ALL OF MY SENSES | Leon S. Kennedy
Synopsis: CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1 FIRST ❤️
After arriving in North Dakota and the road trip to the small town, the team begins their investigation of the Umbrella Facility. You and Leon spend more time together and grow closer, learning new things about each other and navigating the continued, unnamed tension between you two. You are faced with growing thoughts of imposter syndrome when faced with the realities of the job, and the kindness of your teammates triggers the guilt you hold from your past.
Tags/CW: MDNI, sexual conversations and themes, slow burn, more angst than previous part, comfort, protective Leon, physical touch, cursing, alcohol consumption, cult themes, mild gore/zombie descriptions, deep conversations, imposter syndrome, reader describes parentification family trauma, Leon shares his childhood trauma (death of parents, orphanages, foster homes)
AN: Oh my, this one ended up longer than I was expecting!! I knew where I wanted this part to end, and a lot of events surfaced during the journey. You’ll especially want a cozy blanket and snack when you sit down with this one, hehe. I hope you enjoy, and please let me know if I missed any tags/CWs above. ❤️
Spotify: All of my Senses | Leon Kennedy has been updated with songs for part 2, starting with MGMT.
And here is Jasmine's burnt CD for those of us who are really invested lmao
“Heyyy, is that [y/n]?” A man approaches you with a smile.
You’re sitting at the end of a row of chairs in the Chicago airport, reading a book and sipping on a mediocre airport latte. Jasmine is two seats to the right of you, Leon in the row across from you, and the rest of the team is scattered down the same two rows. Just like on the plane, the team is trying not to associate too closely with each other and draw any undue attention.
You turn to the man and recognize his face as one of your coworkers from your last position. “No way, Matt? It’s good to see you! What are you doing here?”
“Just about to head back to DC after a weekend home,” he responds. “What about you? Where are you off to?”
“North Dakota. Got a college friend who just bought a cabin out there.” A smooth lie, all according to plan. While Matt also works in government security, you still can’t go around sharing that you’re on your way to investigate an undead cult.
“Fun, fun,” he replies. “How’s the new job treating ya?”
“It’s going really well actually, thank you. And how’re things back at the office?” You ask, taking another sip of your iced caramel drink. When you had gotten this latte, you shook it while you bounced your brows at Leon who was a couple people behind you in line, before finding a seat to camp out in during this layover. When he chose the seat across from you, he raised his own cup to you with a nod and a little smirk before diving into his own book.
“Same old, same old. We miss seeing you around there though,” he smiles politely, and you huff a laugh of appreciation. “How’re things with Brad?” He asks next.
“-oh, Bradley and I actually broke up,” you respond sheepishly. In reality, you had ended things with Bradley while you were still at your last position, but–like now–you didn’t really want to get into all of that with your coworkers.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
You laugh lightly to mitigate any awkwardness. “It’s no problem at all, really.”
“Well, I’d love to catch up some more with you sometime. Maybe we grab some dinner when you’re back in DC and you can fill me in on how life has been?”
Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Leon’s leg has begun bouncing. You imagine he’s probably eager to be done with the travel portion of the mission. “That’d be nice, I’d also love to hear any new details you have on Brian and Heather’s never-ending feud,” you chuckle. While you prefer staying in on any given night to read or watch crappy TV, you know it’s good for you to keep friendly connections.
“I can definitely provide,” he smiles mischievously. “Your number still the same?”
“Yep, still don’t have unlimited texting though so use it wisely,” you half-joke.
“Sure thing. Well, I better get going, I’ll be in touch,” he smiles and gives you a nod.
“Sounds good, have a safe flight!”
Matt walks off, and after a couple moments pass, Jasmine moves to the seat next to you.
“Sounds like someone’s got a date in the future,” she smiles cheekily at you.
You turn your head to her. “What? No not at all, that’s just a friend from my last job.”
“Maybe to you, but he kind of asked you out to dinner right after finding out that you’re now single,” she raises an eyebrow at you.
You pause. “I mean, when you look at it that way it does seem like that, but I really don’t think that was the intention.”
“Alright alright, just keep me posted on how the dinner goes,” she winks and moves back to her original seat.
She’s definitely reading into this too much. You shake off her words and resume your reading and latte-sipping. The flight to Bismarck will be boarding in about 15 minutes, and like the pair of restless legs across from you, you’re ready to just get there.
At 10:27, the plane lands in Bismarck following another unremarkable flight. After grabbing all of the luggage, the team heads to pick up the rented vehicles, which would then be followed by picking up the weapons and other hazardous items that had to be checked and stored in a separate, more security-heavy area away from the heart of the airport.
Jasmine and Leon get the keys for their respective vehicles and the team makes their way to the garage.
“Girls in one car, guys in the other,” Jasmine declares.
“I think Cal mentioned something about wanting to ride with [y/n] to fill her in on his stories,” Vincent responds, likely trying to get out of riding with Cal.
“Nope sorry, girls are with me and you two go with Leon,” Jasmine gestures to Vincent and Cal. “Maybe we can switch when we stop for lunch.”
“It’s okay Vin, I appreciate you having my back,” Cal puts his arm around Vincent. “I’ve been meaning to tell you the story about my mission in NYC anyway. And I’m not talking for work–I’m talking for pizza.”
Gravity seems to have increased its pull on Vincent. Leon chimes in, “Both of you have a fifty word limit from the time we get in the jeep to the time we stop for lunch.”
“You’re so funny, Leon,” laughs Cal. Leon turns his head around to look at him with a serious face, causing you to giggle quietly to yourself. He glances at you briefly as he turns his head back, and you can tell he is, in fact, so serious.
“Here’s ours,” calls Jasmine. “We’ll meet you at the security center.”
You, Jasmine, and Teresa get into the 4Runner while the guys continue making their way to the jeep. You think you hear Cal trying to persuade Leon to let him tell some stories.
“I hope you two don’t mind if I take a snooze back here,” Teresa says from the back seat.
“Not at all, but I’ll be blasting some music, just a warning,” responds Jasmine.
“I’ve slept through worse,” Teresa replies as she lays down and closes her eyes.
Jasmine turns to you, “You like pop punk?”
The team loaded the vehicles with their items from the security center without issue. Now, you’re cruising down a highway through the flattest land you’ve ever seen and jamming to some pop punk with Jasmine, Teresa surprisingly fast asleep in the back. You try your best to match Jasmine’s energy as you two enjoy the tunes, especially with the songs you know well, but that woman runs on a motor.
Just when you thought you were running out of steam, Jasmine turns the volume up even more and shouts that you’d made it to the finale of her burnt CD - Mr. Brightside. Suddenly, your energy is renewed and you belt your heart out with her for the last song.
As the song fades out, Jasmine switches out CDs and turns the volume back down. “This is great,” she exhales. “Something about driving to blaring music is more healing than any therapy.”
“I agree,” you say. “Can’t believe Teresa slept through that.”
“She’s done it on other missions too,” Jasmine chuckles. “By the way, we haven’t debriefed about our Friday teambuilding,” she smiles with her tongue between her teeth.
Oh shit, don’t bring up the grinding.
“Did you have fun??” She asks eagerly.
“I actually had a blast. As soon as I got home, I knocked out on my couch,” you laugh.
“Goooood, I’m so happy to hear that. I’m glad everyone came,” she says with a thankful sigh.
“I gotta say, Teresa surprised me,” you grin.
Jasmine laughs. “I knew I just had to get her there and fill her with some drinks and she’d let loose. We all needed it anyway.”
“Agreed,” you respond, then a brief silence follows as the music continues to play.
“...Did you have fun with Leon?” Jasmine smiles at you mischievously.
You turn your head out the window so she doesn’t see you blush. “I told you that was just pretend!”
“So your ass didn’t really rub up against his crotch?” Jasmine asks, still wearing her shit-eating grin.
You groan. “Well it seems to have worked so far, my ex hasn’t texted me at all since that night.”
“That’s good,” she responds. “...But did you have fun?”
You take a lengthy exhale. “Yes.”
“Hehehehe I KNEW there was something there! Friends don’t move like that up against each oth-”
“There is nothing there! It was fun, that’s all. Plus, he’s a coworker.”
“So if he wasn’t a coworker, you would hit it?”
“Fine, fine, I’ll give you a break,” she giggles, having far too much fun with this. “But just so you know, there wouldn’t be anything officially wrong with hopping on that di-”
“-with courting him. He’s not your superior or anything. It would just be your own preferences, I get that some people can’t get behind the idea of dating a coworker. I, on the other hand, have hooked up with a few for fun. You remember Tom?”
“The dispatch coordinator? No judgement, but isn’t he like fifty?”
“Had to try some daddy play,” Jasmine winks at you.
“Oh my god,” you lean your head back on the headrest and chuckle in amusement. You’re not a prude, but you’ve never talked about sex so openly with someone. “So, you’re not in a relationship, I take it?” You inquire.
“Nope, and I don’t see myself ever getting tied down. I like my freedom too much. There’s so many girls, guys, and in-betweens I haven’t experienced yet.”
You giggle. “Maybe in a decade or so you’ll get to try some mommy play,” you attempt a joke.
Jasmine laughs. “You are too funny, [y/n]. I’m so glad we’re getting this bonding time.”
“I’ve tried it,” you hear Teresa from the back. “My husband ended up getting pretty into it.”
You and Jasmine laugh in astonishment. Once again, Teresa surprises you.
“Teresa, you are my queen,” says Jasmine.
After about an hour and a half of driving, the two vehicles follow an exit with signs for a sandwich shop/gas station combo. Jasmine and Leon top off the vehicles with gas while the rest of the team starts ordering lunch.
Once you get your sandwich, you sit down with Teresa, Cal, and Vincent while Jasmine and Leon finish ordering.
“How’s the drive been for you guys?” you ask the two men.
“Leon’s been blasting music, so we haven’t really done much chatting,” Cal explains. “And it wouldn’t be so bad if the music was actually good, but it’s mostly alternative and rock. I swear, the man has no class. If I had it my way, it would be classical, specifically baroque-era. It’s perfect for getting the mind-”
“I have a headache,” interrupts Vincent.
“SAME! You get it, Vinny,” Cal says. Vincent shakes his head softly, hand rubbing his forehead.
“I slept for at least half of ours,” Teresa chimes in.
“Jasmine didn’t blare music?” asks Vincent.
“No, she did,” responds Teresa.
A tap on your shoulder causes you to turn your head to the source. It’s Leon.
“Can you bring your sandwich to the jeep for a second? I have to go over some things with you,” he says.
