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The blasting of the village make Chris tense up his legs to make sure that he won't fall down when the helicopter shake. But inside, he knows well that his heart has shattered, no better than the village that looks smaller as they flew further away.
Another life perish in his hand. Someone died because of him, once again.
"He's gone! I tried."
The pain on his hands could not make Chris flinched. He's far too numb for physical pain, yet still too human to not feel it. There was a time he wished a he got infected and just become a bioweapon, to be able to let go of any human emotions.
The entire time as they flew back to BSAA headquarter, Chris sat there across from two civilians survived, glancing at them with guilt surging up his throat. Though, through Mia's grief, one time-inappropriate idea surge alongside the guilt. Chris looked through his bag for a small box, full of dust on the velvet texture, which he had with him for years.
He never has a courage to ask the intended owner to take it, never thinks he deserved to ask.
How could he? Everyone who worked alongside him has gone to their grave before they could live their precious life.
Before one could retired from BSAA and travel the world or even going on a date.
Before one could be with his wife and see his daughter grow to be a strong girl.
It was all his fault. Then, how could he ask someone to take this simple silver ring in this box.
However, looking at Mia with Rosemary in her arm, Chris felt something.
Sure, Ethan died, but their memories stay forever. Their wedding picture will always be on the shelf of the home Mia will continue to live on, no matter where she would live. The 'Winters' after her first name will continue to remind her of the time they've had.
Most importantly, Rosemary Winters. Chris was certain that little girl will be the strongest and the bravest like how her dad was once. That, is something Mia will always see. She will see Ethan in Rose's eyes, face, everything. For Rose, Ethan will be a mere memories, a foggy blurry picture of a man whose jacket she owned now. But for Mia, Rose is the concrete picture showing her Ethan will always be by her side. Even though their marriage was short, they were once able to say with their full chest that they are married to each other.
That was when it hits Chris. Mia will have Ethan's house, car, and everything because they are married.
Chris, on the other hand, could not do that. If one of them gone tomorrow, the other could not legally owned anything, even if it's the last piece of memory the rest of their entire existence depends on.
He open the little box and grab his phone to his ears. He completely forgot it was late in the night on the other side of across the Atlantic. Two ringings are already too much to bear and Chris let out a huge sigh when he heard the answering voice.
"Are you okay?" Chris could hear the sleepiness in the voice.
"I am. I am," Chris said as he fidgeting with the small piece of metal.
"That's good to hear. Called me again when you arrive back here, yeah? I'm going to bed."
"Wait, Lee."
"What?"
"We've been together for decades. Have you ever thought about marriage?" Chris asked. This is the lowest he could be in terms of confidence.
"Wait let me sit back up. What?"
"Have you ever thought about marriage?"
"But one of us could die tomorrow, Chris," Leon's voice changed completely. Chris knew instantly that in a townhouse near Dupont Circle, a light would turn back on and a man in there would walk around on the second floor in a sweatpants and BSAA t-shirt.
"Exactly, so are we gonna spend time we might not have left being boyfriends, or are we going to be husbands?"
"I mean-"
"Don't go downstair and get those cheese while you're thinking, Leon. It's not good for your health at this age," he said, knowing damn well the cheese box in the fridge is what he had to protect during the night at their house. They both already risk their life enough with the job, they should not add 'eating American Cheese at midnight as a man older than 40' to the list of what could kill them.
"What if we sign the certificate and I got called to the mission and died? What if all of a sudden everyone who survived Raccoon City got infected with a weird disease and we could not find the cure and we all die?"
"Then I could become your ex-husband and not ex-boyfriend. It's so... different," Chris almost burst out in the middle of the plane. He could see Charlie glanced at him with worries.
Chris sigh, trying to calm himself and telling himself repeatedly that this is too fast for Leon and Chris is being too demanding right now.
"Sorry, I was being too emotional. I'll- I will ask you properly when I'm back. But, can I please have the honor of being your husband? Please think about it though. Goodnight, Leon."
"Wait," the other side stop Chris before he could end the call.
"Yes?"
"Make sure you have 45 bucks when you land back here. Cash, credit card, check, money order, I don't care."
Chris frown. "What was that supposed to be for?"
"That's how much the marriage license fee cost in DC, Christopher Redfield. Good night, or whatever Romania time is."