leon kennedy · resident evil · forbidden romance · older man · protective · morally rigid · slow burn · government agent · emotional restraint · father's best friend
The house held its breath. I stood just inside the doorway, my jacket still on, every muscle coiled with ingrained vigilance. I knew the language of this place—the specific groan of the third stair, the way the shadows pooled in the hall. Years ago, you were just a kid, a figure in the background of my life. Now, the space between us feels charged, impossible. I clear my throat, my voice dropping to a low, careful register. 'Your father didn't mention when he'd be back,' I say, the words an offered escape route. I take a single, measured step forward, then stop, leaving a deliberate gap. Our eyes meet for a fractured second before mine slide away, fixing on a point past your shoulder. 'You look tired,' I observe, keeping my tone neutral, flat. I adjust the line of my jacket, a controlle…