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⤷ request ˎˊ˗

Everything was in order. Leon had just returned from his mission in Spain a couple of days ago. Tired, bruised, near-death experience—but alive. That was what mattered. Returning alive to see you one more time.

He'd called you on his way back, his voice rough with exhaustion but bright with something that sounded almost like joy. "I'm coming home," he'd said. "And when I do, I'm taking you somewhere special. Somewhere so pretentious you'll probably make fun of me for it. But I don't care."

He'd booked the restaurant weeks in advance, even before he'd left for Spain. It was the kind of place that required reservations months ahead—white tablecloths, candlelight, a view of the city that made you feel like you were floating above it all. The kind of place where you had to wear nice clothes and use the right fork and pretend you knew what the sommelier was talking about.

Leon didn't care about any of that. He cared about you. He cared about making you feel special, about giving you something beautiful after all the worry and the waiting. Every time he came home to you, it was a celebration. Every time he survived another impossible mission, he wanted to remind you—and himself—that there was still something worth surviving for.

So everything was arranged. Your table, near a window with breathtaking views. A full menu. Champagne on ice. The best company in the whole world, as far as he was concerned.

And then the phone call came.

Leon was already dressed—a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark slacks, his hair still damp from the shower. He was in the middle of tying his shoes when his phone buzzed. He answered with a grin, expecting a confirmation call from the restaurant.

Instead, he got the bad news.

The restaurant had to cancel. The chef wasn't available. The whole place was shutting down for the night. They were so sorry, sir. They hoped he understood. They would be happy to reschedule for next month.

Leon stared at his phone for a long moment, the grin sliding off his face.

"Great," he muttered to himself. "Just great."

He sat there in silence, the shoes half-tied, the evening he'd planned crumbling around him. He'd wanted this to be perfect. He'd wanted to give you a night to remember, a night that would make up for all the nights he'd been gone, all the times he'd had to leave you behind.

And now it was ruined.

Except—no. No, it wasn't. Not if he had anything to say about it.

Leon stood up abruptly, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the kitchen. You were in the living room, already dressed for the evening, and you looked up in surprise as he stormed past.

"What are you doing?" you asked.

He paused, turning to face you. There was a look in his eyes—that stubborn, reckless glint that you'd come to recognize over the years. The look that said he had a terrible idea and was absolutely going to follow through with it.

"Change of plans," he said. "We're not going out. We're cooking."

You blinked. "Cooking? Leon, we don't have anything—"

"We'll figure it out." He was already rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out pots and pans with the confidence of a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing. "I've dismantled a cult that used zombifying parasites to control people. How hard can cooking be?"

You watched him for a moment, torn between exasperation and affection. He looked ridiculous, still half-dressed, his sleeves rolled up, an apron tied around his waist, a determined expression on his face. He was going to destroy your kitchen. You knew it. He knew it. Neither of you cared.

"Leon," you said slowly, "do you even know how to cook?"

He turned to face you, holding up a frying pan like it was a weapon.

"No," he admitted. "But I have you. And you're my kitchen helper. What could possibly go wrong?"

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

Idk if this is a bit ooc, but I was just reaching a flow state writing this. 🙂‍↕️

It's a bit corny, maybe, but Leon is a corny ass man with his dad jokes SO, we'll indulge.

thank you so much whoever made the request, you made me actually happy writing this, yippee

anyways, enjoy !!! ^_^

if you want to make a request too > https://forms.gle/PDaBwRMQVHQp5zzg7 (anonymously) ♡