Chapter Text
It was late afternoon in early Summer when you got a text from Leon giving you a heads up he’d been notified about an upcoming mission. You were buried nose deep in a textbook about gene splicing when the notification popped up, scribbling in a notebook about looking into the regenerative properties of the liver in comparison with the ability of certain lizards to recreate limbs.
Phagocytes stimulated cartilage regrowth, but not identical to embryonic formation. It was possible in theory to correct this with proper stem cells; adult formed were too limited, however.
For the liver, hepatocytes and cholangiocytes were able to function as stem cells to restore structure. Perhaps there was a method that could combine all of these and using a person’s DNA, recreate lost limbs by reactivating positional memory. Signaling would have to be guided to the proper locations, which would require precise bioelectric manipulation but…
You almost jumped out of your chair when your phone vibrated on the desk, rustling the pile of papers it rested on top of. You picked it up and glanced at the text; frowning as you read it.
Even after all these years, you still didn’t like it when Leon went on missions. You never complained to him about it, knowing it was hard enough on him already. Although he was dedicated to his work, he hated being apart from you and who really wanted to risk their life constantly?
You weren’t privy to the details, but you knew these outings were dangerous as hell. He frequently came home with bruises, scratches, and wrecked outfits. His job was hard on his wardrobe; you’d guess that his highest cost of living was routinely replacing his clothes.
It was better that than him having to go to a hospital from sustaining injuries, though. His physical wounds always gave you anxiety; you usually spent a couple of days watching over him closely after his return. He teased you about this, assuring you he had to get checked out extensively by staff doctors before he was allowed to leave his agency's facilities. But he knew you were going to med school, so he patiently sat through your examinations just to give you peace of mind.
Of course, he almost always pounced on you afterwards, telling you that you had to take responsibility for turning him on. You didn’t know how listening to his heartbeat, taking his blood pressure, and performing a visual check could excite him so much. Although maybe it had to do with the fact you had him strip down to his boxer briefs before you ran your hands over his body to look for injuries. I mean, you might as well get a little eye candy while you had to do it, right?
Even more worrisome than the physical wounds were the mental damages Leon sustained from the operations. He often looked haggard and emotionally exhausted when he came home, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he lit up when he saw you, his blue eyes glowing as he’d pull you into his arms like he’d been gone for a century instead of a few days or weeks. And the two of you would soak up the contented peace that came from being back together again.
I’m sorry to hear that, I know you were hoping to be out of the field for a while. I’ll prepare your favorite meal tonight, you texted him, immediately revising your plans for the day, going through the mental list of the things he loved eating.
Most of the food involved cheese and pasta, which if someone were to look at his jacked physique they would never guess. It was unfair in your opinion; you loved those foods too, but you felt like every time you ate them, they showed up on your thighs. Meanwhile, he scarfed it all down and didn’t gain an ounce. His job was very physical, to be fair, but you still couldn’t help the jealousy you felt at times.
Great, can’t wait to see you spread out naked for me on the couch when I get home, he cheerfully replied, and you snorted as you rolled your eyes.
You should have known. Still, it was awfully nice to be the object of his desires. You’re insatiable.
And you love it, he unabashedly answered. See you in a couple of hours, although it’s going to be a bitch waiting in the office with a hard on.
You could almost feel him smiling through the message, and you glanced at the clock to see how much time you had to prepare before you needed to leave for his place. You got up and looked in the fridge; you still had some leftover polenta and arancini; you’d bring those along with bread.
His most beloved meal to this day was still spaghetti and meatballs. You’d made far more complicated dishes together but because it was the first thing you’d ever cooked together, he always said he loved it the best.
Leon could be incredibly adorable, despite his standoffish demeanor. He’d learned to hide the soft side of himself in his life, but he was slowly starting to show you more and more of it. Every new piece of him that he revealed to you was a precious treasure that you valued immeasurably.
And he seemed relieved to be able to share all the aspects of himself with you. He was still hesitant about discussing his childhood and past in depth, but he was trying, and that was all you could ask for. Even if the pace he moved at sometimes drove you crazy.
You went into the pantry and picked out all the ingredients you’d need, going through the list in your head. He had supplies at his place but since he’d be gone on his mission, you needed to bring everything with you. You didn’t want to cut into what he had at his duplex, so he wouldn’t have to go shopping once he was back. You supposed you could always run to the store for him, but sometimes he returned in the middle of the night when most places were closed.
You placed everything you gathered into a cooler, added ice packs, and then went back to your notebook. You jotted down the page number from your textbook that you were stopping at and then went into the bathroom to shower.
You’d been studying all day and felt like a mess. You knew Leon thought you were cute no matter what the circumstances, but you preferred to look nice for him before he left on assignments, since it could be a little while before you saw each other again.
Plus, it was always flattering to see the way his eyes got dark, and he lost his breath when he looked at you. You never got tired of it. You weren't sure you ever would.
You showered and got dressed inside your walk in closet, pulling out and then tossing aside several outfits before finally selecting one. Since it was warm out you put on a bright sundress, the thin straps barely holding the neckline above your cleavage. The hemline was just above the knee, but the handkerchief style made it flutter as you moved, so it teased with glimpses of your mid-thigh. You added heeled sandals, knowing how much he loved the way your legs looked in them.
You were smiling with anticipation as you spun in front of the mirror that hung on the back of the closet door. This dress was probably going to end up ruined, but it was a sacrifice you were willing to make.
You went back into the bathroom and finished drying your hair; you didn’t style it heavily, opting to throw it up in a ponytail. After a quick examination, you did end up pulling down a few wisps and touching up your bangs. You were in a good mood as you finished up; no, you didn’t like the idea of Leon leaving soon, but there was something about getting dressed up to see him that always gave you such a rush of joy. Probably because he appreciated it and always made sure to let you know it.
You returned to the kitchen, gathered up all the bags there, grabbed a small purse with your id and cards, and then loaded up the car. The trip to his place was uneventful, the way long since memorized by now, but your heart was still racing as you arrived. You always felt giddy when meeting up with him, even though you had warned yourself not to fall too hard for him, it was most likely already too late.
How could you not? He was sweet, smart, and sexy. He also had the most ridiculous sense of humor and thrived on making you laugh. When he let you out of bed, that is. You’d have to be dead inside not to be moved by such a man.
The lights to Leon’s duplex were off, but you’d expected that you’d arrive before he did. It was part of your plan. You parked in the driveway and let yourself in through the garage, making sure to close it behind you before lugging all your bags inside. Your phone chimed as you set everything down on a counter; he was on his way home. The drive was rather long for him, so you weren’t worried about finishing before he arrived.
