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Chris, stood in the middle of the elevator in the residential tower at the BSAA, couldn't help but check his watch for what was probably the fifth time in the last minute. Huffing in frustration when he saw that it had only been about ten seconds since he had last looked. Lips pressing tightly together when he then crossed his arms over his chest, brow furrowed and foot tapping restlessly against the floor as Chris waited.
He was supposed to be swinging by Piers' dorm to pick the man up for a training session. The two of them vaguely preparing for a job that Chris had heard rumblings about from the director. But mostly Chris was looking to blow off some steam after a meeting he'd just finished with the rest of the captains. A meeting that was thrown together more out of a sense of obligation than anything. Something performative.
Well, performative and a massive waste of his time.
But Chris was now late for their agreed upon time. And for as patient as Piers had to be while out in the field (what with being a sniper - and a good one at that), he tended to be an absolute menace to deal with if anyone was ever late for a meeting. Or a lunch date. Or a training session.
Originally, the timing was going to work out perfectly, as Chris had arranged to see Piers about thirty minutes after the meeting. More than enough time to get all the way up to the man's dorm from what was essentially the other side of the complex.
But following the meeting Leon had called, and Chris would never be strong enough to deny a call from Leon. Never. Especially when the percentage of times Leon tended to ring Chris to sheepishly tell him about an injury - or to complain about another op he was being sent on - was larger than Chris liked to think about.
Fortunately, this call had been for an entirely different reason.
It had taken Leon a while to get there. The man rambling on about how they'd started doing construction on the road he normally took to get to work, so he'd been forced to take a detour around a part of the city he didn't like. And then about how D.C was hosting some kind of conference that week, so the place was packed with annoying tourists. And then finally, about how he'd discovered a new liquor store within walking distance from his apartment, and how ecstatic he was to try it out (which Chris had winced at, and then did his best not to comment). Until Chris, poorly hidden in a random corner not too far away from the conference room, couldn't take the rapidly rising anxiety any longer.
"But you're doing okay? Not injured or anything, right?" He had asked, chewing vaguely on his bottom lip in an effort to stop himself from saying more, wary of pushing Leon too hard and forcing him to clam up. Acutely aware of how flighty Leon could be but desperate to make sure he was alright. Luckily Leon had seemed to be in a good mood though, as he'd just chuckled.
"Yes, Chris. I'm fine." Leon replied, tone so fond that Chris could feel it. Even across the thousands of miles that stretched between them.
"Good, that's good. I'm glad." Chris muttered, shoulders losing their tension so quickly he'd felt like he was going to pass out for a moment, until he gathered his courage together. "So then… why are you calling Leon? Not that I don't want to talk to you, because you know that I love hearing from you. But you don't normally call in the middle of the day. I got worried." Leon had fallen silent then, the sound of his breathing barely audible down the line, until he finally took a shuddering breath in.
"I've been thinking about what you said the other night." He started softly, sounding cautious. "About starting to tell people that we're together."
At the words Chris' heart had started to race within his chest, gentle excitement starting to drip its way through him. He was quick to smother the elation though, just in case Leon was going to tell him that he still didn't want anyone to know - not yet at least - and cleared his throat.
"Yeah? And… what did you decide?" Chris asked, fighting to keep his tone as empty of emotion as he could. "Again, it's perfectly fine if you're not ready yet Leon. I just wanted to bring it up because -"
"I think I'm ready." Leon said all in a rush before Chris had finished getting the reassurance out, anxiety woven through his tone. "Maybe not everyone, but… I think a few people would be okay. Like Piers, Claire, and Sherry. Those kind of people, you know?"
"Of course. Sounds perfectly fine to me," Chris had agreed quickly, doing his best to settle Leon, even despite the fact that the man was down the other end of a phone line and thousands of miles away. "And I promise that I won't tell anyone you don't want me to tell, Leon. I promise."
"Maybe you could start with either Claire or Piers? And then we could go from there?" Leon had suggested, sounding more resolute the longer he talked. "Just because the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't really mind if they knew."
"I'm actually supposed to be training with Piers right now. I could tell him this afternoon?" Chris had offered, grinning softly to himself even though he knew Leon couldn't see his face. Until the expression had suddenly dropped. "Shit. I'm supposed to be seeing Piers right now." Leon had just laughed at him, amused, before he was able to reply.
"Go. You know how he gets when people are late." He forced out around the smile that Chris could hear, even down the other end of the phone. "And you have my blessing to tell him. Just… maybe don't do it while you guys are at the range? I worry about his accuracy being bad enough as it is."
"Right. His accuracy." Chris had chuckled, chest warming at the fact that his boyfriend and his best friend were close enough for Leon to tease Piers like this, before he'd finally forced himself to hang up after murmuring a soft good-bye to Leon.
And now he was stuck in the elevator. One eye on his watch and another on the floor counter as he slowly crept his way closer to the dorm Piers was staying in.
Chris was finding it difficult to be as worried about Piers' reaction as he usually was though. And as impatient as he was to get there, it was more because he was looking forward to collecting his friend, sweeping him through a quick training session, and then marching them back to Piers' dorm so that he could tell Piers that he and Leon were dating. That they had been for just over a year and a half now.
He was a little worried about how Piers was going to react when he told him. Worried that he'd be offended that Chris hadn't pulled him aside much, much earlier and told him that he and Leon had gotten together. Chris had wanted to. Had wanted to yell it from the rooftops from the very second Leon had kissed him, blushing all the way down to his chest and utterly unable to meet Chris' eye as he'd told him that he liked him. That he had done for a very long time.
But Leon had been nervous about telling anyone. Too used to closely guarding his secrets - too used to the impenetrable fortress he had built around his heart to keep it safe - to just suddenly let people in. Nearly drowning in anxiety about who might find out, and what they could do to him if they knew.
It was an easy concession for Chris. To promise Leon that they could keep the two of them a secret for as long as it took for Leon to become comfortable with the idea of sharing. That they could just keep their relationship between them until Leon finally felt it was safe for him to start letting people in. Because to Chris, as long as he was able to hold Leon close. As long as he got the opportunity to just cherish the man whenever they managed to steal away a couple of short days to spend time together, then that was all that mattered.
And although it had ended up being a harder promise to keep than he had originally been expecting. So overflowing with affection and wonder and love for Leon that he wished he could tell everyone he knew, just so that they too could relish in how special Leon was. But he had managed it. And now, Leon finally felt comfortable enough to start letting those closest to them know.
