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Leon had felt a bit embarrassed about the fact that the first time she'd gotten around to calling Ashley in months was to ask her for dress recommendations. Of course, she didn't have to feel bad for long, as Ashley immediately insisted they go shopping together instead.
"You just can't know what kind of dress you want unless you try it on," Ashley had explained. "Besides, we deserve a girl's night."
Leon's heart had swelled at her friend's help and unwavering support, and she'd barely managed to mutter her thanks before hanging up, too overwhelmed.
The next day, they spent an entire afternoon trying on different dresses. Some were a little silly, and some were very lavish; but none of them were right for her. Leon was ready to give up, when Ashley found a deep blue, knee-length dress that had a black ombré at the hem. Leon's brow raised at the nice colour, her eyes flitting to the spaghetti straps and the low neckline that she knew would make Luis stare.
"Try this one on," Ashley ordered, shoving Leon towards the changing rooms. “It’ll look great with your eyes.”
Leon obeyed, slipping it on carefully and slowly, minding her muscular build in case the dress was too tight. It ended up fitting comfortably, thankfully, and the neckline dipped low enough to display a good amount of her breasts. Leon felt her face heat up as she observed her reflection in the mirror, more than pleased with how it looked on her.
She emerged from the dressing room to show Ashley, who beamed at her and clapped her hands.
"You look gorgeous!" Ashley exclaimed. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah," Leon said, suddenly shy.
"Perfect. We'll get this one."
Ashley managed to pay for it before Leon realised what she was doing, insisting it was to make up for the past birthday gifts she'd certainly missed getting for Leon. Leon had just rolled her eyes fondly, knowing she wasn't going to win that debate.
Leon arrived home, the loud engine of her motorcycle alerting Luis that she'd returned. He greeted her at the door, smoothing down her helmet-hair and kissing her cheek. Leon closed the door behind them, letting Luis take her shopping bag.
“What’d you get?” he asked excitedly, already pulling the dress from the bag.
Leon laughed and shook her head, watching Luis examine the dress closely.
“It’s a beautiful colour,” Luis noted. “It’ll look pretty with your blue eyes.”
“Wanna see for yourself?” Leon asked, raising a brow at Luis.
“Right,” Luis nodded, handing the dress back. “Go on, then.”
Leon smirked, a blush creeping up her neck in anticipation. She took the dress into the living room, removed her day clothes, and pulled the garment on. She was able to zip it up on her own, but glancing back at Luis who was watching her in awe, she decided to play coy.
“Can you zip it up?” she asked, feigning an arm movement behind her to show that she couldn’t reach.
Luis practically skipped towards her, smiling gently.
“Of course, princesa.”
Excitement and affection fluttered in Leon’s chest at the endearment. It was still an odd feeling, but it was a good odd. The kind of strangeness similar to hearing yourself being referred to with a different last name after getting married; new and exhilarating, and worth getting used to. Speaking of which…
“We’ll have to go shopping for my wedding dress sometime,” Leon remarked quietly, shivering as Luis’s hand smoothed up her back.
Luis spun her around at the waist and kissed her deeply. Leon smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly. Luis pulled away soundly, smiling at Leon with so much love it took her breath away.
“I can’t wait,” Luis whispered. “Now,” he pushed Leon back gently, keeping his hands at her waist, “let’s look at you.”
Nervousness crept up Leon’s throat as she pulled away from Luis to give a slow spin. She felt amazing in the dress, but had been anxious about what Luis would think. She didn’t have to worry one bit, as Luis immediately wolf-whistled when she showed off the outfit. Leon brought a hand up to cover her face, trying to cover her blush.
“Stop it,” she muttered, not at all wanting Luis to stop.
Luis, knowing her well, only laughed.
“I could never stop,” Luis argued. “Eres la mujer más hermosa del mundo, and I am the luckiest man alive.”
Leon’s eyes watered as she turned back to Luis, who was beaming brightly at her.
“I love you,” she said, cracking a smile.
“Te amo, Leon,” Luis replied, coming forward to hold her again, “con todo mi corazón.”
Their lips met passionately, Luis’s hands warming her back through the thin dress. Leon brought her hands to Luis’s hair, scratching his scalp gently. Her own hair had gotten much longer recently, but Luis still beat her.
