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Chris felt a headache pounding against his temples like a hammer. He hissed under his breath, blinking his eyes open slowly.
Good news: he was still alive, and didn’t seem to lose or infect any part of his body… he didn’t have a hangover from breathing the same air as Leon earlier, which also counted as really good news.
Bad news: he found himself in a room with cold metal walls and dim ceiling lights. It seemed like a laboratory facility. Chris had a thought that he was really tired of that boring view of hostiles’ lame lairs: no, really, why none of these terrorist guys had better taste — something more interesting than dusty metal walls and lighting straight out of IKEA’s home decor section?
Still, the bad interior was the least of his problems, because his whole body was in that awful condition — now already similar to a hangover, like he’d caught it from Leon through airborne droplets.
Not to mention his poor wrists and chest being strapped tightly to a column — to keep him still, obviously.
Suddenly, the “column” twitched and groaned in a low voice.
Chris turned his head and spotted a familiar side profile hidden behind long bangs.
“Leon?” Chris didn’t even need to guess — this hairstyle could belong to one person only.
Kennedy groaned again. It made Chris feel worried — what if Kennedy had been wounded?
“Chris?” Leon suddenly muttered. “What the hell is going on?”
Redfield exhaled with a relief. If Leon could talk — it was a good sign.
“I have a few ideas,” Chris said, “whoever did this, they have their intentions clear.”
Chris was almost sure in his guesses, but couldn’t prove them.
Leon twitched behind him.
“I miss amateurs,” Leon muttered, then he checked the ropes, tried to loosen them — and failed right away, “…so, Hollywood lied again.”
Chris made his attempt too. He wasn’t weak — everyone knew that. His colleagues, his enemies… even the internet, after that rock-punching incident somehow leaked years later.
The rope, however, didn’t care.While trying more, his fingers brushed on something soft, he felt Leon tense under his touch.
“Easier there,” Leon muttered, “you haven’t even bought me a drink yet, and already settling rights on the private territory.”
Chris felt something catch in his throat, before composing himself and answering in his voice clearly irritated:
“I wasn’t—” Redfield sighed mid-sentence, giving in on that argument, “Better focus, Lee. We don’t have much time to just sit here and do nothing.”
Chris couldn’t see Leon’s face, but was pretty much sure the man raised his eyebrows in irony — as usual.
“Well, hero, then do it. Set us free.”
Sarcasm. Again. Typical Kennedy.
Chris rolled his eyes and hoped that even though it wasn’t visible, his mood was all in the air.
“Okay, Leon. You won this verbal fight, you got me,” if Chris could raise his hands, he would do so. “Satisfied?”
“Barely.”
“Focus, Leon.”
“I am. I’m focusing on how badly this is going.”
Silence.
Both were thinking over their options. None were coming to Redfield’s mind.
But there was one reassuring thought: at least he was here with Leon.
They’d gotten along the first time they met — back at a briefing in Spain in 2004. Ended up at a bar afterward. Got thrown out for something Chris still couldn’t quite remember.
After that, they kept crossing paths. Work, drinks, arguments — somewhere along the way, they became… something like friends.
Then China happened.
Chris had fought Leon harder than he’d fought most enemies — against his stubbornness, his need to save everyone at once.
They never talked about it after.
And now, two years later, here they were again: another madman, another crisis.
Just another Wednesday.
And Redfield — somehow enjoyed it. Not the possibility to have millions of victims and the virus floating around, of course.
However, he missed working with Leon — he had admitted it to himself, but would never say it out loud, even under the pressure to be shot in the head.
Chris’s brief moment of optimism was shattered by Leon’s next comment:
“I could have been on vacation right now,” Leon exhaled, “having the best time of my life.”
“You would spend it getting drunk.”
Chris could literally hear Leon smiling.
“Exactly.”
Chris decided not to respond. That was safer.
Before he still could remind Leon of possible consequences for that pretty face of his of getting drunk too often, the door to their already comfortable feels-like-home kidnapping room opened. Chris spotted familiar faces and wasn’t surprised at all.
“Glenn.” Chris growled, tensing his arms but the rope, unfortunately, still wasn’t on his side, not getting any weaker.
“Chris, long time no see.” Glenn had that snake-like smile. Redfield felt the urge to wipe it off.
