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Leon wasn't sure what to expect when he finally put the photo to the face, but Chris Redfield certainly didn't fit that bubble.
The Terra Save event was nothing short of gaudy with only a hint of the actual message of saving lives of people whose been affected by Bio-Terrorism attacks. Leon politely refused any champagne, choosing either a mocktail or a water as he watched one of the people of the hour being flocked by too many loud people with flashy cameras.
“Couldn't be me.” He sighed, someone bumped shoulders as he didn't even have to turn to know it was Ada as she hummed, “Who knows? You'd be dazzling enough to catch a couple eyes.”
He chuckled, “As if. It's a miracle that Claire Redfield even let us join.” Ada shrugged, “You did save her life. She owes you a lot more than a fanciful soiree.”
Leon sighed, his carefully slicked back hair had already started to fall to its natural resting place. He never could look that well put together. Ada on the other hand both glowed and blended in. He chalked it up to her experience in their similar fields, her silken hair and that long sleeved red turtleneck alongside nice black slacks. Both fashionable and efficient.
He huffed, “As long as people are staring at her and her BSAA brother, I see no problem here. Besides from her, no one knows I exist, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Ada raised an eyebrow; it was subtle, but for Leon she was practically screaming at him.
“Oh, like how the US Government specifically removed you from any report regarding saving the president’s daughter? How they gave all that credit to a certain Chris Redfield?” She chuckled coyly. Leon sighed, “What, like the US Government was going to spill that a dangerous Mercenary just happened to stumble across the President’s daughter’s kidnapping and happened to save her.” He chuckled, “It’s better this way, besides spotlight never did me any favors-”
“Hey! I’m glad you made it!” Leon turned his head, frowning internally as Claire approached. Leon didn’t even need to look to know that Ada was gone as the women of the hour approached, bringing her entourage as Leon found himself genuinely smiling, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He kissed her hand as surprisingly they fell into friendly banter. Claire looked good, healthy and surprisingly well-put together. Then again, what they experienced in Raccoon City and with Jason and ex-Secretary of Defense Wilson would make any put-together person go running for the hills. Leon caught a couple people staring, confused as Claire Redfield hugged seemingly a rando’ and chatting like they’ve been friends for years. God did Leon want an out.
“I hope you didn’t feel pressured to come, this became a lot larger than I anticipated.” She glanced around at the people who flocked to her and tried their best to seem inconspicuous. Leon shrugged, “I didn’t have much on my itinerary, been trying to pump the breaks since Spain.” She nodded as he sipped his mocktail, eyeing the crowd before his eyes found him.
He was a larger man, larger than any diplomat or government figure that’s for sure. He was staring at him with seasoned caution that alluded to any form of combat expertise. Leon chuckled at the sight, recalling Claire’s description of her brother. So that was him, rocking the brooding look. Leon cleared his throat, “You’re brother doesn’t seem like the friendly type.” Claire turned, frowning as she saw her brother practically sulking as she waved him over, “Chris! Get over here.”
Leon watched how the larger man walked, all muscle with obnoxious heavy footfalls that had Leon quirking a wry grin. He then noticed the man following a step behind Chris, maybe 5-10 years younger and a heavy albeit cute RBF that seemed to spoil the young features on the man.
But Chris smiled genuinely when he approached Claire, it was cute, if he didn’t look like he could break him open like a Kit Kat bar. Leon took a half-step to the side, seeing the flex of Chris’ shoulders; squaring up maybe even subconsciously as he took a poignant step to Claire’s left as Leon smirked. The big man was strong, but horribly indiscreet with how he shielded Claire from Leon. ’Good,’ Leon thought, ’the Man was cautious and Good looking.’ Leon didn’t miss how Chris’ plus one flanked Leon, less discreet than Chris, but just as adorable.
“Chris, I know of your opinions about Leon, but I invited him, so be nice.” She practically scolded him. Leon chuckled, bumping hips with the Redhead, “Not sure why you’re so hostile when all I’ve done is lift you up.” He glanced at the fancy BSAA emblem and a couple US Government awards reluctantly attached to Chris’ olive suit.
“It’s the fact that you’ve worked with people I’ve sworn to hunt down.” Chris scowled as Leon shrugged, seemingly unconcerned of his previous clientele, barely hiding the joy in his eyes as the man beside Chris tensed at his blasé display of disrespect. The man at Chris’ side was awfully tense, looking seconds ready to snap. Leon schooled a smirk, Wasn’t he fun to mess with.
