WALKING DISTANCE — ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Leon Kennedy x F!Reader
SYNOPSIS: The DSO assigned you to accompany Leon on another mission; a rise of reports involving bio-terror operations are flooding the system causing several special units to urgently deploy. However, it was during this mission that you were forced into a compromising position, leaving him solely responsible to finish this as well as ensuring you make it out alive.
CONTAINS: Old!Leon (Requiem), reckless Agent!F!Reader, descriptions of death, mentions of trauma, unofficial relationship, romantic tension, plot, heat of the moment, pieces of fluff & angst.
Darkness clouds the entire building, it is yet another area with no remaining signs of life; this feeling of dread was familiar to all agents, yet the unsettling nature of it never truly goes away. You were inside of an abandoned laboratory, the eerie silence was deafening as your footsteps came to a halt. Leon sweeps his flashlight through each room, the remnants of shattered glass and spilled chemicals tainted the floor with colour and texture. This place has been through major turmoil, almost making you wonder what had happened to cause this level of destruction. You continue to press forward at Leon’s side, steadying your pistol after every corner you turn; you could never be sure what to expect, but the last thing you want is to encounter the unexpected with your guard down.
“Just how big is this place?” Leon breaks the silence, and you glance over at him.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
While Leon stops to talk through comms, you decide to head straight on. There was no time to waste, and certainly little to spare. The hallway you entered had partial electricity still, the lights flickering off every few seconds. You’re searching for a tube containing specific antibodies to combat a new virus strain, and the only place it could be is somewhere in this dilapidated ruin. A sign on the wall next to a half-opened door reads “Cold Room”, and from your basic briefing knowledge, you’re certain this could be where the tube is. You connect through to Leon’s line, being sure to inform him of your whereabouts before stepping inside.
Desks are littered with open notebooks and abandoned computers. You catch a glimpse of blood smeared onto the tempered glass which looks through to the giant freezer, what seems to be handprints dragging down before abruptly ending. There’s no trace present of who this blood could belong to. Taking a deep breath in, you push the metal door and the bitter drop in temperature slaps you across the face. You could see your breath and were beginning to lose the sensation in your fingers after only a few seconds of being inside. Hurrying through to the back of the room, you scan each chamber seeing nothing but empty glass vials. When your hope had reached its lowest, it was then you saw it—labelled and sealed. Without a second thought, you pull the handle and tear the vial from its rack.
A harrowing wail tore through the halls—an alarm must have triggered due to the unauthorised access of the equipment. You reach to talk through your in-ear monitor, although Leon had already caught up to you. Wrapping an arm around your waist, he begins sprinting with you, barging through the corridors before the auto-lock protocol initiates. Obnoxiously loud crashing could be heard from behind and a roar pierces your eardrums. It was thunderous, and it only urged you to move quicker.
“What was that?” You frantically inquire, now at a dead end hallway in front of an elevator.
“Do you want to stick around and find out?” Leon grunts, prying the doors open with his hands and shoving you inside.
His fingers slam into the buttons as the roaring creature races closer, rapidly on your trail. Eventually, the doors shut and the elevator jerks up. You watch as the floor numbers pass by, realising you’re heading to the roof of the building automatically.
“Guess this is a one-stop ride.” Leon pants, his hand on the wall to stabilise himself while he regains his composure.
“Leon,” You turn to him, clutching the vial. “Take it. If anything happens—”
“Don’t talk like that.” He lectures, but you persist.
Begrudgingly, he takes the vial and slips it inside of his pocket. What little moment of peace you shared was lost, and the doors opened to the outside. Leon lends you his hand to help you out, and as soon as your foot reaches the surface, the elevator collapses, plummeting to the basement. You could feel your heartbeat in your ears, that familiar metallic taste in your mouth. Leon squeezes your hand, offering you a reassuring smile.
Leaping through the air appeared to be a large, mutated animal of some sort. It had four legs and towered over you like an elephant would, yet possessed the head shape and general body features of a wild cat. Its fangs poked out of its bloody mouth, almost larger than the size of an average human. A shockwave from the sheer power of the roar knocked both of you to the ground, along with the pistol from your hands. Leon grabs his magnum and quickly rolls out of the pouncing beast’s path before he could shoot. Now separated from you, he fires several rounds into the back of the creature as it corners you against the ledge.