“I would extend this time of being alone, actually.” Chris shot back.
Another figure appeared behind Glenn, a girl in tight latex suit and with a killing gaze.
For a moment Chris wondered where she had been shopping for clothes — then scolded himself for that unnecessary curiosity.
“So,” Leon finally spoke, “what’s the plan, Glenn? Gonna torture us with boring lectures of yours?”
Glenn didn’t even flinch, feeling his power over hostages. Maria relied on the nearest wall, folding her arms like nothing bothered her here.
“Lectures?” Glenn chuckled in the nastiest way possible. “Oh no, I have much more interesting thing in mind.”
Chris didn’t want to know what are ‘the interesting things’ were, but it wasn’t like he or Leon had much of a choice.
Glenn smirked like a proper snake, gesturing for Maria to step forward.
“Who tied them up?” Arias muttered, his expression twisted with irritation.
Maria didn’t bother reminding him that it had been his order.
“Turn one of them around. I want to question them both at the same time.”
Maria nodded. Leon became her unfortunate target. She loosened the rope just enough to drag him — chair and all — into position, but not enough to give him any real advantage. No way was she letting Kennedy use it to slip free.
“Ow—easy with the hair, lady,” Leon protested, frowning as she yanked him into place. “I’ve got to renew my travel document today.”
Maria didn’t look like someone known for grace or gentleness with prisoners… probably not with friends either.
“I’m afraid you won’t be needing it anymore, Agent Kennedy,” Glenn cut in, idly brushing a hand along his own chin.
“You can just call me Leon. We’re practically family at this point,” he shot back. “You’re already on a first-name basis with Chris.”
Glenn’s lip twitched, but he ignored him.
“…because the only place you’ll be going anytime soon is from one corner of this room to the other.”
Leon snorted.
“Thanks for clarifying. For a second there I thought we were all flying to Hawaii for a reconciliation trip.”
He let out a sharp bark of pain when Maria tightened the ropes again.
Leon glanced at Chris.
“Well, hey. Long time no see.”
Chris felt like the ground might swallow him whole at how easily Leon could make his chest tighten with nothing more than a playful look.
What a disaster of a human being.
“Lee, could you maybe not—”
“Not what?”
“Not be so reckless. Just this once?”
Leon rolled his eyes.
“Like my serious face would change anything about this situation.”
Chris could’ve gone deeper into that — how Leon’s smirk alone could spike his pulse and drag something dangerously close to relief out of him — but Glenn cleared his throat, reminding them he was, unfortunately, still there.
“So,” Glenn said smoothly, “now that we’re all a little more… acquainted, I imagine you’re eager to hear my brilliant plan for you.”
Neither Chris nor Leon looked even remotely excited. They just exchanged a glance that screamed are you kidding me.
Leon raised an eyebrow.
“Go on, buddy.”
“Yeah,” Chris added with a heavy sigh, already exhausted just from hearing Glenn’s voice —let alone the prospect of another lecture, complete with those ridiculous hand gestures that made him look like that peacock from Kung Fu Panda 2.
“Surprise us.”
Glenn gave Maria a small nod. She stepped over to the case they’d brought and pulled out two syringes filled with a strange liquid, shimmering gold under the light.
Leon tilted his head.
“You giving us a tetanus shot? I already had mine this year.”
Chris had to fight hard not to laugh as Glenn’s smug expression shriveled into something sour.
“Very funny, Agent Kennedy,” Glenn ground out through clenched teeth.
“And there it is again — Agent Kennedy,” Leon muttered with exaggerated sadness. “You clearly like Chris more than me.”
That did it.
“Silence!” Glenn snapped, his face flushing red with anger. “We’ll see how amusing you find this after a dose of my latest creation… a truth serum.”
Any trace of a smirk vanished from both Chris and Leon’s faces, replaced by confusion.
Silence stretched for a moment—
—until Leon suddenly burst out laughing.
“What—what? A truth serum?” he wheezed, laughter spilling over, eyes watering. “Seriously? What is this, a 1960s spy convention?”
Glenn clenched his jaw, teeth grinding.
“It works. Very soon you’ll feel it yourself.”
