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Ashley shivered as she followed the dark silhouette in front of her, doing her best to be silent as they crept through the ruins. A chill was beginning to settle into the air as the sun started to slip past the horizon, and her skirt and tights weren’t doing her any favors. Leon raised a hand, signalling her to stop, before he drew his rifle and loaded it. Ashley couldn’t see the villagers ahead, but the murmured chanting was unmistakable. It set her teeth on edge.
Sangre. Sangre. Sangre.
The warm light of their torches glowed between the slats of makeshift walls that looked to have been hastily constructed to keep intruders out. To keep her and Leon in. Ashley swallowed thickly as he knelt, threaded the barrel of the gun through two boards, and looked through the scope. She watched him settle on a target and slowly exhale.
Bang!
Ashley couldn’t stop herself from flinching as the shot rang out. Leon didn't react to the sound. Instead, he jerked the bolt back and forth before Ashely heard the first body hit the ground. He moved with perfect precision, the kind that could only be achieved with years upon years of training. His muscles were taut like steel cords, rippling beneath his skin-tight shirt as he aimed. Took a breath. And-
Bang!
She jumped again, wincing at the sudden pang of discomfort in her midsection. Ashely resisted the urge to groan to herself. Now wasn't the time to need to pee. Not that there ever was a good time when you were being held hostage by insane cultists in the middle of nowhere. It had started as a minor pressure hours ago, one that she was easily able to push aside, but now it had escalated to a constant ache. She chewed on her lip, determined to ignore the feeling. There was no way she was about to bring it up to her stoic escort, knowing that there wasn't much he would be able to do for her anyway. Ever the gentleman, Ashley was sure he would show her to the nearest dark corner and turn his back, not daring to leave her alone for a second in this place. Her cheeks burned at the thought.
Bang!
She clenched her thighs together at the sound and let out a sharp breath. Finally, Leon stood back up and shouldered the rifle, brushing the dirt off his pants.
“You okay?” The blond man asked in his gruff voice, his eyes darting up and down her form. Ashley froze like a deer in headlights under his intense gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. “Ashley?”
“Oh, uh, yeah! I'm fine.” Her voice sounded high-pitched in her own ears. “I'm just getting a little cold,” she said, hugging herself to emphasize the point. It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. Leon's eyes softened so imperceptibly that she almost missed it.
“Sorry, if there was something I could do to help, I would, but it looks like we're in the same boat here,” he said, gesturing to his t-shirt. “C'mon, let's get moving.”
Ashley nodded and followed closely behind as Leon stalked his way towards the small encampment he had just relieved of its occupants. Just beyond the ramshackle walls they had used for cover sat several canvas tents huddled around a small campfire. Leon kept his gun drawn as he advanced, ready to react in case another villager appeared. When he was satisfied that the area was clear, Leon ducked inside one of the tents. Ashley could hear wood breaking and guns being reloaded.
She sighed quietly and pulled her sweater tighter around herself as a biting gust of wind hit her. Goosebumps raced up her arms, and the chill made her bladder throb. The tent flap was abruptly shoved open, and she wiped the grimace from her face.
“Find anything good?” Ashley asked, trying to sound casual. Leon shrugged.
“Could have been better, but enough to get by for now,” he said before falling silent and gesturing for her to follow him. She nodded and wordlessly trailed him up the path away from the camp.
Up until now, Ashley hadn't minded the quiet. Leon was a man of few words, and their current predicament didn't exactly encourage idle conversation, but she desperately needed some kind of distraction from the pounding in her bladder. Anxiety was starting to swirl in her stomach on top of it all as she tried to figure out what to do. The more she thought about it, the more the pressure seemed to intensify. She clenched her fists at her sides as she walked, thankful to be walking behind Leon so he couldn't see her stiff posture.
