They spent their first night huddled together on the side of the highway. Stationed about 30 yards away from the road under a small copse of trees, Claire and Leon each took turns keeping watch as Sherry slept curled between them. Any attempts they had made to try and hitch a ride somewhere, anywhere, were rebuffed as passing vehicles got closer. As frustrating as it was, Claire knew that they looked like they had just walked out of a proverbial apocalypse. If only they knew the half of it.

So when the sun began to dip in the horizon, the decision was made to seek refuge for the night. The trees provided a decent shelter, and at least the grass beneath them was soft on their aching bones. They'd argued briefly over who would take first watch for the night as Sherry snuggled into Claire's jacket. Leon won out. Claire had a feeling that her companion had a bit of a hero complex, but she didn't complain - she was exhausted. Even if the ground wasn't the most comfortable place she'd ever slept, she was out like a light as soon as her head was resting against her arm.

But it wasn't meant to be.

She didn't know how long it was before she was startled awake by something gently shaking her shoulder. She gasped and scrambled up and away from the offender, hands catching on the roots of the tree. When her eyes finally focused, she saw only Leon and the quiet, empty fields behind him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you, but I couldn't," He winced, "I can't-"

She tried to ignore the feeling of her own blood pulsing inside her ears and really looked at him. She'd known that his injury had to have been hurting him, but he'd been in fairly good spirits earlier in the day. Well, as good a spirit as anyone could be. Now though, now he looked ghostly. The moonlight shone brightly on the sweat prickling his forehead.

She nodded in understanding.

"It's okay. Just… Just get some sleep if you can," She held out her hand and Leon passed his gun over to her. He dragged himself to rest against one of the trees, nursing his injured arm against himself. It probably hurt even worse now that the adrenaline running through their bodies had worn off.

Claire set up camp and scanned the road and fields for any movement, lit brightly by the moon unburdened by clouds. What little sleep she managed to get had done little for her frayed nerves, as she found herself jumping at the sound of crickets hiding in the grass. Being alone with her own thoughts for the first time since they had escaped felt incredibly isolating. During the daytime, it was easier to pretend they were just a ragtag group of kids that had gotten into a bit of a scuffle. Maybe they'd taken one of their parent's car for a joyride and rolled it going to fast around a corner - scary, terrifying in the moment, but something they could laugh about in the future. At night, as the wind brushed against her neck and left her covered in goosebumps, there was nothing to stop her mind replaying the events of the night before, flashing before her very eyes.

Leon's face was pained as he moved restlessly against the trunk. He needed to get treated for his injury, and fast. The last thing they needed was for it to get infected, or worse if he became septic.

Sherry, on the other hand, seemed blissfully unaware. Her face was relaxed and portrayed none of the horrors that she had lived through in the last 24 hours. Claire felt a strange mix of relief that she didn't have to deal with a young girls nightmares, and envy that she could sleep so peacefully and undisturbed.

Claire didn't know what they were going to do. She still needed to find her brother, but there was now the more pressing matter of what to do with Sherry. Claire didn't have any other family to call on, and Leon couldn't be much older than she was. There was a bone-chilling fear settling in her gut as she realised she had no idea who she could trust anymore.

And still, the night wore on.

When the sun broke the next day, Claire roused her sleeping companions to continue their journey. Though they had already walked the whole day yesterday, there were few other choices but to keep following the road. Sherry only grumbled slightly, sore and more tired than any child should ever be. Still, she clung to Claire's hand and trudged alongside her. Leon looked slightly better than he had the evening before, if that could even be said. Honestly, being covered in dirt and god knows what else made it harder to tell if it was actually his real complexion that was ashen or not. He'd thanked her profusely in the morning for taking over his watch, but she brushed it off. Of the two of them, he needed the rest more than she did right now.

After the first hour, a speck had been progressively growing in the distance as they continued their trek along the roadside. Sherry pointed it out, wondering aloud what it could be.

"Looks like it could be a gas station," Claire answered, patting down her pockets, "I can already smell chips and Oreos and - shi..vers."

"What's wrong Claire?" Sherry asked.

"I must have lost my wallet somewhere. I don't have any money," She said, watching as Sherry shuffled through the pockets of Claire's jacket only to find a lighter and an empty packet of gum.

