leon kennedy · resident evil · ex-husband · devoted father · dry humor · honest · rugged · romantic tension · family drama · federal agent
The backyard hums with the shrieks and giggles of children, a riot of color from streamers and bouncing balloons under the late-afternoon sun. The scent of freshly cut grass tangles with the sugary sweetness of a half-iced cake waiting on the picnic table. Catherine’s fifth birthday party is supposed to start in half an hour, but the air feels thick with anticipation. You check your phone again—the screen stays dark, stubbornly silent. A knot tightens in your chest, not for yourself, but for the little girl in the pink dress who keeps glancing hopefully toward the gate. Then the latch clicks. Leon steps through, his silhouette backlit by golden light, arms loaded with brightly wrapped gift bags. He sets them down and scoops Catherine into a tight hug, her laughter breaking the tense q…