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Κα΄α΄Ι΄ κ±. α΄α΄Ι΄Ι΄α΄α΄
Κ x α΄α΄Κα΄α΄Ι΄α΄ΚΚ! Κα΄α΄α΄
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Warnings: Enemies to lovers? This is written with re4r Leon in mind. Suggestive content. Mild-angst. Female reader. Reader and Ada are partners. Kinda canon-divergence (set in Spain during his mission to save Ashley).
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You and Ada knew each other from various assignments where you had coincidentally crossed paths.
You were a mercenary. Though your loyalty belonged to no one, you worked for anyone willing to pay the right price. It was something you and Ada had in common.
Your relationship with her was strictly professional. Your fighting styles complemented one another perfectly, and somehow, despite the nature of your work, you had begun to care for her. As complicated as it was, a strange sort of friendship had developed between the two of you.
Wesker was no stranger either. He had hired you for a job or two before, though you had always worked alone.
So when he contacted you with another assignment, informing you that Ada would be your partner alongside a Spanish scientist named Luis, who would assist you from the inside, it caught you off guard. Still, the payment was generous, so you accepted without hesitation.
The mission would take place in Spain, more specifically in a secluded mountain village called Valdelobos.
You were tasked with retrieving a sample known only as "Amber," though you had been given very little information about it - not that you had asked. You never did.
You and Ada decided to split up, knowing it would allow you to cover more ground.
She headed toward the castle, while you made your way through the residential part of the village. Perhaps the locals could provide information, whether willingly or not.
Weathered stone cottages with dark wooden beams and cracked clay-tile roofs lined muddy dirt paths. Abandoned barns, empty animal pens, old wells, and rusting farm equipment hinted at a once-thriving agricultural community that had long since succumbed to decay.
Dense pine forests pressed in from every direction, swallowing the village beneath a perpetually overcast sky that bathed everything in bleak shades of gray, brown, and moss-covered green.
Thin wisps of smoke curled from aging chimneys, dim firelight flickered behind dust-coated windows, and weathered religious symbols stood beside unsettling cult iconography, creating a haunting contrast between familiar rural life and something profoundly unnatural.
The village was silent - far too silent.
And in your line of work, silence was rarely a good sign.
It looks abandoned, you thought, deciding to enter one of the cottages. You quietly closed the door behind you before moving deeper inside with careful, measured steps.
Your boots landed softly against the worn wooden floorboards as you surveyed the interior.
The faint creaking of floorboards beneath the house immediately put you on alert, your hand instinctively drifting toward the holster at your hip.
Following the sound, you found a narrow staircase leading down into the basement and descended one cautious step at a time.
The moment your foot touched the final step, the creaking stopped.
Whoever was down there had noticed your presence.
You drew your pistol, holding it at the ready as you slowly rounded the corner.
A small gasp escaped your parted lips as you came face-to-face with a familiar figure.
A breathy mix of a scoff and a chuckle escaped you as you immediately lowered your weapon and snapped it back into its holster. "What the hell are you doing in here?"
"I should be asking you the same question." He kept his gun trained on you, though you knew he wasn't going to pull the trigger.
"Well, that's unfortunate. I asked first." You hummed absentmindedly, your gaze wandering across the basement in search of anything that might prove useful for your mission.
"I am not in the mood for any of your games," he replied coldly, his eyes never leaving you as they tracked your every movement, wary of any sudden gesture.
"How long have you been here? In the village, I mean." Deciding to brush off his icy demeanor, you brushed past him, venturing deeper into the basement
This place is dusty. Whoever lives here hasn't cleaned in ages.
He didn't lower his weapon immediately, maintaining a tense silence as if debating whether you deserved an answer.
"A few minutes. Some cops brought me here. One of them got separated, so I've been looking for him."
A quiet scoff escaped you.
Your tone carried a faint trace of amusement.
"Clearly not." He didn't seem remotely entertained by your teasing. Although he lowered his gun, he didn't fully relax. You could tell by the tension in his shoulders and the guarded set of his posture.
"What are you doing here this time?" he asked, unable to conceal the unmistakable irritation laced with venom in his voice. "Are you going to get in the way of my mission again?"
You had met Leon Kennedy before.
You had been hired to retrieve information on a virus a bioterrorist organization was developing. Your mission had been simple: transfer the data onto a flash drive and deliver it to the man who had contracted you.
Unfortunately for you, Leon had been sent with the exact same objective.
Your first encounter with him had involved you pressing the barrel of a gun against the back of his head.
Surprisingly, it hadn't been your last.
You never knew whether it was coincidence or simply rotten luck, but your paths began crossing far more often than either of you would've liked.
And somewhere between those repeated encounters, something changed.
You found yourself expecting him to appear.
Your body learned to recognize the sound of his footsteps before you ever saw him. You remembered the way he favored a knife over a handgun in close quarters, how he shifted his weight before throwing a punch, how instinctively you reacted to every movement he made.
You had begun to enjoy your encounters - your fights. The way the two of you had memorized each other's every move until every clash felt almost choreographed, like a dance - If you ignored the fact that you were trying to kill each other.
Because you knew exactly what you were.
And you knew exactly what he was.
Nothing good could ever come from whatever this was becoming.
Yet neither of you seemed willing - or perhaps able- to put an end to it. So you simply kept dancing around it.
Realizing the basement held nothing of value to your investigation, you let out a disappointed sigh and leaned back against the old wooden table behind you, folding your arms as you faced him. "Depends. If you told me what your mission actually is, maybe I could answer that."
He didn't trust you - and he had every reason not to - but he also knew you were right.
"I'm looking for someone," he admitted reluctantly. "A girl." The words left his mouth as though they had been dragged out of him.