Leon cleared his throat from behind her, and she turned to see him swing his own black leather wallet between his fingers. Claire smiled and rolled her eyes at him.

"I guess those fancy pockets were good for something after all," She teased.

"What can I say? I'm always prepared," he said with a smug little smile. "Hopefully there's an ATM and I can get some cash out. I don't know what's gonna happen next but the less they can trace us the better."

The gas station was brightly lit and she could see one of two people moseying around inside. A far cry from the dark, barren station she'd met Leon at barely a day earlier. There was a man filling up his truck at the pump that gave them a suspicious once over but said nothing. Claire was impressed with her ability to walk past as if there was nothing to be seen.

Leon approached the ATM at the wall and pulled out his card to withdraw some cash from his account. He drew the twenties out of the machine and piled them into his wallet, and turned to face them with a small huff. He was looking at the little receipt that contained his bank balance.

"What do you think the chances are I'll get the bond back on my apartment?"

Claire laughed and shook her head, "I think you might be out of luck on that one."

"I didn't even get to see it. Might have been a penthouse for all I know," He sighed.

"More like a shoebox."

"Well I guess I'll never find out now," Leon handed his wallet over to Claire, and she swapped it for her gun holster. "Not sure I would want it now anyway. What with the surprise extra of the undead and all."

"A bottle of champagne would have been a nicer welcome," She agreed as she headed towards the glass doors.

"Both of you, wait outside while I grab some supplies and ask where the closest town is or something," Claire said. Before she got close enough for the automatic doors to open she turned on the spot and asked, "What's your favourite flavor of chips Sherry?"

"Oh, ummm! Salt and Vinegar," Sherry jumped on the spot.

"Salt and Vinegar! That's the worst!," Leon exclaimed.

"Salt and Vinegar it is then!" She called over her shoulder. Sherry crowed in triumph.

Claire cruised through the aisles of the small mini-mart, picking up a packet of salt and vinegar chips (and a packet of original, she wasn't that mean), a roll of oreos and three bottles of water for the road. In the small medical aisle she found the basics she would need to help patch Leon up, grabbing bandages and disinfectant. As she headed towards the cashier, the cheap clothing racks caught the corner of her eye. The shirts were tacky with pictures of cartoon Raccoons on them, but they were cleaner than what they were wearing now. Now that she thought about it, they would be needing new clothes if they were going to be trying to travel without suspicion.

She sighed. These would have to do for now.

A few packets of emergency undies later, and everything else bundled in her arms, she headed to the counter and dropped it all on it. The man working behind the desk barely spared her a glance as he began to scan things through. It must have been a long day for him as well.

"You need anything else?"

"Yeah, actually," Claire shuffled from foot to foot, "How far to the next town? I was in a bit of an accident and totalled my car, so I'm gonna have to walk."

"Jesus, you alright Ma'am?" The man asked, concerned.

"Yeah! Just a little banged up but nothing a good shower and a packet of Oreos can't fix," She grinned and waved said packet of cookies at the man.

"Well, it's another 4 miles down the road, so you've still got about an hour's walk ahead of ya," He answered, slowly handing over the plastic bag of goodies. "You sure you don't want to call someone? There's a payphone just outside, maybe someone can come pick you up?"

"No, it's okay! My boyfriend's with me, we were taking a bit of a road trip, so we don't really any family or friends nearby," Claire was surprised how easily the lies slipped off her tongue.

The cashier still seemed a little concerned, but hearing she wasn't alone seemed to calm him down.

"Could I also borrow the key to the restroom? I'd like to freshen up a bit."

The man passed the key over without question, and Claire hooked it over her finger as she exited the mini-mart. Holding the plastic bag full of goodies in her other hand, she found Leon and Sherry hanging out around the corner, where it looked like she was trying to teach him a hand clapping game. She jingled the keys above her head and exclaimed, "Alright, who needs to pee? Cuz I'm busting!"

Sherry laughed and Leon shook his head in amusement. Claire obliged Sherry and let her use the restroom first, but not before she scoped out the dingy little toilet out herself to make sure it was safe. When Sherry was done, Leon nudged Claire gently.