Leon nodded thoughtfully, like a university professor grading the most absurd essay he’d ever seen.
“Does it come with a lie serum or we need to bring our own?”
Glenn gave him another destroying look, Chris nudged Leon in the shoulder:
“Leon…”
Kennedy continued nevertheless:
“What about side effects?”
Glenn rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Why don’t you try guessing?” You will tell the truth, obviously. And then,” he smirked again, “…I will find out about all of the secret projects of both of your ‘truth-worthy’ organizations.”
Leon, of course, ignored the point entirely.
“Yeah, but like… nausea? Sudden honesty about people’s haircuts?”
Chris sighed quietly. It was going to be a very long interrogation.
He wished to be anywhere else but here right now. Even dealing with Wesker in a volcano had been less exhausting.
Glenn managed to ignore Leon’s ragebait while ordering Maria to prepare the injectors. He calmed himself down for a bit before straightening his back and stating:
“Once this enters your bloodstream, there will be no space for secrets between us anymore.”
Leon glanced at Chris:
“Well, this should either be very boring…”
Chris frowned back at him.
“…or very embarrassing…” Leon finished.
Chris immediately sensed doom.
Maria stepped forward. She pressed the injector to Chris’s neck — it stung sharply with a soft click. A faint burn spread beneath his skin, sliding down under his collar.
Leon got the same treatment. He frowned, but didn’t make a sound.
Glenn smiled like a snake again, tapping his fingers.
“Perfect,” he walked over them slowly, gaze never leaving the hostages.
Aside from the lingering burn in his neck, Chris felt nothing. No sudden urge to talk. No changes at all.
Was it just a trick?
Maybe the serum wasn’t working properly?
Glenn had that a deeply satisfied look on his face just like a kid finally getting their most desired toy for Christmas.
He clapped his hands stepping closer:
“So, gentlemen, who’s gonna start spilling secrets of their establishments first?” He glanced at Chris, “maybe you, Captain Redfield of the BSAA? You definitely know much. Let’s start with the recent locations of your bases, shall we? So, I can send them my greetings?”
The question was direct and clear. Chris, however, didn’t feel any different. No sudden urge to talk. No loss of control. He had never experienced the truth serum himself… well, until today, apparently. So he knew about possible effects only from his comrades’ words.
“Where are your main BSAA bases’ locations?” Glenn repeated his question more sharply this time.
Chris didn’t react.
Internally, everything was already on fire.
Glenn’s face got red again from the upcoming rage and irritation.
Was it even working?
“Looks like your formula requires some upgrades.” Kennedy teased. It looked like nothing changed for him as well.
Glenn clenched his fists.
But before anything led to a one-sided fight between Glenn’s forehead and the wall, Maria finally spoke without leaving her spot:
“It will work in twenty minutes. It doesn’t have an instant effect.”
Glenn got pale. He exhaled with a relief at that point, then brushed the back of his head.
“Oh right. Good catch, Maria.”
She didn’t move a brow.The next moment, suddenly, the base’s alarm occurred.
Chris and Leon looked around instinctively. Glenn threw a gaze at Maria:
“I think it won’t hurt if we go check that out, while our friends settle in.”
Maria didn’t answer, just pushed off the wall, turned on her heels and headed towards the door.
“See you in a while,” Glenn gave the men one more nasty smile and walked after Maria.
Chris sighed. The situation was pretty much tough — to put it mildly.
Very soon the truth serum would work, and all the secrets Leon and Chris had would be revealed to one of the most dangerous terrorists they had met during their careers. It could end really not great this time. Leon nudged him.
“Hey, we can do this. Just don’t talk at all.”
Chris swallowed.
Right. He wasn’t alone.
There was Leon.
And as for Leon… the DSO agent was both the best and the worst person to share a moment where Chris would talk out the whole truth about his deepest secrets.
The best one — because Chris trusted him fully at this point.
Leon wasn’t just a professional man when the matter concerned bioterrorism, but also a really good friend. The best one Chris ever had.
And the worst… because Redfield’s feelings about Leon were far from just friendly.
And if that got revealed too—
Redfield shook his head.
Glenn would ask professional questions, so at least one part of his life would remain a secret.
Unless Chris got the idea of how the truth serum worked wrong.
