Work Text:
//
With a pair of smiles and a simple handshake; a civil war finally ends. But he knew that it was never really that simple. That it was all a tangled webs of lies for the sake of peace. For the idea of peace. Leon stares aimlessly at the tv screen, watching as it broadcasted the breaking news. A voice is still projected out from the cellphone on the table. His fingers are tight on the fully filled shot glass in his hand. He can hear her, but the words are mostly going in one ear and out the other. It’s the same.
Again and again.
The tv screen goes black. The now empty shot glass in his hand slamming down onto the wooden table.
“I’m not going anywhere-” he finally responds to her. Hunnigan waits patiently on the other side of the line with a concerned expression. He slowly rises from his seat, gathering the small phone in his hand.
“-in the end, nothing’s really changed,” he mutters, ending the call promptly.
Maybe nothing ever really changes.
the evening
Leon spent the last of his vacation days all at once. Choosing to stay at a tropical resort while wasting his nights away at the bar. He’d promise himself he would slow down at some point. He never really sticks to that promise.
The night had gone on far too long. Each new drink placed in front of him were all the same beach themed cocktails, mixed with the same regurgitated flavours with an aftertaste of regret. That’s a problem for tomorrow, he’s on vacation after all. They all taste the same and simply make it easier for him. So he can stop thinking. So he can stop feeling anything.
His speech is almost to the point of slurry. He’s been drunk before, but this was even too far for him. Surely, the blonde bartender would have cut him off by now, but she seemed to be more than happy to be supplying him with more than he can handle.
“Not sure I like you like this.”
A familiar voice. Soft yet firm. Her inviting scent fills his nose almost immediately.
His brows knitted together, a soon to be permanent crease was forming on his forehead. He begrudgingly twisted his head so he could catch a glimpse of her. His gaze is pointed downwards, red heels with delicate thin straps wrapped around her ankles. Without any inhibitions stopping him, he takes the time to eye her long legs until he sees the edge of her short skirt.
“I’m not sure what you mean by that,” he mutters. His hand still wraps around his glass, his finger nervously tapping against it. He feels the condensation wetting his fingertip and lets go, wiping his hands against his thigh as if to comfort himself in his seat. He reverts back to the same position, keeping himself as steady as possible despite the alcohol coursing through him.
She takes the seat next to him. Ordering some sort of dark red drink with a rum soaked cherry placed in as a garnish. In his peripheral, he takes his time to take her all in. Eyeing the flowing red dress that hugged her curves. The billowing fabric of the skirt creating the illusion of a dance, making each swish and kick of her feet as she crossed her legs all the more tantalizing. Her skin exposed from her dress had a touch of the sun, and he silently wondered if she had been staying here just as long as he had.
Ada’s playing with the cherry in her drink. Pinching the stem between her manicured fingers and swirling it around in the red liquor before popping it between her lips. Bursting the red berry as she twists the stem away and throws it into a dish on the counter.
“This,” she pauses and grasps her glass to take a sip. Gingerly placing it back down after letting out a short exhale. The contents of the glass swirl in her hand as she circles her drink on the table. The ice cubes floating around in the sea of red.
“You’ve been so drunk every night, you barely make it to your room,” she turns her head towards him. A disapproving look painted on her face as her lips flattens into a line.
“What are you, my mother?” he shakes his head and empties his glass, tossing his head back. The bits of ice clinking together as he slams the glass back down.
“Are you still angry with me?” She quips back, still swirling her glass in her hand.
Not waiting for Leon’s response, Ada’s gaze fell onto the bartender as the blonde made her walk back, gathering Leon’s empty glass in a swift single movement along the way. She offers another drink with a sly smile. One that strikes Ada as a bit too flirtatious for her liking.
“I’ll close the tab for the night,” Ada offers. The thin black plastic is pressed loosely between her thumb and finger as she presents it with a flourish of her hand before sliding it closely towards the bartender.
Leon scoffs, his entire chest shaking with his laugh.
“Just a water then,” he asks with a raised open hand.
Ada sips on her drink as they wait in an uncomfortable silence. As the bartender returns with the glass of water and the cheque for Leon’s drinks along with Ada’s. The bartender eyes widen as she flusters, her cheeks growing red as she reads the writing on the bill. Ada’s delicate cursive showcasing a generous tip. A tip that was nearly double the total of Leon’s bill.
“Uhh- thank you,” the bartender mutters with a smile. The holder is tightly pressed between her fingers before she shoves the holder into her apron and nervously grabs a wet towel from behind her.
“I really need to close up soon actually, thanks,” she sheepishly waves at Leon then nodding at Ada. A beat passes before she scurries away to the other side of the counter to clean up. Seeing some sort of prior connection between the man she had been supplying with drinks for the past few nights and the new woman in red- it was not a confrontation she wanted to deal with for the night.
“Do I even have to ask where that money came from?” Leon points towards Ada’s card as she tucks it away.
“Leon, you know I don’t mix business with pleasure,” her hand returns to the drink, swirling the last bit of the cherry liquor. The colour much more diluted with the melted ice.
“Ada… what are you doing here?” He exasperatedly asks with a dejected look on his face.
“Well it’s certainly not for business,” she raises a single brow at him.
His curiosity is piqued, his expression mirroring hers.
//
She knew better than to wait this long to meet up with him again. Seeing him night after night, drunker and drunker. She was more surprised he hadn’t gotten alcohol poisoning at this point. What a joke.
Leon survives disasters like the 1998 Raccoon City incident but he’s defeated by alcohol poisoning?
It was easy to keep an eye on hin and she grew quite fond of keeping tabs on him. Sometimes worrying too much. She often questioned herself on why she took so much time and effort to keep him safe from a distance. Closing that distance terrified and excited her all at once. Her apprehension was cemented on the idea that he no longer wanted to see her anymore. Her distance from him always kept her heart safe. The struggle between choosing what goes on in her head and her heart has lead her here again.
The trek back to his hotel was also a joke, as the time spent getting him to his room was exhausting for the both of them.
Leon is absolutely plastered. His cheeks red hot and even with the fan above the bed, it can barely cool him off. His only options were to suffer through it all, black out, or empty the contents of his stomach. None of them seeming to be a pleasant way for the night to end.
All he remembered was leaving the bar and somehow he was back in his resort room again. Laying on top of the sheets as he stared at the dizzying spiralling fan above him.
Ada finishes undoing the straps of her shoes, the tiny heels clicking on the tiling as she drops them off near the wall of the entrance room.
The bed dips with her weight as she leans over him. Her face grimaces, trying to determine the same options Leon had.
“Do I need to get the ice bucket?” She asks with a frown.
“I’ll tell you when my head stops spinning.”
“Ice bucket it is,” she begins to raise from the bed. Her movements are stalled she feels her wrist tightly gripped by Leon’s fingers.
“Are you going to leave me again?” His gaze meets hers, a shade of clarity in his baby blues as he stares her down.
She pauses.
“Only to get the bucket,” she finally responds. Her free hand rests against his for a moment before gently prying his fingers away from her wrist.
