Work Text:
The rain had shut the two soldiers to their own confines, the prison being that of a musty inn room. The bed had already appeared crumpled as they entered, and after a habitual checking of the entire premises, they both came to the conclusion that the establishment had little sense of decorum— It was unlikely that the room had been properly cleaned. A bed and breakfast of a small village such as this had more leeway than say, a hotel in New York City, but it did leave much to be desired. The only room left, one that hadn’t been occupied for a month due to wall damage. They said they’d make an exception for the DSO and BSAA. They forgot to mention that the AC wasn’t working, and it was a muggy summer night.
Leon instantly located the liquor cabinet with his eyes. That addition was certainly to his satisfaction; There was an assortment of beverages, from some beers in the fridge to bottles up above. The different colors were splayed out, reds, greens and blues reminiscent to church windows. The bottle had been his sanctuary for a couple years, up until Chris practically throttled him out of it.
Speaking of, Chris had taken his boots off and had thrown himself across the twin bed, weapons belt unlatched and laid along the headrest. While Leon skulked across the room, Chris was managing the group-chat from his phone, talking quietly to his team in a log describing the mens’ actions that day. It was an odd bunch from across the world, each member always traveling, them included. Chris’ sister, Claire Redfield, was the one who usually replied the quickest, giving updates of her own. The others were more sparse. The chat originally began as her, Chris, and Wesker, Leon was once informed, but that didn’t last.
As Leon glanced at Chris in the bathroom mirror, he huffed indignantly, rolling his eyes to himself. This particular mission was one the Leon preferred not to document, since it was going oh so well. He paused his internal ridiculing of the captain a couple times when Chris rolled up his black sleeves, laying on his stomach and fiddling with the phone in front of him, unconsciously tugging at the neckline of his muscle shirt.
Leon was hot as well, carelessly shrugging his jacket off and hanging it over the shower curtain, then splashing his face with running water and haphazardly shaving around his jaw, cursing as he left a few marks. Chris’ grunt of recognition in the background meant that he had heard Leon, but wasn’t saying anything; that just made Leon even pissier, but he tensed his lips and said nothing.
This work relationship was at a thin line. No, frankly, it was about to end if it kept up like this. Leon and Chris were not getting along in the battlefield, and Leon liked to think it was because of their different dispositions, but deep down he knew better.
“Cut it out,” Chris had snapped earlier after they landed together in haybrush, Leon having just taken the brunt of an attack from a large B.O.W. Chris had broken the fall and entangled himself, as he almost always did to Leon’s plans. “Stop being a hero!”
“What the hell’s that s’posed to mean?!” Leon barked while he loaded his shotgun, storming up the stairs as claws raked out a new pathway behind them. “Great time to have a heart to heart, captain.”
Before more words could be uttered, Chris pressed Leon to the right wall, holding them firm as the B.O.W. roared and took out the spot were Leon had just been. “Shut it, Lee,” Chris huffed back. “We’ll talk later.”
‘We’ll talk later’ was code for Chris was going to dig into Leon’s insides. …No, not like that. It was that Chris had a way of emotionally fucking up Leon, trying to worm his way in to what Leon was actually feeling, which was something that Leon had caged up a very, very, very long time ago after his first day of work.
But Leon had grown used to Chris’ badgering, at least in the sense that he was able to ignore it while he tore through his emotional barriers, it would break him down and he’d build it up again the next day. Didn’t take long to fix, to bandage the openings and cover it back up. There wasn’t much left of him that was whole anymore.
He took off his shirt, hands briefly roaming over the scars and up his arms, feeling for veins like Las Plagas once adorned him with. They weren’t there, of course. That virus had been gone for years, but the memories lingered like needles. It was good that Chris couldn’t quite see him at this angle, if he had happened to look— it was too vulnerable of a position.
Rain filtered into the mix of noises, creaking of the floorboards signifying with it that Chris had opened a window.
Leon finished up in the bathroom, wiping his face with a rag and balling up his shirt, tossing it into the corner. Leaving the bathroom, he completely ignored Chris and opens up the alcohol cabinet, rummaging through the drinks. There was bourbon, whiskey, red wine… Ah, fuck it. He snagged a vodka and pulled it back, inspecting the clear bottle before lifting his hand to the top—
A large, warm hand encapsulated his, another body shifting behind him and warming the entire surface of his back, sticky skin to skin contact, yet it was so soft. I didn’t notice Chris had taken his shirt off too… And he moved so quietly, almost like he already anticipated…
Chris’ gruff voice sent shivers down Leon’s neck, the hot air almost stifling.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Leon scoffed and squeezed the bottleneck, trying not to think about the way Chris’ hand scooped up Leon’s, moving it away from the screw cap and intertwining their fingers together instead. “Why, can’t stand me when I’m drunk? Or is the BSAA so broke they can’t afford a couple drinks?”
Chris’ thumb gently traced Leon’s knuckles, and Leon was beginning to break… Why was he being so gentle? “Can you just yell at me already?” Leon begged, slamming the bottle down and turning himself towards Chris, though that was a mistake. He gulped and steadied himself, his hands grazing Chris’ broad shoulders as Chris envelops him, tight-knit with his head tilted down, staring at Leon with dark, brown eyes and furrowed brows. “Fucking— Talk.”
“Not until you do.” Chris tilts his head, like he’s seen into Leon’s whole ploy. “You’ve been holding everything in again, like you were in the lodge when Rebecca and I found you. You’re set to implode, and drinks will only heighten it. You know it, and so do I.”
