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A single light tap was given to the polished oak bedroom door as a rather impatient Chris Redfield called out, "Wesker? Are you ready? We've got to get going soon." This had been the second time Chris had checked up on his partner, whom was still in their bedroom, sprucing himself up like he was going out to attend a formal dinner party rather than an infiltration mission.
From behind the door a muffled reply came in an instant. "Just a moment. I'm nearly ready."
With a huff, Chris leaned against a wall adjacent to the bedroom door, folded his arms and began to wait. 'Of course you're nearly ready,' he sarcastically thought in amusement, shaking his head once as the corner of his mouth briefly rose in a small smile. He knew Wesker wouldn't be leaving that bedroom anytime soon. It'd probably take a few more minutes, maybe an hour, two hours-
The bedroom door was pulled open suddenly, startling the blue eyed man from his thoughts. Pulling the door shut behind him, Wesker gestured to the stairs towards the right side of the hallway. "Let's get going, shall we?"
However, Chris couldn't move. He'd been utterly and completely frozen on the spot by his partner, or rather, what his partner was wearing. The outfit Wesker wore consisted of a black formal shirt (that was rolled up to his elbows) paired with a black tactical vest over the top of the shirt, black skintight trousers, black gloves with dark grey pads on the backs of his hands and fingers and black lace up boots with three large straps on the sides.
Now this was a familiar look.
Memories, both good and bad, came flooding back. With one hand, Chris reached out and ran his hand along Wesker's shoulder, feeling the soft fabric mixed with his warmth, before taking a few slow steps around him, fully taking in the details of the nostalgia inducing look. Wesker simply let his lover admire him, basking in his look of awe.
Another smile grew on Chris' lips, but this time the smile was not out of humour.
"I haven't seen that look in twenty three years..." Murmured Chris, coming to a stop in front of the blond to gaze at him softly.
Smiling back at him lightly, Wesker pried, "does it still suit me?" He obviously knew it did. He just wanted to be praised.
"Yeah." Came his partner's response, almost sounding like a whisper. "It does, Al." Once more, his blue eyes looked over the other fondly, then his eyes locked onto those two vibrant orange eyes that reminded Chris of burning suns. "I had no idea you still had this outfit."
"Neither did I." Stated Wesker plainly, looking over himself, "I found this outfit amongst some old clothes of mine from the nineties last night actually when I decided to finally go through those boxes of old things in our storage room that you insisted you were going to deal with."
Raising a brow, Chris looked at him quizzically, "why did you decide to sort it out last night, Al? Couldn't you sleep?"
A smirk flashed on Wesker's face, his eyes glowing a little brighter as he drawled out teasingly, "No. Because you were unbearably warm last night and you were clinging to me much too tightly. Your snoring wasn't helping the situation either."
Disapprovingly huffing, Chris grumbled, "I don't snore."
The smirk on the others face turned into a sharp grin as bright as his eyes. "You do. You've always been a loud snorer." He chuckled, reveling in Chris's look of embarrassment. "Now then Chris, are we going on this mission? Or not?"
Relieved for the subject change, Chris beckoned Wesker to follow him as he headed off to the stairs, "come on." Glancing over at his shoulder at his partner, Chris felt a warm feeling flare up within his heart again, mixed with nostalgia.
That's when a certain special memory, the most precious memory of his time on Rockfort Island, came back to Chris.
"Al?"
"Hmm?"
Feeling the fire within his chest burning hotter, Chris almost couldn't speak. Mustering up the strength to speak, he looked Wesker straight in the eyes and said, "seeing you in that outfit again reminded me of something. Something you owe me."
Crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side, Wesker let out a light. "Oh?" In his mind, he began to run through possibilities of what it was he owed Chris. But nothing came to mind. There wasn't anything he owed.
Chris' voice was low and his eyes glazed over as he reminded his lover, "don't you remember? Back on Rockfort? When we had a private chat in Alfred's room?"
For a moment, Wesker didn't understand what he was getting at and his curiosity grew. He opened his mouth, about to voice his confusion, but then?
Then it hit him.
It hit him hard.
"Oh." He smiled softly as it all came flooding back to him. "That."
"Yes." Chris beamed at the recognition in his inhuman eyes. "That."
Wesker had all but forgotten about that one promise he made so long ago. But now, he remembered everything in great detail. "When we get back, I'll finally fulfil my promise to you."