Standing in the bathroom, she glances around. The towels he had used were hung up still, albeit without the pristine touch of housekeeping. All the necessities are laid out on the counter, hotel shampoos and soaps all lined up in some manner. Some opened haphazardly.
Even with a government salary, he’s still using hotel soaps.
In the heat of the tropical weather, there’s a soft glow to her skin. A sheen she feels against her cheeks. Tapping it away with a tissue, she takes one more look at herself in the mirror. Her expression is vulnerable. Unsure and overly contemplative. Someone who’s letting her emotions take over. The piercing look in her eyes are too much for herself to handle. She turns, struggling to see the reflection staring back at her.
Leon’s head is pounding, his chest and stomach feeling full and like he’s on fire. The fan is circling on the highest setting and it’s still not cooling the room fast enough.
“Why are you doing this to yourself?” she whispered and delicately laid an ice cold towel over his forehead and neck. Leon lets out a few groans of relief, feeling the soft cold terry cloth already making his mind clearer.
She takes her time to look over him. His dirtied blond hair matted to his forehead with his sweat. The hot sun had tinted his skin with a warmer glow, giving him a few freckles against the high points of his cheeks. But his blue eyes were tired and lost.
With a large exhale, her chest lowered. Her fingers reached out to flip the towels over, giving him more of the cooling feeling he so desperately needed. He groaned again, satisfied with the relief.
“Get some sleep Leon,” she whispers again. His eyes are still pointed at the fan. Swirling and swirling. A few more blinks and his eyes are shut, his chest rising steadily along with each breath.
morning
The morning light fills the entire bedroom in that pleasantly annoying way. The sun is so perfectly bright and beautiful but Leon struggles to keep the light away, shielding his eyes with his arm as he struggles to fall asleep again.
He can’t. His head is still pounding. Albeit more tolerable than last night. But more sleep is exactly what he wanted, he’s on vacation after all. Already regretting his choices yet again, he takes a few seconds to recount his night.
He had dinner by the little restaurant near the hotel, the bar. Drinks. More drinks. Even more drinks. Red cherry. The red drink. Red dress. The woman at the bar.
Ada.
His eyes snap open. The ice bucket is still on the floor next to the night stand. Thankfully empty. A tall glass of water and two round white pills are set onto the table along with a note card. His shoulders sunk, already dreading flipping the card to read it.
He couldn’t remember the night fully. Like it was just bits and pieces slowly coming back to him. All of his questions flooded in waves, pounding against his temples. The tidal wave question is promptly answered as he hears the hotel door swinging open.
His heart pounds as he leans his head just enough to see the door in his peripheral. Catching a glimpse of her dark black hair cascading and framing her face as she plucked off her shoes at the entryway.
“You’re up,” she hummed. Her outfit changed, a plunging halter dress in a subtle floral pattern. In her favourite colour of course. The few flowers were accented in shades of coral, complimenting her skin tone. She looked so refreshed, like how one should on vacation.
“Did you-?”
“Stay the night?” She finishes his question.
Leon nods his head.
“Well, considering you fell asleep right in the middle of the bed and you barely made any room for me,” she smiled and walked over towards him.
“I had to sleep in my own hotel room for the night. Came back in the morning to see you were still sleeping, so-” she pauses as she offers the him the water.
“For your hangover, which I assume you have,” she drops the two pills into his open palm.
He takes them in a few seconds. Popping the pills and downing the entire glass.
Silence fills the room again. The quietness only ending as Leon leans over to drop off the glass onto the night stand. She’s still here. Even if she didn’t stay the night. She’s still here. His hand twists at the sheets that lay underneath it. Wanting to reach over to her. Ada sits just a bit too far away from him. Just out of reach.
“Why are you here, Ada?” He asks in a single breath.
“I thought you were on vacation?”
breakfast
“You know to be honest, I wasn’t expecting breakfast on the beach,” Leon smiled, chuckling as he dug into his eggs. The table is delicately decorated with an array of breakfast foods, filled with more sustancence than either of them could feasibly eat. Set in middle is a freshly picked bouquet of flowers in a crystal votive. His fork is inching towards a small bowl of freshly cut fruit, the orange and pink colours contrasting against the bright blue ocean in front of them.
“Do you know how to have a vacation?” She asked as she lowered her brown tinted sunglasses, eyeing him as she grabbed her drink. The pinky coloured glass was filled to the brim with ice, topped with a pastel pink paper umbrella and a cherry floating against the surface.
He teased her with a simple shake of his head.
She smiled, her head lowering to take a sip of her drink. She stared as his fork struggled, trying to poke at the fruit in the bowl. With a hum she grabbed her own fork, piercing the tropical fruit and presenting him the juiciest piece. Teasing him as she loosened her grip on the fork, steering the fruit away from him briefly.
His eyes narrowed, smile still on his face before he leaned in further to grab the fruit with a playful bite. Her lips curl upward as she pulls back the empty fork, digging in to grab another piece of fruit for herself.
The ocean is a deep blue. Crisp and clear and goes on forever. A sense of calm showers over them at the sight and sounds of the roaring waves as it continually crashes onto the shore. After they’re both satisfied with the meal, the breakfast table is cleared. A pair of empty lounge chairs are nearby, and little time is spent thinking on it before they occupy the both of them. The hot sun still high in the sky, annoying Leon briefly as he’d forgotten his sunglasses back in his hotel room.
“I suppose we’re just going to sit here all day then? Enjoy the sun?”
“You’ve never just relaxed before, have you Agent Kennedy?” Ada groans lightly, having apparently been enjoying the comfortable silence between them. She hums and sits up straight in her seat. Reaching downward in between their seats, she digs around in a woven beach bag that laid in the sand. Leon squints his eyes, trying to keep the sun out as he watches her rifling through her bag. It doesn’t go unnoticed by her as she chucks over a pair of spare sunglasses towards him.
He holds them, noticing the rather delicate design and some sort of designer logo branding on the side. Still holding them and now staring at her, he blinks a few times as she pulls out a deep blue plastic bottle. The labelling on it is decorated with waves and a happy little yellow sun on it.
“Are you going to keep staring?” She asks with a raise of her brow, flicking the top off of the bottle and allowing a dollop of the lotion to fall into her palm. Tossing the bottle aside in a few beats as she closes it and chucks it back into her bag.
“No, I-”
“Are you blushing?” She smirks as she slathers the lotion between her hands, the semi translucent cream coating her skin as she gingerly applies it onto her arms. Taking care to avoid her dress as she takes the rest towards her legs. Leon’s head is turned away just enough, although his eyes are still peering at her as she lifts the edge of her dress just enough as she rubs the lotion against her thighs.
He swallows, “can I- borrow some?” He clears his throat as he sits up straighter in his seat, his fingers neatly laying the sunglasses on the armrest of his chair.
“Sure, knock yourself out,” she adjusts her sunglasses and lays back down in her lounge seat. Stretching out her legs as she does so. He hesitates for a second before realizing he’d have to do it himself. A second passes before he leans into the side towards her bag. Thankfully the lotion remained at the top, making it so he didn’t need to dig for it.
