DISCLAIMER: The "Resident Evil" characters and likenesses belong to Capcom, Inc. Used here without permission. It is a fictional story made for purely entertainment purposes. Any relation to events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The character and likeness of Ryan Davidson belongs to Xenogears. Used with permission.

Claire Redfield closed the door behind her brother Chris and watched him head off to the car. Chris had told her that he was going out to check for supplies, mostly weaponry, and that she should hold down the fort while he was gone. She stayed at the door until the car drove out of sight, then she twisted the lock closed and turned toward the stairs. She took them slowly, one at a time, trying to decide what to do now that her big brother was gone.

She slowed down near the top of the stairs; there were voices coming from the roof.

"So what are you doing out at this hour with that wound of yours? You should be inside resting."

The voice belonged to Leon Kennedy, and, judging from the question, he was talking to Ryan Davidson, the young man who had joined their little cadre only a few days ago.

"How did you get here?" Ryan asked, and Claire could almost see his surprised expression.

"The same way you did," Leon responded without missing a beat. "I used that window over there. Why are you smoking?"

"What are you going to do, arrest me?" Ryan said in a mocking tone.

"No, I'm just wondering." Leon muttered in a low voice.

"Well, it's none of your damn business," Ryan responded. There was a pause, and then he said: "And why are you drinking? You need to be fresh in the morning. Tomorrow we leave."

Or tomorrow we die, Claire thought ruefully.

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we will die." Leon said brightly, and Claire smiled at their shared thought. "I just don't know if I'll be coming back alive. Besides, I can hold my liquor."

Oh, really? Claire snickered to herself. She was enjoying listening to their little tête-à-tête, but she wanted to see what was going on, too. If Leon was going to start drinking, things could really get amusing.

She snuck over to the open window, making sure that neither Leon nor Ryan was looking her way. She crouched down, but under the cover of shadow, it was doubtful that she would be seen anyway.

In the near-darkness, the two men's bodies lost their subtle definitions, so that they looked like ghostly silhouettes, or like an old black and white picture whose subjects have faded to a dull blur.

"What?" Ryan said then, incredulous. "You shouldn't think that, man; you'll jinx yourself."

She watched as Leon took a swig from the beer bottle, knocking it back for a deep gulp. Suddenly, Ryan grabbed it out of his hand, and the younger man took a swig himself.

Oh, so it was a game of pass the bottle, eh? Well, never let it be said that Mrs. Redfield's little girl couldn't play ball with the big boys.

Claire stood up, straightened her shirt, and put a hand on the windowpane to steady herself.

"Hey," Ryan said before Leon could protest. "After all I've been through today, I think that I deserve a drink. Or two." And he took another swig, then handed the bottle back to Leon.

"Hey, boys," Claire said, grabbing their attention.

Leon turned, his face falling. "H-hey."

"Hi and goodbye," Ryan sighed. "I think that I'll leave you two alone."

Claire watched Ryan step back inside. She could have sworn he smirked at her as he left, but she put the thought out of her mind as her gaze settled on Leon. She took Ryan's vacated seat next to the young ex-cop.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"So," they both started to say.

Claire giggled, and Leon gave a chuckle.

Gathering a little more of her composure, Claire asked, "So what's happening?"

"Nothing much," Leon replied. He cocked the bottle in her direction. "Have a beer?"

"Thanks." She took the bottle from him and took a long swig.

She hadn't drunk since that first semester at college, and even then only a little bit had been enough to make her tipsy. She shook her head, her ponytail lashing back and forth, nearly hitting Leon in the face. "Woo," she said as she wiped her mouth with her hand. She handed the bottle back to Leon.

"You don't strike me as much of a drinker," Leon teased.

Claire shrugged. "Hey, I'm a tough lady. What else can I say?"

Leon chuckled again. "No arguments here," he said amicably, taking a sip from the bottle but never taking his eyes off of her.

Claire leaned back on her elbows and stretched her legs out in front of her. Her eyes were becoming more accustomed to the dark; when she looked at Leon, she could see the slow grin forming on his face. She stuck her hand out. "Give me some more of that," she prompted.

Leon acquiesced, passing the bottle and leaning back so that he was even with her. "Be my guest," he shrugged.

She felt his eyes on her as she tipped the bottle back again, taking a larger drink than before. It went much smoother this time, despite the bitter aftertaste.

"Easy there," Leon warned. "I don't want you getting drunk up here on the roof." He reached for the bottle.

Claire quickly pushed her drinking hand across her chest, shrugging away from him teasingly. She sniffed at him. "I'm not going to get drunk on one beer," she scoffed.

