Work Text:
Luis thought back on his life, the memories playing in his mind like a revolving lamp; his childhood home and roads he knew by heart, his grandpa teaching him how to hold a gun and hunt, the late nights spent in the lab with his colleagues. But the memory that kept surfacing without fail was the one made just moments ago. Leon's fingertips brushing the stray hairs behind his ear before they could get near his cigarette. Luis' eyes lowering reflexively at the touch. Although he had attempted to act naturally, he still couldn't hide from himself the way his eyelashes had trembled from the feeling of skin trailing against the corner of his eyebrow to his ear. How goosebumps formed quickly on his body at the electricity numbing his chest full of a tender cotton. However, by the time he had gotten a hold of himself and looked back up, Leon had already leaned back to his original position and looked off in the distance in a nonchalant manner as if it had just been a casual gesture without thought.
Smoke blew from his lips again as he watched his side profile from the corner of his eye. His tired eyes were focused on something far away that only Leon could see. Something from past perhaps? Or maybe his current mission? He wanted to know but said nothing out of reluctance to break this serene silence between them. He continued to study and trace his features from afar; they were right next to each other but the distance was still too far to cross with what little time they had.
"Hey, Luis"
It was Leon who broke the silence first.
"Hm?"
"...if..."
He went quiet and mulled over his words.
"...If we had another chance, would you... do it differently?"
As he spoke he didn't turn away from the sight in front of him or the swirling thoughts in his mind that furrowed his brows.
Luis also turned to look out at the wreckage while fidgeting with his lighter. 'We', he contemplated that word.
Laughing a bit before replying light-heartedly, "that's a broad question you ask, my friend."
Leon finally turned to look at him.
"Yes. If we had another chance I would certainly do everything different."
A ghost of a smile graced his stern face, "me too."
Luis looked back at Leon, taking in the dirt and blood on his face. In that moment he had the urge to reach out, to cross that distance, to build a bridge that would last centuries and the harshest of storms.
But it's impossible.
This is a fact that can't be changed, he knows. So he settles for admiring that scenic oasis on the other side that he can never see near. Until his vision is blurry and the sounds around him are drowned out by the longing in the slow coursing of his veins, lapping at him in a rhythmic way that threatens to pull him under it's soothing waves.
"...uis...!"
It would be wonderful, the feeling of drowning in that blue oasis.
"...s...!"
He would never leave of it were up to him. He would stay for a lifetime and after a lifetime if he could, he would come back in the next to stay again. Over and over.
No regrets.