/
Ada's proposal for breakfast had encouraged him enough to take a shower in the morning.
A contemplative and regret filled shower in the mornings was usually the norm. But the prospects of breakfast with Ada was enough for him to be washed up in minutes.
As he stepped out of the bathroom, Ada caught a glimpse of him as he walked over to the closet and his suitcase. In his haste, the towel he wore was loosely tied around his waist. Only when she let out a brief clearing of her throat did he remember she was still sitting on his bed.
“I’ll be outside,” she smirks, holding onto her bag as she slips out from his room.
/
He had changed into a light coloured and comfortable fitting t-shirt button down and a pair of dark charcoal swim shorts. The hot sun had already dried his dark blond locks. Making his hair more bouncy and fluffy looking. His feet were bare, his sandals kicked off towards the side of his seat.
Behind the tinted shades of her sunglasses, she peered at him as he struggled to open the bottle. His hand then squeezing an obscenely large amount of the lotion into his opposite hand whilst also trying to close the bottle. Then struggling as he tried to strip himself of his shirt.
“Need a hand, handsome?”
“S-sure,” he exhaled a laugh.
He blushes at the pet name while sitting patiently as she left her seat and crawled over onto his. His eyes drop towards her hips and thighs as she sits dangerously close to his lap. His body reacting as calmly as he could as she begins to pry his shirt off. He watches her as she presented her open palm, seemingly waiting for him to grasp hers with the large amount of lotion still spilling out from his hand.
In an awkward handshake, she gathers the amount and watches for him to give her the go ahead. He gives her a simple nod and verbal hum.
Her hands are so soft and supple, so much smoother than his.
She glides the lotion across his shoulders first and down towards his chest. A playful dab of it is against his nose as he loses focus for a moment. Not catching her as she rubs the smallest amount of the lotion against his nose and the high points on his cheeks.
“I probably could’ve done that on my own,” he refutes with a small pout of his lips.
She simply rolls her eyes and continues, her hands still running along his arms. Feeling every muscle, scar and pulsing vein. Reaching along his arm and towards his chest again she catches a glimpse of his scar. That one that never faded.
The one she knew all too well.
The way her hands move along him is all too familiar, and foreign at the same time. Like he has to remember her again. Like the memory of her is still there, but it’s new also. How she touches him, how it makes him feel. Lost in the comfortable pleasure of it, he barely notices her as she stalls. Her fingers barely grazing his gunshot scar. That little reminder he received those years ago. That piercing wound that rewarded him with two mirroring scars from his chest to back. A single bullet that pierced him straight through.
If it were only a few inches lower or towards his centre, he could’ve had a completely different outcome. Both of them reminisce on this for a moment, remembering how he shielded her with his body without any hesitation. Not caring where any stray bullet could have landed. Any second sooner or later, everything could’ve ended differently. It was Leon’s decision to protect her after all. His choosing hesitate will always change things, alter things. If he choose to hesitate then- everything would be different.
She’s still staring at his scar. A moment that doesn’t go unnoticed by him as the pause lingers too long.
“Anywhere else?” He swallows. His eyes catching hers, that warm shade of honey brown that he can get lost in seconds. The way they glow when the sun hits it, it’s so warm.
Her dark lashes flutter, an anxious tick she has sometimes as she tries to compose herself. Her pink tongue escapes to lick against her glossy red lips, as if to prepare herself to speak.
“Just a bit more,” she lathers the last of the lotion against the exposed parts of his legs. Rubbing the excess of the lotion between her palms.
“I don’t suppose you’re in the mood for lunch any time soon, are you?” She asks, her exposed thigh pressed against him as she stay seated nearly in his lap. The feeling of her doesn’t go unnoticed by him, her warmth from her legs only amplified from the hot sun.
“Normally I would, but with how big breakfast was- I might actually be able to wait for an early dinner,” he chuckled warmly, his eyes squinting at her as the sun shone brighter for a moment. A scatter of clouds cleared in the sky, no longer filtering the sun’s bright rays. She nods, seemingly happy with his answer.
“…And I don’t suppose you’ve already explored the island?” He asks with a raised brow.
“I have, some. I know that you haven’t,” she quips back.
“Should I ask how many days you’ve been here? Watching me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, I’ve seen the spa, the local shops. I love supporting small business,” she giggles warmly to herself. Her laughter warms his heart in a soft way he didn’t expect. It fills him and floods his chest, giving him fluttering butterflies that spring around wildly inside.
“Well, how do you feel about showing me the best parts of the island then? Since you’re the connoisseur of vacations,” he teased with a cock of his head.
There’s a brightness in his eyes. Maybe it’s the bright blue of the ocean reflecting off of his own ocean blues. The clouds of grey seems to have gone away. A sparkle reignited. The way his smile curves, it’s confident yet he’s hesitant to hear her answer. Like his body is nervously waiting for her reaction. His eyes are only stuck on her. The ocean crashing onto the shore fills the void before her answer reaches his ears.
afternoon
The waters are cooling to the skin, even against the hot sun. Despite being in the water, Ada wears a beige woven sun hat. One with a wide brim that shields her face from the sun's rays. Leon tries his best to avoid looking at her too often. Occasionally catching the bright red of her bikini top and bottoms in his peripheral. It's so absurdly distracting, how thin the straps are, tied in such simple knots that bind around her shoulders and the sides of her hips.
They’ve been walking around in shallow waters, just enough to reach their calves as the water moves towards them. Bringing them closer to the shore as they venture out further and further into the sea. The crystal waters glitter in bright white lights reflecting the sun.
His hands are in the water now, swaying and playing with the tops of it. He has the urge to dive in, get fully soaked. And the urges take over easily as he gives her a playful look before clasping his hands together to dive in. The splash is loud, the water flinging in every direction as he makes a few passes with his arms, his legs kicking about as he swims a few meters into the water. His head is wet with water, his hair soaked as he wrings out just enough to keep the water from dripping onto his face.
“And here I thought you weren’t capable of having fun,” she calls out towards him, still enjoying walking around and dragging her feet in the soft sands.
“I could say the same for you, aren’t you diving in?” His eyes narrow at her, a growing grin on his face. The water feels amazing, and he can’t help but submerge himself again. He rises up moments later, shaking his head like a puppy to rid of the water. His hair flying every which was as he shakes off the excess.
“Oh I’ve done my fill of swimming for now. I’m perfectly happy walking around in the water,” she fixes her sun hat. Lifting her head just enough to see him still shaking off the water from his hair.
“That’s not as fun.”
Leon’s strong arms take him towards her quickly, the waves aiding him towards the shore as he reaches her in seconds. Her voice is caught in her throat as she feels his warm hands around her waist, bringing her deeper and deeper into water. Her laughter fills his ears as she struggles to avoid getting more soaked. Her hands tightly grabbing his wrists. The momentum of the water is too strong for the both of them. A wave splashing them and submerging them in the sea water.
//
“I’m sorry about your hat,” Leon half grimaces as he sees Ada struggling to shake the water out of her soaked woven sun hat.
