𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

Love's Tangles| Request

"Who are you? What are you doing in ou...my house?" I ask, straightening up and tugging the frying pan out of his grip and ready to swing again. The man analyses me, eyes roaming me from head to toe before his lips lift into a knee wobbling smile. 

"I'm Leon, nice place you got here. Very...solitary." He quips, turning his back to me to look around. My brows lift at the audacity, but already my mind is thinking things through, coming up with bad, bad ideas about leaving this place and coming back before tea time tomorrow. "You know, most people wouldn't be so calm about this, I'm guessing you don't get out much?" He swivels to look at me, head tilted as I purse my lips together and shrug, feigning being unperturbed. 

"I've got everything I need here." 

"Apart from freedom." He points out, "This place is well out of the way, but it isn't safe or relaxing. That means you're either running from something, or hiding." 

I swallow, setting the pan down on the counter as I chew on my lip, "I'm free enough...I'm just, I get lost a lot. So, I don't suppose you'd help me find my way to town tomorrow morning, and in return I won't turn that head of yours into scrambled brains?" 

Leon throws his head back as he laughs, but when he sees I'm serious and about two seconds away from grabbing the frying pan again he stops and stares at me. "Oh, you really meant it." He watches me for a beat longer, then nods. "Alright, I'll take you, but it's out of the kindness of my heart, sweetheart." 

My heart flutters at the nickname. Leon sticks true to his word, by the time morning comes I race down the stairs with my boots laced up and hair cascading messily. He sits up from the sofa, rubbing his eyes tiredly but regardless he smiles. We have a quick breakfast of apples and toast, then we make off for our trip. The whole time my pulse threatens to kill me, I'm sweating and looking back, but at the same time I'm hurrying up and skipping beside Leon who keeps grinning at my excitement. At this point I've ruled him out as a threat, he could've killed me last night but didn't. As soon as we break through the forest and the town lies beyond tears spring to my eyes, Leon takes my hand, leading me through streets full of vendors and past restaurants that smell delicious. Against my insistence Leon buys me small trinkets and laughs when I stop at a busker, swaying in tune to the instrument. 

We spend the whole day moving, I've never felt happier, and a strange kind of emotion fills me when Leon's fingers tug me here and there. His hand always guides my lower back, and when people give me odd looks he presses himself to me, acting as my bodyguard. We talk and laugh, he treats me to food and shares his dessert, by the time the night arrives I finally remember about Birkin and the life I've temporarily forgotten. 

I look to Leon as the town lights up, and all pleading of asking him to take me back disappears. The way the street lamps light up his face is breath taking, his eyes twinkle as he steps closer to me, hand reaching up to cup my face as I lift onto my toes, but then just as our faces meet his eyes drift over my shoulder. I frown, turning to see two angry looking men heading right for us, and leading them- Birkin. 

"Leon, there's something I need to tell you-" I begin, but Leon's arm reaches out, pushing me behind him as he tenses up. The three men meet us in the middle of the empty street, Birkin glares at me, a look of pure anger simmers in his eyes. 

"Y/N, come here. We're going back now you've had your little act of rebellion." He orders. I step from Leon's hold, but hesitate. Birkin's stories haven't come true. Nobody's tried to hurt me, nothing bad has happened. Maybe none of it was ever real. Birkin sees the realisation on my face, then decides to break my heart. "You think this man found you on accident? Leon S. Kennedy isn't just anyone, he's an agent. He was probably ordered to come find you, he doesn't care about you like I do, he's going to use you. Give you a false sense of security before whisking you away to another prison, one where you'll be trapped in a cage."

"Damnit Birkin, you know that isn't true. Y/N's special, but she deserves to live for herself!" Leon shouts. My lip wobbles as I stumble back, away from everyone. All eyes turn on me as I look up at Leon. 

"Is it true? You only want my blood?" I whisper, feeling sick and shaky. Leon's face falls as he begins to explain himself, but I don't want to hear it. I push past him, running into Birkin's arms as he envelopes me with a painful grip. With a click of his fingers the two men with him pull out knives and head for Leon. My eyes widen as I try to push away and beg for Leon's life, but all of a sudden something pricks my neck and all I know is darkness. 

When I wake I'm back in the cottage, but it doesn't feel like home anymore. I cry, chained to the floor in the living room as Birkin paces angrily. My head hurts, everything aches, but most of all my heart feels wrong. Leon lied...in his own ways. He didn't tell me the truth, but then again I never asked. This is all my fault. I sob, refusing to answer Birkin's questions until his head snaps up at the sound of footsteps outside. Like usual the winds whip the cottage, the waves crash against the rocks outside, and it all feels so somber. Birkin hides behind the door as I shout and cry, the door swings open to reveal Leon, his frantic eyes find me as he storms in heading right for me, but Birkin leaps out at last second, injecting something into Leon's arm which makes him fall down, groaning in pain. 

"NO! Please don't, I need him! I love him!" I yell, clawing at the floor to get to Leon. He manages to crawl towards me, skin paling by the second as his limbs twitch. Our fingers meet as Birkin throws a kick to Leon's stomach, adding to the pain as I cry. 

"I-I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but don't lose h-hope, more are coming. You'll g-get your f-freedom, sweetheart." Leon grits out, fingers tightening around mine. I hiccup as Birkin laughs, grabbing my chains and dragging me across the floor. I lose balance on all fours, landing on my face as my teeth dig into my lip. I wince at the metallic taste. 

"No, she won't. We'll be long gone before any more agents can find us. The world shan't know the cure to my virus, just as you won't Mr Kennedy." 

I try weigh myself down, making it harder for Birkin to pull me, until we reach the kitchen, where my frying pan still sits on the counter. In an unexpected rush I leap up and grab it, then swing it towards Birkin's head. He falls, not moving as I search his pockets for the key and release myself, then I race to Leon, noticing his breathing is barely audible. I kneel beside him, shaking and scared as I lean forwards and press a kiss to his lips, my blood ruining the taste of him. Leon dies with one last breath, shuddering before stopping. I sob, screaming as I hug him close and bury my face over his still chest. I stay there for a while, begging for him to come back and free me from the capture of my own sorrow. Then it beats again. I sit up, wiping my eyes as he suddenly coughs and groans, eyes opening and finding mine. 

"Leon! H-how?" I ask, smiling as he lifts a hand and cups my cheek, wiping away my tears. 

"Your blood, it's the cure to the T-Virus. Fuck, I'm so glad you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?" He panics, sitting up all too quickly. I nod, wrapping my arms around him as he pulls me onto his lap, kissing me again, this time with a passion that's all new to me. My hands roam his body, feeling his heart just as shouts echo from outside, followed by the distant rumble of something big. "Helicopter. We're going to be alright, I promise." 

I nod, believing him. "I don't want to ever be trapped again," I softly say, "not unless it's with you." Leon smiles, pressing his lips to mine once more in a promise of true safety and honesty.