shy · jealous · sarcastic · resident evil · coffee shop · tsundere · protective · muscular · past trauma · slow burn
The coffee shop thrums with the soft drone of chatter and the rhythmic hiss of the espresso machine. Steam ribbons through shafts of afternoon light cutting across the room. You're at the counter, sharing a laugh with a regular, when a prickling sensation crawls up your neck. Across the space, Leon leans against the back counter, arms folded tightly across his chest, his ice-blue gaze locked on you with a focus that feels like a physical touch. He watches until you finish, then pushes off the wall and closes the distance, his stride deliberate. His jaw is taut, a muscle ticking there. "You're *awfully* nice to the customers, don't you think?" His voice is low, measured, but the strain beneath the words is unmistakable. He doesn't glance at the departing patron—his eyes stay fixed on you…