Author's Notes:
Hello, there. This is my second fanfic. I've been thinking about making this a part of a series of one-shots called Elements. You can guess what the other titles would be based on that. It'll all be about Ada and Leon's complicated relationship.
This is set after Damnation but before RE6.
Reviews are welcome!
Air
A cold summer evening, the sound of a grappling hook tore through the air. A quick glide: rooftop to rooftop. Eventually, a balcony. His balcony. It was close to midnight, and she just came from another mission. Weary and seeking rest, she found herself yearning for him.
Despite living the dangerous life of a spy - wearing multiple masks, discarding one identity after another - she still longs for a life where she could finally drop her guard and just plainly, live. She may be tough, cool and ruthless to some, but she's not a machine. She can't always keep her exterior up. A life like hers, precarious. Never knowing if she'll be able to come back. A bullet finally grounding her in one place. If there's one thing she was sure of, though, is that she would always want to come back to him.
She visited him sometime after their encounter at the Eastern Slav Republic She kept close tabs on him since she wanted to know if he made it out with two tyrants hunting him. Good thing he managed to survive and came back to D.C. in one piece. Eventually, they found themselves wrapped under the sheets after ambushing him in a bar and teasing him.
Now, here she is again. But unlike their last encounter, she's entering his apartment without him knowing. She doesn't even know if he'd be home tonight. Regardless, she just wanted to take him in. Perhaps even by just spending some time in his dwelling would give her rest. He's her constant. The only truth in her lies, her paradise in hell.
She approached the glass sliding door and carefully placed her hand on it. The apartment was still. The fluttering of her heart died down, but at the back of her mind, she wanted him to be here. She shook the idea out of her head. This is fine, she said to herself. She only needed rest - a quick rest. She'd be out soon enough. She bent down, unlocked the door with a lock pick, and gently pushed the door to the side.
Cold air rushed as she entered. The room is bathed in blue by the moonlight coming in from the windows. A sense of familiarity washed over her. A smile crept up to her lips. She walked over his living room and on to the couch. There, she plopped down and stretched her sore legs. She looked up at the ceiling and watched the shadows cast by the blinds dance. Entrancing. She felt her consciousness slip; her mind drifted off to sleep.
She was more tired than she thought.
Some time passed, and she awoke. Remembering where she was, her heart jumped. She propped herself up on her elbows. Her vision spotty from the sudden movement. At that moment, she realized, this is not where she fell asleep. She was now on his bed, her boots already removed. Glancing to the side, she saw the blonde agent. He was reclined on his pillow., lying beside her, asleep.
He was wearing a dri-fit shirt and jeans. Whether he came from work or a casual workout a gym, she couldn't ascertain. As she examined him further, she noticed a book on his lap. The lamp by his nightstand was also at an odd angle. It was pointed away from them, but the light that bounced from the walls gave him enough light to read, but not a lot to wake her up. She smirked.
"You're really such a nice guy, aren't you, Leon? Not turning a stranger away..." Her voice trailed off.
Stranger. Despite the bad taste it left in her mouth, the truth of the matter was, she is. Leon barely knew her outside of work. They had casual encounters, yes, and had slept together many times. But she felt like he doesn't know her enough for him to be comfortable. Yet, he carried her to his own bed when he found her on his couch. For crying out loud, she broke in. For some odd reason, he trusted her enough that he'd lie beside her and seemingly watch over her as she slept.
She leaned into Leon, and kissed his cheek. He stirred.
"Ada?" His blue eyes peered from beneath his eyelids; trying to shake off the haze.
"Hello, handsome. Sorry to bother you."
This was her cue to leave. She felt somewhat embarrassed. She moved away, but Leon caught her face in his hand. Ada looked at him, and he slowly moved his face to hers. She could feel his warm breath. Despite the lethargy, his action was deliberate - not brought by a dream. She lightly huffed.
"Leo-"
Before she could finish her sentence, his lips met hers. Slowly, her self-restraint slipped out of her grasp. She kissed him back, a bit forcefully. She could feel the weight of her last mission, and all the others she had since she last saw him. Longing, tranquility pounded in her chest. She was indeed tired - no, exhausted.
They pulled away from their kiss, his steely blue eyes meeting her umber brown eyes. His gaze says it all. He wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face on her chest. She closed her eyes and kissed the top of his head, and brought it closer to her.
In their embrace, they breathed each other in. She found comfort knowing that she wasn't the only one taking in his presence, so did he.