Chapter Text
The calm and exhaustion after a mission was always euphoric in its own way. The storm above them booming loud with thunder and heavy amounts of rain. Washing away any of the evidence left on the pavement from their jobs.
Leon and Chris sit outside anyway on a bench, getting drenched by the storm, too tired to even care. The empty streets lighting up with police cars and firetrucks approaching the scene.
They were covered in weird goo, blood and whatever nasty grime was in the abandoned building they had just come from. The tense energy between them as they sat there was thick with something.
Chris had forced Leon on his fucktenth mission this past month and he was getting more aggravated each time. It's not like he hated working with Chris, he actually loved it. But if he's being honest he loved it too much.
It always made him almost physically ill after their missions. Not because he hated Chris, it was actually the complete opposite. He adored him, loved him. He had always wanted to be with him.
Leon had always had a crush on Chris, unable to speak about it because of how straight the other was. Not to mention it would probably destroy their entire friendship and he values Chris too much.
It was hard though, being around someone you've longed after for years and not being able to confess or do anything about it. Not to mention Chris was going on dates with women constantly.
When he gets home from a date he always immediately calls Leon to tell them how bad it was or how they weren't the right one. It killed him inside, hearing the way Chris talked about all of his relationships knowing he would never even get the chance to try.
Leon holds onto his arm with a hiss, blood dripping onto the already wet pavement. “Ready to go to my house and get cleaned up?” Chris asks while lighting a cigarette. Leon just nodded, standing up from the bench with a groan.
They always went to Chris's house after missions, Leon would get cleaned up, eat and spend the night before slipping out undetected the next morning. Only for a few days before Chris called him right back in.
“Yeah, I wouldn't mind the first shower.” Chris blows out the smoke and smiles, standing up with him. “Hell yeah, you stink.” Leon glares at the other, holding his arm close to his chest. “Oh I stink? Says the man who actually swam through sewers.”
Chris laughs, patting Leon's back. The warm hand is like the ghost of something more. They walk over to where Chris had left his car parked, the other opening the trunk to toss Leon a few towels. “Here, put this on your seat. I won't have you ruining my car with whatever juices are on you.”
Leon laughs, unfolding the black towel to lay on the passenger seat. He winces when he stretches his arm too much, pulling it back close to him. “Worried about my juices?” Leon teased, Chris just rolling his eyes. “I don't want to think about your juices, get in the car.”
Leon nods, climbing into the front seat with a huff. “Why does it turn you on too much?”
Chris smacks Leon's shoulder with a huff, earning a pained sound. “Come on man. That's disgusting, you're my best friend.”
Yeah. Disgusting and Best friend go perfectly hand in hand together.
“Yeah, which is why you should refrain yourself around your best friend, you freak.” Leon says while he feels his heart sink into his stomach, God that word always killed him. Friend. Best friend. Brother.
The drive to Chris's house wasn't long, Chris was talking the entire time and if Leon was being honest he wasn't paying attention at all. Didn't even hear a word of what the other said because he was too busy staring out the window, watching the raindrops race each other while he was thinking about them.
It was getting worse, his feelings were getting stronger, looks were getting longer. The more and more Chris asked for his help and the more time he spent with him the worse it was getting.
Chris pulls up to his house and hops out, groaning slightly from how sore he was. Leon hops out next and lets out a pained hiss, grabbing onto the handle of the car. “You alright?” Chris asks, Leon just nodding.
“Yeah, just sore from all the bullshit we just went through.” He limps to the door, Chris opening it up to the mess filled living room. Piles of papers unkept and shoes disorganized by the door. The bottle of whiskey Chris and he had been drinking two weeks ago is still on the table. A pile of laundry that needs to be folded sitting on the couch.
Leon looks around the room with a huff. “I can't believe you still haven't cleaned up since the last time I was here.” he says while placing a hand on the wall to keep his balance while taking off his dirty boots.
Chris kicks his own muddy boots off at the door, making his way further into the home to take off the combat gear. “You've been with me and I've been busy.”
Rolling his eyes at the response he takes a step forward and growls from the pressure on his ankle as he limps towards Chris's room. “I'm taking a shower first.” Chris waves him off dismissively. “Go ahead. You can wear any of my clothes tonight to sleep in while I wash yours.”
Leon shuts his eyes, taking in a deep breath. “Thanks..”
Inside the bedroom he finds a woman's dark red dress on the floor with her panties. His heart was sinking again. “Didnt know you like to dress up so much!” Leon teases, trying not to think about it too much.
Chris comes into the room with a grin, watching Leon get undressed. “Dude you should've seen her, she was incredible. She was doing stuff I've never seen before. Too bad she was actually insane…” Leon just smirks, lifting his shirt up with a hiss.
Chris's eyes widen and he immediately goes over to the other, holding Leon's arm up and placing a cold hand on his ribs. Leon's face darkens from the sudden touch and fingers on his bare skin. Chris shaking his head. “Oh man, Leon, how long has it been like this?”
