Rating: PG
Pairing: Ashley/Leon
Rain started to pour violently against the shutters; a noisy downpour released from the blackened clouds splattered on the ground, creating potholes in the dirt. Luis had just left, and he hadn't come back either. Leon was a bit worried about him leaving like that and going off, but he had other things on his mind: Ashley. She was crying now, her cheeks against his hard chest and she had snaked her arms around him – fear had finally taken over her senses. It was bad enough to be stuck in a degenerated house with what looked like a million Ganados climbing inside, breaking everything in the place and having the only thing on their mind: kill anything that moved and breathed. She had gone through so much, from being kidnapped from a terribly obnoxious and big muscle bound soldier who hauled her over her shoulder to being picked up by more Ganados on her way over here.
Now, in the aftermath of horrible incident, to chalk up to all the rest of the past events, she broke down. Maybe it was because Leon held her gently, reminding her about her family and her life in the President's manor, her school, friends, and privileged life. Gone was the laughter and people who had protected her life at all costs, and was replaced with one sole man to hold her life in his hands.
Leon brought his strong arms around the shivering and gulping small blonde. His lips near the tops of her bright head. "There, there, Ashley, everything's cool now. Just rest. I think they're gone for now, but we'll just keep going and you have to stay strong."
"Oh Leon, how much longer can this nightmare go on?" She raised her tear filled eyes up to him, Leon smiled. He couldn't help but notice how vulnerable she really was with the glowing blue eyes and innocent like expression. She looked younger than her twenty years, but as Luis noted earlier, and rudely commented on her 'ballistic' goods, he couldn't help but agree that she was quite more than girl.
"Leon, is there a place I can lay down? I'm feeling so dizzy." Ashley did feel the world spinning around her, caught up in the aftermath of the smoke and fleshy smells of dead Ganados, it almost brought out a terrible wrenching from the bottom of her gut. Not to mention, she hadn't eaten in awhile so if she did hurl, it'd probably be nothing but the disgusting pre mature plagas in her. The thought of it disgusted her further and she pressed herself tighter to the man in her arms.
Being the dutiful agent Leon was, he didn't know whether to turn her request down and push her to keep going, because getting her home was his main objective. But seeing her like this, her body trembling, her tear streaked cheeks against his blood soaked uniform, he hesitated.
"Ashley, there's really isn't a place to lie down and I really think…"
"Wait…just let me go back inside the closet, there's a blanket in there and space enough for me to lay down." She started to pull away from him, her body staggering from the wretched vertigo that had started to fill her body.
She nearly fell if it weren't for Leon's strong arms scooping her up. "Oh man, you're really in need of some serious rest. Okay, hold on, I'll get you to a place."
Lifting her in his arms, Leon scanned around, noting the harsh rain outside and Ganado's splattered everywhere on the ground - some strewn apart from the violent lurch of his shotgun right to the face. It was not a place for a woman to lie down. He went back upstairs and looked into the open closet where she once safely hid while he and Luis were fighting off the onslaught of Ganados.
Surprisingly, it was a bit spacey, having enough room for even him to sit in with her, but he didn't have time to rest either, nor was his body wired for rest. He was too worked up, too honed for more ready action if the need rose. Having been trained for years to be prepared for enemies to attack from behind and everywhere else, Leon decided that because he had the training, didn't mean she could keep up. Laying her down gently, lolling her head over to his shoulder, her parted lips mumbling something incoherent. Leon leaned in closer, his ear to her mouth.
"Hey, Ash, you okay?"
"Leon… stay here with me for a little while…don't go. I may die here and I don't want that."
He gave her a wry smile. "Hey, now, that's no way to talk. Remember how you were yelling at me that you don't want to die in this place and adamant about it?"
"Yes, I know… "She murmured, her eyes half fluttered, "I don't think I can take this plagas in my body, it's like tearing me apart, making me feel nauseous."
"I have it too, Ash." He gently said, "We'll take care of it soon enough k?"
Leon took the blanket from the closet floor, wrapping it around her, and she snuggled closer to him. She smiled. "Leon, you feel so good. I wish that this nightmare would be over…"
He didn't know what to say about her comment about him, but he chuckled. "I've been in worse, but this definitely fits in that category…" His mind flashed back to Racoon City, and because it was his first day on the job, it was made even more shocking and surprising for a rookie cop. He can't imagine in her case, where she had been privileged, never been in situations in these types which only belonged in nightmares, could very possibly have some serious effects on her well being.
