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Chapter Text

「Immortal He」

Life is something everyone experiences when they take their first breath and usually something they lose when they take their last. There's some who get brought back and some who are forever lost in the void till someone finally lets them go. Leon knows what life looks like when stolen, as on a fateful day that he lost his parents due to their own wrong choices. They played a simple game of roulette with life and lost. It's simple. Right? 

Not exactly.

Leon played with life too and somehow won the never-ending game of wrong and dangerous choices. He survived the attack on his house and hid as his parents met their fate with angry mob members. He survived the grilling home of an orphanage and was taken in by an officer that happened to be the same one to take his parents' case. He survived school and the constant reminder of who his parents used to be. He survived his foster father being killed in the line of duty. He survived training and became the top student in the academy to become an officer himself. 

He survived. That's all he's ever done. Leon doesn't think he has ever lived per say, only that he has passed through the days that his beating heart took him through. That was until his surviving became dying. Raccoon City was the event that took his life. It took his survival and turned it into a never-ending game of roulette. 

However, there's nothing Random about this Roulette. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : Post Resident Evil: Vendetta

Location : BSAA Location outside NYC

Time : 23:48 (11:48pm) 

Leon flexes his fingers out with a huff as Chris paces in front of him. Rebecca was fast asleep in the room adjacent to them, so they tried to be as quiet as possible. Tried, being the keyword. Chris Redfield was anything but quiet as his mere presence is bold enough to touch the small hairs in everyone's ears. 

"You're going to cause a tear in the carpet at this point, why don't you just sit down? " Leon questions, looking up from his sore hand. Chris looks at Leon with an unreadable glance before the captain sat down next to him. "I didn't mean next to me, but, whatever, " Leon shrugs, and immediately regrets it as his shoulder twinges in retaliation. 

Chris didn't make a sound, which caused Leon to look at him with an eyebrow raised. "Geez, I was joking… What's got you so boldered more than usual?" Leon asks. The room was quiet now and only the occasional sound of Rebecca snoring in the other room pierced through. After a few minutes that casually felt like hours was when Chris finally looked at Leon and said, "I feel like this was too easy. ". 

" Too easy? Well… I mean I guess I can see why you think that due to the amount of people who didn't die like always, " Leon mutters near the end with a downturn of his lips. It was indeed the smallest body count loss that Leon has experienced since Raccoon City, and it seems it was unnerving Chris a little too much. Leon looks at him again to continue, only to find the BSAA captain looking at him softly (if not a little sad). 

"Leon… I want to say that I'm sorry. " Chris finally tore his gaze away from the other with drawn eyebrows. Leon's eyes widened a tad at his next words. "I don't regret getting your help but I am sorry that I went about it in the way I did. You were and still are obviously suffering from that mission and I-" Chris huffs, cutting himself off at the legs. The oldest Redfield was so clearly struggling with his words that Leon had to help him out. 

"I understand-" Chris looks up in his own disbelief. "- I mean. I didn't appreciate being ganged up on by not only you but Rebecca too. However, I know you meant well, " Leon swallows harshly while letting his head drop to stare at his hands. 

"Leon? " Chris asks, now even more worried. 

"I didn't know what I was going to do next if you guys didn't show up. " Leon let the hints reach Chris before he stood up and gently moved his left shoulder in a small arch. He heard Chris getting up too and painfully waited to hear what he had to say. Leon never really fully omitted to anyone that he wanted to take his own life. It felt to him that it was finally something that nobody knew about him, and it was something he kept guarded behind his eyes. It was something that was fully his . Something that only belonged to him . No matter if it was 'sad' or 'life changing', it was his. That's all that mattered and still does matter.

The only catch was that it never stayed a thought. It was actions. Repeated actions over the past -God only knows how long- and will continue to be so. It felt… almost accelerating to even hint it at someone. Like wanting it to be known or for it to be heard but at the same time for it to be hidden all the same. Like he wanted to be saved and at the same time not to be. 

How ridiculous. 

How hilarious. 

How contagious… 

Leon finally went for the doorknob of the room before Chris took a breath and a leap. "Leon-" 

"All personnel, this is a building wide code red shut down. I repeat, this is a code red shut down! Unofficial personnel in the building." A loud intercom in the room broke the fall. Leon chuckled under his breath as Chris cursed out loud while grabbing his discarded equipment. Rebecca came running out of the room with a dazed look before she shook her head. "They didn't say a practice drill, right? " She asked, still grabbing her own gear without a passing thought. 

"Nope, get ready. The both of you. Leon, I-" Chris looked over at the door and sagged. Rebecca saw it and filed it for later. 

Leon was already gone. 

"Let's go, stay close, " Chris said, seeing a nod from Rebecca made him leave the room as well. He just hopes that Leon takes care of himself. 

They still had a lot to talk about. 

Who Is She? By: I Monster

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『Swear? I won't Leave You』

Timeline : Post Prologue

Location : BSAA Location outside NYC

Time : 00:38 (12:38am) 

To say Leon messed up was putting it very lightly. He was currently debating his entire existence for what felt like the ten thousandth time as he laid on the floor. He was distracted and it was due to that conversation he had with Chris before this whole shit show started. Like telling Redfield he was suicidal and committed suicide multiple times only to fail was a good idea. Hell, telling any Redfield that would sure to be a big mistake. Good thing he never got that far… but it won't matter in a few minutes either way. 

He was lying on his side in one of the many rooms in this BSAA location with two bullet wounds. One in his stomach and one in his chest. Slowly leaking blood and morbidly watching it spread out like a bird's wings. He knew he was dying once again, and it was honestly quite exhausting. It fucking hurt for one thing and it was also taking too goddamn long. He would complain but the only other person in the same room was the guy who put holes in his body and the guy had one in his head. Lovely . 

"Goddamn it…, " he groans, internally bashing that guy for fucking up so badly. Leon just knows his only true secret won't be one anymore and it wasn't even his own choice! What a shit show… Now he just wishes he can put one bullet in his skull to just skip this part to just deal with a splitting headache and lost memories for a little bit. He would… but his last bullet was wasted on the other guy as well. So, fuck him times two. 

Metaphorically… 

Ew. 

Now he was just hoping he could die before Chris finds him- "LEON!" Chris shouted down the hallway. Fuck.  Whoever lives up there clearly hates him more than he thought.  Leon tried to keep quiet and move to block himself from the view of the door but learned once again that having bullet wounds limited movement. He couldn't help but let out a small sharp cry at the stretch of his chest and stomach. Blood was now leaving him at a faster rate (Which was a blessing) so he might be able to die before Redfield shows up- That's when the door opens wider and Chris Fuckin Redfield stood there completely frozen upon seeing him. Fuck times ten thousand. 

"SHIT-" Chris said, dropping his gun (like an idiot) and running to Leon's side. His face grew whiter at the sight of Leon's injuries and tried so hard to carefully lift Leon into his arms. The agent let out little cries of pain (much to his dismay) at the action that led to him feeling lightheaded. Finally on the cusp of a temporary death once again and this time was a bonus… he was warm. 

"Leon- Keep your eyes on me, okay? REBECCA! " Chris turned his head to yell out of the room. Like getting another person could somehow stop Leon from dying. 

"C-Chris, " Leon stuttered on something caught in his throat. It moved onto his tongue only to be pushed out on the outside of his mouth. Blood . That's what it was. His body felt like led and the only thing he could do was stare at Chris, who was looking at him in horror. Leon was at the point that everything started to slowly disappear. Nothing mattered. Nothing?  

"Leon- fuck… I'm so sorry, " Chris cried, beads of tears lined up in his eyes. Rough hands found their way on Leon's cheek, rubbing the soft skin and spreading the blood. Leon could only wish he would have expressed that it was only temporary, but every word he tried to utter was drowned by blood or his subconscious that was slowly dying as well. 

"S-sor-ry, " Leon said, trying so hard to fight against the darkness. He never fought it after RC… It felt strange that he was, but the look on Chris's face broke him more than his own immortal sentence. It looked like Chris Redfield was fucking breaking and it was all his fault. The rubbing on his face was now consistent and soothing. 

"It's not your fault… It's okay… Just close your eyes for me, okay? " Chris said, tears falling and landing on Leon's face. They mixed with the blood and Leon could only slightly wonder why Chris didn't want him to fight. The way Chris was breathing heavily like every emotion was being bottled till Leon couldn't see. Wouldn't know in his last moments. But they weren't his last moments. 

To Chris they were. 

God… What a fucking nightmare... Leon thought as his eyes slowly slipped closed on his last breath. Then nothing. 

𓊈∞𓊉

The first thing Leon registered was darkness. His brain was in overdrive as he tried to remember what exactly happened and how to move his fingers once again. He knew right off the bat that he must've died again, and he was probably in a body bag. How he knew it was a body bag was due to how stiff his body was, and it wasn't due to rigor thank you. He wasn't dead long enough to come back to life during rigor anyways. He only came back after rigor once and that was a pain in the ass. First things first were to figure out what the hell was he doing before he died and that usually is determined by if he had a brain injury or not. He checked that off as a no thanks to a low-level headache. Next was who he was with, and these flashes of Chris's horrified face was unsettling to say the least. So, he wasn't alone, and he wasn't kidnapped. 

Then it clicked. Aria's… Chris and Rebecca… New York… and now how he died in Chris Redfield's arms. Great. At least his shoulder was back to normal… Small mercies… 

Leon spread his fingers out to the knife holder on his hip and nearly cheered when the tip of his fingers hit the hilt of his knife. So, he was still in his clothes and weapons (another bonus!). He slowly moved the knife from its holder and nicked himself a few times while sliding it up his hand to grasp it. Then he stuck it out of the bag and lifted his hand up. He distantly heard a clipboard being dropped as he rose out of the bag, like a vampire, with a groan. His back still hurts- Though, he would never forget the sound of the slide of a gun being pulled back. "I… I can explain- Please don't shoot me, I don't want to have to deal with the headache right now, " Leon said, to whoever was behind him. The slight intake of a breath made Leon feel safe enough to twist his torso and look behind him. There was- 

"Claire? " Leon said, thinking maybe he did go through rigor… He then noticed Rebecca behind her with a hand over her mouth in shock. Claire hasn't lowered her gun yet, but her face was enough to be a bullet in itself. 

"You better explain before I fucking shoot you, Kennedy, " Claire said, pure anger in her voice. Now Leon wishes he was shot in the head. 

"I just died, could you please give me a second to adjust to breathing?" Leon tried to joke but it fell flat as Claire moved her finger to the trigger gauge once again. "OKAY- Jesus Christ-… Raccoon city was a fucking shit show and more than you already know. I'm like ninety nine percent sure I'm infected with the G-Virus, " Leon explains, relaxing when Rebecca moves to put a hand on Claire's shoulder. 

"I understand you want to shoot him, and I do too but let him explain, " Rebecca said, looking into Claire's eyes. The younger Redfield held her stance for a few seconds longer before lowering her arms and her head. A small sniff was heard. 

Then in the next moment Leon felt arms around him as he was pulled down. "You're such a fucking asshole! " She cried, caging him in a hug. Leon only melted as he started to leech off her heat, just now noticing how cold he was. "I came here to see your body and you just fucking rise like Frankenstein?! " She shouts. 

"Sorry to disappoint? " He asks, only to yelp as Claire pinches his side. They rest there for a moment before Claire leans back with stray tears going down her face. 

"Now… Chris needs to know you're alive. " Leon looks at her with a 'are you serious?! ' Face. 

"You think that's such a good idea?! I died in his arms, Claire-" 

"That's exactly why, Leon! " Claire said, causing Leon to move back a bit. "All he can think about is Piers…How he almost lost him and now he thinks he lost you. Leon, I don't think you fully understand. " Claire looks away for a second. 

"Claire, what's going on? " Leon asks, an unsettling feeling in his gut. Flashes of Chris's face came to mind before his temporary death, and it all came together. 

"I've… Never seen him like this. It was different when we were kids when our parents died, but Leon, he looks so broken. He thinks he caused this, and he hasn't spoken since he carried you in here, " Claire said, crossing her arms. Rebecca stood quietly near the door, waiting to grab Chris. 

Leon swallowed harshly. His mouth still tasted like iron and the reality of what exactly happened was finally hitting him. He couldn't hide anymore… Now they have to know. 

"Bring him in here and I'll explain what I can, " Leon mutters, only hearing Rebecca leave quickly like he was going to change his mind. Claire rubs his arms in an attempt to comfort him. 

He's cold. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : After Leon's 'Death'

Location : Random room in the BSAA

Time : 00:48 (12:48am) 

Chris didn't know how long he sat there with Leon's slowly cooling body in his arms until Rebecca came running into the room. She was obviously out of breath as she leaned against the door, "Chris? What's going on, are you okay? ". Chris didn't think he could respond with the way his throat was closed up caused by the pressure of agony. " Hey, I know we haven't found him yet but don't give up-" 

"Rebecca…, " Chris interrupts her with merely a whisper. She tenses up as she moves away from the door and further inside the room with a dreadful feeling. She now notices the body near Chris with a perfect bullet wound in the center of their forehead. Then she got close enough to see Chris gently holding another body. 

"Oh… oh my god-" Rebecca said, her voice cracking at the sight of Leon. He wasn't breathing and his eyes were slightly closed against blood-stained cheeks. She cups her mouth in dismay at the sight of Chris openly crying. "How did- When did-" she didn't know what to say. Everything went downhill so fast and now Leon was… just a few minutes ago he was joking with her as they searched and cleared the building with another group of soldiers. 

".... " Chris's silence was scary. He was never so silent with anything he did, and Rebecca couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was so silent that when Chris moved to get up, she couldn't help but flinch at the sudden noise. She finally got a good look at Leon. There were dark patches that Rebecca can only conclude was blood on his stomach and chest. She could only guess that he was shot and slowly bled out. She knew it had to be painful (due to her own close calls) and the despair hit harder. He must have suffered but she morbidly hoped Chris helped him relax in his last minutes. Rebecca notices many things as she looks at others and she always notices how Leon was always tense… but he almost always relaxes around Chris…like he knows he can protect him. She hoped it was enough… 

Rebecca couldn't read Chris as his face was blank. Dull eyes looked down at Leon silently. "Let's… let's take him down to the lab, okay? " She said gently, swallowing her own tears. She lightly puts her hand on Chris's forearm, giving him enough room to move if her touch was too much. He didn't move to either get away or lean into it, so, she started to walk out of the room with a passing glance to the other man that was on the ground. She hopes that man was scared till the last second. 

They walked in silence down to the lab in the basement, on the sound of their boots bouncing off the walls in mocking vibrations. Leon would've filled the silence with a stupid dad joke or something. That was enough for Rebecca to pause and nearly trip. Sherry. How are they going to tell the poor girl that her father was dead… or Claire that her best friend was dead. Rebecca stood there thinking about that only to notice that Chris didn't stop with her and was already down the stairs and into the lab. She lets out a shaky breath. 

Time to face the music. 

It didn't take long to get Leon on one of the tables despite what Rebecca originally thought. Chris put him down carefully on the table right as she walked in and moved to the corner of the room. Rebecca went to grab a pair of gloves and took a second to put them on to just delay the inevitable. She was going to examine him here… she wasn't a corner, but it's the least she can do or so she thought. The feeling of tears snapped her out of her daze, she brushed them off on her shoulder, and walked back to Leon. She lets her hands hover over his still body, and she half expects him to rise right up and complain. It didn't happen. She unzipped his jacket the rest of the way to move the front of it in order to expose his wounds. She hated the way she was right as she saw two distinct bullet holes. The one in his stomach probably pierced his internal organs and the one in his chest most likely hit part of his lung due to placement. He probably drowned in his own blood or due to the blood loss. If she was just a second sooner- no , she couldn't let herself think that way. 

Rebecca reached to check his pulse and felt nothing. She bit her lip as she zipped up his jacket once more to preserve his image and rested her hands off to the side of him to lower her head. She couldn't handle looking at his blank face anymore. Any other time she would've tried CPR but with how long he was without oxygen and the unknown of his wounds… It wouldn't do anything. Without blood to carry the oxygen, there was no use in pumping the heart for the body. She knew this yet she wished it was different. She always did.  Though, as she looked at Chris and saw him sitting down with his head in his hands, she had to be strong for the both of them. She had to make sure everything was in order.

