Chapter Text
"Just so you know, I've killed every plant I've ever had."
Leon was starting to think, maybe, just maybe he should not have said that.
Despite this thing being, well, a plant, Leon couldn't help but notice that his comment seemed to make the murderous flora more and more violent.
He jumped over the large dark-colored vine that the plant dragged across the broken pavement to try to trip him. His hand tightened around the Stiri REVO3 A1 as he lifted it to aim at one one the large flowering bulbs on the thick limb of the vine. He emptied an entire clip into the bulb causing vicsous fluid and goop to spray through the air. The rooted creature emenated a high pitch shriek at him in response, the massive carnivrous bulb on the main body of the chaotic weed unfurled it's petals and Leon could see thorn like teeth and long wispy stamens.
Leon popped the clip out when he smoothed his grip over the eject lever, the spent ammunition clattered to the floor and Leon dug into one of the pouches on his belt for another clip, hopping over another flailing limb as he did so. His fingers wrapped around the ammo and he slammed it into the chamber with an audible click.
The plant shrieked at him again as he opened fire on the main bulb on the flowering trunk and Leon quickly dived to the side when the massive vine swung forward sending the main open bulb partially charged at him the goop covered stamens flailed wildly and Leon used his hatchet sever one of them when it curled around the arm he was using to fire the submachine gun. Unfortunately he was unprepred for the ground beneath him to sink and crumble just before another sizeable vine burst out of the soil behind him and he didn't have enough time to clear it as several smaller vines growing out of the side of the limb wrapped tightly around his lower leg.
"Shit!" Leon swore angrily.
He tugged at his leg before raising his hatchet and getting read to hack off the offending vines when the massive bulb darted forward from above, it's petals unfurling in a dripping gaping maw. Leon didn't really have much time to react as the plant's stamens wrapped tightly around the upper part of his right arm before pulling taut to keep him from using the bladed weapon.
"Fucking stubborn weed!" Leon snarled as he aimed the sub-machine gun straight up into the open petals. He pressed and held down the trigger firing a spray of bullets until the gun clicked as the magazine emptied.
The mutated plant then rose, lifting Leon into the air by his right arm and he dropped the emptied weapon to the ground making a reach for Requiem before more of the plant's stamens wrapped around his other arm as well. Leon thrashed and jerked, trying to free himself as he was suspended in the air, left to dangle pathetically.
With it's prey no longer able to inflict damage, the plant lifted another vine to let it curl around the human’s wrists, holding them tightly as it manipulated the man's body so that his arms were stretched high above his head.
"Nngh!" Leon grunted in pain as he felt his joints popping from the position and intensity of the hold. He felt his back crack a little, felt kind of nice, but given the current circumstances he didn't really care.
The vine suspended him high enough that he knew he would be seriously hurt if he fell, but Leon didn't let that stop him from trying to tug his arms free as the monstrous main bulb moved closer to him, it's petals open and dripping with secretions.
Another vine moved in, this one was covered in long razor sharp thorns and Leon cried out in shock and pain as the growth suddenly swiped down the center of his torso, shredding both the fabric of his shirt and his flesh beneath it leaving a deep laceration.
"Hngh!! Shit!" He shouted angrily as his shirt fell partially open.
The bulb moved in closer and Leon cringed as he felt the slick stamens slide over his bare skin, lapping at the freshly spilled blood before using two of the appendages to rip his shirt open completely so it now hung in a torn mess around his shoulders.
A sense of panic began to settle in Leon's chest as the beast seemed to investigate his skin, pores on the bud flared as if it were sniffing him. He let out a disgusted noise as he felt the slimey stamens explore his body curiously. He could feel them slick and rough as they mapped out the contours of muscle and caressed his abdomen in a strangely… possessive manner.
This wasn't good.
"Get the fuck off'a me!" He snarled furiously, trying to kick at the thing even if he knew it was futile.
The flora ignored him as it continued to explore his body, it paused for a split second as one of the tips of the stamens found his navel. A high pitched, almost curious sounding trilling noise reached Leon's ears and he winced when the appendage pressed against it insistently.
Leon grunted in irritation as the appendage seemed to get a little more aggressive with it's prodding, a slick substance began to secrete from the tip of the stamen and Leon felt a growing sensation of dread as he realized that the appendage was trying to penetrate him somehow and it seemed to have mistakenly thought that the divot in his abdomen led somewhere.
"First of all, hell no, and second—mmphh!" He was cut off as the vine that had slithered up the back of his torn shirt coiled around his neck and wrapped around his face the thick vine winding between his teeth as it wrapped around his face to silence him.
He glared furiously at the enormous weed the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as he tugged at his wrists to try to free himself.
With a resigned hiss, the plant lost interest in what it had been doing prior and instead Leon felt the stamens move from the indent of his belly button to dip down the waistband of his tactical pants. The mucous-like secretions allowed the three curious appendages to slip beneath the fabric unhindered and Leon let out a groan of disgust as he felt one of them slide over his balls and feel up his cock.