"You better. I've waited twenty three years." Retorted Chris teasingly. Then the mirth left his eyes, replaced by his usual stern look as the current mission at hand came back, pushing aside his nostalgia and feeling of warmth. "We should really get moving now."
"Agreed." Wesker said with a nod as he, too, turned his thoughts back to the situation at hand.
As the pair descended the stairs, Chris's mind, against his better judgement, wandered off for a moment to the memory he'd mentioned. A memory of when they were young and reluctant to admit that they were in love.
~~~~*
With the utmost care, Chris slipped the golden music box plate into Alfred's music box with a soft clink. Ever so slowly, the plate began to turn, emitting a sweet melody that reverberated around the room. The young man was momentarily hypnotized by the spinning plate, watching it turn as the tune continued to play on, as a memory from his childhood came to mind. He remembered buying Claire a little music box with a dainty ballerina inside who'd slowly spin to a music box rendition of swan lake. Claire loved the music box so much-
BANG!
Violently brought out of his recollection with a jump, Chris turned on the spot to see that the canopy of Alfred's bed had been lowered and a ladder had been dropped down. The ladder certainly hadn't been there a moment ago. Maybe the music box plate had brought it down? As ridiculous as it sounded, it had to be true. After all, nothing on the godforsaken island made sense.
Chris glanced over his shoulder, giving one last look at the spinning plate as he once again listened to the song that, under different circumstances, would've helped him relax.
"It's a haunting melody, don't you think, Chris? The Ashford's lullaby."
For a second time, Chris was startled. Whipping his head around to his right, he was met with the sight of Albert Wesker. Again. This was their third encounter on Rockfort Island now. The last he saw of Wesker was when he left him to fight Alexia alone.
In the blink of an eye, Chris raised his enhanced handgun and aimed it at the former captain's head. "I've had just about enough of you!"
Rushing forward at inhuman speeds, leaving afterimages in his wake, Wesker grabbed Chris's raised hand, tightly gripping his wrist which made him drop his gun. In retaliation to this, Chris raised his other hand to try to punch his enemy square in his smug face but Wesker grasped his other hand as soon as he raised it. "Did you really think I'd let you hit me?"
The blond chuckled tauntingly, not releasing Chris from his vice like grip. The younger struggled, trying to yank himself away, trying to kick out at his former captain, but nothing worked. Chris only made Wesker's chuckle turn into a hearty laugh. "You can't hurt me." His laughter ceased and his smirk returned for a few seconds. It was soon replaced, however, by a scowl. "Now tell me, where is Alexia?"
"I killed her. You'll find her body on the floor of the hall you ran out of when she proved to be too much of a challenge for you." Spat Chris, getting right up in the others face with a glare.
Wesker didn't know whether to laugh or punch the man at that remark. In the end, he decided to ignore it, as he'd never get his answer if he and Chris started hurling insults at one another like schoolboys. "There's nobody in that hall. I checked a few minutes ago, as I had hoped you had dealt with her." Applying pressure to Chris's wrists, Wesker snarled, "now, tell me where she is."
Wincing at the pain in his wrists, Chris hissed a low, "I don't know where Alexia is! That hall was the last place I saw her! She was laying on the floor!"
The answer displeased Wesker, and with as much anger as Chris, he hissed back, "You're lying. You know where she really is."
Inhuman eyes bore into Chris, staring at him hard as Wesker began to look for the little giveaway ticks that Chris showed whenever he lied. Ticks such as his right eye twitching or how he'd slightly nibble at his lower lip. Chris wasn't displaying any of those signs. Nevertheless, Wesker continued to stare, wondering if Chris had overcome those ticks? Or if he was doing his best to hold back but would eventually give in?
"Why are you staring at me like that, you freak!?"
Chris's voice snapped Wesker out of his staring and he couldn't stop himself from commenting in a rush of adrenaline, "because I can and I want too." The blond reveled in how stunned Chris looked at the response that had completely caught him off guard.
"Besides, you were staring at me just a few moments ago, back in that hall with Alexia. So I think it's fair that I get to stare at you."
A growl came from Chris as he protested, "I wasn't staring at you!" He tried to tug away from the blond again, but Wesker held him firmly with his inhuman strength. "Oh, but you were, Chris." He smiled at him, a mixture of smugness and amusement plastered on his face. "I sensed that you were nearby, watching me from a distance."
Chris huffed at that, momentarily stopping his struggle to quip, "then why didn't you come after me?"
