[that admission—even if somewhere in him, he knows it's true—is enough to make stahn's heart pound in a way that's practically audible. hearing leon say though words...
that he can smile and laugh, that he feels grateful for stahn's presence. they're things that make his breath hitch a little, because he didn't expect such an honest admission. it just shows how much leon has been growing and changing, and stahn honestly believes that it makes leon an outwardly better person for it.
he's always known that leon is capable of this. he's always believed in that, and believed with the right encouragement, he would be able to express what he felt in his heart a bit more earnestly. he's tried so hard to be supportive, and now those efforts really feel like they mean something.
because leon can smile more freely.
because he does, and seeing leon smile is simultaneously embarrassing (because he's cute and attractive and has a beautiful smile) and heart-warming (because he wants nothing more than for leon to be able to do that.)
so stahn can meet his gaze, though he leans forward—not kissing leon, but touching the tips of their noses together very gently.]
I... want to protect that. I want to make sure you always have reasons to smile. I'm happy knowing I could do it at all but now...
I want to make sure you always can. [leon has experienced so much pain; pain that makes stahn's heart hurt for him.
he wants to mend what he can. he wants to make sure nothing comes that will disturb that happiness or take it away from him. this is something stahn knows with certainty.
maybe they're not talking about marriage; maybe it's not something they'll ever seriously consider. but stahn is still vowing to stay by leon's side and do whatever it takes to make him happy and protect those feelings.]
...That would make me really happy. [it's embarrassing to admit out loud, and it might even be too much for leon to hear right now. but like the dam that broke before with their sexual tension, all the overwhelming feelings of love and the sentiments he's quietly kept to himself because he promised to never push too far and respect leon's boundaries and now flooding out somewhat uncontrollably.
this is what it's like to be in love, isn't it? stahn never understood it before, but the more he experiences moments like this, the more he gets it.]
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that he can smile and laugh, that he feels grateful for stahn's presence. they're things that make his breath hitch a little, because he didn't expect such an honest admission. it just shows how much leon has been growing and changing, and stahn honestly believes that it makes leon an outwardly better person for it.
he's always known that leon is capable of this. he's always believed in that, and believed with the right encouragement, he would be able to express what he felt in his heart a bit more earnestly. he's tried so hard to be supportive, and now those efforts really feel like they mean something.
because leon can smile more freely.
because he does, and seeing leon smile is simultaneously embarrassing (because he's cute and attractive and has a beautiful smile) and heart-warming (because he wants nothing more than for leon to be able to do that.)
so stahn can meet his gaze, though he leans forward—not kissing leon, but touching the tips of their noses together very gently.]
I... want to protect that. I want to make sure you always have reasons to smile. I'm happy knowing I could do it at all but now...
I want to make sure you always can. [leon has experienced so much pain; pain that makes stahn's heart hurt for him.
he wants to mend what he can. he wants to make sure nothing comes that will disturb that happiness or take it away from him. this is something stahn knows with certainty.
maybe they're not talking about marriage; maybe it's not something they'll ever seriously consider. but stahn is still vowing to stay by leon's side and do whatever it takes to make him happy and protect those feelings.]
...That would make me really happy. [it's embarrassing to admit out loud, and it might even be too much for leon to hear right now. but like the dam that broke before with their sexual tension, all the overwhelming feelings of love and the sentiments he's quietly kept to himself because he promised to never push too far and respect leon's boundaries and now flooding out somewhat uncontrollably.
this is what it's like to be in love, isn't it? stahn never understood it before, but the more he experiences moments like this, the more he gets it.]