Another one of the stamens slid lower, curling slightly and Leon's eyes went wide in shock and outrage as he felt it swipe down the cleft of his ass.
"Gmmph!?!"
Oh shit!
He wriggled his legs kicking as he thrashed in the weed's grip. The plant hissed at him and Leon grunted as more vines were suddenly wrapping around his legs yanking them apart from the other. Another appendage covered in thorns rose up and whipped across his backside for a split second and Leon couldn't help but yelp at the sting left behind by the bite on the razor sharp thorns. Cool air, humid air, was suddenly very noticeable now that his ass had been exposed to it when the they had sliced through the fabric of his pants and the black pair of boxer briefs beneath them.
The stamens removed themselves from the waistband of his pants and Leon felt them rip open the ass of his pants, the fabric tearing sharply. His breathing picked up, his nostrils flaring desperately for air as he tried to brace himself for when he thought he knew what was coming next.
Unfortunately, he also somewhat underestimated the plant as his arms were suddenly released.
The thorny vines left deep scrapes in his triceps and forearms as they withdrew but Leon wasted no time grabbing a bowie knife off the belt attached to his destroyed tactical pants and he was just about to whip out Alligator Snapper while bringing the blade down on one of the vines around his leg when his world all of the sudden was turning upside down as the vines attached to his calves suddenly moved back and lifted high into the air so fast Leon was sure he'd have whiplash if his neck hadn't been braced from the vines wrapped around the back of his neck to gag him.
"Armmghh!?" The vines didn't completely keep the noise of his alarmed shout drowned out completely as during the rapid move. Leon lost his grip on the Alligator Snapper and it went chattering to the ground twenty feet below him. He did, however keep control of the knife and he swipped the blade across two more smaller appendages when they tried to restrain his arms. The snakes of foliage cracked and snapped to join his gun on the ground and the plant let out a shrill roar of fury.
Another smaller limb suddenly struck him across the face hard enough that Leon saw his vision beginning to darken momentarily from the force of the blow. He dangled limply in the air, stunned for a second as his arms jerked above his head when gravity pulled them down, which unfortunately, knocked his knife from his hand as well and it clanged to the broken asphalt below.
"Mmnn mmff….?"
I swear to Christ, if I got a concussion now…
The massive bulb moved in on his new position, the bulb pressing close between Leon's thighs which were spread wide open. The stamens began to secrete a slippery, viscous fluid which Leon, still stunned, vaguely felt the cold substance being smeared all over his exposed hole. He furrowed his brow for a second before his brain caught up with him.
Oh, dont you fucking dare!
He looked up and saw the stamens part in the middle and from between them on the massive bulb was another appendage this one a grayish purple began to emerge from the center towards his helplessly waiting body.
I'm going to torch this thing when this is over…
Leon suddenly felt something pressing against somewhere only two people were allowed to touch, himself and Chris Redfield, and this overgrown weed was definitely not Chris Redfield. He went to grab a grenade off his belt only for the beastly plant to grab his hand and the other with a pair of thorn covered shackles.
Dammit!
The part nudging against his entrance pushed more insistently and the flesh gave way with some firm pressure causing the purple appendage to sink into him with a wet squelch.
"Gnnpph! Mmnngh!" Leon's blue eyes widened in alarm at the intrusion.
Fuck!
As loathe as he was to admit it, Leon knew, from experience, that this was going to be a lot more painful, probably, if he didn't relax his body.
He didn't even want to think about how much a bark like texture could tear up the human body internally.
Jesus Christ.
Leon's teeth creaked around the vines that were being used as a makeshift gag, his teeth leaving small indents in the fibrous dark skin. The plant let out a sharp hissing sound and the frill-like leaves around the flowering bulb began to shake and quiver repeatedly like some sort of exotic display. One thing was for sure, Leon sure felt like he was part of that exotic display. The whole thing was absolutely obscene.
How embarrassing… Fucked by a weed.
He winced as he felt the appendage pushing deeper inside him, deeper, and…
Leon's eyes began to water on reflex at the stretch.
Shit.
That hurts!
"Hnngh!" His nostrils flared as he tried to take a calming breath through his nose.
Still, the pistil moved deeper and deeper into him, the pressure becoming unbearable and when Leon shifted his eyes upward he felt his stomach flip as he noticed a bulging area in his lower belly that seemed to be shifting under the skin the further the plant invaded his insides.
He began to squirm uncomfortably, suddenly feeling impossibly full. The stamens around the pistil began to coat themselves in a vicsous green fluid and Leon watched in growing panic as the stamens came closer to his face. All of the sudden the vines wrapped around his head removed themselves and Leon barely had a moment to gasp for breath before one of the slippery stamens was shoved down his throat when it wriggled through his open mouth.
"Ggrrwk! Mngh!"
Shit shit shit!