"Well, at least share the wealth," Leon said, and he reached across her to snatch the bottle away.

She must have already been more inebriated than she thought, because her grip was loose enough that she didn't put up a challenge to him. Of course, having him leaning over her was a suitable distraction, too.

He leaned back again and chugged most of what was left through a grin, pushing Claire away with one hand while she protested, her epithets laced with giggles. He swallowed his last take, and paused to wipe away a line of overflow from the side of his chin.

Claire took the bottle from him and tipped it up against her lips, then made a face. "Ugh, it's all your backwash," she coughed, and Leon laughed. Then she raised the bottle over her head, mouth up, and hurled it over the edge of the roof, shouting, "Look out below!"

"Oh, shit!" Leon snickered as he heard the glass shatter. He went to the edge of the roof and peered over carefully. The bottle had made a perfect splatter pattern on the street that was almost pretty, in a strange way.

He looked at Claire. She was leaning back on her elbows again, head cocked to the side, looking up at the night sky.

Leon shuffled back to sit beside her. He sat back, propped on his hands with his elbows locked.

They were silent for a few long moments; Claire couldn't tell how long. Staring up at the stars made her think about everything that they'd seen, and what might happen tomorrow. She realized, even through her slight alcohol buzz, that there were things she didn't want to leave unsaid or undone. So, without even thinking about the ramifications, she laid her hand gently down upon Leon's.

He almost sprung out of his seat. "W-what?" he stammered.

Claire snatched her hand away as if she'd been burned. "Oh! Sorry." She held her hand to her chest and looked away. "I guess the beer's going to my brain," she offered lamely.

Leon craned his head out, so that he could see her. "No, it's okay," he said with a small smile. "I'm just wondering, why?"

Claire shrugged, turning again to face him fully. "I..." She paused, trying to articulate her feelings. "I guess... I..."

Suddenly, before she even knew what was happening, she kissed him. Gently and simply at first, then with more feeling. After a moment, she felt his arms close around her, and she responded in kind.

She parted her lips and slid her tongue against his teeth, an unspoken invitation. He seemed hesitant for just a second, but then she felt the warmth of his own tongue, licking at her lips and darting into her mouth.

Claire hummed deep in her throat, a wave of pleasure running through her quickly. She was about to angle herself on top of him, when he suddenly pushed her away. She had only a moment to catch a glimpse of his face before he bolted for the window and went back into the house: he looked so torn, almost betrayed.

She sat there for a moment, dumbfounded. "Did I do something wrong?"

She stared out at the landscape for a few long seconds, then looked at the window and made her decision. She climbed back inside the house and went straight for her room, playing the scene on the roof over in her mind.

What did I do? Claire wondered. Did she come on too strong? She did have something to drink, but it wasn't too much for her to handle. What had gone wrong?

Maybe, if he had rebuffed her from the start, it would be a different matter. But he had definitely kissed her; there had been nothing one-sided about that kiss.

Claire shook her head as she rummaged through her things, in an attempt to push the doubts from her mind. With every article of clothing or toiletry that she pushed aside, she became more adamant. Whatever it was that was causing Leon to push her away, she would figure it out. Maybe they could even overcome it, together.

She found what she was searching for at the bottom of her bag. She stood up, tossed the thinly-wrapped condom in the air and then caught it again mid-fall. She nodded to herself.

Claire stepped out into the empty hall, looking down it left, then right. Nobody else was there. She wondered briefly where Sherry and Ryan were. Downstairs, hopefully, or she might have to come up with a hasty excuse as to why she was walking toward Leon's door carrying a condom.

She stopped abruptly before the door to Leon's room. It was closed, and suddenly it looked very daunting. Blowing a long, low breath, she raised her hand toward the door. Suddenly, the image of Leon's face after that kiss came to her again.

I don't think that I -, Claire thought hesitantly, but then she backtracked with much more force. Oh, come off it. You've got to let it out some time. Both - heck, all of us could die tomorrow.

Claire brought her hand back. Her eye caught sight of the condom in her raised hand, and she paused. Then she gave herself a mental slap on the wrist and switched the condom to her other hand.

Finally, after what seemed like hours standing there debating, she knocked.

No turning back now, Claire thought quickly.

There was no answer, so she called softly, "Leon? Can I come in?"

"Yeah," she heard him say from within the room.

She turned the knob, and the door creaked painfully when she opened it. She walked in slowly, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The room was dark; the only light came from the window, where Leon was standing.

He was staring out at the street, with one hand against the side of the windowpane. He raised his head but didn't turn around. "Look, Claire," he began softly. "About what happened..."