You fell silent for a brief moment.
"Then no," you finally replied. "I'm not. Unless you get in the way of my mission."
"You're not going to tell me what you're after, are you?" He asked despite already knowing the answer.
A quiet chuckle escaped your lips before you could stop it. "You know me well."
The corner of Leon's mouth twitched upward into the faintest smile before it disappeared just as quickly. He looked away, as though he'd accidentally revealed something he wasn't supposed to.
An uneasy silence settled between you.
Neither of you seemed to know what to say.
Just as you were about to break the awkward quiet, the faint creak of the front door opening upstairs beat you to it.
Your eyes met. No words were exchanged. None were needed.
You both drew your weapons, and Leon motioned for you to stay behind him. Together, you climbed the stairs in complete silence, each careful step barely making a sound.
The noises grew clearer as you neared what appeared to be the living room.
Leon raised a clenched fist, signaling you to stop. He pointed toward the living room before gesturing for you to circle through the kitchen, silently indicating that you should cover the opposite side in case whoever was inside proved hostile.
You gave a small nod and slipped away.
Taking position behind the living room's doorway, you listened carefully. The stranger muttered to himself in what sounded like Spanish, though from where you stood you couldn't make out the words.
Carefully, you peeked around the corner.
Leon stepped into the living room at a measured pace, his pistol lowered for the moment as he chose a more friendly approach.
"Hola, busco a un policΓa, ΒΏVino aquΓ?" he asked in Spanish.
You had to fight to keep from laughing at his dreadful accent.
The old man continued muttering under his breath, seemingly occupied with tending the fire in the chimney.
Your smile faded almost instantly as your eyes lingered on him.
Something wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong.
You slowly emerged from your hiding place, your pistol already raised.
Leon shot you a confused glance, silently asking what you thought you were doing.
You ignored him and addressed the old man instead. "ΒΏPodrΓa darse la vuelta? Si puede ser con las manos arriba, mejor."
Leon raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by your fluency in Spanish.
The man abruptly fell silent, his movements ceasing altogether.
Leon seemed to notice something was off as well, and slowly raised his pistol. "ΒΏEstΓ‘ usted bien?"
The old man turned around with agonizing slowness, finally revealing his face.
He appeared to be well into his sixties, his weathered features marked by years of hard labor. A receding hairline and unkempt dark hair streaked with gray framed his head, while a thick salt-and-pepper beard gave him an even more rugged appearance.
But none of that was what caught your attention.
It was his eyes. They were blood-red.
"He doesn't look okay..." you muttered to Leon, a faint trace of sarcasm lacing your voice.
Leon shot you a brief glare, making it abundantly clear that he wasn't in the mood for jokes.
The villager remained completely unresponsive, merely staring at the two of you.
Trusting Leon to keep the man covered, you cautiously shifted your attention to the rest of the room.
Your gaze settled on something resting atop the wooden table.
Stepping closer, you picked it up.
Your eyes widened ever so slightly in realization.
Could this belong to the officer Leon was looking for?
You turned immediately to alert him but the instant you did, an axe came hurtling toward and your instincts took over.
You threw yourself into a roll just as the blade tore through the air where your head had been moments before.
As you regained your footing, you caught sight of Leon with his pistol trained on the villager.
You were directly in his line of fire.
Realizing he wouldn't risk taking the shot, you continued weaving between the villager's axe relentless swings, deliberately drawing him farther across the room.
You were backing yourself into a corner and Leon caught on instantly.
The moment you slipped to the side to avoid another brutal overhead swing, Leon lunged forward and drove a powerful kick into the man's back.
The impact hurled the villager headfirst into the stone wall and a sickening crack echoed through the cottage as his neck snapped on impact.
You let out a slow breath of relief, trying to steady the frantic rhythm of your heartbeat. "What the hell was that guy's problem?"
Leon looked you over from head to toe, his eyes lingering for a moment as he silently checked for injuries. "You good?" His tone was casual, almost indifferent, but you caught the concern quietly woven beneath it.
He offered you a hand and you took it, allowing him to pull you back to your feet.
"Yeah," you replied, dusting yourself off with a dry laugh. "I'm doing just great."
"Did you see his eyes?" you asked Leon, instinctively taking a small step away from the old man's body.
"You think he was infected?" he asked, his gaze shifting between the corpse and you.
An awkward silence settled between you.
"You should head to the castle," you said at last. "The girl you are searching for, she'll probably be there."
You spared him one final glance before turning toward the cottage's front door, fully intending to end the conversation there.
His hand shot out almost instantly, gently wrapping around your wrist before you could reach the door, keeping you from reaching it.
You stopped in your tracks, your eyes dropping to his hand. It was the first time Leon had touched you without trying to kill you.
He seemed to realize just how intimate the gesture had been and immediately let go, taking a small step back.
"If... if that man was infected, there are probably more people like him around the village." He never said it outright, but you could hear the concern beneath his words. He didn't want you going out there alone.
"I'm a big girl." You brushed him off with a faint scoff. "I can take care of myself."
You wanted to tell him you'd survived far worse on your own. That you always had.
But you bit your tongue before the words could escape.
Leon remained silent. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, yet stopped himself before he could.
You took another step back, giving him one last look before turning once more toward the front door.
Just as your hand reached for the doorknob, a low, wet gurgle echoed through the room.
You frowned and looked back over your shoulder. "Was that you?" you asked, unable to place where the sound had come from.
Leon mirrored your confusion, giving his head a quick shake.
A metallic glint flashed behind him.
"Leon, duck!" You drew your pistol as you shouted the warning.
Without a moment's hesitation, Leon threw himself into a roll just as an axe came crashing down where he'd been standing only a moment before.