“Everything okay?” you ask, a bit confused.
“Yeah no sweat, it’ll just take a minute. Stuff that shouldn’t be talked about in a sandwich shop,” he glances at the others and nods.
“You need anyone else?” asks Vincent.
“Nope, just some more new-hire things for [y/n], you’ve all heard this before,” he responds. You sense this will not be about any new-hire information.
Picking up your sandwich and drink, you follow Leon to the jeep and climb in the passenger seat.
“Put on your seatbelt,” he tells you as he’s buckling his own.
You look at him with your brows furrowed in confusion.
“Put it on,” he makes eye contact with you.
Your stomach drops a bit, and you put on your seatbelt. After the click, Leon starts the car and pulls out of the gas station, making his way back to the highway.
You turn your head to look back at the sandwich shop, then at Leon. “Where are we going??”
“They can all fit with Jasmine.”
Leon’s phone starts ringing and he answers it. “Hey.” … “We’re going to the hotel, [y/n] is just dying to see it.” You shoot a baffled glare at him. ... “You can all fit in the 4Runner just fine.” … “Jasmine, if I have to sit in the car with Cal for one more minute, I’m driving us off a cliff.” … “Hey, I went clubbing with you. Let me have this one.” … “We’ll see you in Sallie.” He hangs up.
“So, you’re kidnapping me,” you say.
“Well, it’s not really kidnapping if we were both going to the same place anyway, right?”
“I’m pressing charges,” you declare. “I know a police officer, who also happens to be a witness to this crime.”
“That guy hasn’t been a police officer in years,” Leon counters before taking the next exit.
“Where are you taking me now?”
“We still have to eat our sandwiches,” Leon answers.
He pulls into a parking spot at another small gas station, and the two of you unwrap your sandwiches and begin eating.
“It’s not the café back in DC, but it’ll do,” you say.
“How was your airport iced caramel latte?” Leon asks.
You’re surprised he remembered your exact drink. “Mediocre. How was your black coffee?”
“Decent enough.” A silence follows as you both continue munching and listening to the radio. Another peaceful silence, like the one in the café. Though this time, a bit of an edge hangs in the air, at least for you. As hard as you try, you can’t deny that you felt something while dancing with him. He had to have felt it too with the way you were connected in that moment. But you wonder if he regrets it even happening in the first place.
“You run into someone you know at the Chicago airport?” His question breaks the silence.
“Yeah, a friend from my last position, Matt. Small world apparently,” you respond.
Leon nods his head and takes another bite of his sandwich. A few more moments pass.
“I have to tell you,” you start, even though you didn’t want to bring up this topic in the first place, “my ex hasn’t texted me at all since Friday. I know it’s still early, but I think it might’ve worked. Thanks again, for that,” you look down at your sandwich, feeling a little bashful.
He doesn’t say anything for a second, probably chewing, but then he says, “I meant what I said, it was no problem at all.” You look at him with a soft smile and a nod of appreciation.
“And if he starts bugging you again, just give me his number and I promise you that’s the last time you’ll hear from him.”
“You’re not gonna kill him, are you?” you jest. He takes another bite of his sandwich and side-eyes you.
“Speaking of killing,” you start, “Vincent might have your head when we get to the hotel. I think Cal is on his last nerve.”
“Yeahhh…” he chuckles. “My bad.”
You finish your sandwiches and Leon gets back on the road. You spend some time looking out the window and taking in the soft rock that’s playing on the radio. There’s really not much to look at though, so your mind starts thinking of all the questions you want to ask Leon about himself. There’s this unshakeable desire in you that wants to know everything about him. Does he like being an agent? What are his friends and family like? How does he spend his free time?
“So, you said you were only a cop for a day? The day of the Raccoon City incident? What happened after?” You decide to ask him.
His gaze remains fixed on the road in front of him. “Lots of interrogating, officials asking for details on what I saw,” he sighs quietly. “Then, the government gave me an ultimatum… the kind that really only has one right answer.” He pauses. “I knew too much, and they liked my survival skills, so instead of just executing me outright, they drafted me as a special agent.”
You’re at a loss for what to say. While you’re in this of your own volition, Leon was thrust in against his will. “So, you were forced into this.”
“Yup.” His eyes remain on the road.
Another few moments of silence. Your eyes follow the dotted lines on the road as you think to yourself.
“I’m sorry your future was decided for you at such a young age,” you say with gentle sympathy.
He doesn’t say anything and keeps his gaze forward.
After a while, he begins again. “I’ve come to terms with it more over the years. But yeah, I think having more of a choice in this path would have helped.” Another pause. “But you just keep moving forward.”
Leon’s resilience has you in awe, and that’s without knowing the unthinkable things he’s no doubt encountered since becoming an agent.
“You’re a really strong person, Leon,” you can’t help but observe aloud.
A burst of air leaves his nose. “I do work out every day, thanks for noticing” he flexes his right bicep.
“You know that’s not what I mean,” you huff a laugh and roll your eyes. He does have very nice biceps, though…
“What about you? How’d you end up here?” He turns the questioning to you.
“Well,” you exhale, “the September after I got my master’s was when the Twin Towers were attacked, which is what sparked my interest in national security. And if I’m honest, it was mostly curiosity that drew me in rather than any noble drive. I wanted to know things I wasn’t necessarily supposed to know. But, the altruistic side of the job–doing something that I knew was helping people–is what has kept me in.”
“Driven by curiosity, staying to help,” Leon summarizes and looks at you briefly, before returning his gaze to the road.
“Pretty much.” You look out the window again at yet more flat land, though it’s now dusted with a bit more trees as you head further into rural North Dakota.
“One thing that has helped me come to terms with where I’m at now is working with so many other people that actually want to be here. It reminds me of the reason I became a police officer in the first place. To help people.” He looks at you again momentarily.
“Well, from what I’ve heard, you’ve helped a lot of people as an agent,” you note. “And it sounds like you’re very good at it, so maybe this was your calling all along, regardless of how it started.”
A burst of air leaves his nose. “Maybe.”
He makes another exit, this time onto a two-lane country road. “Just backroads from here on out,” he says.
It’s about 2:30 when you and Leon roll into Sallie. A small, rural town that looks like it would be on a ghost-hunting show. Many of the buildings look old, like they were built in the late 1800s/early 1900s, and many of them have a layer of dust on the outside. If you didn’t know better, you’d have thought the whole town was abandoned, not just the Umbrella facility.
You had done some research on the town’s history leading up to the trip. Apparently, it was a mining hot spot when it was first put on the map. Then, Umbrella built a facility in the area around the time the mining boom here was dying down, about 30 years ago, which kept jobs in the area. When this facility shut down following the bankruptcy of Umbrella in 2003, many people lost their jobs and had to leave town in search of new employment. The exodus left behind a shell of a town that seems to be holding on the best it can.
“I gotta say, when I said I wanted to live in a small rural town, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind,” you note.
“Well we have five days here, maybe it’ll charm you in that time,” Leon responds.
You huff a laugh. “Yeah, and maybe I’ll start drinking black coffee by the end of it,” you joke.
“Woah, let’s not get too crazy,” says Leon.
The remainder of the drive leading up to this had involved more conversations about random topics, with moments of silence and listening to music threaded in between. It was an easy ride. You talked about your hobbies and learned that Leon enjoys reading from time to time, but spends a lot of his “free” time working out and listening to music. He said he occasionally goes to bars alone to have some drinks and observe the atmosphere.
“Well if you’re ever looking for some company, I’ll join you,” you had said. He looked at you for a moment before saying thanks.
You also talked about the different states and countries you’d been to, his list being much longer than yours with all of the missions he’s already been on.
“It’s not always as fun when you’re just there for work,” Leon said. “And when that work involves being thrown around by bioweapons.”
The two of you pull up to the hotel and park the car, though it’s still some time before check-in.
“What should we do until three?” you ask.
“I was thinking we could stare into space for a half hour if that’s cool with you,” Leon says, dryly.
You laugh, “You have fun with that, I’m gonna walk to the gas station we passed by and grab some snacks for tonight,” you open your door and smile mischievously.
“Nope, not by yourself,” Leon turns off the jeep and exits it to join you at your side.
“What, you think I’m gonna get lost?” You grin at him.
“I’ve been to enough Umbrella-adjacent towns to not trust a single thing in them,” he explains.
“Hopefully you trust the hotel enough to sleep in it,” you say.
“Probably won’t sleep much,” he exhales.
You cock a disapproving brow at him. “You know, that’s not very healthy.”
“What are you, my mother?”
You chuckle. “Maybe I should put a baby monitor in your room to make sure you stay asleep.”
“Then when are you gonna sleep, hm? You know, a lack of sleep isn’t very healthy,” he lectures back at you.
You open the door to the gas station and take in the small, cramped space. Much of the interior is outdated compared to what you’re used to seeing back in DC. The shelves aren’t as neatly organized, but they do have candy and other bagged snacks.
“Afternoon,” calls the cashier, looking intently at you and Leon. Leon raises his palm in acknowledgement and you nod in the man’s direction with a light smile.
You and Leon browse the snacks and choose a few. You each grab a six-pack of beer as well. Both of you head to the counter to check out, Leon leading the way. After putting his snacks and six-pack on the counter, he gestures for you to add your things.
“Getting you back from the incident at the café,” he says.
You shrug, “I suppose I did say you can get me back another time,” and put your items on the counter with his, conceding easily.
“Haven’t seen you folks around before,” says the cashier as he starts ringing up your items. He’s a tall, older man with grey hair and stubble. Probably in his sixties.
“We’re passing through,” Leon says smoothly. “Seems like you guys have a nice town here.”
“It’s gotten smaller over the past few years, but it’s home,” the cashier states.
Leon pays and thanks the cashier, and the two of you make your way back to the jeep. As you’re walking, you see a 4Runner pulling into the hotel parking lot.
“They weren’t too far behind,” you observe.
You meet up with the rest of the team who parked right next to the jeep in the lot.
“Not cool,” Jasmine points in Leon’s face.
“I’m sure you guys had a great time,” Leon playfully puts his hands up in defense.
Vincent sends a forceful glare in Leon’s direction and Leon grimaces, seeming just slightly guilty.
“We did have a great time,” Cal starts. “Jasmine’s music taste isn’t necessarily my go-to, but it was much more hype than yours.”
“Glad to hear it,” says Leon.
“It’s only a few minutes to three, maybe we can check in a little early,” you suggest, hoping to derail any arguing.