The walk was slow going as Leon scanned the area for threats. While she understood the need to be thorough, Ashley couldn't help the urgency that made her want to throw caution to the wind and sprint toward the castle. Not that that would help anything. She seriously doubted there would be an easily accessible bathroom anyway. Besides, looking for one meant telling Leon the problem, and the thought alone made her flush with embarrassment.
“Ashley, c'mon,” Leon whispered over his shoulder, startling her out of her thoughts. She had fallen further behind than she realized, and quickened her pace to catch up.
“Sorry, I-”
Ashley gasped as the front of her shoe caught on a jagged cobblestone sticking up from the path. She stumbled forward and her knees slammed into the rough ground. The harsh impact jolted her body, sending a spurt of urine into her underwear. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what happened.
“Ashley! Are you okay?”
She didn't answer right away, not trusting her voice not to betray her. Instead she stared at the ground, still on all fours from the fall. Suddenly, boots appeared in her line of sight, and she cleared her throat.
“Ye-yeah. I just tripped, no biggie,” she said, taking the hand Leon offered to help her stand. He looked down at her legs and frowned, sending Ashley's heart into her throat.
“You're bleeding.” She followed his gaze and saw that he was right. Her tights were ripped where she had hit the ground, and blood was beginning to roll down her legs. He took a step towards her.
“I'm fine!” Ashley blurted, stopping Leon where he stood. The last thing she needed was him close to her. Under any other circumstances, she would welcome it, but he was too observant. Too hyper aware of everything around him. He would catch on to how tense she was and the slight trembling of her muscles as she tried to hold on. “Let's keep going. We're almost there.”
And they were.
The imposing towers of the castle loomed over them, backlit by the fading daylight. Despite how close they were to making it inside, Ashley had a sinking feeling in her stomach. There were a lot more villagers stationed around the barricades than there were in the camp.
She could see at least five torches bobbing in the dark in front of the massive wooden doors, and there were even more positioned higher up in the scaffolding along the stone walls. Several men clutched loaded crossbows and kept them aimed at the ready. Their voices echoed off the walls and into the night, promising suffering and death.
“Okay,” Leon relented, scanning their surroundings. “But I'm taking a look once we're inside and somewhere less exposed.”
Ashley didn't reply as she followed up the path, resigned to the fact she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. She winced with each step she took, the pressure in her bladder becoming unbearable. Heat crept up her neck as she realized that she was going to have to say something eventually. She could make it to the castle, sure, but how much farther did they have to go after that? How many more fights would they have to endure before they could get to Luis’ lab? Ashley doubted they were going to hold the doors open for them and let them leave once they were cured.
She winced as Leon crouched down as he walked, meaning she would have to do the same. Ashley bent her knees and matched his measured pace, the position putting even more strain on her struggling muscles. She blinked rapidly as the corners of her eyes started to sting, wishing she'd told Leon earlier. Before they were feet from dozens of men that wanted them dead. She's never had to pee so badly in her life, but it was too late to say something now.
“Stay here,” Leon whispered as they huddled against a brick wall beside a doorway. Ashely nodded, staying crouched despite her bladder's angry protests. Her heart began pounding as he crept inside, the way it always did right before a fight. Leon was the most capable person she had ever met, and she had no doubt that he could kill them all without breaking a sweat, but that didn't stop the icy grip of fear from wrapping its fingers around her heart.
“¡Ahí está!”
Ashley pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle the whimper that wanted to tear from her throat. They had spotted him, and the pounding of their boots suggested they weren’t far behind. She jumped at the barrage of gunfire that erupted in the dark, hating how she leaked a little more at the sound. Solid thumps hitting the ground brought her a small amount of comfort. Leon was making progress, cutting through the crowd of bloodthirsty assailants with lethal accuracy. Shouts of surprise turned to defeated grunts of pain as more fell, but suddenly there was a sound that made her skin crawl. A squelch and a piercing shriek sliced through the air, and she could picture the tentacles wildly thrashing from one of the villagers' necks. Her throat tightened at the sound, and she pressed her palms to her ears, trying to drown out the conflict that was making her stomach churn.