The fluid was bitter and also sweet on Leon's tongue and Leon saw blotches of color flashing across his vision, his head suddenly felt like it was moving through a thick viscous sludge.
Leon furrowed his brow slightly and blinked his eyes, now with completely blown pupils making his icy blue irises appear a dark steel gray, rapidly trying to focus his eyes as shapes and colors began to distort in his vision.
What the hell….?
Leon's hazy eyes widened and he let out a choked gurgling noise around the stamen shoved down his throat when a pain suddenly exploded in his stomach.
For a moment all his remaining strength left him and his head lolled, his neck snapping back and everything went dark for a split second. When he opened his eyes he was staring at the ground except the concrete was blue and glowing and he could see his knife laying on the broken cement and rebar pieces. He frowned. Since when did he own a… pink knife? He shook his head trying to clear the abnormalities from his senses but instead all the shapes floated to the other side of his vision in a way that reminded Leon of that old game pong.
He felt the worst internal pain he had ever encountered in his forty-nine years of age straight in the center of his core. Instinctively his back back tried to arch but the sharp thorns digging into his wrists and forearms kept him from getting very far and Leon hissed as he felt them yank him back down.
With a great deal of effort, Leon lifted his head with a choked whimper. He stared up at his feet noticing, through distorted vision he watched in confusion and growing anxiety as the dark color of the monstrous flora blurred into what little Leon could see of the clouds. Clouds that were now charcoal and saturated a deep pulsing red in splotches.
Black splotches? Like the diseased skin on his hands…?
He furrowed his brow with a soft groan as he found the blackened flesh on the back of his hand, blooming around his wrist… like a stark brand of contrast on his skin. The flesh scabbing and tight with mutated growth.
Wait… were those streaks on his elbow there before?
As he was pondering, Leon could feel his body being tugged around, his view rightened itself as he was flipped right-side up. The tendrils holding his arms released him for a split second but Leon was too disoriented from the very realistic trip his mind was on to even move his body, which also strangely felt full of lead.
The vines readjusted his arms so that they were pinned down by his sides. The appendage looped around his body securely. His legs were still spread, he was still impaled by the pistil on the mutated bud, and the stamens continued to writhe around in the depths of his convulsing throat.
He was actually lowered towards the ground and his vision swam and rippled like rain puddles.
Through the Kaleidoscope that had become of his visual sense, Leon thought he could make out the tall blonde man he had seen taking Grace in the RPD. He was accompanied by Gideon who appeared to be missing pieces. Maybe?
Leon blinked rapidly, trying to get the images to stop shaking.
"Well, well, well…" Gideon gloated as he carried Grace's unconscious form over his shoulder. He grabbed Leon's face with his larger hand, squeezing his cheeks from around where one of the stamens still invaded his mouth and throat, Leon let out a displeased grunt. His Adam's apple bobbing briefly before he gagged when the slick, thick tendril wriggled farther down his esophagus until both men could physically see the appendage bulging in poor Leon's throat. "What do we have here? A pesky fly caught in a trap?"
Zeno eyed Leon curiously. Even tripping balls, Leon could feel the uneasiness caused by those glowing eyes that studied him like he was nothing but a specimen.
A trait the real Wesker also had from what Chris told him.
Chris…
"I must say, Mister Kennedy, I do like the new strong silent appearance." Gideon chuckled.
Leon tried to focus. He scanned Grace. No major injuries, just unconscious.
He could still…
Growling, Leon tried to jerk out of his grip but Zeno's voice stopped him.
"Did you not say, that he could be useful to us later, Doctor?"
"Well, he is dying. Third stage of infection should start soon. Though, I would not be opposed to exploring Mr. Kennedy's unique genetic makeup."
His heart was slamming rapidly in his chest. Despite this, he frowned when he felt something being tugged off his neck. A black leather cord snapping with a soft plikt as it was ripped off.
Still disoriented he squinted at Zeno, who was inspecting something silver in his hand.
Wait… that was his…
Intense dual waves of rage and panic overwhelmed his fried senses and Leon began to struggle pathetically against the monster who in turn began to thrust inside him once more.
His head was swimming it felt like he was
Overcome with emotion out of nowhere, the trip probably, tears welled up in Leon's dilated eyes as he stared at the silver wedding band.
Chris… his Chris… He gave him that the day he finally stopped running. The day they both stopped running.
That ring itself had gotten him through so much trauma and uncertainty these past several years, just as much as the man whom had exchanged it with him at the request of his heart, and his hand.
He could not lose that.
Bitch, that's mine!
"A married man then? Mr. Kennedy, you surprise me."
Another wave of intense agony blossomed in his abdomen and Leon choked around the stamen in his throat. He could register his vision darkening at the corners and suddenly the entire world was spinning again as he was flipped back upside down. He looked up at himself and felt his blood run cold as he found his entire shoulder and starting onto his chest was mottled with diseased black skin.
It was spreading so fast!
He blinked staring down at the two assholes who got him and Grace into this damn mess.