"You did say you were busting," he smirked.

Claire used the toilet as quickly and cleanly as possible. Frankly, it would be a little disappointing to survive hell only to be felled by some disease she picked up in a dirty old restroom. When she was done Claire gave herself a rough clean over the sink, scrubbing her arms over with the hand soap and wiping her face over with the paper towel. A quick inspection of herself in the mirror showed that she looked a little more presentable, and she was lucky her black tank top concealed more than it revealed.

She slapped her cheeks lightly and pouted at herself, "Bright and cheery Claire, no need to look like you've just been to hell and back."

She exited the restroom and held the door open for Leon, "You're up."

As Leon took his turn, Claire pulled out the t-shirt in her and Sherry's sizes. She passed the smaller one to the younger girl and told her to get changed into it. Claire quickly shucked her tank top and pulled the clean shirt on with a cringe. Survival before style, she reminded herself.

"What are you wearing?" Leon questioned as he exited the restroom and wiped his hands down his pants.

Looking down at the stupid little raccoon, Claire grinned, "Don't worry, I got one for you as well. Didn't want you to feel left out."

She helped Leon to remove his kevlar vest, and began to unbutton his uniform.

"Well, if I'd known I was submitting to a strip search…" Leon mumbled, and Claire looked up to see a cheeky little smile on his face. Claire huffed and pushed the shirt into his chest.

"In your dreams, rookie."

When she went to return the key, the cashier noticed her change in attire and called out to her, "I hope you weren't heading to Raccoon City!"

Claire froze, "Why's that?"

"Dunno, something about a viral outbreak or something. They've got a message playing on the radio telling people to delay their travel plans. Everyone must be getting pretty sick there, maybe it's the measles or something."

So it was on the news. "I guess it's a good thing we are heading in the opposite direction then!" She said jovially and thanked him one more time for his help.

"You take care of yourself, ma'am!"

Claire walked out of the service station once more and beckoned her head towards Leon and Sherry. Though they were tired and sore, there was little else to do than to keep on walking.

"It shouldn't be too long, about another hour or so before we get to the next town," Claire said as she uncapped a water bottle and guzzled it down.

As they continued to head off down the road, Claire tossed a bag of salt and vinegar chips at Sherry. The younger girl caught it and opened it up with enthusiasm. For Leon, she offered up his pack with a little less vigour, and he nodded his head at her.

"Y'know, I almost can't feel my blisters anymore."

The town had a McDonald's, and if there was one place that the workers would have seen the weirdest shit happen and never comment on it, it was gonna be there. As they loitered a few feet from the register, contemplating the menu, there were a few raised eyebrows but the overtired teenagers running the place couldn't have honestly cared less.

The boy behind the cash register wrinkled his nose as Leon approached to order. Claire and Sherry went to grab a seat at one of the booths, and it was no time at all before Leon returned with their orders.

"A big Mac for me, quarter-pounder for Claire, and a happy meal with nuggets for Sherry," he said as he set the tray down.

The half cold, slightly soggy fries had never tasted so good before.

Sherry seemed to be enjoying herself as she liberally dunked each nugget in sweet'n'sour sauce, but her ever curious mind wasn't quiet for long.

"Leon, How did you get hurt? Was it one of the bad policemen?" Sherry asked in a whisper, and Claire thought back on her encounter with the despicable Chief Irons.

"Ah, no. It wasn't. It was actually… one of the scientists, that I came across down in the lab," He said, and the quick glance he sent Claire's way told her everything he didn't want to say.

Annette Birkin.

"That's horrible! Why would they want to hurt you?" Sherry gasped, her food forgotten.

"Well, I don't think they did want to. They were shooting at someone else, another survivor. I stepped in the way and took the bullet," He said.

"Another survivor?," Claire asked. She wondered what happened to them, already fearing the worst.

"Yeah. Her name was Ada… at least that's what she told me. She said she was with the FBI, but it turned out to be a lie. I shouldn't have trusted her, the scientist was right."

"Where is she now?"

"She… didn't make it."

"Oh, I'm sorry Leon," Sherry wailed, and she clambered out of her seat to round the table and hug him. Claire guessed there was more to the story, that Leon was telling the abridged version to stop Sherry from getting too upset.