That was her first mistake.
The second followed quickly behind as she squeezed her eyes shut, so she never saw it coming.
A hand clamped down on her arm like a vice and yanked her up to her feet, Ashley’s eyes snapped open and all the air left her lungs as she stared into glowing, red eyes. She pulled hard, but the iron grip didn’t budge as he began to drag her away. Sheer terror surged through her, and a sound she didn’t know she was capable of making ripped from her throat. She felt warmth spreading down her legs, but it barely registered. She was going to die. She was going to die!
“No! Leon!”
“Ashley!” He shouted between rounds of gunfire. Her assailant roughly grabbed her around the waist and heaved her over his shoulder, the bone jamming into her stomach and making her gasp. Ashley beat on his back wildly, kicking as hard as she could, but nothing was stopping him. Suddenly, she felt the man’s body jerk beneath her and they fell to the ground. Leon was on top of them both, ripping his knife out of the man’s neck that had grabbed her. She scrambled away from them both and fell onto her backside, raggedly gasping for air. Her palms dug into the rough gravel, and the sting brought her back to herself. Ashley’s mind caught up, and she couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped from her lips.
She had pissed herself. She was still pissing herself!
Ashley clenched as hard as she could, but her bladder wouldn’t cooperate and continued to empty forcefully through her clothes. She let out a sob and covered her face with hands, wishing the ground would swallow her up.
“Ashley, are you hurt?” The concern in Leon’s voice made her cry harder, the crunching gravel under his boots counting down the moments before he found out what she did. “Hey, what’s the mat-” His voice trailed off, and Ashley knew he could see it. Could hear it.
“Oh.” Was all he said, before promptly turning around and walking a couple feet away. She knew he was just trying to give her privacy, but that didn’t stop the hurt that radiated through her chest. He must be disgusted by her to walk so far away. Despite her tears, Ashley sighed in relief as the pressure finally began to ebb, and she let her eyes slip closed.
“Are you,” Leon awkwardly cleared his throat, “finished?” Her face burned as she continued to relieve herself, still not seeing an end in sight. Ashley instinctively shook her head, but blushed further when she realized he still had his back to her.
“No,” she whispered, hating how her voice hitched over the single word. After another forty-five seconds, Ashley finally felt herself trickle to a stop. With the euphoria rapidly fading, mortification settled on her like a wet blanket. “O-okay,” she said quietly when she realized that Leon was still waiting for her. The man wasted no time turning around and walking over to where she was still sitting on the ground and crouching beside her.
“I- I’m so sorry,” Ashley said, her voice wavering over the tears still slipping down her cheeks. A warm hand settled itself on her shoulder, and she leaned into the touch.
“It’s okay. we’re in the field. These kinds of things happen sometimes,” his voice was still rough, but there was something else running underneath his even tone. Concern? Sympathy? “Are you alright?”
“I’m mortified,” she admitted, still frozen on the ground, as if her moving would suddenly make all of this real.
“But are you injured?” When Ashley shook her head, the corner of Leon’s mouth tugged slightly. “Then that’s all that matters. The most important thing is getting you home safe.” When Ashley didn’t respond, Leon continued, “When I was in training, we were taught that the mission comes before all else. Our families, friends, and even our own bodies. Trust me when I say that this is more normal than you realize. Now, what would be embarrassing is getting yourself killed with your pants around your ankles because you had to stop.” Ashley sniffled and wiped her face with the hem of her sleeve.
“Has this ever happened to you?”
“Sure, several times,” Leon replied easily, as if he were trying to emphasize how insignificant it was. As much as Ashley wanted to believe it, she was having a hard time picturing him in the same predicament. He was practically the poster child for self-control and discipline.
“But I’m afraid that’s a story for another time. Come on, the way’s clear. Let’s get you inside.”