So, she set out to find a body bag in the room. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Rebecca held Chris's phone in her hands (as hers was destroyed in the whole Aria's…yeah-) before dialing the first number on her mind. With Leon in the body bag and Chris still in shock… it was up to her to contact Leon's family. That family was Claire and his daughter…then Chris… and that was it. She already looked at his records for any mention of family and found out the saddening truth that he didn't have any blood relatives. He was the last of his blood line and she didn't know if that hurt her more than not knowing. The person on the other end picked up. "Hello? Chris?" Claire Redfield's voice came through the speaker, causing Rebecca to rub her eyes. She was so tired… both physically and mentally. However, she doesn't think she could sleep right now or anytime soon. 

"Claire… this is Rebecca, " She starts, the voice in the back of her head warning her of Claire's reaction a little too late. 

"Rebecca? What's going on? Is Chris, okay? " Claire asks, her voice stiff. Rebecca could slap herself, she forgot this was Chris's phone… of course Claire would think Chris is in trouble. Or dead -

"He's… it's Leon- I…, " Rebecca stumbled over her words, wishing she could just flat out say it. It hurt the back of her throat so much and with such familiarity it was almost sickening. 

"Leon? What do you mean, what's happened? " Claire said, confused though relief was clear… not for long . "Claire… are you near New York right now? " Rebecca asks, selfishly hoping she was. 

"I can be, Rebecca… just tell me, " Claire said, her voice softer. If Rebecca knew before that she had to do this, she could only wonder if she would do it again. The way Claire was trying to comfort her didn't help the positive answers' odds. 

"Claire… Leon is dead. " The line grew silent for a minute. Then a shaky breath came through before Claire said without a second thought, "I'm on my way. "

"It's the BSAA location near New York. Chris is in shock, and I really need some help… I know it's insensitive to ask but-"

"Rebecca… I'll be there in an hour. Just look after Chris for me, " Claire interrupted Rebecca's rush of words with her own choked off words. "O-okay… Just come into the lab at sub-basement level…prepared, " Rebecca responds and shivers as the call ends. Lowering her head for what felt like the tenth time today, she geared up for the next call. 

His daughter. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : An hour after Claire was contacted

Location : Outside the 'Morgue'

Time : 02:05 (2:05am) 

Claire Redfield met Leon S. Kennedy in the hell that was Raccoon City. He helped her and probably saved her life as she tried to look for her brother and then care for Sherry. It hurt her so much to leave him behind with Sherry but the grip of a disparate need to find her brother was much stronger. She trusted Leon with her location to get Chris and to have her back. It obviously wasn't all sunshine and happiness with their relationship (Case in point was with that stupid chip to expose the government). However, she loves him like a brother. They both hurt each other like siblings and Co-Parents alike. She just wishes she didn't have to hold her breath every time somebody mentions him by name. 

She just desperately craves to not hear what Rebecca said to her over the phone. Leon is dead . Another family member is gone, just like that, like the snap of a finger. The scientist didn't tell her how but she was about to find out as she stood outside the freezer part of the lab. Rebecca was in front of her, ready to open the door when she was but Claire doesn't think she would ever be ready. It's like the saying, 'Don't believe it till you see it'. The door between her and Leon was like the vail between remembering him alive and seeing him dead. She wanted to feel oblivious once again. She wants to know him as alive again, but she nods at Rebecca, knowing that she has to face the truth. Even if it hurts her, it was better than the lie she kept telling herself on the way. 

They both walk in, but Claire nearly jumps as Rebecca drops her clipboard. The younger Redfield went to ask but she saw movement near the side of her eye and turned to face it with her gun up in hand. What she saw made her take in a shaky breath. "Claire?" The body of Leon asked, now facing her with a shocked look. Rebecca held a hand in front of her mouth with her own short breath. They both know the infected, once dead, didn't talk, at least not like they did. 

"You better explain before I fucking shoot you, Kennedy, " Claire snaps, the feeling of relief and anger fought in her head. It's always something with Leon but this was… She was so confused . She was so angry… she was so fucking happy . 

"I just died, could you please give me a second to adjust to breathing?" Leon tried to joke but Claire moved her finger to the trigger gauge once again to show she wasn't in the mood. "OKAY- Jesus Christ-… Raccoon city was a fucking shit show and more than you already know. I'm like ninety nine percent sure I'm infected with the G-Virus, " Leon explains in a rush. Claire was ready to shoot him (fuck her happiness- this idiot) but Rebecca put a hand on her shoulder softly to stop her. 

"I understand you want to shoot him, and I do too but let him explain, " Rebecca said, looking into Claire's eyes. The younger Redfield held her stance for a few seconds longer before lowering her arms and her head. Every emotion was running through her right now but the only one that stood out now was pure relief and her tears flow free with it as she hands Rebecca her gun and runs at Leon. She saw briefly how shocked he looked and mentally filed that for later. 

She pulled Leon down and into her arms where she knew he was safe and openly cried out. Leon tensed for a few seconds only for Claire to cry, "You fucking asshole! " He then relaxed and melted like warm chocolate in the sun. She knew she was hugging him tight, but he felt so cold- He was alive and for heaven's sake he was going to stay that way even if she had to put him in bubble wrap. 

"I came here to see your body and you just fucking rise like Frankenstein?! " she yelled. She also wished she did say anything because she knew Leon smirked at her like he wasn't just dead five seconds ago and said in a questioning tone, "I'm sorry to disappoint?" Claire's hand was in pinching distance so she squeezed a small patch of his skin for his stupid comment. His yelp was almost like music if it was actually good to hear and catchy. They rested in each other's arms for a few minutes before Claire found enough strength to lean back and ignore the rest of her tears falling down. Chris . Chris needs to know right now.

"Now… Chris needs to know you're alive, " Claire said, hating the way Leon's face falls. He was still pale (well, more than usual) and still cold to the touch. 

"You think that's such a good idea?! I died in his arms, Claire-" 

"That's exactly why, Leon! " Claire said, hating it even more when he leaned away from her. "All he can think about is Piers…How he almost lost him and now he thinks he lost you. Leon, I don't think you fully understand. " Claire looks away for a second. She knows her brother and how long he's loved Leon. When she showed up, he didn't even move to greet her or even notice her existence. It scares her . 

"Claire, what's going on? " Leon asks, a look of slight discomfort on his face. Claire knows he started to understand. 

"I've… Never seen him like this. It was different when we were kids when our parents died, but Leon, he looks so broken. He thinks he caused this, and he hasn't spoken since he carried you in here, " Claire said, crossing her arms. Rebecca stood quietly near the door, waiting to grab Chris. Claire saw how Leon harshly swallowed and for a second she wondered if he was okay before he shocked her once again. 

"Bring him in here and I'll explain what I can, " Leon mutters, his voice showing how he hated being this vulnerable. Rebecca also took that as her que to go and get Chris… if she could. Leon might have to go to him, so Claire rubs his arms up and down to help the blood flow more (and to warm him up faster). 

Something tells her, this nightmare isn't over.  

     Leni By: Crystal Castles

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

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Chapter Text

『Doesn't Suit My Style』

Timeline : After Rebecca and Claire enter the freezer

Location : Side room in the BSAA lab

Time : 02:13 (2:13am) 

Chris knows he is in shock. He's felt it before, and it wasn't something he could ever forget. He knew it as he barely heard his little sister's words, or Rebecca's softly picked wording. He knows it like he knows Leon's body is slowly but surely rotting away in the room they went into. Losing people wasn't anything new to Chris as almost every mission he lost at least one person, like a curse. It was a predetermined outcome every single time.  Though, the man in the body bag wasn't just someone. It was Leon . The man Chris has known for years , thanks to Claire, and everything he's heard about him from his sister was true. He was kind, snarky, hot, and a bit of an asshole. That Leon survived Raccoon City as a rookie and every other horror that lies deeply in the classified section of the DSO. He just wishes it wasn't Leon's body that now lies motionless in a bag. 

Chris's thoughts continued to rebuttal against each other with no other way to be released. He was frozen, becoming frozen was a way to get killed, like losing yourself in the heat of the moment. That flash of what-ifs wasn't big enough as a shield or a correct compass to trust with the right direction. It was and is the breathtaking fear that causes everything in someone's entire life to flash and then ultimately die. It was short and permanent… or it used to be. That was before they started to rise again with nothing left but an unshakable growling hunger to eat their own.  Chris just hopes that Leon felt somewhat comfortable in his arms as his blood leaked out onto the floor (onto his clothes). That Leon's thoughts weren't fighting against each other in the last few moments like his. However, it wasn't something he could ask or know. It wasn't something he had experienced himself, and that was the major point. He couldn't understand. He couldn't save him from something he doesn't know. He couldn't help him. Hell, he couldn't even love him. 

Chris realized once again why it hurt so much more than Piers's own brush with death… it's because not only was it permanent, but it's also that he loves Leon. He loves him more than a friend, and now with Leon's blood all over him… he lost it all. He lost his chance. He lost his choice. He lost his heart . Chris knows he shouldn't blame himself, but the look Leon gave him as he found him was enough guilt to last a lifetime. Leon looked at him like he wished Chris wasn't there, like he wanted to save him the pain. Like he wasn't the one dying due to Chris's own decision to force him to help- 

Chris flinched a bit as something was laid across his shoulders. It was warm (a stark contrast against the cold room) and its weight made his thoughts pause. That was until someone kneeled down in front of him, softly talking to him. He could only think about what they might be saying. His ears tuning in at the last few words. "-this will help, " a female voice came through his recognizable ringing. The statement, or what was supposed to be one he assumes, fell short like a question. 

"Chris? Can you hear me now? " The woman- no its Rebecca. Chris finally sees Rebecca in front of him and only shortly wonders how long she has been waiting for his response. "It's about Leon. " Chris tensed up, another dark dreadful feeling entered his gut. Was Leon somehow infected? That thought was like another added hand to his struggling heart. 

"W-what? " Chris asks, hating the way his voice cracked. It couldn't be avoided anymore. If Leon was infected, then it was his duty to put him down… right? It is his fau-

"I wish I could help explain more but he said he'll explain everything, " Rebecca said. Chris hopes she knows how confusing she was being to his shocked brain. 

"Rebecca- What are you-"

"He's alive. " The room grew tense as the words processed through Chris's tired mind. That could mean anything in their world, as the dead walked for a long-ass time. However, for Rebecca to use that word could only mean one thing… Leon was breathing and alive…and that's-

"-Impossible… Rebecca, he died in my arms. If this is some joke-" Chris was near hysterical. 

"Joke?! Chris, I wouldn't ever joke about this. Leon is alive and Claire almost shot him again as he ripped his way out of the body bag- " Rebecca nearly yelled as she could barely understand herself. Chris swallows harshly as she recalls what apparently just happened in the next room. It was starting to feel like his nightmares, or one fucked up dream. His head was fuzzy enough to make him nauseous. 

"Chris? " Chris stops, hell- even Rebecca stops. That voice should be impossible to hear… Chris couldn't make himself look over because if it was something his broken mind made up… it would be enough to do him in. 

"Leon- I-" Rebecca stutters. 

"He won't believe you unless he sees for himself, " Leon's voice echoes in the room. Chris notices how Rebecca moves out of the way and a slightly wider frame comes into view. The same dirty skinny jeans that hide strong thighs bend until a lively Leon was staring at him in guilt. "Chris- it's me, I promise. I know what happened and I wish you didn't have to see any of that-" Chris lets his hand rest on Leon's cheek. Even if it turns out to be fake, then maybe this last bit of time can be enough. 

Chris lets his thumb stroke Leon's cheek in a calming rhythm, seeing the way the now raven-haired man relaxes slightly. Leon's skin was still slightly colder than usual, but it was… it is… "-real? " Chris finally realizes he was speaking. He watches Leon's hand rise up and lightly touch his own. 

"I'm real, " Leon said, leaning into Chris's hand. 

"Oh my god-" Chris grabs Leon and pulls him into his arms with tears flowing down his face freely. The agent, slightly taken off guard, hugs back weakly. The distant sniffling of someone else didn't disturb the way the two clung to each other. There was practically no space between them anymore as they both tried (and failed) to get impossibly closer to each other. 

Both Claire and Rebecca stood quietly, or as much as they could when trying to not cry, and patiently waited for the next shoe to drop. Which it wasn't as far as they both thought it to be once Chris pulls back and grabs Leon's face once again with his large hands. “How- Leon, you fucking died! How are you here- I don't understand-” Chris was working himself up again, causing Leon to hold the hands on his face to ground him. 

“I-” Leon lets his eyes drift to the two women in the back and then to Chris. “- I promised to explain… “ Leon finished with a sigh, seeing both girls walk over and take a seat in front of him. 

“Leon? “ Chris asks, still a little out of breath. 

“Just- Whatever I tell you, please don't look at me any different, “ Leon begs, looking into Chris's eyes. The larger man stiffens for a second before relaxing. 

“You know I won't… You know we all won't, Lee, “ Chris mutters, resting his head on Leon's for a while. They both sat in that stance until Leon took a breath, readying his racing thoughts to one single motion. He pulls his head back, his heart hurting at the sight of Chris's red rimmed eyes and looks down at his hands. 

“I found out something a few months after Raccoon City… “

𓊈∞𓊉 〖Past〗

Timeline : 3 months after Raccoon City 

Location : A hotel in Washington DC

Time : Unknown/Late 

Everything hurts. 

His bones ache with something so uneasily familiar that it made him even more nauseous than he originally was. Though, nothing topped the way his shoulder screamed with the help of his nerves as it grinds with him on every training session and movement. It felt so tempting to just fall on his knees and sleep on the floor, but he'd rather not find out how they would use that against him. That and it would be nearly impossible for him to even move the next day.  They always know what he does every single second of every day (even without the cameras they placed in certain areas-) and expect him to be surprised about it. He knows his looks cause him to look dumb but even a drunk person can see those thick cameras in the corner (he would know). It's basic mentalist shit that they use to find out stuff about criminals and Leon hates to say that it works on him too. All it took was someone to be even a little nicer and boom- he was the sucker taking a beating once they found out he slept even more than eight hours. Fuck Brandon for that bullshit. 

Leon groans, tears of frustration pour into his eyes and nearly fall out if it wasn't for him roughly wiping them away. The twinge of pain did nothing to help but it distracted his thoughts for a few precious seconds. It was honestly no surprise that he found himself sitting in one of the many blind spots with a gun in his hand. He balanced Matilda on the palm of his hand and looked her over. It felt like he did this almost every night… but it was going to be different that night.  She was fully loaded and clean. The only time he's used her was since Raccoon City, and tonight was about to be the last time. Leon thought it would be fitting for the thing that got him out of hell was going to put him out of another darker pit. Maybe it would send him to the real thing or to nothing. He didn't hope for anything but to leave this situation, and it wasn't like he had someone waiting for him. 

They made it quite clear that he was never going to see Sherry again… With Claire gone and her brother out finding her, he wasn't needed anymore. Leon wasn't stupid enough to think that they would really leave Sherry alone, but he just wanted to think about himself for once. Think about what he wanted rather than what everyone else did, and at that moment… he wanted to die. He didn't want to be a weapon for someone to point to and be forced to fight. He didn't want to come back after hours of torture just to close his eyes and be right back. He wanted the pain to stop, and this was the only way out that made sense.  Overdosing was risky as he could be found, or it just wouldn't work. Slitting his wrists was long and he would rather not suffer any more than he has already. Hanging himself would for sure set off the camera and it could also not work or leave him to slowly die. There wasn't a train around and the bridges here were big enough but with his luck he would survive and become paralyzed. So, a bullet in the head was the best way out. So, what if it's the ‘coward’ way out, he deserves to be one at last. 

Leon let out a breath. 

The cold metal under his chin felt nice against his heated skin once he pulled back the rack. The tip of the gun dug into his skin pleasantly, and he looped his finger on the trigger gauge.

Leon’s thoughts finally silenced, then nothing else. 

𓊈∞𓊉

At first, thoughts mangled with each other, and a splitting pain echoed inside Leon's head. The confusion, pain, and sadness became one as he opened his eyes. Then the harsh light above him made him hiss and close them back down harshly while he put his arms in front of his face. He distantly felt his mattress behind him and took deep breaths to help the agonizing pain in his skull.  His first thought was that he drank too much again or just enough to make him sleep for once- However, it took him an embarrassing long time to realize that something was wrong and that happened to be his shoulder. Well, it always has something wrong with it but the thing this time was nothing. It didn't hurt… at all.  So, he looked down through squinted eyes to see and then paused. 