Fortunately, before Chris had the chance to really start feeling impatient, the elevator slid open on Piers' floor with a merry ding. He was quick to shove his way between two members of the BSAA's heavy artillery squad, cursing how solidly built they were as he did, before striding quickly down the hallway. Steps slightly muffled against the well worn carpet that lined it. From there it didn't take long before Chris was stopping in front of the correct door, rapping his knuckles across it briefly, and then folding his arms across his chest.
The door flew open almost immediately, an irritated looking Piers standing on the other side, but Chris couldn't find it in himself to care. Not even when the man narrowed his eyes at him.
"You're late." Piers frowned, nostrils flared as he studied Chris. Looking for all the world as if he were trying to blaze holes through him with his eyes. "You wanna explain why?"
"I'll tell you later, after training." Chris assured, uncrossing his arms so that he could grab ahold of Piers' bicep - dragging the man forward as he turned to face the hallway once more. But Piers stopped him before he could get very far.
"Why not now?" He asked mulishly, digging his heels in when Chris just tugged on his arm again. "What's so special about it that you have to tell me later? Especially if it was important enough to make you late without giving me a heads up."
"Just trust me Piers. It'll be better if I tell you later." Chris insisted, leaning his weight backwards as he tried to entice Piers into following him down the hallway.
And although it was clear that Piers was still disgruntled by the whole thing, he let out an exasperated sigh and gave in. Shaking his head and muttering something unkind under his breath as he trailed after Chris. Jaw clenched and tight lines settled between his brows. But the expression was quick to relax when Chris shot him a smile, still so giddy with Leon's permission that he was struggling to hide it, and shook his head fondly.
He didn't say anything though, and the two rode in companionable silence all the way down to the bottom of the residential tower, before crossing over into the main building. Dodging past people and traveling down staircases - careful to avoid the main entrance for fear of how busy it would be around lunchtime during the middle of the week - until finally, they were in the range.
To start with, they just did their own thing. Piers messing with a new sniper veil research and development had been wanting him to try, while Chris blew through a couple of different magazines while trying to figure out why the recoil on his rifle felt so weird, before the two of them ended up getting locked in a lazy shooting competition. Chris for once not able to summon his innate competitiveness and halfheartedly in it as he tried to focus long enough to aim in the general direction of where he was supposed to be shooting.
Chris had thought he'd been doing a pretty good job at pretending to be interested. And his accuracy wasn't far off what it normally was. But it seemed as if Piers was just able to sense that there was something off, because he dropped his rifle down from where he'd been aiming it, flicked the safety on, and turned to face Chris.
"What is up with you today?" Piers demanded, a hint of worry pinching the corners of his eyes as he frowned at Chris. "I've never seen you this distracted before. Is something wrong?" Admittedly, it took a little longer for Chris to register what Piers had asked him than it normally did. But once he finally figured it out, he was unable to stop the smile that crept its way across his lips.
"No, nothing's wrong. In fact, everything's great." Chris replied, beaming at Piers. "I've never been better actually." If anything, his response just made Piers look more concerned as he set his gun down on the counter of the shooting range. Tentatively walking towards Chris until he was close enough to press the back of his hand against Chris' forehead.
"It doesn't feel like you've got a fever." He muttered, flipping his hand around and dragging it down to cup Chris' cheek so that he could peer into his eyes instead, pulling back with a frown and a serious sounding "and your pupils are fine, so no concussion," when Chris started to bat his hand away. He only took a single step back before crossing his arms though, frowning intently as he studied Chris, before his expression suddenly dropped. "Are you on drugs?" Piers whispered frantically, eyes wide and employing. "You better not be on drugs."
"I'm not on drugs." Chris bit back incredulously, slightly offended. "Why the hell would you even think that?"
"Because you're acting strange Chris. Strange. And you being on drugs seemed like a reasonable conclusion." Piers replied, seeming to settle slightly, until he suddenly went as white as a sheet and took another stumbling step back. "Or… what if you're a clone who was sent in to infiltrate the BSAA? That would explain why you're being so weird."
"Not a clone either." Chris replied, even though he could concede that being captured and then cloned made more sense than him being drugged. Piers didn't look convinced though. Shoulders squared and a fierce glare on his face as he looked at Chris incredulously, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. So, although Chris had been waiting until they were back in the man's dorm to tell him about him and Leon, he couldn't take Piers' questioning stare any longer.
He made sure to take a moment to settle himself first. Letting out a stuttering breath and allowing his eyes to slip closed for a moment to gather his courage. Heart beating against the sharp points of his ribs as it almost stumbled against the fluttering anxiety that rose within him. Until finally, Chris forced himself to make direct eye contact with Piers.
"Piers, I've been acting kinda weird because there's something I wanted to tell you." Chris started, eyes darting around the range quickly to make sure it was deserted before focusing back on Piers once more. "Something important." And Piers, seeming to sense his sincerity, squinted at Chris, gaze searching.
"You're running away to marry some guy you met at the bar last weekend, right? That's why you've been acting like a love sick fool." Piers teased, grinning when Chris let out an exasperated breath and rolled his eyes. "Well shit. If that's not it, then I've got no idea what's going on." He added, seemingly unable to help himself.
"Ha ha, hilarious." Chris grit out, cuffing Piers upside the head. The man stumbled dramatically in response, clutching the back of his head and letting out an exaggerated complaint at the pain, before popping right back up to his feet with a proud smirk taking over his face.
"Okay, fine. So you're not getting married to someone from a bar." He conceded, raising his hands in front of him placatingly when Chris let out another frustrated breath. "So what is going on then?"
And in that moment, it was suddenly much harder for Chris to force the words out than he had been expecting. His breath stuck in his throat and pulse racing through him in response to the sudden anxiety that was doing its best to suffocate him. Where the sudden fear had come from, Chris didn't know. But Piers was his friend, and his closest one at that. So Chris forced himself to relax, breath shaking out of him as he did.
"What's going on is that Leon and I are dating. Have been for some time now." Chris said in a rush before he could second guess himself.
As soon as he'd gotten the words out, Chris felt something in him relax. Heart beating a pattern of warmth against his ribs. The excitement of finally having the confession out there leaving his cheeks tinged in a faint blush as he grinned. Pleased, and relieved, and utterly thrilled to have finally told someone that he and Leon were together. To finally of had the chance to talk about just how incredible the man was; how much he meant to him.