Ashley accepted the hand he offered, and grimaced at the wet fabric clinging to her legs. The urine had already begun to cool, and it was making the wind all the more uncomfortable. She followed him quietly through the courtyard, littered with twitching bodies and empty shell casings. They climbed the stone steps, and Leon shouldered one of the heavy doors open just enough for them to slip inside. The castle was silent as the door swung shut behind them, the loud noise echoing off the marble floors.
“There, up ahead,” Leon said, pointing down the hallway. There was a lantern with a purple flame burning brightly hanging from the wall just beyond a barred door. He jogged up to the door and pushed against it, but it didn’t budge.
“Damn, it’s locked.” He looked around, scanning the room for an answer until he found it. Just above the door, there was a missing section in the stone wall, just large enough for Ashley to fit through. Leon beckoned her over and interlaced his fingers together like he had several times before. She stepped toward him, but then abruptly stopped.
“I can’t.”
“Sure you can, the space is more than big enough, come on,” Leon ordered, but not unkindly. Ashley hesitated, hating that he wasn’t getting what she was trying to say.
“No, I know I’ll fit, but I’m…” She trailed off, heat rushing to her face as she forced herself to continue. “I’m still wet.”
“So? I’ll make sure you don’t slip.”
“I don’t care if I slip, Leon, I don’t want to get pee on you!” Ashley said tightly, not meaning to sound as impatient as she did. His face softened as realization dawned on him.
“Oh, that’s what you’re worried about? Have you not seen the shit I’ve been covered in today?” Leon gestured to his clothing, and she couldn’t help but smile slightly. The man was right. Mud covered his pants from the knees down, and blood was splattered all over his form. There were also several splotches of dark red slime smeared across his shirt. “Seriously, I’d rather be covered in pee than whatever the hell that is,” he laughed, pointing at the goo.
“Alright, fine, but it’s still embarrassing,” Ashley muttered, walking over to her escort. She could feel the urine still dripping from her skirt, and she grimaced knowing that it was going to be dripping onto him as he hoisted her up.
“Like I said, in the field, it doesn’t count,” Leon said, allowing her to lay her hands on his shoulders to steady herself as she put a foot in his hands. He grunted as he gave her a boost, and Ashley grabbed the edge of the wall before pulling herself over and dropping to the floor on the other side. She pretended she didn’t see Leon wipe his face with the back of his hand as she slid the bolt to unlock the door. If anything had gotten on his face, Ashley swore she would die on the spot, but if it did, the man didn’t let on.
“There, see? Easy, peasy. We make a good team,” Leon said, beckoning her to follow him towards the purple light. She smiled to herself, feeling slightly better about the situation as they continued down the hall. It wasn’t the comforting reassurance that Ashley usually craved, but it was enough. The man’s calm demeanor kept the overwhelming embarrassment at bay.
“You have the stench of battle on you, mate. Heh, heh,” the hooded man laughed as Leon pushed the door open into the small room where the shop was set up. Leon walked up to the table, but Ashley stayed near the door, pretending to be exceedingly interested in the art on the walls.
“Do you have somewhere safe where we can get cleaned up?” Leon asked the Merchant in a low voice, clearly trying to spare Ashley’s feelings. She hugged her arms tightly around herself as heat began to make its way up her neck again.
“What do you think this is? A bed and breakfast? I’d think a strapping lad like yourself could handle a little grime and gore,” the Merchant rebuffed, crossing his arms with a laugh.
“You’re right, but I’m not the only one in this godforsaken hell hole, am I?“ Leon said harshly, his tone like ice. Tears began to prick at Ashely’s eyes, and she looked away in shame when the Merchant gazed at her and her clothing. The stain was still evident on her skirt, the dark green plaid not dark enough to conceal the wetness that still clung there.
“Ah, I see” the man said, understanding evident in his voice. “Poor lass. My apologies, stranger.” The Merchant opened his coat and rummaged through the various pockets, muttering to himself until he found what he was looking for.