Upon entering the main lobby of the hotel, you notice it feels eerily empty. Not that welcoming feeling you normally get when entering a hotel, where the energy feels almost alive with the number of different people passing through on their travels. The lobby is dimly lit and mostly relies on the natural light coming in from the windows, which are decorated with heavy, velvety curtains that are drawn open and tied with tassels.
There isn’t anyone at the concierge counter, so Jasmine rings the bell. You hear some rustling coming from the room behind the counter, and out comes a man who looks to be in his fifties, wearing a hotel uniform.
“Greetings. You must be the group we’re expecting today.” He says dispassionately. His eyes seem tired or just uninterested.
“That’s us,” responds Jasmine.
Each of you checks in one by one and are given keys to your respective rooms, which are all in the same hallway on the second floor. The hotel doesn’t have an elevator, and the staircase is worn but ornately designed. The hallway of the second floor is on the dimmer side and is adorned with old damask-patterned wallpaper. The carpeting is dark and also worn, and the hallway has a hint of a musty, old smell, though it doesn’t look noticeably untidy.
The same goes for your room. Not untidy, just a bit dated–and the smell reflects that. It’s not bad, but it’s there. The room has a singular queen-sized bed, a dresser with a small box TV on top of it, a mini-fridge, and a small desk with a chair. It has one end table next to the bed with a lamp on it. The bathroom is to your left when you enter the room and has a toilet, a sink, and a stand-up shower, so no baths. Not that you’d be very inclined to take one here.
Following the plan, the first thing each of you do once you get to your rooms is check for any bugs (the spying kind, though it’s good to check for the insect kind, too). You don’t find any of either kind in your room, apart from a couple of ladybug carcasses in the window. Once your privacy has been assured, you begin unpacking your belongings into the dresser drawers and bathroom. Since you’ll be here for five days, it’d be nice to not live out of a suitcase the whole time.
Then, you hear a knock on your door. You open it to find Jasmine and let her in. She’s wearing her shit-eating grin again, and you know what it’s for, but decide to play dumb.
“What’s got you all smiley?” You ask, closing the door behind her.
“Oh stop, you know exactly why,” she taunts.
“I didn’t know he was going to kidnap me okay? I’m innocent in this,” you plead.
“M-hmm,” she continues, “even if you are innocent-”
“-he still chose you as his partner in crime,” her smile grows.
“I was probably the easiest target, if we’re being honest,” you respond.
“Are you being honest? Because it seems like you’ve been straight-up ignoring the tension between you two,” she counters.
You exhale. “Jasmine, I really think you’re reading into this too much.”
“How was the car ride?” She asks promptly.
“It was fine, normal. We chatted a bit and listened to music. Truly, nothing groundbreaking,” you explain, exasperated.
“Okay…” she responds, seeming to finally let go of her pressing a bit.
“Why are you pushing so hard for this anyway?” You ask.
“A few reasons,” she exhales. “One, I love seeing hot people get together.” You raise a brow. “Two, I’ve known Leon for a few years now, and he deserves someone nice.”
“You don’t even really know if I’m that nice,” you interject. Your words come out slightly snappier than you intended.
Jasmine pauses briefly at your shift in tone before continuing. “Nice people like you can’t hide their true character,” she explains. You dismiss this declaration by looking away. “And three, the chemistry between you two is clear, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
You exhale and stay silent, dropping your head.
“But, I know I might’ve been slightly overbearing,”
“I’ll dial it back,” she concludes.
“Thanks, Jasmine. I just need to figure things out for myself,” you say, mostly to appease her, because you don’t know if there’s anything really to figure out. Jasmine is assuming a lot of things, and you don’t want to fall down a rabbit hole of conjecture in your own head. You enjoy being friendly with Leon, and don’t want to tamper that relationship with delusions.
“Sure thing,” she puts her hand on your arm in understanding. “I’m gonna go check on the others, then we can all meet in my room to discuss next steps.”
“Rodger that,” you salute her as she leaves your room.
The team stopped at a small, nearby deli to grab dinner and ate together in Jasmine’s room while discussing plans. Everyone agreed to move forward with the original plan of exploring the surrounding area of the Umbrella facility tonight, but to leave the start of the interior investigation for tomorrow. Today, you’ll leave the hotel at sunset with the group and standard weapons for protection. The team will split up into three pairs and, as per protocol, the pairs will have one agent and one analyst.
“I call Teresa since we have the most experience together,” Jasmine says.
“Wouldn’t it be ideal to get some experience with another analyst tonight?” Suggests Vincent. “This is [y/n]’s first mission after all, and you haven’t worked with Cal nearly as much as Teresa.”
“I’m taking [y/n],” Leon states matter-of-factly.
“You need to branch out too, you just had two hours with [y/n],” Vincent continues. That man really does not want to be paired with Cal.
“Okay fine, how about this,” Jasmine starts, “tonight, since it’s just a short outing, we’ll pair up with people we’re less experienced working with, and then we can switch it up if needed tomorrow.”
You see Leon exhale a large, silent sigh at the same time Vincent perks up ever so slightly.
“I’ll take Teresa tonight,” says Leon.
“I’ll take [y/n],” Vincent says next.
“Cal, you’re with me,” Jasmine concludes.
The team loads the gear into the back of the 4Runner and sets up the spare seat in the back so that everyone can fit in. Jasmine is driving, Vincent is in the passenger seat, Leon’s in the spare seat, and you are in between Teresa and Cal in the middle.
The facility isn’t near anything else in town and you have to take some back roads to get there. The closest building to the facility is a small bar, which is still about a mile away. When you arrive, Jasmine takes the long driveway up to the building and parks in the lot. While you wouldn’t describe this area as being deep in the woods per se, the building is surrounded by more trees than the rest of the town, providing it with a bit of privacy combined with the long driveway off the back road.
The lot is pretty sizable, giving way to the many people this place used to employ, though it is now covered with brush and weeds growing from cracks in the pavement. The building looks to be made out of concrete that has not had any upkeep since its closing. The front doors are chained shut and the windows are boarded up. You can see a little vandalism on the exterior.
“Alright, let’s gear up,” says Jasmine.
You put on your protective gear and utility belt with a little help from Jasmine and take a walkie, a flashlight, a note pad, a dagger, and a pistol. You had never shot a gun before the training for this position, but USSTRATCOM requires their field analysts to carry at least one firearm for their safety.
Locking up the vehicle, Jasmine reviews the plan. “Me and Cal on the west side, Leon and Teresa on the north, Vincent and [y/n] on the east. Radio anyone on the team if needed, and agents, we have our dispatchers available to contact as well. Good luck everyone.”
Leon makes eye contact with you and gives you a nod of assurance before the team goes in their own respective directions. You feel the flit of a butterfly in your stomach in response.
Once you’re well into the east side of the land, Vincent starts making some small talk.
“Fine, so far at least,” you laugh. You haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary yet, so really nothing to be spooked by other than the suspense of it all.
He gives a small chuckle back. “Just let me know if you need anything from me, or have any questions.”
“Will do, thanks,” you say.
Vincent isn’t a man of many words, and the next half hour is spent in mostly silent exploration. You’ve both pulled out your flashlights now that the sun is well behind the horizon.
“Leon seems to have taken a liking to you, hm?” He inquires suddenly.
“-oh, I don’t know about that,” you answer, caught a bit off guard. “I think he just really can’t stand Cal,” you chuckle.
“That makes two of us,” he huffs a laugh. “He’s a fine person and all, but god, he does not shut up.”
“I was told that I need to learn some finesse to slip out of those moments with him,” you chuckle again.
“Still working on that myself,” he responds with a sigh.
You see something new up ahead… some objects. “What do you think that is?” You ask.
“Let’s go check it out,” Vincent replies.
As you approach, you can see that the objects are a tent and an unlit campfire. You then smell something rancid. Getting closer, you discover the source of the smell is the carcass of a small animal, maybe a rabbit, lying on top of a sigil drawn in the dirt. It appears to have been dead for a while. Taking a stick, you carefully move the carcass in an attempt to see the entire sigil and do your best to copy it down in your note pad.
“Do these markings look familiar to you at all?” You ask Vincent.
“Nope. But it’s our first piece of evidence for cult activity.”
Both of your heads then turn suddenly to the north as you hear something that sounds like a gunshot in the distance. Your stomach drops at the uncertainty of what might’ve happened.
“Do we do anything?” You ask, slightly frantic.
“They’ll radio us if they’re in need. Don’t worry, everyone here can handle themselves,” he assures.
You swallow and continue your investigations of the camp, then venture further in search of anything else.
After a couple hours of exploring, the team radios each other to check in and everyone decides to head back to the vehicle. In addition to the camp, you found the same sigil carved into a dead tree, but nothing else of note. You also heard a few more gunshots in the distance and are anxious to discover what those were about.
You and Vincent are the last to the car, and as you approach everyone else, you observe no outward injuries on anyone which allows you to exhale some worry. Leon explains that there were some mutated creatures they ran into which were the source of the gunshots. None of them were humanoid and none were larger than a pig. He said they also came across what they believe to be an entrance to the old and now unused mine, though they didn’t try to enter. Cal shares that he also found the same sigil on a couple of trees, and that the marked trees also had mushrooms growing on them. You question internally whether or not you missed any mushrooms on the marked tree you found.
The team sheds their gear and starts making their way back to the hotel.
“We should stop at that bar we passed by on our way here,” Cal suggests. “We need to celebrate our safe arrival and the start of our mission!”
Jasmine glances at the clock on the dash. “Not a bad idea, Cal.”
No one else says anything.
“What, no protests?” Cal asks. “I even had some more arguments up my sleeve!”
“Not like the hotel would be more fun,” Vincent says, “and our reports from today won’t take too long.”
“I could go for a whiskey,” says Leon.
“I’m pretty much down for whatever right now,” you add.
“O-okay… yeah!” Cal hypes.
There are only two other cars parked in the tiny lot of the bar, and Jasmine pulls into an open spot near them. The bar has a wooden exterior and a yellow-green glow escapes the windows. Untamed bushes line the perimeter of the building, and an ‘open’ sign hangs in the window of the front door. Jasmine opens the door, and the team is greeted by the jingle of the door’s bell and a welcome from the bartender.
As you walk in, you see a man and a woman seated together at a table in the midst of conversation, though pausing to eye your group entering. There are assorted neon signs that decorate the faded green walls, which turn into worn wooden panels two-thirds of the way down. The space smells like alcohol and cigarettes.