“Run!” Leon exclaims, further weakening the creature as its jaw swings open wildly. It’s saliva was coating you, and you were able to see the remnants of once human flesh lodged in between its teeth.
As you go to dash past the mutated beast, its paw extends and blocks your path. There was no other route to take, the only way out of this is jumping from the overhang behind. Leon rushes closer as you step on top of the barricade, noticing the sorry smile you flashed before you dropped off the ledge.
“No!” His eyes widen, and the grip on his Requiem loosens.
There was no possible outcome in which you could survive a drop from twenty flights high, and he had helplessly watched as you threw yourself to the bottom. It shouldn’t have ended this way. With what little power remains in his body, Leon walks forward and the beast now sets its sight on him. His grip on the hatchet he carried was causing his knuckles to turn white, and in one fell swoop he ripped it through the exposed vital organs of the creature, earning its cry of defeat. Leon drops to the floor with it, resting his back against the low concrete balcony wall. He holds his head in his hands, his thoughts immediately directed back to his rookie days. All the faces of people he lost flash through his mind, alongside one particular event he experienced almost identical to this. It feels as though the torment of it all will never end; all of this training and he’s still as weak as he once was. He failed you.
Forcing himself to face the reality of the situation, Leon struggles to his feet and peers over the edge. He braces himself for the sight he’s expecting to see, although when he eventually opens his eyes, your body couldn’t be found on the ground. Down the side of a building trails the cord from your repel tool—it appears to be firmly wrapped around a piece of overhanging metal. At the bottom of it dangles you, and while you’re still alive, it’s clear you took a few hits on the way down from impact with the wall. Leon turns his in-ear on and tries to make contact with you.
“You okay?” The tone he uses is soft, his eyes remaining glued to where you are.
“Just hanging around,” You’re weak, coughing between words. “Do you have the antibodies?”
“I do. I’m coming to get you.”
“Leon…” A faint burst of laughter caused by relief slips from your mouth. The metal piece that had been holding you up collapses, causing you to drop the three meters.
Remaining immobile, you fall unconscious from the drop and lie limp on the grass. Leon sets up for a descent down the side of the building, the comms device no longer receiving signals from any line. The wind breezes against his back as he descends, eventually making it to where you are. He scoops you in his arms, tightening his hold on you in an embrace while kneeling momentarily.
“I got you,” He whispers, wiping the dirt from your skin with his thumb. “Let’s get out of here.”
Lifting you from the ground, there’s no other option but for him to trek back towards the city. Comms lines are still down and this place is secluded from civilization. It would take a while, but he’d rather wear himself down to the bone and get you medical attention than stay idle.
Hours pass of him travelling down the same winding road, the scenery sparse and a majority of the wildlife dead. The buzz of a connecting call rings through the ear piece and a helicopter is seen approaching from afar. BSAA troops had been sent to Leon’s active location by Sherry Birkin, his appointed communications officer. From the arrival of the BSAA, Leon loads you in the helicopter and sits by your side during the flight back, his hand clutching yours.
By the time of return, Leon was utterly deshevelled. His hair had become flat from the sweat that was pouring out of him and he was fast asleep on the floor beside your stretcher. You stir from your slumber and the first thing you notice is the head snuggled into your shoulder.
“Leon?” Your voice was quiet, yet it seemed to wake him immediately. It was obvious he was shattered from the bloodshot eyes he struggled to keep open.
“Yeah?” He still has hold of your hand; he kept it under his shirt to make sure you stayed warm.
Instead of replying, you felt a deep sigh hit the skin of your neck. He burrowed his head further in, planting a peck before pulling back to look at you. Your pupils were huge, likely due to the undiagnosed concussion you have from all of the bumps. Now hovering over you, he cups your face and draws you into a gentle kiss, holding you there for a few seconds. It was like heaven to feel him this way, and you were clinging to him as if you were afraid he’d disappear. You eventually break the connection, and a huge smile spreads from ear to ear.
“You can’t do that to me. I thought you were gone.” Leon warns, yet his fingers are still caressing your cheek.
“Remember it then. I’ll pick you up from the hospital and we can get dinner later if you’re okay.”
“Only if you bring me my purse.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He pulls out his set of keys, dangling the spare key you gave him in front of your face. When he leaves you to get checked out, he knows his first stop will be your place.
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