Chapter Text
Leon needs a moment to breathe, the air in the once-museum sometimes feels too sticky. Or maybe it’s just him avoiding Irons again who’s in a particularly bad mood today. If he hears one more comment about his hair today he might consider leaving the job. Or strangle somebody to death with his hair - though it might be too short for that.
To be fair, Leon’s not in the best mood either. His mind keeps wandering off on this late autumn afternoon, work is slow today and he doesn’t want to read another report about a cyclist slipping on the wet leaves or getting hit because they don’t have a light on their bike and hurting themselves or others.
The easiest way to hide away from work is the metal staircase behind the building, close to the janitor’s rooms. The best place to go for a smoke when one doesn’t want to fill the whole office with blue fumes. And even if somebody is already there, there’s usually an unspoken rule of leaving the other to have their smoke or five minutes away from Irons - or Wesker if you’re S.T.A.R.S.
His mind drifts back to the S.T.A.R.S. uniform he’s seen in the shower room, the sou— for fuck’s sake, he went out here to not think about it.
Opening the door, he already sees somebody sitting on the stairs, but thankfully at the lower edge of the first half of the staircase. Enough space to lean against the railing, closing his eyes as he takes a deep breath, cold air cleaning away the century old dust. Much better already. It’s alright, he’s so close to the end of his shift, it’s gonna be fine.
When he opens his eyes, he wants to take back everything he just thought. The person who’s sitting a few more steps lower is looking over his shoulder, staring at Leon with uttermost surprise. He’s not Irons - Leon would have noticed that earlier - but he kind of wanted to avoid this person too.
It’s unfair he’s not wearing his S.T.A.R.S. vest.
He should leave again. Already turning, he hears the man speaking up behind him.
“Ah, sorry, didn’t want to scare you away! I just didn’t hear somebody come out here.”
He’s now stuck here, isn’t he?
“Sorry, should have said something. But I can leave if you’d rather—”
“Don’t worry. Not like it’s my staircase” He takes a drag from his cigarette and stubs it out on the metal. He turns a bit to look better at Leon.
“Say, is Irons still in the station?”
Leon nods, tentatively taking a few steps forward and leaning against the railing.
“He is. And he is in a bad mood.”
“Mhh. Looks like I’m extending my cigarette break a bit. Fucker has to go home at some point.”
Leon has to bite his lip, the S.T.A.R.S. officer isn’t wrong but that doesn’t mean he has to agree with him verbally and risk losing his job.
“He will. I guess.”, he answers instead, shrugging his shoulders. “Haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Leon Kennedy, I was transferred here last month.”
“Mhh, you’re the out of season rookie who came here early because of staff shortage, right?”
“Yeah, that would be me. My training has even been accelerated, finished over half a year early. Didn’t think the situation would be that bad for local police.”
“Probably bad timing or even worse personal management. But S.T.A.R.S. not better, we still need a medic for the Bravo Team and the girl they’ve recruited won’t be put into position before she’s turned 18 - next year. One year without a medic sounds like such a good decision from the higher ups.” He plays with the lighter in his hand as if contemplating if he needs another cigarette, but puts it away again.
“My name’s Chris, by the way. Chris Redfield. Pointman of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team.”
Leon already knows that, everyone knows the S.T.A.R.S. officers who have their office in the west wing, despite them staying among themselves most of the times, seeing them in the other parts of the station, their logo on their uniforms is always somehow impressive.
He’s seen Chris before, of course. He’s standing out in the crowd, not in a bad way. Tall, always with a grin or smile on his face, attractive, all of it makes one want to respect him, he’ll be a Captain in no time.
But Leon has also seen him a few days ago, in the shower rooms. Heard her moan his name. His face becomes hot, it’s good it’s so dark already.
“So you’re the guy who’s keeping all the marksmanship records?”, Leon grins at him, hoping that his face doesn’t show too much, concentrating so hard on what he wants to say.
“That would be me, yes. Second is Jill, but I’ve seen you on the list too already, you don’t seem to be bad at it either.”
“Still have a long way to go until I reach your level. Jill’s your girlfriend?” It… slips out so easily and so unexpectedly that Leon’s surprised by himself. So that’s how the cyclists in his reports feel when there’s suddenly wet leaves under their tires, pulling away any footing they have.
“Huh?”, Chris raises an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side as he’s analyzing Leon. God, he ruined it. “Nah, she’s my colleague, my partner in crime if you want to call it that. My part-time roommate because the heating costs are absurd in Raccoon City. A good friend.”