When they finished up their meals, it was decided that the next stop would be at the thrift shop they had passed on the main street before finally heading to the town's motel.

As it turned out, the thrift shop was about as barebones as Claire expected it to be. She scoured through the racks for something moderately stylish, then downgraded her optimism to find something that would at least fit. She grabbed a couple of plain t-shirts and a pair of denim shorts that looked like they would fit fine if she wore a belt. She found Sherry playing dress up with the old scarves and hats and helped her pick some things out.

The three bundled their new clothes onto the counter, and the friendly old lady scanned everything through.

"You kids look like you've had a rough time of it," She said.

Already practiced from her interaction with the gas station worker, Claire wrapped her arm around Leon's waist and smiled at the woman in a self-deprecating way. "My boyfriend here thought a road trip would be a nice little getaway for us until we… hit a deer and totalled the car. We've been walking all night."

Claire ignored the way Leon stared at her. The lady smiled in sympathy and nodded her head, "Oh my, how terrible. If you're looking for a place to stay for the night there's a motel down the way."

"That's the plan. Then tomorrow we might see about getting our suitcases back," She lied.

Claire wondered when she had gotten so good at it. Then she felt Leon's arm come up around her shoulders and his thumb rub against her collarbone. She wondered if she wasn't the only liar here.

Claire unlocked the door to the motel room and flipped the light on. It was sparsely furnished, two double beds covered in those weird multicolor comforters that hid more stains than she wanted to think about, and a small tv on a set of drawers. At the far end there was a small alcove that probably lead into the bathroom.

"Home sweet home," Claire waved them in with a flourish. Sherry, ever the enthusiast, pranced in and jumped on the first bed. The springs creaked under her slight weight, and she flipped over to spread eagle herself out across the sheets.

"This is great, like a road trip!" She exclaimed.

Claire laughed and shook her head, "Well, I'm glad you like it. Why don't you freshen up a bit? Then you can get out of those stinky clothes and change into your new ones."

Sherry agreed brightly and rolled off the bed. Claire turned around to see Leon leaning against the door frame, his arm cradled gingerly against his torso. She took his free hand and ushered him further into the room.

"I think we need to get you to a hospital," She said.

Leon sighed and shook his head, "I can't. When they realise that I've been shot they're going to report it. The police are going to start asking questions, and if they found out we survived Raccoon City… We're trying to avoid suspicion, right?"

"I don't know how to treat a gunshot wound," She admitted with concern.

"To be honest, neither do I," He shrugged, "But we can't mess it up that badly right? I mean, I could lose an arm…"

Claire punched him in the arm. The good one, she wasn't that mean.

"Hey-hey! Don't abuse the injured," He laughed.

"Fine. You get a free pass, for now," She said as she pointed a finger at him and sat down on the bed.

It took her less time than Sherry to fall back onto the mattress in a heap. She moaned in relief.

"I think I wanna sleep for a hundred years," She said. The ceiling above then was starting to chip.

"No one would blame you if you did."

"And I wouldn't have to tell anyone else some bullshit story about a car crash instead of telling them we survived the zombie apocalypse."

"That would also be a bonus to sleeping for a hundred years," Leon said as he said down next to her, "But I think the motel owners might come to check if you're still alive eventually."

"Shame."

Claire sat back up and turned her body towards him.

"Do you want help redressing your wound?" She asked as she pulled his sleeve up to look at the bandages. They were already stained a dark, deep red, but it was hard to tell if the wound was still bleeding.

"Nah, I'll be fine. You can have your shower first anyway. Pretty girl like you has no right to be smelling like a sewer."

"Always a gentleman," Claire teased. When Sherry came out, squeaky clean and hair dripping, Claire needed no prompting to move. She could already feel nirvana calling.

Naked and vulnerable, Claire looked at her reflection in the mirror. The ghost of the bright, bubbly girl she knew only a week before.

Claire almost cried as she felt the hot water rush over her head. She choked and shuddered as her fingers snagged in God knows what that caked her hair. Her hands trembled before her as she swept across every cut and scratch she found, her breath frozen in her chest before she ascertained that it wasn't a bite wound. She washed away the grime and sludge from the past 48 hours, and felt like maybe, just maybe, she could watch the memories and the agonising fear swirl down the drain with it. Maybe that bubbly girl was still there, just hidden away under the surface.