But when Chris tilted his head down to make eye contact with Piers, it was to see him staring blankly at him.
The two just gawked at each other for a while, Chris starting to feel more and more concerned the longer Piers went without saying anything. Until finally Piers cleared his throat and ran a hand over his face.
"Chris, you're really expecting me to believe that you're dating Leon Kennedy of all people? Leon Kennedy? I love you man, I really do. But there's no way in hell." Piers said disbelievingly, shaking his head.
"What? No! I'm telling the truth!" Chris cried incredulously, shocked by Piers' immediate, thoughtless dismissal. "Leon and I are together! Have been for over a year now."
"Sure, whatever you say man." Piers reassured, but it didn't sound like he believed his own words. He then threw an arm around Chris' shoulders and guided him into turning around. The two of them now heading towards the door. "I'm sure you're together. Totally."
"We are!" Chris spluttered as Piers threw open the door to the range and gently led him into the hallway, steps even and steady, arm never leaving Chris' shoulder. "And where the hell are we going anyway?" The last part was angry, but Chris couldn't find it in himself to care. Especially when Piers smiled at him appeasingly in an obvious attempt to calm him down.
"Oh! I figured we should just swing by the med bay real quick. Get you tested for a concussion." Piers replied offhandedly as he hit the button to call the elevator to them. "Or the remnants of drugs. Maybe you were drugged and you just don't know it?"
Irritated, Chris forced himself out from under Piers' arm. Frowning and gritting his teeth. But Piers looked serious now, and unwilling to budge. So Chris scowled at him, irate and annoyed and a little hurt that Piers didn't believe him. But when the doors to the elevator slid open Chris let Piers tug him inside, fists clenched as he settled against the wall. Watching blankly as Piers hit the button for the floor that let to the med bay.
And as he watched the doors slide closed before him, Chris couldn't help but glower at his own distorted reflection.
Leon was going to have a field day when Chris told him about this later.
- - -
It was kind of strange to be sitting in the middle of a run down diner while the mid afternoon sun blazed through the windows. The restaurant all but falling apart at the seams and utterly deserted.
Sherry had said that the place served the best milkshakes she had ever had though, so Leon had acquiesced. Agreeing to meet the girl there around an early morning meeting and the appointment Leon had scheduled with his own couch in the evening. A bottle of vodka clutched tightly in his hand and dressed in the sweatshirt Chris had "forgotten" during his last visit as he pretended to watch a movie.
It had been far too long since Leon had seen Sherry though, so he'd forced himself to go through with the trip. Even though he'd had to drive much further away from the city than he'd been expecting.
It didn't help that the restaurant had been empty apart from the staff. But fortunately it wasn't long before the front door was pulled open and Sherry tumbled through. Short hair being tousled by the wind and eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Leon just lucky enough to save himself the embarrassment of awkwardly waving in an attempt to flag her down because he was the only other person there.
Not that Sherry seemed to care, as she pushed her sunglasses up to rest on her forehead and waved excitedly. All but darting across the restaurant so that she could pull Leon into a tight hug. At first Leon couldn't help but tense, unused to being hugged by anyone that wasn't Chris (and even that happened far less often than he would like), but Sherry didn't pull away. Barely even reacted in fact. So he was quick to relax into it. Jaw unclenching and movements gentle as he wound his arms around her.
"Hey there Sherry." He murmured quietly into her ear, quickly brushing his lips against the side of her head before tightening his embrace so that she was tucked into his chest. "Long time no see. How are you?"
"I'm alright." Sherry responded just as softly, slightly muffled by the fabric of Leon's shirt as she did her best to melt into Leon. "Better now I've gotten the chance to see you." The words were fond, and clearly intended to be kind. But Leon felt his heart stutter anyway, devastated.
It had been too long since he'd had the chance to see the girl that was his daughter in all but blood. Too long since he'd had the chance to so much as talk to her. Continually thrown from one mission to another with no respite until he ended up injured enough that the DSO could no longer send him out. Until the director had no other choice than to put him on medical leave less he not make it back
Not if they wanted to lose their scapegoat at least.
Chris hated it. How every time he'd taken a long weekend to fly out to D.C to spend time with Leon, he'd either been so exhausted he could barely stay awake or so injured he could barely move. And Chris had always been careful to keep his comments to himself. Hands impossibly gentle as he'd stroked them across Leon's bare skin. Lips warm and caressing as he'd traced his mouth around the innumerable number of scars that littered Leon every which way he looked. Brushing soft kisses to the particularly bad ones and dragging his teeth along the untouched skin, before finally pressing his lips to Leon's own.
And the only reason he'd had any chance to see Chris at all was because the man made an effort to fly out to see him. Because Chris had been so diligent on setting up calls every few nights so that they could at least talk, even if their schedules were so busy there wasn't even a ghost of a chance they'd line up.
Everyone else had kind of fallen to the wayside. Forgotten in the continual cloud of exhaustion Leon seemed to exist in. In the constant feeling of despair that seemed to follow him around whenever he wasn't on a mission. Worried that he would be stuck fighting in a never-ending war for the rest of his life. Exploited by an organization that saw him as nothing more than an asset to use as they wanted. But at the same time, he was worried that he was getting too old. That he was starting to slow down so much that he was becoming a liability. So much so that soon, the DSO would have no other choice than to replace him.
And it shouldn't have scared him, the idea of finally being free. But Leon no longer knew who he was without the constant fighting; who he was when he wasn't useful. Could no longer remember what it was like to just exist without the ever present anxiety. An incessant, persistent kind of fear that seemed to cling to him no matter what.
Leon knew that Sherry didn't want to hear him complain though. Rationalized that the last thing she would want to talk about was the DSO, especially when it looked like she'd all but come off an op herself. So Leon, after pulling the chair out for her and helping her sit with a gentle hand clasped around her bicep, did his best to come up with something else to say.
He wasn't quite able to manage it. Floundering when his mind drew a blank and the words got stuck in his throat. Sherry was quick to recognize it though. Quick to take note of the discomfort that was bound to be written in the set of his shoulders and the twist of his mouth. So she just smiled at him softly, even though Leon could see that her eyes looked sad, and started to ramble on about a random movie she had seen with her friends recently.