There was blood on his shoulder (or what he thought was blood). Then he saw more red in the corner of his left eye and turned to see what looked like a goddamn toddler found red pain and went crazy all over the back wall and mattress. Except, the smell of it wasn't paint- it was an iron like smell. The smell of something he was so fucking familiar with thanks to Raccoon City and he nearly thought his heart stopped all at once.  “Blood? - What-” his breathing grew erratic as the puzzle pieces started to connect through the thick headache in his looming mind. His head, nauseously, turned to the ground beside his right hand. There was Matilda. Her reflective shine mocking him like the mirror has always done. The fear was now fastly taking a hold of him at the implications. He couldn't possibly have… Leon reached to feel the back of his head. It felt… dry and sticky. 

“No, “ Leon said either out loud or to himself… he really doesn't remember. 

It was enough to make him gasp out loud and push himself away from the scene to the wall adjacent to it. Every movement was light like he didn't just fucking blow his brains out against the wall! The only thing that was currently wrong with him was the mind-numbing migraine and oh! Of course! -

HE SHOT HIMSELF AND CAME BACK LIKE A FUCKING ZOM- 

Wait. 

Was he… Leon doesn't think he could've lost any more function in his lungs and he was most likely dead just a few minutes ago. It took him nearly even longer for his brain to come back online and dismiss the very claim he made. Even if he was infected… shooting himself in the brain couldn't have turned him… so… what exactly happened? 

“What the fuck-” Leon gasps, chuckling with manic laughter. It's impossible… It was so impossible that it felt like a corny book his mother used to read (when she wasn't high off her rockers). When he finally had the courage to shoot himself, life decided to give him the biggest middle finger known to man. “Of course- OF COURSE! “ Leon yelled, anger pushing its way to the surface.  Not only was he left with more questions, but a life also he didn't want, and now he had to clean up. 

Wonderful. . .

𓊈∞𓊉 〖Present〗

It was quiet. Obviously… he just told three people that he committed suicide, only to wake back up and fucking lose it. Leon was only slightly surprised that they didn't interrupt him during his little past shit show of a story, but he honestly wished they did… The looks they gave him and the little noises they let out was enough for him to try and cringe away from Chris's hold. 

Of course, he couldn't go that far away from Chris as the man only held him a little bit tighter with every paragraph he muttered out. Claire looked down right heart broken and sucked at trying to hide it. Rebecca didn't look like she was pitying him, but she did have the same frown that only grew larger as he came closer to the end of the story. The only thing loud enough was his own thoughts (or so he thought, it's not like he could read the other's thoughts).  “Wow,” Claire was the first to say something, whether it was useful or not was debatable. Though, she had a look on her face that Leon has never seen before. He couldn’t describe it to anyone else if they asked but he felt that he understood what it meant. Rebecca was crossing her arms, kind of like a self-hug if you asked Leon, but she noticed his staring and gave him a small smile. Chris continued to be quiet, and that honestly scared Leon more than anything else (and he’s seen a lot of things that are on the brink of horrifying). Claire walks over and bends down to face Leon and Chris after another few minutes of anxiety induced silence.

“Leon, I… I’m so sorry you had to live like that,” Claire mutters, looking down in shame. “I left, thinking you both would be safe but then it just got worse for you. Then the amount of time’s I’ve given you shit about your job when you had no choice but to do…How could you ever forgive me?” Claire said, wiping her eyes. Now it was Leon's turn to look shocked and he honestly hated it. He uses his free hand to put it on Claire’s head with a pat, which in turn made her look up as far as she could in guilt. This was another reason why he kept everything to himself, because he knew this was going to happen if he ever spilled what really happened to him and Sherry. He knew Claire was going to blame herself for leaving them as she looked for her brother, like it wasn’t a good reason. Hell, if Leon had anyone to find then he would’ve done the same.

“I won’t lie and say that I understood from the start. My… My family is long gone, and it took me a while to fully understand why, but Claire-” He smiled softly, hoping to help her calm down. “I’ve never hated you for it and honestly, I never could. You came into Raccoon City to find your brother and when you found even a bit of evidence that he was somewhere else, you continued that search. That is what being family means, so please, don’t feel like you made the wrong choice,” Leon said, feeling Claire take his hand. She sighed shakily with a small smile.

“Wow didn’t know you had it in you Leon,” Claire said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Now that is what Leon can handle.

“Wow, that’s what I get for all that?” Leon deadpans with a shake of his head. They both chuckled, knowing that nothing has changed between them. It was time to face the other sibling in the room as Chris’s hand lightly tightened around Leon’s. Claire stood up and looked at Rebecca in a silent conversation.

“Claire, I need your help in the other room for a few minutes,” Rebecca said, very obviously on the spot. The red head nods a little too much.

 “Yeah, coming-” Claire then turns around before leaving through the door. “-We are not done here, Kennedy.” With that fairly threatening sentence, both of the girls left with the door shutting behind them. Leon makes a mental note to either lightly hit Claire upside the head for leaving him alone with her brother or to buy her lunch…Maybe both at this point.

“Leon?” The sudden voice of Chris made Leon jump slightly before he looked at Chris with his own guilty smile. It fell as Chris lightly held his cheek and pulled him close enough to touch foreheads.

“Chris…I-” Leon’s brain stopped as Chris’s lips touched his own in the softest kiss he’s ever felt. Though, as Chris went to pull back when he felt Leon’s shock, Leon only pulled him back in. Hands in each other's hair as they went from lovenly kissing to it being so desperate as every single emotion from the day poured into it. Leon let himself be guided onto Chris’s lap, and softly huffed at the friction. His headache was no longer an issue as long as he could forever have Chris’s hands run down his sides softly. It ended too soon once Chris pulled away, and Leon won’t argue that he chased after those lips.

“Leon, please promise me something,” Chris said, a little out of breath. His expression was soft enough that it almost made Leon cry. Everything was moving into place and Leon couldn’t help but to believe that it was due to him finally expressing what he felt…What he did. In no way was it a cure but it felt pretty damn close. It felt like he could forget if he was in Chris’s arms.

“What is it?” Leon asks, trying to slow his heart down from its high. His own breathing is rough but clear, a complete contrast to what it was only a few hours ago. That in itself calmed Chris down even more.

“If you ever…I mean ever feel like that again, please come to me. Or to anyone,” Chris said, putting his hand through Leon’s hair softly enough to not disturb the nots. 

“I-...Chris, I didn’t do that to hurt you or anyone, "Leon confessed, his heart now hurting for another reason.

“I know, I know you didn’t. Just please, you don’t need to be alone anymore,” Chris said, breaking down the walls of Leon’s self-control. Tears started to drip down Leon’s face as he laughed softly.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear that,” Leon gasped out, collapsing into Chris’s arms and just let himself cry. The number of times he had stopped himself from crying now came back with a vengeance as they flowed steadily but quickly. If he was being completely honest to himself…

Suicide was never his style anyways.

  Suicide By: Midnight to Monaco (Wheathin Remix)

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『But The Old Me Is Still Me』

Timeline : While Leon & Chris were alone together

Location : Inside the BSAA Lab

Time : 03:05 (3:05AM)

Rebecca was running some blood she got from Leon, trying to figure out what exactly was happening with Leon in the physical sense, while Claire was off to the side with her arms crossed, reflecting the mangled thoughts in her head. She had a lot to do now, after finding out what exactly Leon got himself into with any choice but his own. Not only was she in the dark of what happened to Leon and Sherry after she left but she also was in the dark on why Leon changed so much since the brighter year of their success. She felt so conflicted with how she treated him but at the same time she didn’t know anything else but Leon willing to work with the government rather than helping her expose them. She didn’t know how he was practically chained to them.

“Claire, come take a look at this,” Rebecca said, leaning away from the scope that is trained on Leon’s parcel blood sample. The guilt and confusion from her stance was enough to make Rebecca feel like the other needed a distraction. The red head leaned down over the scientist's shoulder and looked into the scope for a few seconds before letting out a confused sound.

“I didn’t know blood could do that,” Claire said, the line of confusion in her voice. Rebecca trained a look of indifference to the other before sighing.

“That’s because it doesn’t. I know I’m no hematologist, but blood just doesn’t react this way on its own,” Rebecca said, nudging Claire so she can resume looking. Claire sighs, leaning against the stark white table.

“Yeah, it looks like it was reaching for something-”

“Or someone,” Rebecca interrupts, making the other look at her in disbelief.

“You don’t mean…It’s looking for Leon? Because that’s ridiculous,” Claire slightly laughs. “Right? That can’t be possible” Claire asks. Claire knows this isn’t her area of expertise but even a basic person knows that blood doesn’t move on its own. Rebecca leans back once again with a slight smirk on her face, which honestly was quite unsettling for Claire to see.

“A while ago we all thought the dead rising again was impossible,” the brunet said, getting up from her seat. “It's not like erythrocytes , or red blood cells, to immediately die while outside the body. However, they are refrigerated and have a shelf life of about a month-” Rebecca said, moving to one of the other desks and rifles through its contents. In search of a few things to test her theory. “- Red blood cells still contain nutrients and only die off after they use them completely. Now for white blood cells, that's a whole different story.”

“Rebecca, I don’t really understand…What are you trying to infer here?” Claire asked, tightening her ponytail in a bit of a nervous way. She really thought she had seen everything but if Leon’s blood is actively moving on its own then that’ll be one hell of a shock (and she has had enough of those today, thank you-). Rebecca pulled out what looked like a syringe, a tube, and some type of file before she walked over to her desk once again. She sat the assortment of items lightly on the desk before giving Claire the yellow file.

“Ever since Leon came back from the mission dealing with Las Plagas, some scientists have been very busy trying to figure out its properties. Then with some of the information being declassified for us after the downfall of Simmons, well, things got more interesting,” Rebecca said, taking the syringe and drawing some of her blood. Then she placed it into a tube as she put it off to the holder on the side that’s a coolant and closed the lid to keep it stored.

“I have heard some information about this type of parasite, and how it was used like some of the viruses today. However-” Claire lowers the file from her face. “-I also know that Leon got rid of it from his body. That also begs the question on how this connects with his blood moving.” Claire closes the folder after seeing a younger Leon that she thought was gone, and places it lightly on the table in front of her. The amount of work she has cut out for her was almost hysterical.

“Yeah, that’s the thing, Claire,” Rebecca nods towards the blood sample that was now slowing down. “Just because Leon got rid of the host organism, doesn't mean that he got rid of all of it.”

“That makes no sense whatsoever,” Claire sighs, frustrated. “How could he get rid of something, and it still be there?” She asks, taking a seat on top of Rebecca’s table.

“Okay, different approach,” Rebecca said to herself, before rising once again to grab a clean graduated cylinder from the shelf beside them. She held it in front of Claire, then said,” If I drop this, what will happen?”

“Rebecca, seriously?” Claire asks, tilting her head to the side.

“Just say it, it’ll help explain it to you,” Rebecca pleads.

“Ugh, fine. Well obviously, it will break- Rebecca!” Claire snaps, as Rebecca drops the glass thin cylinder on the floor causing it to break. Claire’s legs shoot up to get out of the way of flying shards, while Rebecca smirks. “What the hell was that for?! You scared the shit out of me!” Rebecca bends down with a dustpan that Claire completely glazed over in that quick scare and sweeps up the bigger pieces.

“Now, did I get every single bit of glass up?” Rebecca asks, looking up at the other. Claire sat in silence for a moment.

“No, there’s still little pieces- oh… I get it now,” Claire deadpans, rubbing the bridge of her nose hearing Rebecca laugh lightly. Putting the pan off to the side, Rebecca sits back down with an air of confidence. Claire picks up the file again and soothes over some things before looking back at the scientist.

“So, even though Leon got this thing blasted into eternity…It still left tiny fragments that grew and attached themselves to…?” Claire asks, now knowing why she didn’t take a nursing major.

“Essentially wherever they could, and being attached to his spinal cord- I can suggest that they might have been attracted to certain parts of his red blood cells. That in turn caused his blood to move like this, or at least they did-” Rebecca notes, pointing to the slide of now dried out blood. “-Without a host, it dies out. However, since I’m not a specialist in blood, I will contact a friend of mine that is an expert in hematology later,” she finished, rubbing her eyes with a big yawn. Claire mimics it merely a second later, much to her dismay.

“Okay, but what does this have to do with his ‘immortality’?” Claire asks, ignoring the obvious wording in Rebecca’s sentence.

“That can be thought of when I get at least eight hours of sleep and a coffee, being infected is one hell of an exhauster,” Rebecca responds, waving off a concerned look from Claire. She got up and grabbed her coat off her chair before turning off the main lights. Claire follows her with the yellow folder under her arm, grateful that the scientist didn’t mention it, and they left the lab.

A few steps out they both heard nothing but the frequent break of snoring, which causes Claire to softly laugh with a fond shake of her head. Rebecca raised a brow in response and once they went around the corner did she see what Claire was exactly so fond of. There was Chris and Leon, both settled into each other's arms and asleep. “Their backs are going to hate them for that,” Rebecca mutters.

“That and their necks… Though, that’s their own fault for sleeping there,” Claire said softly, still making her way over as quietly as possible. She grabs a blanket off the other couch and drapes it over the two lovers before walking back to Rebecca. They both look at each other, nod, and then walk off to their respective spare rooms.

𓊈∞𓊉

Location : Seating area outside the lab

Time : 11:43 (11:43AM)

Chris felt himself slowly waking up from a dreamless sleep. Everything that happened just a few hours ago meant nothing to him at the moment as once he opened his eyes, he saw a sight he would never forget. Leon is sleeping soundly across his chest, while Chris found himself on his back, and he honestly has never seen such a peaceful look on the agent's face. Chris moves his hand and lightly cards them through Leon’s hair so as to not wake him up. It was nice, but Chris knows once Leon wakes up, things will change. It was a gut feeling, and he honestly wishes this would never end. The sun entering through the large windows of the base was enough to show a little bit of fresh blonde hair in Leon’s roots. God could Chris stare at him forever and never get bored.

Leon hums after a few minutes, letting Chris know that this little bubble of peace is over for the foreseeable future. They both had a job to do, not only to find out who caused the breach in the BSAA, but also to find out what caused Leon to be ‘immortal’. Leon groans a bit, causing Chris to lightly pet his hair again. “You okay?” Chris asks, a little bit of fear rising up.

“Yeah, just my neck hurts,” Leon whines, looking up despite his complaint. Chris laughs softly.

“We are too old to be falling asleep like this,” Chris agrees, but didn’t move to get up.

“Hey! Who the hell are you calling old, mister?” Leon gasps dramatically, leaning up with his hands based beside Chris’s head. “I have you know that you are the oldest here,” Leon said with a quick twitch of his lips. Chris chuckles softly in response, dragging Leon down softly to place their lips together.

“Alright, I apologize. However, we do need a shower,” Chris said, after taking a small breath. Leon groans in response, dramatically flopping softly back on Chris’s chest. Though, he had a small frown on his face. “Hey, what's wrong?” Chris asks.

Leon takes a minute to gather his thoughts before replying,” I thought I would be happier…” Chris paused his movements for a second and thought about what Leon said. Chris sees it as Leon thinking that just because he gained something he wanted, he expected to be happy all the time. However, with all the suffering he’s endured for so long, it wasn’t as easy as that. It seemed that Leon saw the fault in his wording and quickly tried to rephrase it. “I-I didn’t mean that you don’t make me happy, I just-”

“It’s okay. I understand,” Chris interrupts, a small smile on his face.

“You do?” Leon asks.

“Leon, your sadness isn’t just going to go away overnight. I’m happy that I make you happy, but you are allowed to also feel the way you feel. If being sad is what you feel, then it’s okay. We can both work it out together,” Chris said, seeing the way Leon softly smiled back.

“Can you shower with me?” Leon asks, catching Chris off guard.

“That’s a little forward, don’t you think?” Chris teases, once he finds his voice back.

“Shut up!” Leon squeaks, a bit embarrassed by the way his cheeks grow pink. He pushed himself up and crossed his arms with a huff.

“I’m just fucking with you. Of Course I can,” Chris responds with a full laugh. Leon rolls his eyes and stands up. Both of them walk towards one of the spare rooms that held a shower, passing by the communal kitchen in the process. Rebecca stood with her specialized coffee, talking with a man taller than her.

“Oh, Leon! Chris!” Rebecca calls for them, noticing them as they try to sneak past. 

“Hey, Rebecca. How are you holding up?” Chris asks, making his way over. He dragged Leon with him by his hand, much to the raven-haired man’s resistance.

“Way better, but I’m taking it easy. Now, boys, this is Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange, this is Leon and Chris,” Rebecca introduced them. The doctor tilts his head a little before putting out his hand.

“Nice to meet you both, my name is Doctor Stephen Strange,” the doctor said, his voice a bit deep. Chris takes the hand firmly and part before it gets too long. They all stood in silence for a few agonizing seconds before Rebecca groaned.