Claire was sure she would have stayed in the shower for ages if she didn't want to waste hot water.

Once she had dried off she pulled a plain, black t-shirt over her head and looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied that it covered everything it needed to. The underwear she had bought at the gas station had been a standard boyshort cut. Good enough for sleep.

When Claire came out of the bathroom, Leon and Sherry were watching some cartoons they had found on the tv. Claire came over to them and on the opposite side of Sherry.

"The shower is all yours," she gestured to the bathroom, and Leon stood to take up the offer.

It wasn't long before Sherry had fallen fast asleep, snuggled under the comforter. Claire stroked her blonde hair off her forehead, amazed at the amount of resilience one little girl could have. Claire lowered the volume down on the tv so it only made a little bit of background noise. Silence still sounded deafening to her, and the sound of her own breathing rattling through her chest still made her tense up.

After the shower turned off, Claire could hear Leon rattling around inside the bathroom. The bangs and bumps coming from inside made Claire walk to the door, and she could almost feel the frustration Leon was radiating through the wall.

"Leon? You okay?" She asked at the door, knuckles brushing against the doorknob.

"I'm fine, I just can't - agh, dammit!"

Claire pressed the door open a crack, and asked quietly once more, "Are you sure you're okay? Can I come in?" She heard his exasperated sigh in response and could picture him hanging his head in defeat. The seconds pressed on before finally he replied in the affirmative.

His soiled bandages had dropped to the ground by his feet, and the little amount of bench space was covered in the gauze and bandages that they had picked up earlier. Leon had braced himself against the vanity, head turned downward and a wad of cotton balls gripped in his fist. She wondered if he was watching the water drip from the ends of his hair into the sink.

He had wrapped the towel around his waist, leaving his torso bare. Leon was undeniably handsome, she couldn't argue with that. He was fit too, his smooth skin mapped over the divots and curves of his muscles. He had the sparsest patch of blond hair between his pectorals and again, Claire saw after a guilty glance, below his navel.

Claire didn't know why it affected her so. She'd seen her brother shirtless plenty of times, had grown up around football jocks who paraded around like they were gods gift to women. The anatomy of a well muscled man was not new to her.

Nevertheless, the traitorous butterflies in her stomach also seemed to want to egg her on to reach out and touch him.

"I can't get the back of my shoulder," he said dismally, as if his injury was some kind of failure.

"Here, let me help," Claire reached for the white flannel by the basin and soaked it under the tap. She gently wiped at the dirt and grime on his shoulder, following along the curve of his shoulder blade. The speckled mix of sweat and sludge lifted from his pale skin. She was careful to avoid upsetting his wound. Both the entry and exit wounds were clean and had dried and crusted over, but the surrounding skin warm and starting to redden. She held the damp cloth gently over the wound to soften it up slightly before she reached for the antiseptic. Pouring it liberally onto the handcloth, she told him it might sting as she pressed it down into the wound. She felt his muscles tense in reaction, but he made no sound.

"You need to be careful. If this gets infected you won't have a choice but to get to a hospital,"

She looked over his shoulder, saw his piercing blue eyes staring back at her through the reflection. Her breath shuddered out of her mouth.

She was nervous. Why did she feel so nervous?

"Turn? So I can get the front?" She asked, and hoped he couldn't hear her voice tremor.

He turned to face her, and suddenly Claire felt like she was far too close to stay impartial. Still, she gripped the towel and repeated the process, cleaning at the wound. Sufficiently clean and disinfected, her hand trailed away from his shoulder, tracing the cloth over the shadows of his collarbone, then further down.

Stop it.

Claire picked up the gauze and bandages, and began to wrap his shoulder in the clean material. Being mad at herself and her shameful thoughts made for efficient wrapping. She tucked the end back in to keep the bandages secure.

She was just attached because he saved his life, that's all. If she could ignore the warm fuzzies in her tummy then they would fade eventually, and then she could forget all about this stupid, stupid crush.

