𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟯

Countryside Girl

AN: I always write Reader to live in a city since that's probably where Leon lives, but I've written her to be from the countryside before moving in with Leon. As someone who lives in the countryside and finds it hard to see myself living in a big city I thought it would be cute to write an imagine where Leon helps Reader adjust to city life♡
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After months of dating Leon we both agreed that our long distance relationship would be better if we were closer. I'd just graduated university only a short time ago and now I was ready to take on the big, wide world and get a job, the only problem was that the small place where I lived in the countryside didn't offer the kind of work I was looking for. It was a tough decision, but moving away from home was always inevitable, and thankfully I wasn't doing it alone. Leon was with me every step of the way, from letting me stay over at his apartment at the weekends so I cold get a taste of the city life to then helping me pack up my belongings in his Jeep, he never faltered or told me I was being overdramatic with my anxieties. In the city everything was so much more chaotic, the green fields I was used to were now replaced with blocks of buildings and busy streets. The usual tranquility was now filled with sirens and car horns. The close knit town now felt like a complete daydream compared to the bustle on the traffic of people. 

As a girl who'd grown up and lived in the countryside her whole life this urban setting was so new. In our cosy apartment the memories of my old life felt so far away. I missed the peace and the life I had, but then again I loved my new job and the perks of finally being with Leon in a close relationship. It wasn't all that bad to begin with, I got to finally go on regular dates with my boyfriend and not have to wait ridiculous times to see him. We ate dinner together and woke up in the same bed, we shopped together and decorated our home with love and care. I was happy, but still felt that yearning for home. 

Leon began to notice the longing I had, and took it upon himself to make me feel happier again. When I missed seeing the stars and the night sky like I used to in my garden back home, Leon would take us on night drives away from the glow of the skyscrapers and streetlights until we were far enough away from the city's glare so I could see the constellations again. He understood my ache for familiarity, and tried his hardest to bring some of home to me. I would sit on the hood of his car, head upturned as he wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and join my side. 

"Isn't the sky so pretty?" I'd softly say, immersed in the darkness and the twinkles of the stars and planets. Leon would nod, resting an arm around my shoulders. 

"It's beautiful, but I think you're prettier." Leon would cheesily respond, but in the moment it felt romantic and perfect. The peace would wash over me as I sat there with Leon, feeling like once more I was on the edge of the world with nothing but myself and the one I love with me. Of course we'd have to go back home again, but for a while I'd be content, slowly adjusting to city life. 

Sometimes at night I'd struggle to sleep due to the noise and lights, the entire atmosphere would be so different to the peace and nature sounds I used to hear. One evening when I got back from work I found dark curtains hung in our bedroom. When I asked Leon why he changed from our old one's he explained. "I know you're not getting a good night's sleep, so I did some research and found these blackout curtains, they help shut out the lights from the city, and will make our bedroom feel more like a cocoon of comfort." He smiled as if proud of himself. 

It was such a little thing, but it meant the world to me. 

Even after all that I'd still sigh in sorrow when spring arrived. The city didn't smell anything like the spring I'd knew. The scent of fresh grass, flowers and ploughed fields was missing, replaced by the exhaust fumes and odd smells from unknown sources. 

"At home I always used to be able to tell it was the first day of spring from the change in the air. You could always smell the farmers doing their work and you'd know that sunny days are coming." I told Leon one morning as we sipped our coffees. Leon nodded, listening intently to my ramblings about home, sensing that I missed it. 

A few days later I woke up to the smell of natural scents. I creeped out of bed, only to find a candle lit on the coffee table and Leon sitting there reading a book. It was a Sunday, which meant Leon had the day off from the RPD. I arched a brow, pointing at the flickering candle which wasn't Leon's usual style or comfort. Leon set down his book, smiling up at me. 

"It's supposed to smell like grass and mud or something." He mumbled sheepishly, "Does it resemble home and what you're used to?" 

My eyes filled with tears at the thoughtfulness, and whilst it wasn't exact, it was pretty close. I nodded, throwing myself into Leon's arms as he chuckled and kissed me back, glad that he'd ordered the right scents. 

Eventually city life became home, and though we'd often vacation to the countryside when Leon had weeks off, there was always that never ending yearning for home. On a day when I was feeling particularly down Leon pulled me to his chest. 

"I promise that someday we'll leave the city and move to the countryside, we'll have that peaceful life you loved, and you'll have to walk around clattering pans together so I'll feel more at home when I miss the city." He softly told me, smiling as I let out a small laugh at the visual. It would take a while, but maybe I'd eventually settle in the city until we grow older. For now I'll call home a person, and that person is Leon.