Good friends don’t fuck each other against the lockers in the shower rooms of the local police station shortly before midnight.
“I see, sorry for assuming.” Chris’ explanation sounds honest, but Leon is so sure of what he saw, what he heard - unless there’s another Jill and Chris in the S.T.A.R.S. unit, which is highly unlikely. Leon’s face feels way too hot.
Chris takes another cigarette out of the box and lights it, blowing smoke into the night sky before locking his eyes with Leon’s again. “You… didn’t see us, did you?”
“I…”, Leon freezes, his brain trying to put together a coherent sentence in panic, an answer in which Leon doesn’t admit that he has seen them.
“I…” Nothing comes up. Well, something comes up in his mind, but it’s the image of Jill’s fingers digging deep into the S.T.A.R.S. vest, her legs around Chris waist, Chris holding her against the locker door, the creaking of the metal, her moans, his moans.
“I…” Leon left the moment he realized that he wouldn’t shower in there that night. And still, it’s burned in his memory, that brief moment.
“You…?” Chris asks back, still looking at Leon with way less panic in his eyes. They’re dark brown, Leon notices in the dim light, they look nice.
“I… had issues with one of the cars and it took longer than expected to find somebody to look at it and then it already got late and one of the other officers that had shift asked me to stay around while they get some dinner and that took longer too so I thought maybe a cold shower to wake myself up before driving home might help but I didn’t mean to pry or if I had known I didn’t stay long I just heard—”
Leon’s rambling is cut short by Chris’ laugh. God, he can feel his face heating up, the back of his neck too, right now he’s surely putting every tomato to shame. Why did he ramble so much…
“God, Leon, it’s alright, come down here”, he pats the metal stairs next to him, still laughing. And Leon, still red, makes his way down to the spot on wobbly legs. Yeah, sitting feels like a good idea right now.
“I’m sorry.”, he whispers, face in his hands. “I didn’t tell anyone.”
Chris’ laughter slowly dies down and he pats Leon’s back. “Yeah, that might have gotten me into trouble. So you were the one slamming the door shut. But stop worrying like that, I might get embarrassed if you do.”
“But I am really sorry!”, Leon tries again, but only gets another pat on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. Or hear. Or both. We hadn’t expected anyone to be in the station after midnight except for the two officers who have nightshift and… well, had an agreement to keep our hands to ourselves in the station - failed that, if you noticed.”, Chris explains then stops himself, humming and probably taking a drag of his cigarette.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, we don’t have to talk about any of this. Just feel like you need an honest explanation. And I’m just honestly sorry.”, Chris adds, and if Leon’s brave enough to look past his hands, he sees a light dusting of pink on his cheeks too.
They obviously failed on that resolution, and Leon is there as witness. He… should be deeply disturbed or repulsed, Leon assumes. But somehow… the way Chris calmly explains it, even giving Leon an option to just close that chapter right now and never talk about it ever again. It makes him curious.
“You would… Talk about it? You’re weird.” Leon hums, changing his position, folding his arms on his legs and resting his head on them.
“You seem like the sanest person I’ve met in the R.P.D. outside of S.T.A.R.S., so why hide the weirdness?”, Chris takes another drag of his cigarette. The smoke around them scratches in Leon’s throat but it’s not too bad, okay enough for Leon to stay.
“And you thought we’re dating, which we aren’t, and the rumors are bad enough. Can’t believe that there are no questions in your pretty head.”
He’s blushing again, Leon just knows it as he turns his head to hide his face for a long moment in his sleeves. He should have just stayed inside and accepted Irons’ rage and uncalled remarks about his hairstyle.
“Yeah. I mean, you two usually walk through the station together and well, the shower room. But you’re not… dating at all?” Leon couldn’t imagine how that works, he had a few girlfriends in the past but nothing like… this?
“We keep it casual. Jill is a good friend to me, but we’ve agreed that we’re too young for any kind of commitment. She’s out with her friends from her hometown and those she met in her military training on weekends, meets people, wants her freedom. And same goes for me, the bars and clubs of the big cities call me when I have my time off. If we don’t hate each other in a couple of years, maybe then. But like this, it’s perfect.”, Chris explains with a smile on his lips. Leon’s mind is already picturing him in clubs, dancing or standing at the bars, talking to strangers.
“I’m taking it back, you’re not weird, you’re fascinating. So, it’s a… friends with benefits relationship?”