You unpacked all your cooking supplies and got busy making the meatballs first, occasionally checking the time as you worked. You pulled out some wine next and opened it to let it breathe, then you reheated the leftovers before warming the noodles you’d made earlier that week and assembling the main dish.
You were just plating up when you heard his motorcycle pull into the drive; you almost panicked because you were barely going to get done before he walked inside. You hurriedly made your way out to the living room, setting down the food before dashing back to fetch the wine and glasses. Your eyes were twinkling as you arranged everything for presentation.
***
Leon had been having a grueling day at work. The morning had passed by well enough, mostly reviewing previous missions and joining meetings to discuss the intel on recent movements by the Umbrella Corporation. This was how importance of operations was normally decided and doled out among agents; anyone who had recently been out in the field usually got bumped to the bottom in interest of fairness.
Of course there were exceptions, since every operative had areas they specialized in, but it was understood that without rest most people would perform at suboptimal levels.
Since Kennedy had been out less than a month before, he wasn’t concerned about getting selected again so soon. He was an outstanding combat specialist, but he wasn’t a med or tech op, which meant he usually could look forward to a stretch of days off. His supposition had been correct; he wasn’t mentioned on the list for current deployments, and so he’d gone to his afternoon sparring and weapon sessions with a spring in his step. Already thinking about what he would do with you on the upcoming weekend.
But then Benson had called him into his office unexpectedly, and he’d gotten a sinking feeling in his stomach as he made his way there. His superior had been polite as always, even though there’d been a slight edge of uncomfortableness between the two men ever since Leon stole you away from Chris at the employee party. The scene had been unacceptable at an event designed to strengthen unity. Leon was severely reprimanded, written up and then carried out his punishment tasks, but Benson still looked at him with disappointment on occasion.
Their relationship was something like father and son, at times. Benson had worked with him since he’d started at SOCOM, although the man had also been part of the reason Kennedy was literally compelled to serve, it was something the younger man had never forgotten. The situation between them was complicated. Even so, he didn’t like feeling as if he’d disappointed his superior.
Benson had wasted no time informing Leon that he’d been selected for a high-ranking classified mission. There was no option to pass, this was an order not a request. The need was fairly urgent; he would be flying out first thing in the early morning so that all the supplies, transportation and liaison arrangements had time to be made. These kinds of operations were the ones he hated the most; last-minute notifications gave him little time to prepare mentally for what he’d be enduring.
And now, with you in his life, it gave him hardly any chance to be with you before he had to depart.
Even though he was passionate about his work, and driven by determination to protect the world from bioterrorism, he absolutely despised being sent out so abruptly because it meant he wouldn't be with you again for who knew how long.
But he had little choice other than to acknowledge his receipt of the mission and start getting into the right headspace for it. Even though he was upset to have to leave you again so soon. He knew you were going to be sad about it, but at least you were busy enough with your schedule that you wouldn’t have too much time to sit around worrying about him.
Even so, his mood was basically ruined for the remainder of the afternoon. The one highlight of Leon’s day was when he messaged you to update you on what had happened; even exchanging the blandest of texts with you made him feel so much better. Just talking to you had lifted the weight on his shoulders; he was still anxious about what his mission could be, but it wasn’t as daunting as it had been.
As the two of you had gotten closer over the years, he’d grown less nervous about telling you when he had to leave. You were always so sweetly supportive when he let you know about his operations; you understood he didn’t want to go but didn’t have a choice. And he appreciated that; if you’d cried or gotten upset, it would be so much harder for him.
He was aware how difficult such a thing must be for you; he acted like a baby himself whenever you went anywhere. He couldn’t stand you being out of his presence when the time you had together always felt so brief. He was greedy for every second he could get with you and constantly wondered what you were up to when you were out of his sight. He could only imagine how much worse he would be if he thought you were in danger.
To be honest, he’d probably follow you just to make sure you were safe. He knew you were independent, but he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from watching over you even if it annoyed you.
Leon couldn’t resist flirting with you to make you feel better about him having to leave so unexpectedly, his texts deliberately provocative. But then he suffered afterwards because he unintentionally turned himself on in the process. It was borderline problematic how much he wanted you all the time.
He wasn’t joking when he told you he had an erection after texting, the idea of seeing you spread out waiting for him was something that he fantasized about far too often. Particularly given the fact that he was able to have you whenever he wanted. It should have made him less desperate for you, but it didn’t.
He didn’t dwell on his obsession with you often, but he was aware that he’d fallen for you hard. Probably more than was healthy, to be honest. But in his life of constant danger and uncontrollable variables, he didn’t want to regret holding his feelings for you back. He might not tell you he wanted something permanent with you, afraid to take that step that bound you to him in case he suffered a premature death, but he tried to show you in his own ways how much you meant to him.
Leon was tempted to take care of himself immediately rather than sit through it the rest of the day. But there were cameras all over the facility and operatives walking around constantly. The likelihood of getting caught was too high and he was still on the shit list for his behavior at the work party.
Not to mention, he should be getting his paperwork in order before he went on his next mission. That way he could just file his report once he got back and send it off afterwards without having to arrange everything first. It would get him out of the office and back to you much faster once he finished the operation. So Leon ignored the gnawing ache in his body, promising himself he’d have you soon enough, and got down to work.
The rest of the day went by surprisingly quickly, and he made sure he got out of the building before anyone could try to come find him with last minute tasks. He wasn’t about to get stuck there and miss out on being with you when he knew he had to leave again so soon.
Cognizant of the limited time he had with you, he practically ran to where he’d parked his Ducati, barely nodding his head in acknowledgment to people on his way out the door.
Operatives at the office would think nothing of it; agents frequently had to come and go with little warning. Although there were behavioral politics at every job when it came to required interactions, in his line of work such things didn’t follow usual procedures unless one was in a meeting with superiors. In a place where fast response times required immediate reactions, the rules were different.
Leon was instead preoccupied thinking about all the things he was going to do to you when he got to his place as he jogged up to his bike. And when he swung his leg over the seat, he was reminded of the time he’d fucked you on it. He swore under his breath as his cock immediately rose once again, reaching down and adjusting himself before fastening on his helmet. It was one of his favorite memories to jerk off to, and he knew this was going to be an uncomfortable ride home.
Which is why he peeled out of his stall at barely legal speed, maintaining it until he passed through all the checkpoints and exited federal property. As soon as he turned onto a civilian road, he took off, ignoring his minor pangs of guilt as he zig zagged between vehicles. He knew he should probably slow down, but he didn’t want to lose a single second with you.