Redfield shrugged, coming back to the reality:
“I don’t think we’ll have a choice. Some of my people have dealt with the truth serum before. You actually talk against your will.”
Leon remained silent for a few moments before shifting in his seat and saying:
“Well, in that case… let’s hope we have other secrets to share rather than those that would harm civilians.”
Chris stopped breathing here. Of course Leon was right…
However, other types of secrets could be really harmful especially with Leon here to hear them, just another way around.
Whatever truth Chris would spill today, it would be a catastrophe.
Chris swallowed.
“Yeah. Let’s hope so.”
They both shifted. The rope started burning on the wrists where the skin was exposed. However, Chris didn’t notice that. His thoughts about an upcoming disaster distracted him.
“Your thoughts are too loud, Chris.” Leon didn’t seem to complain, rather to be concerned. He suggested right away: “Let’s talk about something to distract our minds from the agencies secrets, shall we?”
Chris raised an eyebrow.
“Finally a good idea of yours.”
“All of my ideas are good.”
It earned Leon a look.
“Oh really? Do you recall our second cooperation? Somewhere deep in Saskatchewan?”
Chris smirked, knowing exactly that Leon remembered.
Leon got pale.
“Don’t you dare bring that up, you promised.”
A silence. Probably the loudest one in Kennedy’s life.
But Chris wasn’t about to let it go.
“Who said hiding in an abandoned house, wearing nothing but our gear, in minus forty degrees was a good idea?”
Leon immediately put on his most offended expression, chin lifting.
“First of all, still better than standing outside in a blizzard.”
Chris didn’t even blink.
“The base was five hundred meters away. And I almost got taken out by a collapsing staircase.”
Leon ignored that completely.
“Secondly, the forecast said sunshine and a comfortable minus thirty-five.”
“…Comfortable?”
A brief but very noticeable pause.
“Yes. Comfortable. And why are you even coming after me? You’re not any better,” Leon shot back, throwing Chris a murderous look.
Chris would’ve crossed his arms if he could.
“Oh really? And where exactly did I mess up?”
Leon’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Chris didn’t like that.
He couldn’t know.
“I wasn’t there personally,” Leon drawled, far too pleased with himself, “but—2010. Your mission in the south of France.”
He knew.
One look at Chris was enough for Leon damn him to realize he’d hit the mark.
“How did you—”
“Undercover as cabaret performers?” Leon went on, grinning. “Those tight pants… really suited you.”
Chris’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t—”
“I think I even have a photo somewhere in my old files. Haven’t been able to find it though…”
“What?”
Silence.
They stared at each other.
And from the look on Leon’s face — it was very clear he hadn’t meant to say that. Not even as a joke.
And it hadn’t sounded like one.
“…Okay, that definitely wasn’t part of the plan,” Leon admitted.
They kept staring at each other, both fully aware of it now — that moment when everything was already going to hell, the building was on fire, and all you could do was stand there and watch it burn.
“The truth serum… is kicking in,” Leon said flatly.
Chris suddenly had a very strong urge for a cigarette.
Now that was actually terrifying.
“Let’s test it. Try lying about something,” Chris said quickly, the edge of panic creeping in.
“Lie? About what?”
“I don’t know — say you use women’s razors.”
Leon bit his lip.
“…I use women’s razors.”
Chris let out a breath.
“Great. If you can still lie, then maybe we’ve got a—”
Leon cut him off.
“Yeah, about that… I didn’t exactly lie.”
Chris stared at him in complete, dead silence.
“No way.”
“Way.” Leon shrugged. “I’ve got sensitive skin. Women’s razors have better moisturizing strips, less irritation… and the colors are nicer. You wake up in the morning, hate the entire world, and then — pink. It helps.”
Chris snorted.
“Well, your skin does look soft. I’ve always wanted to run my fingers along your cheek. Probably the left one — more stubble there.”
It slipped out of Chris like he was commenting on the weather, not admitting he wanted to touch Leon’s face.
Leon froze. Blinked.
“…You can try when we get out. I wouldn’t mind.”
That slipped out just as easily.
And they both shut up immediately.
Leon squinted, tapping his foot.
“Okay. Now we definitely know it works. And I suggest we don’t talk about how we figured that out.”