It was embarrassing, that Leon had apparently grown to be so socially inept that he couldn't even come up with mindless small talk. But he was also too thankful for Sherry's willingness to commandeer the conversation to get truly angry at himself for it. Especially when the bored looking waitress suddenly appeared at his elbow and Leon couldn't stop the way he flinched.
Again, Sherry was quick to smooth everything over. Laughing and joking with the girl as she'd ordered their food - Leon feeling so on edge that he couldn't even muster up a hint of irritation that Sherry hadn't even asked what he'd wanted - before turning back to him once the waitress had left.
The faint sadness that Leon had seen before was now out in full force. A deep crease between her eyebrows and mouth down turned at the corners. The expression didn't look pitying though, only deeply unhappy, so he allowed it. Even when Sherry did her best to smile and reached across the table to pull his hand into a gentle grip.
"And how are you doing Leon?" Sherry asked softly, clearly doing her best to sound as unbothered as possible even as she wasn't quite able to keep a handle on her facial expressions. "You look uninjured at least, so things can't be going too badly."
"Honestly, it could be worse. The last couple of ops I got sent on actually ended up being just recon, so I've been spending most of my time trying to catch up with my mountain of paperwork." Leon responded, pleased when Sherry seemed to relax slightly at the words. "In fact, I've actually been leaving the office kinda on time this week. So that's been kind of strange." Sherry's eyebrows went up at that, clearly surprised, and her vague smile finally transformed into something real.
"Wow… on time Leon? I'm impressed. Really impressed." She crowed, reaching across the small table with her free hand to shove excitedly at his shoulder. "So what have you been doing with all that free time? Anything exciting?"
Leon just flushed in response. Certain that the last thing Sherry wanted to hear was that he'd been using the extra few hours in the evening to get drunk - before either calling Chris so the rest of the night could devolve into slightly sheepish phone sex - or shoving aside the rickety old ottoman that had come with the apartment so that Leon could lay on his back in the middle of his barren living room. Just staring up at the ceiling while he did his best not to get lost in the nightmares that were clawing at his eyes and desperate to escape. So disoriented by the alcohol swimming through his blood and the sound of screams echoing through his ears to truly understand where he was. To find the energy to anchor himself back to his body.
He was too embarrassed by it. That he still hadn't figured out how to cope after all these years. So Leon quickly came up with some random nonsense about starting a new show Hunnigan had recommended to him forever ago - outright ignoring the disbelieving eyebrow that Sherry raised in response - before letting the girl take over the conversation once more. Vaguely listening to some story she was telling about a recent op she had been sent on.
It wasn't that he didn't love listening to Sherry ramble on, because he did. But Leon had explicitly invited Sherry out there so that the two could talk, in private, about him and Chris. About how they were together. And it was proving to be a much harder subject to just come out with than Leon had been expecting. It didn't help that Sherry was more observant than anyone gave her credit for. As before Leon was ready, she was falling silent, eyes searching as she frowned at him.
"There's something else going on, isn't there? And that's why you invited me out here." Sherry deadpanned, cutting right to the chase.
Her sudden statement wasn't anything Leon hadn't been expecting, too used to bracing himself for all eventualities to be truly surprised. But he was startled by how direct Sherry had been about getting to the root of the issue. How quickly she had decided that she was done waiting for Leon to spit the words out himself. And Leon couldn't help but choke on the sip of water he had just taken.
"What makes you say that?" He asked once he'd finished coughing, rubbing his eyes free of the irritated tears that had started streaming from them. "Who says there's anything going on?"
"Don't pull that shit with me Leon. Not when we both know there's more to this meeting than simply catching up." Sherry chided, looking slightly disappointed by his reply. "Because I adore you Leon, more than anyone else, but you don't do simple meetups. Not anymore. So please stop trying to pretend that there isn't something you want to talk to me about."
And it stung. To hear that apparently Leon had slipped so far into the constant cloud of paranoia that had dug its claws into his spine and hadn't let go. That the persistent fear had become so debilitating that Sherry was now calling him out for it. That his life was so full of near ceaseless fighting that he didn't know what to do when it paused, even for just a moment.
But Leon knew that he owed Sherry an explanation. Especially since that was his original reason for arranging to meet her at the diner in the first place. So Leon ducked his head down to his chest so that his bangs fell across his face - desperate to hide his expression as he scraped together as much of his already faltering courage as he could - before forcing himself to make eye contact once more.
"Sherry, I… I wanted to talk to you today - in person - because I had something to tell you." Leon started, clearing his throat when the words got stuck around his vocal cords.
"Of course Leon, anything." Sherry replied, moving so that she could cradle both hands around Leon's own. "I'm here for you. You know that." It was all Leon could do to nod in response. Unable to stop the subconscious flare of self disgust that shot through him at the fact he could face down a BOW ten times his size without issue, but he was too afraid to admit that he had a boyfriend of all things, before just forcing himself to do it.
"Chris and I are dating." He bit out as quickly as he could manage, stumbling over how unfamiliar the words felt in his mouth.
It was over now though. It was done.
And finally, Leon had his and Chris' relationship out in the open.
He couldn't help but feel proud of himself, as unreasonable as it might be, until his eyes settled on the expression Sherry had on her face. It was disbelieving, and incredulous. And as she traced her eyes searchingly over Leon's face as if she were trying to catch him in a lie, her eyebrows continued to hike their way up her forehead until they reached her hairline.
"Bullshit," she breathed out. "There's no fucking way."
"What do you mean, bullshit?" Leon cried in response, a bolt of hurt racing through him so quickly it made his chest ache. Startled by the fact that Sherry didn't believe him. "I'm not lying here! We're together! We are!"
"Leon, I promise that I love you with my whole heart. And that I'm not just saying this to be mean. But there is absolutely no way you and Chris are dating. No way. You'd have to leave your apartment for that." Leon couldn't find it in himself to reply that time. Too overcome by the sting Sherry's disbelief had conjured up. Too offended by her outright refusal to believe him to come up with anything to say.
So when Sherry dropped a few bills on the table, more than enough to cover their bill, before guiding him from the diner, Leon just let her. Sherry chattering vaguely about how nice it had been to see Leon and how they really needed to meet up again sometime soon - once he finally felt comfortable enough with whatever it was that was bothering him to tell her, of course - as they slipped back into the blazing heat of the day. But Leon could barely hear her. Partially deafened by the sound of his pulse thudding in his ears and drowning in the sudden devastation that had settled over him.