“Hey folks!” The bartender looks so strikingly similar to the concierge at the hotel that it makes you do a double-take. He has a slightly fuller frame and is more red in the face, but the similarities are uncanny. “C’mon in, take a seat,” he gestures to the bar. There are only four barstools, so you opt for a table near the bar. Leon joins you.
“W’can I get this good-lookin’ group?” The bartender asks.
The group at the bar begin sharing their orders, and Leon says to you, “Sorry, I don’t think they have iced caramel lattes here, either,” which makes you giggle.
“And whaddabout you two lovebirds?” The bartender calls to you and Leon. His voice is loud and gruff.
“Oh, we’re not lovebirds!” You correct the man, a little timidly, which is followed by a laugh from the bartender and a smirk from Leon. You don’t dare look at Jasmine.
Leon orders a whiskey and you order a hard cider.
“Mixing it up?” Leon notes.
“Yeah,” you respond, “I don’t drink much, so when I do, I like to try new things.”
“Much different from lunchtime-you,” he jokes.
“Hey, when you stumble upon the one, you don’t let it go,” you once again argue soulfully for your latte.
Leon releases a laugh. “Your loyalty is admirable.”
The two of you turn your bodies to try to include yourselves in the conversation with the rest of the group. The bartender had asked what brings everyone to town, and Jasmine is in the midst of casually explaining a lie.
“Y’don’t happen to be staying at Hotel Ophelia, d’ya?” The bartender asks.
“Isn’t that the only hotel in town?” asks Jasmine in return.
“Aye, good point,” chuckles the bartender. “M’twin brother runs the place, y’might’ve seen him when you checked in.”
“I knew you looked familiar!” Cal says.
The bartender chuckles. “Name’s Griffin. Brother’s name is Gunther. M’guessing he didn’t introduce himself t’you, man’s a little short on words.” Griffin finishes delivering everyone’s drinks, and you start sipping on yours.
“I think it’s only fair of me t’warn you…” Griffin begins, “Gunther’s got a habit of peepin’ on his guests.”
The team’s faces all drop in different fonts, and Cal lets out a nervous laugh.
“Ahhh, I’m just joshin’ya,” laughs Griffin with a wave of his hand.
The team at the bar laughs a little more in response, and Leon turns to give you an unamused look.
“What can you tell us about Sallie?” Jasmine inquires, followed by a sip of her drink.
Griffin clears his throat. “Well…believe it or not, it used t’be a warm and inviting town when I was in m’younger years,” he exhales. “People started getting a little colder ‘nd kept to themselves more once Umbrella moved in. But even so, there was still life in th’place.” He rests his hands on the bar. “When Umbrella shut down, many folk left. A’lot of the businesses ‘round here are doin’ their best t’keep their doors open.” He raises an empty glass, “your patronage tonight helps m’little bar, cheers t’you folks.”
The group at the bar clinks their glasses with his, and you clink yours with Leon’s.
As the group continued working on their drinks, Griffin shared some stories about what life was like in Sallie when he was a child. He described how he took over ownership of the bar after the previous owner, his father, had passed, and explained that Gunther gained ownership of the hotel through a friendly connection.
“Any other businesses around here you recommend we give some love to this week?” Asks Jasmine.
“Nope, just m’bar,” Griffin belly laughs, then pauses. “Hmm, y’could visit the butcher for some quality cuts, or the bakery–they’ve got real nice bread.”
After everyone finishes their drinks, the team starts to stand up to leave and give their thanks to Griffin for his hospitality.
“Y’folks wanna tour of the rest of the bar b’fore you go?”
“I didn’t realize there was more than this,” says Jasmine. “We’ll have to take you up on that on our next visit, thanks though.”
“A’right, I’ll hold’ya to that!” Responds Griffin. “I know where you sleep!” He laughs boisterously.
Jasmine salutes to him and the team exits after wishing him a good night.
In the car, Jasmine and Cal spend some time talking about how cool of a man Griffin was. You think so too, a little, but there was something about him that made you uncomfortable, even though you can’t put your finger on it. Just a weird feeling. You don’t want to spread any unnecessary concern though, so you don’t chime into the conversation much.
As per protocol, the team has to check their rooms for bugs every time they get back from an outing. You don’t find any in your room, so you indulge yourself with a hot shower before starting on your report. It’s only hot for about half of the shower though, which shouldn’t surprise you all that much.
After showering and putting on lotion, you slip into your comfy PJs - a soft, silky button-up shirt and short set that makes you feel luxurious. It’s your go-to set when you stay in hotels; something about feeling all put together in a fresh hotel room adds to the coziness. Though the freshness of this hotel room is on the more questionable side.
You grab one of the snacks you picked out from the gas station earlier and start munching on it while you work on your report. Luckily, each of you was sent with a laptop. As you’re typing away at the desk, you hear three soft knocks on your door. You think it must be Jasmine, checking on everyone before bed. When you open it, you’re surprised to see Leon.
“Oh! Hey, Leon,” you say, a little surprise showing up in your tone. “I thought you’d be Jasmine.” He’s wearing a white tee and grey sweatpants, and you think your knees might give out.
“You should get in the habit of checking your peep hole,” he lectures.
“Probably,” you chuckle. “What’s up?”
He pauses for a brief moment. “I just thought I should check on you, with it being your first outing and all.”
You blink at his kind gesture. “Oh… thanks, Leon.”
“I know you can handle yourself, but I didn’t really have anyone checking up on me after my first time, so… yeah.”
Your heart swells in response. “I really appreciate it.”
He nods, but doesn’t make a move to leave.
“Do you… want to come in for a while? And hang out? I mean… since you won’t be sleeping anyway…” you joke.
He exhales a chuckle. “...yeah, I’ve got some time.”
You step aside to let him in and return to your seat at the desk.
“I was just finishing up my report,” you say. “Want a beer?” With the mini fridges being so small, you and Leon each kept one six-pack.
You gesture to the fridge and say, “make yourself at home.”
He chuckles and offers you one as well, which you take. He sits on the edge of the bed, and you both crack your cans open.
“How did things go with Vincent?” Leon asks.
“You can read my report if you want,” you jest.
He huffs a laugh. “I mean, did you feel… safe? Did anything trouble you?” Underneath his casual front, you can see genuine concern poking through.
“It was pretty straightforward, honestly.” You sigh a little. “The time I felt the most worried was when I heard the gunshots in the distance. Not knowing what was happening, and not being able to help if it was needed, was tough.”
“We didn’t see anything like what you and Teresa saw, so I never felt like my immediate safety was at risk.”
“That’s good,” he says, then pauses. “Are you thinking you want to stay paired with Vincent tomorrow?”
“Oh,” you blink in thought, then look back at Leon. “I don’t know, it seems like the agents decide their partners,” you raise an eyebrow at him.
“Would you want to be with me if I requested you?” He asks.
Your heart skips momentarily. Yes, you would. “I mean…” your mind starts considering how to answer. Play it cool? Ask him why? “...yeah, I would.” Your words surprise you as they come out honest.
“Okay, cool…” he nods and takes another sip of his beer.
Since you opened the door, the conversation has felt like it’s teetering on the edge of…something. Like there are still things being left unsaid under the surface of the words that are actually being exchanged.
Just then, your phone beeps. You reach for it and see that it’s a text… from Bradley.
“Ughhh,” you groan. “I really thought we did it.”
“No way, did he text you?” He asks.
“Yup.” You show him the text, which reads, “you still with that chump?”
“Chump?” Leon echoes the last word with a smirk. “Alright, gimme his number.”
“Really?” You ask, brows raised.
“Actually, lemme give him a call from your phone,” he says, extending his hand. “If that’s okay with you.” His eyes meet yours.
“If you really want to do this, be my guest,” you say, handing him your phone with a grin.
Leon presses some buttons and puts the phone up to his ear. After one ring, he starts talking. “Hey.” … “Yeah, no, this isn’t she.” … “Alright listen, bro, I’m gonna need you to stop messaging [y/n], immediately.” … “If you don’t, there will be consequences.” … “Don’t say I didn’t warn you-”
With a burst of insanity, you snatch the phone from Leon. “I’m gonna need to hang up, Brad. He’s inside me right now and I’d like to get back to that. Don’t contact me again.”
You hang up the phone and immediately slap your hand to your mouth, looking at Leon with widened eyes. “I can’t believe I just said that,” you say cautiously through your fingers.
Leon’s mouth hangs open and the corners start to turn upward. He blinks a few times and shakes his head. “That was-” he coughs, “that was some good improv…”
“You should leave before I die of embarrassment,” you say, still through your hand, which feels the warmth of the blood rushing to your face.
Leon laughs, “Don’t be embarrassed! It was funny, dude had it coming-”
“Nope, nope, I can’t look at you now,” you shake your head and gesture towards the door with your hands. “Up and out, pretty boy-” you exhale a large sigh and turn away from him as you hear the last two words leave your mouth.
“I dunno, I’m kinda having fun,” Leon says, and even though you’re not looking at him, you can tell he’s smiling.
“Bye!!” You wave behind your back as you return to your desk chair, keeping your body turned away from him.
“Oh please,” Leon says with a laugh.
“I’m requesting Jasmine as an agent tomorrow,” you say.
“Okay, c’mon,” Leon’s voice is more serious now, but still with a playful undertone. “You’re just buzzed. We all say dumb shit sometimes.”
You begin typing more of your report in an attempt to distract yourself, biting your lips to prevent any other stupid words from leaving them.
“Hey,” he gets up and stands next to you. “Look at me.”
You stop typing, and look up at him with your best poker face.
He smirks down at you. “I am pretty, aren’t I?”
“Oh my godddd,” you groan and stand up to push his chest as he’s cackling, but his body doesn’t budge.
“I’m going to sleep,” you say as you flop onto the bed and envelop yourself in the blankets. “And take the beer with you, I’m never drinking again.” You reach for the bedside lamp to turn it off, but the desk lamp remains on.
“I’m not leaving until you brush your teeth, stinky,” you hear him say.
Snapping your neck, you send a dumbfounded glare his way.
“You heard me. I’ll wait.” He crosses his arms and leans up against the wall. You pull the covers over your face in response and hear nothing for the next few moments. Removing the covers, you turn to look in his direction again. He’s still there, in the same position, looking back at you.
“Ready now?” He asks with raised eyebrows and a smirk.
You brush past him on the way to the bathroom and start brushing your teeth. He’s now standing outside the bathroom door, watching, and you turn to him with an unamused face while you continue to brush.