Chris nodded nervously.
“Yeah. If that’s even an option.”
And then he broke that promise right away by asking: “What do you mean you wouldn’t mind?”
Leon stared at him for a second, parted his lips ready to answer, when they got interrupted. Glenn returned — with a strawberry frappuccino. He ignored Leon and Chris’s questioning stares:
“Well, well… gentlemen, I assume you’re finally ready to talk?”
He walked around the chairs while sipping his coffee, then added once he returned to his usual spot in front of them.
“And yes, your beloved scientist friend came for your rescue, if you’re curious to know.”
Chris’s chest tightened.
“Rebecca…”
Glenn smirked:
“Maria headed to take care of her, so unfortunately she won’t be present during our little talk.”
This time Leon couldn’t stay silent:
“Bec can handle herself. Not like we do, sure, but she’ll find a way.”
Glenn tilted his head, took another sip of coffee.
“Oh. I am pretty sure the serum makes you say what you truly believe, but unfortunately for you, it doesn’t make it real. So you can say your goodbyes to your little friend already, you won’t be seeing her again.”
Chris tensed. The tight rope cut into his skin and muscles underneath as he tried to break free and punch the bastard.
“If anything happens to her—”
Arias approached and tapped Chris on the shoulder teasingly:
“Chill, warrior. Or I’ll have to use another calming serum on you. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
Chris hissed. He had so much to say, but he used the last of his willpower to resist the truth serum, just to leave Glenn without that victorious feeling over him.
“That’s what I thought.” Arias murmured and stepped back, now scanning both hostages on the previous distance.
“So, shall we start—”
Leon cleared his throat.
“I have a question.”
Glenn’s eyes were ready to settle on the other side behind his scull.
“What question?” He almost groaned.
“I’ve always wondered: am I the only one curious what kind of perfume Chris uses? Because it’s so good.”
Glenn choked on his frappuccino, Chris — on the air. Though Redfield couldn’t stay silent himself for a long time:
“Many people assume it’s something expensive, but actually it’s a cheap Zara perfume.” Chris explained, a little too helpfully. “I first tried it in Europe and now cannot get enough of it.”
“Me too, man.” Leon answered right away. “I’ve definitely thought about just… sniffing it off you.”
Chris huffed a quiet laugh.
“I kind of figured you would whenever we work together.”
The words were slipping off so easily now, Chris were saying them carelessly, and his thoughts of what a complete disaster was that were barely keeping up with them.
Glenn groaned. Loudly.
“Enough!” He almost shouted. “I am going to ask—“
But now Chris was the one who interrupted him:
“May I also ask something?”
Glenn took a deep breath and then muttered:
“Like I have a choice, you two won’t shut up.” He almost cracked his cup. “Be my guest…”
Chris smiled in the boyish way, before turning to Leon:
“Your hair looks soft. What do you use?”
Leon smiled, eyes glinting mischievously:
“I use a 12-in-1 shampoo. But I do have a secret…” he took an intriguing pause, even Glenn seemed to listen carefully, “… rosemary oil. Once a week.”
Chris whistled. Glenn cracked his fingers nervously. His interrogation was still going not according to plan.
Meanwhile, Chris leaned closer to Leon’s side, even though the ropes didn’t allow him to do it fully. He inhaled the scent around Leon:
“Rosemary… that makes so much sense now.” Chris gave himself a mental slap for not being able to shut up, meanwhile still, unfortunately, sniffing him. “If only I could touch them right now…”
Leon raised his eyebrows, but didn’t object:
“Usually I hate people touching my hair even for an inch.” A pause, his blue eyes sharp as lightning, “but for you I would make an exception…”
They exchanged looks. Innerly Chris was almost shouting — he had already said too much, and it’d been a few minutes only so far. However, he didn’t skip the way Leon didn’t mind Chris’s honesty at all, offering his own dangerously curious ideas.
Was it all the truth?
Or Kennedy managed to trick the serum?
Probably that.
Leon narrowed his eyes for a second, studying Chris’s face closely.
“You’ve been analyzing my hair?”
Chris shrugged.
“I analyze everything.”
An akward pause.
“…Not like that.”