And as he watched Sherry settle into her car - one leg thrown over his motorcycle and absolutely no idea how he'd gotten there - Leon couldn't help but wonder if it was true. That he was really that unlovable.
If he was really such an awful person to be around that even Sherry couldn't believe anyone would want to share their life with him.
Even if that someone was so wholly good - so perfectly caring, endlessly patient, and utterly insane to be willing to put up with Leon for as long as he had - as Chris Redfield.
- - -
Leon should have expected it really. That his luck would be so poor that he'd end up getting injured on a rare joint mission the BSAA and DSO had reluctantly thrown together. That during one of Leon's rare opportunities to see Chris again sooner than he had been expecting. An opportunity that meant Leon could secretly gawk a little at the man as he led his team through the op - distracted by just how good Chris looked while flushed with exertion, how breathtakingly attractive he was as he took command when things started to go predictably sideways - that Leon would then go and ruin it all by getting hurt.
But in his defense, he had only been protecting Chris. Had only reacted so quickly because he had seen what was happening moments before it did. Had noticed the BOW rapidly emerging from the shadows while Chris' back had been turned.
And besides, Leon had been taken out by lots of BOWs before. Had been picked up and thrown around and spat back out by more bio-engineered nightmares than he could count. Had spent more time avoiding the DSO's med bay than he would ever tell Chris. So what was the difference if it happened again now? What was the difference if his quick thinking meant that he was the only one who ended up getting hurt?
But Chris had been furious. Angry beyond words that Leon had thrown himself in front of the BOW without saying anything. That he'd been so mindlessly reckless before anyone else had even gotten the chance to even react.
Leon couldn't bring himself to care though. Not when Chris was still in one piece. Not when Chris was blessedly alive and uninjured as the two of them limped to the BSAA's med bay. Leon irritated that they were going in the first place but also far too familiar with Chris' style of smothering care to truly fight it. Especially if he was going to have any hope of convincing Chris to pin him to the mattress and fuck him senseless later.
So he just focused on keeping his strides steady, even though his knee was absolutely killing him and it felt as if his brain was trying to melt out of his ears, and reluctantly hobbled down the thankfully deserted hallway.
The interior of the med bay was always more overwhelming than Leon cared to admit. Overrun with medics and nurses bustling this way and that as BSAA soldiers drifted in and out. Each one in varying states of injury or illness as they rotated through as one forgettable wall of muscle after another. There was just too much to look at. Too many people to keep track of. And it sent Leon's already hyperactive anxiety into a tailspin to watch it all happen. To keep constant tabs on all of the perpetual motion.
Fortunately his wall of rippling muscle was still at his side, so Leon allowed himself to give in to the apprehension that was fluttering through him and lent against Chris. Grumbling in mild protest when the man wrapped an arm around his shoulders immediately, helping to take some of the weight off his bad knee. The complaint was all just for show though, and Chris knew that, as he didn't even so much as tense. Instead just readjusting his grip until he was holding Leon more firmly, before using his free hand to brush a gentle touch across the arch of his cheek bone. The contact made a dull pain throb through his face, and Leon was absolutely sure that Chris was tracing what could only be quickly purpling bruises as they started to appear. A result of where he'd smacked his nose against the railing the BOW had thrown him into.
Leon couldn't help but tense instinctively at the motion, casting a furious glance around the waiting room of the med bay. Embarrassed and on edge that someone was watching. Someone who would go right to the director of the DSO and tell him that Leon Kennedy was dating somebody. Someone who might then slip away to tell whoever the next up and coming BOW scientist just waiting to ruin his life was, that Leon Kennedy had a weak spot. Something that could be exploited. Something that would end with Chris being captured and tortured and left for dead. Or worse, turned into a BOW.
But no one was paying them even a single ounce of attention.
Leon glared at Chris anyway though, just because he could. Just because he liked to take every opportunity he had to relish in the fact that Chris was here, that he loved Leon. And then jumped when Rebecca abruptly appeared before them. Sharp eyes searching as she ran them quickly over Leon before letting out an exasperated breath.
"You look like shit Kennedy," she said flatly as she turned to guide the two of them down the hall. Passing a small group of soldiers who looked suspiciously like they were trying to flirt with one of the harried looking medics. And then around a woman who was trying to insist to one of the nurses that the deep laceration on her upper arm didn't need stitches - even as it was dripping blood down her arm and onto the fabric of her cargo pants - before leading them into a private room.
"Thanks, Rebecca. It's good to see you again too." Leon snarked back as he allowed Chris to help him onto the bed Rebecca had gestured at. Shoulders relaxing when the stabbing pain that was ricocheting through his knee lessened now he had his weight off it. Rebecca just quirked a smile at him in response, before turning to face Chris.
"So, what is he in for today?" She asked, shamelessly ignoring the way Leon let out a frustrated sound of complaint for being passed over.
So what if he tended to lie during these visits? So what if he was just trying to get through them as quickly as possible so he could get back to his apartment to self medicate with his own fully stocked first aid kit and a bottle of whiskey? He was a fully grown adult, he should be able to do what he wanted.
But clearly he'd lied his way through a "mandatory" post mission examination too many times. Either that or he'd finally been too obvious about it, because Chris didn't even look apologetic as he rattled off a list of Leon's suspected injuries. Some of which Leon thought he'd gotten away with hiding, so clearly Chris had been paying close attention to him throughout the course of the op.
The bastard.
The fretting, devoted, bastard.
Leon let Rebecca check him over though. Even if he used the majority of the time she spent scrutinizing his knee glaring at Chris for the way he'd positioned himself in front of the door. Almost as if he didn't trust Leon not to make a break for it when Rebecca's back was turned. But, as he took in the worried slope to Chris' eyebrows and the way he was tracing his eyes over every bruise and gash that Rebecca uncovered, Leon felt his gaze soften.
And when Rebecca finally slid his shirt up, revealing the long, scabbed over claw marks the BOW from Leon's previous mission had scratched into his chest. A mission he'd only finished about half a day before being sent out to meet up with Chris. Leon couldn't stop the remorse that flooded through him when Chris' face dropped. Jaw tight and eyes hard as he ran a hand through his hair.
Fortunately he didn't say anything though. So Leon just did his best to pretend that Chris hadn't seen the wounds. Guilty for not having told him at the beginning of the op that he was coming into it already vaguely injured.
