Chapter Text
Leon sat on the exam table, the cool metal making him shiver. The crinkle of the thin paper underneath him, mingling with the rushing of blood in his ears made his stomach churn.
Taking a deep breath he tried to ground himself, reminding himself that he was just here for a routine wellness check. The sterile white room and fluorescents humming above made his skin crawl.
He was relieved when the metal door slid open so he could focus on something else, expecting to see someone dressed in a coat the same shade of white as the walls.
Not Chris Redfield, dressed in all black.
Leon was suddenly all too aware he was only wearing a flimsy hospital gown. Under different circumstances, he might have considered getting creative with this scenario. Unfortunately, currently, his insides felt like they wanted to be outside so all he could do was hiss at the older man.
“The hell are you doing here?”
“You’re in medical, it’d look bad if I didn’t at least come check on you.” Chris answered, and Leon raised a brow not believing him for a second. There was something more to this impromptu visit.
“Right, so you came to check on me for a routine physical…that I told you about yesterday?” Leon pressed further.
Chris tried to keep his expression neutral but Leon knew he’d caught the other man in a lie, but before he could question further the door slid open again.
A doctor came into the room looking frazzled, brushing her dark curls away from her face and tucking them behind her ears.
“I know I’m running late…”She grumbled, clearly familiar with Leon, her name tag reading Dr. Brooke as she looked up from her clipboard in time to avoid running into Chris’ chest.
“It’s fine I was leaving anyway.” Chris nodded to her, giving the doctor some space before he ducked out of the room.
“You literally just got here!” Leon shouted after him, as the door slid shut behind Chris.
“Okay…that was weird.” Dr.Brooke said, as she and Leon stared at the closed door, “Chris Redfield, I’m guessing?”
“The one and only.” Leon huffed, throwing his hands up exasperated.
“Well, he can go be weird somewhere else…ready to get this over with?” Jackie asked, watching as Leon visibly paled. His chest tightened as it suddenly became difficult to breathe.
“Hey, I’ve got you just breathe, okay? In and out?” She said, taking Leon’s hand, squeezing it, and gently coaxing him into steading his breathing.
It took a few minutes of feeling like he was sucking air through a straw but soon enough the vice on his chest loosened, leaving him light-headed from the experience.”
“I know this is still a lot for you so we’ll go slow.” Dr.Brooke told him, and Leon still looked uneasy but nodded that he was ready.
Dr. Brooke went slow poking and prodding at Leon, making sure to explain everything that she was doing. It made him feel less like a person, than a tool for the government.
It took longer this way and Leon felt bad for wasting her time.
“Your injuries are healing nicely, and your blood works clean.” Dr. Brooke commented, removing her stethoscope from around her neck.
“No parasites?” Leon asked.
“Nope, there is nothing left of the Las Plagas ever being in your body in the first place.” Dr.Brooke told Leon, watching the tension bleed from his body. She took the drum of her stethoscope, rubbing it on her lab coat before placing it against his back listening.
“Hmm…” Dr. Brooke hummed, moving it around and listening to both sides of his chest, her brow furrowed.
“Hm?” Leon parroted, tensing slightly.
“It’s nothing your lungs just sound a little congested, nothing serious.” Dr. Brooke reassured not wanting to send Leon spiraling again, “Have you had any tightness or shortness of breath?”
“No more than usual…”Leon sighed, rubbing his chest with a wince, still feeling the lingering effects of his early attack.
Dr. Brooke glanced up from where she was writing on her clipboard. “You’ve been biting your nails again…is this just general anxiety or…?”
“I’m fine…” Leon answered, curling his fingers into a fist, the crawling feeling creeping back into his skin.
“I’ll leave you to get dressed.” Jackie said, leaving the room to give him a bit of privacy.
~
Leon walked back out, smoothing the wrinkle in his shirt with his hands, crossing the room to where Jackie was working.
“What’re you up to?” He asked, purposely sitting on her desk, leaning over so his head was blocking the computer screen.
“Something boring… and redundant.”Leon replied, plucking a file off her desk and flipping through it.
“Wow big word Leon,” She teased, plucking the file from his hand, looking at him over the rim of her glasses, “Why are you still here, Leon?”
“Small talk?” Leon shrugged, with a sheepish grin.
“You are sorely in need of practice if your idea of small talk is bad flirting.” Jackie snorted, her lips quirking up into a poorly contained smile.
“Flirting!” Leon gasped, clutching his chest as if struck, “I’d never Dr. Brooke, I am a perfect gentleman.”