Claire quickly stepped up to him and laid a hand on his arm, shushing him. "Don't say anything."

Leon turned to face her, his expression quizzical but compliant.

"I don't feel sorry for what happened," Claire continued, sounding rushed. "And I know that it wasn't because of the alcohol."

She moved closer to him, dropping her head for a long second. When she raised it again, she looked deeply serious, and her voice dropped to a hush. "What I want to know is... Do you feel the same way?"

Leon looked at her thoughtfully. Then he closed his eyes and said, "Yes. Yes, I do."

Claire didn't wait for him to say another word. Just like before, on the roof, she put her lips to his, and, just like before, he kissed her firmly in return. She angled him toward the bed and gave him a little push with her body.

Leon pulled away from her, the realization of her actions hitting him like a brick. "What? But, Claire, I don't have-"

She put a finger to his lips and smiled. "I do, so don't worry." She wagged the wrapped condom in front of him for a second and tossed it toward the bed playfully. Then she kissed him again, sending a jolt of electric pleasure straight to his groin.

Leon was amazed at how easy it all seemed. Lips pressed to lips, and hands touched, caressed, held. Yet everything was a blur of rushing emotions. He pulled out of their kiss again, and opened his eyes to look at her. "Claire..." he whispered softly. He never got tired of the sound of her name.

Claire cocked her head and smiled at him. She looked him up and down, very slowly, and she spread her hands over his chest, kneading his shoulders.

Leon brought a hand to her cheek. His eyes followed the lines of her face, as if to memorize the way she looked. He rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone, and then stroked the side of her face with his fingertips. She was so warm, and so beautiful.

She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips. She closed her eyes and kissed his open palm, simply and sweetly. She let her lips linger against his skin as she looked up at him again, and when Leon met her smoldering gaze, he nearly exploded.

"God..." he breathed. He hooked his hand behind her neck and brought her close. He pressed his mouth to hers and toyed with her tongue, more forcefully than before.

Claire wrapped her arms around him, squeezing the shirt on his back into tight fists. She had to stand on tiptoe to be on even height with him, so she did a little ballet dancer walk backwards toward the bed. She felt the edge of the mattress behind her knees and leaned back. With Leon's extra weight, she tumbled to the bed with a tiny yelp.

Leon chuckled, scanning her flushed face. Then he rolled over, still holding her, so that she was on top of him. He reached up to toy absently with her hair.

Without even thinking of the reasons why, he grabbed the band holding her hair back and worked it loose, letting her hair fall free. It gave a shade to her face that was more mature than her regular ponytail look, and infinitely more desirable. Somehow, just the act of letting her hair down made Claire seem delicate, feminine, almost wanton.

"You like that?" Claire asked, even though it felt a little strange to her. She ran a hand through her hair, pulling out the stiffness left by the band.

He hummed appreciatively and smiled. He pushed her up gently, so that she was straddling him at the edge of the bed. "Play with it?" Leon asked softly as he rested his hands lightly on her thighs.

Claire giggled and put both hands to the sides of her head. She ran her fingers through the auburn strands slowly. She closed her eyes, a little embarrassed by him watching her. She lolled her head to one side and then the other, all the while pulling and twining her hair around her fingers.

Leon could only barely control himself. All she was doing was playing with her hair, but it was driving him crazy. Why hadn't he known about this side of Claire before now? To think of all the time he'd wasted...

Claire purred, arching her back, rolling her shoulders, and spreading her arms: she was really getting into this. It was like a small personal massage. She didn't usually indulge herself in this fashion, but it felt incredible. She had nearly forgotten that Leon was even there, until she felt his hands on her, moving in a slow line along the crease of her jeans below her zipper.

She opened her eyes in amused surprise and looked down at him. "Find something interesting down there?" Claire joked, rising up on her knees a little to give him slightly better access.

"Take these off," Leon said, softly but seriously, indicating her jeans.

Claire snickered mockingly. "Aren't we demanding?"

"Off." Leon commanded quietly.

Claire straightened, her arousal piqued merely by his voice. Leon was usually so happy-go-lucky; only in the most dire of situations did he ever pull rank on her. But hearing that tone of voice from him - so deep, so commanding, yet so needful - set off a chain reaction in her.

With one swift motion, she pulled her shirt over her head, mussing her hair but leaving Leon with a nice view of her chest. Even through the thin material of her bra, she felt her skin tingle with anxious gooseflesh and her nipples harden.

She slid her hands down to his, then guided his fingers up to the button of her jeans. He unhooked it and slowly pulled the sides of her jeans open, mesmerized by the sight of her skin and panties.