“Stephen is here to help find out about your…weird biological things, Leon. Is that okay?” Rebecca asks. Leon looks into Doctor Strange's eyes, gaining an intelligent stare back. They both did that for a minute before Leon responded with,” Whatever helps me find out what's going on, and that you vouch for him.”

“I do! Then it’s settled, all I need is to get in touch with another friend of mine and we can all begin. However, It seems I caught you guys at a bad time?” Rebecca asks, faking her innocence. Doctor Strange rolls his eyes slightly at her antics.

“Yeah, me and Leon are going to go shower and probably get something to eat,” Chris said, smiling at Leon. The agent stiffens with red blossoming across his face.

“Great! I’ll give you a text when we are ready. Oh! Claire told me to tell you that she will be back later, she had some business to take care of,” Rebecca adds, before waving them off. The boys look at each other before quickly taking off, leaving Rebecca and Doctor Strange to talk in the kitchen.

It took them a few days after everything to realize that Doctor Strange wasn’t in any database on earth…How Strange indeed.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : With Claire

Location : A small coffee shop in New York

Time : 11:03 (11:03AM)

The yellow folder stood out against the gray table, like an open sore. A still steaming cup of coffee was forgotten off to the side as Claire typed on a computer in front of her. Every single information that was ultimately leaked after Simmons demise was rough to land the man a death sentence if he was dead already. It was honestly a damn surprise that the man had lasted that long but at the same time it was too common. Learning about secret code words was enough to learn what exactly was happening in some mission reports she was emailed from her various sources. A lot of the information, undoubtedly leaked, was also wiped from the public eye a mere few minutes after its release. However, it couldn’t hide from Claire Redfield.

Every single mission that she read only added to the large pit in her stomach. The single tag with a person called, ‘The Silver Ghost’, was undoubtedly Leon S. Kennedy. The same M.O and surprisingly similar attributes to how Leon fought in Raccoon City, It gave Claire hope that the Leon from before was still the one she see’s today. That was also the reason for her guilt as she can’t expect Leon to be the exact same person, hell, even she wasn’t the same. Though, familiarity was always a comfort to her.

“Ma’am?” Claire nearly jumped out of her seat before realizing it was her server.

“Uh, yes?” Claire asked, closing her laptop and pulling the yellow folder closer to her. She couldn’t trust anyone right now, no matter how paranoid it made her seem. 

“Would you like anything to eat?” the young girl asked, holding onto her small booklet of orders.

“Ah, no- I was just getting ready to leave,” Claire responds, downing the cup of hot coffee. The young girl hissed just as Claire did, like the red head forgot it was still really hot.

“Um…Okay?” the young girl responds, taking a few steps back before walking off to another table. Claire groans and stuffs her laptop with the folder enclosed in it in her arms. She left a few bills on the table on her way out. Walking down the sidewalk on one side of New York was peaceful enough, most people not noticing that just yesterday a virus outbreak happened on the other side. That her brother and best friend didn’t kick ass on top of a fucking building. Oh well, she wasn’t one to brag anyways (Which is completely false). A quick text from Rebecca lets her know that she was needed back at the BSAA, and she walks faster to the parking lot off to the side of an office building. She piles her stuff into the bag on the left side of her bike before grabbing her helmet and starting her bike.

She just didn’t notice the pair of eyes that were watching her from above as she rode off.

𓊈∞𓊉

Chris didn’t know what to think as Leon took off his shirt and showed off the amount of clear skin. Now, of course there were scars but Chris expected to see bruises or at least something to show that Leon was in a battle recently. There was nothing. Leon must have noticed his staring and turned to face him with a raised brow. “You’re not hurt…,” Chris mutters. Leon pauses before looking down at himself and back up with a look of realization.

“Oh, yeah, that happens if I die,” Leon said casually. Chris blinks before frowning and moving to get closer to Leon before brushing his fingers on a particular rough scar. It looked new and at that point it all connected to Chris. Leon gets hurt all the time but if he somehow ‘dies’, then in his body's attempt to bring him back, his open wounds become scars. It was fascinating as much as it was horrifying and saddening. This particular rough scar was the injury that cost him his life mere hours ago.

“Chris, I’m okay,” Leon said, knowing that Chris knew he meant it in the physical sense. The agent grabs Chris’s hand softly and brings it up to his cheek for it to rest there instead. Chris automatically cups his cheek and smiles as Leon leans into it. Honestly, the amount of hot water they were wasting wasn’t important in the face of their own little bubble of peace. “Now, come on, get undressed,” Leon said, pulling away to continue to take off the rest of his clothing.

“Still a little bit forward this early in our relationship, Leon?” Chris teases, seeing Leon huff angrily in the mirror.

“I swear if you don’t get your ass in the shower, I will go somewhere else to shower,” Leon threatens with no real malice. Chris laughs and gets rid of the rest of his clothes once he sees Leon enter the shower. To say Chris watched him the whole time wasn’t an exaggeration and nearly scrambles after him. The heat from the water calms the raised hairs on his skin and nearly makes him cough when he attempts to take a deep breath. Leon was currently wetting his hair, making his nearly black hair darker and the blonde roots at the top grow brown. Chris, honestly, didn’t want to be anywhere else. He grew bolder, and hugged Leon from behind.

“We will be in here for hours at this point,” Leon teases, leaning back against Chris’s shoulder to let the water run across his face. Chris hums contently in response, making Leon chuckle. Chris drags his hands up Leon’s stomach, making him shiver as he catches his breath. It was so tempting to take him, here and now, but it just wasn’t the right time. The number of things that need to be done and the head space that Leon continues to circle in wasn’t healthy. Chris needs to know that he can have enough time to properly show Leon a good time, and if that means waiting for it… then so be it. “Now look at who’s being forward,” Leon said, gently moving from Chris’s grasp to grab a small bottle of portable soap.

Leon unfortunately knows that his hair is going to look pretty ragged for a few days with this type of soap in his hair, but it always pays to be like that in this line of work. He just couldn’t help himself as he turns around and slowly mixes it in Chris’s short hair first, just to see if it’s something the captain enjoys; and boy does he, if the way Chris lowers his head a little bit more and closes his eyes. Leon takes his time (or how much he could with the amount of hair Chris has) and then moves to wrap his arms around the others neck to lean in. Chris smiles as he felt Leon bury his face in his neck and they stood there for a second.

“Chris?” Leon asks, moving back.

“What is it?” Chris responds, merely changing places with Leon to prepare to wash his hair out.

“I’ve been having this bad feeling ever since I woke up…It’s not like these feelings are new but every single time I have a bad feeling, something happens,” Leon said, watching the way Chris moves back into his personal space. The soap is gone from his hair now, allowing Chris to lean down and steal a kiss from Leon.

“I trust you. Whatever happens, we will do it together. If any of those feelings come back or grow, don’t hesitate to tell me,” Chris said, his lips hovering over Leons. He felt the agent smile in response, even if it was small.

“I won’t,” Leon said, his smile bigger once he saw Chris grab the soap.

“Now, turn around, I’ll get your hair.” Chris put the worries he felt in the background as he put his full attention on the man in front of him and the feeling of soft slick hair moving through the gaps of his fingers.

Everything will work out. He knows it will.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : Unknown

Location : Unknown

Time : 13:03 (1:03pm)

“What do you mean you failed?” a woman stood in front of a man with a large frown. Her blonde hair cascades off her back and a long white coat nearly touches the floor with its long edges. The man in front of her was slightly shaking and raised his head to meet her piercing blue eyes.

“Everything was going smoothly until Captain Redfield was notified of being there,” the man responds. The woman stood quiet for a moment before pulling out a gun and shooting him in the head. He dropped dead in a heap of limbs in his own vastly pooling blood. She scoffed.

“I made it very clear that if anything, even the tiniest thing, goes wrong then we are all responsible. However, to miss such big information is unacceptable,” the woman turns to face another man behind her. “We cannot afford to fail. Everything from now till the end must be perfect. Do I make myself clear?” she asks, putting the gun back in its holster.

“Of course, we have their location and their timeline already. We will be ready to grab the agent as soon as you command,” the man responds without fear.

“Good. Make sure that both Redfield’s will not be a problem,” the woman adds, putting her hands in the coat's pockets. She started to walk to the next room with the man at her heels.

“We are already following the sister,” the man stops by the door of the next room, waiting for a response.

“Good. You may begin.” she said, dismissing him.

“Of course, Miss Kennedy.”

 SKINNY By: Billie Eilish

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『Love for the worst victims.』

Timeline : About two hours after Chris’s and Leons shower

Location : Rebecca’s Lab

Time : 15:12 (3:12pm)

Rebecca was currently looking over some paperwork from Doctor Strange, seeing some things that she hasn't noticed before, and putting them down as she types out a few things.’ Leon's physiology is one of the main reasons for his supposed ‘immortality’. His skin is not immune to injuries of any caliber, and he can still die by other meanings like blood loss (shown before) and possibly anything that cancels out any chance for survival. His body then heals those wounds (depending on the severity of said wounds will contribute to the number of hours he's down) and then he comes back to life like nothing ever happened in the first place. 

The T and G Virus both do not have effects singled out for those to contain their original form and mind (aside from Albert Wesker, who in turn, was able to die). The Las Plagas on the other hand has similar properties of immortality but never achieved anything less than reanimation with the loss of will and mind (Or limb reconstruction). From the notes and Leon, himself, Rebecca knows for sure that Leon was and probably still is infected by both the G-Virus and The Las Plagas parasite. They seemed to have combined in some way, the only contradiction would be that Leon only had the G-Virus when his first ‘death’ occurred.  So, the initial cause of his ‘immortality’ must be the G-Virus. Leon already carried an amount of immunity when it came to this virus (case in point the time he was bitten and didn't turn. Provided by his notes and that scar on his neck), and that mixed with the strain of an infectie caused his cells to mutate. That resulted in the cause of his ‘immunity’ and only boosted when his cells came into contact with the Las Plagas parasite.’  

She sighed, leaning back from the computer screen with a light headache. Writing down information from everyone else almost took her half an hour, much less singling out everything that was just total nonsense (even in this day and age). She knows both Leon and Chris are out getting food at the moment, but she much rather them stay in a safe location. Not that anyone listens to her anyways, she huffs while checking her phone. What she saw made her pause for a split second. A single text from Claire and it just said, “Being Followed”. The only thing here that confuses Rebecca is why in the hell would Claire contact her and not her brother…unless both of them and Leon are in the same situation, which would be really bad. Maybe after all of this, people will start to listen to her more often. She went into her contacts and called up a number she knew would help and was near-by.

Hopefully.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : Rebecca’s call.

Location : With Piers

Time : 15:45 (3:45pm)

To say Piers was prepared for everything would be a lie. He was currently near the BSAA building that was attacked the night before, ready to go and talk to Chris about possible infiltrations and or possible enemies at the moment or past. It was honestly so much guessing that it could be an episode of jeopardy…. That you repeatedly lose. Over and over. Maybe therapy is a good thing- the ringing of his phone made him nearly hit the gas and hit the car in front of him. He cursed and picked it up to see who it was. “Rebecca?” He asked, answering the phone.

“Hey, are you near New York right now?” her question made Piers blink absentmindedly.

“Uh, yeah. About to be at the BSAA building actually, why?” he asked, flipping off the dude behind him who thought honking at him right as the light turned green was a good idea. And Chris said he has anger issues…as if. Punching a big ass bolder is having anger issues, thank you very much.

“-If you could go see if they’re alright, that would be amazing,” Rebecca was already half-way into her sentence when Piers checked back into their conversation. 

“See if who is alright?” Piers asks, no in the slightest embarrassed. Which is another lie.

“Did you really zone out for the past thirty seconds?” Rebecca asked blankly.

“It’s been a really long week, Becca. Give me some slack,” Piers whines, driving into the BSAA’s parking lot.

“Look, things have been really crazy around here. Crazier than normal and now we have a big problem. Claire is being followed and with Chris and Leon going out to eat, I think all three of them are in danger,” Rebecca repeats. Piers parks and pauses mid breath at the sight of someone he hasn't seen in a while. “Piers? “Rebecca asks. 

“Uh… This wouldn't happen to involve Leon's adopted daughter… right? “ Piers asks, seeing Sherry fuckin Birkin determinedly walking up to his car. He swallowed harshly, feeling like something bigger is going on than what Rebecca told him. He leaves for one week and everything goes to shit…wow.

“WHAT?! “ Rebecca squeaks, completely forgetting what she told the poor girl almost a day ago. In her defense, it's been a long day. Piers on the other hand has no idea what's going on, much less why Sherry is here.

Piers rolls down his window and puts up a nervous smile. “Heyyyy, Sherry… How's it going? “ He asks, seeing the death glare the woman was giving him. He honestly wished he crashed into that person right now, he would rather deal with a payment than an angry daughter… much less an angry Sherry Birkin-

“Don't ‘hey’ me, Nivans, “ Sherry snaps. “Where's my dad?” She asks, the skin around her eyes tight. Her eyes were also red, like she's been crying, confusing Piers. 

“What do you mean-” Piers was cut off by Sherry tearing up. He was so confused, why is it always him in the middle of everything? 

“Rebecca called me and told me my father is dead, now, where is he?! “ Sherry nearly yelled, even Rebecca heard it on her side. 

“What?! No, Rebecca just told me he was out with Chris right now, “ Piers said, looking down at the phone in his hand. He heard a muffled voice and immediately put it on speaker. 

“Sherry! I tried to contact you again, but you wouldn't answer! “ Rebecca said, her voice soft but firm. 

“What is going on?! Is my dad dead or not? “ Sherry asked, a bit on the hysteric side. She looked so broken up and more confused than Piers was at the moment. 

“What- I- look, what matters at the moment is that he's alive and he's okay. I promise I will explain everything but right now him, Chris, and Claire are possibly in trouble right now, “Rebecca said, or more like commanded if Piers had anything to say about it. BUT, he really didn’t have any say.

Sherry blinks a few times as she wipes her eyes and calms her breathing down. She looked as if she was at war with herself. “God dammit, dad, “Sherry mutters, feeling like this isn't going to be the last time a call like this comes through. She always tensed up when one of Leon's friends or work called, because she's been so scared of the day that someone would tell her he's dead. It finally happened, but at the same time… it didn't? All that matters is that she sees him and holds him, so she knows it's real. 

“They're at an I-BOUNCE in central New York, one of the only buildings not taken in or condemned by the recent… things-” Rebecca said, cutting herself off at the end for her own mental health. Piers was busy watching Sherry march over to the right passenger side door and looked at him like she was daring him to refuse. 

“Open the door, we're going now, “ Sherry demands. Piers honestly wants a vacation now, or hell an execution… 

Please. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : w/ Chris & Leon 

Location : I-BOUNCE ;) 

Time : 15:32 (3:32pm)

Both Chris and Leon made it to the restaurant without incident and both took a seat across from each other. After ordering their drinks, Chris looked at Leon while the agent was looking out the window. He honestly didn’t know what they both could talk about because they basically talked to each other for the entire day so far. Chris told Leon about the events in Africa and how he found Jill and killed Wesker. Leon only chuckled at him as he told Chris that the rumor of the other punching a boulder out right was true. Chris then asked if the rumor of Leon using a knife to block a chainsaw was true and Leon responded with, “You saw the report, and I didn’t lie about anything in there.” Which in itself was a lie because Chris saw the way Leon looked away and then back.

It was honestly quite refreshing to say the least, that they both can now talk freely with each other. Though now it was just a little bit awkward with the way Leon was death glaring at the window or something outside of it (he looked normal to others, but Chris can tell). The server came back quickly and looked at them both before grabbing his notepad. “You two ready to order?” the waiter asked, a smile on his face.

“Is the Wi-Fi down?” Leon asked, unexpectedly while still looking out the window. Chris wondered why Leon asked about the Wi-Fi, because he didn’t see him get his phone out (Or if he had one in general…) 

“Oh, yes, it should be back on soon,” the waiter responds with a tilt of his head. He looked back at Chris and raised his pen.

“Oh, Yes, can I have-” Chris paused, seeing the way Leon tensed up in the corner of his eye. “Leon?” Chris asked, now looking at him fully. First the random question and now he was acting off. ‘What is going on?’ 

“We need to go, now,” Leon said softly, then stood up calmly and turned to the waiter. “Hey, where's the bathroom?” He asked, ready to move to the direction of the bathrooms.

“It’s uh… in the back?” the waiter asked, confused. Chris apologized quickly and followed Leon who was already across the room. They venture past a family that was leaving (Chris had to pause because the space was too small to squeeze until the family got out of the way) and barely passed through the door before it closed behind Leon. Chris took a second to finally process what just happened and turned to look at the agent with a questioning look.

