𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

Honouring His Last Wishes

AN: I was rewatching Vendetta and felt inspired by that scene where Leon has to listen to the phone call of the worried family and felt inspired to write an imagine inspired by it!
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Leon's POV: 

My heart races as I approach the meeting spot where Noah's supposed to be. The memories of his betrayal still flare an anger inside of me as I think back to the mission and the way my team were killed from his lack of backbone. My fists clench as I spot him leaning against the statue in the park, looking sweaty and on edge. My footsteps speed up as I race to him, hellbent on laying at least one or two punches to his paling face. His head turns as our eyes lock, then he mouths something, eyes drifting past my shoulder as he sprints to me. I'm slow to turn, but I see a masked guy with a gun right behind me, as if in slow motion there's a gunshot but I feel no pain, not as Noah dives in front of me and takes the bullet. Time goes back to normal as he falls, yelling in pain as the masked guy runs. People scream in the park, their screeches echo around the trees as I kneel and press my hands over Noah's wound. He might've betrayed me but he's still a living human. 

"Hang on! Someone call an ambulance!" I shout to the terrified civilians, but none listen. I swear, turning back to see Noah lifting his hand and shoving his phone at me. 

"My family...take care of them...tell....my girlfriend....I'm sorry for being a bad boyfr-" His pleas end quick as he slumps dead. I stare, palms sweating as I grab his phone, nodding. A guilt consumes me at the thought that he tried to make up for his past mistakes by saving me. I was furious a minute ago, now I just feel numb. Obligated to honour his last wishes. I take the phone just as it begins to call. I freeze, staring at the screen before my finger presses accept. 

"Noah? Did you meet with your friend? You could've told me you were leaving instead of writing a stupid note and leaving it on the coffee table, Stella got hold of it and drew all over it so I've spent the last hour trying to decipher it. Are you even listening?" A woman asks, there's a childish giggle in the background and she coos to the little girl. "Noah?" She asks again, sounding less angry this time. I swallow, throat closing up as my lips move but nothing comes out. 

"I'm Leon." I say, but my tone explains everything it needs to. The woman's breath hitches followed by a sniffle. "I-I'm sorry, can you tell me where you are, I can explain it better-" 

"Go fuck yourself." The woman spits out, then the call ends. My hands shake as I pocket the phone and stand. Sirens begin to surround me as I leave Noah's body, regardless of the woman's emotions I've got a last wish to fulfil. I wait a week before gathering the confidence and sobriety to visit Noah's girlfriend, Y/N, and daughter named Stella. Thanks to the help of the government's access to information I found her easily, and now I stand outside her door, feet shuffling and hand raised to knock. Before I get a chance the door swings open, revealing a breathtakingly stunning woman holding a cute little girl in her arms. 

 "Hey, I'm Leon, I was a friend of Noah's..." I mumble, leading off as the woman glares at me. Y/N's eyes narrow as she asses me, then surprisingly she steps aside, fight leaving her as her toddler wriggles and smiles at me. I walk into the house, noticing how it's small yet empty. There's no couple photos or family decorations, it's like Noah was never here. Did Y/N do this, or was Noah as absent as he is in death? I shake off the thought, it isn't my place to demand answers. 

"I assumed you'd come." Y/N sighs, setting the little girl down before perching on the sofa. I follow, feeling out of place in this family home. "Noah wasn't here often, even after Stella was born he just lost himself in his work-" She sighs, lip wobbling but she takes it between her teeth to stop herself from crying, "I'm sad he's...gone, but it doesn't feel any different. I can't be sad about him not coming back when some nights we'd argue and he'd threaten to leave me. We weren't a happy couple, you know?" She looks to me. I nod, understanding her position and feelings. 

"I'm sorry anyway, Noah's final words were that he's sorry for being a bad boyfriend, I guess that explains what he meant." I mutter, looking away. Suddenly the little girl, Stella, brings me one of her crayons and a piece of paper. I arch a brow, taking it as I look to Y/N with the shock of a deer in headlights. Her lips turn up as she shakes her head at the small girl, but Stella's eyes begin to water. "Sweetheart, Leon doesn't know how to draw-" 

"You like dinosaurs?" I interrupt, voice sounding weird as I attempt to be light-hearted. Little Stella nods, leaning over as I awkwardly try to draw a dinosaur, Y/N muffles a laugh at my attempt, I can't hold back the chuckle that escapes me until I realise I've done it. I stiffen, face falling, for a second I forgot about the heaviness I constantly feel or the urge to drown it in alcohol, I just wanted to make a little girl happy. I swallow, leaving the picture unfinished as I pass it to Stella. She smiles, taking it away as she goes to play with something. My eyes meet Y/N's, and she notices the shift in me. 

"I know." She whispers. At that moment I feel understood, somehow both of us bond over the pain of feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders, the heaviness of having to pretend to be okay and the shock of having a second where it's suddenly gone. It's too raw. Too much. I stand up, mumbling something about needing to go as I rush to the door, already grabbing the keys to my bike. "You're free to come back anytime, if you want to...draw more dinosaurs." Y/N offers. 

I nod, climbing on my bike and speeding down the roads faster than needed. I drink more than usual that night, and wake up with the worst hangover. I take a few days to level myself out again, but something tugs me to go back to Y/N and her kid. A week later I go back to her house, this time with a bag full of toys and supplies I noticed she was running low of during my visit. She welcomes me in, both of us tense yet at ease with each other at the same time. I get roped into playing with Stella and then staying for dinner, it's the first homecooked meal I'd eaten in months. Somehow spending time with the pair felt like making up for Noah's betrayal, not just to me but to them. He could've been a better boyfriend, a better father, and a better friend. The more I visit the closer Y/N and I get, Stella begins to get excited with my visits and draws me pictures I end up keeping in my wallet, I help Y/N with chores and in return she comes to my apartment and helps me clean up the depressive mess that built up. We end up talking late into the evenings, having game or movie nights. I drink less and less, not needing it when I've found something else to take away the bad feelings. 

One night Stella refuses to go to bed unless I stay and read her one of the new books I bought her, I swear this kid is making me put a massive dent in my bank account, but I'm not mad in the slightest. I read her the story, tucking her in as Y/N smiles and watches from the doorway. In no time Stella begins to snore as I stroke her head and stand, following Y/N downstairs. We linger at the front door as I shrug on my leather jacket, she purses her lips as if wanting to say something, but can't find the words. "I like having you here Leon," She confesses, "I-I like you, more than like you. I'm sorry if that ruins things or makes you feel weird, the whole situation's so messed up and-" 

I cup her cheeks in both of my hands and shut her up with a kiss. She melts into my touch, smiling as my stubble grazes her face, she tilts her head, grabbing my jacket and pulling me closer until we're breathless and unable to kiss anymore. "I more than like you too." I murmur, heart skipping a beat at that smile that's more addictive than any whiskey. We both laugh, then go in for another kiss, one filled with love, forgiveness and compassion.