Chris had been so excited to see him though. Ecstatic and light and gorgeously happy as he'd tugged Leon into a bone crushing hug. Before pulling back and darting his gaze around furiously to make sure the coast was clear so that he could pull Leon into a deep but fleeting kiss. And Leon hadn't wanted to ruin that. Had refused to ruin it in fact. So he'd just… kept the wounds to himself and got on with the job.
And he would've gotten away with it too if it hadn't been for the BOW that snuck up on them, right at the end.
But there was nothing Leon could do about it now. Nothing he could say to reassure Chris that he was okay, that the lacerations were more surface level than anything. Because then Chris would turn his sad face on him as he told Leon that it was fine, that he understood. And then Leon would have no other choice than to drown himself in his own suffocating regret.
So he just smiled apologetically at Chris, even though he knew it wasn't enough, and then turned to face Rebecca when she pulled back. Finally done with her assessment.
"Well, your knee is definitely dislocated," she started with, frowning at Leon briefly when he just shrugged. "And your nose is broken. But other than a whole lot of bruising and a mild concussion, that's pretty much it. You'll need to take a few weeks off while your knee heals, but other than that you'll be fine."
It wasn't too far off what Leon had thought, and he couldn't help but feel guilty that Rebecca had taken time out of her busy day to look him over when he could've just done it himself. But Chris looked more relaxed now, having known for definite what was wrong. Having known for definite that Leon wasn't trying to hide anything else. So he grinned thankfully at Rebecca, allowed her to wrap up his knee, and went to slide off the cot and onto the floor, when Rebecca stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Hold on Leon. Before you head off to whatever hotel I'm sure the DSO has booked you for the night, I need you to ask someone if they'd stay with you. At least for the first twenty-four hours. There's still a good chance your concussion could turn into something serious, so I'd feel better if you had someone to keep an eye on you." She looked apologetic, as if she understood that Leon would rather spend his time alone, than bunk with someone he didn't really know for the night. Even more so when he was injured. But Leon was too busy staring at Chris to fully register the small flare of hurt the statement had sent skittering through him.
Because Chris had stood up from where he had been slouched against the door, a small smile starting to creep over his face and eyes full of a pleading look. Peering expectantly at Leon in the hopes that he would say it was okay for him to tell Rebecca.
It was touching. That although Leon had given him permission to slowly start telling people that they were together, Chris still took the time to make sure he was okay with it. Still took the time to double check that even though he'd said that one person was fine, another might not be.
His ever persistent care and careful consideration of Leon's boundaries was almost too much. That this man - who obviously felt that he loved Leon enough that he struggled to keep it inside, who was so proud of Leon that he just needed to show him off - would've kept their relationship a secret for as long as Leon told him too.
And Leon just knew that Chris deserved someone better than him. Deserved to be loved and held and cherished by someone who wasn't afraid to hold his hand in public. To kiss him briefly in the middle of a grocery store, just because they wanted to. Someone who wouldn't have been afraid of people finding out about them. But Leon was more than willing to cling to Chris for as long as he was allowed. More than willing to love the man with every piece of his soul for as long as he could.
So, although his heart was slamming against the sharp points of his ribs. Although the last two times they had told people had ended in unrelenting disbelief. Leon nodded at Chris.
A bright grin spread across Chris' features so quickly in response that Leon was surprised his face was able to move fast enough to keep up with it. Small creases appearing at the side of his eyes as he beamed at Leon adoringly. Before he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned back to Rebecca.
"Actually, Rebecca… Leon's coming back home with me tonight. So I don't think we'll have to worry about finding someone to stay with him." Chris interjected, clearly struggling to keep his tone even. He didn't quite manage it though, and the quiet joy that Leon could hear in the words caused his cheeks to warm. A gentle flush that only darkened when Chris turned his warm smile back on him.
They just looked at each other for a moment. Chris giddy at the fact that he'd been able to tell yet another person, and Leon doing his best to keep the fond expression off of his face. But when they then turned to face Rebecca to see what she thought, the woman having fallen silent for a suspicious length of time, it was to see her looking at them in confusion.
"I would've thought that you'd want to head back to D.C now that the op's done Leon." She said blankly, gaze quickly flicking over Leon as she studied him before turning to face Chris. "And didn't you say that you'd taken some vacation time for the back end of this week? Won't you be busy trying to get ready for that?"
"Well, I was planning to go and visit someone, but that someone has now come to visit me. So I don't really have too much to prepare anymore." Chris replied, his own voice sounding sheepish as he shot a quick look over to Leon before looking right back at Rebecca.
"Oh, that's nice! That they took the time out to come and see you." Rebecca said, the confusion that had been contorting her brow smoothing out as she nodded. "Who is it? Anyone I know?" At the question a wave of apprehension seemed to come over Chris. His jaw tightening ever so slightly and eyes frantic as he shot Leon a nervous look. But when Leon nodded encouragingly and smiled, Chris squared his shoulders, cleared his throat, and turned his gaze directly onto Rebecca.
"Well, it's Leon that's come to visit me. Because I managed to book us some tickets to a concert he's been wanting to see. So we'll be going to it together. As a date." Leon couldn't help but snort at how awkward Chris sounded. How much he had stumbled over the words in an attempt to get them out. And a soft grin settled across his face, fond despite himself.
But Chris' unsure delivery clearly didn't seem to matter because Rebecca just scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"C'mon Chris. No need to come up with a lie! If your plans fell through, and you're no longer able to go on that trip you were planning, then they fell through. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." She exclaimed, wandering across the room so that she could punch his arm affectionately before turning back around to face Leon. "And you! There's no need for you to go along with it either. Chris is a big boy, I'm sure he can get over the disappointment all by himself."
Rebecca then continued to ramble on for a while, her tone sounding teasing as she talked, but Leon was too distracted by making eye contact with Chris to hear it. Too busy sending the man an apologetic look in response to the hurt expression that had worked its way onto Chris' face.
He couldn't deny that it stung all over again, not to be believed. For it to seem so far fetched that he and Chris were dating for people to even consider that it was possible. That their friends wouldn't even entertain the fact that Chris would be willing to stoop himself down as low as it took to get on Leon's level. That he would stay there long enough for the two of them to date.
That someone like Leon wasn't worthy of being loved by someone like Chris.
But in that moment, Chris looked more upset by Rebecca's stark refusal than Leon felt. Looked more hurt by the woman's skeptical remarks and ill-timed teasing than Leon could take. So he cautiously pushed himself up to a stand, limped as quickly across the floor as his dislocated knee would allow, and tugged Chris through the doorway.