“It’s fine. Who knew you could be so spontaneous,” she teased and held her soaking hat in her hand as they walked back towards the shore.
He watches her as they walk. Her dark hair is soaked, some of her fringe stuck against her forehead as the water drips slowly down her temples and her cheeks. He feels the urge to brush the stray hairs away, fix them for her that he knows that surely she would want them to be. And yet he can’t help but see how imperfectly perfect it is. Moments of clarity where she just seems like her most natural self. A smile on her face, a warm blush on her cheeks. The rose colour of her lips. The water droplets that continually drip down her body and along every curve.
“Leon?”
“What is it?” he asks, being shaken out of his trance.
“Still feel like exploring the island?”
The first point of their excursion consists of a small gift shop. Riddled with tropical themed items, ocean related knick knacks and a selection of key chains of various ocean related animals. Leon’s quick to replace Ada’s ruined sun hat, finding one similar and holding onto it. While her eyes are stuck on the keychains, her fingers carding through the animals and palm tree charms that were hooked onto the display.
The rest of the shelves are filled with first aid and emergency items, and an array of sunblock and lotions. The previous aisle he was in housed the clothing; sunhats, bathing suits and beach coverups. Leon is mindlessly walking down the the rest of the aisles in the shop, only pausing occasionally to look for Ada and her whereabouts.
She’s still looking through the keychains.
Standing in front of one of the shelves he looks outside the glass window of the shop. Seeing a few people as they also explored the shops, all decked out in swimsuits and tropical wear. He’s so distracted he barely notices the stand in front of him. Looking downward he’s faced with a line of personal care items. Stumbling, he sees a row of small rectangular boxes of condoms, along with a pink plastic bottle of oil, or something- He’s too embarrassed to acknowledge anything else as he briskly walks as far as he can from the shelf.
Ada’s lips are pursed as she hums and tilts her head from side to side. Her eyes set between two different keychains. Both with adorable little animals attached to them.
“Did you find anything you’d like?” Ada asks him, not even looking away from the keychains between her hands.
“Uhh, well I figure I should get you a new sun hat, since I ruined your other one,” he smiles. Presenting her with a similar style sun hat. Although a lot less refined looking. The bow around the head of the hat is a bit too cheap looking for her tastes.
“You didn’t find anything for yourself that you’d like?” She looks up at him, the two key rings still hung between her two index fingers.
“Which one do you like better?” She asks as she lifts them upward just a few inches towards his face. Leon stares between the two animal charms, his eyes going cross eyed for a moment before he alternates between the two.
“They’re both cute, I guess,” he gives her a half smile.
She pouts and whines, “you guess?” She lowers towards the rack again, picking through them again to see if she had missed any of the other animals. He can’t help but eye her as she bends over slightly. The edge of her dress hitting right at her upper thighs. A cough interrupts his thoughts, the young looking cashier giving him some sort of a sly look; noticing that Leon was clearly checking out Ada’s ass. Leon gives him a sheepish grin before clearing his throat himself.
“Uh pick whichever one you like, I’ll buy it. Along with the hat,” he gestures by raising the sun hat. The little hand written price tag still wagging and twisting on its little plastic thread.
The sun hat is packed in a comically large paper bag, along with the charm that Ada had purchased on her own, away from Leon's prying eyes and despite Leon’s protests. He retaliated by insisting on carrying the gift bag along with her soaked sunhat, while they explored more of the island. Passing by other little gift shops and art galleries, all filled with shades of blues and sandy taupes.
The selection of restaurants were few and far between. Mostly ranging from small mom and pop shops, to a few more fine dining restaurants that lined the shoreline. Opulently styled settings in private sections of the beach that allowed the most romantic outings. Ada had already been eyeing one of the tables as it sat almost too perfectly close to the waters. As if the ocean waves could've brushed against their feet. The table is decorated with a few glass votives with candles that burned and illuminated the space. The arrangement of flowers are unique and displayed in an organic shaped vase.
After the few hours of walking around and exploring the island, they were more than eager to take a seat for a bit.
“Let me guess, you want to have dinner there?” He smirked and gestured towards the empty tables that lined the beach. His brows raising as if he were interested as well.
“Well if you’re offering,” her expression mirroring his.
sunset
Leon watched her carefully as she sat with the menu. A page of it pressed between her fingers as she flipped it. The ends of her hair were curled inward around her neck as they dried from the salt water and sun. The rest of her hair dried in beach-y waves that framed her face. Her other hand rested against her cheek, her elbow pressed against the top of the table. Her skin was even more tanned, the tops of her shoulders blushing almost pink. The red corals of her dress were highlighted and complemented by the orange sun as it slowly set in the distance.
The skies were painted in shades of orange, pink and purples. The water slow as it moved towards them. The shade of the ocean deeper and darker as night slowly creeped along the horizon.
“Have you eaten here before?” He asks as he plays with the menu before pushing it to the side to relax in his seat. Taking a moment to enjoy the sunset.
“I haven’t,” she murmurs from behind the menu.
“Really? I’m surprised, this really seems like the place you’d want to go,” his lips turned into an upside down smile.
She responds simply by laying another page of the menu down, reading the new page as it listed its mains and desserts at the bottom.
As the night creeps closer, he takes a moment to pry.
“Ada, why did you choose here? On this island of all places?” He asks, sitting straight in his seat. Trying his best to appear as still as possible. The slight change in his tone of voice and the cooling breeze brings a chill to her skin.
The waiter returns. Of course at the most opportune time to interrupt as she lists off their specials for the night. The steak and seafood dish piques Leon’s interest, while more than a few of the specials interests Ada.
“I’ll give you two a few more moments to decide,” the waiter smiles warmly and sets down two glasses of ice cold water onto their table before briskly walking away. Ada brings the water closer to her side. Feeling the cold moisture of the glass in her fingers as she brings the glass to her lips for a sip. Leon follows suite, mirroring her to take a sip as well. The ice cold feeling shooting right through him and towards his chest and stomach.
She lays the glass back down. Her fingers reaching to play with one of the leaves in the flower arrangement on the table, “Can’t a girl enjoy a vacation as well?”
“On the same island that I decided to vacation at?”
“Oh, please, I heard of this place before you did,” she hummed, her fingers pressing into one of the soft petals of the flowers. She’d rather lie than admit she only came here to see him again.
The appetizers arrive quickly. Along with a single drink for Ada as Leon refrained from drinking for the evening meal. Each dish is fresh and tasty, not that they expected any differently. And Leon is more than happy to dig into a juicy steak. The view couldn’t be beat either. The setting sun, the scent of the ocean, the ambience of the waves and the flickering candles on the table. And Ada sitting on the other side of him, enjoying her meal with a smile on her face.
She watches him too. Digging into his meal so quickly, she’s almost afraid he won’t be able to enjoy it as well if he doesn’t slow down. She pauses to sip on her drink. She’s always been a light drinker. One drink for dinner occasionally. Rarely does she have two. The mixture of liquors and bitters in it accents the citrus well in her drink. Making her take her time with it to allow the flavours to mingle together. Her slower pace only encourages Leon to slow his as well, allowing them to enjoy the sun as begins its descent.
