Chapter Text
The S.T.A.R.S. office was just how Chris remembered it. Neat and tidy, with the smell of freshly printed papers mixed in with the smell of mahogany wood from the many desks in the office.
Returning to the place honestly felt like coming home to Chris. The office had so many fond memories in it, memories he would forever hold dear. But the fondest memory came walking out of the office to his right, startling the man from his recollections and spoke a firm, "are you lost?"
Chris froze on the spot at that voice. That enchanting voice that made his heart leap. Chris couldn't turn his head. He couldn't look to his right. He simply couldn't. He just couldn't look... At... Him.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Alright? Chris was far from it as the man he loved, the man he killed, Albert Wesker, was standing right next to him, very much alive again.
"Sir?"
A pain blossomed in Chris' heart. It was all too much to take in, and it was tearing him apart. Conflicted thoughts and feelings raged within his mind over Wesker, a man who was beyond evil, but was someone Chris loved beyond anything.
'Maybe coming here was a mistake.' Thought Chris, swallowing hard as his blues focused straight ahead on a noticeboard.
"I think you might be in shock." Mused Wesker, "why don't you come into my office and we'll have a chat about whatever it is you've seen that's shaken you so much?"
Swallowing hard again, Chris ever so slowly turned his head to the left and felt his heart leap again as he gazed upon the blond who was standing with his hands on his hips, awaiting Chris' answer as he stared at him from behind his shades.
"C... Captain... Wesker." Chris croaked, "I... I came here to uhh..." His mouth was so dry, and there was a tight feeling in his chest. In his eyes, the tears returned, welling up at the bottom so Wesker appeared hazy in his vision, like he did in Chris' dreams.
"I think you best sit down and try to calm yourself first." Wesker suggested, noticing Chris' difficulty speaking, "my office is just behind me. Take a seat and I'll go and get you a glass of water." The captain was about to make his way over to one of the water coolers, but Chris' hand subconsciously reached over and suddenly grasped his wrist tightly, stopping him from going with a pleading whisper of, "don't go."
Wesker stared back at him, his mouth opening slightly in shock. Then, after a few seconds of staring, he frowned and leaned forward slightly, examining Chris' features. "I daresay you look familiar. Very familiar indeed. Have we met before?"
Deep down inside Chris wanted to say, 'yes. Of course we have.' But he replied with a quick, "no. This is my first time meeting you." But it seemed Wesker wasn't having it as he pulled away from the hand on his wrist and crossed his arms again, tilting his head to the side. A look he adopted when he knew someone was lying to him.
Chris felt the awkwardness of the situation rise. "Look, I'll be going now. I had originally come here to give you info on that hostage situation, but I forgot what I was going to say-"
A chuckle escaped the blond, cutting him off mid-sentence with a drawled, "you are a terrible liar."
'Of course he'd know I'm lying,' Mused Chris internally, feeling that accusing stare from the other. 'He was always good at working me out.'
"I'm not lying to you. I honestly forgot what I was going to say. Now if you don't mind, I'll be off-"
"Are you being blackmailed?" Wesker plainly stated.
"What?"
"You've got something you want to say to me. I can see it in your eyes. But for some reason, you're holding back. I have reason to believe now that you can't give me information on this case because if you do, someone will do something unspeakable to you."
Chris was momentarily taken aback by the statement that was only half true. He was holding back something he wanted to say, but not because of any blackmail or threat of being killed by some thug. Rather, he was holding his tongue to avoid messing up the timeline, which would have unfixable consequences.
"If you're being threatened, I can help-" began the blond, but he was interrupted by a hurried, "no, Captain. I'm not being threatened." From Chris, who all but wanted to leg it now.
"Then tell me the information you have. I know you haven't forgotten it."
"Alright." Chris sighed, readying a lie that he knew would brush Wesker off, "I think I know where the hostages are being held... there's an abandoned meat factory not far from the Raccoon City power plant-"
A groan escaped Wesker, and he pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "How many people are going to turn up here with that damn statement? It's false. I've checked that factory three times with Alpha team. There's nobody in that place." Lowering his hand, Wesker asked an annoyed, "do you have anymore information?"
"No. That's all I've got." He shrugged. Then, he turned on the spot, grabbed the door handle and said, "sorry for wasting your time, Captain. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Despite the pain in his chest silently pleading for him to stay with Wesker, sense once more regained control, and he pulled the door open.
"Wait."
Those soft words sent a shockwave through Chris and his head whipped around to his right as he stared at Wesker, who had a small smile on his face.
"What's wrong, Captain?"
The small smile became a bigger one. "You remind me of someone. Someone I know."
Chris felt a sudden fear grip him. 'I hope he hasn't worked out who I am.'
"Who do I remind you of? I've been told I look like a number of celebrities and the like." Chris joked with a grin.
The joke made Wesker laugh slightly, and he shook his head, "fear not, I'm not about to compare you to yet another celeb."
"Good. I'm getting tired of people saying I look like the lead actor in that film, 'Hazard: Not a Villain.'"
Wesker laughed again, "whilst there is a similarity, I had someone else in mind." His expression softened as he said fondly, "you remind me of one of my men... Chris Redfield."
The love in the blonds voice when he spoke Chris' name like a sacred mantra was undeniable. Chris bet if he could see his eyes, then they'd be as soft as his voice. It touched Chris deeply, reminding him that despite everything that happened between them leading up to Africa, Wesker had genuinely loved him.
"You look so much like him." Continued Wesker, "your features are so alike his. The only difference being that your hair is light brown whilst his is black and also you're taller than him. He's 5"11 and I'm guessing you're roughly about 6"1?"
Chris whistled, impressed that the blond got his exact height spot on just from looking at him. "Correct."
"Are you related to him? I have a feeling you are."
All time seemed to stop as Chris decided to make another decision, a stupid decision. Despite all reason, the longing in his heart won over sense yet again as he replied with a casual, "correct again. I'm his... big brother, Owen Redfield. You know, Chris talks about you a lot-"
"Owen Redfield?" Interrupted Wesker, "Chris hasn't mentioned you before? The only sibling he's talked about is Claire."
Chris rolled his eyes, tutting as he said. "That's probably because of the fact that he doesn't like me very much. We've got a bit of a rivalry going on, you know, typical sibling stuff."
"I see."
There was a silence between the pair as Wesker began staring again, then he said a cheerful. "Come, take a walk with me and let's chat. I'd like to hear what Chris says about me."
'I shouldn't... I really shouldn't... But I've come this far now. I best make use of this lie in order to talk to him.'
"Alright. I'll walk with you. Just promise me you won't tell Chris about our chat. He'll get jealous if he finds out I've been talking to you."
A laugh escaped Wesker, and he beckoned Chris to follow him as he headed to the door. "I promise I won't say a word."