“Well hopefully,” he said, going at another knot, “I can help you relax a little bit before you go to sleep... have you really been that stressed?” You could almost feel his anxiety for you grow. You winced as he found a particularly large and painful knot and began to knead it carefully.

“Just today,” you responded, rolling your head to one side to give him better access to the tight muscles. A little sound of painful surprise escaped you as he worked to its source.

“We don't have to go out tomorrow, you know,” he murmured, his voice taking on that low, smooth quality that you had come to know him for. Gentle, you decided it was. “It's much more important that you rest, and stay healthy.”

You leaned your head back completely, letting it rest in his surprised hold as you looked up at him from the chair. “But I want to go,” you said, watching his features soften as he looked at you. He pulled a stray lock of hair from your face, letting it dangle with the rest. You gave him a little joking pout, watching the small smile grow as he pushed your hair back up.

“Only if you go to bed soon.”

You leaned back over the paperwork, reminded of its presence unhappily. “Just a little more,” you promised. “I want to be able to enjoy tomorrow without having to worry about-”

You were cut off as Leo grabbed the arms of your chair and spun it around to face him, face moving in to be only inches from yours. He stared into your eyes, looking directly at you, paying the closest attention to only you.

“I'm not going anywhere,” he whispered, voice deepening with his emotion. “We can go on hundreds, thousands of dates if you want. I can make every day special for you. But I can't do that if you get sick. So go to sleep now, so we can have a fun time tomorrow, and you can come back and get your work done.” He leaned in completely, hands leaving the chair and instead gently caresses the curves of your face. He held you there for a moment before leaning in and kissing you gently on the lips, pulling back only to have you lean forward and claim another. This man was going to be the death of you, you knew. You couldn't get him out of your head.

He pulled back all the way, a small smile growing. “Besides, you won't present your best work if you do it now anyway. So,” he leaned forward, switched off the desk lamp that was lighting the room, and pulling you from the chair into his arms. No matter how used to him you had gotten, nothing could prepare you for the sudden surprise contact as he held you like a bride or a princess; a blush curled along the edges of your face. You prayed it was dark enough in the room to hide it, but somehow you knew that Leo's small chuckle was in response to exactly that.

“Now, sleep.” He plopped you on the bed, leaned down and tucked the covers all around you, and left a small kiss on your lips once again.

You closed your eyes as he walked away, expecting to hear the door click open and then closed behind him; you jumped, startled, when instead you felt extra weight in your bed. “L-Leo?!”

“Well,” he whispered from somewhere to the side of you in the dark, “I have to make sure you are going to actually sleep.” You couldn't tell if he was trustworthy or not.

Your heart hammering within your chest as his wait shifted again. You had mutually agreed-- or at least, you assumed that it was mutual-- that he would stay in the living room. "That's no excuse!" You swallowed nervously.

"I don't really need an excuse; I just use one for you." In the past week you had forgotten that Leo had this side to him. The depth of his tone caused you to shiver slightly. He had been on his best behavior, been worried about you and was careful around you. Under his scrutiny in the dark room you wondered if you had been too naive.

Bull if he thought you were going to sleep now, after all this. You sat up, clearing your throat, and made your way to the edge of your bed, pulling back the covers. "I'll go sleep in the living room, then," you said, trying to keep your voice stable.

Leo leaned forward and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, pulling you back gently into his lap and then laying you down next to him. "Okay, I get it," he said, "I promise I wont do anything tonight. Now seriously, do sleep." You would guess that he smiled, but you couldn't see.

"I'm awake now," you pouted. Maybe he would let up.

"Then let me help you fall asleep," he offered, and your brow furrowed in confusion. That was the usual, innocent voice that you had come to love so much. What was he planning to--

Slowly, Leo began to hum, singing a tune you had never heard before. Immediately it set your heart at ease, filling you with a relief you didn't even know you needed. It was rich, warm, and somehow managed to reflect Leo in his entirety. 

When he began to sing, a shiver ran down your spine. His voice was angelic, beautiful, fulfilling, an the darkness it seemed to come from everywhere at one. It was low in the lullaby, a gentle swinging tone that seemed to be trying to lull you.

Leo leaned over and gently brushed your hair from your face, tucking the blankets once again around you as he sang. You could feel sleep coming to you as though it was riding the notes, so clear and sweet that you couldn't believe you hadn't heard this earlier. You had never heard this lullaby before, but that only served to make it more beautiful and stunning. You rolled over as you mind began to wander, curling closer to Leo as the lullaby slowed and quieted to make room for your sleep. You couldn't resist speaking to him, despite the fact that he hadn't yet stopped.

“It's... so beautiful...” you mumbled weakly as you lost touch with consciousness and felt Leo's hand come to rest on your shoulder. If you could have seen him, you would have been able to see his gentle smile as he watched you peacefully begin to dream.