#ocxleon

Leon woke with a start, gasping for air, his sheets saturated with a cold sweat. He whipped his head around, vision blurry, searching for that glare that had been so close. It took him a few moments to realize that he was alone in his Wyndon bedroom, and that the only sounds in the room were coming from the city in the night and the gasps he sucked in. Each breath came fast and heavy, in as if he were desperately trying to make up for the suffocation he felt only moments before. Ree’s sneering face had faded, replaced with his dark room and curtains lightly fluttering in the night breeze. Leon shook his head into focus, trying to think about anything that wasn’t Ree’s scowl that was now slowly fading. He saw curtains, windows, a dresser, his Poke Balls, his nightstand, and his clock that read 2am.

“A dream,” Leon mumbled to himself after a moment, and he again surveyed his surroundings to be sure that there were no more sneering faces awaiting him, and to ensure that experience truly was a dream. It took a moment, then a moment more, before he set his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes and heaving out a deep sigh.

It was just a dream. He was still in his apartment, he and Ree were still dating, and she was still sleeping soundly in the guest room. While they usually slept apart whenever she stayed over, his bed felt much too large and lonely after waking up from that terrible dream. Leon stepped into the bathroom, splashed some water on his face, then quietly padded to the guest room across the hall. With a lit rap on the door, he peeked his head in.

“Ree?” he whispered as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. “You up?”

Her body was silhouetted under the blankets, but she made no movement. Leon whispered her name again and she started to stir, filling the room with the soft rustling of sheets. Leon’s heart squeezed at the sight, and he gripped his shirt in his fists, stomach still a little queasy from that dream.

“Mmng,” Ree mumbled, pushing her hair out of her face as she turned to him. “Lee? ‘s that you?”

“Sorry to wake you, love,” Leon said, quietly stepping into the room. “Mind if I join you?”

Ree nodded instantly, flipping the covers as an invitation for Leon to slip in too. He did, and was soon enveloped in the warmth and calm that his girlfriend was always so good at supplying.

“’Skay? I mean - you okay?” Ree mumbled, slowly adjusting to being awake. She lifted herself up onto her elbow to see him more clearly, though her eyes were still a little puffy from sleep and the lines from the pillow were gently pressed into her face. “Did something happen?”

“Nightmare,” Leon replied with a sigh, running his fingers through his bangs as his brow furrowed. “It was pretty bad, you, you um…”

He trailed off, his stomach dropping again at that terrible image of Ree’s scowl. It was nothing like the expression she held now in reality, full of concern and love, but that didn’t mean that nightmare’s glare didn’t flash every time he closed his eyes. Leon scanned her face, sucking in an anxious breath before continuing his sentence.

“You left me,” he said. Immediately as he said those words, hot tears began to prick in his eyes. It was as if saying the words aloud stitched them into reality, and Leon didn’t realize how hard he was clutching the blankets until he felt Ree’s hands slide over his own. “You… you left me because I wasn’t Champion anymore. You said that… that I was a failure, and that no one could love a failure. So you left me.”

Just as his last word waivered, so did the tears in his eyes that were threatening to fall. His eyes stung so he squeezed them shut, hoping to keep the hot tears from spilling over.

“Oh, Lee,” Ree breathed, lifting her hand to cup his face. She brushed away the tear that had fallen with her thumb, and Leon held his hand against hers, pressing her touch into his cheek. “It was just a dream, okay? I’m here with you now, and I love you so much. There’s no way I could ever leave you.”

Leon nodded. He knew Ree would never lie to him, but there was still a part of him that was so raw, so beaten, so vulnerable, that he couldn’t stop his next sentence from slipping out.

“Even though I’m not the Champion?” he asked, searching her eyes. “You still love me?”

“Yes,” Ree said, breathing out a laugh. “Leon I love you, then, now, and forever. I don’t care if you’re the Champion or chairman or a garbage man or if you didn’t have a job at all. I love you, not your title, no matter what it may be.”

Leon nodded again, not sure what else to say. Ree leaned in a gently pressed a kiss to his forehead, then laid down and held her arms out for him. Leon quickly accepted the invitation and laid his head on her chest, breathing out a deep sigh as he felt the thrumming of her heartbeat against his ear. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently brushing his bangs off his face, then combing through the hair by his temple.

“I know this is hard for you,” Ree said quietly, still lightly running her fingers through his hair. “But I’m here for you, okay? This is another part of your journey that I want to help you with. You’re learning and growing, and I am so so proud of you. You’re doing such a great job.”

Leon nodded, his eyelids fluttering closed at the soothing feeling of her hands in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her, curling her as close as he could.