At the same time, Glenn snapped at it completely. His nostrils widened as he approached them and almost burned with his hateful gaze:
“You two idiots! Shut up!” He scolded. “You are only talking about touching each other, what a hell?!”
Both hostages blushed.
Chris hated the way Glenn was actually right.
Leon looked at Arias with that innocent expression:
“You’re the one who wanted us to talk.”
Glenn scoffed.
“About important stuff, not your perfumes or hair care routine, you dumbasses!”
Arias threw an empty cup to the bin in the corner, his fists tensed while he was turning back to them — slowly and hostile.
“Enough of this shit. You,” he turned to Leon, “any DSO secrets to share? Something from your meetings? Anything?!”
Leon smirked.
“Sure, I have a DSO secret in mind.”
“Thank god…” Glenn was ready to burst into tears from happiness.
“When we had a briefing along with BSAA squad representatives…”
Chris’s throat got dry. It resembled another sort of secret already, despite the fact Leon hadn’t told much yet.
“So, I sat next to Chris, obviously,” Leon said casually, making Chris’s heart make a huge race at this point. “He might not know it, but I take seats for two of us beforehand. Has always been, for several years already.”
Chris blinked. Indeed, he didn’t notice the sequence.
Leon continued:
“We had a nice talk about our typical pain in the ass. You know — terrorist guys who make us work on Saturdays and holidays?” Kennedy couldn’t shut up at this point, when he also added with the most double-meaning smile ever, “by the way, Chris looks just gorgeous in his suit. Though I always wonder how those buttons on his shirt keep up with that chest…”
Glenn tapped on his own elbow, his patience was thinner than a slice of toast Chris had eaten in the morning.
“Closer to the secret part,” Arias insisted.
“Sure,” Leon nodded, “so, when the briefing was over, Chris was called somewhere right away, and I noticed he dropped something…”
Chris suddenly remembered that day.
“Wait a minute…”
Leon continued with an enthusiasm:
“It was a lighter. Zippo, with a wing emblem on it, really pretty one.”
“Don’t tell me you…” Chris narrowed his brown eyes that were even more shiny as usual due to the effect of the serum. Leon looked at him apologetically:
“I wanted to return it, I swear. But you disappeared so quickly, and when I saw you a month later I kinda forgot about it. And after that it was already too weird and late to bring it, so…”
“You kept it?” Chris didn’t ask — stated. And deep inside — he found it somewhat cute.
It was his favorite lighter, a custom made and given to him by his comrades in a sign of respect. He was really upset thinking he had lost it.
But the idea of Leon keeping it—
—Chris swallowed.
“You don’t smoke? Why having it?” He looked into Leon’s eyes attentively, being genuinely curious.
Kennedy shrugged.
“I always take it on missions as a sort of a talisman. Keep telling myself that ‘if Chris can make it, I can too.’”
And those words — so sincere while they were under the serum’s influence, hit Chris harder than anything else.
Leon kept his lighter as a talisman.
He smiled like an idiot. The next words left his mouth by themselves:
“You can keep it, if you want. It would make me happy.”
Leon looked surprised, nevertheless returning a smile:
“Do you mean it?”
“Yes, I do.”
They exchanged looks again. Somehow the feeling was comforting, they completely forgot about the situation they were in right now.
Glenn, on the contrary, didn’t share that heartwarming moment.
“How this story is even connected to DSO secret I was asking about?”
Leon forced himself to stop staring at Chris and met Glenn’s angry gaze:
“I mean… it was during the briefing… and I am a DSO agent… and it’s a huge secret too?”
Glenn almost growled.
“You two are completely useless. I could interrogate a pair of chairs and get more out of them!”
Arias was breathing hard already. He was really close to the biggest burning out during his entire career… or whatever he had. He exhaled again, the nerves pulsing on his temples.
The questions — solid, clear, pretty much direct — impossible to avoid.
“BSAA savehouses locations?” Glenn barked.
“Leon’s favorite whiskey is Lagavulin 16. He only drinks it when something is really, really wrong.”
“Chris’s favorite protein shake is that weird tropical one. Tastes awful — but I still adore the way Chris closes his eyes in ecstasy while drinking it.”
…or maybe the questions were pretty much possible to avoid if you had something more important to share.
Glenn’s confidence about his invention was fading:
“The biggest secrets of your organizations.”