“That’s a quick change of mind, pretty boy”, Chris grins, “I think that would be the term, if we were to put a label on it. With a heavy emphasis that we can do whatever we want.”
Pretty boy. Leon suddenly feels very warm.
They sit silent for a while, Leon rearranging his thoughts, Chris blowing more smoke into the night. Leon looks over to Chris once in a while, meeting his eyes way too often. Pretty boy sounds so sweet when it's from Chris.
“She’s on vacation now, visiting her family. There wasn’t enough time between the end of our shift and her catching her flight, so that’s how that happened.”
They said all that needs to be said. Leon can let it rest now, his curiosity satisfied.
If his mind didn’t replay the scene in the bathroom over and over again. It wasn’t even like out of a porno, they were both clothed except for Jill’s pants. He can’t tell what it would be like talking to Jill, if he would be just as jittery. Somehow, he doubts it.
“Well, I should get going, I’ll be poor by the end of the day if I smoke too many cigarettes. But I swear, if I see Irons’ face, I’ll just go home”, Chris stands up and looks down to Leon, “What about you?”
“I should get going too. But leaving early doesn’t sound like a bad idea, no matter if Irons or not…” As if he could concentrate on bicycle accidents now. As he’s about to stand up, Chris holds out a hand for him. He takes it and before his mind can process how warm his skin is, Leon is suddenly very close to Chris as he’s pulled up. The scent of menthol cigarette smoke, he should hate it. He doesn’t.
Chris holds onto his hand a moment longer, one could brush it off as making sure that Leon’s steady on his feet on the slippery metal staircase. It doesn’t feel like it.
“Then uh… see you next time when we need a break from Irons?”, Leon smiles shyly, not letting go either.
“Mhh, sounds like a plan.”
They say goodbye at the entrance to the east office where Leon has to pick up a few files, both grinning as if they can’t wait to meet each other again.
—
The next time they find each other on the metal staircase is only a week later on a Friday afternoon. It’s not even Irons’ fault this time, Leon is fuming anyway, closing the door behind him with more force than necessary.
“The door is innocent, Leon.”, Chris calls up to him from his spot on the stairs, cigarette between his fingers.
“I believe that once I’ve read the full report, Officer Redfield, I expect it in my office at 5 p.m.”, Leon gives back as he joins Chris, flopping down next to him and groaning.
“Ouch, that’s harsh. I don’t think I can provide it until 5.”, Chris grins at him, free hand coming up to pat his shoulder. It relaxes Leon and makes him tense up at the same time.
“Then… I don’t know, don’t.”, Leon sighs and rests his head on his knees. “When I said I wanted to be a police officer, I didn’t mean being screamed at by my clients for half an hour about a stolen car. Yes, of course leaving the car key inside constantly is convenient but how fucking stupid can one person be?”
“They did that?”
“Mhmh, and blamed the police for not having enough patrols.”
“That’s indeed fucking stupid. Could you help them at all?”
“No.” Leon sighs defeated, “but I feel like I need a drink.”
Chris shakes his head, and only now Leon realizes the hand is still on his back.
“Don’t go there, destroys more than it helps. I could offer you a cigarette instead?”
Of course Leon knows that alcohol is not good for him, but it’s always such an easy way out to deal with any kind of inconvenience. It’s gotten better - except for the day his girlfriend broke up with him, but he’s glad the alcohol made those memories fuzzy -, doesn’t change that he just knows it would calm his nerves.
“You are aware that cigarettes aren’t healthy either?”
“But it’s the only thing that I have at hand right now and after this afternoon, I deserve it.” The hand slides off again, leaving him with a fleeing feeling of warmth that’s quickly replaced by late autumn cold.
“And that despite Irons being on vacation?”
“Who needs an angry Irons if you can have a Captain Wesker who’s in an equally bad mood…”, it’s now Chris turn to sigh before taking a drag from the cigarette. Menthol, again. “Jill’s on vacation, too, I can usually whine about him to her..”
“You can whine about him to me?”, Leon offers.
“Not dragging you into that, you have your own anger to deal with today.” He still holds out his cigarette pack to Leon.
“I really don’t need it, thanks. Besides… I never… smoked before, I’d look like an idiot.”, he tries to play it off, despite the idea of calming his nerves sounding so tempting.
“I don’t think that you could look like an idiot, no matter what you do, pretty boy. But it’s cute.”
“Cute?”, Leon’s mind can’t really follow the conversation anymore. He’s feeling the blush return to his cheeks, damn, he had been so proud that he managed to sit next to Chris without his body reacting like this.