“You’re certainly something Leon…”She chuckled, wrinkling her nose, “Cut the formality and get to the point Leon we’re not in the exam room.”
“My, such an honor to have permission to use your first name, Jacklyn.” Leon said, with a shit-eating grin spread across his face.
“I am honored to have the permission to use your first name, Jacklyn.” Leon bowed, a shit-eating grin spread across his face.
“Five and a half years, and I’m still tolerating your stale ass sense of humor, tell me why?” Jackie asked, rubbing her face with her hands.
“I’m the closest thing you have to a best friend and we’re stuck at the same shitty job sooo….”Leon answered picking up one of her pens and twirling it between her fingers.
“I thought Claire was your best friend, why aren't you bothering her?” Jackie groaned, burying her face into her hands exhausted.
“A man can have more than one best friend, and Claire’s no fun to bother she just bullies me right back.” Leon frowned.
“Gee, I wonder why…”Jackie laughed with an eye roll, spinning around her chair to face Leon, “You’re stalling though, why are you really still here?”
“Can’t I just want to spend time with my dear friend?” Leon deflected.
“Not this time, you’re deflecting which means something’s bothering so like I said, either spill the beans or leave.” Jackie answered.
“What do you think Chris wanted?” Leon blurted, the words tumbling from his mouth faster than he would have liked.
“I don’t know…couldn’t have been too important if he left so quickly.” Jackie shrugged turning back to her computer.
“I’m being serious Jackie, it felt important.” Leon told her steeling his gaze.
“So am I, it probably was nothing.” Jackie huffed, but on glance at Leon told her that he wasn’t going to give this up, “Fine I guess he seemed kind of skittish when I walked in, maybe it has something to with me.”
“Chris doesn’t even know you that well, I’m not sure he even recognized you…” Leon said, “Maybe he sensed your weird animosity towards him.”
“I don’t have any animosity towards him…”Jackie defended, earing a look from Leon, “alright, so maybe I do. I don’t hate him he’s just never been particularly and I don’t see a point in playing nice.”
“That’s no way to make friends, Doctor.” Leon tutted teasingly.
“Alright smart guy, how do you know it’s not you that’s got him all nervous.” Jackie fired, back as Leon laughed.
“Yeah, I’m sure all six feet of Chris are quaking in his boots at the sight of me…we are talking about the same person, right?” Leon shook his head in disbelief.
They were quiet for a bit, the clicking of Jackie clacking away on her keyboard and the quiet hustle and bustle of the medical ward being the only sounds.
“So I’ve been meaning to ask…are you adjusting to all of this…alright?” Leon asked, being the first to break the tension.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been under scrutiny from a government organization.” Jackie shrugged, “I mean you’re the one that came back from Spain, like what three weeks ago…how’re you doing with…all of this?”
“It’s… a lot, but I guess it’s to be expected with everything that’s happened…” Leon scrubbed his face with his hands tired, “Makes me miss the days when our team was just five people in a dirty bunker just trying to get by.”
“Those were the days…” Jackie lamented, cursing under her breath, “Now if only I could get someone to answer my emails, life would be perfect.”
“Still nothing?” Leon winced, glancing over her shoulder at the computer screen.
“Not a single reply from the BSSA, not even to let me know they’ve seen them.” Jackie groused snapping her laptop shut.
“…Maybe that’s why Chris left in such a hurry, probably knew you were pissed.” Leon snorted.
“All I asked about was seeing if they could lend some funding so that we could get more general physicians for our medical ward, I’m drowning in sick and injured agents and all I’ve got are burnt-out medical researchers to work with.”
“I’ll let Chris know if I see him…”Leon’s voice wavered a bit breathy towards the end. Jackie looked up just in time to see his chest swell as he bent nearly in half with a suppressed sneeze.
“You shouldn’t hold them in like that, it’s bad for your health.” She told him.
“Bzzt, wrong answer,” Leon buzzed, “I’m sorry the correct answer was bless you, but gesundheit would have also been an acceptable answer.”
“Speaking of health, you’re not catching that nasty bug that’s going around are you?” Jackie asked ignoring Leon’s initial statement entirely.
“I’m healthy as a horse.” Leon shrugged, giving his nose a firm rub.
“Horses only live thirty years.” Jackie smart-mouthed, earning a dramatic eye roll from Leon as he waved off her concern.
“I told you I’m fine, off to pester golden boy in fact, so wish me luck!” He turned to leave waving on his way out.
“Godspeed.” Jackie said.