#chreonweek2k22

            It was a wonderful morning; the sun rose in a clear sky, the spring weather was perfect.

            Leon should have been sat at his kitchen table enjoying a fresh breakfast. He woke up with a large plate of pancakes, bacon, and sausage in mind. He tidied up some stray clothes and plates around the house as his bread toasted. As he sat to eat, his plans were quickly shattered as he looked at his hand.

            He nearly tore the house apart before Chris woke up; couch cushions thrown around, tables moved, TV sideways. Leon was still in the act of redecorating as Chris walked in the room.

            Chris saw the abandoned breakfast “What are you doing?”

            “I, uh…lost it,” Leon couldn’t look at him.

            “Yeah, I see that,” Chris tried to put some things back in their place.

            “No,” Leon stopped, “I lost IT.”

            “It? Leon I’m too tired, and a little hungover, to play games right now. We have a lot to do today, if you remember?”

            “Chris,” Leon turned to him, “the ring. I lost the stupid thing when I was cleaning or something and I can’t find it.”

            Leon stormed into the bedroom, maybe he dropped it off the nightstand? He started to flip over the bedsheets, checked under the bed and all along the floor.

            “Leon, would you calm down. I’m sure you’ll find it in time” Chris called as he started to look around.

            “I can’t believe I fucking lost it, and of course it happened today.” Leon swore at himself.

            “It’ll be alright, just relax and I’ll help you look. But you have to calm down.”

            “Just because good ol’ Wesker retired to fulfill some crack medical dream of his and made you captain doesn’t mean you can boss me around.” Leon walked past Chris to check the bathroom.

            Chris rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I’m just saying that it’ll be easier to find without you walking around everywhere.”

            Leon tapped his fingers on the counter as he scanned the area. He checked in the sink, under the toilet, even the shower and found nothing. He could almost cry at how angry he was at himself since he lost it.

            “Hey,” Chris called out.

            Leon walked back into the living room and saw Chris knelt on the ground in front of the couch.

            “Found it,” Chris held a sleek silver band in his fingers.

            Seeing Chris down on one knee nearly brought Leon back to the moment he proposed: They were a few years into their relationship and both couldn’t be happier. There were always ups in down in the stressful job that they had, but with each other by their side they could do anything.

            Especially the one time the mayor’s daughter was kidnapped and ransomed for a few million dollars. It was a mix of dumb luck and sheer skill that allowed Leon to save her. He was on his way to dinner when he saw a lead and followed it, one exhausting night later and he was headed back to the RPD.

            He radioed ahead the news as he drove through the rain. Leon was beaten up, but it wasn’t anything too serious.

            Chris ran out as soon as Leon approached the front door of the RPD and wrapped his arms around him. The other officers took the girl in to take care of her.

            “You absolute dumbass,” Chris said as the two got drenched in the rain.

            “Sorry I missed out anniversary date,” Leon smiled.

            “I guess I should do this now before you run off again,” Chris fished around in his pockets.

            Leon looked at him confused as Chris took a step back and got on one knee.

            Leon felt his heart rate spike even higher than it was on his little mission. His chest fluttered as he registered what was happening. Chris looked up at him and smiled as drops of water ran off of his face.

            “Leon,” Chris couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. He had a whole thing planned at a fancy restaurant, yet this felt more appropriate for the two of them. “Will you marry me?”  He held up a silver band.

            A collection of awes and gasps sounded from the officers and news people that now crowded the RPD. A few STARS members shouted in encouragement.

            “Yes, of course I will,” Leon had to stop himself from crying. But if a tear or two slipped by, he would have told you it was just the rain.

            Now several months later, Leon was stood in their shared house with Chris still on the ground in front of him.

            “Where did you find it?” Leon reached out to take the ring.

            “Under the couch a little,” Chris took Leon’s hand and slid the ring back onto his finger. He gave it a gentle kiss before he stood.

            “Oh, thank God,” Leon wrapped around Chris and kissed him properly. “Imagine showing up to a wedding without the stupid rings.”

            “Actually I don’t think many people would be surprised,” Chris laughed before he checked the clock on the wall.

            “We gotta go, right?” Leon still hung onto Chris.

            “Yeah.”

            “Can we just postpone it for tomorrow?” Leon’s stomach loudly grumbled now his anxiety was under check.

            “Let me call half of Raccoon City real quick and tell them the wedding is pushed back because Leon is upset he missed breakfast.”

            “Is it not that easy? Captain?” Leon said in a playful tone.

            “No, Lieutenant, it isn’t” Chris gave him another kiss before he went to get dressed.

            Leon sighed as he looked at the ring on his finger. He smiled as he turned it around, “I’m driving us there,” Leon yelled.

            “Leon, it’s been years. That joke is old.”

Leon was out on patrol with one of his co-workers, Officer Elliot. The day was half over and the most exciting thing they did was grab some coffee and breakfast sandwiches.

That was until the radio cracked to life, “all units in the area report to the Raccoon City National Bank. We have a code 132 with a possible hostage situation.”

Leon almost felt his heart jump as he turned to Elliot.

“Hope you’re ready rookie,” Elliot flipped the siren on and drove down the main boulevard.

