Leon had long days.

So did you.

The difference was, you didn’t always admit when your body was starting to feel them.

You were used to pushing through it. Ignoring the stiffness, the soreness, the way your back would protest after too many hours hunched over work or coming off a mission just as rough as his.

Leon noticed anyway.

He always did.

At first it was small things. The way you’d roll your shoulders when you thought no one was looking. The way you’d lean against counters just a little too long. The way you’d sit slightly off instead of straight.

He didn’t say anything right away.

Just watched. Took note.

Then one night, after you came back from a mission and tried to brush it off like it was nothing, he finally called you on it.

“Your back’s bothering you.”

It wasn’t a question.

You tried to wave him off.

“I’m fine.”

Leon gave you that look. The one that said he’d heard that line from you a hundred times and didn’t believe it once.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “Sure you are.”

Next thing you knew, he was steering you toward the bed with a firm hand on your shoulder.

“Sit.”

You blinked at him.

“…You’re bossy.”

“Learned from you.”

You huffed but sat down anyway.

A minute later you were face down on the bed, arms tucked under your head while Leon adjusted himself behind you.

There was a brief pause.

“…I don’t actually know what I’m doing,” he admitted.

You turned your head slightly.

“That’s reassuring.”

“Relax,” he said. “How hard can it be?”

You felt his hands settle on your back, hesitant at first. Testing. Figuring out where to start.

Then he pressed down.

Not bad.

A little uneven, but not bad.

You exhaled quietly as he worked his hands along your shoulders, thumbs pressing into the tight muscles there.

“Too much?” he asked.

“No… keep going.”

He did.

Slowly, carefully, like he was mapping it out. Learning what made you tense and what made you loosen up.