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Leon never really enjoyed birthdays whenever they rolled around; there wasn't really much of a celebration; it was just another day with nothing special about it. Especially when he was in the system being tossed around from house to house does not leave much time for birthday celebrations. Most foster families wouldn't even bother to celebrate his birthday, well not his real one anyway just the day he came into their care if he was there longer than a year. He never really thought it was a big deal to celebrate his birthday until he started to date Chris.
Every year they were together Chris would go out of his way to organise something for them both like booking out a fancy Italian restaurant or going to the cinema to see a movie Leon had been looking forward to seeing. Chris always insisted they go out to celebrate it regardless of how leon treated his birthday saying it was a “important celebration” so that's how they found themselves in Chris’s car driving out to the shopping mall on the far side of the city it was one of the more high end ones the kind leon would never take himself to.
They pulled into the parking lot. Chris was able to find a spot not too far from the main entrance. He killed the engine and unlocked his door as he waited on Leon as the brunette agent slowly made his way out of the passenger side of the car. He was wearing a blue leather jacket,a black fitted T-shirt and a baggy pair of jeans. Chris was wearing shorts and a button up shirt that was open over his chest where he wore a tan T-shirt that hugged his chest very well his muscles were visible through the thin fabric leaving little to the imagination.
“Why are we even here so early?” Leon let out a yawn as he crossed the side of the Car to meet Chris taking his hand into his own as they started to walk towards the main entrance of the mall.
“Well we want to avoid the afternoon crowds i know a certain someone gets cranky when we leave the shopping too late and we are stuck down the washing supplies isle because there is only two tills open and everyone and their mother decides to go shopping” He knew all to well how much the younger man hated shopping later in the day he would complain how crowded it was or how none of the groceries they needed had been properly restocked he hated shopping anything later than four pm.
“We could have just ordered online we really don't need to come all the way out here just to buy some clothes”
“Its better to try clothes on in person remember the last time you ordered a shirt online it arrived two sizes too small and you couldn't even wear it” Chris remembered how much the other struggled to force those buttons closed before they exploded all over the shared apartment they ran around picking every single one up to make sure Rose didn't mistake one for food.
“Yea i remember i just much rather be at home right now we could still be in bed we could be curling up with a cup of coffee i could read a book while you go and make breakfast”
“Well how about i treat you to breakfast since im the worst husband ever and dragged you out of your bed to celebrate your birthday” Chris held Leon's hand to his mouth placing a kiss over the wedding band on his left hand loving how the younger man would get flustered from the action.
They walked through the Mall passing many high end retail stores until they found the Cafe they were looking for Chris knew the name to look out for it was a small less known store tucked away on the far end of the Mall it was quiet inside the only sound coming from the store was the sound of the coffee machines being used as baristas steamed milk or ground the beans for a fresh brew.
They made their way to the counter to put in the order Chris ordered his regular black coffee. He was quite fond of the Kilimanjaro blend Leon had introduced him to some time ago on their first ever proper date. When he told Leon he only drank regular black coffee from those instant ground beans the agent was disgusted he immediately purchased a coffee machine for the house and multiple beans so Chris could experience how good coffee could actually taste.
Leon placed his order for a Caramel macchiato; he always had a sweet tooth and was only fond of drinking coffee if it was sweet enough to no longer even be recognised as coffee in the first place. He also ordered one of their breakfast sandwiches asking for it to be toasted as himself and Chris found a quiet booth towards the back of the cafe sitting across from one another as they worked out a plan for the day of what stores they needed to go to and how long it would take.
Once their order had arrived at the table the two of them were too busy enjoying their breakfast to continue talking. Chris would always adore watching Leon eat that man had quite the appetite. He was always hungry and would eat almost everything Chris had noticed except when it came to pickles or tomatoes on his burgers he despised those things. Leon was always picky about the little things; it even went beyond food; how he would only use certain scents for his aftershave; he would look for vanilla tones or earthy wood tones; he never would go for the more musky scents Chris was fond of. Or how his toiletries always had to smell like Rose oil, how he could only ever use the blue towel. It was small things like this that made the older man fall even deeper in love with the man.
The first stop on their shopping trip was just restocking the essentials like Leon's favourite after shave, picking up new socks and a couple of shirts for their work,getting Rose some new clothes praying she would actually wear them.
They were just about done holding a good amount of bags between them. Leon was looking forward to heading home and lounging on the couch for the rest of the day. Then the thought hit him that he needed a new suit for his DSO work for when he would attend formal events or be summoned to the white House to deal with the president.
“We need to make one more stop. I need a new suit for work” he remembered the last time he actually wore a suit was during the China incident. That one was way too small for him now he was definitely due an upgrade.
“Oh yea we can pick one up while we are here i believe there's a suit store on this floor” Chris remembered seeing one on the map he led Leon down the long open walkway and sure enough there was a suit store just to the right of a fancy perfume shop.
They both headed inside Leon was already talking with the tailor about his measurements as he was directed to the appropriate sizes for him. He took a few he liked to look off the rack heading towards the back where the changing rooms were located.
Chris always hated this part of the shopping Leon was so particular about his style and he would spend hours never settling on outfits because they didn't feel right. Chris had grown accustomed to sitting in those ‘Husband chairs’ while he waited on Leon to decide on what items of clothing he was actually buying.
He spent his time waiting, checking on Emails most of them were from the Wolf squad on ongoing developments with the Megamycete. Rose was under the protection of the Wolf squad and the BSAA Chris was keeping a close eye on her ongoing development doing the best he could alongside Leon to raise her giving her the normal life possible.