Staring deliriously at blackened narcoticizing skin Leon gagged obscenely around the stamen in his throat. Another gush of viscous fluid had Leon feeling like he was aspirating the shit so hard it went straight up his nose and it was like the worst sinus infection ever.
An explosion of color burst across his vision again and Leon's hazy eyes were glossing over. He could feel himself being pulled backward towards the main bulb of the beastly weed. Leon squirmed with sluggish, disoriented jerks of his limbs and he saw the dark clouds blur through a sudden haze of blood that seemed to rain down from the sky. He could feel it on his exposed skin just before everything around him went dark and the air got humid.
What Leon thought was blood, was actually globules of thick yet slimy fluid being created by the main flower as the petals suddenly encased him. They furled inwards with Leon helplessly bound in its maw. The scent of rot, potting soil, and mildew filled his nostrils from within this humid human trap.
More and more tendrils seemed to spawn from within the center of the plant and they curled around his leg, forcing it to bend his knee until his calves touched his thighs before they coiled around to keep his legs spread but getting him in a reclined back position.
The new position had Leon sweating, his cock stirring between his legs as he became more aware of pressure against his prostate.
"Mnn," he couldn't stop the soft groan of primal arousal and Leon squeezed his eyes closed as he suddenly felt the dull ache of his own embarrassment.
He could hear the plant growling when he tried to shift his weight as he became more and more aware of the way the intrusion was pumping into him. He could feel the strangely silky insides of the massive flower petals caressing his skin as the bud closed around him, sealing him off from any outside stimulation.
No no no! I can't let it end like this!
He writhed against the stamens, his muscles twisting and flexing as he tried to use what little strength he had left in reserves, the vines creaked around him but didn't budge.
Let me the fuck outta here!
From deep within the plant something appeared to be sliding through the hollow of the thrusting organ. It was a round lump that made the translucent purple pistil swell briefly as it coursed through it's length straight for Leon's waiting body.
With the visibility down to near nothing as the petals sealed tightly around him, Leon wasn't able to spot the incoming intrusion and that was why when he suddenly felt the shaft of the pistil swell to the point Leon felt he was going to be ripped in half, he stiffened momentarily a choked cry of pain gurgling in his throat. The pressure against his hole increased and then Leon felt something that he could only describe as something being physically, painfully and very forcefully implanted deep inside his gut. Not something liquid either. Solid.
It made his stomach do flips through the agonizing pain. His abdomen seized. The muscles cramping unbearably at the foreign body inside somewhere that frankly should not be touched, not this deep any how.
He went rigid for a split second and more of that viscous secretion was flooding his mouth and dribbling out the corners of his mouth, down his chin, and out his fucking nose making him choke and aspirate as he sucked vile fluid down into his lungs. He began to convulse violently for a second as he struggled to get air and the stamen pulled from his lips for just enough amount of time for a wet raspy inhale followed by coughing that morphed into another gagging sound as another newer smaller of the stamens shoved its way into his mouth almost immediately when he sucked in breath.
Leon tried to resist as the mucous covered stamens began to wrap around his torso, pulling his back against the maw that was only separated by a series of larger thorn like teeth that kept him from moving back into the monster's throat.
It wasn't trying to eat him. Not now. Not having received orders from its precious masters.
Shit shit shit shit shit!
His heart hammered in his chest violently and Leon choked around the stamen as a smaller branch with sharp thorns that were starting to seep with a red fluid at the tip suddenly whipped at the side of his neck. The thorns punctured deep into his skin and slowly Leon's eyes began to feel heavy, and heavier by the second. He could a pressure in his abdomen that was slowly getting worse, the sensation hot and dull with that dullness slowly seeping out into a burn that morphed into ice that filled his limbs at the joints.
It was around this point that Leon lost all movement as whatever venom the fiercely vicious weed had injected him with seemed to paralyze him for the time being.
Grace… C-Chris…. I-I'm so sorry….
The very first thing Rolando saw when they had encountered the giant mutated plant was that the beast seemed to be focused on something intensely because the whole squad was able to surround the creature strategically for several moments as they came up with a plan. Just as they were getting ready to whip out some acid rounds, Rolando noticed his goggles tried to zoom in on something on the broken pavement in front of the occupied shrub.
A gun. Multiple guns? A knife and a hatchet…
Rolando froze for a second. He'd seen that hatchet before. That belong to Chris! Or it used to. He had gifted it to Leon a couple years ago.
He lifted a hand for the team to hold position before pulling out a flashbang and pulling the pin and launching it forward where it clanged at the flora's roots.
As soon as it went off the petals on the main bulb unfurled revealing the body of a man, still, thoroughly restrained to the back of the maw by dozens of writhing, wriggling tentacle like stamens. The petals around the massive bulb were now bright with color and shook and quivered making a sound not unsimilar to dry lotus seed pods.
