Chapter Text
The Raccoon City Police Department had never felt so quiet.
I leaned against the front desk, flicking through paperwork I'd already filed twice. The night shift stretched ahead of me, endless and dull. Just me, the hum of fluorescent lights, and the occasional distant creak of the old building settling.
Then the front doors swung open.
He came in like he owned the place, even though I'd never seen him before. Tall, broad-shouldered, with sandy hair swept back from his forehead and a jaw that could cut glass. He wore the RPD uniform like it was made for him, which was saying something since the standard issue wasn't exactly flattering on most guys.
"Hey." He offered me a slightly tired smile as he approached the desk. "I'm the new transfer. Leon Kennedy. Sorry I'm late checking in, got a little turned around out there."
I stood up straighter, suddenly very aware that I'd been slouching.
"Late? You're right on time for the night shift." I grabbed the clipboard with the sign-in sheet, sliding it toward him. "I'm glad to have the company, honestly. It gets pretty dead around here."
Leon chuckled as he signed his name. His handwriting was surprisingly neat. "That's what I was hoping for. A quiet first night to get my bearings." He looked around the lobby, taking in the marble floors and the massive statue in the center. "Impressive place."
"It's something, alright."
His blue eyes found mine again, and something in his expression shifted. A flicker of interest he didn't quite manage to hide.
"So," he said, leaning one hip against the desk, close enough that I could smell him, clean soap and something warm underneath. "You're the only one here tonight?"
"Just us and the ghosts," I confirmed. "Marvin's in the back office, but he's been in meetings most of the evening. The chief left hours ago."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "They left a rookie and a new transfer to hold down the fort?"
"Welcome to Raccoon City."
He laughed, a genuine sound that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. "Well, I guess I should make the most of it. Any chance you could show me around? I'd hate to get lost on my own shift."
The way he said it made my stomach do a small flip. There was something in his tone, warm, maybe a little suggestive. Or maybe I was just hoping.
"I'd be happy to," I said. "Follow me."
I led him through the main hall, pointing out the operations room and the file storage. Leon stayed close, closer than strictly necessary, his shoulder occasionally brushing mine as we walked. Each accidental touch sent a little spark through me.
"And this is the break room," I said, pushing open a door to reveal a small kitchenette and a worn couch. "Coffee's terrible, but it's hot. Most of the time."
Leon stepped inside, glancing around before his gaze settled on me. The fluorescent light cast harsh shadows across his features, but somehow he still looked good. Better than good.
"Cozy," he murmured.
There was a shift in the air. A tension that hadn't been there before. I felt it in the way his eyes tracked my movements as I leaned against the counter.
"So, Leon," I said, testing his name on my tongue. "What brings you to Raccoon City? Couldn't cut it in the big leagues?"
He grinned, not offended in the slightest. "Something like that. I wanted to make a difference somewhere that needed it." He took a step closer, then another, until he was standing right in front of me. Close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. "Starting to think I might have other reasons to be glad I came here, though."
My pulse quickened.
"Is that so?"
"Mmhm." His voice dropped lower. "What about you? You like working nights?"
"Has its perks," I managed. "Less paperwork. Fewer people watching."
Leon's smile turned knowing. "Fewer people watching," he repeated slowly. "That does sound nice."
He reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers lingered against my jaw, warm and rough. I shivered despite myself.
"Leon—"
"Tell me to stop," he said quietly. "And I will."
I looked up at him, at the want written plain across his face, and made my choice.
"I don't want you to stop."
He kissed me like he'd been waiting for it. Like he'd been thinking about it since he walked through those doors. His mouth was warm and insistent, one hand sliding to the small of my back while the other cupped my face. I gripped the front of his uniform, pulling him closer.
"God," he breathed against my lips. "I hoped you'd say that."
I laughed breathlessly. "You hoped? You were pretty confident for someone just hoping."
Leon's grin turned wicked. "Call it a hunch." He kissed me again, deeper this time, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips until I opened for him. I tasted coffee and something uniquely him.
His hands grew bolder, sliding down to grip my hips, lifting me easily onto the counter. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him into the space between my thighs. He groaned low in his throat.
"You have no idea," he murmured, mouthing at my jaw, my neck, "how hard it was to concentrate on signing in when you were looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you wanted to eat me alive."
I tugged at his hair, pulling his head back so I could look him in the eye. "Maybe I did."
Leon's pupils blew wide. "Fuck."