The wax melts, pooling into the crystal votives. The shades in the sky are even darker as the sun hits the horizon, creeping lower and lower into the sea.
Leon smiles as he watches her digging into her dessert. A strawberry pierced onto her fork as she takes the smallest bite from it. Savouring every little piece.
“You want any?” She quirks her head. Presenting him with a piece of it. Some sort of cake coated with caramel and some sort of drizzle of chocolate as well.
He hesitates only for a second and silently leans in, jutting out his chin towards her and playfully takes the bite.
“That’s too sweet,” he licks his lips clean. Tasting the sugars and creams on his tongue.
“A bit, but I like it,” she presses the prongs of the fork against her bottom lip. Tapping them against them inquisitively before digging back into her sweets.
They argue over the bill for a while. The waitress finally asking for at least one of them to pay.
“You two are adorable. How long have you two been together?” She asks with a smile, her hands still on the cheque holder as she waits for Leon to finish signing the bill.
Leon’s pen stalls on the paper, his eyes widening as he looks up at Ada, “Uh-”
“This is our first date? Maybe second?” Ada responds cooly, her almost empty glass balanced between her fingers.
“Could’ve fooled me,” the waitress smiles warmly, grabbing the bill from Leon after he quickly scribbled the rest.
“Thanks you two, I hope you enjoy your date night!” she smiles cheerfully. She bids them farewell with a playful wink and then a wave goodbye with the cheque holder in her hands, eager to walk away and see the hefty tip that Leon had left her.
The walk back towards the hotel isn’t too long. But without the commotion of the day, the night is a lot quieter than they expected. The silence between them isn’t uncomfortable. But comfortable wasn’t the right word either.
“So a date, huh?”
“Well, what else was it?” Ada hums and gathers the strap of her bag. Readjusting it on her shoulder. She quietly grimaces to herself. Spending all day with Leon in the hot sun. The fact she didn’t wear her hat for most of the day didn’t help either with preventing the slight sunburn that was forming on the tops of her shoulders and back. Leon catches on quick, noticing the redness slowly creeping onto her skin.
“Here,” he offers with his free hand. The other still holding into the gift bag from the shop.
“What a gentleman,” grins, delicately handing him her bag. She rolls her shoulders, trying to ignore the slight irritation.
“I guess I should’ve applied your sunblock on for you,” he pouts his lips, watching her as she tapped against her shoulders to try and alleviate some of the pain.
“What so you can have your hands all over me?”
Leon’s mouth falls open, “No! That’s not what I meant!” His hands splayed open, innocently facing upwards and out.
“So cute,” she responds with an airy giggle.
/
Leon’s free hand had been in his pocket for a while now. Palming the keycard for his hotel room as they approached closer towards their pairs of accommodations. His hand sweats as they approach the hallway towards his room. She’s still walking next to him, all the way up towards the doorway.
“I um,” he gathers the gift bag along with her woven tote bag. Both of the straps in his palm. The straps feel hot in his hand. Maybe his hands are just hot. The keycard is still in his other hand. He watches her, all she’s doing is smiling softly. Staring at him and nothing else. He fights inside of himself.
Tell her good night. Tell her you had a good day with her. Tell her that despite everything between them, today meant a lot to him. Tell her good night. Tell her good night.
“Did you want to come in? I might have something for your sunburn,” he gestures towards his hotel door with his free hand.
“Sure,” she responds and turns towards the door to slide a key card into the silver handle. The light turns green as the locking mechanism turns. He takes no time to rationalize why she had a key card to his hotel room or the fact that he’d already forgotten that in the morning that she returned to his room without any issues; and simply twisted the handle to open it.
He waits for her to enter and flicks on the lights afterwards. The entry area that greets them before the bedroom is lit up in a warm glow. The rest of the hotel room dimly lit by the light from the window. Leon isn’t unfamiliar with the sight of her in his hotel rooms. They were the few common places they’d run into together. More often than not with the night ending with them tangled between each other and the sheets; and with him finding the bed empty in the mornings.
Ada makes her way towards the other side of his hotel room. Taking a moment to have a glance outside of the window to see the ocean. “Well, I have to admit your view is better than mine,” she hums and takes a seat on the window sill.
The door closes and locks, and he drops off the bags near the door. Exhaling deeply he closes the distance in a few steps and stands next to her at the window.
“I doubt that,” he exhales a chuckle, his gaze fixated on her profile as she stares outside.
“I love being near the ocean,” she whispers, almost too quiet for Leon to hear.
“Really?” He quirks a brow, taking a moment to look out the window as well.
“It’s so freeing. The waters are so blue. They can be so calming and relaxing with soft waves, and yet can grow dangerous with strong storms. They feel unpredictable yet so tranquil and peaceful at the same time,” she explains with a smile on her face, her eyes still stuck on the crashing waves.
“I didn’t know you could be so sentimental,” he exhales a laugh through his nose. His arms cross his chest as he leans his shoulder against the wall next to the window.
He eyes her exposed shoulder again, seeing her reddening skin.
“Sit tight, I’ll grab something for your burns,” he presses off the wall from his shoulder and heads to the bathroom. The light illuminates from there and seeps into the bedroom as he digs through one of his travel bags.
Ada grazes her fingers along her shoulders again, silently cursing herself for not realizing how hot it was today. It’s tender to the touch and slightly painful each time her fingertips press too harshly.
Leon returns with a few things in his hands. Setting them on the window sill as he pours a clear substance into his palm.
“May I?” He asks firmly this time. Polite but with authority. She responds by slipping the straps down her shoulders whilst holding the bodice of her dress with her other hand. Sitting down next to her, he gently applies the gel. The immediate cooling affects already working as she lets out a soft sigh. His hands are gentle and timid. The sheer size of them taking over most of her shoulder. His two fingers are gently ghosting along the tops of her shoulders, dragging downwards towards the rest of the burn. His eyes trail along her décolleté, briefly catching the way her hands are pressed into her breasts. His eyes snap back to his fingers as they follow along and reach the other side of her chest. He eyes her own scar. A reflection of his. Hers had healed a lot better than his. A mere white circle that most would miss. He coats her other shoulder with the gel, his eyes still on the scar.
His throat is loud as he swallows, seeing her hands as she holds the top of her dress, the plunging neckline showcasing her full breasts in front of him.
“You’re staring, Leon,” she whispers in a low voice.
“I’m just making sure I got all of it,” he narrows his eyes at her. He runs his hand along her chest again finishing as he reaches her left shoulder.
“Here, use this if you want,” he offers a cool towel.
She simply shakes her head, “whatever you used was good enough. I already feel a lot better,” she tilts her upward to meet his gaze. “Thank you,” she hums with an appreciative tone, their faces are only mere inches apart.
“S-sure,” he nods.
