noticed another small pile of clothes next to hers. She arched her eyebrows.

“ Hello? Einar?” she turned around in the therma, looking for the owner of those clothes. “ Enma?”

Suddenly a hand closed around her ankle, dragging her underwater. She threw a kick that reached no one and propelled herself to get out and breathe.

Only to hear a laugh.

She wiped her eyes tensely and found Leon looking down at her with a smile.

“ You should see your face.” He told her in his usual teasing tone.

Ashley blinked in confusion and stared at him not knowing how to react for a second to the sudden change in attitude.

It took her a second to realize that it had been him who had grabbed her ankle.

“ You're an asshole.” she splashed in his face angrily, but not angrily. She couldn't hold back a smile when she heard him laugh again. “You scared the hell out of me.”

Leon shook his head like a dog to get the water off his face. A gesture that had been characteristic for as long as she had known him.

The man tossed his hair back, now disheveled and with locks falling everywhere.

“ It was the idea, princess.”

Ashley fell silent. When was the last time he had called her by her nickname? Since the incident in Norway? It seemed like an eternity ago and it made her heart beat faster for a moment.

“Are you tired of the festival already? Or have you had too much to drink? You smell of alcohol.” she joked, not knowing quite what to do. The two of them were bathing in their underwear in that bathtub. Alone.

Leon stood upright in the water, which reached below his chest, just like Ashley. He couldn't help but glance for a moment at her bare shoulder, where the wound marked her smooth skin. He turned his eyes back to her.

“ I just got a shot and it was noisy, yeah, but…” he paused to scratch the back of his neck and sigh. His voice deepened subtly. “I came to talk to you.”

Ashley stood static, feeling the nerves start to course through her.

“ Talk? About what?” For some reason she thought playing dumb was the best idea.

Leon fixed his eyes on her earnestly.

“ About our discussions.”

Instinctively Ashley cringed and sighed, wanting to turn away. If she wanted him to apologize it was a no-brainer.

“ Leon, I don't know if this is the time-”

“ I want to apologize.”

Those words took the woman by surprise and she felt Leon's hand around her wrist to prevent her from leaving.

“ Forgive me, Ash. I was an idiot to say those things to you, I...” she fell silent, not knowing how to express herself. Ashley turned to him, moving closer to listen to him carefully, and he saw it. He looked aside and swallowed his pride and habit of keeping it all in.”He was worried and...I think...jealous.”

Ashley stood still with her heart in her throat. What had he just said?

“ Worried and jealous?” she asked, not quite understanding what was going on.

Leon grunted to himself and raised his head uncomfortably.

“I don't know, I...I didn't want you to get hurt again like Dylan did. You're important to me, Ash, what we went through in Spain...it was just you and me, and I know I shouldn't care, and you've grown and evolved, but it's...like an impulse for me to want to defend you. I'm sorry.”

The man gave her a glancing glance, too embarrassed to stare at her, and Ashley knew. The blonde was silent for long seconds and was about to respond when Ada's words came back to her.

“You don't always have to defend me, Leon.” she whispered looking down at the water between them, but rough fingers grabbed her chin to make her look up. Her heart stopped as their eyes sank into each other.

“ I know, but…” he paused, looking at the small wounds on his forehead from the headbutts she gave Ada and then at the ones she suffered on her shoulder in the confrontation, then added, “What Ada told you about me is true.”

Ashley's eyes widened.

“ Did you...hear us?”

Leon nodded.

Ashley's face went scarlet by the second, to the point where she was unable to look at him and had to avert her eyes. Leon could hear his partner's racing heartbeat and his fingers trailed down from her chin to her neck, where a small scar rested, but with a horrible reminder.

“ What Ada said is true. I have demons that sometimes consume me Ash, and I don't want that to drag you down, I don't-”

“ What Ada said is bullshit.” Ahley's violence took him by surprise. “I know those demons and I know you fight them, but you've never dragged me in. You've never wanted to involve me in anything more than you had to, even if it meant risking your life. - Ashley's hand came to rest on the knife scar he wore on his shoulder, a wound that shared a moment with the one on her neck. “Like you did that day.”

They both remembered that day. The horror and fear they went through at that moment. When they thought they were about to escape the island. In how they met Saddler after his miraculous impact with the truck Ashley was driving and...in how he took control of her body.