After about a minute, Leon says, “now spit it out, and you can go to bed.”
Rolling your eyes at him, you turn around and spit into the sink.
“Good girl,” he says next, followed by a slapping noise.
Your eyes widen and your mouth opens in smug astonishment as you turn to face him again. He’s making the same face you did a few minutes ago, hand covering his mouth, eyes wide, staring at you.
You bend over laughing. A tear might’ve escaped you.
“Now I’m really leaving,” he finally says, reaching for the door.
“I dunno, I’m kinda having fun now,” you echo his statement from earlier through your giggles.
“Suck my dick,” he pauses his exit to close his eyes tightly with a sigh, then leaves.
You pull yourself together and turn off the remaining lights in the room. After crawling back into bed, you find yourself to be much more comfy now that your teeth are clean.
The many thoughts and happenings from the day flood your mind, though it only delays your sleep by a few minutes. You are spent.
It’s 1:04 AM and you’re back in bed after getting up to relieve yourself. This time, however, you do not fall asleep so quickly. Your brain is much more active as it thinks more about the past 24 hours. Airports, road tripping, new town, first outing, little bar, Leon. Ugh.
At this point, you don’t see yourself falling back to sleep anytime soon, so you get up and make the final additions to your report. It doesn’t take long since it was already nearly complete, so you sink back in the desk chair as you return to your thoughts.
He’s inside me right now.
You shake your head and giggle to yourself. They really were just hilarious slips of the tongue.
With your mind still being so active, you decide to explore the hotel a little bit. You slip on some sandals and a flannel before leaving your room, tucking your room key in the pocket of your sleep shorts.
You decide to walk down to the lobby first. The stairs creak a little as you slowly make your descent. Stepping onto the first floor, you enter a space you had been in previously, though it has a different ambiance now that it’s dressed in nighttime hues. The bulbs are still dim, but provide enough light that you can see where you’re going without issue. While you’re not breaking any rules by meandering in common areas, you get the sense that you shouldn’t be here right now.
Walking further, the front desk appears in your vision. You then abruptly flinch, halting your movements. Gunther, you assume, is standing upright behind the desk and looking directly ahead, which is to your left. You follow his gaze and don’t see anything other than one of the large windows. He’s about thirty feet away from you and doesn’t react to your presence. In fact, he’s standing so eerily still that you contort your face as you try to study him.
Taking a few silent steps backward, you turn around and go back up the stairs. You didn’t really need to explore the lobby anyway.
Reaching the second floor, you try your best to rationalize whatever it was you just saw. Sleepwalker? Sleep…worker? Probably sleepworker.
You continue your journey down the second floor hall, past all of the team members’ rooms, and turn the corner to the right. Windows line the left wall, and on the right, more rooms. Moving further, you see a notch extending out past the left wall, in which lies a small lounge area. You pause when you see that a person is sitting in one of the chairs, and quickly process that person as being Leon.
“Oh– hey again,” you greet him, your voice sounding a bit groggy as it leaves you.
Leon blinks up at you, “Hey…” his voice is also a little groggy.
“Can’t sleep?” You ask, leaning on the corner of the wall that turns into the lounge.
“You guessed it.” His forearms are resting on his knees and an open can of beer sits on the coffee table in front of him.
A few moments pass as you continue leaning on the wall.
“Wanna join?” He gestures his head to the chair across from him.
You take a seat, and neither of you say anything for a while. Behind him, you see a window and a door with a small sign on it that says “not an exit.” The door is on an exterior wall of the building, which leaves you wondering what’s behind it. Your eyes scan for any nearby security cameras, but find none.
“Do you get the feeling that we’re the only ones in the hotel?” Your question breaks the silence.
“Nope, I think the rest of the team is staying here too,” Leon responds dryly.
You give him a playful unamused look and he huffs a laugh. “Yeah, we’re definitely the only ones here,” he says.
“Shouldn’t be all that surprising, but it feels so weird,” you add.
“Did you happen to explore the lobby on your midnight walk?” You ask next.
“No, just walked until I found this spot. Why?”
“Well, I went down there before I came here, and I saw the concierge just…standing still behind the desk, looking forward…” Your voice is quiet, just above a whisper. “He didn’t see me though, and I went back upstairs after I saw him.”
Leon makes eye contact with you and raises a brow. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah…” you say. “And did Griffin give you weird vibes? Or was that just me?”
You nod lightly as you think. “Maybe we’re just on edge. It could just be the culture around here and we’re not used to it.”
“Kind of culture stands up perfectly still at one in the morning?” Leon questions.
You shrug and shake your head. Leon takes a sip from the beer can, though it sounds empty.
“How long have you been awake?” You ask.
“Haven’t fallen asleep yet.”
You huff and stand up. “Okay, it’s time to go to bed then,” you extend your hand to him, but he waves it off.
“I need you well rested if you’re gonna be my agent tomorrow,” you insist. He rolls his eyes and wears the faintest smile, so faint that has you questioning if it even is one. But he doesn’t say anything.
“Fine, then I’m not leaving until you go back to your room,” you plop back down in the chair.
“Woah there, stealing manipulation tactics?” He smirks.
You cross your legs and fold your hands over your knees, staring at him in silence. He holds your stare unyieldingly, resting his chin on his fist.
Your poker face starts to twitch and he raises his brows at you in response, causing a snort to escape you.
“Your technique needs work,” he states.
“And your brain needs sleep!” You argue.
A long sigh leaves his body, and he’s silent for a moment. “Fine, let’s go,” he starts to stand up.
“Thank god,” you exclaim, standing up as well. You both walk side-by-side back in the direction of your rooms.
“...Is this the part where I say you’re a good boy?” You ask, a shit-eating grin filling your face.
Shaking his head, he playfully pushes your shoulder, causing giggles to escape you. You think you see his cheeks flush.
“Sorry, I’m still learning the technique,” you laugh.
When you arrive at your doors, you wish each other goodnight before scanning your keys and disappearing into your respective rooms.
You awoke the next day feeling as rested as you could have, given the circumstances of the night before. Jasmine surprised the team with breakfast pastries from the bakery that was recommended by Griffin, and you found out that he was very right about the bread being delicious. You had to settle for coffee from the hotel lobby with cream and sugar, ignoring Leon’s amusement at your contorted face while sipping on it. And no, Gunther was no longer standing upright when you went down to the lobby in the morning, and in fact, wasn’t at the desk at all.
The team is meeting in Jasmine’s room to discuss plans for the day. Teresa had brought her own desk chair to yesterday’s meeting, and everyone else copied that move today. The group is less chatty today, even Cal, which could either be because it’s still morning, or because today’s endeavor holds more weight.
Using the blueprint Cal had secured in the week leading up to the mission, the team mapped out a general plan to explore areas of interest. While the blueprint doesn’t have details on what exactly was in each room, it is agreed that the first floor would probably be the tamest of them all, as that was likely where the employees did most of the actual pharmaceutical work. The second floor, first basement floor, and second basement floor are highlighted as primary areas of interest.
“I’m stealing Teresa back today, that’s my girl right there,” Jasmine points her thumb to Teresa.
“I’m taking [y/n],” Leon says casually.
“Guess it’s you and me again, buddy,” Cal sings to Vincent.
“Maybe we’ll run into some lickers,” is what you think you hear Vincent mutter under his breath. Jasmine gives his arm a reassuring tap.
The meeting finishes and the team loads the 4Runner up with everything. Gazing out the window of the moving car, you absorb the silent, padded atmosphere that the morning brings to Sallie. The town feels even emptier than it did yesterday. You swallow as you consider the things you might see in the facility. A mix of curiosity and apprehension circulates through your body. You turn your gaze down to fidget with a hangnail.
Jasmine parks near the front doors of the facility. Everyone gears up, the agents taking two firearms each among other gear, and you taking the same items as yesterday. As was discussed at the meeting, the team would first examine the exterior of the building to find an alternative way in, should the chains on the main doors prove to be needed.
A few minutes of searching pass, and Teresa points out that the glass in one of the first-floor windows on the left side of the building was missing, and that the wooden board covering it could be pushed back with some force. You had passed by that window, too, and are kicking yourself internally for missing it.
After helping each other climb in, you find yourself in an office. Papers are in disarray across the desk and there is a thin layer of dust resting on every surface. With the windows being boarded up, the room is left in darkness, so you have to use flashlights to navigate.
Exiting the office, the team walks down the long hallway in search of the atrium. It was decided that Cal and Vincent would take the second floor, Jasmine and Teresa the first basement floor, and you and Leon the second basement floor. The intrigue of the lowest basement floor called to you during the meeting, but now that you’re in the building, a pit forms in your stomach with the crash of reality.
Unfortunately, the door to the basement stairs is locked, so the four team members that need to get down there spend some time looking for keys while Cal and Vincent head straight to the second floor. Cal actually isn’t talking, to your surprise.
No one is talking really actually, apart from tactical speak, which adds to the intensity of the moment. The search for keys has taken you throughout different areas of the first floor, which have remained eerily quiet and, as predicted, the documentation you come across on this floor is all standard pharmaceutical-related things.
Finally, Teresa finds a key that matches the shape on the keyhole of the basement door, and it unlocks it. The stairwell is dark. You’re really beginning to wish this place had power. Reaching the first landing, you turn to go down to the next, which has the door to the first level of the basement. It’s unlocked, so Jasmine and Teresa head in while you and Leon continue down the stairs.
When you reach the door to the second level, you see that a faint red glow escapes the window of it. Leon turns the handle, and you’re both in. The glow is coming from various utility lights on the walls, and you’re curious about what is powering them. Most of the lights are red, but some are other colors, too. Getting a closer look, they seem to be status indicators for various room numbers. You make note of the rooms that have green and yellow next to their numbers, as well as the one with white.
“We especially have to check out these rooms,” you note aloud.
Almost immediately after speaking, you hear noises coming from down the hall, and when you shine your flashlights down it, you don’t see anything other than a long corridor. Leon’s gun is at the ready and your stomach is in your throat as the two of you advance forward.
The first room you reach is an office on the left. Leon enters first, checking for any threats, and finds none.
“I’d like to dig around in this room for a bit, if that’s okay with you,” you say as you start perusing.
“Sure,” he replies, but doesn’t leave the room.
You look up at him. “You can keep going down the hall if you want, I’ll be fine here.” After all, he did check the room and will be dealing with anything that comes up further down the hall, so you don’t feel uncomfortable with the idea of hanging back by yourself for a little. It would also be easier for you to think without him watching you the whole time.