“Here, take this,” he said, dropping a key into Leon’s hand. “Put it in the keyhole in the elevator there and turn it before hitting the button. It’ll bypass the shooting gallery and take you to my quarters. Use what you need.”
Leon nodded in thanks and waved Ashley over as he walked to the elevator. She could feel the Merchant’s eyes on her as she followed Leon, but she kept her eyes trained on the floor.
“Thank you,” she said in a soft voice, humiliation nearly silencing her altogether.
“Of course, miss. Apologies for my lack o’ manners.” Ashley nodded and stepped into the elevator with Leon, who wasted no time inserting the key and hitting the white button. The lift whirred to life and began its descent before easing to a stop and sliding the doors open.
The room was simple compared to the grandeur they had seen in the castle so far. The floor was rough stone that was only broken up by a simple rug in front of the fireplace. There was a single bed, a small dining table, and a couch in front of the hearth. The best thing about the room is that there weren’t any other doors or windows. Without the key in Leon’s hand, no person or thing could get to them here. They were safe. Ashley shook her head to herself. What was this place doing to her?
Leon walked over to the fireplace and set to work starting a fire. When a soft glow began to reflect off the walls, he grabbed a bucket of water that was sitting against the wall and brought it over to the fireplace. Ashley watched in silence as he retrieved a metal pot from the tiny kitchen and filled it with water before hanging it on the hook above the fire. She stood awkwardly, feeling like she should be helping, but at a total loss of what to do.
Satisfied that the water was warming, Leon looked over to Ashley and waved her over to where he was knelt on the floor. When she was close enough, he gently tugged at the zipper on one of her boots and slid it down.
“I- I can do it, Leon,” She said, shakily, not expecting him to take her shoes off for her.
“I know,” he replied as she lifted her foot so he could tug the boot off. “Is this alright?” He asked, fingers holding the zipper of the other boot, but not daring to move until she answered.
Part of her, the part that had been bigger back in D.C., wanted to pull herself away from the man’s touch. She was perfectly capable of cleaning herself up. Ashley had always been fiercely independent, despite her dad’s insistence on making sure she was coddled and protected.
Some good that did, she couldn’t help but scowl to herself.
The rest of her, the side that felt like she was about to fall apart at any moment, wanted physical contact. Wanted to be cared for, no matter how simple it was. Leon was still looking up at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. Her heart swelled at his patience with her when he could easily be irritated and dismissive. Ashley nodded, resting her hands on his shoulders for balance as he worked on her other boot. He tugged off her socks and tossed them to the floor, his face not letting on if he could feel how wet they were. When her feet were free, Leon set her shoes near the fireplace and approached her.
“May I?” He asked softly, fingers hovering by her waistband. “Or you can, and I can turn ar-”
“No, it's okay. You can,” Ashley said, trying to steady her heart fluttering in her chest. With expert care, Leon hooked his index finger into her waistband and slid it around until he found the zipper just above her right hip. He pulled it down and let the fabric fall open as it loosened around Ashley’s frame. Leon held onto the skirt and lowered it, helping her step out before he tossed the garment to the floor with the socks. Ashley's face warmed as he did the same thing with her sheer tights, leaving her in her lacy black underwear.
He looked at her again, the question hanging in the air, before she nodded. Leon averted his eyes as he slipped her underwear off and added them to the pile. She shivered as she stood in the middle of the room, naked from the waist down. He looked around before retrieving a throw blanket that was hanging off the back of the couch and handed it to her to cover up with.
“Thank you.” Ashley sat on the couch, pulling the blanket onto her lap.
“Of course,” he answered as he put a tentative finger into the pot hanging above the flames, where steam was wafting from the surface. Satisfied that the water was warm enough, Leon grabbed a nearby ladle and started filling the bucket before adding the pile of clothing. She watched as he went into the tiny kitchen area, rummaging through cupboards until he found what he was looking for. Crude bar of soap in hand, he knelt in front of the bucket and swished it around the bucket until there were bubbles floating on the surface. He scrubbed her clothes briefly before setting the bar aside.