"I wasn't going to miss my chance of getting a hold of the T-Veronica virus." He laughed quietly, shaking his head, "also, I wanted to give you a demonstration of my power against that of Alexia's."
The younger snickered. "So much for that. You ran off like the coward you are and left it up to me to deal with her."
Unfazed by his mocking words, Wesker plainly stated, "you were impressed with what you saw from me though, weren't you?" His eyes bore into Chris's as he continued, "when I ran up that wall, I heard you quietly gasp to yourself... and I could sense that your heart rate had sped up and that your eyes had dilated... Also, your jaw had dropped, and you nearly fell flat on your stupid face from your crouched position since you were that enthralled by my display."
Chris's mouth went dry, and he took a painful gulp, his blood going cold at those words, "how did you-"
Roughly pressing a finger to his lips, Wesker purred, "Oh Chris, when will you learn that I'm not human anymore? With my power, I can see things, feel things and hear things that no other man can."
Furrowing his brows at Wesker in annoyance, Chris jerked his head back from the finger at his lips and raised his now free hand and threw a punch which Wesker easily caught with a sigh, "and did I mention that my reaction times are a hundred times beyond that of a normal human?" He chuckled lightly.
Suddenly, Chris threw his head forward in an attempt to headbutt the blond, but Wesker, with his heightened reflexes, shoved Chris back, laughing as he fell and landed on his back with a wince and a hiss of pain. "You bastard!"
Wesker wasn't bothered by his words, taunting him further by acting as if nothing had happened as he looked over at the music box that was still softly playing. Raising his hands, Wesker moved them to the tune as if he were a conductor and mused as he closed his eyes, "it really is a haunting tune, isn't it?"
Immediately scrambling to stand, Chris charged at him with a exclaimed, "if you like it so much I'll play it at your funeral!" He drew his knife out of his pocket and lunged at him.
Without opening his eyes, Wesker sidestepped, tittering quietly as he continued waving his hands. "I'll have it played at yours instead, Chris. Because I'm not dying anytime soon."
"We'll see about that!" Charging at him again in fury, Chris attempted to slash at his pale throat but the older man jumped backwards in a blur of afterimages. Opening his eyes to smirk at him, Wesker hummed, "please, try harder."
"As you wish!" Chris furiously swiped at Wesker with his combat knife again, slicing at nothing but air. He was about to make another swipe but Wesker grabbed the wrist of the hand, welding the knife, and jabbed his thumb roughly into his wrist, making Chris' hand open reflexively, allowing the knife to slip out. Wesker stared at the younger, who clamped his free hand around Wesker's throat in a pitiful attempt of choking him. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch." Hissed Chris, tightening his grip. "For my comrades that you murdered."
Wesker smiled, thoroughly amused. "Your actions betray your words, Chris."
"What the hell are you talking about!?" Snarled the other in confusion.
"I'm not sure if you're aware," He began, placing his hand on the arm that was choking him, "but your thumb is lightly brushing against my skin in a very tender manner right now..." Running his hand up Chris' arm, Wesker placed his hand atop the one on his throat and starting to gently rub his thumb against the back of Chris' hand. "Like this." Humming again, Wesker questioned, "are you enjoying the feeling of my skin, Chris?"
Retracting his hand, Chris' cheeks burned, his face turning red with anger and undoubtedly embarrassment, "you're sick!"
"I'm the sick one?" Suddenly, Wesker grasped Chris' wrists and pulled him close, so very, very close. Staring into shocked blues, the blond murmured, "you're the one who was tenderly stroking my neck as you attempted to choke the very life out of me."
No response came from Chris as he sidestep to the left, trying to yank himself away from those rough hands squeezing his wrists with the strength of vices, but Wesker sidestepped with him, chuckling tauntingly as he did so. Chris repeated the action again, but this time to his right. Just like before, Wesker stepped with him, his chuckle becoming louder, enraging Chris further.
"Let go of me!" Lunging forward, Chris tried to headbutt him, but Wesker took three steps back, dragging Chris along with him by his wrists as a beaming smile broke out on his face. Suddenly, Wesker walked forward, still holding Chris' who took a couple of steps backwards as he expected the blond to headbutt him in retaliation with a taunt along the lines of something like "you can't hit me but I can hit you."
But he didn't.
Wesker simply came to a stop, smiling at him.
Ceasing his struggling, Chris got up real close to his face and asked, "what're you smiling for, you creep?!"