The entire ride back, he daydreamed about the night ahead, his attention on the traffic just enough to keep from crashing. It wouldn’t do him any good to speed if he died before he got home. As the miles passed and he drew closer to his place, his heart rate accelerated in anticipation until he was almost lightheaded.
When he turned into his neighborhood and pulled up to his duplex, the familiar sight of your car sitting there triggered a rush of emotions in him. It always felt right to see the vehicle there, filling him with happiness and wellbeing. It was in moments like these he could freely acknowledge to himself that you were his safe place and serenity.
He opened the garage, drove in, and barely waited for the motorcycle to stop moving before parking it and hopping off. He was almost running as he reached the door leading inside, absently slapping the garage door button so it closed again as he went in.
Leon hurriedly unfastened his helmet, tossing it down onto a table just inside the entrance from the garage, ruffling his messy hair self consciously, his eyes searching for you as he moved. The need to see you was always strongest when he knew he was going to be gone for a while.
The place smelled amazing, filled with the scent of fresh herbs and homemade sauce, which he had come to associate with you. He loved how you had taken this empty, almost cold home and turned it into a warm shelter against the harshness of the outside world. He grinned as he headed for the living room, but he pulled up short when he got there, almost collapsing against the door frame when he finally saw you.
You were sitting on the couch, looking positively edible in a pretty sundress, your hair elegant but a little messy, like it sometimes was after he’d run his fingers through it. The two tiny straps that normally held the neckline of the dress aloft were pushed down to either upper arm, so the material had slipped down low, held in place by just your breasts. He could have sworn the tops of your areolas were barely visible in the shadows atop your cleavage from the overhead light. And Leon definitely was looking closely enough to be able to tell; his gaze riveted to you.
Conversely, the skirt was bunched almost to your waist, the frilly hem sitting high at the very tops of your thighs where your legs were primly pressed together. He couldn’t see for sure, but he suspected you weren’t wearing panties. You’d crossed your ankles, the delicate heeled sandals you wore immediately catching his eye. They were high enough that if he wanted, fucking you standing up while you leaned over with your hands on the wall was absolutely an option.
His hands flexed with the urge to grab onto you and then relaxed again as he fought off the animalistic compulsion while he absorbed all this visual information in a matter of seconds. You were simply breathtaking, every fantasy he conjured up always paling before the reality of you.
After taking a second to compose himself, he started to walk up to you, his head whirling with all the things he was about to do to you. But he’d barely taken a step before you held up your hand and said, “Leon, you’re still wearing your biking jacket.”
You were right, but he didn’t want to wait another moment to be next to you. He leered at you as he pointed out, “But you like it when I have one on.”
You couldn’t dispute that; one of your favorite recollections was of the night he convinced you to be friends with benefits, masturbating for you while that jacket he was wearing at the time hung open to display his gorgeous body. You were flushed with arousal as those memories revisited you, and you considered whether or not you would want a repeat performance.
Obviously, you did. At some point. You admitted to yourself that he did look sexy as hell in the black and white leather that currently clung to his perfectly muscled torso. You’d decided to have a little fun though, since he’d be going away, so you stuck with your original intentions and shook your head as you said, “True, but not tonight, put it away and wash up for dinner please.”
Leon eyeballed you for a moment without moving, clearly trying to decide if he was going to give it one more shot or not. He’d seen the way your cheeks turned red, and he instinctively understood you were recalling that amazing night he’d worshipped you the first time. Part of him wanted to press you more; his own excitement enhanced by yours.
But you kept your expression implacable, indicating you had something else in mind for the evening, so he sighed and with a noticeable pout on his face, unzipped the jacket and shrugged out of it. You openly watched him remove the supple material, enjoying the way his arms and abs flexed under the cover of his camel hued polo. The warm color made his eyes even more vibrant than usual as he stared at you one last time before walking out of the room.
Leon quickly jogged to the coat hooks by the garage entrance to hang up the jacket. Then he cleaned up in the kitchen, splashing water and dish soap on his hands and face rather than wasting more time going to the master bathroom.
In the living room, you did your best to get your own hormones under control again so you could properly carry out your plans. You rolled your eyes and suppressed a giggle as you heard him darting around. His eagerness to get back to you was so endearing. He really was like a great big puppy sometimes, you thought with a smile.
But your face was unreadable a moment later when he came back into the room after he used a hand towel to dry off. He was positively radiating with lust, his body humming with a barely leashed energy that was intoxicating. He wasn’t even trying to pretend like he gave a fuck about the food, his eyes fixated on you as he walked towards the couch where you waited.
You knew him too well; if he sat next to you right now, he would be all over you in a matter of minutes, and you weren’t confident in your ability to resist him. Both of you knew you had always been weak to his touch.
“Stop right there,” you demanded before he could get in grabbing range, and despite his agonizing need to be with you, he immediately paused even as the corners of his mouth turned down in a sulky frown.
You loved how considerate he was of you; he listened to you most of the time, even if it went against his wishes. “I want to have a nice dinner with you before you leave, and I think we both know what will happen if you get within touching distance.”
Leon’s heartbeat accelerated at your casual admission that sex was inevitable the second he got his hands on you. It never ceased to delight him how very reactive you were to him. Knowing it was as impossible for you to resist him as it was for him to resist you. He tried his best to put an innocent expression on his face, but he knew he was still almost salivating from looking at you when he said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
You snorted at him, his attempt to deceive you hilarious at best, before pointing at one of the recliners as you replied, “Drag one of those over and sit across from me.”
He narrowed his eyes at you, but his lips twitched as he tried to repress a smirk and heaved a sigh of mock offense, hand going to his chest as he grumbled, “I can’t believe you don’t trust me.”
You were as amused by this back and forth between you as he was. The way you two easily exchanged banter was one of the things you treasured most. You let your eyes do a thorough inspection of his face and body, lingering over his flashing eyes, luscious lips and honed physique until a flush rose on his sculpted cheeks, and his hips shifted restlessly. “Who says you’re the one I don’t trust?”
Leon’s already simmering desire boiled over into an agonizing state at your confession. He was conditioned to respond quickly to situations thanks to his years of training in combat, and now was no exception. His first instinct was to pounce on you and ask for forgiveness later. But he knew you’d be upset after arranging all this for him, so he shoved the feral inclination aside, though it pained him to do so.
“That’s just not fair at all,” he whined instead, aware your request had to be as difficult for you as it was for him. When you looked at him like that, he wanted to fuck you until you fell apart. He knew it wouldn’t take much to convince you that you wanted it that way too.
But you blithely shrugged as if to say life wasn’t fair, and after taking in your expectant expression, he begrudgingly did as you asked. He was muttering to himself while grabbing the recliner, but he obediently lifted it up.
