To Protect and Serve

[madimpossibledreamer]

I did not seek the plot. The plot found me.
Baby!Leon strikes me as a big reader. Older Leon wishes he could do so more, but had trouble finding the time and doesn’t tend to have as much in his apartment. He’d accumulate more stuff if he could but doesn’t see the point when he’s rarely there. On advice from his therapist, he’s grabbed a few things (like the comfy blanket) to make it seem more homey, although part of that is more an accommodation for Xander than for himself. Lately he’s been picking up library cards for everywhere he’s stationed in the US for longer than two weeks, even if he doesn’t use them too much, and ebooks for use on planes. Occasionally he’ll also pick up an airport novel to read on the plane and just “forget” it at a library at his destination.

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry/Resident Evil/Background NCIS Crossover (Hold My Heart)
Chapter Summary: There's been another threat, so Leon's been called to protect Ashley again.  Unfortunately, it's not Leon that greets them at his apartment.
Word Count: 790
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Leon/Xander

 

         Her dad doesn’t seem shocked, appalled, or even a little bit apprehensive on finding a man in jeans, with a towel draped over his shoulders and wet hair and no socks, rather than Leon, despite the fact that this is his apartment. To his credit, the mystery man seems to be concentrating mostly on not disappearing in shame through the wood floor. “You seem familiar.” He’s actually amused, though he’s trying to hide it behind dignified formality. Ashley feels a little bit betrayed at that. At least she’s not alone; the Secret Service members behind them are fidgeting nervously, eyeing him and the whole empty corridor with the same amount of distrust.
         “Um. Yeah.” He blinks, one blue eye suddenly focusing, and moves out of the way. “Sorry, where are my manners? Leon—sorry, Agent Kennedy—should be back soon.” He doesn’t actually ask them inside, but her dad takes that as the invitation it isn’t, and soon the rest of their entourage are walking inside and scoping out the place with efficiency. The mystery man, though...she’s never seen anyone shrug on a t-shirt faster, though she’s pretty sure, with a hint of resentment, that’s Leon’s. “It’s Redgrave, sir. We met while you were still a senator a few years ago. Congrats on winning the election, by the way.” He holds out a hand to shake, and it’s either ridiculous or impressive that he’s managing to look formal in that getup.
         Ashley’s never heard that name, but apparently that clears things right up for her dad, who hums appreciatively. “Ah, yes, the Initiative incident. Thank you again for dealing with that, young man.”
         Redgrave shrugs, humble. “It’s kind of what we do. No thanks necessary, sir.” No, it’s not...humble, but it’s not bragging, either. It’s more like...just stating a fact. “You were kind of earlier than expected, and I’m pretty sure he kind of panicked about the amount of food he had in the fridge and just...ran out of the apartment. He almost left his wallet, even.”
         Okay, now that’s just downright rude. Before she can start lecturing him, though, her dad smiles.
         “I’d thought the name on the form sounded familiar. For what he’s done for this country, he deserves nothing but the best.” Ashley’s definitely not following along, and she’s going to have to interrogate her dad later.
         Redgrave’s smile is...odd. Sincere, serious, a little nervous. “I’m...really not sure I’m it, but it’s for Leon, so I’ll try my best.”
         Her dad nods.  It's still apparently all making sense to him. “How much did Agent Kennedy debrief you?”
         The mystery man settles against the counter, facing them, and he absolutely is mirroring the way Ashley has seen Leon lean against things before, the dork, with his legs crossed and everything. “Not...a lot. I just happened to be here when the call came through. Something about another threat against Ashley Graham’s life, and given that you’re here, especially since you’re here early, I’m guessing it’s all hands on deck.”
         Okay, she’s sick of just standing here like she’s a mannequin. “What do you mean?”
         Redgrave shrugs, eye lazy, but there’s something different to his stance. He’s more matching the agents, now, and Leon, ready for anything and aware of his surroundings. “If you’re here, your dad thinks there’s a possibility that all the usual safehouses might be compromised. Otherwise, you’d just get bundled into one of the sixty-three top-secret White House bunkers I’m definitely not supposed to know about—and no, you don’t need to panic, Mr. Security Man, I don’t actually know where they are. And he thinks it might be an inside job, so just surrounding you with a bunch of people will do more harm than good. Leon’s confident, he’s capable, and this is low-profile—that is, unless anybody actually saw you enter.” He might seem like a slouch, and he’s slouching, but he’s no slouch.
         Her dad nods, straightening. “The man who owns the building is an old friend, but you’re right, the longer we linger, the more dangerous it becomes. We can’t afford to wait for Leon to return. I trust you’ll guard my daughter with your life, as well.”
         The mystery man’s smile is downright dangerous, with a bit of tooth that with the right imagination might seem more like fang. “Remember what my agency does, sir. Anyone that tries anything won’t know what hit ‘em.”
         Maybe he’s going on the basis of anyone Leon trusts, he does too. Which under most circumstances isn’t too bad of a rule of thumb, but something about this guy rubs her the wrong way. She glances around to find the nearest heavy object, a hefty library book she doesn’t recognize, before sitting nervously on the couch.