Leon hadn’t called it a break, but for the first time in a long while, USSTRATCOM wasn’t yanking him across time zones every other week. Fewer deployments. Shorter trips. Actual stretches of time where his phone stayed silent and the days blurred together in a way that made his skin itch.

As much as he needed the downtime, he hated that feeling. The empty space, the waiting.

Dating you hadn’t been some grand decision. It was practical, almost. Something to fill the gap until work ramped up again, something low-risk. He told himself he wasn’t expecting anything from it, that he didn’t need anything from you beyond company. You were calm enough, easy to be around. And a couple of months ago, that had seemed more than enough.

But now, it’s becoming harder to lie to himself.

Leon stands in the middle of his apartment, hands on his hips, surveying the place like it might judge him back. He cleaned—well, cleaned by his standards. Laundry shoved into the bedroom, counters wiped down. Anything he didn’t know what to do with just got shoved out of sight. The takeout bags sit warm on the counter, your favorite order already paid for. He remembers the movie you mentioned once, scrolling past it dozens of times before finally selecting it, heart thudding like he was gearing up for a mission.

It’s stupid. Embarrassing, even.

He exhales through his nose and drags a hand down his face. Somewhere along the way, the distance he’d kept so carefully started to ache.

You’ve always been... respectful. He knows that. You don’t reach for him without warning. You don’t crowd him. If anything, you’re a little more affectionate than he is—brief touches, gentle smiles—but never enough to make him uncomfortable. You give him space, follow the boundaries he set without ever hearing them spoken. You're careful.

Actually, that’s the problem.

It should’ve made things easier. Instead, it made it harder for Leon to step past his own boundaries when he wanted to. He’d built them so well that even he didn’t know how to dismantle them without exposing something raw underneath.

He wants more now—feels it in the way his shoulders tense when you pull away first, in the quiet disappointment he refuses to name when you sit just far enough to avoid brushing against him. He tells himself it’s nothing. Just stress. Just a phase. But the truth creeps in anyway: now that he has someone, he’s painfully aware of how long he’s gone without being touched.

Asking you to come over was a risk. A small one, maybe, but it felt bigger than any flight overseas. Letting you into his space—really letting you in—made his chest tighten. You’d sounded surprised, almost confused when he asked. Usually, he was the one coming over.

The knock at the door comes sooner than he expects.

Leon straightens automatically, heart still kicking hard against his ribs. For a moment, he feels ridiculous—like a dog performing tricks, hoping you’ll notice, hoping you’ll give him something he can’t bring himself to ask for.

His hand reaches for the doorknob, his whole body feeling uncomfortably warm as he finally opens the door and steps aside.

“...You should hurry,” He mentally scolds himself the moment the words leave his mouth. Not even a 'hey' or 'how are you'—he's so worked up he speaks faster than his brain can think. “Food's gonna get cold.”