“While those soak, let's have a look at your knees.” Leon knelt in front of her, lifting the edge of the blanket just enough to expose her injuries. Folding the blanket back into her lap, he inspected the scrapes before rummaging through the pack on his hips.
“Doesn't look too serious. I'll just clean out some of the debris and you'll be good to go, alright?” Ashley nodded, tucking the blanket between her legs so she didn't accidentally flash him, not that the man would say anything if she did. Leon retrieved a pair of tweezers and a small white can from the pack and laid them on her lap. He grabbed a rag and dipped it into the pot, wringing out the excess water before returning to his place on the floor in front of her.
With a tenderness that Ashley hadn't expected, Leon gently dabbed the warm cloth over the wounds, cleaning the blood that had already begun to dry on her skin. When her right knee was clean, he laid the rag on the blanket with the other supplies and picked up the small tweezers. Leon slipped his left hand behind her knee to hold it steady as he rested his right hand against her leg, tweezers at the ready. She swallowed thickly at the contact, her heart skipping a beat at the strong hands gripping her legs.
“This may hurt a little. If you need me to stop, just tell me,” Leon said, looking up at her through the ashy blonde hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.
“I will.”
With that, the man quietly set himself to work. Ashley leaned her head back against the back of the sofa, and closed her eyes, content to listen to the fire crackling. She winced every now and then, when Leon hit a particularly sore spot. Each time, the steady hands felt her tense and he would stop, not starting again until she assured him that she was okay. Ashley opened her eyes when she felt him drop the tweezers onto the blanket and grab the spray. She clenched her teeth as he applied it, the liquid stinging quite a bit more than she had expected. He paused for a moment to allow the disinfectant to dry before Leon covered the scrapes with a light bandage.
“Wouldn't want this to get infected.” Ashley couldn't help the smile that crept across her face.
“Right, because if this parasite doesn’t take us out, germs will,” she laughed. Leon smirked and shook his head in amusement.
“Sure will,” he said, his tone light as he got to work on her other knee. They fell into a comfortable silence again, the occasional pop of the fire being the only sound in the room. When Leon finished patching up her other leg, he stashed the supplies back into his kit before turning back to the bucket and retrieving her clothes. He gathered them up into his hands and wrung them out tightly, sending water trickling back into the bucket. Leon looked around for somewhere to hang them before he saw the nails haphazardly driven into the mantle above the fireplace and hung them above the steady flames.
“Those should dry in no time,” Leon said as he wiped his hands on his pants and leaned against the wall beside the fireplace.
“Thank you, Leon,” she said sincerely, picking at a loose thread on the blanket in her lap. “You really didn’t have to do all of this for me.” Ashley couldn’t bring herself to look at her escort, shyness suddenly returning full force. Leon could have laughed at her and told her to shrug it off when she’d wet herself, that it would be dry in no time, and they had to keep going. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he had, in fact she’d all but expected it from the iron-willed agent in front of her, but he wasn’t cruel or indifferent to her discomfort. Leon had been kind and gentle, and Ashley was grateful.
“I know,” he said softly, pausing for a moment before he continued. “You didn’t deserve to get wrapped up in this bullshit. My only mission is to get us home, but if I can do anything to make it suck a little less, I will.” Ashley smiled at his blunt response.
“Well, you definitely made it a lot better than it could have been. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” came his curt reply before he resumed his staring contest with the floor, waiting for her clothes to dry. Ashley shifted under the blanket and sighed as the last of the tension left her body. For the first time since this nightmare began, she was safe and her body was taking advantage of that fact. Her eyelids began to grow heavy, and she blinked them rapidly when they began to droop.