Leon had been questioning her gender for some time ever since Raccoon City, but it wasn’t something she’d felt mentally or emotionally prepared to delve into at the time; especially with the horrid transphobia of her workplace. But it had never left the back of her mind, and she’d found her own way over the years to seek comfort as the dysphoria grew harder and harder to ignore. Then after meeting Helena, who was openly a trans woman, and talking with her about it extensively during their mission together, Leon returned home from Lanshiang determined to see this through. Coming out to Luis had filled her with more fear than proposing to Luis had. She’d known Luis wouldn’t stop loving her - he was attracted to women, too - but she was worried what he’d think of the situation. But as with everything else, Luis had been more than accepting, and immediately ready to help her.
Neither of them had any idea what they were doing, but they were both willing to learn together. And Leon was more grateful than she could express to have Luis and his unconditional love in her life.
They pulled away from the kiss to breathe, resting their foreheads together. Luis began swaying them gently, as if dancing, and Leon huffed a quiet laugh.
“I wanted to try makeup too,” Leon said. “But it might be too late for that,” she added, glancing at the digital clock on the TV stand.
“Nonsense,” Luis insisted, tilting her chin to look into her eyes. “It’s never too late to look pretty.”
Leon scoffed as Luis left her embrace to grab some of his makeup. Luis had worn it sometimes when they went out, but Leon had never braved it. She’d really wanted to though, and wanted Luis to be the one helping her.
Luis returned quickly, brandishing the makeup bag excitedly.
“Sit down, get comfortable,” he ordered, gesturing to the couch.
Leon sat down, fixing a pillow behind her neck as Luis turned on the lamp next to the couch. It was getting dark, but they both hated the main light, so a lamp would have to do. Luis then straddled Leon’s waist, getting comfortable on her lap. Leon grunted at the added weight, but it wasn’t painful. She gave Luis a confused look, and he grinned.
“Is this really a necessary position for you to be in?” she asked, raising a brow.
“Of course it is,” Luis insisted, opening the makeup bag. “Now close your eyes, I’ll start with eyeshadow and mascara.”
Leon made a point to roll her eyes before closing them, and she couldn’t help but smile at Luis’s laughter. Luis began gently applying the makeup, humming to himself as he did. Leon sighed, settling back against the couch as Luis worked. A calm fell over them, and for the first time since Leon began her journey of exploring her gender identity, she didn’t feel the pressure of needing to know everything. Here, in the home she shared with Luis, surrounded by Luis’s love and warmth, his ceaseless acceptance and support, she felt she could breathe easily, not needing to perform to any standard.
Luis finished her eye makeup and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She blinked open her eyes slowly, fluttering her lashes at Luis playfully. He chuckled, cupping her cheek with his free hand.
“Bella,” Luis cooed lowly, making Leon blush in the dim lights.
Luis sat back a bit and put up the brush that was in his hand, swapping it for lipstick.
“No blush?” Leon questioned, not particularly complaining.
“Just look at you,” Luis replied with a smirk, “you don’t need it.”
Leon felt her face heat up more, only proving Luis’s point. Luis grinned smugly. He uncapped the lipstick, and it was a nice, light pink colour. But rather than apply it on Leon, Luis spread it over his own lips. Leon watched him in amusement.
“You wanted to wear some too?” she asked.
Luis only winked at her, before leaning in and kissing her firmly on the lips. Leon scoffed against Luis’s mouth, realising what he’d been up to. It was incredibly cheesy, but unfortunately she found it utterly endearing. Luis pulled away slowly, biting at Leon’s bottom lip gently. He sat back and examined Leon’s face, before pursing his now messy lips in thought.
“It didn’t work as well as I’d thought,” Luis noted. “I’ll have to try again.”
Leon laughed, shaking her head fondly as Luis reapplied the lipstick on his mouth, before silencing Leon’s laughter with another kiss. Leon sighed, resigning herself to the situation, and wrapped her arms around Luis’s waist to pull him closer. They kissed slowly, savouring each other’s taste and touch. Luis’s tongue swiped over her lips, and Leon parted them, letting Luis in with a low groan. Leon ran a hand up Luis’s spine and he shivered, rising on his legs to deepen the kiss. Leon tilted her head, slipping her hands under Luis’s shirt and causing the man to inhale sharply. Leon grinned, leaning back to look into Luis’s eyes, still keeping her hands under his shirt. Luis blinked at her slowly, a dazed smile forming on his lips. His deep brown eyes swam with love and warmth, and Leon wanted to sink into it, to seep into Luis and be enveloped by him.