Wood splintered apart as the blade buried itself in the floor. You fired inmediately. Your eyes recognising who the attacker was. The man from before.
His neck still hung at an impossible angle from Leon's earlier kick, grotesquely twisted to one side.
Your bullet tore through his right eye, forcing him to stagger backward. But he didn't fall.
Instead, his head jerked toward you, and with an inhuman snarl, he ripped the axe free before swinging it in your direction.
"What the fuck..." you cursed to yourself, stumbling back as the blade sliced through the air inches from your face.
Leon had already drawn his pistol. A gunshot ringing through the cottage as he shot.
The bullet struck the villager squarely in the head, and this time, he collapsed for good, his body crumpling to the floor a few meters from your feet.
"I made that one easy for you," you remarked, your voice dripping with playful sarcasm.
"Sure." Leon shrugged, though his attention remained fixed on the motionless body.
Even so, you caught the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
A shout shattered the brief moment of calm. "Β‘Unos forasteros!"
Both of you immediately turned toward the source of the voice.
"Looks like we're about to have company..." you murmured dryly, giving your gear one last check as you took a small step back from the front door.
"I hope they're not as friendly as the last one," Leon replied.
A quiet snort escaped you just as the front door suddenly burst open.
You couldn't tell exactly how many villagers had gathered outside, but there were more than enough to become a problem.
Your back brushed against Leon's chest, and only then did you realize you had instinctively drifted into his space.
You felt his breath catch. It was barely audible, but you heard it.
You immediately stepped forward, putting some distance between the two of you.
There wasn't time to dwell on whatever that had been.
One of the villagers swung a rake at you and you ducked beneath it, fired a single shot, and watched as the woman crumple to the floor.
More villagers step into the cottage through shattered windows and the splintered doorway.
You and Leon fought back-to-back, holding them off as best you could, but there were far more of them than either of you had anticipated.
"We've got to get out of here!" you shouted, shooting a villager who had managed to slip in behind Leon before he could strike.
Leon answered with a curt no of agreement and reached into one of his pouches, pulling out a flash grenade. "Close your eyes!"
He yanked out the pin and threw it to the floor.
Without hesitation, you squeezed your eyes shut as a blinding flash engulfed the cottage.
Before you could regain your bearings, you felt a pair of hands wrap around your waist, guiding you through the doorway.
You blinked against the lingering white spots dancing across your vision and found yourself face-to-face with Leon.
"Come on." He grabbed your wrist and pulled you after him whilst the villagers slowly recovered from the flash.
The two of you sprinted through the village, firing at anyone who got close enough to block your escape.
You moved as though you'd trained together for years, covering each other's blind spots and keeping one another alive without needing to exchange a single word.
But ammunition wasn't infinite, and there were simply too many of them.
"I've only got two rounds left!" you shouted over the chaos.
"I've got five!" Leon called back.
You reached for your knife, preparing for the inevitable.
But then a church bell rang.
The sound echoed throughout the village, and to your surprise, every villager froze where they stood.
One by one, they lowered their weapons.
"What...?" Confusion washed over you as you slowly lowered your pistol.
Without acknowledging either of you, the villagers began muttering quietly among themselves, their movements strangely mechanical as they shuffled away toward the church, as if they were in a trance.
"Where's everyone going?" Leon muttered. "Bingo?"
Despite everything, a short laugh escaped you.
"As long as they leave, I don't care where they're going." You holstered your pistol with a relieved sigh.
Leon let out a quiet huff in agreement at that.
Your radio suddenly crackled to life and Ada's voice came through the static, barely recognizable beneath the interference.
You immediately grabbed it. "Ada? Ada, do you copy?"
Leon watched you from the corner of his eye, a faint crease forming between his brows.
However, only static answered.
With an irritated exhale, you lowered the radio and shoved it back into your pocket. "Fuck."
You reached into your gear and pulled out the grappling launcher Wesker had gave to both you and Ada. Aiming toward the roof of a nearby building, you prepared to leave.
Noticing what you were about to do, Leon stepped toward you. "Hey. Where are you going?"
"I've got a mission to finish." You spared him one last glance before pulling the trigger.
The grappling hook shot forward, anchoring itself securely, and just a moment later, you were up in the air, swinging effortlessly onto the rooftop before landing with practiced grace.
Leon watched from below, a slight frown lingering on his face.
"Don't get yourself killed." you called down.
Then, before he could answer, you fired the hook again, catching the branch of a nearby pine tree, and with one final swing, you disappeared beyond the rooftops, leaving the village behind.
You landed lightly atop one of the towering pine trees that surrounded Valdelobos, balancing effortlessly on one of its thick branches. Reaching into your gear, you pulled out your radio, hoping the higher vantage point would give you a better signal.
"Ada? Ada, are you there?" you asked into the device, trying to establish contact.
Nothing but static answered you.
The radio crackled with interference before falling silent once more.
You let out a quiet sigh, frustration creeping in.
Just as you were about to put the radio away, Ada's voice suddenly cut through the static, calling out your name. "...I hear you. Do you copy?"
Relief washed over you, releasing a long breath and immediately raising the radio back to your mouth.
"Hey, yeah. I copy. What's your situation?"
"I'm going after Luis. It looks like he ran into some trouble." Even through the interference, you could hear the irritation in her voice.
"Gonna play babysitter?" You couldn't help yourself as a small smirk tugged at the corner of your lips. The thought amused you.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny." There was a brief pause before she added, "Did you enjoy yourself with your blond cop puppy?"
Your smile vanished inmediately.
"Who do you think rang the bell?"
Now it was her turn to sound amused.
"Well, for your information, we did not have fun," you huffed defensively. "Half the village was trying to cave our heads in. That's not exactly my definition of fun."