He looks confused, looking down to see the massive bruising on his ribcage, bicep and underarm. Chris carefully removes the rest of Leon's shirt, examining the bruising along Leon's body, laying it back down to see the perfect hand bruise where the tyrant had picked up and squished Leon earlier. “Oh God I didn't know he grabbed you that hard…”
Leon just stands there, blushing darkly while Chris keeps touching him gently. “M’fine, just perks of the job..are you going to just stand there and stare at me all night or are you going to buy me dinner first?” he tries to pull away from the other to undo his pants while staring down at the red dress.
Fuck. If only he was a woman. Maybe then he'd have a chance?
“Didn't realize it was a crime to make sure your friend was ok.” Leon hissed at the remark, pulling his jeans down and handing them to Chris with a growl, the belt laying loosely open and clinking together. “Yeah well a little privacy goes a long way.”
Chris raised an eyebrow, holding out his hand. “Boxers too.” Leon shakes his head, limping towards Chris's bathroom. “I think you've seen enough, the next part is reserved for lovers and doctors. Last I checked you still haven't bought me dinner yet.”
Leon walked into the bathroom, shutting the door slightly before taking his boxers off and throwing them out of the bathroom and onto the floor where they landed on top of the red dress. Chris bends down to pick it up, staring at the red dress and panties then back to Leon's underwear.
“You know, if you were a woman you'd be perfect for me. No bullshit, you already know what I like. God, sometimes dating is such a nightmare.” The words are muffled behind the door, but they still hurt none the less, Leon turns to look in the mirror.
He's dirty, bruised and beaten. He's got dried junk all over his body in random spots and not to mention he looked terrible. He stares down at himself in the mirror and then pulls away. “Yeah, I hate to burst your bubble but I'm a man. Testosterone and all.”
Fuck. It killed him. Actually killed him. He really did only have a chance if he was a woman. He walks away from the mirror, getting into the shower with a grunt. His ankle was killing him. Flipping the water on to the highest possible heat.
Chris knocks on the bathroom door, peering his head inside. “What do you want to eat? I'll get it ordered so by the time you're done you can eat.”
He stared at the shower wall, scrubbing himself clean of any residue from their job but also from his thoughts. The harder he scrubbed, the more it hurt which means the less he could think about it all. “So you actually do want to get into my pants. Does Chinese food sound good to you?”
Chris smiles and nods, “You got it. OH!” He immediately bursts into the bathroom, looking under the sink, grabbing a few bottles underneath it that haven't been opened. Quickly he rips open the shower door, a burst of cold air filling the hot space.
Leon about falls over from the surprise, his face flushed dark, turning his body to keep his dick covered. Leon and him lock eyes, Chris's face also getting dark. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME REIDFIELD?!”
They can't stop staring at each other, Leon was mortified and scared while Chris was curious? Who fucking knows maybe he was just disgusted at the sight of a naked man and it was taking him twenty years of staring at him to figure it out.
Chris watches the water run down Leon's slender frame, his eyes following the streams of water that traced along the muscle and cuts. His heart must've skipped a few beats because he can feel his face heating up.
He'd never seen Leon like this, their entire friendship together they'd always been covered. His eyes look back up to Leon's, who is obviously scared and confused. Dark red blush covering his face either from embarrassment or the heat of the water.
Chris quickly looks away and mindlessly just places the three bottles on the shelf, knocking over the other bottles onto the shower floor. One of them falls on Leon's foot who lets out a pained sound. “Oh shit I'm sorry!” He bends down to grab it, his arm soaking up the hot water while he keeps making mistakes.
Leon tries his best to keep himself covered, Chris bent down in front of the shower with literally nowhere for him to escape was definitely not on his bingo card today.
Chris forces himself to snap back to reality, “I forgot to mention, I went to the store and picked up your hygiene stuff, I know you have sensitive skin and need the fancy stuff. You've got more under the sink, the entire left si-” Leon shoves Chris out of the shower, pulling the glass door shut.
“THANK YOU CHRIS! but a fucking warning next time!” He growls out, heart racing and hair sticking to his face in random spots. “SORRY! You've just been coming over here after missions and I thought you'd like to have your own stuff!” Chris yells back, staring down at his wet arm.
No response from Leon who has their mouth covered, eyes wide and water just hitting the top of his head as he processes that whole thing. “I'm just going to go order the food now..”
The door shuts with a click and Leon stares up at the ceiling where the steam had filled the top. “You have got to be kidding me…” he says to himself while scrubbing the bubbles off of his body. He turns around to see the products and his eyes soften. “Jesus Christ you're actually killing me…”
It doesn't take him long to finish showering, grabbing the towel from its hanging spot next to the shower and wrapping himself up before exiting into the cold air.
He yawns, bending down to open the left side of the sink that Chris had stocked to the nines. It has tooth brushes, new skin care, new deodorants and other things. Leon's heart basically bursts, staring at everything. Chris must've spent a few hundred to get it that full.