He kissed me hard, one hand sliding under my shirt, splaying across my bare back. His palm was hot against my skin, and I arched into him, chasing more of that contact.
The radio on his shoulder crackled to life.
"Kennedy? You there? We've got a situation downtown."
Leon froze, cursing under his breath. His forehead dropped to my shoulder, and I could feel his rapid breathing against my neck.
"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered.
I couldn't help but laugh, even as frustration coiled in my belly. "Duty calls, officer."
He lifted his head, capturing my mouth in one last, lingering kiss. "This isn't over," he promised, his voice rough. "Not by a long shot."
I smoothed down his uniform where I'd wrinkled it, letting my fingers drift lower than necessary. "I'm counting on it."
Leon groaned again, grabbing the radio with visible reluctance. "Kennedy here. What's the situation?"
As he turned away to respond, I saw him adjust himself discreetly. The sight made satisfaction curl warm in my chest.
The radio crackled again, static hissing through the break room.
"Multiple disturbance calls coming in from the Apple Inn. Something about an aggressive individual refusing to leave. The caller sounds panicked."
Leon shot me a look that promised violence against whoever was on the other end of that radio.
"Copy that," he said into the receiver. "We're en route."
He clipped the radio back onto his shoulder and turned to face me. His expression was pure frustration. His lips were still slightly swollen from kissing me.
"I'm sorry," he started. "I have to—"
"Go." I hopped down from the counter, straightening my clothes. "I'm coming with you."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to. I can handle a disturbance call."
"Night shift protocol," I said, grabbing my own radio from the desk where I'd left it earlier. "Nobody goes out solo. Besides, you're new. You don't know this city."
A smile played at his mouth. "You sure that's the only reason?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Officer Kennedy."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, partner. Let's roll."
We made our way to the parking lot, and I couldn't help but notice the way he walked beside me. His shoulder brushing mine. His hand occasionally grazing the small of my back when we rounded corners.
He was doing it on purpose. The bastard.
The patrol car was parked near the entrance. Leon unlocked it with a key from his belt, and we both climbed in. The inside smelled like leather and old coffee.
"Apple Inn is about ten minutes from here," I said, buckling my seatbelt. "It's a cheap motel off Cain Street. Gets a rough crowd sometimes."
Leon started the engine, pulling out of the lot smoothly. "Aggressive individual, they said. Could be drugs. Could be domestic." He glanced over at me. "Could be nothing."
"Usually is, around here."
The streets of Raccoon City were quiet at this hour. Empty. Just streetlights and the occasional passing car. Leon drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. I watched his grip shift, watched the way his forearm flexed.
"You're staring," he said without looking away from the road.
"Am I?"
"Checked out my arms the second I got in the car."
I felt my face heat. "I was just noticing your driving technique."
Leon snorted. "My driving technique." He shot me a look, amusement in his blue eyes. "Sure."
"Focus on the road, Kennedy."
He grinned but didn't push it further.
We drove in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. His tone grew more serious.
"So. You ever think about leaving?"
I blinked at the shift. "Leaving Raccoon City?"
"Yeah." He shrugged. "Seems like a small town for someone like you."
"Someone like me?"
"Smart. Capable." His grip tightened on the wheel briefly. "Beautiful."
The compliment landed soft and unexpected. I looked at his profile in the dim light of the dashboard. Strong nose. Firm jaw. Eyes focused ahead, but I could see tension in his shoulders.
"Honestly?" I said quietly. "Sometimes. But the pay is decent, the work is easy, and..." I trailed off.
"And?"
"And I keep hoping something interesting might happen."
Leon turned his head, meeting my eyes. The streetlights caught his face in flashes, illuminating and shadowing by turns. "Something interesting?"
"A distraction," I amended. "From the routine."
Something flickered in his expression. "I know what you mean."
We pulled up to the Apple Inn. It was a squat, two-story building with peeling paint and a flickering neon sign. The parking lot was mostly empty. A few broken-down cars. A dumpster overflowing with trash.
"Doesn't look like much," Leon muttered, putting the car in park.
"Never does."
He turned to face me fully, his expression serious now. "Alright. Here's the plan. We go in, assess the situation, call for backup if we need it. Stay behind me until we know what we're dealing with."
I nodded. "Got it."
"And if anything goes wrong—" He reached out, cupping my jaw with one rough hand. "You run. Understand?"
My throat felt tight. "Leon—"
"I mean it." His eyes bored into mine. "I'm not letting anything happen to you."
