#re4make

You immediately straighten. Leon nods once. "Better."

You hate how satisfying that approval feels.

You hate it even more when he clicks his tongue. It's never loud. Just a small little sound whenever you do something stupid.

Miss a target?

Click.

Forget to check a corner?

Click.

Nearly trip over your own feet during a drill?

He made the noise twice that time. Click click.

It's not even intentional. Half the time he doesn't seem aware he's doing it. But after months of training together, the sound becomes synonymous with one thing;  you've done something wrong.

Unfortunately, your brain decides to take that information and run with it.

.

.

.

It becomes apparent during a mission six months later. Leon is crouched beside you, behind an overturned vehicle, while gunfire erupts across the street. 

His hand comes up, holding up three fingers. You understand immediately.

Three hostiles. You nod.

He gestures again, this time waving his hand a little to the left.

Left side is mine. Another nod. With that, you start standing up, readying your weapon-

Click.

You sit back down so fast you nearly give yourself whiplash. Both of you freeze.

Leon blinks.

You blink.

"...Why did you do that?" The words are whispered, barely audible under the noise of the gunfire. 

Your mouth opens. Then closes. You sit there a moment, mouthing out unintelligible words. Then,  "...I don't know."

Neither of you thinks much about it.

… At first. Then it happens again. And again. And again.

A month later, while sloughing through the underground ruins of a cathedral, his newest tag along finds out.

She’s a nice young woman. A bit younger than him, with chestnut brown hair and kind eyes. Her name is Helena, if you’re recalling correctly.

You’re reaching for something when Leon clicks his tongue. Immediately, without hesitation, you pull back

Her eyebrow raises. "Wait.”

Both you and Leon give her a confused glance.

“Leon…” she takes a breath, “Make that noise again.”

He does. As if on cue, you step a little closer to him, your eyes snapping to his form, as if waiting for a command.

Helena’s eyes widen. "Oh."

You give her a confused look, before starting to walk again. Helena clicks her tongue.

You freeze. The room goes silent.

Then, Helena lets out a laugh. It’s the most genuine reaction you’ve ever heard from her. You can almost see tears forming in her eyes as she doubles over, chuckles falling from her lips.

"You clicker trained your partner!"

Leon’s arms come up in defence. "I did not."

"You absolutely did." The woman gestures towards you both.

"I did not."

"You made her into a golden retriever!"

More laughter. You can feel yourself melting into an embarrassed puddle as Leon just shouts. 

"I DID NOT."

.

.

.

The worst part is that once everyone notices, nobody lets it go.

Chris finds out, while you both try to pursue Ada Wong. Then Piers. Then, Sherry and Jake. Suddenly everyone is testing it.

It's humiliating. It's horrible. It's nonstop.

Click.

You stop peeking out from cover.

Click.

You stop running and start listening.

Click.

You skid to a halt mid run.

The last one makes Leon groan loudly enough to be heard from feet behind you. "This is my fault."

"This is absolutely your fault."

He just rolls his eyes. "I didn't mean to do it."

Helena is quick to snort. "You Pavlov'd her."

"That's really not what Pavlov did."

"You know what I mean."

Meanwhile, you're standing still, watching helplessly while this argument happens around you. Honestly, you're still not entirely convinced it's real.

Until after the mission is over.

The two of you are alone in the safehouse. It's late. Everyone's exhausted. You're sitting on the floor cleaning your pistol when Leon walks into the room carrying two coffees.

Without thinking, you reach for yours. You don’t go for the handle. Instead, you reach for the mug itself.

The cup is hot. Very hot. Hot enough to burn. Leon’s brows raise.

Click.

Your hand jerks away before you even register the sound. The movement is instant. Automatic. Reflexive. The room goes quiet. Slowly, you both look down at the coffee. Then at each other. Then, back at the coffee.

"...Oh."

"...Yeah."

For some reason, that's the moment it finally hits him. Not necessarily because it’s funny, or because everyone keeps teasing him, no. It’s because he realizes how much you've trusted him.

For months.

Every correction. Every lesson. Every warning. Every tiny click of his tongue. Somewhere along the way, your brain decided that sound meant safety.

To listen to him. That he's trying to help.

The realization hits Leon right in the chest.

He looks away first, which is unusual. He's never been particularly good at hiding things from you.

"What?" you ask.

His jaw flexes slightly. "Nothing." 

"You're being weird."

A pause. "...You listen to me."

Your brow furrows. "Usually? Duh?"

"No, I mean..." He exhales softly. "You really trust me."

The words make you freeze for a moment. He hands you the coffee carefully this time, turning it so that you can grab the handle. His shoulder bumps yours when he sits beside you. For a moment, neither of you speaks. He feels warm beside you.

Then, Click.

Your head immediately turns toward him.

Leon bursts out laughing. It’s the happiest he’s sounded in days.

You drop your head into your hands.

Are you embarrassed? Definitely.

Would you change it for the world?

Never.