Rolando signaled to hold position for a moment longer as the carnivorous weed seemed to search for their presence. The petals, still wide open and rattling in a clear display of primal dominance. He zoomed in with his gear.
It was a grisly sight.
The unfortunate victim was efficiently restrained and gagged. His clothes hung around him in tatters and the plant's stamens were wrapped tightly around him and he was soaked through with sweat and other fluids from within the BOW. Noticeably, his thighs were held open and—
Jesus Christ…
He took a moment before refocusing. Now checking for any resistance, from the victim, in response to the obvious violation being done to his body.
There was mostly no response.
The sniper got a sinking feeling that he recognized the man from somewhere but with his hair plastered to his face with god knows what, he couldn't…
Wait. Oh please tell me that's not Kennedy…
"Sir, we're back online." Tundra announced softly.
Shortly after entering the bowels of this pit, some of their gear had gone offline including the device they were using to locate that FBI Agent Grace Ashcroft and the notorious DSO agent, and their captain's husband.
Rolando had only encountered Leon S. Kennedy twice and one of those two times he hadn't exactly seen the man's face… more like his backside when he walked in on Captain Redfield and his beloved.. unable to sit through a work meeting without somehow getting horny. They were late re-attending the meeting and he, he had been sent by the other meeting attendees to go get them.
He didn't even know men could bend that way, until that unfortunate incident.
"Any sign of Kennedy's beacon?" He asked just as quietly.
"Yes, sir… we're on top of it."
Rolando's eyes widened as he quickly put two and two together and he looked at the plant, at the man caught in it's snares, then back to the squad.
"Be careful. Don't shoot Alpha's…" he trailed off because it sounded odd even to his ears.
Tundra reiterated. "Retrieving that body should be the most important thing right now."
Rolando frowned as he zoomed in with his goggles again. This time zoning in on the unconscious man's face.
What he saw shocked him.
"Not a body…"
"Fuck, he's still alive?" That was Lobo.
Rolando nodded. "His eyes were open."
There was a silence of the channel.
"If we can get it to release, Agent Kennedy, we can take it out. This strain is vulnerable to fire."
Leon had been stuck in a fierce battle between consciousness and a quicksand of darkness. One thing was for sure though, the way his entire body instinctively tensed, his back heaving upwards his lungs finally expanding fully after what felt like hours. The wet, grating suction of air past his slick lips was loud, desperate, as a cold sensation spread throughout his chest.
He was laying on something hard. Concrete? Maybe? He wasn't sure but he landed there roughly as he whatever had been keeping his body disgustingly alert, seemed to drop him.
He couldn't see. It was too bright and his eyes, having already adjusted to the darkness of being sealed away in a fucking oversized ugly hedge, were watering profusely as he squinted. His breath coming in sharp panicked gasps.
Someone was gripping him underneath his arms, Leon could vaguely make out the noise, not the voice, or words, but the noise of someone speaking to him.
His gaze turned to stare straight up at the helmet of something with many eyes, four at least…
Leon's eyes widened in absolute terror as he thought immediately of the giant spider and all its lovely friends that had dropped in on him earlier in the burial ground of Raccoon City. He suddenly thought of the Las Plagas.
He had enough.
He had enough.
Despite his disorientation, Leon began to fight. He delivered a punch straight to the jaw of the man dragging him and the helmet went flying off his face from the uppercut.
"Aggh!"
The hands dropped him and Leon scrambled to get onto his hands and knees, then hopefully, his feet. Unfortunately the pain that suddenly registered from deep within his body sent his overstimulated senses into shutdown. His knees buckled beneath him, blood and viscous fluid trickled down his thighs and Leon felt like he was going to pass out.
"…Gent k'nedy…
He looked at the concrete floor and saw Requiem laying on the cracked asphalt.
"Agent Kennedy…"
Leon blinked in confusion.
That voice.
"Breathe,"
He furrowed his brow, his lip trembling for a split second.
Chris?
"Leon, I'm on the radio."
This didn't make sense.
"H-How…?"
"Baby, you're having a panic attack." His voice came quick and authoritative even with the pet name.
Leon blinked again and was now able to register the armored body that he had pulled tight to his chest with one arm and the way Requiem tremored against the man's temple in his other hand.
What?
"W-What happened…? Grace… Grace she needs…"
"Leon, my squad found you. "
As he looked around, Leon saw guns trained on him but also the familiar gear he recognized worn by The Hound Squad.
But their faces…
"W-What's happening…? I Chris… their faces are melting off…"
He blinked again. Nope. Still the same.
"You're hallucinating, sweetheart. It's going to be okay. Put the gun down."
Leon's hand shook violently as he pursed his lips together tightly. "I-I… don't know if I can do that."
"Leon, listen… you've been pumped full of a hallucinogen for the past three hours. You're not thinking clearly."
Almost as if on cue, Leon felt his throat well up with raw, emotion out of seemingly nowhere. Tears sprang to his eyes as he vaguely remembered how he lost his wedding ring.