From there the two of them all but fled the med bay. The sound of Rebecca's disbelieving comments echoing behind them the entire way.
- - -
Despite the fact that TerraSave had an office in Toronto - an office that Claire conveniently worked out of - Chris often went long periods of time without seeing his sister. The both of them kept so continually busy by jobs that were liable to send them out halfway across the globe at the drop of a hat, that more often than not their schedules just didn't line up.
But now, for the first time in far too long, Chris finally had a free afternoon to meet up with Claire for lunch. And while Leon was in town no less.
Fortunately it hadn't been too hard to arrange a time to meet. Had been even easier to select a restaurant. In fact, all Chris had worried about was how he was going to convince Leon to head into the heart of the city in the middle of the day. But a rare stroke of luck really must've been on Chris' side as Leon had just shrugged in agreement, a fond looking expression taking over his face when Chris couldn't stop himself from tangling the man into a firm embrace and brushing a kiss to his cheek in excitement.
And when the day eventually came around, Chris had made sure to spend the morning throwing Leon around a bit before tying him to the bed. Had made sure to work Leon over as well as he could with his teeth and tongue until he was all but begging, before forcing him to cum so hard he'd cried. Chris had then guided the two of them into the shower, threw the water on as hot as he could stand, then fucked Leon against the wall. Making sure to use his weight to pin him down. Thrusts grinding and utterly desperate as they had lost themselves in it.
By the time Leon had cum a second time he was boneless. Pliant. And Chris had taken great pleasure in washing the man's hair and stroking his fingers across the scarred planes of his abdomen as Leon had slowly dragged himself back into his body. A selfish kind of pride warming his chest when Leon winced a little as he finally dragged himself away from where he'd been all but collapsed against Chris' chest.
All of Chris' careful attention had meant that Leon was almost free of anxiety when it was time for them to leave Chris' apartment though. Shoulders relaxed and the ever present bags under his eyes easier to bear as he'd smiled at Chris. The familiar tension that always found its home in the gentle curves of Leon's spine pretty much gone. Even as the two of them wandered through the crowded streets of Toronto and towards the restaurant.
It had helped that Claire had already snagged a table in the corner by the time they arrived. That she had smiled and given the both of them a hug, before waving the two of them into the booth so that they could sit with their backs against the wall and their eyes on the exits.
As soon as they were settled, Chris couldn't fight the fondness that was beating an imprint against his skin. Couldn't stop the way his heart was struggling under the joy of having both of the most important people in his life in one place. And he was quick to press his thigh firmly against Leon's as he beamed at Claire from where she sat across from them at the table.
The beginning of the lunch date went much better than Chris had been expecting. Leon a comfortingly warm line at his side and for once, not completely brimming with unease as he listened to Claire chatter on about a new article she was writing. Head tilted in curiosity and fingers lax from where they were resting just above Chris' knee. He still darted his gaze around the interior of the restaurant. Still took a second to analyze every single person who came in through the front door. But for the first time in far longer than Chris wanted to think about, he almost looked relaxed.
And as much as Chris wanted to claim sole responsibility for taking the time that morning to fuck Leon until there was nothing else going on in his head, it seemed as if Claire's presence was also helping. Her eyes bright and so immersed in her own story that it was nearly impossible to look away. Almost impossible to fight the brotherly urge that was yelling at him to just sit and listen to what she had to say.
It was hard though. As there was a part of him, a very large part, that was endlessly distracted by Leon all but sitting in his lap. That was trembling with pure need to just confess that the two of them were together.
That they had been for years.
But Chris managed to wait until Claire got to the end of whatever she was talking about (he would have to ask Leon later, because she had seemed pretty excited about it and Chris didn't want to let her down) before biting at the inside of his cheek and shifting his weight restlessly so that he was leaning more firmly against Leon.
"So... um, Claire. There's something we want to tell you." Chris started, a little worried to broach the topic after his and Leon's prior attempts had gone so poorly. After no one had believed that the two of them were dating. Had believed that someone as incredible as Leon would date someone like him. But this was his sister. The person who before Leon, had known him better than anyone else. Claire would trust that it was true.
She just had to.
"What is it Chris? Everything okay?" Claire asked once he didn't respond right away, eyes glancing over at Leon briefly before focusing back on him. "There's nothing going on at the BSAA is there? You're not about to tell me that you're being sent on a year long job or anything, right?"
"No, nothing like that." Chris replied as reassuringly as he could manage. "It's something… personal." Claire just frowned at him for a second, gaze searching, before shooting an equally probing look at Leon.
"Okay?" She prompted, a single eyebrow raised as she looked back and forth between the two of them. "And that personal thing is…" And with that, Chris' time to stall was up. So he took a steadying breath, squared his shoulders, and then with a quick glance at Leon to get an approving nod, threaded their fingers together. Squeezing once before bringing their hands up to rest on top of the table in clear view.
And there, sitting before Claire, Chris made sure he had proof. Undeniable, unavoidable, proof.
"Leon and I are together. Have been for a while now." He stated as evenly as he could manage, gaze steady on Claire's expression as he said the words. She didn't react for a moment, face carefully blank and eyes fixed firmly on his and Leon's joined hands, but then Chris felt his heart drop when she let out an incredulous laugh.
"Are you seriously trying to tell me that you're dating? That you've been in a secret relationship for what, a year?" Claire scoffed.
"It's been just about a year and a half." Chris murmured faintly, thinking for some reason that the additional information would help their case. But Claire just rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, arms crossing over her chest once she was settled.
"Sure. A year and a half. A time frame in which neither of you told me you were together because…"
"Because you never asked." Leon interjected when Chris balked at the question. Utterly unwilling to spill any of Leon's secrets, even if it were only to Claire.
She didn't look happy with Leon's response, nostrils flaring and eyes narrowed as she glared at him. But Leon held firm. Expression almost entirely blank and shoulders relaxed. The only movement in his face a delicate quirk of an eyebrow when Claire let out a frustrated huff. Both of them locked in a staring contest and utterly unwilling to be the first person to look away.
Chris just left them to it for a while. Far too familiar with how stubborn both Leon and Claire could be and unwilling to get in the middle of it. Unwilling to even so much as breathe in their direction less he get pulled into the argument. Instead, he took the time to start trying to shove down the ache that had settled into his chest at Claire's quick but brutal skepticism. Her immediate denial and then subsequent refusal to just listen to either of them while they tried to explain.