They sit together, enjoying the ocean as it continually brushes onto the sands. As the night goes on, they relax in the comfort of his hotel room. The quiet between them slowly growing more and more comfortable. The space between them growing smaller and smaller. The inevitable always happens, and yet they’ve haven’t crossed that line yet. Leon eyes the bed. It’s been made in the same pristine way it had been every day. Crease less and clinical with how the pillows are placed and fluffed.
“Getting tired?”
Leon is not tired. He is in fact, entirely wide awake. Being on vacation, he supposes there is no 'bedtime.' He takes a pause before shaking his head, “are you?”
She repeats his head shaking, no.
He doesn’t hesitate.
“Will you stay?”
the night
They don’t remember how they ended up on the bed. Ada’s tucked in between Leon’s arm and chest with her head resting on him. The fan blades are circling above them, fanning them with soft cool air. Leon feels her hand dragging her fingertip against his shirt.
Both of them are still wide awake. The light is still on. Clothes still on. They’re simply silent between each other. Only their soft breathing and the thumping of Leon’s heart is heard from Ada. Leon’s focusing on the fan above them, wanting to focus on anything other than her warm body against him. Her intoxicating scent and the way it tingles through his body.
His eyes lazily fall down from the ceiling and along the wall. His head twists just enough to see her hand against his chest. Repeating the same patterns.
“What do you think we’re doing?”
“I ask myself that quite often,” she hums and twists her head to get into a more comfortable position. The way she sways her head splays more of her hair onto his chest. The soft scent of her shampoo and the air of the ocean still lingers. It’s gentle and fragrant. Contrasting the sweet and dark scent of her perfume that she often wears. He can still smell her, inhaling more of her as his chest rises.
His arm tenses around her, bringing her closer onto his chest. His other hand nervously pressing his own fingers into his palm. Pressure placed onto the meaty part of his thumb. A pressure that’s almost painful before he releases. He repeats the same action a few times.
He remembers one of the times they were in a hotel room together, she had all of the upper hand. Damn the dress she wore. Like it was made for her as it hugged every single curve of her body, like it was a second skin. The glittering fabrics caught his eye every single second he tried to turn away. Like a moth to a flame, he kept chasing her. The very memory of it is in the forefront of his mind. And he’s unsure if he wants to repeat it. She hadn’t initiated anything yet. Simply resting on top of him as she drew nonsensical patterns and shapes on his shirt.
His fingers release from the fist it was stuck in. Reaching to grasp at her wrist, pulling her hand away from his chest.
Ada’s expression is unreadable. In the dim light, he can barely make out anything from her. Any minute detail is hard to see. If the expression in her eyes change. If her lips upturn or downturn. Her hand remains limp in his grasp. Not fighting him, but not giving in either.
“I don’t want this to be a mistake,” he whispers, his fingers are tender on her skin. Pressing his index finger gently into the soft part of her wrist. Splaying his fingers and intertwining with her fingers.
Her fingers are laying straight, taking their time to curl into his. He watches as their hands fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle.
“Let’s not make any mistakes then,” she exhales. Her voice shaking only for a second. Almost imperceivable, but Leon can hear it. He can feel her loosening up in his embrace. Her body growing languid as she melts into him.
She’s afraid.
She’s never afraid.
He urges her upward, rising up in the bed with her. Her head questioning him with a small tilt. She stares at him intently, the darks of her growing. With his arm slipping away he hovers above her. His arms on either side of her head, pressed chest to chest. The muscles in his arms tense as he keeps his weight off of her, caging her beneath him. He watches her with an expression he hadn’t seen before. Although he doesn’t have much time to decipher it as she angles her head closer to his.
With the tiniest space between them, she raises her arms to grasp the sides of his face. Reading his expression one last time before she makes the surge forward.
Her lips are soft. And barely there. He can feel her warmth, her soft breath.
It’s timid. Unsure and shy.
He feels his hair falling and cascading onto her face. And her fingers spreading through his hair to push it out of the way. How tender her hands are.
The softest kiss.
Having spent the entire day with her. All he can think of is this moment. Another kiss. The soft presses of his lips against hers. Trailing along her cheeks and down her jawline and neck. He grasps the straps of her dress, watching her with careful eyes as he drags them down. Exposing her breasts to him. She’s a delicious dessert and he’d spent all day wanting it.
She helps him as he tugs and pulls her dress off. Shedding the rest of her clothing until she’s completely bare underneath him. Her bathing suit had left little to the imagination from earlier. But the sight of her like this unlike any other. He takes another moment to memorize her like this again. Remembering every detail he had somehow forgotten, praying he doesn’t forget her again.
He grabs one of the pillows that’s tucked against the headboard of the bed and places it underneath her hips. Positioning her in front of him as he spreads her legs apart. She warm and wet, pink and flushed.
With her thighs resting on his shoulders, he brushes his nose against her. His fingers spreading her open as his tongue prods and licks at her opening. Her taste is divine. The way it fills and spreads on his tongue as her wetness coats his lips. He hears her soft whimpers and whines along with the sounds of the fabrics in between her fingers as she fists the sheets. Dragging and pulling away from the bed as he works her open. Licking and prodding at her, watching as her essence leaks from her. His other hand is wrapped around her thigh, keeping her steady with each little twitch and twinge of her hips. Quivering and reaching closer towards his swirling tongue.
He looks up at her again. Waiting for approval before he slides one of his long fingers inside of her. Curling and hooking into her as his tongue flicks at her wet swollen clit. He gives no time for her to adjust as he spreads her open with another of his fingers, scissoring into her. Her hand is quick to tug into his dark blond locks, twisting and pulling for his eagerness. The pain against his scalp is enough for him to let out a breathy desperate moan.
Leon licks his lips clean, tasting her all over on his tongue. His fingers still curled deep inside of her as he stares her down. His eyes narrow, one of his angled brows raising as he smirks wide. Feeling like he’s had the upper hand for once.
She notices his arrogance. “So confident, hmm?” she tugs at his hair again. Enough for him to let out a softer pleased filled moan, the pain of it just enough to inch his head further towards her belly. He plants a kiss there, trailing his kisses up her torso and breasts. His wet fingers still swirling and thrusting inside of her, his thumb pressing tight circles against her clit. His fingers remembering exactly how she liked it.
He had barely registered what she said as he trailed his kisses back up towards her neck. Her grasp on his hair is still taunt, twisting occasionally between her fingers before letting go lightly. Her sweet moans reflect with the way she tugs at him. Her other hand is clawing into his back, her nails pressing the fabric of his shirt into his skin. But it feels dulled, the sharpness of her nails dampened by the single fabric.
He speeds up his fingers, eliciting a throaty whine from her. His head shoots upward to watch her, his eyes fixated on her face. Transcending into a higher plane of pleasure. Her lips part, more moans and whines echoing. Her eyes are half lidded, her chest heaving and curling into him. Her thighs shake, twitching throughout her body as he feels her falling apart on his fingers. Her head twists, her cheek pressed into the soft fabric of the pillow as she cums, soaking his fingers with her creamy essence.