“Leon? What’s going on?” Chris asked, knowing that this wasn’t right.

“We’re being tracked,” Leon said, looking through the bathroom to make sure nobody else was in it. Opening the few stalls and even out one of the higher windows above the sink.

“Tracked? Is that why you asked about the Wi-Fi?” Chris asked, staying out of sight from the window up high that Leon just checked. He really shouldn’t be so surprised at Leon’s skills, but honestly everything the agent does in the field will always be amazing to him…and out of it- 

“I noticed some people looked frustrated on their phones, and then I saw someone on the roof across from here. They were looking right at you,” Leon said, finally turning around to face Chris. There was that worry that Chris saw so much already, and so he walked up and pulled Leon into a hug. He rubbed the other’s lower back softly but firmly to help calm him down. “Another reason why I asked is that you haven’t gotten a text from anyone…Your phone always blows up at any time,” Leon mutters in the crook of Chris’s neck.

“I didn’t notice,” Chris responds, feeling the way Leon smiles in his neck.

“What? Was I that distracting?” Leon teases, pulling away.

“Of course, it’s hard not to be distracted when you’re around,” Chris teases back, seeing red flush across Leon’s nose. It really wasn’t the time but they both never really got the hint after all these years.

“We need a plan,” Leon asks, his face going serious once again. Chris nods in response, waiting to hear what Leon had in mind. “Well, we don’t know who they’re after…so let's just assume it's us both. I’d say we go out the front,” Leon said.

“Why the front, wouldn't the back be better?” Chris asked.

“They would expect us to go through the back,” Leon responds, getting ready to leave the bathroom.

“What if they’re at the front and the back?” Chris asks, making Leon falter.

“Guess I die then-”

“Leon-”

“I’m joking!” Leon responds quickly, a bit of alarm on his face.

“Uh huh,” Chris said flatly with an eyebrow raised.

“Look, let’s just go through the front. They will unlikely attack us in the open with this many people here,” Leon reasons, standing still until Chris agrees. Chris thinks for a moment before sighing softly.

“Alright, let’s go.”

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : The ride to I-BOUNCE

Location : With Piers & Sherry

Time : 15:59 (3:59pm)

The car ride was silent for almost ten minutes. Rebecca ended the call with them once she knew that Chris and Leon had back up on the way, but she did mention contacting Jill to help Claire. Piers is just hoping everything is being over exaggerated, however, Sherry had a different opinion on that when she finally spoke up. “Something doesn’t feel right…Do you know what’s been going on?” Sherry asks, looking out the window to her right side.

“Honestly? No, I just got back from vacation,” Piers said, keeping the pity from his voice. If it went through, then Sherry didn’t react. “Do you?” He asked, sparing a look at the woman. He sometimes forgets that they are both the same age, he supposes that Sherry wears it better than he does.

She lowers her head for a second and then looks at him. “I got a call from Rebecca last night…She told me an attack happened at the BSAA and Leon got...,” She trails off. Piers frowns.

“He got hurt and died?” Piers finishes, seeing her nod from the corner of his eye.

“I always thought that it would happen one day when he was on the job. I always envisioned getting a call and finding out my dad was dead. I just… It’s different when it’s real,” Sherry mutters. Piers was about to respond but the scene in front of him made him stop both in thoughts and the car. “Piers? What's-” Sherry stopped too, seeing the scene with her widened eyes.

There was the I-BOUNCE but a few ambulances and fire trucks backed with police squad cars now circle the area (Rebecca would later say how strange it was to see that many after the virus incident with Arias). People were taken out of the restaurant in body bags, and some were torn away from lifeless bodies that were most likely their family members. Piers jumped into action, grabbing his issued BSAA badge from the dash and opening the door. He heard Sherry follow suit with her own issued DSO badge and went right up to the forming police tape. An officer looked up as she heard their footsteps. 

“I’m sorry, but this area is-” She stopped short seeing both Sherry and Piers flash their badges. She looked them over and merely raised the tape so they could pass. She ties it off and orders another officer to stand guard for any other possible curious civilians. She walks with the agents, ready to answer any questions they may have.

“Do you know what happened here?” Piers asks, taking in the scene around him and blocking out the crying in the background. Sherry followed suit but she took long looks at the body bags with a blank face.

“Seems like an attack on a certain person or people. The rest were just collateral to the attacker it seems, but we have an eyewitness we were about to talk to before you two showed up,” the officer said, flagging down another cop to watch the door. She then led them to the back where a single waiter was sitting down with his head in his hands. He looked up, shaking, but still cleared eyed. “Mr.Ramand, this is Agent Nivans from the BSAA and Agent Birkin from the DSO. We would like to ask a few questions about what occurred,” the officer said calmly.

The man opened his mouth before closing it for the first minute before he finally started to talk. “I was waiting tables like normal and then right when two men went to leave a shot rang out, then one of the two men fell to the ground with blood splatter hitting the woman in the seat behind him. I waited their table,” Ramand said, stuttering over a few words here and there. Both Piers and Sherry looked at each other with grim looks. “After that, more shots happened and I just ran to the back…I didn’t help anyone…I was just so scared, I-” he stopped as Sherry put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay to be scared, and to run. Please don’t hurt yourself on the what if’s,” she said softly, seeing the man start to tear up. “Can I please ask one more question?” she asks him.

“O-Okay,” Ramand responds, biting his lip. The officer was writing down everything, so she didn’t have to ask the poor man again later.

“What did the man that got shot look like?” Sherry asked, feeling like she already knew the answer in her gut.

“He-He was wearing a black leather jacket with some holes in it and his hair was black with it parted in front of his eyes on the left side…I think the other man called him Leon.”

Piers cursed, running a hand through his short hair and Sherry stood back calmly. The officer took notice. “You two know the men at the door?” the officer asked, seeing the waiter look at them in horror.

“We do.” Piers turns on his heel and brings out his phone to dial Rebecca. Sherry stayed behind for a few seconds to contain her emotions once again. Of course, those two always get into trouble…,

She just hopes this doesn’t end with Chris or Leon truly dead.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : Unknown

Location : Unknown

Time : Unknown

To say Leon hated waking up this way, it wouldn’t be said calmly. His entire headaches with something fierce and he knows not to open his eyes but the only thing he can remember is falling asleep with Chris, so, how did that cause such a major headache…Unless- He yelps as his head is dragged back by his hair with a rough hand. It multiplied the pain enough that he didn’t catch the undoubtedly sneer sent his way. He did hear a shout from the other end, and it was- “C-Chris?” Leon mutters out, feeling something sticky stretch with his movements.

“Let him go!” Chris yelled, not making it easy on Leon’s head. The person either didn’t care or cared too much as they let go of his hair and left his head to fall back down harshly. He groans, feeling more pain. It’s like when he- 

“Did you fuckers shoot me in the head?” Leon said, painfully. He lifted his head to defy his own pain, but just cursed the pain anyway. 

“Leon?! Oh, thank God-” Chris was interrupted by a man that banged something. Leon guessed with his brain the way it is, that it must have been bars…lovely.

“You two better shut up,” a man grumbles. Leon was never known for self-perseverance if anyone asked why he asked this later on. If there was a later on, that is.

“Or?” Leon asks, opening one eye to a squint.

“Or I’ll blow your fucking brains out again,” the man snaps grabbing Leon’s neck in a non-kinky way. Leon merely laughs deliriously in response. Chris seemed to rise back into the conversation before a much softer voice rang out. Everyone froze at the woman's voice.

“That’s enough,” A woman said, her heels making a sound that stabbed Leon’s head. He always knew that getting shot in the head later on in life would be a pain, but it was definitely worse than last time- and this time it wasn’t even his fault. Well…he hopes it wasn’t. He also hoped he didn’t miss much with Chris. “I gave you simple instructions and that's it. Your job is done, now get out of my sight,” the woman said, now closer to Leon in a few strides.

“Yes, Ms. Kennedy,” the men said in unison. Leon would have wondered about the last name but once again his brain really fucking hurts. Chris did react, though with a lower questioning noise than anything else. Once the men left, the woman lightly put her hands in Leon’s hair.

“Now, it took so long to get this to work out. I have many questions for you, Agent,” the woman said, now her pull was stronger. Leon winced as she slightly raised his head. “In order for that to happen, I need your full attention. So, take this time to heal up,” she then let's go of his head, making it fall to his chest. 

“What is going on here, why do you want Leon?” Chris asks, or more like demands. The woman pauses near the exit to turn to him.

“Leon, huh? It’s ironic that the man who knows what happened to my son shares the same name,” the woman said, not caring in the slightest at the information she just shed. Chris went to speak again, only for the woman to beat him to it, “Now now, no spoilers…Just rest, you’ll both need it Mr. Redfield. Oh, and don’t try to escape, I’ve learned so much about you two that it’s nearly impossible.” Then she left, shutting the door tightly behind her. Clearly, she was done with her villainous speech quickly.

Chris was baffled for a second before he turned to Leon with a desperate voice, “Leon! Can you hear me?” Chris was so shaken, even with the knowledge that Leon would come back, he saw Leon hit the floor with a bullet wound in his forehead. He knows he panicked and that it could’ve been different if he was focused but he wasn’t. Now, both him and Leon were in a situation that was about as unknown as their location.

“C-Chris?” Leon said, only enough volume for Chris to barely hear himself.

“Hey! It’ll be okay, you’ll be okay,” Chris reassured, not knowing if what he said will stay true. He wonders if it's like this ever since the first time Leon shot himself. The confusion and the pain. God, Chris wishes he could hold him. He wishes he could help him.

“It hurts,” Leon whines, making his head move to the side to see Chris. He thought it would help the pain and it did a bit. Seeing Chris made him relax and made the booming headache dwindle in size.

“I know, honey, I know. It’ll be okay,” Chris said again. He knows the only thing he can do is talk to Leon, and he knows it's not enough. He just wants them both to survive this and go home. To be asleep tangled in each other's arms, but the blood on Leon's face from his hairline only brought the present crashing forward.

He needed to do something.

He had to do something.

Anything.

𓊈∞𓊉

Ms. Kennedy stood in front of the doors, hearing the two men converse in the room behind her just as she left. But she couldn’t get that name out of her head.

Leon.

She couldn’t get his face out of his head.

It looked just like her little boy, if not aged.

Has she…Made a mistake?

  しう (SIU) ft.Fukase (Cover) By:chitoseP

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『When she’s suddenly met with apprehension.』

Timeline : The Forgotten Past

Location : ???

Time : ???

It was storming outside. Noticed by the lump in the tiny bed and felt by the rumble of thunder that came seconds after a short flash. So, the lump moved to get away from the open window to the door. Soft but muffled footsteps linger in the hallway leading to the long staircase to the bottom floor. It was a quiet night (aside from the storm), abnormal at any time of day the house stood in. It brought unsteady feelings, making the little boy whimper softly at the tightening of his stomach. His mother called it “nerves” but his father called it “being a baby”. Whatever it was, it wasn't wanted in any way by the boy. All he wanted was to find his mother and ask if she could hold him while the storm passes. No matter if she hasn’t done it in a while. She’s always been distant anyways, so maybe just some water could help.

The steps protested even under his small stature and made the loudest creek that the boy had ever heard. It made him wince but it brought along his attention to the voices in the kitchen. So, with his stomach turning, he carefully made it the rest of the way down without a peep. The voices grew louder but not due to him getting closer.

“-That’s not how it works Laurane, and you know it!” the boy's mom shouted. She sounded so angry that it caused the boy to shy away into his own body before he realized it wasn’t directed to him. 

“I entrusted him to you! Now with all this shit you’re getting into, it’s too dangerous for him to be here!” That was his aunt's voice, but he’s never heard her so angry before. He also didn’t understand what was being said and so he moved closer near the entrance.

“Boo Hoo, cry me a fucking river like always. You always complain about what we do. ‘Oh, don’t do this Charoline!’ ‘Oh, your husband shouldn’t talk that way about him’. It's always about that stupid brat. If you cared SO much, why did you-”

“Charoline-” his aunt noticed him peeking into the room, her face now looked scared.

“What?!” his mom shouts, angry turning around only to see the boy cowering. She then stopped in surprise.

“M-mommy?” the boy mutters, silently shaking.

“Leon, what are you doing down here this late?” his mom asks, the bite of anger still present. She didn’t move towards Leon, so the boy thought she wasn’t as angry with him as his aunt.

“It’s all loud outside and it scares me…I wanted to see if you would hold me-”

“No, Leon. You’re a big boy, now, go upstairs. Me and your aunt are having a conversation,” his mother interrupts him sharply. The rush of tears threatened to break free, but it would only make the situation worse for him, so he held them back.

“But I-”

"Now!” his mom snaps, her anger now at him as the points to the direction of the stairs. He nods and runs out of the doorway of the kitchen. However, something made him pause before he made it to the long staircase. Something told him that he needed to hear what they were talking about, even if he got caught again.

“The way you treat him is down right abusive,” he heard his aunt say. He mouthed the word to himself and held it to remember for later when he was in the library. It seemed important.

“You’re one to talk, dear sister. Look, you’re not getting him back…Not after what you did,” his mother seemed dull now in her response.

“You’re going to get yourselves and him killed with this shit. You’re messing with the wrong people, and you fucking know it. Like you know all of it was fabricated in the first place,” his aunt responds. Leon wonders if she was talking about those random people that sometimes showed up in the house. Fabricated was another word he needed to remember too.

“The answer is no. It will always be no, now get out,” his mother said, making her way out of the kitchen. Leon raced upstairs as quiet as he could but the last thing he did hear before getting inside his bedroom was…

“HE IS MY CHILD!”

𓊈∞𓊉

Leon held the jacket around his tighter, trying to block out the wail of sirens and the flashing of multiple primary colors. He couldn’t even hear himself cry under all of the noises around him. He just wished it also blocked out the sensation of the red sticky stuff on his cheek and feet. He felt as if his father was going to come out and tell him off for crying so pathetically… That would happen if his father was still breathing. Leon knows he's young…but he also knows that he lost his parents for good. That with nobody else, after his aunt no longer visited after that night that felt so long ago, he was going to a place where he will be even more alone than he ever was at home.

“Hey, you’re Leon, right?” Leon flinched under the jacket before he realized it was the officer who gave him the clothing in the first place. The man in front of him was a police officer, the ones his father used to curse about, and yet he held such a soft smile. Leon decided to respond with a nod, he just didn’t feel like he could trust his own voice. “I’m going to take you to a temporary place so you can get all warm and comfy, is that okay?” the officer asked.

It wasn’t like Leon had any choice in the matter anyways, but he liked how the officer decided to ask him anyways. Leon nodded again, and then he was embraced. It was warm and nice like the one’s his teachers gave him at school. It was short lived when shouting came from behind the barrier the police put up behind him. It almost sounded like his aunt…but he didn’t pay attention. His life was about to change, and he wasn’t ready…

He doesn’t think he would ever be ready.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : With Chris & Leon

Location : ???

Time : An hour after the scientist left the room

Chris is leaning his head against the cold iron bars that surrounded him. Leon passed out again about twenty minutes ago and it’s just been too quiet. By now, any other kidnapper would come in and taunt them but nothing. Just the sound of Leon breathing, which in itself is a good sound to hear right now, but not while it was the only thing to hear. Chris just hates hearing nothing but the slight ringing that accompanied the silence…

“Chris?” Leon suddenly looks at him, making the captain fly back away from the bars in surprise.

“Leon? How long have you been awake? Are you okay?” Chris asks, feeling relieved that Leon wasn’t bleeding. He now knows what Leon and Rebecca meant when they said that Leon heals after a ‘Death’. He just wonders if it still hurts as bad as it did when the agent woke up about an hour ago.

“Weren't we at I-BOUNCE?” Leon questions, closing his eyes tightly for a few seconds before opening them again to check his surroundings. He ignored the others due to him quickly forgetting them in the cloud of persistent pain.

“Yeah- wait…I thought you couldn’t remember what happens after you injure your brain?” Chris asks, feeling like something might be wrong. 

“Yeah, me too…But I remember everything that happened. That and these weird dreams that seem too real,” Leon adds, groaning as he shifts in the chair. It didn’t look comfortable at all but that wasn’t the purpose anyways.

“Weird dreams?” Chris recites.

“Yeah-”

“That’s perfect.” Both of the men tensed up and looked at the door in front of them that was now open. The woman was there, or should Leon say Ms.Kennedy, and she looked pleased.

