Chapter Text
1.
“Seriously, Chris? Leon?”
“Look, just because the two of you didn’t work out, doesn’t mean–”
Claire scoffs so loudly that Chris has to pull the phone away from his face, frowning at it.
“That was unfair.” He concedes.
“You think?” There’s a pause, then, “Chris, I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“Chris…”
“Really. He’s great, he doesn’t want to destroy the world, and he knows how to take care of himself out there.”
“Low bar.” Claire says.
“Still. This is bigger than his reputation.”
“Fine. You have my blessing, or approval, or whatever you called for. Just don’t come crying to me if anything happens. No. Sorry, when.”
When? Claire ends the call, and Chris stares at the phone for a long minute. He didn’t think his sister was still so hung up on Leon.
It’s an awkward topic, maybe he should stop bringing up his new relationship for a while. Wait for things to settle down, ease her back into the subject.
2.
Leon rolls over, his dark hair plastered all over his forehead. The color’s a good look on him, Chris thinks. He says as much, reaching out to brush the damp hair out of his boyfriend’s eyes.
Boyfriend. The word makes Chris feel all mushy and lovesick, in a way he can imagine a life for himself and Leon. Where he wants to wrap himself around the other man and never let go.
Leon’s eyes dig into his own, catching something there. He frowns.
“Yknow, I’m not someone who does this whole… serious thing.”
Chris grins at him. “Yeah?”
“This is nice. But I can’t promise forever, Chris. I’m not someone who knows this whole song and dance.”
Chris reaches out and wraps Leon in his arms. “That’s fine. We can learn together.”
He takes Leon settling into his arms as reassurance that he said the right thing.
3.
As soon as he says it, Helena bursts out laughing. Chris doesn’t know the woman particularly well, they were both involved in the events in Shanghai, but it hadn’t been time enough to get to know each other.
When she transferred to the BSAA, he thought their shared connection with Leon could’ve gotten them off on the right foot. Apparently not.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Repeat that?” She asks.
“I’m dating Leon.”
Helena manages to cough down her sustained laughter. “Yeah, okay. Dating. I’m sorry. Good for you, Redfield. Congratulations.”
“I don’t see the problem.” He sounds hurt. He doesn’t mean for it to come out like that. He’s just confused.
“There’s no problem. Say hi to her for me, okay?”
“Huh?”
“I’d ask you to give her my number, but…” Helena shakes her head. “If only.”
Helena walks away, leaving Chris standing around the BSAA office, confused.
4.
They’re on a routine field mission, one of the first that Leon and Chris have intentionally been sent on. It feels weird to say, they’re just usually stumbling onto each other in the heat of the action. Or being the cause of the heat and the action, whenever the two are alone.
Either way, this was refreshing. Especially when Chris got to meet Leon’s field operation support team, the one and only Ingrid Hunnigan.
“You’re a nice change of pace, Captain Redfield.”
“Hmm?”
“For Leon. This is good for him.”
Chris smiles at the voice in his ears. “He’s good for me, too.”
Hunnigan sighs. “If only he could see that. Makes my job a hell of a lot easier.”
“Yeah?”
“You keep him out of trouble.” Hunnigan hesitates. “Hey, when it’s over, drinks are on me, alright?”
Over? Chris feels hurt bubble up, but he pushes it aside. She must mean the mission. He agrees, looking forward to the chance to spend time with Leon’s friends.
5.
Wesker’s re-appearance is a shock to the system. Even standing in front of the man that destroyed his life, his friends, did so much harm, it doesn’t feel real. It can’t be real.
He’s not out on a mission, he’s out on his morning run, for christ sakes. Leon’s not interested in doing anything that early in the morning if he doesn't have to, always mumbling about breakfast, but it’s the way Chris was trained. He wouldn’t be able to start the day off on the right foot if he doesn’t get his jogging in.
Maybe that’s how Wesker knew to find him.
“How are you still alive?” Chris demands, voice cracking. Wesker hasn't said anything, he’s just sizing Chris up. A wanted fugitive presumed dead by Chris’ hand, and here he is, standing around in broad daylight.
“You’re dating Agent Kennedy?”
Chris sees red. “Leave him out of this! Don’t you dare–”
“Chris, I know you’ve never had high standards for yourself, but please. You’ve demeaned yourself this much in my absence?”
“What? Are you jealous?”
“Please. Don’t offend me. I pity you, Chris.”
Chris reaches for his gun, clenching at empty air. He can practically hear Wesker smile at his aborted gesture. Chris wishes more than anything he had it, that he could shoot Wesker point-blank between his eyes, but that wouldn’t help anything. The damn bullet would bounce off Wesker’s skin even if he didn’t dodge it.
“My relationships are none of your business, Wesker. This is between us.”
“You’re welcome to come crawling back when it’s over. I’ll just ask for a thorough test for any diseases you picked up before we resume intercourse.” Wesker says, not paying Chris’ own words any mind.
“You– What–” Chris’s brain has to do a hard reboot before he can even process the things this fucked up new version of Wesker is saying. “I’m never getting back with you.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Chris lunges, but Wesker’s gone before he can reach him.
He stands in the middle of his jogging path, bewildered. He should probably tell someone who he just saw, but it doesn’t feel real. Maybe if he goes back to bed and falls back asleep, he’ll wake up to a normal life, where his greatest adversary is dead and the only thing he has to worry about is a quick recon mission to Europe to visit an old friend.