Claire lifted herself higher, shuddering a little as Leon pushed the pants down her thighs. Instead of hooking his thumbs inside the jeans, he hooked them on the outside, so his hands slid down her skin as he worked with the coarse material. He managed to push them down to her knees, and she kicked them off the rest of the way, shoving her socks off in the process.

"C'mere," Leon muttered with a smile, putting his hands on either side of her face and bringing her down for a kiss.

Claire perched over him, humming into his mouth. Then she arched her head back, offering her neck to him. Leon accepted her offer, complying with tiny bites and sucking kisses along her collarbone. He lifted her slightly, trailing his lips and tongue down her neck to her cleavage.

She felt the wetness from his mouth on one of her breasts and let out a little yelp. She sat upright, straddling him again. "Hey, no fair," she said playfully. "You've still got your clothes on."

"Want to help me rectify that?" Leon grinned impishly.

"Always ready to oblige," Claire snickered, tugging on the bottom of his shirt. She pulled it up and over his head, rumpling his hair. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she pushed him back down against the bed and tapped her finger against his belt. "Unh-uh. These, too," she said mischievously.

Leon reached down to his belt, rubbing one hand between Claire's legs as he did so.

"Cheater!" Claire squealed, jumping off of him. She bounced onto the bed beside him, kicking her legs up in the air.

Leon laughed. "I couldn't help that!" He stood up and tsk-ed beneath his breath, his hands suddenly busy with his belt and pants buttons.

Claire sat up in a quarter-somersault, throwing her legs over the side of the bed and around Leon. She brought her knees together, effectively locking him in place.

"Hey," Leon protested.

"You're taking too long," she mock-complained. She grabbed the front of his pants and yanked forcefully. She succeeded in getting them down past his hips, but the sudden movement made Leon gasp. "Sorry," she giggled. She sat back, releasing him from her leg hold.

Leon shook his head and kicked his pants off the rest of the way. "Oh, you think that's funny?" He leered at her and reached for her quickly, ignoring his state of undress.

Claire was backpedaling on the bed, shoving up blankets and sheets in an attempt to get away from him, but he managed to grab hold of her leg and half-yanked her back, half-pounced on top of her. He began to tickle her mercilessly beneath her ribs, and she started screaming into the clumps of blankets to muffle the sound.

"Stop!" Claire finally managed to gasp. "Stop, please, sta-hah-haaahp!" She looked up at him with red, teary eyes, but her smile faded as she met his gaze.

Leon's blue eyes followed the line of her cheek, the curve of her lips, the sweep of her brow, all in one glance. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, brushing some strands of hair from her face. He buried his face in her shoulder, smelling deeply of her hair and skin.

He thought about Vincent, and about that dreamlike image of Claire, facedown in a puddle of her own blood, and he clenched his teeth. "We've got no time," he said in a low, breaking voice, speaking into her neck.

Claire pushed his head up, surprised and a little alarmed by his sudden melancholy. "Hey, don't think like that. We have right now."

"Tomorrow..." Leon began slowly, but she promptly shushed him with a finger to his lips.

"Think about tomorrow, tomorrow." Claire said plainly. Then she kissed him, at first sweetly but soon with more passion. When she pulled away from him, she hugged his head to her shoulder and whispered, "Be with me, tonight."

Leon nodded silently. He trailed his lips along her neck and shoulder, pulling down the strap of her bra before his kisses. He moved his hands down the sides of her ribs and over her breasts, his fingers following the tiny line of lace on the edges of her lingerie. His hands paused at the front-clasp of her bra, and he looked up at her.

"Do you mind?" he asked quietly.

Claire smiled at him, touched by equal parts embarrassment and pride that he should ask for her permission. "Please," she entreated softly.

She watched Leon work slowly, and she felt his warm breath on the skin of her breasts before she registered that he had bared her. She closed her eyes and reveled in the touch of his hands and mouth on her: the first moment of warmth, the second moment of wet sensation, and the third moment of cool relief.

Leon alternated with licks and kisses as he moved down to her waist. He insinuated his fingers under the low-slung lip of her panties, and his mouth tickled the fine hairs on her skin that led to the place between her legs.

Claire arched up suddenly, as she felt him nuzzling her belly. She craned her neck up. "Leon..." she muttered breathily.

He knelt down at the edge of the bed, still mesmerized by her skin. "Do you want me to...?" He asked, pulling a little on her panties.

Claire nodded and lifted her hips, to make the job easier. She felt the soft material slip over her feet, and then Leon's lips tracing the curve of her leg, from her ankle all the way up to her inner thigh. She purred again, rubbing her palms over her stomach, and Leon growled.

