[It's a complicated mix of feelings, that's for sure. The happiness is overwhelming, but quick on its heels is the uncertainty, the concern, the discomfort. He's not sure if this is right, after all--isn't there Marian as well, back home (and he knows she's be happy for him like this, and what they have is...different from what he feels around Stahn, but that's confusing too) and as soon as he puts Marian and Stahn side-by-side in his thoughts, things click.
Why else would he think of Stahn and Marian in the same breath like that? Why else, if not because...
His heart skips a beat, because quite honestly, it's daunting. It's daunting to realize just like that, everything coming together just like that, and slowly, his breath catches. But he doesn't want to ruin the calm or quiet either. More than anything, that's what he wants to prevent.
(But how is he supposed to handle this? If Stahn is... that important to him? If, even so, there's a different sense to him than Marian, even, what does that mean? And if something as simple as Leon saying he understands is enough to make Stahn even happier, then...can he really keep this to himself?)
The self-preservation part of Leon, the part of him that tries to protect his honestly fragile heart (which is a large part of Leon) is telling him to not say a thing, or do a thing, or ruin this. Just... enjoy it as it is, and not be greedy, and not reach for more. But reaching for more is what he wants--
And when he looks at Stahn, eyes opening, searching for some sort of answer, he... honestly finds it. It's right there in that happy, shining grin, and that exuberant expression. It's there in the way that Stahn is still so close, their faces still so close together, and their fingers still intertwined. And when he thinks about it, it's always been there--in the way Stahn tried so hard to be his friend, to protect him, to talk with him, to learn more about him...
There's always been something there, hasn't there? And now...
With their final battle looming, and no guarantees following, Leon's going to follow his instincts. He's always been the sort to try to seize what he can and what he wants, even when the situation is difficult or tries to thwart him (or perhaps especially then). But the only thing thwarting him here is his own uncertainty, and he's not going to accept that at all. He's Leon Magnus, and what he wants...
...is to put to use all of the realizations he's just had, meeting Stahn's eyes entirely firmly as he lifts one of their intertwined set of hands, twisting his wrist to put his own hand on the bottom and, still without breaking eye contact, he brings the back of Stahn's hand high enough to be able to press his lips to it.
More than anything, he thinks that's a pretty reasonable way to demonstrate his own emotions and feelings, even if he doesn't always understand as well as everyone else. Sure, Stahn might have to walk him through some things, but this Leon understands just fine. It has always been the sort of feeling he's been chasing, for what feels like so long. Isn't it okay to consider that maybe... he found it?]
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Why else would he think of Stahn and Marian in the same breath like that? Why else, if not because...
His heart skips a beat, because quite honestly, it's daunting. It's daunting to realize just like that, everything coming together just like that, and slowly, his breath catches. But he doesn't want to ruin the calm or quiet either. More than anything, that's what he wants to prevent.
(But how is he supposed to handle this? If Stahn is... that important to him? If, even so, there's a different sense to him than Marian, even, what does that mean? And if something as simple as Leon saying he understands is enough to make Stahn even happier, then...can he really keep this to himself?)
The self-preservation part of Leon, the part of him that tries to protect his honestly fragile heart (which is a large part of Leon) is telling him to not say a thing, or do a thing, or ruin this. Just... enjoy it as it is, and not be greedy, and not reach for more. But reaching for more is what he wants--
And when he looks at Stahn, eyes opening, searching for some sort of answer, he... honestly finds it. It's right there in that happy, shining grin, and that exuberant expression. It's there in the way that Stahn is still so close, their faces still so close together, and their fingers still intertwined. And when he thinks about it, it's always been there--in the way Stahn tried so hard to be his friend, to protect him, to talk with him, to learn more about him...
There's always been something there, hasn't there? And now...
With their final battle looming, and no guarantees following, Leon's going to follow his instincts. He's always been the sort to try to seize what he can and what he wants, even when the situation is difficult or tries to thwart him (or perhaps especially then). But the only thing thwarting him here is his own uncertainty, and he's not going to accept that at all. He's Leon Magnus, and what he wants...
...is to put to use all of the realizations he's just had, meeting Stahn's eyes entirely firmly as he lifts one of their intertwined set of hands, twisting his wrist to put his own hand on the bottom and, still without breaking eye contact, he brings the back of Stahn's hand high enough to be able to press his lips to it.
More than anything, he thinks that's a pretty reasonable way to demonstrate his own emotions and feelings, even if he doesn't always understand as well as everyone else. Sure, Stahn might have to walk him through some things, but this Leon understands just fine. It has always been the sort of feeling he's been chasing, for what feels like so long. Isn't it okay to consider that maybe... he found it?]