His most prized possession…
It was… so important…
And Leon failed at keeping a beautifully simple piece of silver safe.
Just like he couldn't save anyone then all those years ago.
Lieutenant Branagh…
Claire…
He still couldn’t keep Sherry safe, not exactly, she was sick too.
He couldn't save Grace…
In fact, he needed saving.
"I-I lost my ring…" he couldn't stop himself form choking out, his voice came strained and pathetic. "Chris.. I lost…" he couldn't finish as any further use of it would put him into another fit of emotion he wasn't confident wouldn't just explode out of him.
He could hear Umber Eyes talking with Chris through his com but he couldn't focus over the sound of his heartbeat in his ears.
Very carefully he felt a hand, Umber Eyes's hand place itself on his wrist he made a placating gesture with his closed fist. "Here. Mr Kennedy, take it."
Leon hesitantly shifted his restraining hold off of the current in charge of the Hound Squad and held his palm out, the other man dropped his ear piece into his hand trembling hand. With a rough shove, Leon pushed his apparent hostage away from him and dropped to his knees, his quivering fingers lifted the device to situate it into his ear and he kept Requiem held but aimed to the ground.
It was so stupid, he thought, to be this upset over fucking jewelry while his body had just been… fucked… by a BOW that happened to be a plant.
"I-I… lost my ring…" he repeated bitterly.
He heard Chris trying to shush him gently on the phone. "Shh, it's okay, Leon, the ring can be replaced. You can't."
Leon looked at the discoloration on his arm, it was pulsing black and it had spread to his chest and along his ribs on one side. He touched the necrotic skin, staring at it with a look of resignation.
"Y-You're going to have to replace me anyway…" he said in a voice barely above a whisper. "M-My time… it's almost up…"
"Leon, stop, don't talk like tha—"
"I…!" he tried but had to stop as his throat felt tight and his jaw ached. "I'm scared, Chris… I'm… I'm so fucking scared…"
There was a lengthy pause as Chris gave himself a moment to try to compose himself.
"I thought for a long time… that this is what I wanted. That I was ready… but now… now that we have… I'm—"
"You don't need to say anything else, Leon. I know. I'm scared too."
"I-I'm dying…"
"I know, and I know it's selfish of me to keep asking you to psuh yourself. Sweetheart, I've seen what you are capable of. I know you got some fight left. Leon, what is it I say?"
"Never back down… but.. I'm so tired."
"Never what?"
Leon swallowed a slight smile playing on his lips. "Never back down."
"That's right, I love you, Leon."
A dry defeated chuckle bubbled up from his chest. It was soft.. eerie… and with the way the rest of the individuals stared at him, he must have looked like he finally lost his mind.
The absurdity. Of all of this… was…
"Chris…" Leon giggled as he addressed the man on the radio. "I got fucked by a plant.."
The first time he'd said it aloud, a faint amused grin on his lips.
That smile fell immediately after though and Leon felt his stomach doing summersaults accompanied by nausea and anxiety as the actual events that had occurred within the last few hours finally started to register to him.
"I-I got…." He trailed off as he suddenly dry heaved. "I-I'm going to puke…"
And he did.
Most of it was the viscous hallucinogenic substance that he'd been forced fed. Some blood and bile…
His stomach heaved and heaved until there was literally nothing for him to throw up. Still his stomach cramped and he felt his strength leave him as his vision moved and swayed before it toppled onto it's side as his adrenaline crashed and he collapsed in a trembling heap. He put Requiem on the ground and suddenly hands were on him but he was only vaguely aware of being rolled onto his back, propped up by someone else's knees.
Hot. He felt hot all over.
Upon being released by the traumatized DSO agent, Rolando quickly took control of the situation by issuing the rest of the squad at ease. It was not unsurprising to him that the notorious Leon S. Kennedy had some severe triggers of PTSD. Look at what the man has had for a profession. That and Chris had opened up to him a couple times about Leon's intense therapy sessions for alcohol addiction.
A man who was capable of drinking that much? He only drank to ease the pain.
Rolando was very familiar with it.
He gestured for Tundra to come forward, out of all of them, she had the closest thing to triage training.
She came over and knelt so they could ease the poor bastard onto his back. Rolando propped his upper body up slightly with his knees while Tundra began to test the man's reflexes. She was shining a small flashlight into Leon's eyes as he panted dilieriously. Rolando cursed as he could see the blackened flesh on the man's neck slowly beginning to bleed out wards, black tendrils weaving onto previously unmarred skin of his jaw and cheek.
The government agent went still all of the sudden and his eyes seemed to rove around desperately in confusion just before blood came bubbling up from the man's lips, dribbling over his chin and staining his teeth.
"Shit." Tundra cursed to herself.
Not a good sign.
"Agent Kennedy, can you hear me?" She asked as she took Umber's com out of Leon's ear and handed it back to her acting captain.
Leon's eyes flicked to her face, his pupils still heavily dilated from the substances he'd been forced to injest.