"Claire,"

Coaxed by his voice, she tilted her head back up to look him in the eyes. Surprisingly, his own seemed to be scoping out her own face, almost like he was going to…

"Claire, can I…" He started again, hushed. His head lowered towards hers, and their noses bumped together.

"Leon?"

Leon's forehead brushed against her own, soft and uncertain as his eyes looked back and forth between her own. She could feel his breath against her lips, and her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation. She could feel a phantom pressure when he was about to close the gap when-

"Claaaire…?"

The spell was broken, and Claire took a step back. Sherry.

"Claire, where are you…?"

Claire turned her head away, took another step back and bumped her hip into the vanity. A quick sideways glance told her Leon was feeling just as awkward as she did, if his growing blush was any indication.

"I need to go," She mumbled, and quickly left the bathroom. Sherry was sitting up in the bed, her face stricken with fear.

"Oh honey, I was just helping Leon dress his wound. I'm not going anywhere, you know that," Claire said as she came to sit beside her. Sherry wound her arms around her neck and clung to her.

"I woke up and no one was around, and I was scared I was back in the lab…" Sherry mumbled into Claire's neck. Leon walked around the corner, dressed for bed and only a trace of pink across his cheeks.

Sometimes, just sometimes, crushes could go two ways.

The next day they found themselves a ride. One of the town's local's was selling off his truck for an upgrade, and with a price inside Leon's budget they had packed up into the vehicle and continued to put distance between them and Raccoon City.

On the third day they were sitting in yet another motel when the news came. The city would be bombed, containing the outbreak and wiping the place from existence. Residents of the surrounding areas were given 24 hours to evacuate to avoid the fallout. Claire tried to soften the blow for Sherry, but for all her resilience the cracks were starting to show. Raccoon City was the only home she had ever known. That night, Leon and Claire sat out on the balcony, watching the street light flicker in the distance.

"I just- I can't believe it," Claire whispered. She sat forward and rested her elbows on her knees, "It feels like a one big, bad dream."

Leon didn't reply, only looked down the neck of the bottle of beer he'd been nursing for the last hour.

"Leon, what really happened to the woman that helped you?"

"Ada?" Leon pursed his lips and looked at the door behind them. It was silent inside, but Sherry had barely said a word since they had heard the news, "It was Annette. Who shot me. She knew Ada was just a mercenary paid to get her hands on the G-Virus. So it could be sold to the highest bidder, and used again."

Ada sounded like a horrible woman, but Claire kept her opinion to herself. She allowed Leon to tell his story, of how he held onto her hand and tried to save her as the bridge collapsed. How he couldn't, and she fell before his very eyes. She watched as his free hand pressed up against his healing wound, fingers clenched.

He looked so sad and guilty.

Claire reached out and took his hand away from his shoulder, grasped it in her own. With a squeeze, she could his eyes with her own and said earnestly, "Her death wasn't your fault Leon. You did all you could, there was no guarantee any of us were going to make it out alive."

"You're wrong. We made a promise to make it out, and we kept it," Leon said and squeezed her hand back.

They sat outside well into the night, their hands joined between them. When Leon finally finished his warm beer, he stood and began to lead her back inside the room.

In the morning they were on the road again, putting as many miles between themselves and that godforsaken city.

If she was being completely and totally honest with herself, she should have seen it coming. Three more towns and a general direction to get to Chicago - Leon's parents lived there, and as he pointed out, it would probably be nice to let them know he was alive. It would be safe there for a little while, until they figured out what their next steps would be while Claire could try and find any way to contact her brother, or his colleagues.

Somewhere in Iowa, in a little town unironically surrounded by corn fields, Claire had the genius idea to have a pizza party in their motel room. Leon went to pick up the pizzas from the Pizza Hut down the road, while Claire and Sherry picked the movie to watch from the collection of VHS tapes the motel had in the lobby.

They bundled up together on one of the beds, the pizza boxes spread over the comforter and a Disney movie playing on the tv. Sherry ate far more pizza than Claire thought possible, and she flopped over Claire's lap in a food coma. Claire herself ended up resting against Leon's shoulder before his arm came up around her. Like they were a little family, and after years of it just being Claire and Chris, it felt a lot nicer than she expected.

