Realization
His head felt like millions of church bells ringing obnoxiously altogether and not in sync. Leon stood up but was forced to sit back down by a surge of vertigo attack.
As he continued rubbing his temples- laying on the couch, Leon tried hard to recall details about last night but all he remembers were flashes of red lips, jet-black hair and the feel of laces slipping down from skin.
The agent did it again. He met that mischievous spy; that ever so mysterious woman in red and they fought. They fought, they exchanged witty remarks and then from hot breathes hovering on skin to passionate touches of lips. Come morning, she only left traces of her scent. Gone again. And then the games start yet again.
He sighed heavily as he fumbled for his phone. Leon continued looking through his contacts, skimming from start till the end and then, he slowly made his way up again to stop at the sight of her name. Those letters were black and bold and staring back at him piercingly.
CLAIRE Redfield
He tapped on her name for her number to appear. The well-built man bit his lips- unsure whether to call or not. Leon was in town, Claire would most probably be too. He misses talking to her. Sudden flashes of her blue eyes flickered across his mind and he remembers the wink she gave him in the fallen WilPharma facility. The word "cute" appeared in his head and Leon snickered. He didn't know what compelled him to do it, maybe it was the headache but his phone was now by his ear, patiently waiting for the redhead to pick up.
"Leon!" The blond heard her greet him with much enthusiasm.
"Claire..." His voice came out raspier than he expected.
"You alright buddy? Are you sick?" Her silky tone covered with concern.
"I-I'm fine. Claire, I'm in Washington."
"Great! Come on over! I haven't got any case assigned to me for the week."
"Be there in ten," He couldn't help but smile a little, "And Claire," He paused.
"Yes, Kennedy?" Her voice playful.
"All-day-breakfast," His head wasn't spinning that much anymore when he hears her honeyed laughter over the phone.
"Yup, ALL DAY BREAKKIE!"
He smiled when he caught hold of Claire's green apartment door. The color was rather bilious but it gave him a sense of belonging. Leon only needed to knock once for her to open that door.
"Right on time, rookie!" Her finger tapped his chest.
The smell of dark coffee and sizzling bacon wafted through the air.
"I'm almost done, just wait for a while alright?" Claire, still wearing her cupcake apron made her way to the stove while Leon made himself comfortable at the counter. His eyes fixated on her form as she cooked and sang to some rock song Chris must've had introduced her to. Leon knows that this wasn't his but it felt very much like home... and he doesn't know why.
When breakfast-as-lunch was eaten and coffee emptied from their mugs, Claire finally spoke out.
"Kennedy, something's wrong. What is?" She tapped a finger on the counter, "Let it out, it isn't good to bottle it up all inside, agent."
The man rested his chin on his hands, "You read me through and through huh? Women..." The redhead proceeded to roll her eyes.
"Oh gosh, Angela was so last season... and the random chicks from your espionage doesn't count..." She tapped her chin, "Ada Wong," And quirked her brow.
"I'm tired, Claire."
"Sure... you are. Says the man who literally travels around the world collapsing B.O.W's and fighting to save humanity!" She laughed.
"No. Really, Claire. I'm fed up," He took her hand in his and gripped it tighter, "I'm really tired of playing this stupid catching game with her."
The redhead dropped her smile and gave him an equally serious look he put on, "Then tell that to her. Say you don't want to play games anymore. Maybe, she would settle down with you," Another hand of hers set atop his as she offered him a smile. Her eyes were blue and under the apartment's lighting, Leon saw specks of yellow and green in them.
"She never enters or exit through my apartment's door. It's always the window... because that's what spies do," He shrugged helplessly.
"If you tell her what you want for both of you, she may actually settle down with you. You do know that, right?"
"She isn't that kind of woman, Claire. I-I don't even know who she really is," Fingers combed through blond hair.
Claire got up and hugged him, "Maybe time will make you forget. Sorry buddy, I couldn't help you with this one," Hands patted his head and he took in the smell of her hair and embraced the inviting warmth of her body.
It was different from what he has with Ada. Ada was exotic, something dark but those tricks of hers are just that- tricks- fast fleeting moments of fun. Leon was tired of them. But Claire, she was a constant. She was the first person he went through life and death with. The first person he protected as a rookie cop; the first to see him fumble on his duty. The first to really understand him and the first person he truly trusts. His secrets, his likings and his thoughts- Claire knows them.
The man smiled when he remembers how awesome this woman was at throwing knives and how good she was with kids.
Leon detached himself from her hug and instead stared straight into her blue eyes, "Claire, I'm sorry," He cupped her face. Claire felt his callused hands-rough and unrefined- but they were the best hands ever because she knew these were the hands that protected lives.
"This was home all along," Lips pressed against her forehead, "I drifted too far away," Her cheeks flushed crimson, "Is it too late for me to come home?" Strong arms wrapped her frame.
"I-"
"I'll stop playing her games, Claire. I'll stop playing any games with women. Can I come home?" He did not let go of her.
They stood over the counter for a few moments before Leon felt her hands on his back, responding to his hug.
"You know, Kennedy, I've been waiting for you to finally realize," A sly smile pasted on her face as she regarded the agent's confused look, "Welcome home, Agent Kennedy."
That was the first kiss that Leon knew would be embedded in his head forever. It was beautiful, hot, heavenly, homey, and most importantly- filled with certainty. Leon found refuge in Claire's heart and he was determined to never leave.
When on missions, the agent doesn't just fight to protect humanity- he fights to protect the heart that became her refuge too.
A/N: My very first Cleon fic! Please R&R! Thank you for reading guys!.