“Cute. Innocent. I rarely meet somebody who’s not smoking, but it fits you.”
“I’m neither cute nor innocent”, Leon huffs and snags the box and the lighter out of Chris fingers who hums amused with a victorious glimmer in his eyes. It’s an act of defiance, he’s aware of that, Chris is aware of that and he’s bothered by the fact that he reacts so easily to the other’s words, he can’t even be mad at him.
And still, his fingers tremble so much that he can barely fish a cigarette out of the box and absolutely fails to get the fire started, the tiny wheel of the S.T.A.R.S.-lighter slipping through his fingers.
“God, Leon...” Chris sounds more serious as Leon’s frustration rises. A hand gently takes hold of his trembling one that’s gripping the lighter tightly. It’s so warm and he stops his futile attempt.
“Didn’t mean to upset you like this”, Chris’ calm voice helps him ease the grip on the lighter and cigarette, both are taken out of his hand.
“Told you I would look like an idiot.” He stares at the dark alley before them. He hears the lighter being used next to him, the quiet scratching of the wheel against the flint and the metal cap being closed again.
“You don’t. Turn to me.”
Leon does as he’s told.
Chris has indeed lightened the cigarette, holding it between his finger tips.
“All you need to do is breathe in” He takes a drag from it, ashes falling down through the cold metal lattice.
And leans closer.
Despite Leon being so sure he just forgot how to breathe, he follows that command again. Has he always been so good at following commands blindly?
The smoke burns in his lungs and his eyes, reminding him once more why he hates cigarettes. But he couldn’t care less about it when Chris is so close, his heart beating in his scratching throat, mind blank except for the command. Breathe in.
“Again, pretty boy?”, Chris asks him as he pulls away, and Leon just wants to follow him, chasing the warmth.
“Again.” Tobacco shouldn’t cause addiction so quickly.
He watches in fascination how the orange glimmer eats away more of the cigarette, leaving only ashes.
“Just breathe in.”
Leon closes his eyes as he inhales again, it doesn’t burn as much as the first time. Doesn’t realize how close they are until he feels something warm brushing against his open lips. His eyes fly open as he pulls back, coughing up the smoke.
“Too much?” Chris has pulled back in surprise as well. Shaking his head, he coughs some more. Chris doesn’t seem uncomfortable, no way he didn’t notice. There’s still some left of the cigarette.
“Again?”, Leon asks once his coughing dies down.
“Again.”
Again, Leon watches in fascination, again, Chris leans closer and again, Leon closes his eyes. But when he feels the faint touch again, he doesn’t pull back, leaning in further to meet Chris in a gentle kiss, breathing completely forgotten.
It feels so perfectly right that Leon doesn’t even think about the fact he’s kissing his work colleague, a person who has claimed before he’s too young for commitment, the fact he’s kissing a man.
He doesn’t care about anything because Chris’ lips against his sends shivers down his spine, makes his mind go blank when his tongue runs over Leon’s slightly parted lips, causes butterflies to erupt in his stomach when he feels a hand on his cheek, everything.
“Breathe, Leon.”, Chris reminds him.
So he does before diving in again.
—
There’s an art room on the second floor. More accurately, it’s a store room for everything nobody knows where to exhibit to the public. Paintings, furnishings, statues, all put in here with no care, no system and slowly collecting dust.
Leon doesn’t even want to know why Chris has a replica of the key, locking the door from the inside but keeping the key in the lock, preventing anyone from entering the room. Not that anyone could come in when Chris’ back is against it like an unmovable boulder, sandwiched between the door and Leon.
He has never considered himself a person who would dive into a sexual adventure without second thought. Maybe if his head wasn’t clouded by lust, he’d worry about his job or reputation, but he isn’t. The last coherent thought had left him when Chris had pulled him up from sitting on the staircase to suggest going here, with his intent very clear.
They’re both in their office uniform today, no heavy, clunky tactical vests and body protection making movement or undressing awkward, something Leon is very thankful for. The thought alone of all the velcro being ripped open… he chuckles against Chris wet lips.
“Something funny?”
“Just glad you’re not dressed for an operation today.” He’s started his way from the collar of the white S.T.A.R.S. shirt, his hands are trembling even more than during his failed attempt for lighting a cigarette, the wild mix of excitement and arousal keeping him going though. Having fantasized too long about this since he has seen him in the shower room with Jill…
Oh god, Jill.
“C-Chris, are you sure we should do this, you don’t even know if Jill is fine with this.”
