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The ground outside the cabin was buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, nearly reaching halfway up the old wooden walls. The small glass window had frosted over completely as the cold crept across it.
Inside the humble structure, Sherry was tucked into the only bed pushed against the back wall, as far from the door as possible.
Just in case anything broke in.
The two young adults huddled together at the foot of the steel bedframe, a torn blanket draped over their shoulders that did little to warm them. Leon had insisted she take the more intact side of the frayed blue fabric.
She glanced over at him, their arms brushing now and then. A soft orange glow lit his face as he stared into the flames dancing in the stone fireplace, set between them and their guns.
The heat was cosy and comforting. That feeling was rare these days, after the virus had spread beyond Raccoon City’s borders before the government’s missile could stop it. Several surrounding states had been overrun, swallowed by darkness and despair.
They had heard it over the radio in their last hideout, before they were forced to move on. The spread had slowed, for the most part. Somehow, the infected states had been sealed into a massive quarantine zone. Word was that they were being cleared slowly, zombies and worse dealt with piece by piece.
Survivors were supposedly being rescued.
Claire didn't buy it.
Their arms brushed again, and the brief contact warmed her more than the fire ever could.
“Sorry,” Leon mumbled, his voice dry with exhaustion as he rubbed at the rough stubble along his jaw and neck.
Claire smirked, deliberately brushing her arm back against his as she leaned a little closer.
She caught the way he stilled, breath held, a faint flush creeping into his ears.
“We've showered together, Kennedy. Surely this shouldn't be getting you all flustered?” Claire teased, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
Now his cheeks flushed as he gently nudged her back, shaking his head with an exaggerated sigh.
“That’s because you were afraid of using up all the water we had left in the tank,” Leon shot back, though he couldn't quite hold back a smile. “I still think you were lying.”
Claire snorted, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, in your dreams, maybe.” They both chuckled, their hands finding each other beneath the blanket as Claire glanced out the window. “Hmm. Still snowing. Were you hoping for a white Christmas?”
Leon looked out the window at the snow swirling in the wind, the thin trees looming outside, and the stars sharp and clear in the sky.
“If the world hadn’t ended, then sure.” He shrugged, squeezing her hand absentmindedly. Claire forgot to breathe for a second. “But I’ve got bigger concerns.”
Claire scooted closer, resting her head on his shoulder, her long auburn hair spilling over it. She had meant to trim it before Raccoon City. Now it nearly reached her elbows.
She smiled, remembering how Leon had called her Rapunzel last week. Only a mild exaggeration.
“What are your ‘bigger concerns’? Other than just surviving?” Claire asked as the chopped logs crackled in the fireplace.
Leon stayed silent for a beat, the two of them listening to Sherry’s steady breathing behind them as she slept.
Claire was glad the girl had been sleeping better lately. The first month after they’d escaped the city, she’d had to hold her every night until she finally drifted off from sheer exhaustion.
“Well,” Leon said as Claire leaned closer, biting her lip. “I’m going to get you and Sherry out of here. She’ll have a normal life… And I’ll make sure you see your brother again. No matter what.”
The words hit all at once. Claire felt a rush of emotion crash through her, her heart warming even as her chest tightened. Hope and uncertainty pulled at her in opposite directions, sharp enough that she thought they might tear her apart.
“I… I…” Claire faltered, dropping her gaze to the scuffed wooden planks beneath them. “I’m going to get you out too, okay?”
Her mind flashed back to the moment a zombie she’d thought was just a body had grabbed her ankle, yanking her down. Leon had jumped at it, shoving her clear just as its mouth clamped onto his arm.
Thankfully, he’d been wearing a thick jacket, and its teeth hadn’t broken the skin. But the bruise had lingered on his arm for weeks.
She still shivered when she thought about it.
She let out a slow breath, swallowing hard as her eyes drifted toward the corner of the room by the door. They landed on their boots, hers nearly falling apart, the leather peeling, a chunk missing from the sole.
Leon squeezed her hand again, pulling her attention back. “If it’s safe tomorrow, we can build a snowman with her. Might cheer her up.”
Claire’s lips curled into a small smile. It was something to look forward to.
“Absolutely,” she said softly, eyes fixed on the fire. “Just don’t let her name them after her parents.”
Leon chuckled, his brow knitting slightly. “Why’s that?”
Claire paused, pursing her lips as her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
“Okay, fine… I’ll explain,” she sighed, sitting up as their eyes met. “The Christmas after my parents died, it snowed. Chris helped me build two snowmen, and I named them after them.”
Leon watched her as she settled back again, squeezing her hand. “Then what?”
Claire let out another sigh. “Well, naturally, they started to melt once it warmed up. Let’s just say he didn’t think through how that was gonna make me feel.”
She smiled, the memory still carrying a dull ache but softened now by the humour in it, by how painfully dumb it all was.
“Sounds horrific.”
“It was,” Claire replied mid-yawn.
They settled back into silence, listening to the fire crackle, until Leon leaned toward their brown camo duffel bag, rummaging for something.
Claire waited a moment before speaking. “Missing something?”
Leon shook his head, pulling out a rectangular cardboard box. It wasn’t wrapped and was slightly dented on one side. Somehow, that only made her more curious.
“I was waiting until we found somewhere more… permanent before giving you these,” Leon said, his voice soft as he handed her the box. “But I want you to have them now.”
Claire raised an eyebrow, giving the box a light shake to see what it held. It sounded like there were two fairly large objects inside. Not too heavy. Maybe hollow.
“Obviously not a Lego set,” Claire mused as she tore the cardboard open.
A pair of boots tumbled into her lap. The leather was smooth and black, catching the orange glow of the fire. They were perfect. Brand new. They looked like they could last a lifetime compared to the ones she’d been wearing.
Her heart fluttered, light and sudden. She felt like she might cry, a reaction that caught her off guard.
“Leon! Where did you even–?”
“I know we agreed to only loot necessities during supply runs… But come on, I thought of you the moment I saw them,” Leon said, taking the cardboard and tossing it into the corner of the room with a proud grin.
“I guess I can forgive you for that,” Claire said, beaming up at him as her fingers traced over the smooth surface. “Thank you,” she murmured softly.
She felt a small pang of guilt. She hadn’t gotten him anything. She leaned closer anyway, sighing softly when he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Y’know,” she whispered, biting her lip, “I wouldn’t want to be in this mess with anyone else. It’s strange, but… I feel lucky.”
Leon chuckled, resting his head against hers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m the lucky one here.”