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Everything hurt, so much that even when Chris shifted in his place under the covers he groaned at the way it tugged at his bruises. He’d probably broken a rib or two, and his entire left arm was in a bright pink cast - he would find out who was responsible for that, if it was the last thing he did - and to top that all off he was littered in bruises that he’d gotten from falling off the damn cliff. Or being batted down from it, more like, he might’ve broken his nose too from where the BOW punched him straight in the face.
It wasn’t like Chris hadn’t gotten injured on a mission a dozen times before, but he was probably getting old. He didn’t recover as fast as he used to, and even the lesser bruises bothered him more than the earlier times. So he tried to stay still, even when all he wanted to do was to reach out for Leon, who was sitting on the edge of the mattress, shoulders stiff.
“Are you still mad at me?” Chris asked, although he knew damn well what the answer was. The second thing he’d gotten from Leon at the hospital wing of the BSAA was a shouted reprimand for being so reckless and stupid and getting himself so badly hurt. The first thing had been a chaste, almost reverent kiss, as Leon had realized he was awake.
Leon sighed, eyes closed and head hung low. “What do you think.” It was more a statement than a question, and he didn’t even bother to wait for a reply. Instead he turned his head a little, looking at Chris with a deep frown. “We’re so not done, don’t even think you’re off the hook.”
Defeated, Chris sighed. He knew he deserved that, though. He had been reckless and stupid. Even moreso than usual, if he was being honest. Usually he simply acted without thinking, and that Leon was grudgingly fine with because he knew it would never change and Chris couldn’t help it. But this time Chris had taken the time, he had assessed the situation, and he had still made the stupidest possible decision regarding his own safety. “Fair enough,” he admitted. “But could we …postpone that? Can you yell at me more when I’m not feeling like I got hit by a truck?”
For a moment Leon just watched him through a veil of his hair, but then he nodded slowly. Equally as slowly he shifted closer, carefully laid down next to Chris and sneaked an arm around his chest, finding probably the only part of it that wasn’t bruised and hurting. He buried his face into Chris’ neck, and for a second Chris let himself enjoy the way Leon was a solid, comforting warmth next to him.
“I can’t lose you,” Leon spoke suddenly into the skin of Chris’ neck. He sounded like he was fighting off tears, more or less successfully, and that was probably one reason he didn’t raise his head and instead kept his face hidden. “I thought you’d died. And I can’t…” He paused. When he went on his voice was such a silent whisper it was barely audible. “I love you. Please don’t do that to me again.”
Chris closed his eyes for a second, fighting off the surge of emotion that welled up inside of him. He used his uninjured hand to slowly stroke the soft hair in the back of Leon’s head, holding him close as well as he could in his current state. “I promise I’ll try,” he said after a beat, trying not to promise things he couldn’t keep. “I won’t purposefully put myself in harm’s way.” He turned his head, breathing in Leon’s scent. “And I’m sorry for being so dumb today.”
Leon huffed a laugh against Chris’ neck. “Only today?” He didn’t wait for an answer to that, though. Instead he finally shifted so that he could look Chris in the eye, and valiantly attempted a smile. “I’m still going to yell at you when you’re feeling better.”
“I know,” Chris replied, his eyes crinkling with his smile. “I love you, too.”