“The only person I work for is myself, I’ve certainly cut enough ties for even you to see that, Redfield.” Claire hummed at Leon’s response, a gentle smile as she looked back at Chris. The older Redfield just made a face, scowling at nothing as he crossed his impossibly large forearms, “Why are you even here?”
“I’m caring for a friend.” He drank his mocktail, handing the empty glass to the approaching bartender as he leaned against Claire, Chris glaring as his sister had the nerve to chuckle and reciprocate the lean, both of them acting like Team Rocket and not Terra Save and a Literal Mercenary that has worked for Albert-Fucking-Wesker. The only reason Chris didn’t make a scene was that he knew that no matter how good Leon was, he wouldn’t be faster than an entire soiree of government officials and Generals.
Piers, unfortunately did not have the control, and was the one that actually jumped into action as he approached, grabbing Leon’s forearm as he pulled Leon aside from Claire, “Don’t try to act like friends, not when you have Ada Wong as your plus one.” He growled as Leon’s smile faded, his eyes tired but still just as sharp. His head cocked to the side, his friendly and dare they say genuine tone was gone.
Claire looked solemn as Leon yanked his arm free, the movement smooth and quick, like Piers wasn’t gripping his arm in a death grip. His gorgeous blue eyes were perfectly unreadable as he nodded, “Sorry to butt in, next time I’ll watch as infected eat Claire alive.”
“Leon-” Claire mourned, her defeated tone causing Chris and even Piers more hurt than they expected as Leon shrugged, “No worries, I can tell where I’m not allowed. I’ll just go back to sucking Wesker’s cock like the good little boy you think I am.” He glared, those last few words spat with trauma and venom as he walked away, unnaturally light footsteps as he slipped into the crowd and was gone.
Claire sighed as Piers opened his mouth to rudely ask what was his problem before Chris stopped him, raising a placate hand before turning to his sister, “Claire, I have to ask: What do you see in him? Yeah he saved your life, and that’s a respect I won’t take away from the man but-” She crossed her arms, “You remember how you raved on about getting a new police officer for Raccoon City, how his papers on file swore up and down about this amazing recruit?”
Chris’ face fell as he felt the warmth die in his chest, “Don’t tell me-”
“Well, you’ve met him.” She sighed, “I am probably the last person to see Leon before the Government screwed him. He was wide-eyed; he was so bright and he was one of the few things in that fucking city that kept me going. He got too many scars protecting me, somehow made me laugh when we would be surrounded. And… and I left him to find you and… Leon and Sherry were blackmailed.”
Chris and Piers were stunned silent as she continued, “Ada saved him from becoming a tool, and he’s been working on a way to save Sherry ever since.”
She combed through her careful curled hair, “I know how it looks, but I also know Leon. He’s been a part of so many missions behind the scenes that he should be a decorated war hero by now, but that’s just not how he wants to be remembered. Or, that’s not what he can be remembered as anymore.”
Piers begrudgingly sighed, glancing at Claire, “Well, how does he want to be remembered?”
“As a shadow, a ghost that was never meant to be.” She stared at the direction where Leon left.
. . .
Leon sighed, hating the cold night air, but god damn if he wasn’t tired of the stuffy atmosphere of this event. He pulled at his collar, angrily unbuttoning the highest button in attempts to breathe, to focus. His mind kept drifting to Chris and his plus one; how they both stared at him like he didn’t belong, as if to say, ‘Who invited this fuckup.’ Up against the newly founded BSAA and ever-expanding Terra Save, he was just a lucky yet so unlucky ex-cop, trudging through this hell.
This event was been Leon's chance to peer into what could’ve been, if he had taken that hero role so profoundly thrusted in his arms. But it was clear he wasn’t welcome. He was here for Claire, he reminded himself, nothing more. Just go back in, say your farewells and leave.
Leon’s attention snapped to the additional footsteps approaching, his shoulders tensed before he tilted his head, the footfalls unrecognizable, before he chuckled, “Careful you don’t scare the locals, your stealth is for shit.” Leon looked over his shoulder, a quick flash of a grin to the brooding large man. Leon would’ve laughed right then upon seeing the pout and barely disguised puppy-dog eyes from the larger Redfield, but he looked too upset as Leon held his tongue.
“Look, I didn’t mean-” Leon frowned, expecting the large Redfield to double down, not back peddle. Leon straightened up, cutting that down immediately.
“Don’t take back your stance; it only makes you more of a softie.” Leon turned, setting his glass aside. He turned, the look in Chris’ eyes made something click in Leon's head. So Claire must’ve told them… “You are just changing your tone because you were told that I was going to be working under you in Raccoon City, right?” Chris frowned. Ah, so he was right, “That was a long time ago, nearly a decade since Raccoon City, no take backsies.” Leon winked as Chris’ frown only seemed to deepen.