She propped herself up on her elbows and made a come-hither gesture with her finger. "Come here, you big cat." As he clambered back up onto the bed with her, she tapped him on the chest. "I haven't done anything for you, yet."

Leon snickered. "Oh, you've done a lot for me, believe me." He lowered himself between her legs, pressing the evidence of his arousal against her stomach. He leaned down and kissed her again, humming against her mouth as their tongues danced playfully.

Claire reached up over her head, searching blindly for the condom for a moment. She wrapped her fingers around the wrapper and deftly put it into Leon's hand. "Here."

Leon sat up. He looked at the condom in his hand and then back at her. "Are you sure about this? We don't have to."

Claire sat up, too, kneeling in front of him. She shook her head. "I want this. I want you."

Leon smiled slowly. "Good. Because I want you, too."

It took a few moments, but when he was ready, she climbed onto his lap. She tossed her hair back and settled her arms on his shoulders, poising her hips just above his. She paused.

"You okay?" Leon asked quietly.

Claire nodded. "Just start slow." She smiled. "It's been a while."

Leon returned her smile. "For me, too." He held her back, his hands resting on her shoulder blades. "Just take your time," he told her.

Claire nodded again, and closed her eyes. She moved down on him, feeling his sex press against hers. She hummed, and Leon nuzzled her neck.

"Just relax," he said soothingly, as much for her as for himself. He stayed still, waiting for her to give him a sign that it was all right, but he was rapidly losing the battle. She was tight if wet, and he had to concentrate not to lose control in the first few moments.

Claire grabbed his hair and clutched him to her chest. She let him in further and further, until there was no space left between them. "Yeeessss," she hissed, locking her legs around him like before. She rose up just a little bit, using her grip as leverage, then plunged down again, harder than before.

Leon sucked in a sharp breath, his muscles tensed. Then he found her rhythm and rocked with her, slowly at first but then with more urgency. They both started gasping for air, from both their effort and arousal, and Leon was just about to peak when he suddenly felt the bed disappear from beneath him on a particularly forceful move. The next second later his head hit the floor.

"Ow," Claire said from her place on top of him.

They looked at each other and began to giggle and snicker hysterically, overcome with raw emotion. Then she kissed him, fanning their desire again.

Leon reached for the side of the bed. "Hold tight," he told Claire, and she wrapped herself around him like a baby koala. He pulled them up enough to get to the bed, and he lay down again, with her on top of him.

"All safe and secure?" Claire asked with a flushed grin.

"No more roller coaster rides," Leon said with a smile, resting his hands on her hips.

Claire rose up on him, starting their rocking again. "Well, maybe just one," she said with a heavy breath.

It took a few moments to reach their previous momentum, but soon they were hitting a crescendo, each one bringing the other higher until Leon could barely think straight.

"Claire," he muttered urgently, her name the only thought that he could articulate. He gripped the flesh on her legs so hard that he could see the white finger-marks left by the pressure. Watching her body writhe on top of him made him buck his hips, and he came with a sudden gasp.

"Leeeee-oooonn..." Claire groaned, feeling him pulse inside of her. She rocked back and forth with enough force to make the bed creak beneath them, biting back a scream.

Leon watched her, his already-frazzled brain hypnotized by the sight. She sat there, frozen in a long, orgasmic moment. Finally, she gave a low, tired moan and fell on top of him.

Claire rested her head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat slow beneath her cheek, even as her own did. She felt him pull out of her, the wetness between her legs a lonely substitute for him. After a few minutes, he pulled away to clean himself up, and she rolled to his side. When he settled back down next to her, she snuggled up next to him and put her head back on his chest. She liked listening to the sound of his pulse, and the rhythm of his breathing was relaxing.

She wondered how they got to this point, and how Chris would probably kill her, and Leon, if he ever found out, and she began to chuckle softly.

Leon propped one hand behind his head and began to stroke her hair with the other. He kissed her temple and breathed deeply of her, the mingled scents of shampoo and sex a delightful mix.

"Claire," he began haltingly.

"Yes?" Claire responded, rubbing her cheek against him.

Leon fumbled over the words that seemed to come almost unbidden from his mouth. "I... I think that I... love you."

Claire raised her head and gave him a quizzical look, and for a moment Leon could have slapped himself for being so forthright. But then she gave him a slow smile. "Good," she said quietly. "Because I love you, too."

She cuddled up closer to him and sighed against his chest. And the two of them drifted into sleep, lulled by the sounds of their hearts.