“You know…It’s rude to interrupt people,” Leon said, like he’s never done that in his own life on purpose before. Usually it was with a bullet. The woman looked a bit more indifferent to Chris than she did with her big entrance earlier. She started to walk towards Leon with a small box.

“I apologize then,” Ms.Kennedy said, making Leon painfully raise a brow.

“Didn’t take you for someone who would apologize,” Leon responds, trying to lean away from her. She sits the box down onto a table behind Leon and opens it. The contents of it were shielded from both Leon and Chris, and it merely made Chris on edge even more. She also ignored the slight jab Leon made about her…rude.

“You better not lay a single finger on him, or I swear to god I’ll-” Chris was cut off by the woman sending him a harsh glare. She was holding an empty needle.

“You can calm yourself down, all I am doing right now is drawing his blood for testing,” the woman said, making her way around so Leon could see her. 

“I agree with Chris, I’d rather you not draw my blood, thank you,” Leon said, trying again to move away from her. It was in vain, as was what her needle was poking into the next second. Leon sucked in a breath as the slight pinch before it was taken back and his dark blood was reflecting his face. He could see the amount of blood on the side of it and huffed. Another jacket ruined…It’s like people don’t realize how much blood was a pain to get rid of. Maybe he should just start wearing red- no…fuck that.

“What are you going to do with it?” Chris asks, taking the leap to maybe get an answer.

“We are researching the effects of the herbs once found in Arklay mountain and to see if it can help in recovering lost or repressed memories. Of course no memory is exact in nature, but anything will work at this point,” Ms.Kennedy said, putting the syringe back into the case. She turns to face Chris. “It seems to have some effect. The questioning will begin soon, so enjoy the quiet while it lasts.” With that , the woman left them despite them both asking more questions.

It seems the only questions asked are her own.

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : With Claire 

Location : Near the BSAA location 

Time : 16:25 (4:25PM)

Claire finally allowed herself to take a breath. She was no longer being followed (She thinks and hopes) and just took a second to live normally before another bomb dropped on her already shit-show of a life. She was still sitting on her bike, wondering what her next move should be when another car enters the parking lot. Claire tenses up as her hand drifts over to her hand gun before the window of the vehicle rolls down and shows two people looking at her with obvious relief on their faces.

“Jill? Carlos?” Claire questions, putting her hand back in front of her. “What are you guys doing here?” she asks, getting off her bike and walking towards them.

“Rebecca caught us on the way down here and told us what's been going on. You doing okay?” Jill asks, getting out of the passenger side to meet the red head half way. They share a brief hug before parting.

“Yeah, seems like some real horror movie tropes going on right now,” Carlos chimes in from the driver's seat. “Robo cop here looked ready to find Leon and kick his ass herself,” Carlos adds with a chuckle. Claire pauses at the wording.

“What do you mean ‘find’?” Claire asks, fear crawling up her spine. Carlos winced and diverted his eyes to the window on his left.

Though Jill wasn’t the one for beating around the bush and said, “Both Leon and Chris got their dumbasses kidnapped. Piers and Sherry said they’re pretty close on finding out where but could use our help.” Claire sighs, having an extreme urge to slam her head against the wall. The only bright thing about this is seeing her daughter.

“This day just keeps getting better and better. I swear if they’re hurt-”

“We will all rain down hell fire, but right now, we need to find them first,” Jill finishes.

“Okay, I’ll follow you,” Claire said, turning around to get back on her bike.

“Hey, we saw some real piece of work on the tops of these buildings but then Jill decided to chase him away,” Carlos said, making Claire turn back around. He looked real proud of Jill and honestly Claire wishes they could hold the couple shit at the moment. Not because she annoyed but because her brother and her best friend are kidnapped for fucks shake.

“He cried like a bitch,” Jill said with a shrug.

“I…Let's just get going,” Claire said, a bit speechless.

𓊈∞𓊉

Sherry was now pacing between the two tables in front of them. With Jill, Carlos, and Claire on the way to help them things were looking a bit better. Piers looked absolutely exhausted over where he sat near the room's only entrance. Finding out what happened wasn’t so hard and with Rebecca on the side looking for ways to help her dad (for some reason) with his ‘problem’. She was honestly getting sick and tired of the others treating her like a kid (hell even Piers is her age!). If anyone should be exhausted here, it should’ve been Sherry.

“You’re gonna burn a hole in the carpet,” Sherry looks up at the new voice and see’s Claire.

“Mom,” Sherry mutters, rushing over to hug Claire.

“Hey kiddo,” Claire mutters back, holding Sherry tight. 

“Alright, let’s find these two,” Jill said, squeezing past the girls and sitting right next to Piers. She made the chair scrape across the floor, causing the soldier to jump out of his micro sleep. “Nivans.”

“Valentine,” Piers responds. They both sit in silence staring at each other before Jill chuckles.

“Didn’t get much sleep?” Jill asks, crossing her arms. 

“I get back from vacation and find out both the captain and the top agent of DSO were kidnapped. It’s more of a mental exhaustion at this point,” Piers sighs, leaning back into his chair. Jill nods like she can relate (which she does) and looks over at the mother and daughter catching up as fast as they could.

“Just wished it wasn’t like this,” Jill mutters, seeing Carlos walk around the group and make his way over to Jill.

“Think we will be enough?” Carlos asks, knowing full well what the answer was going to be.

“I’m just honestly surprised they haven’t gotten themselves out-” the sound of a phone ringing interrupts Jill and makes them all tense up. Sherry pulls out her phone with a raised brow and answers the call.

“Hello?” Sherry asks.

They all held their breath.

“Ah, no thank you,” Sherry then ends the call, putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Well?” Jill asks, spreading her arms, voicing the other’s thoughts in one word.

“Spam,” Sherry laughs awkwardly.

“That’s ironic,” Claire shakes her head.

“Well, as I was saying-” another phone rings in the room, making Piers nearly jump a mile in the air. He grabs his phone and answers it.

“Hello?” Piers answers, feeling all the eyes on him now. Though he almost wishes he didn’t answer it. He also wishes he was still on vacation. He was infected for fucks sake-

“CAPTAIN?!”

𓊈∞𓊉

Leon was tired of all of this and he wishes he was alone with Chris in a different way. He leans his head down and slowly moves his hands back and forth from behind his back. Figuring out what type of contraption was holding his hands together wasn’t too hard and he honestly was surprised it wasn’t pure metal due to his background. People are still underestimating him after all this time . He felt Chris’s eyes on him but thankfully wasn’t asked what he was doing, they both really didn’t know who or what was watching them. If at all. Leon brings his foot back slowly hoping he was masking it enough to pass off as an unconscious movement. He didn’t completely trust his own movements with his head injury the way it is (Which is also why he didn’t think about the needle in the first place).

Bending his foot up towards his cuffed hands and delicately maneuvered his fingers around a needle housed in his boot. He let his foot drop to extract the needle and quietly started to saw though the zip ties on his hands. He heard Chris huff softly in what he thinks is exasperation once the needle was halfway through the plastic. It finally snapped through once the two soldiers from the beginning walked in.

“You really think this is a good idea?” the first one asked, now suddenly having a moral thought. It must've been his first one. How cute .

“Oh, shut up. If you think I’m scared of a low-grade eccentric scientist then you got another thing coming,” the other responds with a sneer, making his way towards Chris’s location.

“What makes these two so special?” the first mutters.

“You two can just walk away right now and avoid getting hurt,” Chris tries to convince the others while he backs away.

“Yeah right,” the second one unholsters his weapon.

“Well, I couldn't say I didn’t warn you guys, “Chris huffs louder this time, seeing Leon rise out of the chair and nearly tip over in the process. The agent shakes out his limbs and quietly cracks his neck. Then he painfully rolls his eyes at Chris’s reaction before he swiftly grabs the knife from the first guy's side and wraps his arm around the second guy's neck. He kicks the back of his knee, making him drop, before plunging the knife in his chest from the front.

“OH MY GOD-” Leon punches the other guy in the face before he could scream any louder.

“Why are all the rookies like this…,” Leon said, wiping the underside of his nose.

“Hey…Your nose is bleeding,” Chris said, folding his hands around the bars to try and get closer. Leon looks at him with a small smile.

“Don’t worry so much or you’ll get more wrinkles,” Leon said, looking at the cage. “Get back,” Leon adds, moving himself back with a deep breath.

“Wha-” Chris moves back on pure reflex as he sees Leon’s eyes turn a sharp red. It was a good thing he did once Leon geared up and started to kick at the bars. It started to crack under his strength before it broke away into a hole big enough for Chris to get through. It was also pretty loud, unfortunately.

“There, now…Let’s go,” Leon said, putting his hand out for Chris to grab.

“Leon…What?” Chris asked but grabbed the hand anyways. Leon will unpack those feelings later.

“Don’t look a gifted horse in the mouth, Redfield. It's time to find out what the hell is going on,” Leon said, making his way to the front of the room. Chris was right behind him and good thing he was as Leon tilted back for a few seconds into his grip.

“Leon, are you sure you’re up for this?” Chris asks, wrapping his arm around Leon's shoulders in a tight hold. Leon groans softly.

“I really don’t have a choice here-” Leon takes a deep breath. “-She took my blood, and I don’t want to know what she wants to do with it,” Leon finishes, his eyes flashing a bright red again much to Chris’s dismay. 

“Will you promise me that you’ll explain everything after this?” Chris asks, stopping to look in the other’s now blue eyes. Leon looks him dead in the eye.

“I will.” 

With that answer they both make their way down a long hallway that was way too empty to their liking. It was also awfully too quiet, like the two men from before were the only line of defense. Well, Leon will take that as a plus because he doesn’t think he’ll be able to fight in his condition…raging Las Plagas aside. It was very similar to an adrenaline boost and now it was slowly fading into the background once again. It also hurt his back. At least nothing broke through his skin this time, or something did and he just hasn’t noticed yet.

“Think this random door at the end is our exit or another room?” Chris asks, feeling like he was in a movie than in real life.

“Most likely both,” Leon responds lightly, having himself lean against the wall on the right side of the door. Chris grabs the gun he took from the dead soldier and raises it slightly as he grabs for the door with his right hand. He looks over at Leon and gains a nod back in seconds.

“Hands up!” Chris yells, opening the door fast and raising his stolen gun. Only to find out-

“Well that's boring,” Leon states, peeking in from behind Chris. No one was there but it was a full fledged science lab with many papers and a very obvious metal ladder in the corner of the room going up. “Wait… Are we underground?” Leon asks, leaning against a desk to hold his head.

“Yeah… No wonder I couldn’t hear anything,” Chris responds, lowering his gun just a bit to send a worried look to Leon. “I’m going to ask one more time, are you sure you can do this?” Chris asks.

“Yeah, but don’t mind me if I pass out afterwards,” Leon laughs softly, feeling Chris’s arm going around his waist to hold him up. They walk over to the ladder, leaving the room to be thoroughly looked through afterwards by investigative agents. Chris doesn’t respond but Leon can feel the worried gaze bury into the side of his head.

Leon let’s Chris go first so they wouldn’t be surprised on the way up. A large cover slides conveniently quiet across a carpeted surface on the floor above. Chris raises both himself and the gun up at the same time but soon finds the same thing. Nothing. So, Chris drags himself out and waits just in case Leon needs help. Leon's hands make purchase on something familiar. He gets a look and sees a short cropped but clean carpeted flooring and pauses with a low hum.

“Leon?” Chris whispers in concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I… This carpet seems familiar to me,” Leon shakes his head (regrets it) and then reaches out for Chris’s hand. He was pulled out and into Chris’s arms fully. “Chris?”

“I’m so glad you’re okay… I saw you fall, and I just froze, I’m so sorry-” Chris stops as he feels Leon cusp his jaw in his hands. The agent leans in close to a light hover against Chris’s lips.

“You don’t need to apologize, Chris. I wish you didn’t have to see that, but I will be okay… We just need to finish this, “ Leon mutters across Chris’s lips. They share a slow and sweet kiss before parting. Chris leans his forehead on Leon’s to release a quiet deep breath. “You ready?” Leon asks, feeling Chris lightly put his hands through Leon’s bloodied hair.

“Yeah, let’s find what we can and get out of here,” Chris nods, pulling back with a small sad smile. Though, Leon can tell that Chris was in a slightly better head space than before…It’ll just be a while before the man can move past this. If they do at all. Nightmares are a bitch.

“That’s the spirit-” Leon pauses mid-sentence once he takes a good look around the room. 

“Leon?” Chris calls. 

“Okay… either this is a fever dream, or this is my old house,” Leon said, looking around to the different parts and to the stairs. He points to a large room off to the side of the steps near the door and says,” That’s where the kitchen used to be.” Then he realizes he's in the main living room. “What in the ‘ Black Mirror ’?” Leon mutters.

“What are you-” Chris pauses and grabs Leon’s shoulder softly. He points upstairs at Leon’s questionable glance and they both fit together to listen for more. Light footsteps were going on and traveling to the room across the house and in front of the stairs. Leon takes Chris’s hand with an unknown reflex.

“That’s coming from my old room…Chris…Is this real?” Leon asks, looking at his partner with an unreadable expression. Chris looks back with a similar look.

“I suppose we’re about to find out if it isn’t,” Chris responds in the only way he could think of. He didn’t know if these events were real either but they couldn’t just stand there, so they both moved as one up the stairs.

“Wait…Avoid that step,” Leon whispers, making Chris walk to the side of the step and go up to the next one in a different way. It works and Leon tested the unstable step and felt it give a little. Either someone knew way too much about him or this was his old house. Or he was finally dead for some reason but that seemed like a pipe dream at this point. Chris’s hand squeezed Leon’s to bring the agent back to the present as they found themselves in front of Leon’s old room. 

Chris raises the gun after one last look at Leon before he opens the door as quick as before with his gun now raised. “Put your hands up!” Chris yelled, finally seeing a single person sitting down on the floor in front of them. “Wait…You’re the scientist,” Chris said, not once lowering his weapon. Leon sucked in a breath and moved beside the BSAA agent to stand almost shoulder to shoulder.

The woman, Ms.Kennedy, was holding something in her hands. It was a paper of some sort, and it must have been the thing to make her act like the way she is. Leon makes the call to walk closer and take a peek over the woman's shoulder, despite Chris’s urgent looks to stay behind him. “Who are you? You’re related to me…aren't you?” Leon asks, making Chris pause.

The woman sniffs and wipes their eyes. With her back still facing them she speaks up in a wavering voice, “I’m so sorry…I thought you took him away from me.” Leon gets on his knees roughly. Chris makes his way over silently and puts a hand on Leon’s shoulder. He didn’t put his guard down, not when Leon was so vulnerable.

“Took who away?” Leon asks, feeling like everything was starting to make sense.

The woman turns to him, and her bright blue eyes finally show through Leon’s mental fog. “I thought they killed my son… The DSO… The government…But I ended up hurting him instead,” Ms.Kennedy said, a depressing smile grazing her lips. It felt like Leon has made that face too many times at himself in the mirror and to others all too much.

“My mom’s dead.” Leon’s still voice causes the woman to look down in anger.

“NO, that woman wasn’t your mother…My sister is dead-” the woman looks back up in broken determination.

“ -Your Aunt is dead .”

 Candle Queen (FEAT.Silver Chord Music) By:Ghost and Pals

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『I’m  Not The Same

And You Don’t Get To Decide.』

Timeline : The Forgotten Past

Location : ???

Time : ???

Laurane smiles softly at the little boy squirming inside his bassinet. 

“The Nightmare always starts the same.”

She picks up the child and snuggles close as her eyes close in pure joy. 

 “I have you in my arms and then you're gone.”

Something was wrong, she opened her eyes quickly. Laurane then gasps softly, feeling her hands joined together instead of her child and laid in front of her on a table. She looks around with wide eyes, trying to figure out where she was. Where her child was. The only constant thing in the room was an old clock hanging up on the wall near a wooden door. The table in front of her was empty but held another chair opposite to her own. Then she then dragged her eyes up to a long rectangular mirror. A familiar face looking back was bloody and dark bruises decorated her body left open from rips in her clothes.  “I… I don't-” the door opens before she could completely panic. A man with a badge attached to his belt walks in with a light-yellow folder in tow under his right arm. His face held a blank expression, but his eyes told another story. Anger. 

“I see you've finally decided to come around, Ms. Kennedy, “ the man said, walking to the empty chair. He pulls it back, not caring for the loud screech it made. Laurane leans back in response. 

“I… where's my son, what is going on-”

“I can see you're confused… Trauma can do that to you, “ the man said, though he looked a bit repulsed at himself. 