Leon hesitates, looking out the door and back at you. “...You sure?”
“Yes, absolutely,” you assure. “I’ll call you on the walkie if needed.”
He pauses again before saying, “Okay… but call me once you’re ready to leave the room so I can come get you.”
You giggle a little. “Will do, boss.”
With a straight face, Leon nods and holds your gaze for a second longer before leaving the room.
The first thing you do is get a general scope of the room as a whole before diving into any documents it holds. Another circuit board of lights identical to the one in the hallway takes up much of one wall, the colors displayed on it matching what you had recorded in your notes.
Unlike the academia-inspired offices upstairs, this office is bland and the walls are bare, apart from a plain clock and a wooden circle with intricate animal carvings on it. Taking a closer look, you observe there to be twelve different animals around the outer part of the circle and a dial in the middle.
The wooden circle doesn’t budge when you try to move it from its place. Turning the dial feels and sounds similar to the dial of a safe. After jotting down the names of the different animals in order, beginning with the cow in the 1:00 position and moving clockwise, you make a mental note to keep an eye out for anything that could be a combination.
You don’t find any other largely significant elements around the room, so you take a seat at the desk to begin examining documents. Most of the papers that are scattered across the surface of the desk seem to be notes detailing observations of subjects that were being held in the rooms down the hallway.
Room M01 - Deceased immediately following injection.
Room M02 - Deceased immediately following injection.
Room M03 - Transformation begun immediately following injection. No response to mycelial network communication attempts.
Room M04 - Deceased immediately following injection.
Room M05 - Injection accepted, transformation appears dormant. No response to mycelial network communication attempts.
Many of the notes indicate the immediate death of subjects after being introduced to an injection. Of the room numbers that had notes, it appears that the subjects listed as “dormant” have a yellow light next to their room number, and the subjects that had already transformed have a green light next to their room number. The red lights line up with the subjects who were declared deceased. You could not find any notes for the one room with the white light next to it.
When you go to open the filing cabinet underneath the desk, you discover it to be locked. You start trying to open any other drawers and cabinets you can find in the office. Your search doesn’t yield any keys, but some notable things you found include a scientific diagram of an oyster mushroom, a stone figurine of a rat, and a small, locked jewelry box with an ornate design.
You flop back down in the desk chair to think about everything you’ve come across and consider whether or not you should reach out to tell Leon that you’re finished here. Deciding to call, you pick up your walkie and it slips out of your fingers, underneath the desk. With a groan, you crouch under the desk to look for it. When you shine your flashlight down there, you notice a small reflection hitting the floor. Directing the flashlight up, you see a silver key taped to the underside of the desk.
You remove the key and slot it in the keyhole of the filing cabinet. It fits. You slide the drawer open and are greeted with several file folders containing more documents. The folders are labeled: ‘oyster mushrooms’, ‘t-mycelium-virus’, ‘procedures’, ‘subjects’, and ‘misc’.
The next half hour consists of you combing through these documents. During this time, Leon had called you on the walkie to check in and said that he was working on switching the power source to the facility’s back-up generator. He mentioned that there were a couple of rat-like creatures he encountered, but nothing crazy.
After only skimming through the first two folders, you put together that the purpose of the tests that took place on this floor was to develop a successful fusion of the t-virus and genetic material from oyster mushrooms. The goal of the addition of the mushroom genetics to the t-virus was to achieve a “hive-mind” effect, referred to as the "mycelial network”, which would allow for mass control over the actions of the infected. None of the observation notes you’d read earlier indicate the success of this trait, though, which is at least somewhat comforting.
Before you could get to the other folders, your head lifts in reaction to the lights in the hallway turning on.
You radio Leon. “Was that you?”
“Yep. Ready for me to come get you?”
You look to the three folders you have yet to examine. You still have a lot of ground to explore in the files, but you’re questioning if you’ve been in here for too long and need to start exploring the rest of the place. Maybe you should actually join Leon for a bit and come back later.
Leon arrives at the door and your face lights up involuntarily upon seeing him. It’s only been an hour or so, but it’s nice to see him again.
“There’s one room that’s open, the one with the white light next to it,” Leon informs.
“Great, let’s go check it out,” you say.
Now that the power is on, the hallway is much more visible. You can see the subjects through the clear cell doors–most dead like the notes indicated–but some were meandering in their cell, looking particularly grotesque. Arriving at the open cell, Leon puts out his hand to block you from going in.
“Let me clear it first,” he orders.
You stand back, and as soon as Leon walks into the cell, the door automatically slides shut. You gasp, and Leon turns around to look at you through the tempered glass.
“Shit,” you hear him say, though his voice is muffled behind the door.
Your breath catches in your throat. “Ummm, okay, okay, let me try the keypad,” you spit out, trying to hide your panic.
Just then, gas starts emitting from the ceiling of the cell.
“Shit!” You yell as you fumble with the keypad, trying any number combination at all. Leon covers his nose and looks around the cell for any way to escape after trying and failing to crack the glass with the back of his gun.
Every combination you try fails, and it doesn’t help that you don’t even know how many digits the access code is supposed to have. Your legs start shaking as the adrenaline increases in your body.
Taking a cautious step back, you examine the perimeter of the door. Above it, you notice icons of different animals. Glancing briefly at the doors of other cells, you see that each door has a different combination of animals above it, some with three, some with four.
“Hang in there, I think I can figure out the code!” You yell to him.
Leon gives you a thumbs up with one hand, while the other stays over his nose and mouth.
The animals are all ones that you had written down from the wooden circle. With shaky hands, you pull out your note pad and punch in the number that corresponds with the animal.
“Rabbit-3… snake-5… ummm,” your hands continue to shake as you try to do this as quickly as possible. “Cow-1, and… Rat-12?” You push enter with the code 35112, and the screen flashes red.
Your breathing grows heavier. “That should have worked…” you plead quietly to yourself, eyes darting back and forth as you think.
“You can do it,” Leon encourages, but it’s getting visibly harder for him to remain upright.
“Sit down, Leon,” you instruct through an unsteady voice. “If you go down, I don’t want you landing on your head.”
Leon quietly obeys, weak legs guiding him to the floor.
You need to think fast. Okay, ‘rabbit’ has six letters… You press 6. ‘Snake’ has five… You press 5. Shit, cow and rat both have three. Fuck, other names?
The cow has horns. It’s got to be ‘bull’. You press 4, then 3, then enter.
“Fuck!!” You curse. Looking back at Leon, you see that his neck has gone limp and his head hangs over his chest as he’s propped up against the door.
Tears start to well in your eyes. Fuck, if only you had continued looking through the folders, maybe you would have found the combinations. Shit. You rack your brain for any other ideas.
Maybe the numbering starts at the top of the circle instead of at the 1:00 position.
Looking at your notes, you punch numbers as if ‘rat’ was number one instead of ‘cow’. “Four… six… two… and one.” You press enter, and the screen turns green, followed by the door sliding open. You dive down to catch Leon before he falls backwards towards the ground.
“Leon!” You exclaim with heavy breaths. He doesn’t respond.
You do your best to move his bulk completely out of the cell. Once he’s out, you sit on your knees and place his head in your lap, his legs out to your right. Bending over him with your ear to his nose, you find that he is still breathing. Thank god. The gas was likely just a sedative. He should wake up after enough exposure to oxygen.
“Leon…” you say, softer this time.
The tips of your fingers find his bangs and lightly brush them to the side, tracing his browbone. His eyelashes rest on the tops of his cheeks and he looks… peaceful. Your heartbeat remains heightened, as well as your breathing, but the adrenaline is lowering. You continue absentmindedly combing your fingers through his hair.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t get you out faster,” you speak, barely above a whisper. Your eyes become glassy again, and you can’t believe something so alarming has already happened so early into the investigation. Gazing forward as your vision unfocuses, your thoughts start swarming in. Will it be like this the entire time? Is this the norm? Or could this have been easily avoided if Leon had been with a more experienced analyst?
Your thumb has drifted to making small strokes on his temple as your palm caresses the side of his head. You didn’t even realize, until you hear,
“If you keep doing that, I’m gonna stay asleep.”
Your head jerks down to look at him. “Leon!!” You bend down to hug him without a second thought, and he pats your back in response.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” you breathe, “and I’m so sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner.”
He sits up, and you try to sneakily rub the water out of your eyes. You can’t let him think you’re incompetent and a crybaby.
“Well you got me out, didn’t you?” He retorts, voice a little groggy.
“I should’ve been faster,” you swallow and shake your head down at the ground.
“Hey. Look at me.” You look up at him. “I’m out. It’s all good, you got me out.” He gives your arm a reassuring tap.
You take a deep breath and nod lightly. He shouldn’t be the one comforting you right now. “How do you feel?”
He nods and looks down the hall. “Fine, I’ll be back to normal in no time.”
“Yeah,” he chuckles, “I’ve had worse than a spontaneous nap.”
You chuckle back, but are then hit with that same sick feeling from earlier. What else fucking awaits you on these missions? Are you even cut out for this? Reality is hitting you like a ton of bricks.
After explaining to Leon that you wanted to return to the office to finish going through the files, the two of you split up again.
And you were right. If you would have just finished looking through the files, you would have found that the white light next to a room meant that it was ready for intake, which involved sedating the subject after sensing their entry and closing the door automatically to prevent the subject from escaping. The files also had the codes for the rooms, as well as an explanation for the symbols above the door. You learned that the wooden circle depicts the Chinese zodiac animals, and the rat is, in fact, the first in the order. And the cow is actually an ox. Each new sentence you read added to the feeling of incompetency growing in you.
It took almost two hours for you to finish going through the files and write down the most relevant pieces of information in your note pad. Taking this sort of information back to the hotel would be too risky. You learned a lot of information from these files, but you didn’t find anything that hinted at a combination for the dial on the wooden circle. Maybe another analyst would have.
Leon checked on you a couple of times over the walkie during your reading time. You couldn’t help but be flooded with thoughts of being the most incompetent analyst he’s been paired with before. When you’re not failing miserably at rescuing him, you’re just sitting cooped up in an office reading while he explores the entire rest of the floor. You think he must see you as more of a liability than a partner.
When you’d called Leon to let him know you’d finished going through the files, he immediately came to get you from the office and took you around the areas he’d covered already so that you could observe and take any relevant notes. He had also eliminated some more safety threats. Most were animalistic-looking and smaller than him, but a couple were humanoid. You had the pleasure of seeing the remains of these things up close as you traversed the floor with him.