"We've known each other for less than an hour," I pointed out, though my voice came out softer than I intended.
Leon smiled crookedly. "Sometimes that's all it takes."
He pulled his hand away and checked his weapon, drawing it from the holster. I did the same, though my hands were a little less steady than they'd been earlier.
We got out of the car and approached the entrance. The lobby was empty, the front desk unmanned. A flickering light buzzed overhead, casting long shadows across worn carpet.
Leon moved ahead of me, gun raised but not pointed. Alert. I followed close behind, my own weapon ready.
"Hello?" he called out. "RPD. We received a call about a disturbance."
Silence.
Then, from somewhere down the hallway, a sound. A low, wet groan.
Leon held up a hand, signaling me to stop. We both listened.
The groan came again, closer this time. More pained.
"Someone's hurt," I whispered.
He nodded, moving toward the hallway. We crept down the narrow corridor, checking doors as we went. Most were locked or empty. But near the end of the hall, one stood slightly ajar.
Leon pushed it open with his foot, weapon raised.
Inside, a man was slumped against the wall. Middle-aged. Sweating. His skin looked wrong, pale and waxen. He was muttering something under his breath, words I couldn't make out.
"Sir?" Leon lowered his gun slightly, stepping forward. "Can you hear me? We're here to help."
The man's head snapped up.
His eyes were wrong. Milky. Unfocused. And when he opened his mouth, the sound that came out wasn't human.
Leon and I both froze.
"Well," I said, my voice thin. "That's new."
The man lurched to his feet.
He moved wrong. Stiff, jerky, like his joints didn't bend the way they should. That low groan rattled out of his throat again, and I watched something dark drip from his lips.
"Sir, stay back." Leon's voice was steady, but I saw his grip tighten on his weapon. "Don't come any closer."
The man didn't listen. He shuffled forward, arms reaching, and now I could see the wound on his neck. A bite mark. Ragged and deep, the flesh around it blackened with infection.
My stomach dropped.
"Leon—"
"I see it." He stepped between me and the advancing figure. "Sir! I will use force if necessary!"
The man's mouth opened. What came out was a wet, gurgling hiss. He lunged.
Leon fired.
The gunshot was deafening in the small room. The man's shoulder snapped back, but he didn't stop. Didn't even slow down. He kept coming, that horrible sound pouring from his throat, fingers curved into claws.
"Headshot!" I shouted, training my own weapon on the figure. "Aim for the head!"
Leon didn't question it. He adjusted his aim and fired again.
The man dropped.
For a moment, neither of us moved. The silence pressed in, broken only by our ragged breathing and the distant buzz of the flickering hallway light.
"What the hell was that?" Leon's voice was controlled but tight. He kept his gun trained on the body. "I hit him center mass. He should have gone down."
"He didn't even flinch."
Leon glanced back at me, his jaw set. "You said headshot like you knew it would work."
"I... I don't know why I said that." But even as the words left my mouth, something cold settled in my chest. Like a memory I couldn't quite reach. "It just felt right."
He studied me for a beat, then nodded slowly. "Stay sharp. There might be more."
We moved back into the hallway. The air felt heavier now, charged with something wrong. I could hear sounds from other rooms. Scratching. Thumping. More of those low, wet groans.
"Apple Inn gets a rough crowd," I muttered. "This is not what I meant."
Leon huffed out a breath that might have been a laugh in better circumstances. He reached back without looking, finding my hand and squeezing briefly.
"Stick close."
His palm was warm against mine. Grounding. I let myself enjoy the contact for exactly one second before we were moving again.
We cleared the first floor methodically. Two more of those things. A woman in a housekeeper's uniform. A young man in a band t-shirt. Each one came at us with that same mindless hunger. Each one went down only when we put a bullet through the skull.
By the time we reached the lobby again, my ears were ringing and my hands were shaking.
Leon noticed immediately. He pulled me behind the front desk, out of sight from the entrance, and crouched down beside me.
"Hey." His voice was softer now. "You're doing good."
"Those were people." I stared at the wall. "They were people, and we just—"
"They weren't anymore." He took my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. Those blue eyes were steady. Calm. A lifeline in the chaos. "Whatever happened to them, whatever they became, that wasn't murder. That was survival. You understand me?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
Leon's thumb stroked my cheek. His touch was gentle, at odds with the dried blood spattered on his uniform. "I've got you. Okay? I'm not letting anything happen to you."