You quietly watched him carry out your command, enjoying the sight of his muscles rippling as he easily picked up the large chair and placed it where you’d indicated. His grip on the seat was firm, strong fingers curving into the cushioning as his forearms were lightly straining with the minor exertion. You weren’t sure why you found the sight so damn sexy, but you definitely did.
You recognized how on edge he was, and because he was holding something unwieldly, you temporarily kept your thoughts to yourself this time. Your demeanor was neutral when he turned around with the recliner in his grasp and brought it over, so it was on the other side of the coffee table from you.
Leon lowered the chair to the ground and then unceremoniously plopped down on it, his sensual lips turned down in an aggravated frown, as he grumbled, “There, happy now?”
You’d already decided you were going to tease him until he was a lunatic, to help keep both your minds off the fact he had to leave. So it was remarkably easy to let yourself study the way his athletic body slouched on the seat, once again appraising him like the fine piece of art he was.
The black coloring of the recliner was striking against his skin where his arms rested on it, making him appear to slightly glow. The top button was undone on his polo, the golden-brown color complimenting his hair and making his blue eyes bright. He was a tawny god, a virtuoso at sex, completely at your call.
You knew how blessed you were, and you were looking forward to what came next after dinner.
“No, I wouldn’t say I am,” you admitted, ready to have him at your disposal but waiting because it wasn’t yet time. You allowed the lust you were feeling to fully show itself on your face, until his fingers were digging into the arms of the recliner in an effort to stay where he was, as you wished. “And I probably won’t be, until you’re inside me. But I made this just for you, and I don’t want it to be wasted. So, dinner first and dessert after.”
The air between you was rampant with burgeoning desire, so thick it weighed down on you like a palpable force. You were curious if he would break, if he could resist his impulses to react, and follow your demands. Particularly when his primitive instincts were being toyed with like this.
Several tense seconds ticked by before he slowly blew out a heavy breath. “You’re going to drive me fucking crazy if you don’t stop staring at me like that,” Leon groused as he picked up the plate you’d prepared for him and started eating.
You weren’t sure if you were pleased or disappointed that he was managing to contain himself thus far. It just made you want to prod at him all the more, pick away at that calm composure.
“Get ready for a straight jacket then,” you smirked as you slowly wound some strands of spaghetti around your fork, deliberately leaving them loose instead of using a spoon so you had to suck the uneven ends up between your lips after taking a bite.
His gaze instantly zeroed in on the way your mouth moved as you sucked; the slurping noise far more provocative than it should have been. The sound rattled around in his head and then shot straight down to his groin, his already aroused body kicking into higher gear as his erection increased until it stretched his pants uncomfortably.
His own fork fell out of his hand as he gaped at you; it clattered noisily on the plate, but he didn’t even register that it had happened.
It was an altogether gratifying reaction; how much more animated would he be if you were using your mouth to suck him off? Past experience gave you a rough idea, and you trembled as those visions tantalized you. His hands tangled in your hair. His abdomen clenching as your head bobbed up and down. The delicious whimpers that you dragged out of him with each movement...
“Leon, I can barely wait to feel you, but you’re not even trying to eat,” you said in a sweetly pouting voice, trying to maintain control of yourself and the situation, your eyes pointedly glancing at his forgotten food.
This time, he didn’t seem as inclined to obey, waving his hand at the plate dismissively. “That’s because we both know I’d rather be eating something else,” he shot back at you, his tone dark and heavy as his own gaze dropped to where your upper thighs were pressed together.
He’d given you the perfect opportunity to torture him a bit more, along with yourself. You flirtatiously shivered in a way that made your curves jiggle, and his jaw clenched so hard you were concerned he might break teeth. “I want that too, to feel that gorgeous mouth moving between my legs. I never said it wasn't going to happen, pretty boy, just that dinner comes before we do. So hurry it up.”
Leon huffed out an irritated sigh; shoulders previously rounded out with tension beginning to relax as you called him that pet name he adored. It was aggravating how you could turn him on and placate him simultaneously, the picture of licking you up until you were screaming now front and center in his head.
“I’m not the one setting ridiculous rules here,” he pointed out as he retrieved his fork and eyed your body again. “Luckily, I’ve got practice dining on the run.”
And then he proceeded to wolf down the contents of his plate, making short work of the food in extraordinary time. Your mouth fell open as you watched him tear his way through the meal. You hadn’t given it much thought, but it made sense that he had learned to eat as efficiently and expediently as possible. He was gone for days at a time, and you could only assume eating on missions had to be done quickly to minimize exposure to danger and distractions.
Still, it was almost comical the way he was shoveling down his dinner; you had to wonder if he could even taste it. “Hey, I made that just for you, try to enjoy it at least.”
Leon had been feeling surprisingly self conscious. While it was true that he often consumed food in this fashion in the field, and he was sometimes with other people, he’d never done this in front of you before. Other agents had been trained to eat with proficiency and would pay it no mind. People he was rescuing or targeting, he didn’t give a shit enough about to care what they thought of him.
With you, it was an entirely new and uncomfortable experience. He preferred showing you his best side, and hogging down food like an animal probably looked gross to you. He’d done it impulsively, his lizard brain activating and taking over from his heightened state of arousal, in a hurry to get to what came next. And he was immediately embarrassed by what he’d done, but he couldn’t let you see that because that would just make him even more self conscious.
So he was secretly grateful when you admonished him to slow down. He still paused midbite stare at you in disbelief, but his words were a study in politesse as he replied, “I appreciate the work you put in to have this prepared for me when I got home. It was really thoughtful of you. But to be honest I can’t taste a damn thing right now because I’m so ready for you it’s shorting out my senses.”
Well, when he put it like that, you couldn’t be upset with him too much now, could you? Your plan to get him ramped up had certainly worked, and you couldn’t help but be pleased by how closely he was teetering on the edge of his control.
You laughed at his agitated sincerity, before saying, “I’m too flattered to be annoyed. But if you go too fast, you’ll just have to wait for me to finish.”
For once, you hadn’t meant to sound so provocative, realizing your slip when one of his eyebrows rose as he continued gazing at you with that intense concentration you’d grown to love. The corner of his mouth curled up, his head tilting to the side as his eyes pierced yours. “Don’t I always?”
The innuendo was impossible to miss, the look on his face and the deep intonation of his voice leaving no doubt what he meant. And while he might have his issues when it came to opening up about his past, he’d always been a virtually flawless lover when it came to sex. Attentive, eager, tireless in the pursuit of your pleasure and willing to try just about anything you asked.
Yes, he always made sure you finished first. Repeatedly.
And you both knew it.