“You can sleep if you want. I’ll keep an eye on things.” Guilt wiggled its way into her gut as she looked at Leon, still leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. She could see the exhaustion slipping through the steady mask he wore. His face was as stoic as ever, his features not betraying a single thing, but there was something in his eyes that told her he wasn’t as invincible as he wanted her to believe.
“You should sit,” Ashley said, sliding over on the couch and patting the old cushion beside her. “You’ve been working yourself to death trying to keep these creeps away from me.”
“I’m fine-”
“Please, Leon, for me. Just sit,” she asked, cutting off the excuses she knew he was about to give her. Instead of protesting any further, Leon nodded and made his way over to the couch before sitting down beside her. He was stiff, and sitting as far away from her as he could, which didn’t mean much on the small couch.
“You can relax. I’m not going to bite, you know,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood. Leon glanced over his shoulder and scanned the room again. “And we’re not in danger. You’re holding the key to the only way in. Relax.”
“That’s easier said than done for me. My brain’s not going to slow down until we set foot on American soil,” he replied, his fingers tapping on the arm of the couch. Before Ashley could talk herself out of it, she scooted closer to Leon and rested her head on his shoulder, heart pounding in her chest. She felt him tense at the contact.
“Is this okay?” Ashley whispered, praying that the man wouldn’t push her away.
“Yeah.” She sighed as she let her eyes slip closed and snuggled against him, relishing in the comfort washing over her. After a moment, Leon shifted and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her securely as her head found its way to his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat relaxed her even further as she slipped from consciousness.
“-shley. Ashley, it’s time to get up.” A gentle hand was shaking her awake, and Ashley groaned, wanting to stay asleep. Asleep was safe. Asleep meant there weren’t any maniacs trying to kill them. She cracked her eyes open, surprised to see that the fire had died down to smoldering embers.
“How long was I out?”
“I’m not entirely sure. I fell asleep not long after you did. Had to have been a couple of hours at least.”
“Good. You needed it too,” Ashley said with a small smile, glad that Leon was able to rest.
“You’re not wrong.” The man stood and grabbed her clothes from the mantle, and handed them to her.
“Thanks.” Leon kept his back to her as she let the blanket fall to the floor and changed back into the skirt and tights.
“You can turn around now,” she said, putting on her socks and boots. Leon did so, and gestured to the elevator when Ashley was all sorted.
“We should probably get going. Who knows what he thinks we’ve been doing up here this whole time.” A faint blush warmed her face as she followed him into the elevator as the images of what Leon was implying flickered through her mind. It wasn’t the first time Ashley had thought about it, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
“No kidding,” she giggled, trying not to sound flustered as Leon pushed the button on the wall. When the doors slid open again, the Merchant was still standing at his post.
“Well, well, well. I was starting to think the two of you got lost, which would ‘ave been impressive considering that elevator only services two floors,” the man said, crossing his arms, though his tone didn’t carry any real irritation. “Better not ‘ave been gettin’ up to any funny business. I didn’t ‘ave to let you down there, ya know.”
“We fell asleep,” Ashley piped up, suddenly needing to dispel his suspicions. “We were waiting for my clothes to dry, and fell asleep on the couch. I guess we didn’t realize how tired we were until we sat down. It was nice not worrying about some lunatic trying to kill us.” The man laughed, the booming sound echoing off the walls in the small room.
“I should ‘ave figured as much. You must be worked to the bone to sleep on that old thing. I’m glad to have been of service, lass,” he said kindly as he took the key back from Leon’s hand.
“We were. Thank you,” Leon answered. He dug around in his pack and pulled out a large pouch of pesetas before dropping it onto the table. “For your trouble.”
“O’ course. My pleasure!” Leon headed toward the door that would take them back out into the hall and turned back at Ashley.
“You ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she answered, following close behind. As Leon shouldered the door open, the Merchant’s voice echoed through the room again.
“Don’t get yourselves killed now!”