Yet he counted on her strength to pull her through.
She was steadily breathing now, the faint hush of her sweet breath so close to his face, and as he turned, her lips were so close, oh so close. He straightened himself, reminding himself dutifully that she was the President's daughter and taking advantage of her like this would be against his morals.
Curling up in a delicious way, Ashley had snaked her legs around him, out of a voluntary protective reaction or just out of her safety to feel his arms around her. Leon closed his eyes, smelled the faint vanilla scent of her skin. He inhaled it greedily, taking anything sweet, as it was such a stark contrast against the foul smells of Ganados and decayed blood and burnt flesh everywhere. She was all sugar and spice and everything…….nice. With that thought, he felt even more protective towards her, holding her closely and at the same time, keeping his ears sharp for anything out of the ordinary.
The rain continued to pour outside and the steady beating of water tapping against the unbroken windows and against the jagged glass shut out anything else. But as he leaned his head closer, daring his cheek to touch hers, she turned her face towards him, and whether she did it out of accident or planned, their lips touched.
The first instinct in Leon was to pull back but Ashley had her arms around him, her lips coaxing him open, and her mouthing against them, "Leon, please, please…..just kiss me this once…please. Remind me that I'm real, that there's something to look forward to, that you would be at least my first kiss…"
"Ash…" He groaned. "I don't think…." She pulled his head closer, opened her lips so that her tongue could explore the wonders of his hot mouth. "Leon," tears were running down her cheeks. "Just this once - kiss me back, as I may not ever ever have another kiss from a boy again…"
Leon's body tensed, his arms had subsided from the young girl he had been sworn to protect, and now they were snaking their way around her smaller form, kissing her back to ease the fear from her psyche.
He told himself that all he would do is just give her this kiss. Her voice, full of fear and passion tug at his sensitive soul, and the smell of her sweet scent only deepened the kiss.
They remained locked like that for what seemed hours, her legs wrapped around his strong waist and he, kissing this girl back - it was exhilarating. He didn't want it to happen, no, he didn't, but her pleas, the fear and desperation he was familiar with long ago called out to him, because he understood it. Leon S. Kennedy, the hero, the strong willed fierce young former rookie turned into a professional Government Agent had to pull through, had to endure so much over the years, and holding Ashley in his arms just this one time reminded him of innocence lost….
A noise could be heard downstairs, the sound of a ladder falling and a loud thud. They broke the kiss, their wet lips parted with a loud smack, and Leon swallowed. He hurriedly took her arms off of her and reached for his Blacktail, approaching the area where the noise was at.
With his two hands gripping the handle of the gun, he carefully looked down from the window and saw a man in a thick trench coat, heavily armored with guns and ammunition secretly stashed inside him, standing like a big black shadow below the window.
The Merchant was now waving his hand and said in a loud gruff voice, "Got some rare things for you to buy, strangah."
Leon groaned and relaxed his body; he couldn't believe it. He lifted his chin in response.
"I'll be right there."
Turning back to his ward, Ashley had already wrapped herself with a blanket and was out of the closet. "Shouldn't we get going?"
She had this serious look on her face, as if nothing had happened between them. Leon released a sigh, running his fingerless gloves over his sun kissed hair, bangs still hovering over his blue eyes. "Ash….you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm better than ever." A wide smile on her face made him feel less tensed about the situation. He would have apologized but didn't think she would like that. Just seeing her like this made his heart swell. It was oddly, a good feeling, but he'd have to control himself next time.
They rushed downstairs and hopped over the dead body parts, picking up a few stray ammo boxes and herbs on the way out. The rain had started to tone down into small droplets, whispering against their exposed skin. Ashley gazed up at the sky, feeling the cold wet rain against her cheeks. She was happy for once, happier than she's ever felt since this horrendous nightmare started. It's as the dark cloud of doubt and uncertainty for the future had melted away. She rolled her eyes and silently scoffed - how lame was that? But she was secretly smiling. And as Ashley looked in the direction of her protector, to the familiar lean and finely masculine toned back, admiring the way his cute ass moved, she stifled a giggle.
She was right. He was a good kisser and oh man, his ass felt so good when she squeezed them.