Most of the rest of the investigation, for you, involved inspecting different rooms, books, and more documents you’d uncovered. Your note pad was filling up, and your head was spinning at all of the new information you’d gathered today. Your brain was mush and your capacity for digesting and organizing information wavered as time progressed. All of which only compounded your rapidly growing feelings of inadequacy.
When Jasmine radioed the team with plans to head back, you were more than ready to leave this place for the day.
On the way back to the hotel, you barely spoke, despite Jasmine’s attempts to find out how the first day inside Umbrella went for you. Luckily, Leon pointed out in the car that it was after work hours on a Monday, and suggested we wait on holding the debrief with the full team until tomorrow morning before heading back to the facility.
Back at the hotel, after you finished checking for bugs, Jasmine had stopped by to invite you to dinner with everyone. You declined, claiming you didn’t feel good and just needed to rest.
Which was kind of true; you were hanging on by a thread. But the reasoning for that was less of a stomach bug, and more the self-defeating thoughts that played in your head on a loop.
You took a shower and changed into an old t-shirt and athletic shorts this time. Dreading writing your report, you instead decide to crack a beer and flop onto the bed, and against your better judgement, let your mind continue to scrutinize everything that happened today.
A couple of soft knocks on your door interrupt your thoughts, though you don’t rush to get up. When you do roll out of bed, you don’t see anyone on the other side of the peep hole, so you open your door to check for the source of the knocks. Again, you don’t see anyone, but when you look down, a takeout box with “feel better ♡” written on it sits in front of you. Your bottom lip protrudes at the kind gesture, and you take the box inside to eat with another beer.
Settling back into bed, you flick on the little TV, which has access to no more than four channels. You settle on a black-and-white sitcom to try and distract yourself from your thoughts.
It worked for a little, but the TV grew more and more staticky the longer it was on, to the point where it was unwatchable. Once again, you’re left alone with your ruminations. You could work on your report, or… you could have the last beer in your fridge.
Settling on the latter, you crack open the last beer and start gulping. By this time, the liquid tastes much more pleasant traveling down your throat– and it’s traveling down fast. Your body is relaxing, and you might definitely be drunk.
On repeat in your mind plays the scene of you trying and failing to get Leon out of the cell. It was by pure luck that you managed to finally crack the code. What would have happened if you didn’t? You think about requesting to switch agents tomorrow, but that would mean subjecting another person to your incompetency. Maybe you made a mistake thinking you could handle this job.
Suddenly, your phone rings, snapping you out of your thoughts. It’s…Leon?
“H-hello?” You answer with a swallow, trying your best to sound sober.
“Hey,” he pauses briefly before continuing, “I know you don’t have unlimited texting, so I thought I’d just call to check in. How are you?”
Your heart skips. “Oh, ‘m good,” a hiccup, “thanks,” you slur, despite your best efforts.
He’s silent on the other end.
“Helloo?” You try. He hangs up.
A series of knocks sound at your door. Shit.
You hobble to the door. “‘m asleep,” is what you call to him.
“Funny,” you hear his voice behind it. “Let me in.”
“SoOoOo tired,” you continue.
You groan and open the door. “Whaddya want,” you ask through heavy eyelids. Leon is wearing a navy blue t-shirt and black sweatpants this time. What is it about casual wear that looks so fucking good on him…
He pushes past you into the room.
“Hey!” you hiccup and let the door shut behind you.
“What is going on with you?” He asks, looking stressed.
“N’much, wha’s goin on w’you?”
Leon stares at you blankly before sighing into his hand.
“Sit down,” he gestures to the bed.
You bumble your way over, mumbling, “‘s what I was doin’ b’fore you came.”
He walks to the bathroom and fills up one of the plastic cups with water. “Drink.”
“Ughh,” you grumble as you take the cup from him.
Then, he opens one of the snacks you got from the gas station yesterday. “Eat.”
You take the bag of pretzels from him, and he sits down next to you at the foot of the bed.
The sound of you crunching and sipping is the only thing that fills the room for a while, until Leon speaks up again.
“Will you please tell me what’s got you like this?”
You try to dismiss his question with a chuckle, but tears involuntarily build up in your eyes again and you turn your head away from him.
“Hey,” you hear him start, his voice softer now, “it’s okay, you can let it out. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t feel comfortable.”
Sniffles start escaping you as you continue trying to hold back.
“I know…” he begins, “…the shit we see isn’t normal. It’s a lot to take in, I get it.”
“It’s not even that,” you croak, throat tight. “I… I…” The strength you use to try to get your words out without unleashing your sobs is not enough.
“I don’t know how I got this job,” you cry.
Leon is silent for a moment, letting your tears have some time to fall. He then follows up with, “What do you mean?”
You sniffle some more, still not letting him see your face. “’m nowhere near the level of Cal or Angela… They’d know exactly how long they’should be in a room ‘nd when’to be with the agent, nd their brains wouldn’t turn’to mush in’only a’few hours, ‘nd-”
“-and, and…” you huff, “Cal noticed mushrooms ‘nd I didn’t, ‘nd Angela found the way into the buildin’ even though I passed right by that window, ‘nd,” you sob.
You finally turn around to look at him, wet cheeks and all. “Leon, they’d’ve gotten you out sooner,” your eyes dart back and forth between his. “Or- or known better than’to let you in’there, b’cause they’d’ve actually read ALL the files b’fore leaving the room.” You drop your head and let the tears fall down.
A moment of silence lapses before you speak again. “I’m so scared I’m gonna get you killed,” you whimper.
He cautiously reaches his hand out to you, fingers light on your shoulder. “Hey,” he starts, “it’s not your job to protect me. It’s mine to protect you.”
With your head still down, you say, “we’re supposed t’be a team, ‘nd I feel like ’m more harm than I’m worth.”
His hands grab you gently on both of your arms. “[y/n], look at me.”
“Don’t ever say that again.” His face is stone-serious.
And goddamn, the tears start coming again.
“This is your first mission ever,” he speaks softly, but with intention. “You’re not expected to know everything about how to be in the field right away. None of us know what we’re doing 100% of the time. All you have to do is whatever makes the most sense in the moment. And with time, that instinct will become clearer to you.”
You take a few steadying breaths. “It just seems like everyone has their shit together and I’m… a 27-year-old kid, expected to find and make sense of secrets that the rest of the world knows nothing about.”
He huffs a laugh in understanding, releasing his hands and gaze from you. “I can relate to that,” he pauses, then returns his eye contact. “You’re not alone in this, I promise.”
Staring into his blue eyes, you nod lightly, imagining he must’ve been having similar thoughts ever since he got into this mess–against his will, unlike you.
You wonder how he became the elite agent he is, completing missions that should have been impossible, all while seeming so confident, cool, and collected. Especially after his forcible entry into the field.
“When did you start feeling like you had a handle on things?” Your words are starting to come out steadier. Either something about his presence really grounds you, or… the pretzels and water are working.
A long exhale escapes him. “There isn’t one day when you finally feel like you’ve got it all figured out. At least, that hasn’t happened for me, yet.” He releases a short laugh and looks forward. “The questioning of yourself will come and go, and you learn to live with those thoughts.”
You let his words sink into your head for a beat. “And just keep moving forward,” you repeat the statement he made on the drive yesterday.
He looks back at you, silently, for a moment. “Yeah.” His eyes travel between yours.
The hum of the mini fridge is the only sound that fills the room. You normally wouldn’t even notice it, but the silence of the moment emphasizes everything else. Including the familiar force that has pulled you two together before. Only this time, you don’t have a DJ to blame it on.
But you can blame it on the alcohol.
The invisible thread snaps between you when Leon clears his throat and blinks hard. In response, you blink a few times and look away, scratching your head and gathering your breath.
Speaking again, Leon says, “I also want you to know that, unfortunately, shit like today will happen again,” his tone is regretful but considerate. “And I can’t let you beat yourself up every time something happens. I trust that you’re doing your best in each moment.”
Feeling a sting with his last statement, you stand up and look down at him. “Why does everyone here think that I’m automatically a trustworthy, nice person?” Your chest is getting hot. “You guys barely know me, and treat me as if the good in me is promised.”
Leon raises his palms in defense, looking up at you with surprise written in his features. “Woah, where is this coming from?”
“Jasmine thinks I’m a good person, you trust me, and- and, I don’t deserve this, this… this kindness!” You turn your body away from him, taking deep breaths as you begin pacing, and you can feel Leon’s watch following.
“I’m not a good person, Leon. I took this job out of selfish curiosity, not thinking about the people I’d play a part in keeping safe in the field.”
You stop your pacing to look directly at him again. “I left my brother,” you confess to him with a full chest.
Leon blinks a couple times, clearly not following your frenzied train of thought. “What?” He asks, carefully with a micro shake of his head.
You regret saying anything. Spiraling thoughts that would normally stay in your head are unchained thanks to the alcohol. You shake your head and exhale as you try to stop the tears. “…I left him,” you mutter softly, cheeks becoming wet again.
He looks at you, silently. As if he were leaving room for you to process.
You sit down next to him again, slowly, thinking about how to proceed. You’ve opened a can of worms by accident - a piece of your history you haven’t shared with anyone else but Bradley. While you wish you could take back even bringing this up, you decide that being up front with Leon about your past is the best route, rather than leaving him to come up with his own ideas.
With a steadying sigh, you begin. “I have a brother, two years younger than me.” Your gaze is down in front of you as you pause briefly. “He has some conditions that cause him to require full support from a caretaker for his daily life.” You swallow. “He can’t talk, never has been able to. He needs help feeding, toileting, and traveling anywhere outside of the house. And because he can’t speak, sometimes he would have meltdowns and we wouldn’t know why.”
Your chest rises with a deep breath in. “My parents had a hard time with it. They both turned to alcohol, which manifested differently for both of them. My dad was gone all the time, and when he was home, him and my mom would argue constantly. My mom took out her frustrations on me, and made sure I understood that Jason—my brother—was my responsibility. As I grew up, I was given more and more responsibilities related to Jason’s care, and my mom spent more and more time outside of the house as well. I didn’t have a life outside of school and home. If I asked to go hang out with a friend, my mom would laugh in my face. It’s not like I could sneak out, either.”
You shake your head before continuing. “When I wasn’t directly caring for him or trying to play with him, I would spend time studying while keeping an eye on him. I found out my senior year of high school that I had gotten into my dream school out east. I was so excited to tell my parents… for some reason, I thought they would be proud of me and encourage me to go start my life. My mom said, ‘Well that won’t work, what are you gonna do about Jason?’ and it felt like I was hit by a truck. So many emotions flooded me at once. The resentment I felt towards my parents for not being parents, the claustrophobia I felt when imagining the rest of my life that had been mapped out for me, the isolation.” The last word barely escapes you with a whisper.