Without hesitation, Wesker whispered, "right now, it felt like we were dancing."
Whilst Chris didn't verbally agree with him, his cheeks flushed a light pink, showing that he agreed with him. "You really are insane, Wesker." He tried to deliver a kick to the shin of his former captain. But Wesker saw the move coming from a mile away and jumped back. Then, he dragged Chris over to his right, tripping him up so the younger fell back... Right onto Wesker's arm that supported his middle. Holding Chris in the dip pose, Wesker stared down at him with his devilish eyes and whispered, "truly, it felt as if we were dancing."
Chris' startled blues stared up at Wesker. The younger man simply couldn't move because being held like this by the blond stirred something within him.
"I wish I could stay with you longer, angel eyes. But I'm afraid there's a virus sample I need to find and retrieve. I've spent far too much time with you, Chris. I only came here to get Alexia's whereabouts out of you." Pulling Chris up to stand upright, Wesker suddenly held him flush against himself with a firm hand pressed against his back as his eyes continued to bore into that of Chris', "I must say before I leave that I rather enjoyed that little dance of ours." His voice trailed off as he raised his hand and brushed the backs of his fingers against Chris' cheek. "I promise you that we'll have a proper dance sometime."
Gulping softly, Chris muttered a low, "then I'll kill you straight after."
Holding his hand against Chris' cheek, Wesker gazed at him softly, lovingly saying, "no you won't, Chris. No you won't." Then the blond shoved him away with a hand to his chest, making Chris fall on his rear with a grunt of discomfort. Wesker ran off out of the room in a blur, slamming the door behind him, leaving Chris feeling dazed from what had just occurred between him and his most hated enemy.
~~~~*
The lights in the hallway of Chris' and Wesker's humble home flickered on as the occupants of said home returned victorious from their mission. As usual, when they came home from missions, Chris headed off into the kitchen to make two coffees, one with one sugar for himself and one with three sugars for Wesker (who undeniably had a bit of a sweet tooth.) Whilst Wesker checked, then placed their weapons on their respective racks for the next job before checking up on how much ammunition and first aid items were left over.
When the coffees were made and the routine check was done. The pair sat themselves down at their round kitchen table and drank in silence, mulling over what horrors they'd seen.
"Al?" Chris finally said, breaking the morbid silence.
"Hmm?" Hummed Wesker over another sip of coffee.
"I didn't except to see Crimson Heads again." Looking down at his cup of coffee, Chris swirled the liquid around inside the ceramic white mug. "I haven't seen them since..." Peering back up at him, he muttered, "you know?"
Wesker knew what he was getting at. Chris nor Wesker himself had seen Crimson Heads since the Mansion Incident. In response, all Wesker could muster was a tired, "I know."
An awkward silence came between them for a moment. Then, as always, Chris turned the mood around, "thanks, by the way. For saving my ass. Again. If it wasn't for you, I think I'd be in the stomach of some Licker right now." He laughed at the last part and Wesker halfheartedly laughed along with him. "Nonsense. You'd gotten yourself out of that mess because you've always got something up your sleeve."
Chris grinned, looking bashful, and glanced down at his half empty mug again. "Well, whatever I have up my sleeve was put there by a very wise man." He glanced up at him with a warm smile at the last part that was directed at him.
Returning the smile slightly, Wesker mused, "you were the only one who ever listened to me back at S.T.A.R.S. Whenever I tried to teach the others something, they didn't take on board what was said. Behind my back I used to hear them say 'Captain Wesker talks a lot of bullshit, doesn't he?' or 'why can't Captain Wesker see that we don't need these stupid lessons of his? We know everything there is to know about being out in the field.'" He paused, taking a long drink of coffee to distract himself from the bitter memories.
Chris finished up his coffee and rose from his chair, about to take his mug to the sink when Wesker offered him his mug, now drained of coffee. Plucking the mug from his hand, Chris took the mugs to the sink for a rinse out, then he placed them on the draining board. All the while he was thinking over what had just been said.
"Wesker?"
"Yes?"
Chris, not turning to look at Wesker, spoke clearly and truthfully. "I hope you know that I never joined in when they spoke about you behind your back. You had my utmost respect at all times."
"I know, Chris." Replied the blonde, knowing that the other spoke the truth.
Turning around to face his lover, Chris cupped his cheek, smiling at him fondly for a few seconds. Then the gap between them closed as Chris pressed his lips to Wesker's, pouring as much love as possible into the act. Wesker reciprocated in an instant, kissing back strongly, reaching up to cup the back of Chris' head and run his fingers through his hair.