Chris’ hands stop. They were a bit more successful, having reached the final button of the blue R.P.D. shirt and fingertips already on Leon’s abs, and it’s so teasing, the warmth already seeping into him but not enough, he wants to push against them, feel more.
Pulling back a bit, he smiles reassuringly at the rookie, hands now flat against his waist. Leon bites back a moan.
“It’s fine, don’t worry. She doesn’t mind. But if you’d rather stop and ask her after her vacations…”
“Fuck no, don’t stop.” It sounds honest, it’s all Leon can rely on. He won’t wait for two days and the glimmer in Chris’ eyes tells him that he won’t either.
The last button finally opens too, cursing their existence, and Leon pushes it off his shoulders. Uniforms are apparently not made for quick hookups. Or maybe kissing and coordinating hands at the same time just doesn’t add up when it feels so damn good, kissing whatever they can reach.
He takes a moment to look at Chris when he feels air to breathe becoming scarce. How could he have ever told himself he’s not into men? Leon always considered Chris attractive, but now, shirtless, he wants to stare for hours. Fuck all the paintings and statues in this house, this man’s build is the real artwork of the R.P.D.
Leon has never been more glad about the military belt buckles their uniforms have, Chris opens his easily, warm hands sliding under the fabric to his ass and pulls him close. Hell, it’s so different to how he had foreplay before, in a so much better way.
“Anything specific on your mind?”, Chris whispers in his ear, voice low. He knows they have to be quiet, there could be people - worse, his coworkers out there - but the low voice does things to his brain. And to his body, being pulled so tightly against Chris’ body, there’s no way he could hide his arousal.
There are a billion things on Leons’ mind that’s going through its horny teenager phase all over again. All the things he has imagined. He feels like a pervert, they shared two cigarette breaks and Leon could name at least 20 different positions and ways he wants to feel Chris close.
Could, if he didn’t feel so embarrassed about it. Chris’ lips and teeth at his ear aren’t helping, Leon hates and loves how confidently he slowly turns him into mush by just grazing his teeth along his pulse, licking at the junction of his jaw. But he wants this.
“Fuck me like you fucked Jill…” There’s no confidence behind his words, he’s glad it’s so dark in this room or it wouldn’t even have come out as a full sentence.
He feels Chris smile against his neck, and his hard-on against his thigh. “Fuck, I’d love to. Do we have enoug—”
Yes, Chris is right, it probably won’t be as easy as with Jill. They’re still on duty, he should be back in the office soon. And if he doesn’t magically let lube and condoms magically appear, this whole little fantasy will be over soon anyway.
“Chris, I swear, if I have to see another bicycle accident report today…”, Chris interrupts his complaint by laughing softly against sensitive and wet skin.
“Alright, pretty boy. Done this before?”
Leon shakes his head, face turning an even darker shade of red. “Alone.”
“That’s a start, tell me when it’s uncomfortable.” Chris pulls away, the warm hands that’s been groping his ass gently suddenly gone and Leon lets out a soft whine, leaning more of his weight against the other man. There’s plastic rustling and it seems Chris is indeed a magician: a few condom wrappers and a small tube of lube.
“Standard equipment of S.T.A.R.S.?”, Leon can’t bite back the comment, earning an amused chuckle from Chris.
“Not really, no. But I hoped this would happen at some point.” It’s a tiny confession that makes Leon even more of a mess. Thank heavens, he’s not the only pervert in this room.
And thankfully, the other man knows what he’s doing. Letting Leon put as much weight as he wants against him, his hands return to Leon’s ass, lubed fingers ease him open. It feels different to when he’s fingering himself, no control over the movement, but it is incredible, making Leon moan quietly. He wants to stay quiet but it’s so difficult, Chris’ shoulder looks so tempting to bite down, to silence himself when fingers move inside of him just right. Leon stops himself from putting a very obvious hickey on the other man, biting his own lips instead and pressing his forehead against Chris’ collarbone.
Chris lifts him like he weighs nothing to turn them both and have Leon’s back against the door. It’s not the easiest position, Leon’s arms wrapped around the other man’s shoulders, hoping that it makes it easier for Chris.
It’s quick, it could have been more comfortable in another position or if they had more time. But Leon wouldn’t have wanted this any other way, falling apart. Listening to Chris moaning, the hot, stuttering breath against his neck. Chris’ arms around his body, like he did in the shower rooms. But this time, he’s moaning for Leon, his name falling from his lips like a mantra, over and over again.