Chapter Text
A heavy body crashed on the duvet, causing the mattress to bounce. Strands of blonde hair stretched across the dark silk, settling against the little hill on her leg. She never confessed it, but he realized how much she adored his locks and couldn't stop touching his hair when it was near her hands.
She would typically interpret it as an invitation to curl the lovely strands around her index finger, but instead she turned a page in the book she was reading.
No, she didn’t lose her interest in the surprisingly soft hair nor the guy. She was just genuinely interested in the book and puzzled about why it got onto his recreation list. She didn't spend much time in his apartment and had little awareness of his personal book collections; nonetheless, she had no idea he read for leisure.
She'd never questioned his wit or intelligence. She could easily imagine him sitting and reading something. Documents and files? Of course. Protocols? Sure, and maybe with a little bit of grumpiness. But a book? A book was the source of dissonance in that picture. Well, a pair of reading glasses on his nose could easily change the whole spirit of the scene, though…
Anyway, when she observed a bright yellow book resting on his tea table, her curiosity peaked.
She was usually more intrigued in what was on his mind than in his appearance, so despite all those subtle invites, the book captivated her attention at the moment.
Her decision prompted a long breath and a melancholy sigh.
The corner of her lips was about to twist into a smile. She spotted him opening his eyes and looking at her through his hair. His thick lashes made any movement of his eyes noticeable.
Leon couldn't figure out why Ada was so fascinated by his recreational reading. Although he was the one putting that book on display on purpose.
She had been picking up the book after the steak and sitting in the same spot after he had done the dishes and showered. He even took the effort to dry his hair. For the first half hour, he relished her quiet accompaniment, but now that he had his hands free, it felt negligent. It was their tacit agreement that they never work at his apartment, and news sounded boring when she was in the same room with him.
He flipped himself and glanced at her. He knew she could scan codes and files in seconds while working; her eyes darted around with a gun in hand, ready to eliminate any targets. Her sepia eyes traveled slowly over the lines, like if she were going through a park. The memory of seeing his own reflection in those eyes sparked a desire for her attention.
"Ada." He whispered. She heard some whining behind her name.
"Yes, handsome?" Ada responded.
Seconds of silence ensued until Ada flipped the next page. Leon bounced on the mattress and sat next to Ada, his shoulder brushing against hers. He enjoyed the aroma of his shampoo in her hair. He planted a kiss on her head and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, rubbing his nose against the crown of her head. The stubble on his chin irritated her ear.
"Find my leisure reading fascinating?" Leon gave a poke.
Ada hummed in appreciation and inclined her head gently to Leon's shoulder. Despite the positive feedback on his closeness, she remained focused on the book and didn’t spare him a glance.
Leon glanced at the pages. She had almost completed the book. She was quick. He assessed the dangers and benefits of distracting her. He couldn't tell if she was ignoring him on purpose to taunt him or if they had a mutual interest in anthropology, which she now thought was more fascinating than he was.
It couldn't possibly be the latter, right?
Oh, boy. Among all of his naive and unrealistic wishful thinking, he never imagined that he would one day have the need to compete for her attention, with his competition being a book he chose.
He found it amusing that such a thought was so ordinary. The satisfaction of holding this woman in his arms and sharing the moment peacefully with her was more than his younger self could have imagined.
Leon's thumb stroked carelessly against her upper arm. Ada felt his chest vibrate from his contented chuckle. "What?" Ada questioned.
"Nothing." Leon responded.
Ada felt her lips curve into a smile. Her eyes stopped scanning the lines as her fingertips caressed his chin and sought his lips. She realized her lips mirrored his smile.
Leon grabbed her hand and put a kiss on her fingertips. He planted another kiss on the back of her hand. Then he held it in his lap.
Ada exhaled.
No. It wasn’t a sigh. Not with the betraying soft smile on her lips. The book provided some engaging perspectives. She had been through more than half of the book, but she still couldn't tell why he wanted to read it. And her interest in the book faded in a matter of seconds as she couldn't help but wonder what was on his mind that made him so delighted and halted his sulking. She would finish the chapter and find that out instead.
When Ada tried to turn another page, he refused to let go of her hand. She would never imagine he would ever use such a childish tactic. She tried to retrieve her hand again, and he gripped it even tighter.
"Leon, why don't you let me finish this chapter?" Ada sighed. She wanted to know what he was looking for in this book.
Before Leon could reply with anything, a faint knock from the front door froze both agents. A look in each other’s eyes was all they needed to spring into action. Leon jumped out of the bed and grabbed the gun hidden between the headboard and mattress. Ada ran for her gun in her bag and stayed close to the wall.
If Leon reached for a gun, then he wasn’t expecting any guests. If the visitor was here for her, they wouldn’t be guests.
Ada walked to the curtain and looked out of the window, scanning for potential threats.
Leon opened the bedroom door slowly and scanned for any abnormalities in his living room. They heard several more knocks and a female voice asking, “Leon?”
The familiarity of the voice lowered the gun in his hands. “It’s Sherry!” The female voice continued.