"Sure. Just make sure your dog doesn't get in the way."
A faint frown crossed your face. "He's not my dog."
"Whatever." Ada sounded truthfully unconvinced. "I'll let you know when I find Luis. Then we'll regroup."
You fell silent, weighing your options before responding. "And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"
"Look around. Figure out what the hell is going on in this place. Luis is supposed to lead us to the Amber, but if that fails, we'll have to find it ourselves."
You gave a small nod before remembering she couldn't see you.
"I'll keep in touch. See you later."
A quiet chuckle escaped you.
"Yeah" you replied, a faint smile returning to your face. "See you later."
So that was exactly what you did.
You spent the next few hours moving through the village, carefully avoiding any direct confrontation with the villagers while quietly observing their behavior. Whenever they gathered to talk, you lingered just close enough to listen, hoping to overhear something useful.
They never mentioned the Amber, not even once.
What they did talk about were the foreigners wandering through the village. Four of them, according to their conversations.
You could easily guess who they meant - Ada, Luis, Leon, and you.
They also spoke of a girl, referring to her only as the "sacrificial lamb," whom you assumed was the same girl Leon had been searching for.
To your surprise, you managed to piece together quite a bit of valuable information.
The girl was now traveling with Leon. Both of them had been infected with a parasite called "Las Plagas." A man named Lord Saddler appeared to be the leader of whatever cult had taken root in the village. Somehow, Leon and Luis had escaped after being captured, and the villagers claimed Leon and the girl were making their way toward the castle.
You itched to contact Ada.
You hated being left on the sidelines while everyone else was out there fighting.
But you also knew that if Ada were captured, she would need someone to extract her, and you couldn't afford to jeopardize that.
The crackle of your radio pulled you from your thoughts as your name echoed through the speaker.
"Hey. Yeah, I copy," you replied, pulling the radio from your pocket and raising it so the built-in camera framed your face.
"Change of plans." Ada wasted no time getting to the point. Through the screen, you could see her walking through what looked like the corridors of the castle. "Apparently, Luis is pretty determined to help Leon and the girl. He's sent me to gather the ingredients needed to synthesize a cure for the parasite. I'll provide you the list he gave me. We'll gather it faster that way."
You took a moment to process everything she had said before giving a small nod. "Okay. Got it."
"Good. See you soon." A faint smirk crossed her lips before the transmission cut out.
You let out a quiet sigh.
She was always like this - doing things her own way, then expecting you to keep up.
And, admittedly, you always did. Partly because you were being paid to complete the mission. Partly because, despite everything, the two of you worked well together.
Still, it occasionally got on your nerves.
Pushing those thoughts aside, you tucked the radio back into your gear and set off toward the castle.
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According to the list Ada had sent you, only one ingredient remained.
The one hidden inside the Treasury Room.
After an exhaustive search, you came across a weathered piece of parchment describing a mechanism involving several shields. You'd imagine it had something to do with accessing the ingredient.
According to the diagram, three of the shields had to be struck in a specific sequence.
You drew your pistol and fired.
The final shot echoed through the chamber and a soft rumble followed as a concealed drawer slid open inside the stone wall.
Without wasting a second, you retrieved the ingredient and slipped it safely into one of your pouches.
Just as you were about to contact Ada about your newest discovery, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor outside.
Your body reacted before your mind could.
You fired your grappling launcher into one of the heavy wooden ceiling beams and pulled yourself upward, hanging silently above the room where you'd remain hidden unless someone thought to look up.
The door creaked open. Whoever stood on the other side entered slowly, cautiously scanning the room as though expecting an ambush.
That alone told you they weren't one of the villagers.
A heartbeat later, a familiar blond-haired agent stepped inside, his pistol raised as he scanned the room.
You hated how a smile instinctively tugged at your lips the moment you saw him. Nonetheless, you smothered it almost immediately.
When his posture relaxed ever so slightly and the barrel of his pistol dipped a fraction, you made your move.
You released the cable, dropping from the ceiling, you crashed into his back, knocking him off his feet.
The two of you hit the stone floor hard, his pistol skidding across the room as a surprised gasp escaped him.
"It's been ages since I last saw you," you murmured playfully, pressing the edge of your knife lightly against the curve of his neck in a warning.
A quiet scoff left him. "Yeah. I was hoping for a better welcome."
You blinked. His unexpected boldness took you by surprise.
"I can imagine the kind of welcome you were hoping for," you replied, deciding to test just how far he was willing to push his luck.
Leon remained silent. Perhaps he'd decided it was wiser not to add fuel to the fire.
"Will you get off me?" he grumbled through gritted teeth, struggling beneath your weight.
A quiet scoff escaped you. You lowered the knife from his throat before climbing off him, taking a step back as you watched him push himself to his feet.
"I thought you were enjoying it," you murmured teasingly, sliding the knife back into its sheath.
He offered nothing but a low grunt in response.
"I thought you'd reunited with your missing girl," you said, watching him scan the room.
"Yeah." He replied dryly. "Ran into some trouble." He was deliberately withholding information.
That earned a quiet chuckle from you. "You? Running into trouble?" you asked with exaggerated surprise. "Now that's unexpected."
He tried to suppress it, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward into a faint smirk.
An intense silence stretched between you as your eyes locked, holding you both in a sudden, heavy trance. You were the first to break it, snapping out of the spell and averting your gaze.
Shaking your head, you took a step back.
"Well, good luck with your search." You made an attempt to brush past him, but his hand shot out, wrapping firmly around your wrist and holding you in the spot.
"What do you think you're doing?" Your entire body tensed and when you tried to pull away, his grip only tightened, prompting you to shoot him a sharp glare.