"What about you?" I whispered. "Who's got you?"
Something shifted in his expression. Surprise, maybe. Or something deeper. He leaned in, pressing his forehead to mine.
"You," he murmured. "I'm hoping it's you."
I grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him into a kiss. It tasted like gunpowder and adrenaline. Desperate. Like we were the only two people left in the world.
Leon made a low sound in his throat, his hands sliding from my face to my waist, pulling me closer. I could feel his heart hammering against my chest.
"We should call this in," I breathed against his lips.
"Already did." He kissed me again, shorter this time. "Backup's coming. But if I know Irons, they'll take their sweet time."
The mention of the chief made me pull back slightly. "Leon. What the hell is happening tonight?"
He shook his head slowly. "I don't know. But something tells me this is bigger than a disturbance call."
A crash from outside shattered the moment. Glass breaking. A car alarm wailing.
Leon was on his feet instantly, weapon raised. I followed, my own gun in hand, and we moved toward the lobby doors.
Through the broken windows, I could see them. Shuffling figures in the parking lot. Dozens of them. Drawn by the noise, maybe, or just wandering aimlessly through the night.
"Backup's not going to be enough," I said quietly.
Leon's jaw tightened. He looked at me, then at the radio on his shoulder, then at the growing horde outside.
"New plan," he said. "We barricade. Wait for sunrise. Stay alive." He met my eyes. "Together."
I thought about the break room. His hands on my skin. The way he'd looked at me like I was something worth protecting.
"Together," I agreed.
He offered me a crooked smile. "At least the night shift won't be boring."
I laughed despite everything. I couldn't help it.
Leon Kennedy was insane. And I was pretty sure I already liked him way too much.
We dragged anything that wasn't nailed down in front of the lobby doors. Couch cushions, overturned tables, a broken vending machine that Leon somehow managed to shove across the floor with a grunt that did inappropriate things to my concentration.
"Stop looking at me like that," he muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Like what?"
"Like you're thinking about my arms again."
I didn't have a good response to that, so I just handed him a wooden chair to wedge against the pile.
The parking lot had grown crowded. Those things milled aimlessly, bumping into cars and each other, drawn occasionally toward the building by some sound or another. A few pressed against the windows, leaving smears of something dark and wet on the glass.
Leon watched them with his jaw set.
"Alright," he said finally. "We can't stay in the lobby. Too exposed. We need somewhere more defensible."
"There's a storage room in the back. Solid door, no windows." I pointed down the hallway we'd cleared earlier. "It's not comfortable, but it's safe."
"Safe sounds good." He checked his ammo count, frowning. "Twelve rounds. You?"
"Eight." I showed him my magazine.
He nodded grimly. "Make them count."
We made our way back through the hallway, stepping over the bodies we'd left behind. I tried not to look at their faces. Tried not to think about who they'd been before tonight.
The storage room was exactly as I remembered. Small, cramped, filled with cleaning supplies and extra linens. But the door was solid wood with a working deadbolt, and that was more than we'd had in the lobby.
Leon locked us in and let out a long breath.
"Okay." He braced his hands on his knees. "Okay. We're okay."
I leaned against a shelf, watching him collect himself. Even now, even after everything, I couldn't stop noticing the way his uniform pulled across his shoulders. The way his hair had fallen loose from its neat styling.
"Leon."
He straightened, meeting my eyes. In the dim light from the single overhead bulb, his face was all sharp angles and shadow.
"Yeah?"
"We might die tonight."
A muscle in his jaw twitched. "We're not dying."
"We might." I stepped closer. "And I don't want to have any regrets."
He inhaled sharply. I watched his throat work as he swallowed.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I want you." I stopped in front of him, close enough to feel the heat radiating off his body. "Right now. While we still can."
Leon searched my face. I saw the war in his expression. Duty against desire. Responsibility against want.
"You're sure?" His voice came out rough. "This isn't just adrenaline?"
"Maybe it is." I placed my hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat slam against my palm. "But I'd regret it more if I didn't."
He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, the decision was made.
"Turn around."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
"The door." He gestured with his chin, fighting a smile. "Turn around. Check the deadbolt. Make sure it's secure."
I stared at him for a moment. He was going to make me wait. The bastard.
"Fine."
I turned and walked to the door, making a show of checking the lock even though we both knew it was already secure. Behind me, I heard Leon moving. Removing his gun belt. Setting it on a shelf.
His hands landed on my hips.