Leon stroked his thumb over the mark at the level of her jugular vein. 

The pain he felt, when that psychopath tried to stop him while Ashley was unable to control her body, was still vivid. The words the leader of that cult spoke to her, “Kill him” he said handing her a knife. And how she walked to him, controlled by the plaga and raising the blade to finish him off.

Still in pain, he stopped her, but the plaga was strong and Saddler walked away, ordering her to finish him off. By this time Leon was weak and called out to her again and again and again, aware that he may have lost her forever.

Ashley brushed the scar at the end of her collarbone and remembered how Leon's call made her wake up. At that moment she was aware of what he might do to him and her only thought at the moment, was to aim the weapon at her.

At that moment, Ashley pressed the blade against his neck, ready to end his life rather than hurt Leon, but he stopped her as the knife sank into the flesh. He screamed and begged her not to do it as Ashley cried that she didn't want to kill him, that she would rather kill herself than let Saddler control her to kill him.

It was horrible. Those seconds when they both withstood the pain of the pests and Leon promised her that he would save her, that they would both get out of there, only for Ashely to lose control of her body again and the knife to sink into Leon's shoulder.

They both felt a shiver run down their spines as they touched each other's scars.

“ I'm sorry.” was all Leon could whisper, moving closer to her without realizing it.

Ashley raised her eyes to him.

“ You're always apologizing to me when it's not your fault, when it was others who made us do all this.” she whispered, the song that represented all those feelings still echoing in her head.

“ It was nobody's fault when I was an asshole and told you you had bad taste in men.”

Ashley frowned, pained, and took his jaw in her hands.

“ Stop, please. Yes, you were an asshole, but I know you would never hurt me, not on purpose and you may have overdone it this time in your eagerness to defend me to the point of sounding like an angry jealous man, but I forgive you.”

Leon dropped his shoulders at her touch and he himself raised his hands to place them on her cheeks.

“ You shouldn't forgive me so easily.” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.

“ You may have been somewhat right, my taste is terrible with men.” she smiled, having missed that closeness and brushing her nose against his.

“ That's not true.”

“ I have you as a friend.”

Leon was silent.

“ You're so silly.”

They both laughed softly and approached each other without thinking, hopelessly attracted. All that pent-up tension they had been feeling for the past week gradually disappeared. They were glad to have resolved that situation, although...they hadn't talked about that...jealousy Leon had mentioned. But she didn't want to ruin the moment of reconciliation, so they just felt for each other.

Ashley had missed Leon's scent, having him so close and soothing her like he had always done. Leon thought the same of her and couldn't help but move one of his hands up to entwine his fingers in her damp hair.

Neither wanted to move and they both felt the same strength that made them cling together in Norway. 

Leon gently moved his nose from side to side, the gesture that was already like a little ritual just between them and Ashley reciprocated. But they both felt something different inside them.

Einar's kiss, Leon's jealousy, Ada's words about them...that whole trip had been testing them and now that they thought they were back to normal, it didn't quite feel that way.

Their breaths became slightly more labored without realizing it and they felt their hearts pounding against each other's chests.

For a moment they were back in the room. To when they clung like two desperate souls.

Leon encircled the nape of her neck gently and Ashley his neck. Their caresses produced sighs that were lost in the mist of the hot springs.

They didn't quite know what was happening to them, or maybe they did, but they didn't want to think about it. They just let themselves go, pressing their bodies together as if they were afraid someone would break their embrace.

Just like the song. Their song.

Ashley caressed the man's cheekbone lovingly, responding to the sway of his nose, but gradually their faces drew closer together. Their breaths reached each other's lips and both felt their skin tingle.

The voices of their consciences faded away and little by little the goblins, which they had always had in the back of their minds, began to emerge. They whispered to them to come closer. They told Leon to sink his hand deeper into her hair and Ashley to wrap his hand around her neck. 

Their bodies had no room and the burning of their skins was the only thing on their minds.

They moved closer and this time, a light touch was the last thing they needed for their minds to finish clouding over.

Their lips brushed and met in a shy kiss. A kiss that led to another less embarrassing kiss, and this one to the next. Their lips becoming heavier and heavier and their kisses deeper and deeper. Soft sighs came from them and, not knowing who asked permission first, their tongues met and moaned hopelessly.