“Be a good boy,” she breathes and slowly twists her head towards him. He watches her as her eyes darken a shade, her lips bitten red from her attempts to stifle her moans. A desperate moan escapes her lips as she feels his fingers slipping away from her. Leon licks his lips once over before pressing his soaked fingers into his mouth, licking them clean as he keeps his eyes on her. The taste of her fills his tongue again, intoxicating him as he laved at his appendages.
Ada feels more exposed than normal, the fact he’s still completely clothed did nothing to help. Her arms stretch out and grab at the collar of his shirt, hastily tugging at it and pulling it off and over his head. Passion filled and animalistic; contrasting the almost careful and timid way she removed his shirt from earlier on in the day. The rest of his clothing is removed in seconds. Leon helping her to rid the rest of it.
She swallows, seeing the strong muscles in his legs as they moved as he settles back onto the bed. His legs spread, his thick cock leaking against his thigh. He moves as if his body is on auto-pilot, reacting to his inner urges rather than his head or his heart.
“Are you going to behave like a good puppy?” She asks sweetly, crawling onto him curiously. Her hands pawing at him as she makes her way over in between his thighs. Her nails digging into him along the way, giving him jolts of painful pleasure. With his thighs spread she splays her hand around the base of his cock. A hiss seething from his clenched teeth, Leon’s eyes roll as he feels her giving him a generous pump of his cock. Her hand gives him another faster pump as she palms the tip of his cock, gathering his slick before slathering it down the length. Her fingers wrapped around the base and playing with him. Teasing him in ways that always got him hot and heavy.
“Are you going to behave Leon?” She asks again, stalling her movements with her question.
“F-fuck, yes,” he grunts, his gaze stuck on her hand as she pumps him again.
“Yes what?”
“Fuck, I’ll behave,” he groans, this time longer with more annoyance.
“You don’t sound very appreciative, Agent Kennedy,” she elongates his formal title, her voice sweet saccharine in pitch as she gives him another agonizingly slow pump. The head of his cock is leaking profusely, coating him with his sticky precum.
His groans grow louder, more rabid and unrestrained. A powerful grunt from his chest echos as he watches the tip of Ada’s soft pink tongue swirling the tip of his cock. Her hand is at a glacial pace running up and down, feeling each and every single vein and pulse of his cock.
Her lashes flutter, her cheeks flushing with pink warmth as she hollows her cheek, engulfing the head of his cock with little warning. Offering the same little warning that he did for her. He rolls his eyes, the heat from her mouth spreading throughout his entire body. His face dampens with sweat, the air from his lips hot and releasing in desperate pants for breath.
An audible pop rings as Ada lips release from his cock. Leon’s head unconsciously presses forcefully into the bed beneath him, his hips straining to reach for her hand as she continually pumps his cock at a leisurely pace.
“Ada,” he strains his voice. “Ada, please,” his voice wanes as he whines.
Something in him snaps.
The hold on his head and his heart push forward. Ignoring whatever words she had said.
…
He can barely hear her words, as they come from her lips like a pur. Smooth and sultry. But it’s not what he wants. He needs more from her.
His ears are ringing, his cock unbearably uncomfortable as all pleasure and friction is lost as she unwraps her fingers from it.
“Please,” he begs. Desperately wanting anything she’d be willing to give, but it’s somehow not enough anymore. The desperation in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed by her. The routine they had built was shallow. With little bits of the truth slipping through the cracks. She wants more than just this.
The facade drops. As if everything suddenly fell apart between them.
The complicated web they weave is untangled each second they spend together. An innocent day filled with rather mundane activities and yet each time they end up like this. Each time they get closer, there’s a pull. Dragging them away from each other. A fear in their hearts that this is the last time. That the pleasure they want, isn’t what they deserve. She can see it in him. The fear she has all too well. Begging for something as if it’s the last time. Even she knows she’s not strong enough to avoid it this time. That she’s tied to him in ways she can’t describe.
“Leon.”
Her gaze shifts. A glassiness to her eyes that reflects the dim light. A fragility that he always sees in moments like these. A vulnerability that she never lets escape to the surface.
Still tangled in each other’s embrace, Leon finally breaks the silence.
“Let me love you the way I want to,” he asks softly.
His hand reaches to cradle the sides of her face. His fingers tenderly carding through her dark hair to push it away, allowing him to see more of her of the delicate features of her face. His touch is so tender. So soft it nearly brings the tears in Ada’s eyes to the edge. Just brimming the ends of her long lashes. Every time he gets closer to her; and every time she lets him in.
His gentle kiss asks permission for more. Chaste at first. Waiting for her to make the move. Her hands weave and wander along his neck and shoulders, holding onto him as she grows plaint. Letting him easily maneuver her underneath him. He holds her hip gently, spreading her legs around his waist. Letting her lay comfortably on the soft sheets of the bed. Padding the pillow beneath her head with his other hand. Tracing his fingers into her hair as it dances over the pillow.
The moment is tender, careful and all too loving. It’s not a intense rough fucking. One filled with teasing and reward. Nothing to work for, nothing to be earned or gained.
“Don’t shy away from me,” his finger continues to caress her cheek, bringing her back to him.
Ada feels the warmth from her chest growing slowly at first. Then spreading like wildfire throughout her body. It’s a tenderness from him she thinks she’s undeserving of; a love all too consuming. He looks angelic like this, his hair glowing in the light and haloing around his head. With each gentle kiss he places on her, his hair sways into his face, covering his eye. She raises a delicate hand to brush aside his hair. Showing her his loving gaze. It’s so warm. Her thighs squeeze around his hips, bringing him closer to her.
His boyish smile fills his face. His perfect warm smile. He places another kiss on her forehead, his eyes nearly snapping shut as he presses into her. Her mouth falls open in a silent whine. Feeling him as he stretches her open, filling her until he’s fully seated inside. His body falls a fraction, the warm pleasure radiating and taking over as he gives her a tentative pull back and thrust of his hips. His hand tightly grips her hip, nearly blemishing her skin with his fingerprints.
With each thrust he firmly holds onto her. Relishing the feeling of her warm wet walls hugging every inch of his cock overwhelms him ways he can’t describe. The lewd wet sounds emanating from where their cores meet grow louder as he desperately lifts her hips and pushes her onto his cock. A steady pace that focuses on each movement rather than speed. Making sure she can feel every single inch of him.
“Look at me, please.”
Ada’s eyes perk up, catching his gaze. Reaching for him as he chases her for another kiss. His moans against her lips are sweet and addicting. Her kisses are fervent, and still delicately placed against his face and neck. Each one eliciting an intensity growing in him. His hand near her head trails down her shoulder and arm, wrapping around her wrist and pressing into her palm. She mirrors him as their fingers envelope into each others. Grasping each other hands, all the while their bodies mindlessly rut into each other.
He buries his head into the crook of her shoulder, hot breath fanning across her neck as his hips snap faster into her. The angle brushing the head of his cock perfectly into her. He hears her, the sharp twisting of her voice. Crying for more. The airy desire in her moans. The grasping of her hand against him, forcefully digging her fingernails into the skin of his back. Her trembling thighs shake, twitching her body all the way into how she curls her back from the bed. Pressing her full breasts into his chest.
