leon mashed in the name of the local bar into his phone, 'baileys', and watched as it began routing him to his destination. tired, a bit out of touch with his own psyche, and in a rush, the cadet didn't even bother to notice it had auto corrected to... something else entirely.

there was a chill to the air. it clung to leon's skin, even beneath the coat he wore. wisps of breathes formed in front of chapped lips. still, he pressed on. he needed a drink. he craved it.

the phone in his pocket vibrated. pulling it out, he gazed upon the building coming up. it was large, though far from dominating of the buildings around it. an odd, out of place feeling for what was a simple bar.

walking in, he expected noises; commotion. the gentle track of a 50's solo artist, or even the beats of a trap-hop single. it was nothing of the sort. he stood there, a moment, taking it in. the sleeve of his coat folded up around the stump.

a voice pulls him from his absent thoughts. it lingers on familiarity. "i must have the wrong address, sorry. i guess this isn't the bar." he shifts a bit more into the light. leon, still looking like the man she knew from long ago, had drastically shifted. his face was thinner, eyes more tired, and noticeably, a whole arm less lighter.

his gaze lingers on the crimson mop a top of her head. "i'm sorry, i feel like we've met before." the recollection comes to him, slowly. always poor with names. always promising to do better. it remains on the tip of his tongue forever. finally, it dawns upon him. at least, he hopes it does.


"...briar?"

@briar

leon blushes immediately, embarrassed at his own lack of recall. she seemed to all but have been waiting for her name to fall from his lips. as if she knew the answer to a question he did not, and was eagerly waiting for him to put it together.

her candor throws him off, his eyes slightly widening, inherently taking a half-step back as she approaches. there were things people did not feel comfortable mentioning in front of leon, his arm, most of all. but briar shattered that boundary.

she always would.

"you know me," he begins, cracking a half smile; a half laugh. "never could quite tell my ass from my elbow. now i don't have too." his joke eases his tension a little. but still, he wasn't the same man she knew from back then. even if he wished he was.

he slumps back beneath her inspection- her touch. he feels the weight on his shoulders constantly, but it doesn't reflect in his normal posture. his back straight, head tall, and eyes pointed. he watches her, stealing a glance at his own disfigurement once or twice. when she stares, he stares back, though his eyes more a question than an answer.

she speaks up. a question he didn't expect. leon breathes out, smiling and doing his best to hide his relief. "i'd love to. do you have a place in mind?" he goes to turn and escort her out, but stops mid-stride. his hand holds the door open.

"don't forget your keys," he reminds.

he felt.. normal.

@briar