A wave of need skated across your body, your breasts feeling full as your pussy suddenly clenched. It felt like the control of the situation was once again shifting more in his direction at that moment. Although he tended to be impatient when it came to you and given to action, he could play the flirting game just as well as you could, and you enjoyed every second of the anticipation building between the two of you.
Wordplay was one of your favorite forms of intimacy.
“That’s true, because you’re so good for me. You always give me what I need,” you softly replied, a ghost of a smile touching your lips as you watched the way he lowered his fork as his body went rigid all over again, his expression turning from amused to ravenous. “Still, it seems like in this case, you’re having difficulties doing what I’d like. Take off your belt.”
Your words had an immediate impact, his lips parting as his breathing picked up, the outline of his sensitive nipples obvious beneath the polo as they tightened. He hesitated as he studied you, and you could see he was weighing whether he wanted to fight you for the lead tonight or capitulate.
But then his glance flitted over your body, taking note of your own signs of desire, and a second later he simply surrendered. He wordlessly set down his utensil and reached for his defined waist with his hand. He unfastened the belt with practiced ease, his fingers deftly unclasping it and closing around the buckle before giving it a hard yank, pulling the belt free.
You enjoyed the deliberate display of dexterity, fully aware of how skilled his hands were.
“Well done. Now pick up your plate and come here,” you whispered, pointing at the ground alongside where you sat on the couch.
Leon’s already aroused senses roared into maximum overdrive at the approval from you, his cock hardening to a painful degree as he stood up without hesitation, grabbed his dishes and obediently moved around the coffee table until he was standing where you’d indicated. Gone were any lingering traces of hurrying through dinner or thoughts in general other than giving you what you wanted.
“Put those right here,” you tapped the free space next to your own meal, showing him where to put his plate, waiting as he followed your directions, his pulse ticking up rapidly under his jawline as he complied. “Now, on your knees.”
A small moan slipped from his lips at the order. He wanted you so damn much, and it was his privilege to await your pleasure. Hungry restlessness ate away at him as he sank down facing the side of your leg, his heart racing as you held out your hand for his belt.
Words couldn’t begin to describe how fucking sexy he was right then, your own heart pounding as this gorgeous man willingly followed your lead. “Give the belt to me, and then stay very still,” you commanded him, your gaze soft but implacable.
His hand started to shake as he placed the sleek leather in your grasp. He had no idea what you were going to ask next, and he loved that about being with you. The two of you had set boundaries and rules long ago; he never worried that you were going to do something he’d hate.
And the not knowing always served to heighten his need. As did occasionally turning over all control to you like this.
You could read him like a book; he was loving every second of this just as much as you were. The compatibility between the two of you had always been out of this world and in moments like this, you marveled at it, recognizing it for the gift it was. You reached out to gently brush the shining bangs that framed his face, smiling as his eyes briefly closed from the light touch.
Leon’s nerves were drawn tight as you leaned over, your breasts a hair’s breadth away from his face as you grabbed both of his wrists and pulled his arms behind his back one at a time. He felt sweat break out on his forehead from fighting not to move as your hands wrapped the leather of the belt around his wrists, loosely binding them. He could easily pull them free, but that was the point. He was ceding power to you and staying confined because you wished it, and he wished to serve you.
“Good boy,” you praised him as you straightened back up, noting the flush making its way up his neck as you picked up his plate and fork. “Now, open up.”
He glared at the offending items for a moment, this was not going at all how he’d hoped. He had to repress the desire to scowl at you, the meal of his preference resting between your legs. The high he felt from your approving words tempered his dissatisfaction.
He did as you asked, half expecting you to shove the food down his throat for his earlier behavior since he’d been so snarky, but you were gentle and slow about feeding him. Excruciatingly so, and after a minute or two he understood this was a form of punishment for trying to rush through his meal.
Leon was forced to sit there, bound, facing your delectable body, and not able to do anything other than eat at the rate of speed you allowed. It shouldn’t have been as sexy as it was, but he knew that, eventually, he’d work his way to forgiveness and earn a reward. And that was what made it so much of a turn on.
It wasn’t easy to be so amenable though. You went out of your way to excite him, using your fingers to stroke along the side of his mouth to wordlessly encourage him to open wider for certain bites. When a spot of sauce dripped on his chin, you drew close, your breath fanning his lips a second before your tongue slipped out to lap at his skin, licking it clean, catching him by surprise.
His hips shifted with stifling agony as his dick throbbed from the wet feel. The urge to lunge forward and kiss you was maddening, particularly when you smirked at him with a knowing gleam in your eye before resuming feeding him again.
You were getting off on this, and that just aroused him even more. He wondered if you were dripping for him right now. He bet you were, and waiting to find out felt like it was going to kill him.
Leon endured it with the methodical patience that carried him through every harrowing mission he was sent out on. The objective in this case was far more valuable to him, lending him the fortitude he desperately needed to get through it. It helped him ignore the way the curves of your breasts flashed in and out of his view every time you leaned forward to give him a bite, tempting him to bury his face in your delectable cleavage.
He briefly wondered what his punishment might be for such a loss of control, but he’d managed to work his way through most of his food before you started this whole punishment thing, and he didn’t want to slow the momentum. He only had to suffer through this for a short while.
Or so he thought.
However, once you had slipped him the last little amount from his plate, he watched in dawning horror as you turned to your own meal. He had to wait for you to finish that too, it seemed. This was completely unfair in his opinion, but he was worried if he protested you might do something worse. Like make him wait all night.
Although he was pretty sure he’d eventually just explode in his pants from being wound up for so long.
So he suffered in silence with nothing to occupy his thoughts other than the way you ate with a sensuality that turned his mind to mush. Each lavish lick of your tongue over your fork after you finished a bite was exaggerated and taunting, and his underwear was drenched long before you were done.
“Tell me pretty boy, are you enjoying your punishment so far,” you asked, your tone suggesting you knew exactly how difficult this must be for him.
Leon’s hands clenched, fingers flexing over the leather of the belt around his wrists as he stared at you with steady eyes that belied the way he was almost panting where he knelt. You truly admired his willpower and self control, even if you were currently trying to rip it all to shreds.
He let out a slow exhale before murmuring, “I enjoy anything you do to me. Even this. Whatever it takes to please you. You know that.”
You did, in fact, know that. He went out of his way to make sure of it. It was still thrilling to hear him say it with such a strained edge to his voice. “I do love the sound of that,” you mused with a smile.
You took great delight in torturing your impulsive companion, noting every sharp inhalation of breath that he took as he watched you. And every other nuance of desire he was displaying. It was seductive, witnessing him agonize from his attraction to you.
Of course, you weren’t immune to it by any means.