“I think I made it worse,” Luis whispered, his eyes scanning Leon’s mouth.
Leon laughed; Luis’s own mouth and chin were slathered with pink lipstick, so she could only imagine what she looked like.
“I like it,” she said, her hands running up to the edges of Luis’s scar on his back.
It was comforting to feel; a reminder that Luis really was alive and here with her. Luis softened in her hands, smiling sweetly.
“You haven’t even seen it yet,” Luis noted.
He extracted himself from Leon’s grasp reluctantly, pulling her up with him. Luis led them to their bathroom, both of them blinking in the harsh light as Leon gazed in the mirror. Her eyes were dusted in a light, sparkly blue powder, mascara darkening her lashes. Her face was still flushed from their make out, and her lips were just as messy as Luis’s. Luis took a piece of paper towel and wiped the lipstick off around her face, leaving it only on her lips. Leon smiled, turning her face in the mirror and lowering her eyelids to take in more details.
“What do you think?” Luis asked.
“I love it,” Leon whispered, a little in awe of how such subtle differences could make her feel so incredible.
“We could apply more later,” Luis added. “I know how to do all of the fancy stuff.”
Leon smiled gratefully at him, nodding.
“Thank you Luis,” she said. “It’s perfect.”
Luis beamed, suddenly looking bashful as he awkwardly placed his hands on his hips. Leon laughed at his expense and kissed him.
“You’re perfect,” Luis whispered against her lips. “My Dulcinea.”
Leon bit her lip, feeling her face heat up once more. She wrapped her arms around Luis’s waist and pulled him close, kissing him again. Luis smiled into the kiss, hugging her around the shoulders. Then he pulled away slightly, holding the sides of Leon’s face and looking at her with a strange, excited look.
“I forgot,” Luis said, “I have a gift for you.”
“A gift?” Leon repeated, wondering what the hell else Luis could have to give her.
“Sí, c’mon,” Luis nodded, tugging Leon’s hand and leading them into the bedroom.
He made Leon sit on the bed, and began rummaging through his own bedside drawer, looking for something. He clicked his tongue when he found it, palming it before Leon could figure out what it was. Luis sat next to her on the bed and held out his hand, but kept his fingers closed around the small item. Leon raised a brow curiously.
“You-” Luis cut himself off, pressing his lips together as if in thought. Then he cleared his throat, blinking, and Leon realised he was trying to keep from crying. “You already proposed,” Luis continued, “because you always have to outdo me.”
Leon huffed a laugh, watching Luis carefully. His state worried her, but his words soothed her. She had no idea what he was planning.
“But, uh,” Luis shook his closed hand for emphasis, “you didn’t get a ring yourself. Just me. And I think, maybe, that’s not fair for you. So…”
Luis opened his hand slowly, revealing a beautiful gold ring with a red gemstone. Leon’s eyes widened. She recognised the ring as the one she’d found in Valdelobos all those years ago, in the basement of Luis’s house. She’d returned it to him, and he’d explained it was his mother’s ring, given to him by his grandfather.
“I want you to have this,” Luis said, peering into Leon’s eyes. “I was told to give this to the woman I want to marry someday, and, well… Now that’s you.”
Leon’s eyes filled with tears almost instantly, and she tried to blink them away, frustrated she could no longer see Luis clearly.
“I… wanted to give this to you while on a date,” Luis added. “But I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and seeing you look so happy in this dress, I thought what better time than now.”
“You should’ve given it to me before putting makeup on my face, damnit,” Leon said, feeling the tears fall down her cheek.
Luis laughed, and Leon joined him.
“Does that mean you accept?” Luis asked, holding up the ring.
Leon rolled her eyes, glaring at Luis.
“Yes,” she said emphatically, holding up her left hand. “Idiot.”
Luis chuckled, kissing her cheek before slipping the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, which was a relief. Leon rested her head on Luis’s shoulder, never taking her eyes off of the ring, even as they filled with tears again. Luis brought his arms around her, holding her close. Leon turned her head and kissed Luis’s neck before settling back into his embrace.
“I love you,” Luis whispered.
Leon wiped her face, lamenting the makeup she’d no doubt ruined, but knowing Luis would help her put on more another time. She hugged Luis, nestling her head against his chest and listening to his steady heart beat.
“I love you,” Leon whispered back.