She gave him a little shake and the man flinched into semi-awareness just before loud, wet, hacking coughs erupted from the agent's throat as a torrent of blood sprayed out of his lips. Round after round of bile but mostly blood until the man took one more shuddering inhale and he fell unconscious.
"Umber, he's…" She trailed off. "You might want to contact Alpha."
Rolando's jaw tensed. His lips pursing together as he nodded. He gestured for one of the others to switch spots with him. Lobo stepped forward and he turned his attention to Tundra to give her her orders.
"Try to get him comfortable. I'll let Alpha know his status is critical."
He moved away from the group as Lobo and Tundra took to tending whatever wounds for the agent that they could.
Which wasn't much.
His disease was progressing alarmingly.
Sighing, he pressed his com.
"Alpha, do you copy, sir?"
There was static for a second before Captain Redfield's voice came onto the line.
There was a pause on the other end and Rolando looked over his shoulder as he watched Lobo cover the man's body with a blanket from their supplies.
'What is his status?' He could hear the concern in Chris's voice despite his attempts to be professional.
"He's… not good Alpha. We rescued him from a BOW outside the ARK. His injuries are…" he trailed off trying to think. "Internal. That and his affliction has progressed considerably."
Another long pause.
'What does Tundra think?'
"She told me to call you, sir. He's entering critical territory."
'I see.' There was an audible bang on the other end. 'Thank you, Rolando. Send me your coordinates. Do not advance any further until I get there.'
"Yes, Alpha." He replied and cut the com. He fiddled with his settings on his watch before sending their location to Captain Redfield.
He turned back to join Tundra with her patient and visibly shivered when he found her examining the government agent's midsection. His shirt, or the remains of it, hung loosely around his shoulders and she pushed scraps of fabric aside to palpate the man's stomach.
Kennedy was in remarkable shape for a man his age, if Rolando had to be honest. Not the physique you'd think some government lapdog would have. His chiseled abs had faded only the slightest bit, but the muscle tone the man had honestly made himself jealous.
In the lower left side of the agent's stomach there was an obvious distension. The skin pulled taut over something being housed inside, every now and then the mass would wriggle and pulse beneath the heated flesh and Kennedy would grunt or groan as his hips wiggled in obvious discomfort.
Tundra moved her hands down, her fingers feeling and pressing against the mass and uttering a soft apology when the agent's body tensed with a soft cry and he tried to move away instinctively.
"He's been compromised." She muttered her assessment.
"Poor bastard."
"He's running out of time."
"Our orders are to stay here until Alpha arrives. Just do what you can for him until then."
"Here, this should help him. It's a cure."
Chris remembered the young woman's words as he moved through the old BSAA hospital where half of his team had set up camp just outside of the massive Umbrella facility. He had given specific orders once he had arrived on scene earlier to assess Leon's condition.
He was in rough shape or had been.
"Y-You're… fucking late Redfield."
"I know, I'm so sorry."
Leon huffed, looking away as he silently fumes.
Chris knew the younger man was grateful, but he also knew that he was struggling to cope, and he was embarrassed.
"Bad day… huh, sweetheart?"
Leon sneered. "I don't know, you ever been fucked by a weed?"
Chris frowns and rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I have actually. It's called Leon's ego and its about this bi—"
Leon grabbed him by the collar. "You better pray that you don't finish that sentence Chris Redfield!"
With this last threat of Umbrella, Chris hadn't been able to see him long. He was on the other hand, happy about the silver piece of jewelry he got back from that freaky Wesker clone, Zeno.
Rebecca was currently trying to get Leon's body onto the MRI table with the help of Tundra and Night Howl. The man's body was feverish, sweat beaded from all over his body and Chris winced as he got a good look at what the T-Virus Infection had done to his husband's beautiful body. His arms, part of his chest, the side of his face, neck, were all blackened with that diseased skin. It had progressed so fast now.
"Rebecca, wait." Chris instructed quickly as he moved to join Leon's side.
He let his eyes scan Leon's body in full now and winced when he noticed the bulging distension around his husband's abs. The flesh distorted and stretched taut over something foreign packed inside his guts. If Chris looked closely enough he could see how the abnormalities shifted and wriggled inside Leon's stomach.
He was sedated, semi-aware of what was going on around him. When Chris placed a large, tender hand against the side of his face however, Leon leaned into his touch like a dying man.
Leon looked absolutely miserable.
Yet despite this, Leon shot him a drugged out, but genuine little smile, crooked and boyish. His dulling eyes crinkled at the corners.
"Hey, you…" Leon whispered softly and Chris could tell that it took a lot of his strength just to do that.
He was a dying man.
"I got something… hopefully to make you feel better, cross your fingers."
Chris pulled out the vial of Elpis and found Leon's trapezius muscle. He injected the fluid and Leon winced, gritting his teeth. Leon could feel the parasitic plant-like creatures that had been forced inside him react negatively to the Elpis antiviral and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he passed out with a groan.