Eventually, Chris pulled away, moving to take Wesker's hands in his own as he beamed, "how about we revisit that memory I mentioned earlier?"
A smile grew on Wesker's lips, and he had a knowing look in his eyes. "Ah, yes. My promise."
In no time at all, Chris and Wesker found themselves in one another arms in a slow waltz in the middle of their dimly lit living room. In the background, their radio played one of Wesker's favourite songs as they finally had their dance that was twenty three years overdue.
"I wonder." Chris started as he slowly moved in time with his lover, "just what our past selves would say if they could see us like this?" His blue eyes gazed into Wesker's with curiosity. Chris already had an answer, but he was curious to hear what the other had to say.
"They may have been shocked. They may have not." Replied Wesker thoughtfully as he continued to sway with his partner. "I think the latter would be most likely."
Giving a smirk, Chris raised a brow, "and what makes you say that?"
"Chris," Wesker tutted teasingly, "do you even need to ask? You know as much as I do that you and I were always going to end up like this because we have always... Felt... for one another." He said the word 'felt' awkwardly. Such words to do with feelings were still strange for him to say.
"Yeah." Tittered Chris, moving to wrap his arms around Wesker's shoulders. In turn, Wesker wrapped his other arm around Chris' waist snugly, holding him impossibly closer. Chris shot his lover a warm smile and drawled out, "I've always loved you. Even at times I shouldn't have."
Wesker's eyes glowed brightly for a second as he purred, "I can say the very same thing about you, Chris."
That remark just made Chris laugh. "I really wish our past selves could see us. I really could. Especially my past self... With all his anger, and his sorrow, and his sleepless nights over losing you back in 98'." His expression morphed into one of discomfort and his blues darted to look elsewhere.
Leaning close to Chris' ear, Wesker whispered, "I was no better off, Chris. I had to deal with a memory, one that was burned into my mind for months. A memory of listening to the man I loved holding me close, covered in my blood, crying over my apparently dead body as he told me of how he wished things could have been different, of how he hated me with every fibre of his being for lying right before he pressed a farewell kiss to my lips."
The dance came to a stop.
Chris held Wesker tighter, and Wesker returned the action, holding Chris just as tight. The couple did nothing but hold their embrace for a while as the music played on.
"We've been through a lot, haven't we, Al?"
Burying his nose in Chris' mop of black hair, Wesker murmured, "and I expect we've still got a lot more to go through."
Closing his eyes, Chris sighed, "I know for certain that we've got dark times ahead of us. But I'm not worried. Because I've got you with me and I know you won't leave me again."
Wesker rolled his eyes briefly at the sappy words but nonetheless replied, "I could never leave you, Chris. Even if I wanted to. As I told myself years ago, our fates are forever intertwined." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Chris' head, "if I were to cross halfway across the world right now, I know you'd find me."
"Yeah. I would... I mean, I've crossed halfway across the world to find you once. I could sure as hell do it again." He smirked.
Wesker hummed, smiling at the statement, "you're referring to our little encounter in Africa, aren't you?"
"Yep."
Another hum. "I thought as much."
Breaking the embrace, the pair resumed their former waltz position, and their dance began again as a new song came on, a favourite of Chris' this time.
"So, Chris..."
"Hmm?" He responded, turning on the spot in the slow waltz.
"Back on Rockfort, you said you'd kill me straight after our dance-," His musing was cut off as Chris interrupted with a playful, "No I won't, Wesker. No I won't."
Recognizing his own words, Wesker smiled. "I knew back then that your threat was hollow."
"All my threats towards you were. Even the ones where I said I'd end you. Because honestly? I could never watch you die for a second time."
Pulling Chris flush against himself, Wesker protectively held the other. "I assure you that I won't go dying on you again."
Nuzzling his nose against his lover's chest, Chris murmured, "and I won't go dying on you."
Chris could practically feel Wesker's grin as he replied, "if you die on me after all I've taught you, my best man, I'll be thoroughly disappointed in you."
With a shake of his head paired with a laugh, Chris exclaimed, "Gee, thanks!"
Pulling apart from one another, Chris brought Wesker in close for a kiss as the music in the background faded and another song started up.
Breaking away from Chris, Wesker asked, "Shall we continue?"
"Yeah. After all... you've got twenty three years to make up for."