Ghost

The third one was an accident. Or destiny? Or Leon refusing to cooperate.

Claire was cleaning when she found the Polaroids tucked away. She sat down between Leon and his paperwork without asking and raised the camera.

“Okay. Last one. Same pose.”

Leon didn’t even try this time.

He grabbed her, pulled her in, one arm secure around her, the other tilting her chin up. He kissed her like she’d interrupted something important—because she had and this was her punishment.

“Leon—” the camera clicked mid-protest.

Flash.

They watched the photo develop.

"look what you've done now" Claire said as yhey saw the shot

"looks good to me" Leon grins

Claire laid all three out in a crooked row.

“I can’t have anything with you,” she sighed shaking her head—giving in anyway.

Leon shrugged, slipping an arm around her like it had always belonged there.“Sure you can. You just keep upgrading." he shrugged.

“Looks consistent to me,” he said. “It shows we got closer. Isn’t that the point?”

His gaze lingered on the first photo for half a second too long. Then he exhaled, like he’d been holding something without realizing it.

Claire elbowed him lightly. “…You’re impossible.”

“Consistently,” Leon said, already pulling her into a hug, grounding himself in the now.