"Why do you always run away?" The question hit you like a slap across the face.
"Run away?" you shot back, your voice colder than intended. "I've got nothing else to say to you."
A humorless scoff escaped him, refusing to let your words get to him. "You always do this."
His eyes never left yours.
"You pull me in, flirt with me, make me think there's something between us... and the second it starts becoming real - when things get even a little more personal - you run.
His jaw tightened as he spoke. "Then the next time we meet, we start all over again."
Your lips parted, but no sound came. You wanted to argue, to draw your weapon and force him to let you go, but you remained rooted to the spot. Because deep down, you knew he was entirely right.
"You don't get to keep doing this," he continued, his voice low but strained with frustration. "You don't get to save me, sweet-talk me, make me believe there's a chance... and then disappear every single time."
His grip loosened just enough to stop feeling forceful. "It's not fair." His chest rose and fell with each controlled breath. "You don't get to protect your own feelings while pretending mine don't exist."
"There are no feelings." You managed to spit out, though your hands trembled. Pushing him away wasn't an option this time; he was making sure of that.
Leon let out a disbelieving laugh. "Seriously?"
His eyes searched yours, almost pleading for you to stop lying. "You're really going to tell me that none of it means anything?"
He took a small step closer.
"That we know each other so well we can predict each other's next move, the smiles neither of us can hide, the fact that you've had countless chances to kill me..." He paused, his gaze softening just enough to make your chest tighten. "...and you never have."
His voice was barely above a whisper. "And somehow that's supposed to mean nothing?"
"I'm not a good person," you whispered, your jaw tightening in a desperate attempt to hold back your tears. "I kill. I deceive. I betray. I'm a mercenary."
Your voice faltered. "People like us... people like me..." You swallowed hard. "You and I- we'd never work."
Leon's own eyes began to glisten. His mouth parted as if to object, but you rushed on before he could speak. "You've- you've been through so much. You deserve better. So much better, Leon." You shook your head, unable to meet his eyes as a shaky breath escaped you.
"And one day, youβre going to wake up, look at me, and realize I can never give you the life that you want." Your voice cracked on the final words.
His lips trembled as he took a step closer, his eyes desperately searching yours, begging you to understand - begging you to just give in. Give in to him.
Slowly, he took another step closer. "I want you." His voice was quiet, but unwavering. "I don't need anything else and I don't care if I deserve better," he said, pausing as his breath hitched. "I choose you. Choose me." The final words slipped from his lips like a quiet, desperate plea.
He was baring his soul to you. It was as if he were breaking open his own chest to expose his raw, beating heart - placing it directly into your hands and trusting you completely not to let it drop.
"Leon," you murmured, your voice carrying a firm, warning edge as you tried to take a step back.
"No." He refused to let you go. "I love you."
The words nearly made you drop the very ingredient you had almost forgotten Ada sent you to retrieve.
"Leon⦠I have to go." Your tone lost its steel, softening into a plea, like you were begging him to let you walk away.
"And I waited for you," he said quietly, ignoring your words." Because⦠somehow, I hoped⦠I figured you'd love me." His grip shifting down from your wrist to slide his fingers between yours, holding your hand instead.
"Leon," you repeated, more firmly this time. "And what if I say yes? Do you honestly think the government, the DSO, will just forgive everything I've done?" you murmured with a bitter edge of irony
"I'll make them." The answer came without hesitation. "I'll convince them. You canβ¦" His voice rushed ahead of his thoughts, desperate to find a solution. "You can join me."
"That's the problem, Leon. I'm not like you." You shook your head. "That's not who I am." Your voice cracked and you let out a shaky breath. "I'm not kind."
"I'm not selfless." Your eyes finally met his. "And I'm certainly not perfect."
You laughed bitterly at the irony of the situation. "I don't save people."
"And I love you." Leon didn't hesitate.
"I love you," he repeated.
"Please." You lowered your gaze, unable to hold his eyes any longer.
"Come with me. Complete your mission, and then come with me." He leaned in so close that you could feel the warmth of his breath, his nose almost grazing yours.
You kept your eyes locked on the floor, but you didn't pull back this time. He was slowly breaking down your walls, and he knew it.
He took your silence as permission to keep trying.
"Umbrella won't be able to touch you if you join us." His voice remained calm, gentle. "And if they try..." A faint smile crossed his lips. "...they'll have to get through me first."
He paused, searching your face. "You don't have to explain yourself to anyone."
His hands slowly rose until they were cradling your face. His palms rested against your cheeks as though you were something impossibly fragile. No one had ever treated you like that.
His thumbs brushed gently back and forth across your skin in slow, comforting strokes. "Just finish your mission..." His forehead almost touched yours. "...and then leave all of this behind with me."
You swallowed against the lump that had formed in your throat.
You wanted to. God, you wanted to. Everything he was saying sounded so... perfect.
And that was exactly why you couldn't believe it.
Because you didn't deserve it.
As though sensing the storm raging inside your head, Leon leaned impossibly closer. His lips barely brushed yours - a featherlight touch that lingered on the edge of becoming something more.
But he didn't cross that line. Not until you let him.
"I know what you're thinking," he whispered, his breath warm against your lips. "And I want you to know..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "I've been there too."
His eyes searched yours. "I know what it's like to believe you're meant to be alone."
A sad smile flickered across his face. "But you're not." His thumb gently traced your cheek. "No one deserves that." Another pause. "Not even you."
His voice was barely above a whisper now. "So let me help you."
His forehead rested lightly against yours. "You've saved me more times than I can count." A faint, almost self-conscious smile tugged at his lips. "Let me do the same for you."
He really did know exactly how to make your walls crumble.
Your answer came in the smallest of nods.