Chris confessed against his will:
“Leon’s laugh. The real one, not the sarcastic one. The one he does right after we survive something impossible. I’d burn the BSAA to the ground just to hear it again.”
Leon wasn’t left behind:
“Chris’s arms when he’s reloading. Specifically the vein that pops on his left forearm. I have written poetry about it in my head. Bad poetry. But still.”
Glenn was ready to tear the hair on his head, something bad was about to happen…
“Last chance: talk. About. Your. Organizations.” Glenn leaned toward them, teeth gritted, eyes burning with rage.
The men looked at each other when Glenn finally gave them some space. They had talked much today. And more was about to bust out.
Chris gulped. Panic surged inside him, but his mouth was eager. Confessing those embarrassing truths. Wondering what Leon would think once the serum wore off. Would it be the end of their friendship? Would he even see Leon again?
Redfield realized the truth serum made it impossible to hide feelings. They would be revealed this or other way. Today. Right now.
And the best thing he could do was…
”Yes, one last thing I want to share,” Chris responded. He looked at Leon again. Kennedy met his gaze. Their eyes locked: brown to blue. Depths like ocean meeting lightning, “I want to kiss you so badly right now, no — always.”
…completely sincere.
Glenn’s eyes widened. He couldn’t speak.
Leon…
Leon didn’t say a word. Probably more shocked than ever, even after everything from today. He didn’t blink, didn’t look away, just watched.
“You…” he was about to finally say something, but Chris cut him off:
“Let me finish,” he took a deep breath,“I’ve wanted to kiss you — a long time ago. Since that stupid briefing. And then again and again: at other meetings, on Claire’s presentation day when you were wearing that ridiculous suit of yours that somehow suits you so badly.”
Chris was unstoppable. Even Glenn, finger raised to stop him, couldn’t get a word out.
“I like your stupid jokes, even when I know that you make them to hide something — pain, disappointment or just simply how tired you are.” Chris pressed on, no shame, no regrets. “I want you to know the truth.”
He didn’t care if that would be the end of it, at least now he had no regrets.
Chris bit on his lower lip, finally adding:
“You irritate me so much, Leon. With you being stubborn when someone tries to help you, blaming yourself for things beyond your control… but the reality is — I am pretty much the same. That is why you are one of the few people I trust. And want to hold you. And kiss till you stop breathing. To taste you. To try you. To make you mine.”
Chris finally finished.
None of three of them said a word for a good second.
Redfield looked away, fearing Leon’s reaction: anger, disappointment, something breaking. Both seemed undeserving of this simple light, this piece of life they’d been avoiding like idiots.
“...I want that too.” Leon whispered.
Chris lifted his gaze. Blue eyes met brown again. Usually hard to read, but now… something hidden, long-standing, finally revealed.
“Really?” Chris asked, his voice faltered.
Leon nodded.
“I want that too. Since day one. I just… didn’t allow myself to admit it,” Leon said, eyes sad. “After you told me it wasn’t all my fault, while you kept blaming yourself… I feel that too. How indifferent we are. But I didn’t deserve all that, so I never mentioned anything…”
Chris snapped:
“You deserve all the best, Leon. To be carried, to be warmed, to be… with me?”
The words made Leon shudder. He tugged a soft smile.
“When we are out of here, I’ll kiss you myself.”
Chris flashed a grin.
“I will carry you home.”
“Liar,” Leon snickered, but his gaze remained warm, “but I will take it further… god, how I want to touch you right now…”
Chris’s heart skipped a beat. Serum or not, he liked it.
The only one who wasn’t all touched by this scene was Glenn. His patience finally gave out.
Glenn, unsurprisingly, was unimpressed. Patience snapped.
“You, absolute idiots!” he bellowed, reaching into his inner pocket. “Since you’re that useless, I’ll finish you off. Here and now!”
A gun.
Chris felt his throat going dry and chocking.
Time seemed to stretch, each second unbearable. Chris felt like he was already on the porch to death — and he was dragging Leon into it too.
Someone valuable to him would get hurt.
Again.
Like always.
And before Redfield could react, Leon was faster:
“Do you want a second opinion?”
And like lightning, he knocked Glenn off his feet. The gun fired to the ceiling before Glenn could recover.
