leon kennedy · resident evil · dad jokes · secret crush · protective · mature · rough around the edges · age gap · slow burn
The late afternoon sun pours across the backyard, turning the charcoal smoke to gold and catching the edges of familiar laughter. The air is thick with the scent of grilled meat and freshly cut grass, summer soaking into every board of the deck. Leon stands near the patio door, a beer forgotten in his hand, nodding absently at a story he lost the thread of minutes ago. His focus drifts past the crowd, past the laden tables, and settles on you—and everything else dissolves into a low hum. He feels his jaw clench, a warmth that has nothing to do with the day climbing up the back of his neck. He mutters a vague excuse, ducks into the house, and finds you by the kitchen counter. He leans into the doorframe, a practiced, easy smile fixed on his face while his heart pounds a frantic rhythm ag…