Disclaimer: Resident Evil and all associated characters and materials are property of Capcom.

Aching
By: Nanaki BH

Despite how long he'd been asleep, Chris woke up groggy. He was immediately aware that his clothes weren't his own. His bed wasn't the one at home. He was in a hospital... and all the memories of what had occurred the day before came flooding back.

He was alone in the room but he had the distinct feeling that someone had been there. Thinking back farther, things became more cloudy and unclear. He could remember Leon's voice though, shouting to him over the roaring wind. For the life of him, he just couldn't remember what Leon had been saying. What he said then wasn't what was important – Leon had saved his life.

He remembered the stories Claire returned with when she came back from the devastated Raccoon City. Leon helped her search for him and had saved her from the zombies that rampaged the city. When he was told he was being partnered with the guy for a while, Claire spoke nothing but praise about him. It sounded to Chris as if God had sent them a guardian angel, though. If it weren't for Leon's heroics, there wouldn't be much left to the Redfield family.

Chris let his eyes slip shut, feeling drowsy. The drapes on the windows were left slightly agape so that the bright morning sun could filter through. It burned his eyes and made him groan. He would've rather been at home – he never left his blinds open. That extra five minutes of sleep was always an appreciated moment of peace.

The sun nagged at his eyelids and tore them open, only forcing him to close them tighter to find no escape. He sat up in annoyance and a compress fell from his forehead into his lap with a small whump upon the sheets. He reached for it but his fingers felt strange, weak. He forced himself to pick it up and flexed his hand, trying to restore some sensation to his fingertips.

“Weird,” he muttered to himself. “I hope there's no serious damage. I wonder if Leon's alright...”

And speak of the devil, the door opened and in walked Leon and in his arms, a bundle of flowers. The two looked at each other. Then to the flowers. Then Leon rushed them to the nearest table to relieve himself of them.

“Your sister told me to get you them!” he tried to explain, then realized that that could have sounded worse. “I mean... She asked me to buy them for you for her. They're really from her.”

Leon was secretly cursing himself again for being so awkward in front of him. He arranged the flowers nervously, almost to distract himself from meeting Chris' gaze. He hadn't known that Chris would be awake when he walked in. In fact, he was planning on him still being asleep so he could sneak in, leave the flowers, and go. He might've given himself a few moments to watch Chris sleep, but after that, he would've been gone. That way, he could clear his system once and for all of the sudden fixation he had on him.

Unbeknownst to Leon, Chris rather enjoyed the gesture, regardless from whom the flowers really were. It was just like his sister to do such a thing but it would've been even nicer if they were from someone he didn't know. Of course, he would never tell that to Claire. If she heard him say something like that, she would assume that meant he didn't appreciate them from her. But if they were from Leon, if he had gone out and got them on his own just for Chris... That somehow felt like it would be different.

“So what did you get me then?” Chris asked, a grin blossoming on his face.

“Honestly? Nothing.” And that's what made Leon feel a little bad. But he was a guy. And Chris was totally straight. So why should he be worried about getting him “get well soon” presents anyway? Why was he even be concerning himself so much as to dwell on it? After all, he would only be there for a couple seconds. Then he was out. And God wiling, he wouldn't have to think about Chris ever again.

“Wait a second.” Leon's brain finally caught a hold of one very sneaky suspicion. “Chris, are you flirting with me?” There was only one thing those heavily lidded eyes and ear-to-ear grin could mean and it was beginning to make Leon feel uncomfortable again.

Chris lay back down on the bed, careful of the areas on his back that still felt sore. “Oh? No 'how are you feeling, Chris'?”

Leon was sure he was as red as a tomato then. “N-No... I mean, yeah. Are you all right?”

“I'm fine. And you don't have to act so stiff around me, I caught on already. I'm not that dense.”

Leon could just die, hearing that. He hadn't expected Chris to be so forward... Let alone awake. What was he trying to suggest? He knew all this time that he was interested in him and yet he hadn't said anything? Were all of his fears about him immature and for nothing?

“But your sister...”

“What about her?”

Leon's mouth hung agape, unsure of how to respond to that. Was Chris suggesting that there was absolutely nothing wrong with this?

Leon crossed his arms somewhat defensively, trying to play down his interest. “Don't tell me you knew I was coming on to you this whole time.”

“How did you expect me to answer? I was freezing.”

“...That is a good point he has.” Tapping his foot, he looked back, feeling a little more relaxed when he saw the smile still on Chris' face. “So... what then?”

“What do I think?”

“Yeah.”

Closing his eyes, Chris sighed. “I think I'm tired, actually. But I'm really grateful that you managed to bring me back here all by yourself. And,” he cracked open an eye, “you are kind of my type.”

Leon recalled all of the assumptions he had made before about what kind of person Chris might be interested in and realized with pride that he'd been right. His knack for figuring people really hadn't left him in the cold this time. He returned his smile and joined him at his bedside again. Even though he'd planned on leaving before he even came back, now he felt like leaving would have been the worst mistake he'd ever made.

“Think you could help me?” Chris asked, lifting a weak hand to Leon. “I can't feel much.”

Gently, Leon took Chris' hand in his own and rubbed his fingers over his, pleased to find them warm. “You know, even if I acted tough, you scared me,” he said after a while.

“Things happen,” he said, shrugging. “But at least I'm alive, thanks to you.”

“It was nothing,” Leon lied, remembering quite well how hard it was in the cold.

Feeling some sensation coming back into his fingers, Chris reached up and grabbed a hold of the lapels on Leon's coat and pulled him down into an unexpected kiss. Leon's eyes opened wide in surprised, mumbling muffled words against Chris' mouth. It was a little difficult to kiss him from the position they were in, but Leon managed, closing his eyes and relaxing into the kiss.

“A little thanks,” Chris said, smiling softly. “I could tell that's what you'd been waiting for.”

Leon nodded, his head feeling clouded already. “Yeah. No problem. I... You're welcome.”

A palm was placed to Leon's cheek, warm and reassuring. “From now on, try not to worry so much about me. I can take care of myself.”

Like it or not, Leon was still determined to worry about him at least a little. Either way, Leon was more than relieved to finally have his answer.

Author's Notes: I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this. I'm not sure if I originally intended to end it on three chapters but I can't remember what I had wanted to do with it. Fortunately, I still had most of this chapter just sitting around already written out. I hope you enjoyed reading.