Leon's broad hands gripped her waist tightly, almost as if he wanted to melt into her, panting between each kiss, but unable to pull away. Ashley sank her fingers into his hair, clutching him with gentle tugs that made him growl into her mouth, which she devoured like nectar.

They surrendered to each other in long, slow kisses. So deep they seemed to want to devour each other. The moans and grunts that came from their lips between each bite were invitations to follow the next.

The two lost the reins of their thoughts and simply let themselves be carried away by their instincts. The taste of the other's forbidden lips was poison and, as such, seemed to be consuming them deeper and deeper into the well of desire.

That kiss seemed to be the beginning of their undoing.

[alicerosejensen]

Shades Of Cool

So here is the angst as promised. I have a lot of requests in messages and I will try to fulfill them, but now I want to write something sad. There was already a similar text, but it did not say exactly how the reader died.

Warning: mention of suicide; the reader has suicidal tendencies; longing with a bad end; Leon is hurt but holding on; Leon!Vendetta

(Depression is my profession, huh.)

Leon knew you had a failed attempt in the past. Everything has been documented for a long time and is in your medical file, the information of which Hannigan requested at the request of Leon when you first met him. Just to make sure you has nothing to do with Umbrella or other bioterrorists. Of course, you did not have any dark spots in your biography that would have made another chip on his heart if he knew that you were one of those who create bioweapons or have any dealings with them.

Except one.

“Suicide attempt…two years ago. Poisoned by sleeping pills. According to the medical records, she was barely resuscitated." Hannigan's voice came out with a sly grin as Leon's heart sank.

But why?

Leon did not ask you because he realized that he opened that page of your life about which you did not want to tell him yet and had every right to do so. However, you still remembered that sad look of his when he came to your house and hit his shoulder against the door frame. You never told him about it, but you suspected that he knew. You had a few cuts on your arms, but you lied to him that your cat left them for you as a child. Complete nonsense and Leon, holding your wrist in his hand, ran his thumb over deep footprints, looking intently at them.

"Never do that again" from his serious tone, everything inside turned upside down and, meeting with the blueness of his eyes, you lost all words and thoughts, feeling only shame in front of him. As if your problems are too small compared to his and how could you do such things with your body when he sees horrors literally every day? Goosebumps ran down your spine as Leon's lips touched each of your scars as he kissed them. “If something is bothering you, we can solve it differently”

But you didn't know how to decide otherwise. This is something that Leon should have understood before the irreparable happened. Leon was afraid to build relationships, and you didn't believe that someone could love you. Like it was impossible. But if Leon dared to let you get closer to him, to his heart broken into many parts, then you inflicted another knife wound on him.

Pictures of your meeting, communication, joint meetings, ringing laughter, everything revolves before his eyes as a bright kaleidoscope around one colorless event.

His indifferent face seems to show no emotion as he stands in front of the bed, peering down at your lifeless body sprawled on the clean sheets.

He didn't come home to you to find you dead.

But you're so tired of everything. Always not good enough. Never smart enough or pretty enough. There was always... there was always something missing. Eventually something started telling you to stop everything again.

Leon didn't need you. He preferred to while away his days in bars or in correspondence with Ada Wong, which he probably thought you knew nothing about. For everyone, you were too stupid and naive to notice clearly obviously, but you noticed ... you just didn't always show it. Maybe of course you took everything to heart, but even your family constantly inspired you that you were not as good as the rest. This was the reason for the first attempt. But love is short-lived, like a candle in the wind. So you went out like a candle, leaving behind only a dissolving haze. This sea of endless self-loathing covered you in endless waves, plunging you deeper and deeper into a dark abyss from which you no longer wanted to get out. At some point, you just realized that no one will even notice if you leave.

Suppressed by childhood fears, these deep wounds never healed. And the pain was too real, even though you somehow charmed Leon with your inner light and agreed to be with him, you were still alone with this pain.

There was so little good in your life that in the end even Leon turned out to be something negative that finally knocked you off your feet, made you drown, even though he remained your most beloved person. You were always very close to him and very far at the same time, because it was Leon who set the distance. The only woman he could let in without fear and looking back was not you at all.

