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It started again.
Chris should've known better. He should've known that Elpis was Spencer's last joke, all the way from his grave.
Chris shouldn't have believed in magical cure for all the viruses that Umbrella infected the world with.
Leon was getting sick again.
His omega mate was sick again, when Chris thought that they were finally free to live their lives together. Healthy. Free from the infections.
How delusional he was.
Not even four months after the whole Raccoon City - Elpis ordeal, and the disease was back.
Chris noticed the symptoms faster than he did the first time around.
The shortness of Leon's breath after short physical activities. The fatigue visible with extra naps he took. The sounds of his omega retching his guts in the bathroom at 3 am. Leon's refusal of physical affections.
But the biggest indicator of Raccoon City's syndrom coming back was that Leon shut down their bond again, only projecting happy emotions to Chris. He did this when he started getting sick the first time around. His omega decided to spare his mate the pain, only projecting good feelings and emotions through their bond.
That approach was a torture to Chris, because the lack of other emotions than happiness and elation, left their bond empty. When previously he could feel Leon's worry for Rose, anxiety over Sherry, Leon's anger at Chris' alpha over something insignificant, then it was only emptiness, complete lack of his omega at the other side of their sacred bond.
Chris hated it then, when Leon tried to spare his feelings, while dying. And he hates it now, because it means that his mate doesn't trust him again with sharing the hardship of the disease.
It pisses Chris's alpha even more, because Leon sends more of his happy emotions through the bond, as if he wanted to redirect Chris's focus from the bad ones. It never worked on him, so he doesn't understand why Leon still tries to use this trick.
That just feels like disrespect of their union, like a lack of trust in his mate.
The only thing that is throwing wrench into Chris's deductions, is that he cannot find any of black spots on Leon's body. The biggest indicator of the sickness, didn't come back this time around. Whenever he could, Chris scanned his mate's body, looking for the rot. But he couldn't find any. Leon's skin was as it always was, littered with beauty marks and scars. Chris would even say that it got more supple, reinvigorated, almost glowing. Complete opposite of how it got when Leon got sick first time. But maybe that's what Elpis did? Removed physical signs of the disease?
No matter. Chris had enough evidence to back up his suspicions and he will be confronting his mate about it. Whether he likes it or not.
He found his omega in the backyard, playing with their pup, the sunset coloring their blond heads with shades of orange and gold. Such a sight always melted Chris's heart, filling it with more love for his family than he could contain in himself. Feeling of tenderness and love always spilled from him to their bond, so it wasn't surprising that Leon immediately reacted and smiled at him. That full-of-love smile almost broke alpha's resolve.
Almost.
But he had to confront Leon about his health.
Because he couldn't go through the anguish of losing his mate again.
So he straighten his back and with a firm voice, said "Leon, we need to talk."
Chris could feel his omega's surprise at the tone of his voice and what he requested, but it quickly disappeared, along with all the emotions on Leon's side of the bond. It felt like a brick wall has been erected between them, leaving nothing in it's wake.
"C'mon, Rose, playtime's over." Leon helped their pup to her feet, shaking off all the loose grass that clinged to her small frame. "Go ahead to the bathroom and get ready for bath. I will talk with your daddy for a minute and will come to you, ok?"
"Can I get my ducky?" Rosemary asked, her big blue eyes begging Leon to agree.
Leon could never win with that stare, so he quickly agreed. "Yes, you can even get your mermaid doll if you want. But wait for me in the bathroom, okay?"
The pup only squealed, already elated at the prospect of bath time. She only made a quick detour to her daddy's side, to wrap her small hands around his knees in their typical greeting, before she disappeared behind patio doors.
With Rose in the house, Chris focused completely on his mate, watching him make his way to his side.
Leon stepped next to him, their bodies almost brushing against each other. "What got you all twisted in knots, alpha?" he asked, quirking his brow at his serious mate.
"Can you stop that? I already know." Chris got to the point immediately.
He could see the surprise on Leon's face, his eyes widening, but their bond still stayed silent. He got nothing from omega's side.
"You know?" Leon asked him, as if he was disbelieving him.
"Of course, I know!" Chris barked in frustration, his voice raising. "I'm not stupid, I can connect the dots."
"You think I didn't notice, that you're getting weaker?" Chris placed his hands on Leon's cheeks, redirecting his gaze from the ground to look into his eyes. He can see guilt swimming in the blues of his omega's eyes and he gets his confirmation. He was right.
"I can see that you need more rest. That you don't want to be touched," Chris slowly moved his thumb on Leon's cheek, massaging skin under his light stubble. "I can hear you throwing up in the middle of the night. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, anguish squeezing his throat.
"I was waiting for the right moment." Leon mumbled, his hands resting against Chris' wrists.
"You should've told me immediately." Chris can't decide between the anger, frustration and hurt that he's feeling. "How could you wait so long to tell me?"
"I wanted to be a surprise." Leon quietly admitted.
"Why? Didn't we go through enough? I know that you wanted to spare my feelings, but this is torture. I hate when you block yourself in our bond, just to protect me from your feelings. But in the process, you're leaving me alone. And I absolutely despise that. Because it shows me, what I will be left with. Complete emptiness." Tears were slowly dropping down Chris' face.
"What?" Leon asked, confusion coloring his voice.
"I know Elpis didn't work, but we will find different cure. We will find a way to get you healthy again. But, please, stop blocking our bond. It hurts me so much, not to have you on the other side. I don't need a taste of how my life will be, after you're gone. It hurts too much." Chris was falling apart, the thought of living without his mate breaking something in him.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Leon seems to be more confused than ever.
"About Raccoon City syndrom. We will find a cure. I'm telling you, we..." Chris got stopped in the middle of his tirade by his frustrated omega.
"I'm not dying. I'm pregnant."
"What?" Chris' world halted to the stop, his brain not comprehending what he just heard.
"It seems that Elpis worked better than anyone thought. It not only cured me, but also helped with my fertility. So during my last heat, you bred me so well, that now, I'm with pup. You're going to be a dad again." Leon smiled at Chris, happiness radiating from him.
"You're not dying?" Chris had to make sure.
"No."
"You're pregnant? With my pup?" Chris couldn't believe this. It was too good to be true.
"Yes."
"Why did you block our bond?" This still bother him.
"If you were listening to me before, you would know that I wanted to make it a surprise. For you." Leon beamed with happiness, all the happy emotions bombarding Chris through their bond.
"That's why you blocked our bond?"
"Yes."
"Don't do it again." Chris's voice was steel hard as he said that.
"Okay, okay, I won't. I promise." Leon appeased his alpha. "And I will answer more of your questions, but we need to get back to the house. There is an eagerly awaiting pup and bath time she was promised, okay?" his omega kissed him, getting Chris out of his stupor.
"We're gonna be parents again!" Chris kissed and lifted Leon, elated at the turn of events, making way to their patient pup.
Leon laughed wholeheartedly, as his alpha run with him, both of them joyful at the expansion of their family.