            As they pulled up the scene was already impressive. At least six cop cars blocked the road with another two further out. A crowd of people gathered on the sidewalks, some people poked their heads out of windows. Yet Leon couldn’t look away from the main attraction: the black armored STARS trucks parked right in the middle of it all.

            The STARS team were all decked out in full bulletproof gear and were gathered around Captain Wesker as he briefed them on the situation. Leon wished he could run over and listen in, but he was ordered to do another job.

            Leon was put on the sidelines to keep the civilians in check. It was his job to make sure no one wandered onto the scene or got hurt.

            The scene played out like this for a while; a vocal back and forth from the RPD and the people in the bank. The sun started to set and cast the street in shadow, while the bank was still lit in an orange hue.

            There was a murmur as the STARS team started to move. They divided into three separate teams to surround the bank, two of which snuck up the side streets. Chris was the point man with Brad and Barry behind him as they approached the front of the bank. Brad and Barry had riot shields, while Chris carried a rifle as they approached and made a makeshift barricade of some parked cars.

            Leon was almost mesmerized by the whole thing, he never actually saw Chris in action before. Yet with each moment that passed he grew more nervous. He could feel something weigh down in his stomach, but he knew everything would be fine, it had to be fine. Chris was the strongest guy he knew, and the best shot.

            Leon glanced up as an RPD helicopter flew overhead. It drew his attention up to the roof of the three story bank. That was when something caught his eye, a tiny metal glint. He saw movement on the roof, then glanced down to where Chris was. That feeling in his gut tightened.

            Leon’s body kicked into auto-pilot as he started to run. He tried to yell out, but his voice was silenced by the ring of a gunshot.

            Leon started to blackout as he fell, only padded by the body that he knocked down under him.

            A few more gunshots rang, some people screamed, one louder than the rest.

            “LEEEOOONN!”

-----

            Leon stirred awake, pain throbbed through his whole body. He tried to move his hand to rub at his eyes, but it wouldn’t move. He looked down to see it in a solid cast, then he looked up and saw the private hospital room he was in.

            He tried to recall what happened, parts of it seemed to be missing. He remembered the helicopter, and the gun on the roof; a sniper pointed directly at Chris’ position. He pressed at the button to call a nurse and shut his eyes once more.

            Just then the door slammed open and Leon jumped.

            “What were you thinking?!” Chris tried to control his voice as he busted into the room. “You were supposed to stand back and watch the civilians! Not run in there like a madman!”

            Chris paced the room, he was still in his full gear, only his helmet was missing. His skin looked pale and sweaty, and his hair was a mess.

            “Chris-” Leon’s voice was hoarse.

            “That was just so stupid!” Chris was now one octave from yelling, “Just because you were sick of paperwork doesn’t mean you get to go all action hero out there!”

            Chris stopped and met with Leon’s eyes, his intense stare made Leon slink into his sheets more.

            “Why would you make yourself such a target like that?” Chris wiped his eye with the back of his hand.

            “I had to,” Leon cleared his throat.

            “Had to!?” Chris got riled again “Had to act suicidal in a potential hostage situation? Thank God there weren’t any real hostages out there!”

            “Yes I had to!” Leon rose his own voice. “He was aiming at YOU! If I didn’t run in there then you….”

            Chris stilled and ran his hand through his hair. “Leon, I’m in full Kevlar, you have a basic vest and padding,” Chris tried to calm himself.

            “I just…couldn’t take that chance,” Leon looked away. “I was just on auto-pilot, it was pure instinct.”

            Chris was silent.

            “I’m sorry.”

            “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ran in here and yelled at you. It’s just… I love you, Leon. When I saw you on top of me, with all that…blood.” Chris looked away and wiped at his eyes again.

            Leon froze, Chris loved him. Part of the pain in his body subsided as he let that sink in.

            Leon groaned as he tried to sit up, “I love you too Chris. I would literally take a bullet for you,” Leon smiled as he tried to lighten the mood.

            Chris lightly chuckled as he pulled a chair over to the side of Leon’s bed. “No one got hurt. Other than one idiot that ran up and pushed an armed officer over.”

            “Hope that idiot doesn’t get a ticket for assaulting an officer,” Leon smirked.

            “I’ll have to see if I want to press charges.”

            Leon saw Chris smile and he felt so relaxed for the first time that day. Just knowing he was alive and still in good spirits was enough to ease his own pain.

As the two calmed down, the nurse that waited in the doorway walked in. She moved the blanket from Leon and inspected the bandage on his upper leg. She told them it was nothing serious and they both sighed in relief. The doctor was able to remove the bullet, but they wanted to monitor Leon for nerve damage or any other complications.

Leon waited for the nurse to leave, “well that’s gonna leave a scar.”

Chris chuckled and grabbed Leon’s hand. “At least that’ll be a cool story to tell. I have a scar from when I ate shit on my sister’s motorcycle.”

“A motorcycle huh? I’ve always wanted to learn to ride.”

            “You should meet Claire, I know she’ll love you.”

            Leon leaned back as he felt another wave of pain course through him.

            “Also I hope you like desk work, cause they are not letting you out of the office for at least a month.”