She must have dozed off herself, for when she woke she was resting against a pillow and Leon was stacking up the pizza boxes by the trash can. The movie had long since finished, and Sherry was snoring gently beside her. Claire got up carefully so as not to rouse Sherry.

"Hey, you can go back to sleep," Leon hushed when he noticed her up, "I've got everything."

"I still need to redress your wound," She yawned, and beckoned him to the bathroom.

As Claire pulled out their supplies once more and set them up, she watched his muscles ripple when he pulled his shirt over his head. Claire blamed her distractedness on the late hour and her persistent exhaustion, but really she was just a teenage girl. She'd gotten to know his torso quite well over the last week, had practically memorised it as she cared for his wounds each night.

She peeled back the gauze to inspect the hole. It was healing nicely, no longer red and it hadn't bled in two days. Without stitches he was going to be left with a nasty scar, but Claire felt proud that they had managed to avoid a potential disaster in the making. She went through the motions of cleaning and redressing him, and ignored the feeling of his stare boring a hole into her forehead.

"It's healing really well. In a couple more days you can probably leave it unbandaged," She said as she turned and busied herself with aimlessly cleaning up the supplies. Leon said nothing, and the silence was starting to unnerve her.

Leon's hand came up and pressed into her shoulder and she spun on the spot to ask him what was up, only he was far closer than she expected. Her eyes widened as his hands cradled her face and he moved in with determination.

His lips pressed gently against her own, a little rough and dry. Her hands floundered at her side for a second, before she brought them up to his shoulders and some kind of instinct told her to tilt her head to the side for a better angle. Her eyes fluttered shut at the feeling, but it was over before it began. When they separated, he caught her bottom lip and pulled just slightly and oh.

This was nice.

She opened her eyes to find his searching her own, asking her silently if this was okay. She nodded minutely, more like a twitch, before he pressed back for more. Just a little more pressure, a little more demanding than the first. It was headier, and when she felt his tongue peek out between his lips she almost whimpered. Leon's hands came up to curl around her scalp, his fingers tangling in her hair. He moved forward and crowded her into the bathroom cabinets, her hips bumped into the edge and electricity jumped up her spine like a live wire.

Her other hand, which had been curled into a loose fist against his chest, move around to feel the ridges of his spine, travelling lower to his waist. Mapping the muscles she had admired for days. Down, down, until she felt the edge of his jeans against her fingers. Claire jerked her head backwards, breaking the kiss but unable to move far. She felt her cheeks heat up as she looked up at Leon's confused face.

"Is this - Am I - Is it too much?" Leon stuttered out, and he tried to take a step away from her. Claire's hand clenched against his back.

She shook her head, frantic. "No! I just realised that- What about Sherry?"

Leon flushed red as if he only seemed to recall that they were making out in a motel bathroom with a young girl sleeping in the room over.

"She's eaten so many carbs she'll be out for hours," He said, but Claire wasn't sure who he was trying to convince.

"Are we bad parents?" She asked, and the question brought a smile to his face.

"Maybe," He whispered as he moved back into her space, and his next words were said against her lips, "But I think we're still better than what she had before."

Leon's hands were warm against her waist, gripping her through the material of her shirt. His chest was warm under her fingers too, and as she explored his skin she felt his pulse thrumming in his neck. When she sucked on his tongue and he moaned, she thought his mouth was pretty hot too.

Her back had started to ache from being pressed into a sharp corner, so Claire jumped up onto the counter, precariously balanced so her butt wouldn't fall into the sink. After a moment's hesitation she grasped the ends of her shirt and pulled it over her head, leaving her in her shorts and a soft sports bra. She felt nervous and unsure, but something about the way Leon's hands cautiously reached out to feel the skin of her waist made her feel safe, because she knew he was just as nervous as her.

Leon buried his head against her neck, his hot breath spilling over her skin. His mouth opened and sucked, wet, against her neck, sending shivers down her spine and creating a warmth that pooled in her centre. She spread her legs and Leon moved into the cradle of her thighs, and as he unconsciously ground his hips into hers she could feel he wasn't completely unaffected either. Her legs clenched around his hips in reaction to the feeling.