“I can still apologize for being an ass to you without even thanking you for saving my sister.” Chris looked guilty, but determined, something the two Redfields seemingly had in common.
Leon shrugged, “Guess you can.”
He watched as Chris rubbed his neck, a nervous habit perhaps. “And… I’ve been meaning to apologize for what’s become of the Redfield Report of ‘05.”
Oh.
Leon chuckled, now look who's back peddling, “What is there to say? You saved the President’s Daughter of the United States-”
“Don’t give me that shit.”
Leon stopped, his eyes watching the larger Redfield. Chris looked angry and guilty; two very dangerous emotions to hold on his sleeve. Leon cocked his head, his fringe covering his left eye as Chris had to muscle back a shudder at how Leon looked when he was sizing him up. Chris shook his head before he continued, “I despise that you went through all that shit, all that torment and you can’t even appear in the report, on the news-” That seemed to be the crux of Chris’ anger. Leon thought it was almost chivalrous, for the man to not accept awards if he barely did any of the actual effort.
Chivalrous and cute.
“Who said I want to be known?” Leon interjected, taking a solid step forward. It was an open invitation, a challenge to Chris’ own perspective and morals. The larger man looked surprised before his face hardened, Chris seemed to match Leon’s stance, “Do you?”
Huh.
Leon’s words died before they even left his throat before he swallowed, “No. But that’s just how my life has ended up. I nearly die in Spain; get infected by a cult, be one of the few who live to tell the tale, only to slip into the shadows until those who really look and are the part to take the mantle as hero.”
Chris glared, not at Leon, “You deserve these medals. Hell, you deserve to live a life of comfort, not this.”
Comfort?
Leon chuckled almost on instinct; the territory of this conversation wasn’t going how he crafted it as he looked away, trying to deflect, “Wasn’t the words I thought you would say.”
“It’s the words you deserve.” Chris took a step forward as Leon swallowed, “You were just a cop fresh from the academy, you didn’t deserve a life like this.”
Leon looked away, his blonde bangs hiding his face as he hummed, “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, Redfield?”
Chris didn’t react at Leon’s obvious flustered state as he continued, “Look, I didn’t come here to bash you or threaten you. I wanted to apologize, and officially thank you.”
Leon looked up, his wall rebuilt as he frowned, “Thank me?”
“For saving my sister, she could’ve died there and I…” Chris had to focus to unclench his hand as he looked down at Leon’s nice brown Oxford shoes, “And I don’t know what I would’ve done. And now that I get the chance to thank the man who saved her, all I’ve done is insult you.”
Leon chuckled, Chris looking up with eyes wide and somewhat owlish. He has a nice laugh. “Trust me, she saved my life more than I saved hers. I should probably thank you for giving her training, right?” Leon did recall Claire saying that it was her brother that taught her gun safety and some combat training.
Chris looked away with a flush on his ears as Leon smirked. Cute.
Leon’s smile sobered as he looked over Chris’ side, “Have you also come to apologiez? I suggest you form a line.” Chris turned as Piers approached, seemingly a permanent frown on the Lieutenant’s face.
Leon pushed himself off the balcony, a grin that could only be described as ‘shit-eating’ was ever prominent as he rested his hand on his hip, “My, don’t you look like an adorable attack dog. I don’t think we were introduced.”
Chris sighed, seeing Leon’s ploy as he instinctively placed a hand on Piers’ shoulder, barely stopping him from acting on idiotism. “Be nice, I just came to apologize, Piers.”
Nivans huffed, centering himself before he crossed his arms, “I didn’t come to apologize, just wanted to be here in case.”
“In case what?” Leon asked coyly as Chris walked in front of Pier’s flushed face, turning to Leon, “Anyways. We should probably head back.” Piers huffed, but didn’t relent. Chris pulled out a small card as he tossed it to Leon, the merc catching it with ease, looking at it with a pinched frown.
“My number,” Chris tried for a small smile, “In case you’re ever in the area. I… I’d like to get to know the man behind the veil.” If Chris noticed Leon’s frozen, eyes slightly wide stare, he didn’t comment as he left, dragging Piers along with him as the balcony doors shut as Leon finally felt like he could exhale, a puff of warm air in the cold biting night seemed to curl around his face as he looked down, seeing Chris’ name alongside a small phone number.
No, no it wasn’t hope. But as Leon traced a thumb over the indented numbers, he found a soft half smile floating on his face. It seemed he had a small chance, a prospect to peer into what could’ve been after all.