But now, they were finally getting to sit down in the same room. No more thousands of miles apart or radio equipment between them. Just two cups of black coffee and a table.
Leon had arrived exactly on time, his eyes looking around the slightly run down diner until they landed on the dark brown hair he was looking for; truth be told, it could have been anyone but the utter lack of occupants in the room confirmed it was her.
"Hunnigan," He smirked, sliding into the seat. Her hands were wrapped around a chipped china mug filled with what smelled like crappy coffee. Her bronze skin glimmered under the dim light overhead, her street clothes strangely foreign on her. "You aren't wearing your glasses."
The woman rolled her eyes at the some what dimwitted comment, lifting to take a sip of the bitter fluid before speaking.
"You've taken too many hits to the head. You still wear that brown leather jacket." He chuckled at her ribbing, laying his arms over the cracked plastic seat his back was against. Her hair that was usually held away from her face was free from the confines of its hair band prison, falling just past her collar bones.
"How do you keep all that hair of yours up in such a perfect do?" Leon asked, rather surprised. Ingrid shook her head as the waitress walked up with a second cup of what Leon deemed to be mud. "And, couldn't pick a better place to meet up than this dump? I'm still waiting for a roach to skitter across the table."
At that, she kicked him under the table. He winced slightly but continued laughing. The establishment was certainly not up to par with the other locations around DC but it wasn't too bad either. The white linoleum was cracking in some places and a faded gray in higher traffic areas like in front of the door, under the barstools and near the restrooms. The lights were dim and the slightly yellow but did their job all the same, the air smelling of overbrewed coffee and burned eggs.
"It reminds me of my childhood." She replied finally, releasing the warm cup from her hands to fold them neatly on her lap. Leon nodded once, holding his own cup to eye level for inspection. One whiff of the brew and he could tell that there would be grinds in the bottom, it was definitely crap and it wasn't worth the steep two dollar charge.
"Could get better coffee in a police station, Hunningan," He sneered at the cup as he set it on the black faux marble tabletop, sliding it away from him as far as he could.
"Never knew you would be one to be picky, Leon," The Secret service contact laughed, her blue eyes smiling at him. He couldn't help but smile back. Those eyes were so expressive, even when they were trapped behind wire frames and glass lenses. She set her hand on the table, followed be her elbow to which she promptly set her chin in the palm the other.
"A man has the right to be picky over what he indulges in." He too shfited positions, his arms folding across his chest again. Ingrid faintly noticed the sleeves of his jacket straining against the muscle underneath. The very thought made her nearly blush, but after half a second she switched her thoughts elsewhere and the impending heat faded.
"Does that come to your choice of women, too?" She leaned forward, the smile on her face growing when she realized she had caught him off guard. "Should I take a picture? This seems like a once-in-a-lifetime expression for you." She couldn't help but giggle as his face reddened and he coughed, turning his head to hide behind the curtain of hair he called bangs. Her giggle turned to full on laughter, her hand patting the table lightly as she relished in her mirth.
"Oh, come on, Leon, you know I'm just teasing you," She reached out and placed a hand on his, coaxing it away from his chest to lay on the table between them. "And you're right about the coffee, overdone." She squeezed his fingers lightly, the smirk returning to his face once more.
After finally deciding that the small diner was no longer entertaining, the two set out on a small walk together. Leon's arm was curled around her shoulders, the index finger of her left hand hooked in the free belt loop on his pants. The position was rather intimate for a first day, but neither of them paid any mind. It was heartwarming to spend time together, away from all the humdrum of zombie killing, daughter rescuing work.
"I've been meaning to ask.." Ingrid trailed off, her eyes on the sidewalk.
"Hmm?" Leon pressed, his gaze falling to the side of her face. She looked slightly puzzled, but it could have just been the angle he was looking at her.
"Do you ever have nightmares?" He instantly knew what she was talking about, his body tensing slightly at some very vivids ones flashed through his mind. The two had stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk, Leon's gaze staring straight ahead, a dark expression on his face. "Leon?"
His hand tightened on her shoulder to the point it was almost painful, Ingrid wincing and letting out a low hiss as his short fingernails stung at her skin beneath the gray longsleeve shirt she wore. Pushing his hand away after a bit of a fight, she tugged on his jacket collar, patted on his cheeks until he broke free from the trance.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." He muttered lowly, pulling her into a tight embrace. His head dropped to rest on her shoulder, her arms moving to rest on his back. He was shaking slightly, his breaths short and wheezy.
"Leon, it's okay. Relax. Shh." She had never known, and probably never would have know the extent of his trauma had she not asked. He was just a rookie officer when he first got involved with Umbrella.. He had appeared to be so strong, like a rock standing against the tides of the ocean. He could only be strong for so long. Tears made her nose and eyes burn but she blinked them away. She needed to show him that she would support him, be strong enough to help him in his time of need.
"I'm here. I'm always here.." He pulled back slightly to speak when she planted a chaste kiss on his shaking lips, her arms hugging him as tightly as she could to comfort him. After a moment, she moved to rest her on his chest, fitting perfectly beneath his chin as if she was meant to be there. His heart beat had slowed and he was relaxed once more.
"I'll never let go, Leon."