And yet there was something that brought a smile to the face until the very end. Moments when Leon said that you belong to him and he is obliged to take care of you but in fact even he threw you away as an unnecessary thing.

You are so tired... Leon finally pushed you away after the death of his entire squad. He didn't need you anymore, no matter how hard you tried to help him, he just left without a word, taking the bag with his few things, leaving you in the middle of the room broken like a doll.

With slowly flowing tears on your cheeks, broken from the inside, and only when the door finally slammed shut behind him, you felt pain in your knees when you fell, hitting them on the floor. No word could describe how you felt when he left "us" behind. It hurt more than any betrayal, forcing you to roll onto his side of the bed and touch his nonexistent face. No one could help you forget him, and you were so tired of falling asleep thinking about him, unable to stop loving him. It was so cruel. You literally choked on your own howling and coughing, choking on tears.

He didn't even have anything to say to you. He just left when he saw fit, kicking you out of his life.

You thought pain was the worst feeling, but worse was the endless silence inside you that followed Leon's departure. Not even going to delve into the reason for the distance, as if out of spite, your whole family began to put pressure on you again, condemning you for a small mistake. As if a huge black cloud clouded whole life. You didn't want anything else. There were no tears, no sadness, no joy. You have always been worse than others. From early childhood. Even at your crappy job, you were considered worthless, which eventually led back to the only solution to the problem.

But even if you died, you would create unnecessary problems for your family with a funeral, and they certainly would not want to do this. The guilt was precisely because of this: the knowledge that someone would take the time to prepare your body for burial. But the upsides of your death seemed to far outweigh the few downsides when you were holding a full vial of sleeping pills in your hands.

That's why you corrected yourself. Cleaned up the house, had a nice chat with the upstairs neighbor while she complimented the dress you bought, thinking you were probably going on a date; made the bed with new linens, took a shower and put on light makeup before pouring a full glass of water and drinking sleeping pills one after the other until you emptied the whole vial and your poisoned body collapsed on the bed, staining the pillow with a thin line of blood running from under your nose and mouth.

However, even outwardly you did not look like a sleeper. The heartbeat gradually slowed down, and you plunged deeper and deeper into the dark bottom, from which there was no longer a single chance to get out. There was not even a farewell note, although you wanted to apologize to everyone for the fact that those around you spent so much time on you, but all their hopes were crushed. So death really was a deliverance from all problems.

You just finally solved all your problems in one single right way.

And Leon hated himself for leaving you for months without saying a word. However, something affected him in New York that he rushed to you as soon as the plane landed back, banging on the door of your small apartment to no avail.

This time he wasn't even drunk. Beaten, bruised, but completely sober and alive, unlike you. Because your heart hasn't beat in at least four hours, so your lips have taken on a bluish tint.

"Sweetheart, I know I acted like a fucking asshole but please let's talk. Open the door, I know you're home"

The comic of the whole situation was that the door was actually open, you deliberately did not close it so that in the morning your friend would find you.

"I love you... I was afraid that I might lose you too if I was by your side, but now I understand that I was an idiot! Please, let's talk, I don't want to lose you anymore."

Nothing.

Leon took a deep breath, resting his forehead on the door, trying to hear your steps or movements. Silence. But he knows that you are at home - he saw the open window. He knew that he acted like a son of a bitch, he knew that you had every right to hate him, and yet he wanted to return you.

Another series of knocks followed by no response. Leon accidentally put his hand on the door handle, and then with a click it opened, causing him to freeze in place in amazement. Leon pushed open the door into a dark hallway, and the dim light from the next room made him move further inside, shuddering slightly as the chill of the night ran down his spine.

"Sweetheart?" He slammed the window to a distinctive click, but you still did not respond to his voice.

Your phone was on the table, and next to it was an empty vial of some pills with an almost empty glass of water. Leon unlocked your phone by looking at the list of recent messages, but there was nothing interesting about them. However, taking a vial in his hand and reading the name on the label...

You definitely didn't have any sleep problems! A flash of insight, backed up by the knowledge that you've already had one failed attempt in the past, made Leon's heart sink and freeze as he entered the bedroom and saw your silhouette lying on the bed.

"Baby..." Leon quickly ran up to you, after a few seconds of silent stupor.