Barely perceptible. But Leon caught it. He always noticed the little things when it came to you.
His lips found yours in a kiss so gentle it was almost hesitant. As though you were made of delicate glass and he feared that too much pressure might shatter you.
It lasted only a few seconds before he reluctantly pulled away.
"Is this okay?" he whispered, searching your expression.
He wasn't asking because he doubted himself. He was asking because he wanted to be certain. Certain that this was what you wanted.
Unable to find your voice, you simply nodded again. Relief softened his features.
He smiled - a small, genuine smile that reached his eyes. Then he leaned in once more.
This time, his lips met yours with quiet certainty. The kiss remained slow and unhurried, each gentle movement conveying everything words had failed to express.
He progressively deepened the kiss, pouring every unspoken thought, feeling, and ounce of devotion he had directly into you.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, you let yourself believe that maybe, just maybe, he was right.
You let out a quiet sigh. I'm going to regret this.
"Okay," you said at last. "I'll finish the mission... and then we'll go."
The smile that spread across Leon's face was unlike anything you had ever seen.You hadn't even thought he was capable of smiling like that.
It was bright. Unrestrained. Hopeful.
His grip on you loosened, allowing you to slip from his hands.
You took a few steps backward before making your way toward one of the Treasury Room's tall windows and pushing it open.
"Hey." His voice stopped you.
You paused, glancing back at him over your shoulder.
"I trust you." Three simple words.
But they carried far more weight than they seemed to.
I trust you'll keep your promise.
He never said it aloud. He didn't have to.
You could see it in his eyes.
Beneath the relief and happiness, there was still fear.
He had handed you his heart. Now all he could do was trust that you wouldn't break it.
You didn't answer, instead just offering him a small nod before slipping through the window and disappearing from his sight.
As soon as you landed, your hand instinctively reached for your radio.
"Ada," you said as soon as the connection came through. "I've got what you needed."
You heard her release a quiet sigh of relief. "Good. I'll send you my location. I'm with Luis."
The transmission ended almost immediately.
You let out a long, weary breath before setting off toward the location she'd sent you.
When you finally arrived, you spotted Ada and Luis waiting nearby.
Without wasting any time, you tossed the ingredient toward Luis.
He caught it effortlessly, a satisfied smile crossing his face.
"There you go," you said. "Now hand over the Amber."
"SΓ, of course." He nodded, his thick Spanish accent coloring every word. "I've got it right here."
He reached into his jacket and carefully pulled out a small container. Inside rested the Amber.
The instant it came into view, Ada's hand flew to her head as a pained gasp escaped her lips. She crumpled to the ground not long after.
Dark veins spread rapidly beneath her skin, branching across her face and disappearing beneath the collar of her suit.
You were at her side in an instant, dropping to one knee. "Hey... hey, what's wrong?" You rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to steady her.
Luis's expression immediately darkened.
"The parasite..." he muttered, glancing between the Amber and Ada. "...It's reacting to the Amber."
Your stomach sank. So she's infected.
You looked back at Luis. "And what do we do now?"
Without another word, he hurried to prepare what appeared to be some kind of injectable serum.
Once it was ready, he knelt beside Ada.
"This should suppress the parasite for a while," he explained as he readied the injection. "But it isn't a permanent cure."
Luis quickly filled a syringe with a strange purple liquid before carefully injecting it into Ada's neck.
For a brief moment, nothing happened. But then a thunderous roar echoed from right behind Luis. You snapped your gaze past his shoulder, and your eyes met a grotesque figure draped in black robes. Its face was horribly inhuman, its features twisted into something insect-like, and every heavy step it took seemed to shake the stone beneath its feet.
"Fuck," you muttered under your breath. You quickly hauled Ada to her feet, draping her arm over your shoulders so she could lean her weight against you.
"Why isn't the serum working?" Luis muttered to himself, hurrying over to help you steady her.
"Stop." Ada's voice was strained.
She winced, one hand pressed tightly against her temple as though fighting a blinding headache. "He's here for me. You two need to leave."
You shot her an incredulous glare. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone with...whatever that is."
"We have to complete the mission." Her voice remained firm despite the pain. "That's the priority."
Silence fell between you. As much as you hated it, she was right.
Letting out an irritated sigh, you gently guided her back until she was propped up against the stone wall. "Contact me when this is all over" you ordered firmly.
Before she could argue, you grabbed Luis by the wrist, slung his arm over your shoulders, and aimed your grappling hook at one of the castle's high towers. With a sharp click, the cable winched tight, launching the two of you up into the air.
The moment your boots hit the stone floor of the tower, you shoved Luis back, breaking contact instantly. "The Amber." You thrust your held out your hand, palm up expectantly. "Give it to me." You were completely out of patience and just wanted everything to end as soon as possible.
"Wait! I have to take care of something first," Luis blurted out, taking a panicked step backward. "I promise it'll only take a minute. Then I'll hand over the Amber."
You took a slow step toward him, shaking your head. "No." Your tone left no room for negotiation. "We've given you enough chances." Another step. "The Amber." You extended your hand again. "Now."
He went quiet, his eyes darting around as he scrambled for an excuse to buy himself some time. Suddenly, something clicked, and a clever grin spread across his face. "Leon."
Your expression inmediately hardened at the mention of his name.
"You know him, don't you? The blond American agent?"
You cut him off before he could continue, taking another step forward, Luis instinctively backing away until his lower back brushed against the tower's railing.
"Yes," you said flatly. "I know him. What does that have to do with the Amber?"
"He and the girl, Ashley⦠they need my help," Luis explained, his tone turning serious. "They're both infected with Las Plagas, and time is running out."
You didn't answer, your mind was already racing.
Your mission was to retrieve the Amber.