Your own body was equally hot, more than ready to have him inside you after having him kneeling at your feet so compliantly, but you were doing your best to ignore it. Even if it was as arousing for you as it was for him. Everything you did to tease him was an equal bit of torment for yourself.
But it was generally worth it, serving to heighten the senses and increase the levels of fulfillment for both of you. Having to wait for a prize could often make it all the more valuable.
By the time you had consumed the last bite, you knew that both of you were on edge and ready to snap with anticipation.
“There, dinner is finished, was that so hard,” you playfully asked as you set aside your plate and turned your attention back to where he knelt gazing at you with the expression of a man starved.
The bait was obvious, you were trying to get him to complain about his punishment which would, of course, lead to further reprimands. But he ignored it, aware of his role in this exchange, the bound wrists at his back an exciting reminder where the leather rested pliantly against his overheated skin. “Not at all. Waiting for you is a pleasure,” Leon replied instead of pouting like he wished.
Your smile now was tinged with impish glee as you took in the smoldering look in his eyes; his petulance was clear, but he was doing his best to be obedient. You adored that about him, this willingness to indulge you when needed, a compliment to the same impulses you often felt towards him.
As often as you liked bossing him around, you loved it just as much when he pinned you down and took charge. And on more than one occasion, the two of you fluidly slipped in and out of roles as the situation demanded.
“How fortunate then. Simply looking at you like this brings me joy,” you murmured as you reached out to trace a finger over his collarbone, lazily passing it down the front of his polo, over his nipple so that his lips fell open as he let out a strangled gasp. “You are, as always, a treat for the eyes. Speaking of, pretty boy, whatever should we do for dessert?”
Leon’s heart was pounding so hard it was almost deafening for him, thundering in his ears as he stoically said, “Whatever you wish to give me.”
You laughed softly at his forced deference; the banked fires in his eyes telling you that he had something he wanted very much. But he was willing to wait for as long as necessary, until you chose to give it to him.
“I suppose we could always have the cake I made,” you slowly replied, after pretending to think about it for a minute. His expression remained neutral, but you suppressed a chuckle when you saw how his body involuntarily flinched at the idea of waiting longer. “But unfortunately that will have to be later. I’m afraid I’m much too wet from having you on your knees for me this whole time.”
Your declaration had the predictable effect on him, his hips jerking as his attention dropped from your face to your almost bared lap. He bit his lip a second before he breathed out, “Fuck baby,” before he could restrain himself.
You didn’t mind his lapse of control at this point, finding it unbearably exciting as you allowed your thighs to fall open, revealing you were in fact not wearing any underwear at all. As Leon visibly wrestled against his instincts to tear himself free of his bindings, you inquired, “Whatever should we do about it?”
Leon sincerely thought he was about to die. Just as he’d suspected, all this teasing had made you as needy as he was. You were dripping, the sight equal parts intoxicating and inciting. The intensity of the things he wanted to do to you, for you, in that moment almost terrified him.
“I’d be happy to clean you up,” he breathlessly offered, the hushed promise in his words making your skin break out in goosebumps.
“Would you,” you questioned with feigned surprise, opening up for him even more, until he was practically fighting with himself not to lean forward without permission at the view.
“Yes, please,” he gasped out, not above begging at this stage, wanting to touch you and taste you so bad he was on the verge of losing his mind. “I’ll do anything you want. Please.”
There was something utterly transfixing about this big, strong, handsome man pleading to be allowed to serve you. Perhaps it was the honesty; you knew he meant everything he said in that moment. His satisfaction almost always came from seeing to yours, even when the power roles were reversed.
“How very thoughtful you are, pretty boy,” you approvingly replied, the supplication in his voice more than you could resist after getting both of you wound up to such a lustful state.
Your hand came up to glide over his cheek, and he instantly leaned into your touch, his whole body shuddering at the contact with you after waiting for so long. A quick glance down at the front of his pants had your eyebrows rising in surprise, the outline of his cock prominent and expected. What caught you off guard was how much he’d been leaking, the dark stain on the material conspicuous. Apparently, he really liked being at your mercy tonight.
Leon’s eyes flickered open as your hand moved upwards, fingers sliding around the back of his head and into his hair as your gazes locked. His pupils blew wide in the instant before you leisurely drew him towards you, guiding his head down, between your thighs.
“Thank fuck,” you heard him whisper almost under his breath an instant before your hips tilted up as he ducked the last couple of inches.
You didn’t have time to react to his fervent longing, the first swipe of his tongue on your clit robbing you of breath and the subsequent one robbing you of sanity. You let out a long moan as he lapped you with gentle, deliberate pressure, and he groaned in response, pressing his shoulders more firmly between your thighs. It forced them to open wider, exposing you to him completely and giving him easier access to you.
Your head rolled back as electric jolts ran through you, every fluttering movement of his tongue lighting you up. And the entire time Leon was sucking your clit with slow, intense motions, the double form of stimulation driving you mad. Your breasts grew heavier, nipples tightening painfully from the feel of his mouth pulling at you so purposefully.
They ached to be touched, but his hands were bound, and you weren’t about to let him free now. So you reached up to cup first a breast and then a nipple with your other hand that wasn’t tangled in his hair, switching between them as you tried to sooth the delicious sting there. Between your legs, you felt Leon’s body twitch, and you glanced down to find him staring up at you.
You had no idea how long he’d been watching you, but the moment your eyes met his again, the leisurely pace he’d been going at abruptly escalated up.
Leon was about to lose his shit. He’d just spent what felt like forever kneeling by your feet and finally getting to taste you was more than he could handle. You were delicious, a unique flavor he was sure he’d recognize in his sleep by now. Every time he went down on you like this, he wanted more. Like an addiction he didn’t want to break free of.
And then there was the way you reacted to him. The stuttering movements of your hips, the way your head tilted back and to the side, the beguiling sounds that you made as he serviced you. Fuck, everything you did drove him crazy.
Part of him wanted to torment you, like you’d been doing to him earlier. Initially he alternated between quick and slow slides of his tongue, setting up a pace you couldn’t quite adjust to. It was designed to make you feel good but not quite enough to get you off.
But then you’d reached up to start caressing your breasts and nipples with one hand while stroking his hair with the other. It was so damn sexy he thought he might fall apart right there. He could feel precum shooting out of his cock, saturating his already soaked underwear and pants.
He abandoned any thoughts of delaying your gratification; the need to feel you come far outweighing his earlier petty plan. He watched you play with yourself, his entire being shaking in reaction, and when you finally looked down at him, his barely restrained lust overwhelmed him.