“Trauma? Sir, I don't understand. Where's my son, where's Leon-”

“Leon is in the care of your younger sister, Ms. Kennedy, “ the man said, emotionless as he sat down. Laurane blinks back the shock she felt. 

“My sister? Why is he… , “ she trails off , looking down at her arms. They had scratches on them and dried blood. “What… What happened? “ she asks fearfully. 

“Officers got a call around eight thirty this evening to your house following multiple calls of screaming and other disturbances, “ the man explained, opening the folder and having it face the woman. A picture was first up, and it nearly made her grow nauseous. It was Leon but he looked so hurt and nearly looked… 

“I… I don't understand-”

“Miss, Officers heard screaming after trying to contact you from the front door. They entered due to concern for a life. They found you and your son in a torn-up room and your son was badly wounded, “ the man explains. “No force of entry was found, no other person found, and your son's blood was found under your nails. “

“I… I would never do this- he's my son! “ Laurane nearly shouts in anger, outraged that this man would tell such lies. 

“Ma'am. Does your family or you yourself have a history of mental disorders? “ the man asks, looking a little uncomfortable. Laurane's breath caught. 

𓊈∞𓊉

“They said it was my fault that night and that according to my sister it wasn't anything new. That I was ‘insane’. That I would hurt people in a blank rage or see things that aren't there. That isn't true, it was all a lie. “

𓊈∞𓊉

Laurane felt the wind from the door once it was slammed in her face. Tears flowing down her face and she only furiously wipes them away. She wasn't able to see her own son, AGAIN. Laurane glares at the house in front of her before coming up with a solution. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline: Present

Location: Leon's old house. 

Time: ???

Leon looks at his mother in disbelief. “You… did you… , “ he couldn't even comprehend what he was trying to say himself. He knows Chris caught on due to the hand on his shoulder growing a tad bit tighter. Laurane looks at her son with a look of pity…Just pity, no remorse or guilt. 

“You don't understand, and you didn't then. You were just a little boy who needed his real mother. We're the same… you and I… by blood, “ Laurane said, putting her hand out to touch Leon's cheek. Leon just moved back, trying to bury the look of sadness the woman reveals. 

“We're not the same…You got them killed…You have to know that I almost died that night too, “ Leon said, moving to get up. Chris helps him, and almost moves the agent behind him as the mother tries and follows. 

“You wouldn't have, I made sure of it, “ Laurane said. Leon bites his tongue against the spread of words he undoubtedly wanted to respond with. He didn't say a damn word to her, and just turned his head to look at Chris. 

“Chris… Tie her up, we got enough to arrest her, “ Leon said, ignoring a choked off noise. Chris nods but helps Leon lean up against a wall before doing so. The agent looks so tired and worn out that the captain was surprised that he hasn't passed out yet. Knock on metaphorical wood there. 

Chris didn't exactly know what was going on, but it was clear that this woman was dealing with BOWs, kidnapping, and murder on different scales. The personal connection only made it worse, but Chris and Leon had a job to do first. Laurane closes her eyes and lets Chris tie her up with a zip tie she had surprisingly given him. It was like she knew it was over from the very start… maybe she did. 

“You're not crazy, “ Leon spoke suddenly, Chris felt Laurane relax a bit. “You just needed help; did you get any? “ He asks, looking in his moms' eyes. The woman looks back without resistance or fear. 

“Where did you think I was when I didn't come over? “ Laurane asks, softly. Leon harshly swallows before looking away. 

“It's better if you don't know, “ Leon said, going up to hold his head with a pinched look. Chris frowned in worry but kept his thoughts to himself as he finished the last zip tie. Laurane nods sadly, but she did turn her head and look at Chris. 

“For what it's worth, I'm sorry for what happened, “ Laurane said. Chris looks at her with a kind but firm gaze. 

“I understand why… but that doesn't make it right, “ Chris responds, glancing at Leon to make sure he was okay before propping Laurane up against the wall. She pulls her knees to her chest. 

“You and my boy seem close… From what I've seen, you really care for him, “ Laurane said softly, only gaining Chris's attention once more. 

“I've known Leon for years. He's a good agent and an even better man…There isn't much I wouldn't do for him,” Chris said, turning to walk to Leon. Laurane smiles to herself, seeing the obvious devotion and love. 

“Take care of him for me… will you? “ Laurane asks, a sad smile on her face. Chris looks at her and nods before walking to Leon. 

“I've got her secured, we just need to contact the rest, “ Chris said, seeing Leon blink a bit slowly. 

“Yeah… that's a good idea. Then I really need a nap, “ Leon responds truthfully with a small laugh. Chris pulls the other into a small hug, hearing Leon sigh as he rests his head against Chris's shoulder. 

“Will you be okay? “ Chris mutters. 

“I will be, the sooner this is over… The better, “ Leon responds in kind. Chris lets him go and turns to Laurane with a plan in mind. 

“Do you have a phone around here? “ 

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : A few minutes after the call

Location : In a car heading to the old house

Time : Late (around 19:00 or 7:00pm) 

Piers, Sherry, and Claire are silent as trees pass in a blurring motion. The call was comedic in timing and a little scary on how Jill guesses both Chris and Leon escaping on their own AND contacting them via a phone. At the same time, they really shouldn't be so surprised as both of the men aren't called the best of the best for a reason, though Sherry still feels that something is relatively off about the situation. It all seems too easy.  “Sherry? You, okay? “ Claire asks, putting a light hand on the other's shoulder. 

“Yeah- just feel like this is… , “ Sherry trails off. 

“Too easy? “ Piers adds in for her. Sherry nods. 

“Yeah… I mean- both Leon and Chris get kidnapped, and they escape and give us a call? “ Sherry states, forming it like a question but not expecting an answer. She keeps expecting answers but only gains more questions. It's so frustrating. 

“When it's Leon and my brother, anything could happen, “ Claire huffs, lightly patting Sherry's shoulder before pulling back. She then looks out the window, letting her mind wander for a few seconds. “I do see how odd this is though. “

Sherry closes her eyes for a few moments. “Can you tell me what's been happening now? “ she asks, looking in the rearview mirror to find Claire's eyes. She found them and immediately tenses up. Claire Redfield is many things but she never really let her fear show around Sherry, but the fear was there and out in the open. It looks so raw and new that Sherry couldn't help but think the worst. She also takes note of Piers gripping the steering wheel tighter. He was also listening in. 

“Leon… Leon has been and still is struggling mentally… We both know this but… it's a lot worse than we expected, “ Claire said, trying to find the right words to explain. 

“What do you mean? “ Sherry asks, shakily. 

“Sherry, there's no easy way to tell you this… He tried to kill himself… many times, “ Claire said, feeling the need to rip off the metaphoric band aid. Sherry's eyes widen as her breath catches and Claire can hear leather being squeezed (no doubt from Piers). “He's apparently infected with the G-Virus and the Las Plagas parasite, “ Claire continues, seeing Sherry shallow harshly. 

“The G-Virus? “ Sherry mutters, looking down to her own skin. She didn't like what her brain was concluding. 

“Yes… We, meaning Rebecca and other specialists, don't exactly know how but Leon is unable to die, “ Claire said, calmly. She reaches out to grab Sherry's hand and immediately gains a death grip. “When you got that call… we didn't know at the time and he just rose out of the body bag in the morgue- things just got so hectic that we barely had any time to breathe, “ Claire said, biting her lip to keep herself from tearing up. She won't ever forget the feeling of learning that her best friend has been suffering alone for so long that he took his life many times just to escape. 

Sherry feels tears go down her face. “When you said he tried to take his life… he did but he just came back… Right? “ Sherry asks, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. 

“Y-yeah…, “ Claire confirms, hating the truth. 

“This is all my fault, “ Sherry sobs, taking her hand back from Claire to cover her mouth. She knows how Leon sold his life for her and how he always said that he would do it again… but he also took his life repeatedly. It was her fault that he was stuck in the first place and that he felt so hopeless to-

“Sherry Birkin, look at me. “ Sherry gasps, turning to face a determined Claire.

“This is not your fault; do you hear me? “ Claire demands, taking both of Sherry's hands this time. 

“But I-”

“No, “ Claire interrupts. “Me and Leon both know that it would've been the same with or without you, hunny. He's a survivor from the second attempt at an apocalypse and they found him. They would've done the same thing with another entirely different threat. He knew what he was signing up for, “ Claire said. Sherry feels anger rising within her. 

“No! That shouldn't have been an option. He should've just left me, “ Sherry cried. Claire shakes her head with a sad smile. 

“Leon is many things, Sherry. But I know for a fact that he would do the same thing again and again, “ Claire responds forcefully. 

“Why? Why did he just do it for someone he barely knew? “ Sherry pleads. 

“Because he knows what it's like to be abandoned, “ Claire said simply, seeing Piers tense. (He looks a bit uncomfortable but is also trying to give them as much privacy as he could in a small car.) Sherry looks at her in shock before she shutters out a soft breath. 

“What do you mean? “ Sherry asks. 

“Before I left to find Chris… Leon and I just talked about different things when we couldn't sleep. I said some stuff about my parents and how I missed them. Then he told me that he lost his parents too and found himself in the system for a few months before he was adopted by the same cop who took his parents' case, “ Claire explains. Sherry keeps the thought about Leon's parents in the back of her head to ask later before Claire continues on. “We both wanted what's best for you, but it was different for Leon… He wanted to make sure you weren't alone like he felt he was. Sherry, I know you can ask him, and he will tell you, “ Claire said, a soft smile on her face. The conversation was far from over but they both seem done at the moment and in good time too as the house starts to show over the next hill. 

Sherry gives her own soft smile in return. She nods before looking at Piers. “Sorry about that, Piers, “ Sherry said, a little embarrassed. The soldier perks up and looks at them for a second. 

“No, no. No need to apologize-” Piers turns into a wooded driveway. The grass seems so tall that it would reach higher than the old house next to it, almost like a Giraffe could live here and flourish. “-I want to help Leon too… So, knowing about what happened is a good start. However, we're here. “ 

Sherry rubs her eyes one last time before her mouth forms into a firm line. Just as Piers turned off the engine and Claire grabbed her jacket; a low rumbling was felt through the ground and into the car. The three occupants of the car sat still. Their breaths quieted in record time as another wave of what felt like tectonic plates shifting in place. 

Then a sharp cry was heard, and all hell broke loose. 

𓊈∞𓊉

Leon wishes he would stop getting hit in the fucking head for once… it's a miracle that he wasn't suffering from permanent head trauma. He forces himself to feel the ground around him and distantly feels the soft but rough surface of a basement floor. It seems like he found himself just about two stories down from his last location and just when he goes to complain…he freezes.  Off the side was a strange clicking noise, like someone was bashing their teeth together. Leon slows his breathing to hear a shuffle of footsteps in a slow drag and then an earth-shattering groan. Leon looks to the side immediately and sees a zombie shuffle towards him. In a totally inexperienced fashion, he forces himself to scoot backwards and at the same time notifies the creature that he was there. 

The zombie screeches at him and the agent forces himself to back away faster. His hands grasp around him to search for anything that can be used as a weapon. Then his left hand lands on something much greater. The zombie gears up to launch at Leon but its head shoots backwards with a sickening crack. It falls and so does a metal casing next to him. The smoking gun in a shaking hand drops as Leon coughs out a manic laugh. “Fucking hell-” Leon coughs a bit more and frowns at the sight of blood on the gray stone. “Great.”  Everything really hurts but Leon wasn't one to lay down and suffer so he forces himself up on shaking feet. His stubbornness outweighs his pain once more as he starts on his journey to find either Chris or an exit. Chris is preferred actually . That gets him more determined to find his lover and the pain in his body dwindles fast but leaves him cold and numb…He elects on worrying about that later as he makes his way through a broken door. 

He doesn't quite remember the basement of his house as it was a place for his parents to do ‘business’ in, so in return he never really went in it either. That also means he doesn't know which direction is which (also his head Injury x1,000 wasn't helping that either). The agent makes himself check the gun and its ammo before continuing on because if there's one zombie then there's bound to be another few not far behind. Dying is one thing but being eaten alive and then dying is another thing entirely. He also doesn't want to see how his body would regrow limbs or if it could- 

The distant sound of a gun firing made Leon walk faster, the world around him limited but tolerable if he focuses on one direction at a time. He finds himself at the bottom of a semi-long staircase and groans. “Why stairs? “ he whines. 

“-PIERS?!“ A voice calls out in surprise. Leon quirks up quickly at the voice. 

“Chris… , “ Leon said, relieved. Then the sound of multiple footsteps echoes from behind him coupled with ragged moans and Leon could almost feel himself start to cry.  The only way out is forward, so Leon forces himself to take as many stairs as he could and nearly feels like giving up just as he thinks the door in front of him got father and father away. That's probably because he feels himself tipping back. ‘ Oh shit-’

“DAD! “ The door is now open, and a figure stands at the top with a gun in hand. Leon catches himself and ducks while he listens to multiple shots go off and the fall of a few bodies tumble down the staircase behind him. Then a pair of hands grabbing at him and pulling him into a strong hug. Leon melts into the person's arms before he hears them voicing their concerns. “Dad! Leon! Can you hear me?! “ Leon blinks up at the voice. 

“S-Sherry? “ Leon asks, not really believing what he's seeing. His beautiful little girl was holding onto him and crying so hard that she was hiccupping. All Leon could see was her as a little girl… So scared and so afraid that he reaches out and holds her back in a weak hold. “It's okay… I'll keep you safe, “ Leon mumbles, feeling Sherry shake worse.

“Dad? Please, try and stay awake… help is coming, “ Sherry sobs, her head burying itself in Leon's shoulder. 

“Hm… , “ Leon hums, softly patting her head. He feels like every cell in his body was vibrating but at least he wasn't in that agonizing pain like before. He's so happy that his little girl is here and that he could finally hold her in his arms once again… but he feels like he's missing something… Something important… 

Right ? 

𓊈∞𓊉 

Chris should've known that things wouldn't have been as easy as them just escaping. After the call with Piers and reassuring everyone that he and Leon were okay and that they both then needed a ride out of the place as soon as possible. Then just right as they all got ready to move the whole place shifts like a big earthquake hit right in the dead center of the houses’ core. The floor cracked and fell beneath them like a shitty horror game and both Leon and Chris (along with Leon's mom) were now separated in different parts of the house. Or what he theorizes is different parts, maybe.  Chris groans, getting up on his knees and looking around. He finds himself in the kitchen and rises to his feet just as a loud screech vibrates along the walls and right into Chris's ears. He curses under his breath, reaching out to grab a knife from the wooden holster on the countertop. Its tip and side are a bit dull but still useful if Chris needs to fight back. A small groan confirms its need, and Chris plunges the steak knife deep into a zombie's skull. Chris uses his leg to force the knife back out and then back in, effectively killing the zombie and letting its lifeless body hit the floor. 

“God damnit, “ Chris complains, reaching the main hallway and all but flinching and the front door of the house bangs open with a kicked foot. “PIERS?! “ Chris shouts, seeing his second in command geared up tooth and nail in guns. 

“Captain! Thank God you're alright, what's going on? I thought you said everything was taken care of? “ Piers asks, not blaming or shaming the man in front of him in any way. Chris barely misses Sherry brush beside them and start to search as Claire makes her presence known with her slapping her brother upside the head. 

“OW- Claire! “ Chris shouts before a large crash caused by an equally large, mutated hand lands at the bottom of the stairs. “Oh… shit-” Chris mutters before the BOW in front of them yells so loud that they all cover their ears in reflex. 

“CAPTAIN! “ Piers shouts, making Chris look and barely doge a swiping claw. Claire takes aim and fires at a few bulging eyes, while Piers takes aim with his sniper rifle and fires at a harder weak spot. The eyes hit leak puss and other unknown substances once the outer shell tears enough. 

“CLAIRE, FIND SHERRY AND LEON! “ Chris yells over the BOW, jumping over another attack. He finds himself a Lightning Hawk off of Piers' arsenal of weapons and takes a few shots of the monster they're facing. It screeches again before falling limp, neither of the two men stopping their attacks as it twitches with every bullet. It starts to get back up on his large arms with a low guttural growl. 

Claire makes her way past them and to the only other place available to them. The basement door is wide open and the sight of Leon holding Sherry in his arms (or the other way around) makes her breathe slightly easier. She rushes down to them both and notices Sherry crying harshly as Leon is limp. Claire curses and moves to find a pulse… it was there, weak, but there. That all she needs to know grabs Sherry's shoulder with a soft tug.  “We need to get him out of here, help me,” Claire said, getting straight to the point. Sherry looks down at Leon for a few seconds before looking back up with a sharp nod. Claire leans down to grab Leon on his left while Sherry grabs from the right side and both pull Leon up. The agents’ feet practically drag as the girls lead him up the remaining stairs to the surface all while loud bangs and screeches vibrate around them. Thankfully the three of them make it up to the first floor without issue and Piers meets them with a grim look but a bleeding smile.