“Thank you, Ree,” Leon breathed, giving her a squeeze. Leon’s eyes were closed, so he didn’t see the dark blush that stained her cheeks at the gentility in his words. He felt a sentence start in her chest, only to pause, then she finally breathed it out, as soft and soothing as the light breeze that whispered through the open window. Just as the wind brushed and curled around the curtains, her words curled around his heart.

“I love you,” she said again. “I’m… I’m here for you, okay?”

“I know,” Leon hummed, leaning up to press a kiss to her chin. “I love you too. Thank you.”

She responded by leaning down and pressing a kiss to his lips, a motion which Leon gratefully accepted. She started to pull back, only for Leon to capture her lips in another kiss.

“I love you,” he mumbled again, still hovering above her lips. He could now see the flaring blush in her cheeks, and such a cute sight drew a chuckle from him.

“I love you too,” Ree repeated, face warm from the insistent blush. “Why don’t we get some sleep? I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Softly padding feet against cold marble floors led Aideen to her kitchen, shivers sliding through her spine as the cold fully woke her up. Mouth stretching in a yawn, she reached into her fridge to produce a small carton of Buffamoo milk. Though tired her deft hands quickly opened the drink even as her petite frame turned to walk into her bedroom. As sleep hazed as the small Earthmate was she didn't notice the foxed eared male standing by her closet until she walked right into him. A small yelp came from her as she began to stumble back, her uncoordinated early morning reaction times not assisting her in the least. Large hands and quick reactions were all that save her and her drink from hitting the floor, husky laughter filling her ears and startling her in to full wakefulness.

“Leo! What are you doing here?” Aideen squeaked out as her light green eyes met his gem blue pair. As his strong arms assisted her in standing straight, the small woman realized how little she was actually wearing, her thin sky blue nightgown's material allowing her to feel the heat of his body warming her own. Her cheeks burned a bright red as she tilted her head away from him, her long silvery hair, loose from its normal pigtails, fell as a curtain in front of her face.

Leon, former Guardian and current pain in the side of Forte and to a lesser degree Aideen, smirked at the woman before him, his ever present fan lifting  to his shoulder once he let her go. “I had come to wake you. It appears I got to see you more adorable than ever as well.”

Aideen's leaf green eyes rolled at the tall male, the expression effectively hidden by her voluminous hair, before she lifted her half forgotten drink to her lips. Taking a sip she reached past him, a valiant attempt to grab one of her dresses so she was on a better footing to deal with the flirty male. Though she loved him dearly, his constant flirting and teasing left her reeling and unsure of when he was being serious or when he was just teasing. “And why isn't Vishnal the one coming to wake me?”

A low laugh left his throat as he playfully shift his body, blocking her from getting some more fitting clothing. “I managed the impossible and talked him, and most of the town, into making sure no one bothered you, and in relation us, today. I think you are in dire need of a break and...”

At the pause in his words he leaned close, his fan closing with a soft click as his free hand lifted to push her locks from her face. His gaze softened as his fan lifted to press against the underside of her cheek, pushing her unresisting head up to meet his gaze. “And I wanted a day to have you all to myself. I haven't had much time to pick on my favorite target since you and I became lovers.”

Aideen's face flushed as he spoke, her eyes lowering bashfully as a smile crossing her plump lips before she suddenly moved forward. Her arms wrapped around his waist as her face buried against the firm muscle of his chest, attempting to show her remorse without speaking. She had already known much of the town thought she worked too hard, and to a point they had been completely right. Between the castle fields, trying to recover the Rune Spheres, and assist anyone in the village that needed her help, she rarely found for herself. However the Earthmate was most upset she had neglected Leon and their relatively new relationship. As if the former Guardian understood the source of her actions, his arms wrapped around her smaller frame, his chin resting on the top of her head.

“I don't blame you, Love. You have a lot on your plate and not a soul helping you carry your burden. However,” at this he paused and lifted her her face so their eyes would meet once more, “that is why I am here. I have Doug and Amber tending the fields, Vishnal and Clorica are tending to your errands, and Dylas, Meg and Arthur have agreed to take care of our meals. I am sure you see where everything is leading. Count today as a small vacation with only me to deal with.”

“Exactly how long have you been plotting this Leo?” she asked him, her voice filled with the giggles building in her chest. Her head shook some, her smile bright, as she thought of everything he must have gone through to get Dylas and Doug to agree to be a part of something at the same time. Instead of answering her question Leon smiled gently, sweeping her into his leanly muscled arms and startling the small woman. Her drink dropped from her hands as she was lifted, the digits of her hands clinging to him instead. The foxed eared male glanced down to the spilled drink then gave her a small shrug before striding to her large bed. His touch was careful as he laid her amidst the soft thick blankets, his long fingered deft hands making sure she wouldn't sit or lie on her overly long hair. Straightening he paused, his gaze on her soft and indulgent before he spun and walked back to the mess.