“Look at me,” he begs again.
Ada’s eyes are barely able to open, her mind fuzzy and her hearing filled with the wet slapping of skin, the bed shaking and their heavy breathing. He can barely hold it off. Wanting to bring her over the edge with him. The way her warm pussy pulls him in with each thrust nearly topples him over. His heavy cock begging to spill into her.
“Come with me please,” she whispers in a single breath.
His hips continually snap forward, her own slamming onto him, clinging onto him as she feels the beginning of her climax washing over her. Her steady and rapidly increasing heart beat pumping in her ears. The ringing starts. Her voice quickens and stutters with his name. In mere seconds her slick covered walls squeeze every part of him. Triggering his climax and following in a few weakening thrusts. Slowing in rhythm as his cock spills everything inside of her, filling her until he plants himself inside deeply.
The warmth she feels explodes into pleasure that courses through her, overstimulating her as she clings onto him, shaking and letting go of every single fibre of her being.
His weight grows heavy on her. Her core still tingling and twitching. His seed spilling out of her and onto the sheets.
“Leon.”
He hears her serene voice repeating his name, calling for him. With the bit of strength he has he lifts his head to meet her face. Immediately surging towards her lips at the sight of her smile. A warm giggle tries to escape from her lips, squashed from their kiss. A sloppy one that illicits another deep chuckle from him. Each one peppers more kisses, ones that feel like they’re not going to stop.
//
His stamina is tested as the night continues on. Hours spent in his hotel bed, wrapped into each other. Going until she nearly begs him to stop. She rides him until he can barely take it, their skin red and flushed. His head reeling with nothing but the chase for the high. The ecstasy of it.
In the late hours of the night, their bodies are satiated. Tingles and butterflies fluttering through every part of them. Hips bruised and imprinted with each other’s fingerprints. Lip prints marked on necks and chests.
Despite her protests, Leon takes the time to apply more of the gel for her sunburn. His hands confident on where to go, and how far he can go.
“I don’t think I have any sun burns there Leon,” she presses her chin lightly against her shoulder, turning her head to scold him with a smile. His fingers are cleaned from the gel and he can’t help but run his palms along her chest, cupping her breasts between both hands.
“Really?” He scoffs with a smile. “Better to be safe than sorry,” he finishes by leaning in for another kiss.
“This,” she simply says, a singular hum following her word.
“Hmm?” He hums as he gathers her into his arms. Pressing her into his chest as he lays down into the bed. Letting her perch herself onto him.
“I like you like this,” she replies and returns to drawing her fingertip against his bare chest.
“Naked?” He teases her with a warm laugh.
She smiles although he can’t see her. He can however feel her rolling her eyes at him.
“I like when we’re both like this.”
“Like what?”
This time she lifts her head towards him. Her expression is alluring and captivating, her dark hair framing her face, the bitten red hue of her lips. The warm flush against her cheeks that remain on her skin. The inviting look of her eyes.
The years haven’t been kind to Leon. But his good nature and strength lingers in him. It wanes and grows with time, running into obstacles but he always overcomes them. He hadn’t given up before, and she didn’t want to see him give up just yet. She watches him as he lazily lets out a soft yawn, the tension in his face released as he grows more sleepy. Closing his eyes briefly, his lashes slowly fluttering closed. He looks so much more peaceful like this, like all the pain had washed away. The tension in his brows released, his lips upturned in an effortless smile.
“Together,” she whispers.
the morning after
Ada wakes as the morning light greets her. She so often rises before the sun even peeks at the sky. Always slipping away in the early morning or the night. She was never comfortable with goodbyes or overstaying her welcome. It was always easier to leave. But she didn’t want to leave him this time.
The sun is bright. Warm and inviting. Just like Leon had always been to her. She turned towards him, watching him as he slept. Still lost in a dream as he laid next to her. His arm wrapped around her even as he slept.
He looks so free.
Ada let her impulses take over, leaning in to brush his hair away from his face. Her finger ghosting along his cheekbone and jawline, feeling the soft stubble there.
“Ada,” he quietly breathes out, his eyes slowly opening.
“You’re still here,” his smiles somehow grows wider, reaching his eyes.
“You’re still here too,” she quips back.
“This is my hotel room,” he all too easily over takes her, trapping her underneath him.
“One night is all it takes huh?” She tilts her head upward towards him, trailing a lingering kiss against his jawline.
It wasn’t just the night.
/
The rest of their vacation was spent together. Exploring the rest of the island or back in the hotel room. Ada had shown Leon how to live a little, all the while she was breaking down her own walls. Letting him in bit by bit no matter how much she struggled. That each morning they woke with each other still there, it formed a new bond. A breakthrough was made.
When the vacation was nearing its end. Leon silently knew they would have to part ways again. The pain of it was less gut wrenching this time. The heartbreaking feeling he always felt whenever she left was no longer with him. No longer scarring and digging into his soul; instead as if the ties binding his heart were simply him holding it in place instead.
He held her one more time, breathing in her soft sweet scent to remember for next time. Remembering the feeling of her embrace. Remembering the gentle touch of her hand and the tender warmth of her lips.
It feels easier now.
The few remaining questions that bounce off in his head roll off of his tongue easier now, wanting to have them all answered before they part.
“Back before… on the boat. I said that Raccoon city changed me... and I asked you if you had changed,” he says, his head still pressed against hers.
She merely nods against him.
“I didn’t understand you back then. I’m not even sure if I even do now-” he pauses with a laugh, his hands resting on the small of her back and trailing onto her hips and waist as he held her.
“Maybe you have figured me out, maybe I haven’t really changed,” he lifts his head to meet her eyes.
“But I like to think that I changed you,” he nods with his words.
A smile grows on her face, “maybe you did,” she exhales a short laugh.
The last lingering question he has for her blurts out of his lips before he can stop himself.
“When will I see you again?” he asks, his brows furrowing together lightly, although a smile is still painted on his face.
He feels the soft press of her lips against his. A warm kiss that lingers throughout him, the soft perfume of her filling his nostrils as he drinks her in one more time. Her hands wrapped around his neck and shoulders trailed down to his hand. Her fingers enveloping into his again. It feels natural now, as if her hands were meant to be in his.
She smiles, watching his expression as slight confusion fills it. When she releases her hold from his hand, he feels a paper like texture in the palm of his hand. Before he can react much, he feels another of her kisses against his cheek before she slips away.
“You’ll figure it out. See you later, Leon,” she smiles softly. Giving him a wave before she begins walking away. His eyes are stuck on her form as she slowly disappears from him. Only when he can no longer make her out from the crowd does he look down into his palm. It’s neatly wrapped with a pastel blue ribbon tied around it. He tugs on it, undoing the perfect bow. The paper unfolds neatly by itself. A little green turtle keychain appears from the wrapping.
He chuckles warmly with a grin, “very cute.” He can’t help but eye the key attached to it, along with the zipper enclosure along the side of the shell of the turtle.
He smiles. Knowing that’s all he needed from her. For now.