The crackling of eggs on the skillet was mesmerizing for a drunken Leon, ready to devour the food but forced to wait patiently for them to finish cooking. It wasn't until the sound of the mug crashing into the ground that his attention would be pulled away, clicking off the gas range and groaning. "Okay, which one of you knocked some shit off the table now." 

Coming around the corner, he'd see the shards of ceramics on the floor, a bewildered Prince simply pointing towards the bathroom. "What, you see a ghost or something?" Leon sighed, walking over to the door and pushing it open to see what was inside. "See? Nothing is he-..." His face turned white, unsure if what he was seeing was real or a drunken delusion. "C-chu-e..?"

Chu-e Choi

Chu-e knows he should have expected one of his pokemon to follow him in here. He grumbles, eyes closed, shifting in the water. They peel open slowly, as if gummy, but he has to pause when he sees none other than Leon Vercetti in the doorway.

He's to stunned to answer for a moment. Somehow, even with reassurance, he was so sure that the other would be gone. It seemed unreal that anyone would wait on him, and he had been dead, and gone for so long aside from it.

"You're here?"

He clears his throat and sits up, water sloshing off his chest.

A smile breaks on his face as he remembered that's what he should be feeling.

"You look like shit." Affection colors his words as he says it.

"Where else would I be?" Leon responded, as though he didn't understand the question. He advanced towards the tub, kneeling down next to it. "Are you really here...?" There was a part of him that wasn't sure this was anything more than a dream, one of many he'd had about Chu-e's return. A hand reached out to caress the skin of his lover, pleased to find they were tangible. [break][break]

 "It's really you." He smiled, tears forming in the corners of his bloodshot eyes. [break][break]

Chu-e Choi

Chu-e doesn't answer. Best to skim over that particular fear. That Leon Vercetti would grow tired of him. That one day he would walk through the door and Leon would be gone with so many loose ends and unanswered questions. An insecurity brought on by his previous husband who vanished.

For now, he just leans into the touch. Leon's hand is warm where Chu-e skin is cold. Even with the warm water he's soaking in the chill remains. Deep blue eyes flutter shut and he sighs, contented.

"They let me leave the infirmary today." While his body's role in the Darkest Day was well known, it wasn't widespread knowledge that he had lived. His body had lay unconscious for weeks before he just woke up. Aside from muscle tremors and some general confusion, it was like nothing had happened to him.

"Kiss me?"

Almost gingerly, as if he might scare Leon off. This Leon was different from the last time he had seen Leon. Chu-e was living almost a year in the past. Who knows how the other had changed in that time.

"Don't need to convince me, love." Leon responded with a small smile, leaning into Chu-e and pressing his own lips against theirs. It was a sensation that he hadn't realized how much he'd missed until this moment, more intoxicating than any alcohol or drug he'd taken to numb the pain over the last few months. "Welcome back." He whispered as he pulled away, gently stroking their cheek with a hand. [break][break]

"Your cats are assholes." Leon smirked. [break][break]

Chu-e Choi