Leon’s scowl broke into a bitter sadness, looking away. Chris didn’t break the stare, but he didn’t push further, simply waiting for those broken blue eyes to return to his. Eventually they did. “Ask me questions, please. I can’t just give out my whole backstory.”
Chris snorted at the classic display of jokes to hide. “What’s going on in your pretty mind right now?”
Leon pursed his lips at that, trying not to blush while in the commander’s arms. “I’m wondering why you never leave. You always come back.”
Chris blinks. “Why would I leave?”
“Because. Because I’m reckless, and selfish. I don’t play by the rules, and I don’t have anything of value to give to… this.”
Chris softened, a question flickering in his eyes, though he doesn’t say it yet. Instead, he released Leon, which confuses him at first; that almost felt like answer enough, the separation creating a hole in Leon’s chest. Chris walked to the bed and sits, motioning for Leon to follow, so he does.
“You are indeed all of those things, Leon. And incredibly stubborn. But that is more reason that I stay.”
Leon stared at Chris, at all of him. “You don’t need to.”
“I know that.”
“I don’t need a captain to command me.”
“I know. I don’t mean to, but you do act like a brat sometimes.”
Leon laughed quietly, crossing his arms. “Fine, fair enough.”
“Why do you act so recklessly when I’m around, Leon? Do you think if you die, only then are you deserving of my companionship?”
Leon’s eyes widened, staring at the end table so he doesn’t get lost in Chris’ warmth. “N-no, of course not. I mean…” That was a lie. “Fine. Maybe. It just feels cathartic to keep you safe.”
“It doesn’t make me feel good, though, watching you put yourself in danger like that. It makes it worse. I think we’re dancing around a different subject.”
Leon smiled coolly, leaning back like he was comfortable when it was the complete opposite; He felt vulnerable. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Us.”
Lifting his hand to his bangs, Leon fidgeted and sighs deeply. “You know I’m just going to act like our little talk never happened once we leave this room, right? What’s the point in talking.”
“The point is,” Chris got off of the bed and leans in Leon’s space, bending down and getting on one knee. His hand takes Leon’s. “I care about you. Enough to want to know how you’re feeling, and what you need. I think we need to get closer in order to work past these issues we’re having.”
Leon caves, moving forward to hug Chris. And everything escalates from there.
Damn you, Chris.
He tightens his arms around Chris’ upper back and nestles his head into his shoulder, nose touching his clavicle. “…You’re right. Fuck, you’re right,” he whispered, the rain nearly drowning the confession out.
Chris adjusts to let Leon in, an arm scooping him up neatly and picking Leon up. Oh, that weightless sent butterflies into Leon’s gut. He gets into the bed and leans against the headrest, turning Leon so that his back was to Chris’ stomach, strong and supportive. This way, there was no more direct eye contact, or confrontation. This was now purely for solace.
Leon grew drowsy in Chris’ lap, which aided in opening up his mind. “I like you too, you know. A lot…” Chris’ hand sweeped up Leon’s stomach, curling his fingers around his curves like vines hugging its home. Leon moaned tenderly and admitted, “A lot, a lot... Oh, Chris… Mmnh…” His eyes closed, taking in the sensations.
“Why hide it all from me?” Chris murmured, raking his hands up and down, taking his time. Leon was putty in his hands. What did he ask? Oh, he was talking about Leon’s attraction to Chris.
“Mm… I’m not one for romance, ‘specially here…” He vaguely motioned to the outside world, one that was unaware of the intimacy occurring inside the inn. Their legs were spilled beyond the boundaries of the twin bed, overlapped, their leg hairs fuzzy together. “See, I don’t love like most do. Takes a long time, and it’s complicated. But I do love you. Didn’t think I should say. Didn’t think you’d… reciprocate.” Fuck, the way Chris was breathing, and his heartbeat picking up… It was so warm in here. “I don’t have much aspirations besides fighting bio-terrorism, and that hasn’t really gotten me any closer to happiness, has it? So why even think about how I feel?” Leon tilts his sweaty head backwards, his eyes gazing at Chris, lidded in pleasure. “I couldn’t resist the call forever, huh? Hah.”
Chris smiled, causing a smile to bubble up within Leon himself. It felt like he was drunk, but he hadn’t even touched a drop of the stuff. “Good, let it out,” Chris affirmed, nodding his head slowly. “I understand the stoicism, I truly do.”
“I know you do,” Leon agreed. “Lost people just like I have.”
They’re staring at each other, then their lips. Leon’s gaze dips back up as he asks, “You really don’t care that I’m different? I take my time.”
Chris’ mouth grazes Leon’s nose, kissing its peak before working to his eyebrows. “I love you all the same, Lee. Doesn’t matter to me.”
Leon smiles brightly, eyes crinkled as Chris gets a few more kisses on his cheeks. Leon reciprocates, a soft kiss on Chris’ lips. He tastes the sweet soda he had drank earlier, just a little something to energize himself.
Leon’s smile grew toothy as he joked, “Would you still love me if I dyed my hair brown again?”
Chris laughed, still keeping his lips close to Leon’s, though his eyes sparked dangerously. “Do that, and you may be asking for trouble. But you’re cute with any hair color. Just mouthier with the dark hair.”
“You like it.”
“I do, asshole. But test me again and you’re getting thrown into my bed.”
“I’m already in your bed.”
Chris bit the bottom 0f Leon’s lip, granting a surprised moan from Leon, to which he smirked.
“Alright, alright,” Leon muses, ruffling Chris’ buzzcut with his hand. It felt good, the sharp pricks adding fire to the burning feeling in his gut. “I know how you mean.” If he wants to pick a fight with Chris next time, it may mean more than getting told off. He may find himself in more… compromising situations.
Fine by him.