Work Text:
As the ringing of her cell roused her from what could have been a good night's sleep. Her brain was trying to figure out who the hell was calling her at this hour.
She looked out her room's window. It was still very dark, not a glimpse or shred of sunlight. The blond then turned to look at her clock on the night stand.
○2:35○
She groaned. Turning over through her tangle of bed sheets, the blond started to reach over for her phone.
'I swear if it's another one those fucking annoying paparazzi journalists I'm going to-'
she didn't finish that thought as she saw the callers name.
/Leon/
She suddenly felt more awake. This couldn't be good. Why would Leon call her this late at night?
Pushing off some of her covers she grabbed her phone. Answering it before it could dial out.
"Leon..?" She answered. Smacking herself internally for making it sound like a question.
It was eerily quite for a few seconds. The only sound Ashley could make out of the silence was a concerning series of uneven ragged sounding breaths.
She was now becoming increasingly worried with every quiet passing second, but before she could ask in he finally spoke.
"A'shhley...?"His voice sounded tired, worn and a little...slurred? "Imm... sr'ry, was trying to call Hungnn'..."
That's when it clicks in Ashley's head. He's drunk.
Shit-faced drunk definitely, because she never heard his sound like this before. Her mind almost couldn't picture it. He never seemed like the type of person to drink to excess, well, not to her anyways.
Then again she didn't know all that much about him. Even though they survived the horrors of what happened in Spain together, she doesn't think she had ever asked him about his personal thoughts or preferences.
But the more she thinks about it, he never really made an effort to. He always listened intently to anything she had to say, he almost never seemed annoyed with it ether. If he did he never voiced it.
Honestly, she did wish she could return the favor to him.
Whenever she looked at him, there was always something sad about him.
Something hurt.
Tired.
His eyes showed it. The bottom of his eyelids were usually somewhat swollen, the whites of his eyes red with a tale telling sign of a lack of sleep. And of course the dark eye bags didn't help in the slightest.
It tugged at something in her chest.
She shook head, that's not what's important right now. She decided to try and continue the conversation.
"Hunnigan? Doesn't it seem a bit la- uh, early in the morning for that. " She was genuinely curious. Because normal people should be asleep at this hour. But then again, why he would need call his handler, unless-
"You aren't out anywhere are you? Do you need a ride home or something."
He's drunk, alone and probably not in the right state of mind.That seemed like the most logical reason for him trying to call his handler.
The few times they've talked and hung out (on his very few free days) it didn't seem like he had any other friends aside from her and Hunnigan, if she really counted. Which was odd to her since he was one of the most nicest people she had ever met. But still, why else would he have tried to call her at this hour?
At this realization, she was about two seconds away from jumping out of bed and getting into any available vehicle. She didn't care what time it was. If Leon needed help, she'd be there. After all he's done for her, it's only fair.
Before Ashley could get her covers off, replied Leon from the phone.
"Oh no, m' good." His voice sounded all to tired but also filled with an emotion she couldn't pin. Something she wasn't used to hearing from him. "Ju's thought I' d call 'er because she told me to call 'er when I thnk im' go'na do somthin stupid to m'self."
Her blood went cold.
He couldn't have meant, that, right? Oh she prays that isn't what he's currently implying.
Oh god, he's suicidal isn't he.
"Leon, what do you mean by that?" It was hard keeping her voice leveled. She could feel a choking feeling in her chest.
"Is ju's some stupid stuff, only got in'a bit of a mood. Nothn I don't deserve, I hav'nt done anything thng' yet. But wanted to be shurr..."
It's now clear to Ashley that he didn't even know what he himself is even saying anymore.
He's drunk and clearly, as she now realizes, severly depressed. Saying things he normally wouldn't tell anyone, let alone say aloud. It felt wrong to hear it from him, especially when he wasn't in his right mind. Though drunk Leon either didn't care, or just didn't realize this and continued-
" Hunn'gn is soo nice t'me. E'vryone hates me i th'nk. I know Claire hates me, she won' ev'n talk to me. I bet Sh'rry does too,-"
There's a slight hitch Ashley could hear in his voice. She wants to know who these Claire and Sherry people are, but it probably wasn't her place to ask, especially not now.
" but al'east i'v got Hunn'gn, she's rlly nice. She lis'ens to me, ev'n if she doesn't wanna. Even though im, st'pid. Oh, i th'nk yu'r nice too...yeah you too..."
At this point she didn't even know what to say. Genuinely speechless. Her emotions are all scattered as she grips her phone harder.
He wasn't ok. This she now knows.
"Leon, are you...okay?"
Quiet shuffling. A short sniff of the nose.
He laughs sickly. "Noo...ima fucking mess. Have been for a'while...but thanks f'r ask'n though."
It went quite after that, she wasn't really sure what to say.
She could hear Leon's breath even out. He must be getting tired. Hopefully that ment him getting at least some sleep to night. But she still had to check.
"Leon, are you still with me?"
"Mhh..." Definitely beginning to drift.
She wanted to tell him how much she appreciated him, how special someone like is. How he's needed to some people. Ashley already knew that wasn't going to happen, not right now anyways. But she'll tell sometime soon.
"I know you probably won't remember this tomorrow but..."
She took a breath, then exhaled and went on trying to find the right words. " I want you to know that I really do care about you, and I'm probably not the only one you know..."
There was no answer. The only reply being the soft breathing of what Ashley could figure was of Leon's soft sleeping breaths through the phones speaker. She smiled to herself.
Be it a teary one.
"Good night Leon, sleep well." She whispered gently, before a bit hesitantly hanging up the phone.
She set her phone down on her nightstand.
Now quietly laying in her bed she let her thoughts wonder. She already knew she probably wasn't going to sleep well after this, definitely not tonight.
She shifted underneath her covers.
The world was a crule place, she knew that. She just wished it wasn't sometimes, for Leon it must be hell. It's not something a person like him deserves.
Her eyes began to feel heavy.
Next time she'll be there for him, not just because she wants to. She needs to. It's something he deserves to.
This is what she thinks before sleep takes her.