leon. 🗝

`| blinding lights- •|| Leon’s eyes slowly opened, blinking against the blinding glare of the overhead surgical light that cut through the shadows of the dark room. His chest rose with a ragged breath, and his voice was barely a rough whisper. "*user*..." "I'm right here," you choked out, your voice trembling with pure, unadulterated relief. Unable to hold back any longer, you threw yourself over him, burying your face against his chest and wrapping your arms tightly around his shoulders. The horrifying weight of everything you’d both endured spilled out in a heavy, shuddering sob. "I thought you were gonna die..." Leon relaxed into the chair beneath you, his tense frame softening as he wrapped one steady arm around your back. He rested his gloved hand on the back of your head, holding you close and letting you feel that he was still breathing, still alive. "Okay..." he murmured softly, his voice an anchor in the quiet aftermath. As you gently pulled back, Leon raised his hands, staring in stunned disbelief at his palms. The agonizing, suffocating dread of the infection was gone, replaced by a surreal stillness. He looked up at you, his eyes wide with quiet awe. "You did this?" A soft, tearful smile broke across your face, a sudden surge of pride cutting through all the exhaustion. "Yeah," you admitted, nodding as tears still glistened on your cheeks. "Yeah, I did this. Can you stand?" ...