Leon’s tongue set up an insistent rhythm, his head bobbing, cheeks grazing the soft skin of your thighs. He was leaning into you now; his chest and thigh muscles distended as he completely gave himself over to pleasing you. You could hear his nails digging into the leather of the belt as if he was trying to keep himself from ripping free and taking you.
You gasped as his mouth worked its magic on you, the trembling of your body growing more pronounced as the rapture you were feeling increased with each of his demanding movements. The sound encouraged him to do more, he sensed you were approaching your release.
He pushed his face closer to you, like he was trying to climb inside you, and for an irrational moment you thought he might suffocate himself. But the hungry look he shot up at you assured you he was doing just fine as he licked you again and again until light was starting to dance behind your eyes.
When he pulled away a second later, it was almost a relief to escape the relentless pleasure he was giving you.
“You taste so good, fuck I need you to come for me,” Leon panted, the raw sound of his voice sending shivers down your spine, his eyes wild, lips grazing over your pussy an instant before he was plunging his tongue inside you.
Your hips shook at the sudden penetration, and you involuntarily pulled at his hair as he angled his head so that his nose was brushing against your clit. A second later it felt like lightning struck you when the tip of his tongue found your frontal g spot, rubbing back and forth over it until you were clenching down from the intense rush of pleasure.
Leon felt the way you coiled up inside and knew just when you were at the edge of orgasm. He moaned against you, the unexpected added vibration pushing you right over, your body ablaze as the waves of ecstasy washed over you.
As you splashed out on his tongue, his cock throbbed in response, his own pleasure skyrocketing from getting you off. He went breathless as his tongue continued to thrust inside you through your release, drawing out the sensations until you thought you might pass out. And as you collapsed in the aftermath, he let himself go, coming as he continued to lap at you with adoration, the burst of pleasure so intense he almost blacked out.
It was so fast; too fast, you knew, because of how long you’d drawn out your excitement earlier. But you didn’t regret it one bit.
Leon turned his head so it was resting atop your thighs, his breathing heavy against your skin. Your hand that had been previously pulling at his hair was now softly running through the thick tresses instead. He sighed with contentment as his racing heart began to slow, lightly nuzzling your leg.
You smiled as you leaned down to try and unfasten his belt to free his hands. Leon felt you move, and he saved you the trouble by twisting his wrists, neatly popping it off with ease. You gasped in surprise as he reached out to grasp your free hand, you hadn’t realized exactly how simple it was for him to break free if he wanted to. He smirked against your skin as your fingers squeezed his own.
“Are you ok Leon? Do you need some water,” you asked him, your eyes skimming over his body where he still crouched before you, checking to make sure he was comfortable.
“Not yet, just stay like this for a minute,” he sighed, eyes drifting closed from the soothing sensation of you playing with his hair. A second later he peeked up at you as he amended, “Unless you need a drink. Or this is uncomfortable for you. If I'm too heavy, I can get up now.”
It was just like him to be so considerate of you when he was the one in the cramped position you thought as you started tracing light designs on his scalp. “Ever the gentleman,” you replied, your voice equal parts playful and earnest.
He really was, in so many ways, though you knew he didn’t believe it most days.
Leon placed a gentle kiss on your thigh, his tone far more serious as he murmured, “What can I say, you bring it out of me. You make me feel safe. Thank you for accepting every part of me I throw your way.”
Your heart fluttered in your chest as his gleaming gaze drifted over your face, his sincerity and intensity palpable. You were so fortunate to have met this sweet, determined man who was a patchwork of fragile confidence, kindness and perseverance. He was someone who would charge into the darkness again and again to save others, how could you not fall in love with him?
On the heels of that thought, followed the fear of his imminent departure. You never knew where he was going, how long he’d be gone, what he’d be doing or even how much danger he’d actually be in. If he was killed, would you ever even learn of it? Or would you think he’d just disappeared on you?
He hadn’t run from this thing between the two of you for a while, but the truth was he had a tendency to do just that when his emotions got to be too much for him to handle.
It was likely you’d end up having to live without knowing. You weren’t a government agent; you weren’t his official partner; there was no way you’d be contacted about the matter.
The horror of that prospect reared up, threatening to overwhelm you, but then a ray of light pierced your rising hysteria. Claire Redfield. She would definitely let you know. Hell, so would her brother Chris for that matter. They might not be able to give you details, but you knew they wouldn’t leave you in the dark if Leon fell.
Such bleak thoughts had tears trying to gather in your eyes, the idea of this shining light of a man dying was something you couldn’t bear. You refused to cry in front of him though. It would bring too many questions, and you didn’t want him to know you were worried. He tried to shoulder everything to protect you; it was his nature to safeguard others. He’d have enough on his mind already; you refused to be a distraction or liability for him.
You leaned down to pepper his nose, cheeks and forehead with delicate kisses until he was chuckling, the grave mood dispersing. “Feel free to throw yourself at me whenever you want.”
He snorted, eyes glittering with mirth, as he teased, “Remember you said that, because in about five minutes you might regret it.”
You laughed as he leered up at you, and he slowly straightened up from your lap, pulling you into a hug as he placed a kiss on the top of your head.
Then he was leaning back to grimace down at himself, his pants an absolutely sopping mess. “I need to get out of these clothes.”
“Sounds good to me,” you purred as you once more appreciatively took in the sight of him on his knees.
You felt Leon’s arms tense around you a second before he said, “Be careful sweetheart. You know it’s about to be my turn next, right?”
“Oh is it,” you archly asked him, although you’d already figured as much when he’d come rushing home for you so impatiently. He tended to be much more aggressive before missions; most likely out of anxiety about what could happen.
“It is,” he informed you before hesitating as he added, “As long as I’m forgiven for trying to hurry through dinner earlier. I really do appreciate that you do things like this for me.”
He meant it. He’d been given so few signs of such genuine affection, and virtually all of them had come from you. No one had ever made him feel so seen, so treasured before. Sometimes he didn’t know how to process it, the things you made him feel that scared him so much.
You tilted your head to brush your lips over his cheek, smiling when you heard him sigh softly at the contact. “I know you do, and you did such an amazing job with your atonement, how could I not forgive you?”
He loved it when you talked to him like that, equal parts teasing and praise. It got his blood going like almost nothing else did. And he was suddenly impatient to be with you, not wanting to wait another minute when time was so finite.
A second later, you were yelping in surprise as he shifted one of his arms, so it was under the backs of your legs just before he sprung to his feet. You felt the power surge through his body as he easily lifted you with him as he rose.
“Leon, what are you doing,” you demanded, laughter in your voice as he spun on one heel and started walking out of the living room.
His stride was purposeful as he marched through the hallway, straight to the main bedroom. “Oh, I think you already know the answer to that.”