Your breathing becomes quicker as the dormant emotions resurface momentarily. “I accepted the offer, took out some student loans early so that I could use some money to get out, and left as soon as I graduated.”
You take a long pause. “I love my brother… so much. I really do.” You swallow. “And I left him with two drunk, sorry excuses for parents,” your face grows hot and tears stream down.
You wipe your face with your hands before continuing. “I haven’t been in contact with any of them since I was 18,” you add, quietly, head lowering even further. “…and,” with a painful gulp and the softest, yet still audible voice, you finish, “…I don’t regret my decision.”
You’d just bared your entire soul - no tiptoeing, no trying to downplay your actions. You wanted Leon to know the full truth, feeling as if you owed it to him as his partner.
After a few moments of silence, you finally look back at Leon. “So yeah, that’s who you’re trusting to have your back when things get hard.”
He watches you as you wipe your tears away, but still doesn’t say anything, so you stand up again as his eyes follow you.
“You should go,” you declare. “I’m sorry for dumping this on you.” Your rapidly-blinking gaze remains anywhere but his face as you gesture towards the door.
“You were put in an impossible position,” he finally says, followed by a pause that lingers until you look back at him. “You were failed by the people that were supposed to care for you, and you left them. It sounds like you were the first person to take care of you.”
As stunned as you are that he didn’t just get up and walk away upon hearing about your past, you’re even more floored at his words. Words you never knew you needed to hear, words you never thought you deserved.
He continues, “You say you feel like a 27-year-old kid, huh? Sounds like you never got to be one in the first place.” He raises his eyebrows at you. “And I’m right there with you. I don’t hold that against you.”
Your eyes linger on his face as you take in the totality of his response. You’d bared your deepest secret, the thing you hold the most guilt for in your heart, and it seems your personhood remains unchanged in his eyes.
Your mind then settles on his last statement. “Why didn’t you get to be a kid?” You tilt your head.
He exhales sharply. “I don’t know, it’s a long story,” he tries to brush off the topic, but you keep your attention on him.
He takes a breath in. “Apart from my young adult years being owned by the government,” he starts with a smirk, which fades with a pause, lowering his gaze before continuing. “My parents died when I was six. They were involved in some shady things and were killed in relation to something they’d gotten themselves into. I was there when it happened, and I only survived thanks to a police officer who got me to safety.” He pauses for a breath or two. “It’s why I wanted to join the force in the first place.”
You sit down next to him again, tentatively touching his arm with your fingertips. He sends his gaze forward.
“So yeah, in and out of orphanages, foster homes… didn’t have the most stable childhood. I never felt fully… safe to be a kid, I guess,” he winces, then forces a small laugh and looks at you. “And I get the resentment at your parents. I’ve felt that too. Questioning why they would get themselves into that world, especially with a kid…” he shakes his head and looks away to swallow. “But enough of that,” he dismisses. His limbs become fidgety, so you remove your hand.
You sense he doesn’t talk about this often; that sharing this was hard for him. The weight of his story is not lost on you. He then stands up and starts walking to the door.
“Wait,” you say quickly, and he pauses. “Thank you for telling me.”
He doesn’t move from where his feet stalled, but you continue. “That’s so much for any kid to go through.” You take a calming breath, in and out. “I’m happy I get to be here with you now, after all of that.” The authentic words leave your body as if it was so natural for you to speak them.
His fingers form fists, and he turns to look at you, his expression difficult to read. You see his jaw clenched and his brows drawn together slightly, but you don’t sense anger from him. He blinks a few times, then says, “I should go,” and turns around again.
“Wait,” you call one more time, and his movements halt once again.
“Do you maybe wanna… be a kid with me for a little?”
Remaining with his back to you, he asks, “What?”
You repeat your question. “Do you want to be a kid with me for a little?”
He turns around this time and looks at you, clearly confused as he tries to study your face.
“I was just thinking… we could find a rule and break it. You know, like a kid would do.” You smile with an apprehensive hint of mischief.
Leon doesn’t say anything for a moment and you can practically see his gears turning at your proposition.
“What exactly are you thinking?” He finally asks.
“Well…” you begin. “Y’know that door in the lounge area we were in last night? The one that says ‘not an exit’? What if we… exited it? For… fun?” The words come out stilted, as your own idea shocks even you.
He huffs a laugh and considers your idea for a moment. “Hm. Maybe kids would do that.”
“Is that a yes?” You ask, a little too eagerly. “I’ve sobered up a bit, I promise.”
He chuckles again and shakes his head in disbelief. “Y’know what? Fuck it. Let’s go be kids.”
With an excited squeal, you stand up to put on your shoes and grab your room key.
“Let’s go,” you usher him out of your room as he chuckles incredulously.
“What if it’s locked?” You ask while you’re on the way to the forbidden door. “We’ll have to figure out a different rule to break,” you answer your own question.
Arriving at the door, Leon gestures to the knob. “Want to do the honors?”
You reach for it slowly, dramatically. As if, behind the door awaits a time machine that would take the two of you to a childhood full of color and vibrancy.
Touching the metal knob, you twist your hand, and…
You look at Leon before pulling the door open. “I can’t believe it…” you whisper, as if you were trying not to get caught. He raises his eyebrows and tilts his head towards the door, coaxing you to finish what you’ve started.
Savoring the pull, you peek through the crack to find… a fire escape. Beyond the door is a metal grate and railing, with metal stairs to the right going down, and more of the platform to the left.
You glance at Leon once more before carefully stepping out and motioning for him to follow. He closes the door softly behind him, and joins you at the railing as you look out at the little town, dressed in darkness apart from street lamps you can count on one hand.
“I’ve always loved existing in places I shouldn’t,” you note quietly. “Maybe because that rarely happened growing up. It just feels so… peaceful.”
You can feel his gaze on you as you continue looking out. Then, he steps aside to look around the platform more.
“Hey, look at this,” he says to you quietly.
Turning around, you see him pointing to a metal ladder that goes from the platform up to the roof of the hotel. Your eyes widen and your mouth opens with the corners upturned.
Leon raises his eyebrows in response and sends a knowing smirk back. Then, he begins climbing.
“Wait for me!” you whisper-yell.
“How? Only one of us can fit on it at once,” he graciously points out the obvious.
“Oh, right, geometry or whatever,” you joke as you position yourself to climb up after him.
Leon offers you his hand as you reach the top. When you grab it, he pulls you up as if you weighed nothing.
“Jeez, you really do work out,” you giggle, and he exhales a burst of air through his nose.
The roof is flat with a pressed-gravel surface. There are some tanks, pipes, and other metal doodads you can’t identify. The section of the roof you’re on is lower than the section on the front half of the hotel, with a 3-foot-or-so ledge to the left separating the two sections.
You look to Leon, who is also scoping out the scene, then you look up.
“Woah…” the word falls out of your mouth in amazement. Leon follows your gaze.
The stars shine like you’d never seen them before. Like they do in art and professional photographs. Some of them even seem to be twinkling. The beauty of them almost radiated a song. You’re at a loss for words.
The two of you stare in silence for a while, until Leon takes a seat. You follow, sitting next to him.
“I’ve never seen the night sky outside of an urban setting,” you say softly. “I didn’t know it could look like this.”
He turns to look at you for a moment, while your gaze remains upwards. “Are you cold?”
You didn’t realize you were shivering a little until his question. It’s late spring, so you didn’t think you’d need anything to cover up with, but the cold of the night combined with the wind on the roof are proving you wrong. You don’t want to go back yet though, so you reply, “No, I’m fine.”
He huffs a laugh, “you’re cold.”
“I don’t want to leave yet!” You take your eyes off the stars to look at him, and find his awash in the dark blue of the night.
He studies your face for a moment. You could’ve sworn his eyes flicked to your lips just briefly.
He spreads his legs and gestures between them. “I’ve got enough heat to spare, if you want to take some,” his voice is low.
You look to where he’s gesturing, and back to his eyes, before wordlessly accepting his offer and scooching to seat yourself between his legs. He bends them in response, and rests his forearms on his knees, caging you in his warmth.
“You can lean back on me, if you want,” he says softly.
Leaning back, you become supported by his firm chest. Despite your insides being on fire in response to this closeness with him, you don’t remember the last time you felt this relaxed. Your body is practically melting into his. He smells like he took a shower earlier, like the fresh musk of men’s body wash, mixed with his usual, almost leathery scent, and you think you can smell beer on his breath.
Your line of sight returns to the stars, causing the back of your head to rest softly on his neck. Your shivering dissolves almost immediately, and you think you could stay in this moment forever.
After a few silent, peaceful moments looking up into the universe, your eyelids grow really, really heavy, until the stars become darker.
A light brushing sensation on your cheek is what wakes you up. When you come to, you process the sensation as the backs of Leon’s fingers, ever so gently coaxing you back into the waking world.
“Oh-” you finally realize you had fallen asleep. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to– how long was I asleep for?” Your voice is groggy as your brain tries to catch up with reality.
Leon laughs softly. “Not long. I’d have let you sleep longer, but… gotta piss,” he says, regretfully.
You give a tired giggle. “Okay, let’s get back then,” you stretch your arms above where his frame the sides of your body. He doesn’t make a move to get up until you start rising to your feet, the coldness of the night returning to your body at the loss of his.
After climbing back down the ladder and quietly closing the door behind you, the two of you end up at the doors to your rooms.
Stopping to look at each other once more, you say, “thanks for your warmth,” before looking down, bashfully.
You can hear the smirk in his quiet response, “anytime.”
Looking back at him, your gaze falls briefly to his lips before returning to meet his baby blues. The pull you feel towards him is absolutely unyielding. Neither of you say anything, spending the next few moments calmly and unhurriedly in each others’ eyes. You want so badly to kiss him–a thought you’ll have to explore later–but fear making things weird between the two of you.
“Well,” he finally says, so softly. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Leon,” you return. Slowly, you both turn around, unlocking and disappearing into your own rooms.
Final Notes: Thank you so much for reading! This one took it out of me, lol. I'm excited for part 3, but am gonna need a small creative break to recharge. Dividers are thanks to @diviniyae!
Taglist! ❤️ @midnighttreesgaming @kennedysbbyy @xx-betteroffaslovers-xx @meowieees ❤️