“Good, let's go!” Piers said, making sure to cover them as Sherry and Claire move as fast as they can with Leon’s deadweight. “Captain! We're ready, come on!” Piers yells at Chris, causing the man to do a double take before following them. They all rush outside and that's when Claire and Sherry notice the familiar sounds of a helicopter above them. The side plating makes Claire's tense shoulders relax as Chris’s organization reflexes back like a saving grace. Both Claire and Sherry place Leon on a patch of grass right when a rail gun hangs out of the BSAA issue helicopter and releases multiple rounds on the BOW inside the house.

Chris leans down or more like falls down next to Leon with a groan. Claire goes to reach out but just crouches at her brother's wave of dismissal. Chris grabs Leon softly and has him rest the agent's head on his lap. He closes his eyes tightly. “Chris?” Claire asks.

“I’m okay, it’s just my knee…Dammit, it all went to hell in a handbasket,” Chris said with an exhausted chuckle. He lightly runs his fingers through Leon’s greasy hair with a sad smile. Leon reacts to the touch, making Claire and Sherry sigh in relief, as Chris takes in a big breath of air. Leon groans in discomfort softly, in return Chris rubs his cheek with his thumbs. Sherry sits next to Chris so she could put her shaking hand on Leon’s still hand carefully. Claire was now busy looking at the absolute carnage of a fight (Or what counts as a single fight) between heavy artillery and a mutated monster. Piers was currently keeping an eye on the fight to make sure things went as smoothly as possible.

After the next round of hundreds of bullets, a final crying screech echoes before the entire house collapses in front of them, making the group cover themselves from the aftershocks. Chris blinks away the dust from his eyelashes after a minute before his eyes widen from the sound of rushing footsteps coming from the wreckage.

“Leon!” Piers brings up his gun with a warning on his tongue as a woman runs towards them with a gun aiming down. Her shoulder bloody and her clothes dirty but her face worrying as she stops at the sight of a gun trained on her. 

“Piers!” Chirs suddenly said, making the one in question peek at from the corner of his eye. “She’s not a threat at the moment but keep an eye on her-” Chris pauses, looking down at Leon with a shadowed face.

“Sir?” Piers asks.

“-She's the reason for our kidnapping,” Chris finishes, however Piers looks at him like he knows the story isn’t as simple as that. Claire tenses up and moves to stand up though she huffs as Chris grabs her arm.

“You will explain everything once this is over, understood?” Claire said.

“Claire-”

“That was a rhetorical question, Christopher,” Claire snaps, taking her glare towards the woman now. Chris groans but nods. Piers walks up to the woman and grabs her weapon before nudging her to a separate patch of grass. She looks reluctant but the firm look of rage on Piers' face causes her to sit quietly.

“I can hear the ambulance,” Sherry said, breaking the residual silence after a few minutes. Claire gets up and looks at Chris. Sherry grips Leon’s hand tighter before getting up herself in careful movements.

“Need help?” She asks, her voice rough but softer than before. Chris nods with a sigh.

“I don’t think I can carry him with my leg the way it is,” Chris regretfully mutters, making Claire give him a strained smile in return. Chris hasn't stopped rubbing smooth circles on Leon’s cheek yet and tenses up at Claire’s next request. His sister notices and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay, me and Sherry can level him up to the ambulance. You and Piers deal with that woman,” Claire said, getting Sherry’s help to get Leon back in the position he was on the way out of the house before. Chris waits with a weighted breath as Leon hisses out of clenched teeth before stilling once again.  Chris watches them make their way down the long driveway before getting up with a pain filled breath and making his way over to Piers and Ms. Kennedy. The woman looks up at him with tears in her eyes.

“Will my son be, okay?” She asks, making Piers look at her with wide eyes. Chris’s second in command knows better than to flip his shit during this mission (sometimes at least) but his reaction wasn’t as hidden as Chris expects it to be.

“Son?” Piers asks, mildly hoping he heard the woman wrong. Chris sends a certain look his way before returning his gaze at the woman.

“He’s in good hands, he’ll be okay,” Chris reassures her and himself with a shaky response. She seems to trust him enough to nod. “But first, hands behind your back for me,” Chris said, Pier’s giving him a set of cuffs into his outstretched hand. Chris bends down to pull her hands together and combine them with the metal cuffs as comfortably as he can (for Leon if anyone asks). “Ms. Laurane Kennedy, you’re being arrested for the kidnapping of myself and Agent Leon S. Kennedy, unknown counts of murder, and conspiracy of the use and selling of Bio Organic Weapons. My name and status are Captain Christopher Redfield of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance or the BSAA for short and your rights still hold true in the court of law, do you know your rights?” Chris asks, letting Piers watch over as he guides her to stand. Her head hangs low before she responds…

“I do.”

 What Do You Want From Me? By:Bad Omens

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Chapter Text

『This is the way that it always will be.』

Timeline: Two Days after Chapter Six

Location: BSAA headquarters outside of New York

Time: 11:02(11:02Am)

Chris sighs softly as he sits down, feeling like it was the thousandth time he finds himself in a hospital…It’s just this time everything is okay. Leon is just healing and he himself only had a few bruises. It’s been a long time since he sat inside a hospital without the feeling of death on his shoulders…It’s like finally laying down after a long day of standing up and feeling the way your back untenses. It brings pain but then it’s nothing but the reality of relief. It’s just that even after all of this, Chris doesn’t think this over just yet (Although was it really ever over?). The feeling of his phone vibrating in his pocket solidifies that times ten. His teeth unconsciously grinding down on each other.

He sent some information over to the technical department of the BSAA and Ingrid Hunnigan collectively. He just really didn’t expect an answer so soon. He opens his phone, and he sees the way this disastrous plot continues with a slight manic chuckle that definitely raises a few heads in his direction. He just wishes for once that it didn’t have the dead clinging to it. The single name staring right back at him like a prolonged joke.

Wesker.

𓊈∞𓊉 

Timeline : A few days after Chapter Six

Location : BSAA headquarters outside of New York

Time : 13:06 (1:06pm)

“Well, Agent Kennedy, you will have some lingering effects of your concussion, but you’re officially released,” the doctor said, flipping the pages back on the clipboard. “Get lots of rest and I'll prescribe acetaminophen for the pain. Other than that, if your symptoms get worse, do come back. Nice seeing you, agent,” the doctor finishes with a polite nod. 

“Yeah, you too Doc,” Leon responds in kind, watching the doctor leave with a small sigh. It’s been a rough few days of healing and the coping of emotions that decided to slam into Leon’s life like a freight train. One, he has a mother. Well, a mother who used to be his aunt and then turns out to be a murder, kidnapper, and a BOW seller. Then the whole thing of everyone knowing he can’t die…Every now and again he wonders how everything just fell into place, well as much as a wrecking ball could. He really needs to pay Ashley that visit soon.

He folds his hands together, his feet idly kicking out as they hover over the floor. Something here isn’t just adding up at all and it’s been bugging him since he was last face to face with his mother. What did she do with his blood? What was she working with? Who was she working with?

“Leon?” Chris ? Leon looks up to see Chris standing there with a slightly worried expression. He looks tenser than usual, making Leon frown.

“Hey- Just thinking, sorry,” Leon said, getting off the examination table. Chris walks up and puts his hands on Leon’s hips. They both smile at each other softly for a minute before Chris smirks.

“Don’t think too hard, that concussion is still there,” Chris jokes, laughing at Leon’s pout. Leon playfully shoves him before they both walk out of the examination room. 

“How’s the investigation?” Leon asks, holding Chris’s hand. His boyfriend groans.

“The same, she won’t talk about anything but our kidnapping. It’s like she is protecting someone,” Chris mutters near the ending. Leon hums, both of them finally making their way out of the medical ward and into the second main floor. There’s something Chris isn’t telling him…

“Or she's scared,” Leon offers, stopping to look at Chris. The other raises a brow in response.

“Scared?” Chris asks, rubbing Leon’s knuckles softly.

“It’s not far-fetched that she is protecting someone in fear but I don’t think she is exactly keeping her connection safe per say, “ Leon nods with a shrug. He then looks down while biting his lip.

“What are you thinking?” Chris asks.

“You might not like this.”

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : A day after…

Location : BSAA headquarters outside of New York

Time : 14:12 (2:12pm)

“You’re right, I don’t like this.”  

Chris has his hands crossed while leaning against the wall. Leon tugs on his new brown leather jacket before looking back at Chris with a blank stare. Leon just got his hair dyed back to its usual darker blonde and took his dose of pain medication. He honestly feels like he could fight a tyrant…That’s not a challenge to the universe though. The agent thought that becoming something he's comfortable with beforehand can help him finally find peace once again and maybe closing the book on his mother will do the same. THAT and retirement.

“I know you don’t, but this is important to me-” Leon said, making his way over to Chris. “-I want to cross things off and maybe retire?” Leon questions near the end. Chris’s eyes widen before he starts to stutter out an answer.

“H-how long have you been thinking about this?” Chris asks, his hands starting to sweat a bit. 

“For a long time…Chris, retirement for me used to mean death,” Leon said softly, grabbing the other's hands. The brunette sucks in a breath. “But now I have a choice and I want to experience it without the fear of death…with you,” Leon finishes with a self-conscious smile. He was immediately surprised with Chris leaning down to kiss him deeply and softly. They both hover over each other’s lips for a few seconds trying to catch their breaths after their improved make-out session.

“I would love to spend that with you,” Chris whispers, feeling Leon smile once again against his lips. This whole conversation will undoubtedly need to be revisited at a different time, so Leon takes a chance.

“Well, you can start by telling me what's on your mind,” Leon said, drawing back a bit. Chris takes a breath, opening his mouth to start before closing it again. The blonde raises a brow, patiently waiting for Chris to find the right words.

“The search team found some information and it’s not looking good at all,” Chris explains, gratefully smiling at Leon’s reassuring grip. “There’s some strong evidence that Wesker was involved in something like this…That he might have something to do with your immortality.” Leon felt himself freeze up at the information before forcing himself to relax, letting his bruised ribs relax.

“Okay,” Leon concludes.

“Okay?” Chris questions, expecting a bigger reaction.

“Yup,” Leon nods.

“I don’t-”

“-Chris, listen-” Leon moves his hands to Chris’s cheeks to make sure he was paying attention to him. Blue meet’s brown like it always does. “Whatever we find or whatever happens it will be okay. You no longer need to fear him because all you’re seeing is a name, whatever that man was is nothing inside of a no longer active volcano thanks to you and Sheva,” Leon said. Chris looks at the other with wide eyes before he starts to laugh, tears entering his eyes in both hysterics and glee.

“I know…I know but I just fear that he’ll just show back up like always and I don’t think I could handle it,” Chris admits, letting Leon pull him into a hug. He sniffs a bit loudly, “I think this whole comfort thing is backwards…”.

“No, it’s not,” Leon chides softly. “It’s okay to fear him, hell, from your information on him alone is something born out of a nightmare. Just know that you have me, Claire, Jill, Piers, and so many more backing you up. If that bastard ever and I mean ever comes back from something like that-” Leon pulls back but enough for them to be nose to nose.

“-You won’t be alone in facing him.”

𓊈∞𓊉

Timeline : The ‘hated’ plan

Location : BSAA headquarters: Secure imprisonment

Time : 15:04 (3:04pm)

The basement of the BSAA holds crossway prisoners, meaning that while the BSAA is not fully allowed to work on US soil, the underlining exceptions still hold for the what-if questions. It’s not a permanent holding as it’s more of the traditional way a prisoner is held in a county jail before being transferred to a state facility. It also looks more recluse than any other standard prison as Leon makes his way past a few closed doors. It really took Leon a long time to finally convince his boyfriend to let him do this alone, and Chris made it very clear that he wasn’t saying that Leon wasn’t capable of protecting himself. The agent smiles softly to himself. Though the smile drops right as he gets to the room where his mother is held, the sudden urge to walk away and to never think of her again is so high that he almost does it.

However, it’s not just about him as the threat of many others could very well depend on the information he gathers from her. Leon looks to the standing BSAA agent against the wall with a huff. “She say anything?” He asks.

“Only that she would only talk to you,” the agent responds with a shrug. So, the situation hasn’t changed since then. Leon was well aware of his mother not talking to anyone about anything other than questions about his wellbeing and stating that she would only talk to him. Any closer to predictable and it would be an episode of CSI. 

“Figures,” Leon scoffs with his own sigh. He grabs the door handle and finally breaches inside the room. His mother was sitting in a clear closed off cell, looking at him once he entered. The sight of a wooden table right in front of the cell made him roll his eyes, the action not missed by his mother is her small smile said anything.

“Is changing your hair color a frequent thing?” the very first question his mother asks of him and it's about his hair. Leon bites back the need to snark as he sits down at the wooden table, leaning back into the equally wooden chair with crossed arms. His defensive posture makes the woman frown.

“Not exactly,” Leon responds.

“I guess you’re here for answers?” his mother asks.

“I am and I have a trade offer,” Leon said, getting straight to the point. His mother looks a bit taken off guard before she adjusts herself in kind.

“Oh? What is it?” She asks, tilting her head. It’s so oddly similar that Leon mentally curses at himself for doing the same thing.

“I get a question, and you get a question,” Leon said, putting his feet up on the table. “And sense you already asked me a question- I get to ask one,” Leon concludes. Laurane gives him an amused look before nodding, giving him the cue to ask his question.

“Why did you take my blood?” Laurane closes her eyes for a second before looking at him dead in the eyes.

“They wanted to know why you couldn’t die,” she said softly, like it was so obvious.

“Okay…Go ahead,” Leon said, making sure she would get the hint to move on.

“Why did you go into law enforcement?” Laurane asks, making Leon pause.

“We both know why.”

“We also both knew why I needed your blood, so humor me,” Laurane shrugs a little.

“I wanted to make sure what happened to me didn’t happen to another kid,” Leon snaps, before he could stop himself. The woman looks at him sadly, like she was expecting his answer. She also looks more clearly at him, differently than before…almost like- wait.

“It’s your turn, sweetheart,” Laurane chides. 

“Yeah, you can hold the nicknames…Who is ‘them’?” Leon asks, moving his feet to the ground. A sinking feeling in his gut. Something was steadily screaming that something was wrong. Something that he was missing .

Laurane smiles,” Why don’t you ask them yourself?” Leon walks up to her cell, a glare fixed on his face. No longer was the woman in front of him the same he talked to mere days ago. What the fuck is going on?!

“Who are you-”

“Are you always this gullible?” The woman asks, interrupting him.

“Answer my question,” Leon grits out, the woman laughs at him.

“I thought it was my turn, Leon? I asked you a question,” Laurane bites back with a smirk. “Gullible and susceptible are similar, aren't they?” she teases.

“This was your plan? Hell, I might say that it’s pretty good,” Leon said, leaning back against the wooden table. The flashing red lights behind him did nothing to break his focus.

“How delightful to hear that from one of DSO’S best…I still need an answer, Leon,” the woman said, tilting her head more to the right side.

“I tend to be but sometimes it’s enough to make others let down their guard,” Leon responds. She smiles gleefully.

“Well we both know that I'm not your mother,” the woman said.

“Where is she?” Leon demands a bit sharper, feeling like he already knows the answer.

“Did you forget our little game again? You’re the one who made the rules after all,” Laruane tuts, her smile faltering. Leon hears someone banging on the glass. “Tell me, did you tell Chris Redfield about your predicament with the DSO?” Leon forces himself to stay neutral, but he could tell by her knowing look that it did nothing. She already knew.

Leon was about to respond but the door to the room opens with Chris in full gear and a look of rage on his face. Leon feels the same dread as before leak back into his bones at the sound of the woman behind him crackling manically.

“Oh, you did…How fitting-” Chris raises his gun in her direction, making Leon’s eyes widen.

“Chris- What the fuck-”

“Claire and Sherry have been taken.” Leon looks back at the woman he thought was his mother, just to see a rotting corpse lunge at the class. He feels Chris get closer to him but all Leon can see is the body of an unknown woman clawing at the glass.

He really did underestimate how much worse his life can get.

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

Digital Silence By:Peter McPoland

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

━━━━━━༺∞༻ ━━━━━━

To Be Continued….

(Ending Word Count: 28,856)