He grabs a few things and stands back up, finishing the rest of his cleaning and hygiene. Washing his face and teeth before heading out to Chris's closet.
Oh the selection is absolutely immaculate, nothing but greens and blacks lining the entire closet. Leon teased at Chris's wardrobe all the time, but if they opened his closet it was mainly black and blue… He grabs an oversized black sweater and some boxers, pulling them on and then a pair of socks. God forbid he walk around on these hardwood floors without socks and a fucking crumb touches his foot. He might genuinely crash out.
Chris comes back into the room, smiling wide with the Chinese takeout. “Oh my God you smell horrible!” Leon says, covering his own nose. “I just finished eating. So now I am going to take a shower. Feel free to sit outside the door and eat if you want to talk. I don't mind.”
The bag of food gets shoved into Leon's arms, the other wrapping his hand around the bag while Chris just strips down in front of him. “DUDE!” Leon turns around to give Chris privacy, the other just shrugging. “Who cares, we've been friends for years.”
“Yeah FRIENDS doesn't mean I want to see your dick flopping around.” Leon growls out, Chris just heading into his bathroom. “I got you your favorite. Fried rice, spring rolls, orange chicken and some chowmein.”
Leon sits down on the floor in front of the bathroom door, Chris leaving it wide open so they could talk. He immediately pulled out his food container, opening the chopsticks next. God he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. “So are you actually going to stay longer than just the night this time?” Chris asks, Leon scooping up noodles with his chopsticks. “Nope.”
Chris laughs scrubbing his hair under the hot water. “Come on, we can take the day off tomorrow and then hang out all weekend.” Leon slurps his noodles, staring at the red dress. “No date this weekend?” Leon asks while also making a personal jab. “Nah, not this week.”
Leon nods, taking a bite of chicken before talking. “No takers for THE Chris Reidfield. Don't the ladies know you punched a boulder once?” Leon says with a bit of sarcasm, taking another bite of his food. Chris opens the shower door, sticking his wet head out, soap and water dripping off of his face and onto the black tiles. “Nah, I just wanted to hang out with you.”
Leon stares at the other with a look of exhaust and a cheek full of Chinese food. Chris smiles and points his wet soapy hand at the other. “Come on, it'll be fun.”
Leon keeps chewing, shaking his head at the other. “I work tomorrow.” Chris smiles and pulls himself back into the shower. “Nah dude. Call out.”
Leon just shakes his head, laying it back against the doorframe. “Call out? What if I need the sick day?” Chris turns off the shower, snapping his fingers at Len who gets up to grab him a towel.
The shower door opens to a bunch of steam and Chris's broad and defined frame standing and soaked in front of him. “Me and you both know you don't take days off.”
Leon glares at the other, leaning forward so he can whisper. “Oh I do. Someone just happens to come and get me every single time. Do you not remember Mexico and New York?”
The towel hangs in front of them, Chris slowly reaching up and grabbing it while looking Leon in the eyes. “How could I forget? You were drunk out of your mind and still getting insane headshots. I couldn't stop watching you.”
Leon's face heats up and he immediately lets go of the towel and turns on a heel to go sit back down in the doorway. While Chris steps out of the shower, wrapping the towel loosely around his waist. Once he's sat back down Leon looks back up to Chris. Oh. My. God.
Oh Lord. That's actually a Greek god in front of him. The water dripped down his body and followed the trail of muscles and scars on Chris's tan body. The little tuft of pubic hair above the towel, the v line, the insanely toned muscles. He's staring, he's staring too much. Leon's cheeks heat up and he turns his head away, to look at literally anything else the red dress immediately catching his eyes and mocking him again.
“God we got our asses kicked…” Chris jokes touching the fresh cuts and bruises on his body. “Speak for yourself, I feel like a million bucks.” Chris laughs at the joke, Leon throwing his empty food container in the white bag it came in.
“I think I need to go to bed. I actually found your joke funny.” Leon glares at the other, making his way towards the bedroom door so he can go downstairs to throw away all the empty food containers. “I'm hilarious. How dare you.”
Once he feels he is out of Chris's line of sight he immediately lets out a deep sigh, running his hands through his semi damp hair. “Fuck..” it's actually killing him. He needed to get out of here and fast. His heart races and he bites his thumb nail while thinking.
He knew the longer he stayed and the longer he lingered things were only going to get worse for him. His feelings were only going to get stronger and stronger.
He had shoved them deep down before Chris had found him on vacation. Buried them completely and was actually healing. Now? Every single mission Chris goes on he asks for Leon and the feelings have resurfaced. There was no way he was going to be able to come back from this.
Leon grabs the whiskey bottle from the table they had left there a few weeks ago, downing a quick shot when Chris comes around the corner, drying his hair with a towel. He's wearing a tight grey shirt and loose grey sweats. “Already getting comfortable I see.” Leon just nods, staring at the other from the corner of his vision. “You know me. A hard day's work deserves a little reward.”