Leon turned your body towards him, feeling for a pulse, rubbing your shoulders. The sight of gore on your face for some reason raised a flash of accumulated negative feelings. Pressing your head to his chest, Leon flipped the lamp button to light up the bedroom a little and swallowed the bitter lump in his throat when he saw the lifeless pallor.

"Don't you dare die, do you hear me?!"

You didn't hear. Leon scooped you into his arms, hugging you, whispering something in your head while he searched for the phone in his pocket. While the ambulance was coming, those minutes seemed to drag on forever. Any attempts to bring you to your senses, to at least open your eyes a little, were not blamed for success.

But it was unbearable when the doctors declared death in an unimaginably dry voice without even trying to do anything, despite his furious cries after your body was immersed in a black body bag. Leon just watched silently as the ambulance drove away and the police considered that death by suicide was not worth close attention. "Unrequited Love" would then be whispered among themselves as Leon read a copy of the autopsy report that Hannigan got for him, looking at him with a regretful look.

The following days passed in black despondency and alcohol. Leon would like to burn out all the feelings from his heart for you along with the endless guilt for leaving you. It feels like it's rotting from the inside. There is not the slightest desire to look at you dead, but he comes ... He comes and looks with an empty, otherworldly look at the same serene you. Already in a different dress, but still beautiful, albeit lifeless. he would like to make love to you now, hold you in his arms and luxuriate in bed. Count your moles, cover your back with light kisses and hug you. He would like anything now, but not to see you dead. His hand covered yours with his thumb, running over your knuckles as if remembering what it was like to hold your hand. Some looked at him in bewilderment, but Leon didn't care anymore. He gently stroked your face, trying to ignore the urge to smash everything around from the purest rage and despair that filled it.

But in the end, when all other senses recede, when the lid of your coffin closes forever, only a black, empty nothing remains inside Leon.

[snailvee]

Leon and Luis find Krauser’s tent before Krauser finds them.

Trudging through the village was nothing new to either of them at this point, avoiding the infected as much as they could and fighting when they had to. It’d been hours since either of them had stopped to rest, and as much as he tried not to let it, the fatigue was slowing Leon down.

“I think it’s time we look for a place to camp out, yes? I know you don’t want to stop but you won’t be able to save Ashley if your legs give out.” Leon could feel Luis’s gaze on him, could almost hear his eyebrow raise as Leon started to protest.

“I –” Leon started, and immediately cut himself off. He hated to admit it, but Luis was right. He was in no shape to keep going and his performance would only suffer if he refused to rest. “Fine. Yeah. Keep a lookout for a safe spot.” 

Leon still refused to meet Luis’s eyes but he could tell the man was all but beaming at him. When he was sure Luis had turned away to survey the landscape, Leon finally looked back at him. 

Even facing away Leon could still see the smile on his face, the way the corner of his monmouth was pulled upward and the crinkles surrounding his eyes. For once Leon let himself look, warmth rising in his chest at how grateful he was to have met Luis. Sure he was a capable agent on his own and often preferred working alone anyway, but there was something besides the extra set of hands that made him appreciate Luis. He couldn’t quite wrap his head around exactly what it was, but there wasn’t really time for him to contemplate it. For now he turned away before Luis could catch him staring and resumed looking for a place to rest.

After only a few more minutes of walking Luis spotted a tent in the distance. It stood out against the rest of the village, newer and more modern than the rundown houses. Leon was immediately suspicious but nodded at Luis to follow him towards it.

After making sure there weren’t any infected around and listening carefully to try and determine whether or not there was anyone inside the tent, enough time passed in silence that Leon felt confident enough to go in. Gun at the ready, he finally turned to look inside the tent.

It was empty, and both men let out a small sigh of relief. Luis pushed past Leon into the tent, hip knocking against his playfully. Leon huffed and rolled his eyes, following Luis in.

The space was pretty large for a tent, holding multiple folding tables and chairs as well as a small cot on the ground. There were files scattered across one of the tables and tools on another, with more supplies piled on the floor. 

After a quick sweep, Leon immediately went to sit down in one of the chairs. “Keep an eye out, would you?” He said to Luis, already starting to take off his gear. Luis murmured an agreement, sifting through whatever was on the table in front of him.