Ada was infected. Leon was infected. Ashley was infected.
You let out a long, frustrated sigh before pinching the bridge of your nose.
"This is such a fucking messβ¦" You muttered under your breath, before redirecting your attention back to Luis.
"Fucking fine. But this is your last chance. If you fail me again, there won't be a next time." You offered a lethal glare at him, making sure the warning hit home.
He nodded so quickly you thought his head might come off. "Of course! Of course! You have my word. See you later, princesa." He flashed you a quick wink, threw open the wooden trapdoor on the floor, and eagerly disappeared down the spiral stairs.
Only after the hatch closed behind him did you let out a long, exhausted sigh, dragging a hand down your face, you stared out over the castle grounds.
This mission was becoming far more complicated than it was supposed to.
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A few minutes later, Ada's voice cracked through your comms. Whatever Luis had injected her with had finally taken effect, her breathing sounding much steadier.
The two of you agreed to regroup and make your way toward Luis's last known location. However, only a few moments later, he contacted you again.
His voice was frantic, breathles. He told you two a man named Krauser had taken the Amber. The transmission abruptly cut out shortly after.
Neither of you needed to say it aloud. Luis was probably dead.
With Krauser now in possession of the Amber, you and Ada decided to approach the island separately. If one of you ran into trouble, the other would still have a chance of completing the mission.
So you climbed into your own boat and headed toward the island where Krauser had supposedly gone.
After an hour of chasing ghosts across the dark, jagged cliffs of the island, you decided to check in on Ada, pulling out your radio and dialing her frequency.
You tried again, but only static whispered back.
This time, it wasn't the signal. She simply wasn't answering.
Unease tightening in your chest, using the tracking function built into your communicator, you locked onto the last location her radio had transmitted from.
"Adaβ¦" Her name slipped from your lips in a breathless whisper when you arrived.
Ada hung suspended several feet above the ground, her wrists bound by steel cables, seemingly uncouncious.
You took a tense step forward, but before you could make your move, a heavy hand firmly gripped your shoulder. Your hand flew instinctively to your holster, but you froze as a familiar scent washed over you - gunpowder, leather, and a faint trace of pine.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" Leonβs low voice murmured behind you, his grip softening into a brief, reassuring squeeze.
You didn't say a word, merely offering a tight nod and gesturing towards the spot where Ada's body was hanging.
Leon followed your gaze and his jaw tightened. "...Fuck." The curse slipped quietly from his lips as he lowered his hand and stepped up beside you.
"Where's Ashley?" you asked, your eyes never leaving Ada as your mind raced, trying to come up with a plan to free her.
Leon didn't question how you knew Ashley's name, though he did give you a brief, curious glance before returning his attention to Ada.
"She's somewhere safe," he replied.
That was all the acknowledgment you gave. In one fluid motion, you unholstered your grappling gun and fired it at the high metal platform above Ada.
The cable zipped tight, launching you into the air. Swinging alongside her suspended form, you drew your knife, sliced through the binding cables in a single clean sweep, and caught her against your chest.
Using your momentum to glide down, you landed lightly on the ground, cradling her in your arms.
You set her down gently, supporting her back as she groaned, her dark eyes fluttering open. "Hey. You with me?" you asked softly, helping her sit up as she winced against the pain.
Behind you, the heavy thud of Leonβs combat boots drew closer.
"Yeah. Peachy." She murmured, her signature dry wit intact. She pushed herself up to stand, and you let go the moment she found her footing.
"You should probably warn me before you do something like that again." He said, his face remaining as stoic as ever despite the amusement hiding in his voice.
Before you could fire back a retort, a swarm of grotesque, insect-like creatures burst from the darkness, circling Leon in a frenzy.
Your hand flew toward your pistol but before you could draw it, a figure materialized between you and Leon, his back facing you.
One of his arms twisted violently, flesh reshaping itself into a writhing, blade-like tentacle.
In one swift motion, it lashed around Leon's throat and he was yanked off the ground. His hands clawed at the appendage as it tightened around his neck, slowly choking the air from his lungs.
Without hesitating, you raised your weapon and fired a rapid succession of rounds into the monster's back. You knew it wouldn't do much more than annoy him, but you just needed to draw his attention away from Leon.
The creature released Leon, letting him crash back onto the ground before turning toward you.
But as it lunged to strike, a flash of red cut through the air. Her grappling launcher propelled her through the air in a blur.
She drove a vicious kick straight into his chest, sending him stumbling backward just long enough to throw him off balance.
The sudden distraction gave you the perfect opening to rush to Leon's side, grabbing his arm and helping him back to his feet.
"I'm okay." You hadn't even asked.
He simply met your eyes for a brief moment, offering a reassuring look before raising his pistol once more to face the towering figure you could only assume was Lord Saddler.
Ada dropped down beside you, her own weapon raised. The three of you stood in a tense, defensive line, guns trained on the self-proclaimed god.
"You two, go!" Leon shouted, never taking his eyes off Saddler as the creature took another step closer. "I'll handle him!"
"No way- !" The protest died on your lips as Ada cut you off.
She lowered her gun, her expression cold and calculating. "Come on," she said.
Before you could protest, she wrapped a slender, iron-gripped arm around your waist and fired her grappling hook.
The cable snapped taut, tearing you both away from the immediate chaos and depositing you onto a high metal catwalk several meters above the arena.
"No!" You immediately shoved her arm away, your face flushed with anger and adrenaline. "Ada, what the hell are you doing?"
"We would've only gotten in his way," she replied calmly, glancing back toward the fight. "He's capable of beating Saddler on his own."
She paused, sensing your agitation, before adding, "And besides... we can still help him from out here."
