his tall figure casts a stygian shadow against the cold concrete walls, the dimly lit warehouse's pipes creaking above them. the lines carved into his face wore a hybrid of exhaustion and bravery— a reflection of himself. a brave man who was an exhausted soldier. countless battles he had faced in his life, both as a member of s.t.a.r.s. and the bsaa, had finally cracked through the layers of his hardened exterior. and if those hadn't already pierced through his heart, his sister's words did.
@fevrals, claire: ❝ you lost the things that brought us closer. ❞
it struck a chord within him, one that threatens to shatter him and the world around them. the siblings had been through so much together and apart, from chris surviving the mansion and claire surviving the nightmare of raccoon city to facing bioterrorism threats across the globe. they had always been there for each other, supporting one another through the darkest of times [the darkest of minds]. but recent events had taken their toll; they'd pushed chris to the brink. a broken man in a broken illusion of a world. hope still ignited his heart, the reason his feet hit the floor each morning, but hope could only take a man so far.
as he gazed at claire, his fists clenches, knuckles turning white with the pressure. he recognizes she's right, the devil on his shoulder whispers it, but it wasn't a realization he was willing to accept without a fight. his voice, gruff yet hinting with a trace of vulnerability, breaks the building silence. ❝ claire, i... i know i've been distant. i haven't been the best brother. there's no excuse for that, and i know it— but you have to understand, the things i've seen... the horrors we've faced? they change people— they changed you and they sure as hell changed me. ❞
a step is taken closer, an attempt to break the distance / to extend an olive branch, eyes fixed on hers as he searches for a flicker of understanding. they once shared a connection, the bond that helped them survive against all odds. [i love you / i will always love you.] ❝ i've lost so much— friends, allies... people who trusted me with their lives. it weighs on me more than you can imagine. ❞ what do you do when you see ghosts at night when your eyes are closed? you don't shut them.
❝ but through it all, i never wanted to lose you. you're my family, my anchor through it all. ❞