"Good?" he murmured against my ear.
"Perfect."
He pressed me forward until I was braced against the door, his body crowded close behind me. One hand slid around my waist, pulling me back against him. I could feel the hard length of him through his uniform pants, and my breath caught.
"Leon—"
"Shh." His mouth found my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin below my ear. "You wanted this. Let me give it to you."
His hand drifted lower, slipping beneath the waistband of my pants. I gasped when his fingers found me, already wet and wanting.
"Jesus," he breathed against my throat. "You really do want this."
"I told you I did."
He laughed softly, the sound vibrating against my skin. "You did." His fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles. "But hearing it and feeling it are two different things."
My head fell back against his shoulder. I was having trouble forming thoughts, let alone words.
"More," I managed. "Please."
Leon hummed in consideration. "Since you asked nicely."
He spun me around, pressing my back against the door. His mouth claimed mine in a hungry kiss while his hands worked at my belt, my zipper. I fumbled with his uniform, desperate to feel him.
"Slow down," he murmured against my lips. "We have time."
"Do we?"
He pulled back slightly, his eyes soft despite the heat in them. "We have right now. That's enough."
I stopped fighting and let him set the pace. He stripped me methodically, laying each piece of clothing aside like he was unwrapping something precious. When I was finally bare before him, he stepped back and looked.
I felt exposed. Vulnerable. But the way he was looking at me, like I was something miraculous made me feel powerful instead.
"Your turn," I said, reaching for his shirt.
He let me undress him. I took my time, mapping each inch of newly revealed skin with my hands and mouth. The smooth muscle of his chest. The sharp lines of his hips. The trail of hair below his navel that led downward.
"Fuck," he breathed when I dropped to my knees.
I looked up at him through my lashes. "Yes or no?"
Leon's hand came to rest on my head, fingers tangling in my hair. "God, yes."
I took him in my mouth, and the sound he made was everything I wanted. Broken. Desperate. His grip tightened in my hair, not pushing, just holding on.
"That's— you're—" He cut off with a groan, his head falling back. "I wanted to take my time with you."
I pulled back, licking my lips. "Later."
His eyes blazed. "Promise?"
"Promise."
He hauled me to my feet and kissed me hard. Then he lifted me, my back against the door, my legs wrapped around his waist. I felt him position himself at my entrance.
"Last chance," he growled. "Tell me to stop."
"Don't you dare."
He pushed inside me in one long, smooth stroke. We both groaned at the sensation. He filled me completely, stretching me in ways I hadn't felt in too long.
"Move," I urged, digging my heels into his lower back. "Leon, please—"
He didn't make me ask again.
The rhythm he set was relentless. Each thrust drove me harder against the door, the wood creaking with the force of it. I clawed at his shoulders, his back, anything I could reach. My moans echoed in the small room, mixing with his grunts and the obscene sound of our bodies meeting.
"Look at me," he commanded.
I opened eyes I hadn't realized I'd closed. Leon's face was inches from mine, sweat beading on his forehead, his jaw clenched with effort. But his eyes, his eyes were focused entirely on me.
"You feel incredible," he said roughly. "You know that? I've been thinking about this since I walked through that door."
"Show me," I gasped. "Show me what you thought about."
His pace quickened. One hand slid between us, finding where we were joined, his fingers circling the sensitive bud there. I shattered with a cry, convulsing around him.
He followed me over the edge moments later, burying himself deep and groaning my name against my neck.
For a long moment, we just stayed there. Him still inside me, both of us shaking, trying to remember how to breathe.
Then he lifted his head and kissed me. Soft this time. Tender.
"Hi," he whispered.
I laughed, the sound coming out watery. "Hi yourself."
He lowered me gently to the ground, keeping his arms around me when my legs wobbled. We stood there in the dim storage room, holding each other, listening to the distant sounds of chaos outside.
"The world's ending," I murmured against his chest.
"Maybe." Leon's hand stroked my hair. "But we're still here. Right now, that's enough."
I tilted my head back to look at him. "You really believe that?"
His blue eyes were soft. Honest. "I believe that tonight, I met someone worth fighting for. The rest is just details."
Something cracked open in my chest. Something warm and terrifying.
"Leon..."
He kissed me before I could say more. Gentle. Promising.
"We should get dressed," he said finally, though he made no move to release me. "Come up with a real plan."
"In a minute."
He smiled. "In a minute."
We held each other as the night stretched on. Safe in our small room. Together.