Her eyes drifted toward a nearby platform. "There's a rocket launcher stored nearby." A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"If anyone can finish him off with that thing..." She looked back toward Leon. "...it's him."
You stood there for a moment, your breathing uneven.
Finally, you closed your eyes and took a slow, steady breath. "...Okay. Lead the way."
Together, you carved a path through Saddler's followers, cutting down the cultists that stood between you and the launcher while taking every opportunity to provide covering fire for Leon, gradually wearing Saddler down from a distance.
Eventually, you reached the rocket launcher. Without wasting another second, the two of you hurried back to the battlefield where Leon was still fighting.
"Hey! Leon" You called his name, hefting the rocket launcher onto your shoulder.
The moment he heard your voice he snapped his head up. You leaned over the railing and threw the heavy launcher down to him. He caught it out of the air in one fluid motion, shouldered it, and pulled the trigger.
The rocket struck Saddler dead-center, triggering a blinding, concussive explosion that tore the parasite to pieces and knocking Leon back from the impact.
And the amber sample skittered across the concrete, coming to a halt right next to Leon's hand.
Ada was already moving, dropping down to the arena floor. You followed close behind, a quiet wave of relief washing over you as you knelt beside Leon.
Just as his fingers brushed the glass of the vial, you reached down and snatched the Amber right out from under him.
"This is what you were after?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows. A quiet grunt escaped him as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Uh-huh." You briefly inspected the sample to make sure it hadn't been damaged.
Satisfied, you tossed it casually to Ada, who caught it out of the air with an effortless flick of her wrist.
The rhythmic thrum of a helicopter's rotors shattered the silence, interrupting the moment.
You and Ada turned toward the aircraft as it descended.
A faint, knowing smirk touched Adaβs lips. "Ride's here." She cast a brief glance back at you before turning to walk toward the waiting vehicle.
You were about to follow when you felt it.
The heavy, burning weight of Leon's gaze, it settled against your back like a physical touch, making your steps falter.
Your boots scraped against the concrete as you halted.
Slowly, you turned back to face him. He didnβt say a word. He just stood there, looking at you with a quiet, expectant sorrow tempered only by a fragile hope that you might choose to stay.
That made your chest tighten.
. You stood rooted to the spot, caught in his blue eyes, completely unable to look away - and completely unable to speak.
"You coming?" Adaβs voice called out over the roar of the engines.
You turned toward her, watching as she stepped into the helicopter, your eyes lingering on her.
You looked down, your fists clenching at your sides as your mind went entirely blank.
Ada let out a quiet chuckle, there was amusement in it, but beneath that lay something softer. More bittersweet. "You're not getting on this helicopter, are you?" She smiled at you knowingly, as though she'd already read the answer on your face.
You offered her nothing but silence, your eyes still fixed on the floor.
Her voice drew your attention upward just in time to catch the keys she tossed in your direction.
"You two should get out of here," she said. "Before this whole place blows." It was the last thing she said to you before the helicopter lifted into the sky, disappearing into the distance and leaving you and Leon alone on the platform.
You looked down at the keys in your palm, a faint, genuine smile finally breaking across your face when you noticed the cute little toy bear keychain attached to them.
"Cute," a low voice murmured right beside your ear.
The sudden proximity made you gasp, jumping slightly.
Leon let out a soft, rumbling chuckle, his expression incredibly warm as he looked down at you. "You did the right thing," he said softly. He reached out, his hand sliding gently over your wrist. He didn't pull away, instead, his thumb brushed slowly, soothingly against your skin.
You let out a long, trembling exhale, all the leftover tension leaving your shoulders as you melted into his touch.
"Let's go," he whispered.
He kept a gentle grip on your hand as he guided you down to the lower levels where Ashley had been waiting.
The young girl jumped slightly as you appeared, her eyes wide. "Who⦠who is that?" she asked, her voice trembling, clearly a little wary.
Leon glanced at you before answering. "She's..." The corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile. "...a friend."
"It's alright. She's coming with us." Leon assured her, his voice calm and grounding as he looked back at Ashley.
You noticed Ashley's eyes flicker down to your joined hands.
She studied them for a moment before giving a quiet nod, accepting Leon's explanation without another question.
The three of you hurried through the collapsing facility until you reached the dock, where Ada had left your escape vehicle waiting.
Leon's lips curled into an appreciative grin. "Hm... not bad, Ada."
You couldn't help but laugh softly. She really was impossible to predict.
The three of you climbed onto the jet ski, Leon taking the front while you settled behind him. Ashley climbed on last, wrapping her arms around your waist.
"Hold on," Leon murmured as the engine roared to life beneath you.
He accelerated without hesitation, handling the powerful jet ski with a level of skill that made you wonder just how much experience he had with these things.
Your arms instinctively slipped around his waist, and you felt Ashley tighten her own grip around you as the jet ski skimmed across the water.
Massive chunks of rock crashed around you while the cavern collapsed, and Leon navigated through them flawlessly.
Then Leon spotted a ramp ahead.
He gunned the engine, launching the jet ski high into the open sky just as a massive, blinding explosion tore the island apart behind you.
The shockwave rippled across the sea as the jet ski splashed back onto the water.
A breathless laugh escaped you. It was finally over.
Leon turned his head at the sound, a soft, genuine smile blooming across his face as his eyes found yours.
As your eyes locked with his, the lingering adrenaline, fear, and unease completely evaporated. In their place was an overwhelming wave of safety, comfort, and absolute certainty.
Because that was what Leon Kennedy had become to you, love.
And you couldn't wait to experience that with him.
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Who rushed the ending because they wanted to get it over with?
romaincrisis
kianamaiart
origamiaround
areudirty
prguitarman
theartofmadeline