He tossed you onto the bed without further explanation; you bounced a little on the mattress, staring at him as he then proceeded to lift his shirt off over his head. Any protests you might have had about cleaning up your dishes simply disappeared out of your mind as his gorgeous body was bared to you. His arms and abs rippling as he chucked his polo aside and reached for his pants.
His agile fingers quickly unsnapped and unzipped them, before hooking into the waistband and tugging downwards. The wet stain on his underwear was even larger than the one that you’d noticed on his pants earlier. While he was eating you out, you thought you’d heard him come, but you’d been out of your mind at the time, so you weren’t sure. One glance at his boxer briefs assured you that had been the case and, even as you were looking at him, you realized his dick was already well on its way to being hard again.
This was going to be a long night, if the look on his face was any indicator of what the future held.
***
When the morning came, you were barely able to rouse yourself enough to see Leon off. He’d been truly insatiable all through the endless hours, and sensing his need to imprint his presence on you, you hadn’t minded one bit.
As expected, he’d taken the role of lead for the remainder of the time. The dynamics between the two of you during intimacy was always about sharing for mutual pleasure first and foremost. You were happy to submit to him when he wished, as long as he did the same for you. That had never been a point of contention.
He always made sure that you enjoyed yourself no matter what was going on. Last night had been no exception, and you were blissfully exhausted when you heard his alarm go off.
You rolled over to see him fluidly rise from the bed; it never failed to impress you how he woke up completely alert. Undoubtedly another trait earned from being a soldier. His demeanor was already morphing into preparation for the upcoming mission, traces of your gentle lover disappearing beneath a calm, observant visage. He kept a set of packed go bags in his closet that he assembled in advance so that even if he received minimal notification, he was always ready to move out.
It was kind of sexy watching him prowl about, pulling on a compression shirt that hugged every muscled inch of his torso and tactical pants that clung to his incredible ass. When he sat down and roughly started yanking at the laces on his combat boots, you got lightheaded remembering how he’d used his hands in similar fashion on you at times just a few hours ago, and you sighed appreciatively.
Leon turned his head to look at you as he finished tying up, and one glance at your face let him know the direction of your thoughts. And just like that, his mercenary expression vanished, your lover back once again. He smirked as he drank in the sight of you, hair disheveled and body covered with signs of his possession. You were always sexy as fuck and even more so right then.
He stood up and crossed over to your side, leaning down to place a kiss on your shoulder because he knew if he went for your lips, he’d probably succumb to the urge to be inside you again. “Good morning baby. Thank you for an amazing night. Now go back to sleep, if you try to see me off, I’ll never be able to leave.”
An appraising glance at his groin confirmed his statement, the signs of his growing arousal blatant as he remained leaning down over you. Clearly, he had been calculating whether or not you might be game for a morning quickie and reached the conclusion that even if you were, it would still last too long. Neither of you could help how good the sex between you was.
Better to just remove the temptation altogether.
“You were fantastic Leon,” you replied as you nuzzled the hollow of his throat affectionately. “I’ll probably be walking around with your smell on me for days. Lucky me.”
His shoulders tensed at the sultry sound of your voice, and he sharply nipped the side of your neck in reprimand as he quickly straightened back up to step away from you. He went over to the nightstand, yanking open a drawer there as he pulled out your clit stimulator and the control band. He wordlessly slapped the activating device on his wrist before stalking back to you and placing the toy in your hand. “Don’t. Take. This. Off.”
You hid a smile as he bit out each word; his territorial impulses occasionally entertaining you. Maybe it was wrong of you to be pushing his buttons when he needed to leave, but part of you wanted to make sure the atmosphere wasn’t so gloomy when every send off felt like a possible last farewell.
“Yes, sir,” you sweetly replied as you accepted the device from him.
Leon inhaled sharply at the teasing acquiescence, swearing under his breath when his cock got even harder. So he really couldn’t be blamed for his loss of control as he leaned down and kissed you senseless, strong arms crushing you against him as he slanted his mouth over yours until you were mindless with desire.
“I want you waiting for me just like this when I get back,” he demanded as he broke off the kiss.
“Whatever you want, pretty boy,” you assured him, just to show that even though he’d reduced you to a quivering state of need with that kiss, you still had fire in you.
He laughed, equally aroused and amused, knowing how difficult it was to get the last word with you. “Good bye, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
“Goodbye Leon, I’ll be waiting,” you told him as you blew him a kiss.
He was smiling as he turned and strode out of the room, which was exactly what you’d been hoping for.
***
That afternoon, Leon found himself deboarding a small private jet in D.C. proper, travel bag in hand, before being chauffeured to a location recognizable to every person in the US. His expression was stoic, but his mind was racing as he was led into the White House and escorted through long hallways to a private study.
He’d done multiple missions under the authority of the president, but never been called directly to the White House for assignment. The security agents accompanying him stopped at the door, waving him inside, where President Graham was seated, perusing a stack of papers.
The older gentleman set them aside as Kennedy walked in, inspecting the operative as he approached. Leon had come highly recommended by Adam Benford, and was one of the few active agents that had extensive experience in working against unexplained threats in volatile environments. Although the President would have preferred sending in a large team for the task at hand, he recognized that secrecy and surveillance were more optimal than his personal feelings.
Leon was understandably surprised to see Graham; he’d completed successful operations for the government, but this was a first for him. Meeting the President of the United States in private didn’t happen every day, even in a life as crazy as his. And he understood that his current assignment was far more important and dangerous than he’d previously assumed.
President Graham shook his hand in greeting before indicating he should take a seat. Once the formalities were quickly dispensed with, the older man had briefed him on what he’d be doing; a reconnaissance mission to check on the whereabouts of Ashley Graham.
His daughter had been kidnapped after leaving her university and was thought to be held captive in Spain. Were this information to be proven true, Kennedy was to get in touch with contacts for further assistance and extract her. Time was of the essence, so he’d be leaving straight from the meeting.
By the time he boarded another plane a scant couple of minutes later, Leon’s head was whirling with the information he’d received and all the unknown variables this mission contained.
He was glad he’d spent the night before with you, now concerned that this trip might be his most dangerous one yet. He wasn’t used to going in on his own; normally he had at least one other person at his back. And the actual details were minimal; he preferred being more informed, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Leon wasn’t able to contact you now, from what he understood this operation required utmost discretion. He still had the burner phone he kept just to call you in emergencies hidden on his person, but he wouldn’t be turning it on unless he thought he was a dead man.
But he did make sure to tap your toy’s controller a few times as his plane prepared to land in Spain, to let you know he was safe. For the moment.
What the future held, he couldn’t say.