“Impossible!” Arias screamed, before pushing Kennedy off himself and getting back on his feet quickly again. He was breathing hard, the eyes full of shock, “how?”
Leon lifted something in triumph: a lighter. Wing emblem.
His — Chris’s — lighter.
Redfield glanced at Leon’s chair. The ropes ends had been burned.
That son of a—
Leon smirked.
“...Hollywood didn’t lie, after all.”
Glenn looked terrified now. He backed off, eyes searching for something useful. While not finding anything, he almost screamed:
“We shall see about it all,” then he revealed something from his pocket — a smoke grenade.
Before Leon could react or Chris could warn him, Glenn dropped the grenade. It hissed: the foggy smoke filled the room in second.
Glenn escaped.
Chris twitched in his seat:
“Leon!”
He hoped Kennedy was alright. He had to be.
“I am here.” Leon almost shouted and the next second showing up from the smoke. “Let me help you,” he muttered while running around Chris and now working on his knots from behind.
Very soon, Chris felt the rope loosen. He was finally free.
Redfield stood up, rubbing his sore wrists.
“Oh my god, we made it,” he sighed. Relief washing over him, battle still ahead, but now they were able to fight, “good thinking, Leon.”
Kennedy approached, the smile was on his face now — not a sarcastic one, a little awkward, but genuine:
“What can I say… my talisman still helps me,” he cleared his throat adding the, “and we are also lucky enough to be captured by an idiot who didn’t bother to check the back pockets.”
Chris laughed — for the first time in few hours, he looked into Leon’s eyes again, feeling a weird tightness in his chest then.
They both remained still.
“The serum… does it still work?” Chris asked.
Leon shrugged.
“There is just one way to find out,” he took a deep breath, “…I absolutely don’t use women’s razors.”
Chris chuckled, shaking his head.
“Thank god it’s over.”
“Yeah, that was…”
Leon didn’t finish the sentence. They stared at each other again. The smoke was still surrounding them two like the rest of the world didn’t exist. They still had a mission to complete, Arias to defeat.
But this moment. Here and now…
Chris stepped closer. Leon didn’t back off.
“I…” Chris started, Leon stopped him:
“You don’t need to explain…”
Chris grabbed his arm, not roughly — grounding.
“I know we need to go. I get it.” Chris nodded. “Rebecca is waiting, and Glenn…”
“...is still an asshole.” Leon added with irony.
“Yes.” Chris nodded, “we can talk about everything later… if you want.”
Leon’s eyes flickered. Something else was there. Something that had always been there — hidden, but Chris hadn’t noticed it till today.
“I want to. And I mean it,” Leon said with his voice low. He made a step, “…but before, I want to keep one promise.”
Chris was about to ask — “Which one?”
But Leon was quicker — he shortened the distance between them in seconds and leaned in, kissing him. His hands cupped Chris’s face, pulling him closer right away — insistently, like he was pushing his luck, biting Chris’s lower lip like he owned it.
Chris groaned, he didn’t think much and pulled Leon by his waist deepening the kiss. His hand went up along his spine, finding its place in Leon’s hair. Just like he had confessed today.
Leon against Chris’s lips, their tongues met, lips kept moving against each other like they couldn’t have enough. He tasted like mint and spices.
“Lee…” Chris murmured, finally pulling back a little and finding Leon’s eyes again. Kennedy’s breath was uneven, eyes — narrowed and sharp, full of hidden thoughts and mysteries Chris wanted to solve.
“Sincerity… it suits you, Chris.” Leon whispered at last.
Chris let out a quiet laugh. His thumb ran over Leon’s bottom lip.
“You too. We should practice it more often… without the serum.”
Leon chuckled, then nodded.
“Yeah. And without the third wheel.”
Chris shook his head.
“Speaking of which…”
“Yup.”
Another short kiss — tender, promising so much more.
They both had to step back before it turned into something inevitable. Their eyes locked:
“Race you to the lab, Leon.”
Leon smirked again:
“You’re on… but don’t slow down if I grab a kiss on the way.”
“You first. I want to make it worth your while.” Chris grinned.
And they rushed out, confessions and kisses fueling them, ready to deal with Arias one last time.