#ashcroftd

Leon didn't have the time for regrets. Not anymore. Anything he carried with him would soon be buried under god knows how many tons of metal. He didn't want to give up the ghost, per se, but he'd lived a long life. He had accomplished a great deal and helped a lot of people since 1998. But it was never enough. Still, at least no more bioweapons would be created here thanks to him and Grace.

Sitting in the dark like this was merely calm acceptance of the current hand he was dealt. He was... tired. The antiviral was still working its way through him; he'd regained feeling in his extremities where they had started to go numb after he collapsed at the entrance to PANDORA. It didn't hurt to move anymore.

He didn't really give it much thought before he sought Grace out in the pitch black abyss. He'd carefully reached out, her breathing letting him know she hadn't moved away, until his gloveless hand met with her shoulder. From there it lifted to her chin to gently guide their faces together. He heard her softly gasp at the contact and it gave him pause as their noses brushed. Maybe he should have thought the better of it. Retreated. Just took her hand instead.

He really believed this was the end. What else was there to lose? It was sound reasoning, really.

She didn't move (probably didn't even draw a breath either) after the first few presses of his mouth, and he was about to pull back with an apology primed and ready. He didn't get the chance to speak though. A warm hand met his cheek, unknowingly leaving blood on him in the process that was as invisible as everything else in the dark. The wetness could have been his own blood or sweat for all he knew.

He wondered if he still tasted of blood. If he did, she was politely ignoring it and pressing into the kiss now. The brushes of her lips were timid but... it was nice as far as last kisses went.

PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2

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SEND ❗❗❗ FOR YOUR MUSE TO SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY KISS MINE

Grace texted him that she was dropping by, but he didn't get to read this text by the time she arrived. He had just set his weights down on the rack, his phone left in another room, when a knock sounded at the door. What he expected from Grace was a shy hello upon opening the door of his apartment. Instead she stepped in without saying anything and paced a bit. The way she was chewing her lip told him she was trying to make her mind up about something. About what, he couldn't be certain. "Is everything okay?" he asked softly, tugging his muscle shirt up to wipe the sweat from his face yet not taking his eyes off her. The blonde abruptly stopped pacing then strode up to him before he could react.

STARTER PROMPT: CHASTE KISSES

assorted starters , @ashcroftd

there is a bravery in grace ashcroft that you can't help but admire. you can only imagine what sort of horrors she's endured- rather, you don't have to imagine, because you know. once upon a time, you were also frightened, exposed to horrors that you never could've imagined otherwise. yes, you thought it was odd that the other boys looked just like you, but you didn't think too hard about it. you were scared when they changed and you didn't. you remember running; she has been running, too. but she is brave and she is not afraid of you-

❝ i don't want you to be afraid of me, ❞ you say before you can really think about it. after the words leave your mouth, you assess them. it's true, you don't want her to be afraid. she is the key to elpis.

the child in you remembers the myths. you think it is fitting in a way. you are named for zeus. you were born in a place called ark. and everything you want is kept in a facility called pandora. you know deep down that this- is this the hope you wanted all those years ago? you, and you- frightened and desperate for freedom, with your hopes crushed with each passing moment, until there was nothing left but numb acceptance.

a snake that cannot shed its skin will die, your 'father' told you. then, you shed the skin of the frightened boy in the private wing of the rhodes hill care center. you grew into your divine self. and you did not die. ❝ while fear can help us survive, it is not the only thing that does so. ❞ you look back at the flickering screens. the various data detailing experiments and costs of bioweapons. you know that you are not so different from them. you want to believe yourself a god- you have done so for the past seventeen years. but there were two where you thought nothing, and six where you were a frightened little boy with no name; only a number.

PROMPTS FOR COMFORTABLE INTIMACY

Achy. Tired, the type that went bone-deep. Two words he could use to describe how he woke up feeling that morning. Loading up on coffee and avoiding any heavy meals lest he make his stomach churn seemed to have worked up until the time afternoon rolled around. Now he felt worse. He figured that it was a bug he'd caught after taking Emily to school earlier in the week. Kids were walking germ factories. At least the little girl looked well enough compared to Leon.

PROMPTS FOR COMFORTABLE INTIMACY

It started with Grace brushing her fingertips across the back of his hand. It was resting atop his thigh while its counterpart scrolled through work emails on his phone. But truthfully, Leon wasn't really paying attention to the device. A faint smile surfaced to replace his neutral expression and grew wider as their eyes lifted to meet in only a brief flicker (her shyness didn't allow it to be longer). He flipped his hand over after awhile, their palms pressing flat and a sense of calm blanketing him.

it has been hours upon hours where the dso agent kept eyes wides on the little child saved from raccoon city. from one test to another, medications gives regularly. when she heard about the presence and details of emily . sherry found herself rushing to receive her. to stay in the whole process that could be turned to life long nightmare. makes sure that spent appropriate time in one treatment not give the scientist a chance to act curious.