And the way that now - even with how Leon was staring her directly in the face as he gently withdrew his hand from where it was laced through Chris' own, dragged his fingers up his arm, and then cupped Chris' chin so that he could angle his face as he pulled him in for a solid kiss - she just continued to watch on. Completely disbelieving.
"Honestly guys. I'm a little hurt that you'd insist on messing with me like this. This isn't cool." Claire grumbled as soon as Leon pulled away. Chris a little dazed despite himself at the fact that Leon had just kissed him in public for the whole world to see.
He wasn't so stunned as to miss the way Claire crossed her arms in front of her chest protectively though, an irritated frown marring her face.
"Did you ever stop to think about how I would feel about this charade during the planning session I'm sure the two of you had? Or did you just use that time to convince yourself that this was a great idea?" It was clear that Claire had said the words with the intention to hurt them. And Chris couldn't deny that they did. But not for the reasons Claire had been hoping.
Because in that moment, Chris was finding it impossible for him to feel anything beyond hurt at the knowledge that no one - not even his fucking sister, who's promise to always have his back didn't seem to cover love confessions like this - could believe that he and Leon were together.
That apparently Leon was so far out of his league that he would never even consider dating someone like Chris.
And it was with this understanding in hand - the understanding that nothing he nor Leon could ever say that would convince their friends of the validity of their relationship - that Chris abruptly threw some money down on the table and slid out from the booth. Not even finding it within himself to care that they were only halfway through their meal.
Leon was quick to follow. Not even questioning it as he popped up to his feet and grabbed Chris' hand. Their fingers intertwined and grip tighter than it would've been if Chris wasn't doing his best to fight down a suffocating wave of wounded anger. From there Chris strode out of the restaurant. Grinning weakly at their startled looking waitress as they breezed by and nodding faintly at the hostess at the front. Both he and Leon ignoring the indignant cry of "don’t you dare just walk away from me right now!” from Claire as she tailed them.
The three of them all but fell onto the sidewalk in a frustrated tangle of limbs. The air between them saturated with bitterness and irritation and hurt as they all glared at each other in turn.
They must've made such a sight. Two guys tightly holding hands and braced against the fierce scowl a girl across the sidewalk was dedicated to maintaining. The three of them all looking distinctly disgruntled and on edge. So much so that Chris wouldn't have been surprised if they caused a scene.
He was willing to stand there for as long as he needed to though. Unwilling to give in to yet another person who refused to believe that he and Leon were together. When Jill, in a stroke of what could've only been sheer coincidence, strolled up to them.
"I'd ask if everything was okay, but I have a feeling it would be a waste of my breath." She deadpanned, rolling her eyes when Claire turned her sharp glare on her. "What's up Little Red? Did these two refuse to let you tag along during the op they're supposed to be going on next week? It's a shame really, considering I heard through the grapevine that they're gunning for some guy who's been selling government secrets. Seems right up your alley."
"No. 'What's up' is that these two decided that it was an amazing idea to pull a prank on me, and have been trying to convince me they're dating. Which is just childish if you ask me." Claire spat out, growling faintly when Chris huffed in dismissal and muttered out a defensive, we've been trying to tell you that's not what's happening.
They came to a standoff once more, only this time with Jill in the mix. Her keen eyes assessing and calm as she swept them around the small group. Taking in Chris and Claire's matching irate expressions, Leon's tense body language, and the way his hand was still tangled with Chris', before letting out a quiet chuckle.
"You don't believe it either, right? This bullshit claim that they're together." Claire exclaimed, grinning so viciously at Chris it looked more like she was baring her teeth. "Good! That'll make it easier to call them out for trying to perpetuate such a bold lie."
She sounded sure of herself. And confident. Almost as if there were no other conclusion than that Jill didn't buy into it either. So despite the way Jill herself hadn't said anything yet, Chris braced himself for her disbelief anyway. Squeezing Leon's hand tightly and wishing that he could just disappear. Wishing that he and Leon had never left the rumpled sheets and kiss drunk haze they had been submerged in that morning. But Jill, as she tended to do, surprised him.
"Sorry to burst your bubble Claire, but these two losers are definitely together. Have been for some time actually." She stated easily, expression perfectly serene when Claire spluttered and Chris crowed in victory. "I'm surprised that you even questioned it to be honest. They're so obviously in love with each other that it's embarrassing to witness."
And although the second part of her sentence forced a bright blush to appear on his cheeks, Chris beamed at Jill anyway. Relieved that for the first time, someone's initial reaction to the news wasn't doubt. Wasn't skepticism, or incredulity, or even direct dismissal. It was just pure, unadulterated, belief.
"How'd you figure it out?" Leon asked when it became clear that neither sibling was going to say anything, a fond look all but taken over his face as he grinned at Chris.
The expression quickly dropped though when Jill scoffed.
"I figured it out because as 'subtle' as I'm sure you thought the two of you were being, the walls of the training room are a lot thinner than they look. And the sound of someone getting a blow job is pretty distinctive. Even if Chris wasn't moaning your name at the time." She replied blandly. And the burning mortification that flooded through Chris was almost worth it to see the way the blood drained from Claire's face. His sister now as white as a sheet and looking utterly horrified.
But it was hard to stay embarrassed when Leon let out a bright laugh and extracted himself from Chris' grip so that he could punch Jill in the shoulder. Somehow managing to look both impressed and chiding as he bit out a teasing cry of "you asshole! You knew the whole time and you didn't say anything?" Jill just grinning in reply and shrugging before punching Leon back.
So, although this wasn't quite the way Chris had been hoping to find someone who's first reaction to hearing that he and Leon were together wasn't incredulity, he would take it.
Especially when Leon wandered his way back over to Chris so that he could brush his lips across his cheek. He was quick to pull away, winding his fingers through the short hairs at the back of Chris' neck and tugging at it so that he would duck his head. Leon then just smiled at him softly, adoration written into every crease and curve the emotion left on his face, and pulled Chris into a deep kiss. A kiss that Leon almost immediately made deeper by slipping his tongue in.
Leon was so warm beneath him and overcome with love that Chris didn't even have to think before he was dragging his own hands down the curve of Leon's spine to cup his ass, ignoring the wolf-whistle Jill let out in response.
Because now, there were people who believed them. As small as that number was. And Chris had never been so thankful in his entire life.