"Alpha, look." Umber Eyes gestured to the marks on Leon's skin.
They were receeding.
Leon's breath stuttered in his chest after a few seconds and Rebecca was already checking his vitals.
"No.. movement from the parasites…" she trailed off unsure but her tone sounded hopeful. "Might have killed them. Either way, he needs to be operated on to have them removed. Let me get the scans and I can get to work."
Chris nodded, though he was obviously reluctant as he brushed his fingers through Leon's sweaty bangs. He leaned down and placed a kiss to his stubbled jaw.
"I'll be right here, okay? You come back to me."
With that Chris moved to speak with Umber privately.
"Alpha's, with all due respect, this is the third time I have.. seen your husband naked. Is this… going to be a normal reoccurring theme in this—"
"Twice… where was number three?"
"Don't you remember three months ago…?"
Chris frowned.
"No."
He may not have, but Leon apparently did because he muttered softly. I do. I 'member three months ago.
Chris's face flushed with realization and he ruffled Leon's hair just because he could before clearing his throat.
"See to it Miss Ashcroft gets everything she needs. Also, get one of these vials of Elpis to Sherry Birken." He instructed his second-in-command.
"Yes, Alpha."
Leon made a full recovery. Or he would. That's what Chris understood and that's all that matters to him. He just got done talking with Rebecca who had finally got him in a different room recovering post-surgery. The Elpis injection did seem to kill the parasitic spores that Plant 43 had essentially impregnated Leon with. Didn't matter if they could physically take or not, the pods had immediately began to sap Leon's strength and dehydrated him. That was pressumably why the stamens had been forcing that substance down Leon's throat to keep his hydration levels up. Thanks to their sudden death, the spore pods didn't mutate further and burst Leon's intestines. Still the surgery had been a little more taxing on him than they would have liked.
His body was still being affected by some of whatever the hell he'd been forced to injest over the course of a few hours.
Chris heaved a sigh as he stepped into the room. His heart hurt seeing Leon like this. It was never easy before seeing the man get hurt, but now, these days the sight of any bruise or suspicious scratch made Chris want to put a bullet in the head of those who caused it. Even the DSO, especially the DSO… and the BSAA. He pulled up a chair to sit by Leon's bedside. He brushed his dark blonde hair out of his handsome face, taking notice of the nasal cannula wrapped around Leon's head and situated with a piece of medical tape.
"Hey," He carefully reached to take hold of Leon's hand. Letting his thumb slide over his bruised knuckles, Chris spoke to him warmly, apologetic but calm. "I am so sorry, Leon. I should have came myself in the first place… but, I was busy covering some lose ends."
He reached into his breast pocket and retrieved a familiar sterling silver wedding band. They were after all a matching pair.
"Oh, baby, you sounded so sad when you thought you lost it." Chris continued. His own voice cracked for a moment. "I know, things have been difficult with Rose, I knew that you were going to have a hard time. I knew you weren't… ready for that quite yet… but I also know that you understood the reasons for my actions. Fuck, you were already like a dad to Sherry. I know… with our age and… professions… the-"
Chris trailed off when he felt Leon's fingers clench around his hand. He looked up to see two icy eyes shimmering behind a veil of narcotics and long lashes.
"Hey," He greeted him gently offering a warm smile. "You know where you are?"
Leon let out an indignant noise in response.
"Alive… somehow?" His voice came raw and a little hoarse from the breathing tube they'd used on him for surgery.
"That Ashcroft girl, she's… one smart cookie. She figured it all out while I distracted Zeno." He gently took Leon's hand in his own and showed him the ring. After meeting Leon's azure gaze he slipped it back on Leon's hand. Just like he had done so many times before, just like the day they made a promise, a commitment to eachother. "I found this."
When he met Leon's eyes again he was stunned and a bit disturbed to find his husband's weeping eyes. He was biting his lower lip, a nervous habit he picked up after getting sober for the second time.
"Leon?" He frowned as he cupped Leon's cheek reassuringly. "Baby, what's wrong?"
The DSO agent, lifted a trembling hand to place over the top of Chris's as he leaned his face into Chris’s warm palm. Chris could feel the prickly hair of his growing beard.
"These past few years have been so unfair, but… Chris, every time I think about giving up… this ring…" His voice cracked. "This ring makes me remember who to keep fighting for. Even as everything we've done… everything… everyone comes into question. You never gave up on me… on us. I know.. I'm not the easiest guy to deal with."
"You're not. You're the worst. Stubborn jackass."
Leon couldn't help but laugh and immediately winced. "Here I thought I sucked at pep talks."
Chris brought Leon's hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to his scratched knuckles. "I love you, Leon Scott Kennedy. Never, ever forget that."
He was rewarded with one of those genuine charming smiles that Leon was often one of the rarest of sights just before Leon's lips met his sloppily. "Mmn.. love ya'too my big dumb handsome Captain."