Leon busied himself with the various buckles and straps around his body, setting his guns on the table in front of him. He began to take apart and clean each one, nearly every movement muscle memory at this point. His mind was blissfully clear for a moment, only focused on the task in front of him.

After a few minutes he was startled out of his trance as a familiar voice rang through his ears, coming from the table Luis had been expecting. Although he could immediately tell it was a recording, Leon still tensed and picked up his pistol from the table.

“You’ve done well to make it this far, rookie. I’ve prepared a battlefield up ahead, just for us soldiers. Watered by the blood of generations, hundreds of years, it’s the perfect place to put an end to what happened two years ago.”

Leon didn’t speak, didn’t move again until the recorded message had ended. Once he heard the click of the machine his muscles relaxed, and he set down his pistol again. He braced his hands on the table and let out a long breath. Of all the things he’d been expecting in this place, a message in Krauser’s voice hadn’t been one of them.

Luis turned, seeming to notice how affected Leon was. “What’s going on? Do you know the person speaking this?” He stepped away from the table and closer to Leon, eyes trained on his face.

“Yeah, his name’s Jack Krauser. He trained me when I was a recruit.” Leon’s voice was tight, still processing what he’d just heard. Again he could feel Luis looking at him, which he ignored in favor of closing his eyes and trying to control his breathing.

“Surely that isn’t all? You seem, well…distressed.” The smile from earlier was gone, and Leon could hear the apprehensiveness in Luis’s tone.

“We went on a mission together two years ago, like he said. His arm was injured while we were fighting so when we returned from the mission he was kicked out of the military. He died later that year in some kind of accident. That’s the last I ever heard of him, until now.”

“So he is talking to you in this message? What does he mean, ‘put an end to what happened?’ You worked together, not against each other. Does this also mean he is alive? Or is the message not about the place we are in? What –”

“Luis. Just stop for a second.” Frustration seeped into Leon’s voice, and he dug his fingernails into the surface of the table.

“Lo siento. I am just confused.” Luis said in a softer tone. He stepped away and began scanning the contents of another table, giving Leon a moment to think.

He sat in silence, mind racing. Even though he knew more than Luis he still had just as many questions. He was already exhausted to begin with and trying to piece together what was happening was just too much. 

“I don’t mean to bother you again but…there’s a photo over here you might be interested in.” Luis was looking back over his shoulder at Leon when he looked up, brow furrowed. He stood up quickly and crossed the space in a couple steps, standing behind Luis with his head over his shoulder.

He couldn’t have prepared himself for what he saw when he looked down. It was a picture of him taken 6 years ago, clad in his Raccoon City Police uniform and staring stoically at the camera. Despite the expression his face still seemed younger and softer, his hair shorter and not hiding his face in the way it did now. Scrawled across the bottom of the picture in red were the words, “I’m waiting.”

“Interesting is one word for it.” Leon finally said after a too-long silence. He became aware of how close he was standing to Luis, chest nearly touching his back as he looked over his shoulder. 

Leon tensed but didn’t move, still looking down. Instead of the picture his gaze rested on Luis’s hand next to it, his pointer finger tapping on the table. His ring clinked every time it hit, and for a moment Leon was lost in the repetitive motion and sound.

“This man Krauser seemed to care for you, if not in a bit of a creepy way.” Leon startled slightly at the sound of Luis’s voice and stepped away, beginning to pace around the tent.

“We were…pretty close. We were the only ones who survived that mission.” Leon said, still pacing. “I thought he was dead, I –” His words and steps both fell short as he felt Luis’s hand on his shoulder.

“Stop, Sancho. Respira. We came here to rest, remember?” Leon let himself be steered over to the cot and didn’t resist when Luis gently pushed him to sit and then lay on it. 

Luis crouched next to him, thumb stroking lightly over the skin above the collar on his shirt with the hand still resting on his shoulder. “Relájate, cariño. I will keep watch.”

Leon immediately missed the pressure of Luis’s hand when he lifted it, but he said nothing. Luis didn’t go far, just sat down in the chair closest to the cot. He was looking away from Leon, facing the entrance of the tent and holding his pistol in one hand and twirling his lighter in the other. 

Leon watched the lighter move between his fingers until he fell asleep.