As normal as it was to have two fathers who were Secret government agents and an extended found family of Ex BSAA agents named after different code names. He was scrolling through the emails Umbra eyes had sent him about starting training once Rose was of an appropriate age. While his eyes scanned over the second paragraph he heard his name being called.
Leon was peeking out from the curtain of the changing room asking Chris to come over for a moment. That was a good sign it meant he found something he had liked.
“Chris can you come here for a minute I need help deciding on the Suit”
“Yea sure, im coming” the bigger man stood up from the seat pulling the curtain back stepping into the small space with Leon. When he saw the man before him he froze on the spot. Leon always had looked beautiful but seeing him dressed up in a tight-fitting suit, the way those dress pants hugged at his thighs showing off his muscles in just the right way.
His dress shirt hasn't been buttoned up fully exposing that toned chest those beautiful Scars Chris had grown to love over the years they were together. Leon was so beautiful and he was all his. This suit made him look so good Chris couldn't help himself. He leaned into the other man, closing the distance between them completely as he pressed his lips against Leon's in a hungry desperate kiss.
Leon didn't have much time to react before Chris had him pinned to the wall of the changing room. Their tongues fighting for dominance as both men were quickly losing the battle. He curled his arms around Chris's waist moaning into the kiss before he pulled away his face flushed red.
“Chris..W-wait” he held back a whine feeling that stubble brush against his neck as the older man was busy peppering his neck in kisses. Was he crazy they couldn't do this in the changing rooms of all places he gently brought his hands up to his husbands shoulders pushing him back.
Chris let out a disappointed noise looking at Leon. His face was flushed red,his lips wet and swollen from the intense make out session. He wanted more but he also always listened whenever Leon spoke to him in that firm voice.
“Not in here are you crazy?!” Leon was protesting pushing the bigger man off of him before he had a chance to continue leaving them both in a compromising position.
Chris rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand smiling sheepishly as he stepped out of the changing room. “Sorry Leon..that suit looks great on you”
“Just wait outside!” Leon hissed as he pulled the curtain over again to quickly get changed. He was so embarrassed he couldn't believe Chris would pull a stunt like that in public.
After Leon quickly shed the suit returning it to its appropriate hanger he then pulled back on his own jeans and shirt taking the hanging suit from its hook as he went to the checkout to pay for the suit. He found a very guilty looking Chris who was waiting on him holding all of their shopping bags throughout the day. His face was apologetic. He was already starting to fumble out an apology for how he had acted in the changing rooms but Leon wasn't hearing it.
They headed out of the store after Chris had paid for the suit. It was Leon's birthday after all it would have been wrong to make him pay. They returned to the car, loading up the back seat with all of their shopping bags as they both climbed back inside. Leon was buckling himself in as Chris started to pull out of the parking lot, his arms folded over his chest securely as he looked to the other man.
“I cannot believe you, I'm never going shopping with you again. I'll Just ask Claire to come with me next time” Leon shook his head with a sigh looking out the window at the passing streets as they started to drive back towards the city.
“But Leon-” Chris tried to protest but seeing that stern look in those pale blue eyes he knew quickly this was not up for debate he kept his head forward focusing on the road as he drove them both back to the apartment.
After a long drive back into the city Leon was ready to just fall into bed and lounge away the rest of his day, maybe even order some takeout to the apartment so he wouldn't have to cook something for dinner. The car came to a stop outside the street where their apartment was located he could already see multiple vehicles parked alongside the pathway he recognised Jill's jeep immediately meaning both Herself and Claire would be inside Leon had given them a key back when they first got the place since himself and Claire were close friends.
Sure enough as he climbed the stairs the door was left unlocked there was a sweet smell of pizza that was wafting through the hallway Claire really did know him too well she must have ordered a few pies to bring over he adored that woman. He pushed the door open. The apartment was covered in streamers and those cheap dollar store decorations. A banner was over the kitchen that read “Happy Birthday Leon” inside Claire and Jill was by the counter top Jill was holding Rose on her hip while Claire was busy setting candles into a cake. He could tell from the colour and the frosting alone it was a carrot cake Jill was definitely the one who made it she would never admit it but baking had become her favourite pass time between field work.
He couldn't help but smile at the scene before him setting down his shopping bags to the Side as he crossed over the small space to meet both of the girls embracing both of them.
“I was wondering when you would get back!” Claire chirped in her sing-song voice embracing the brunette in a tight embrace. You are just in time the Pizzas got here not that long ago we got two pies and Jill got up early to make your cake”
“I ran out of flour so it's not as big as it's supposed to be but I'm sure it will still taste just as good” she shifted rose in her arms handing her off to Leon.
“Thank you guys really i wasnt expecting any of this you didn't have to go out of your way for little old me i would have been fine with a gift card”
“Nonsense you are family and we always look after each other now come and eat some pizza before it gets cold!”
Leon was practically dragged to the nearby couch where they were all sitting around sharing the pies between the five of them. The atmosphere was lively. Chris and Jill would be sharing stories about each other over the years Leon always loved hearing about a younger adventurous and maybe a bit foolish Christopher. The difference between how Jill described him back then and the man who sat beside him now he felt his heart swell, his little found family was right here and he couldn't think of anywhere else he would rather be in the world.
He leaned into Chris allowing his body to slump against the bigger man as he let out a content sigh while he finished off his slice of pizza. This was the kind of family he would dream of when he was between houses being tossed around by the system. It felt so warm and perfect even with all of their flaws.
“Everything alright Lee?” Chris wrapped his arm around the back of the couch tucking it just under the other's neck.
“Yea everything is just fine” Leon smiled softly as he finished off the rest of his pizza setting his plate aside allowing himself to lean more into his husbands embrace he was exactly where he wanted