"Wait, wait. I'm not on anything," Claire gasped out, holding onto the last thread of her brain that wasn't in an endless cycle of more, more, more. Leon pulled back, looking like he had no idea why she was talking or what she was talking about. He blinked repeatedly before the fuzzy look finally dissipated, and his blue eyes widened with comprehension.

"Did you, want to?" He asked, panting. It was distracting in the best kind of way.

"I… guess? I've never, y'know," She replied. God, this felt way more embarrassing than it went in the movies, "But it doesn't matter. I don't wanna risk it."

Leon stepped back, and Claire reluctantly unwrapped her legs from his waist. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, shuffled through the sleeves for something. Claire almost made a snarky comment about paying her for her services when she saw him pull a foil wrapper out between his fingers.

"I'll never underestimate your preparedness for any situation ever again," Claire said, stumped. He laughed under his breath and shrugged.

"Claire, are you sure? We don't have to do anything if you don't want to."

Claire wondered if this was rushed. Probably. With her basic understanding of high school chemistry she knew about endorphins and oxytocin and some other stuff that she would probably recall if her brain wasn't already addled with it. Maybe it was Raccoon City, or surviving the last week with him that made her feel so attached to Leon right now. Whatever it was, it felt right.

"After everything we've been through, there's no one else I'd want to do it with," Trying to lighten the mood she smiled as she joke, "Why, do you have some kinda venereal disease you're hiding from me?"

"No! I mean, I've never really gotten that far either," Leon said, crowding back into the space between her hips, "I got close once though. Then she broke up with me. I don't really want to think about what that implies though."

Claire giggled and ran her hands up and down his chest, feeling his body hair catch between the gaps in her fingers, "Well, you've impressed me so far, Officer Kennedy."

He placed the condom on the bench beside her, and it was quickly forgotten they went back to kissing. It was easy and uncomplicated, and it didn't take long for Leon to reignite the embers in her belly.

Her bra was the next piece of clothing that was lost, and Leon was more than happy to cover her breasts from the slight chill in the air. His kisses against her chest left her covered in goosebumps, and as he tentatively teased one her nipples with his teeth she shivered.

"Is this okay?" He asked, his blue eyes looking up at her. Claire swallowed air and nodded vigorously. Leon smiled, flushed, and Claire wondered how she'd managed to find a man this beautiful and real to lose her virginity to. She unbuttoned his jeans and dragged down the zipper, could feel his breathing racing as she passed her fingers through the gap to feel his hardness.

She hooked her fingers under the band of his boxers and pulled it back. She looked down at his cock, turned her head to the side. It was hard, she thought dumbly. Flushed pink and with dark blond hair at the base, it looked impressive and a little daunting as it stood proud. When she reached out to touch it, it twitched in her palm like it had a mind of its own. Hot and unbearably soft, she gave him an experimental stroke.

This was Leon's dick, she thought. She wondered if he'd like for her to remove her shorts and undies too, it felt like a reasonable exchange. He must have had the same idea as she felt his knuckles dig into her hips, and she lifted them up so he could drag them down.

"Yours come off too," She said, and brought her foot up to the waist of his jeans. She was trying to be sexy about it, but she felt more awkward as her knee bumped his elbow and he laughed nervously.

With both of them naked, Claire took stock of the situation. Was she crazy for doing this? Yes. But Leon was too, and that was okay.

He picked up the foil packet and teared it open, fumbled with the ring of rubber. Claire took it from his hands and pulled him in with her legs around his hips.

The condom finally in place, Claire gave him a few strokes before she beckoned him closer. His hands ran up and down her spine for a moment between breathy kisses, and he asked, "If you've never been with a guy, where'd you learn to do that?"

"College dormitories and a banana," She laughed. Her hand trembled slightly as she brought his cock to her, the tip bumping up against her clit and sending a jolt of electricity through her.

"You ready?"

"Are you?" She smiled, and he smiled back. Her heart beat warmly in her chest just at the sight of it.

It was a little uncomfortable and as he slid further in it felt like her skin was being pinched, but when he bottomed out the intense pressure eased to something a bit more pleasant. It wasn't exactly pleasurable, but it wasn't bad either. As she contemplated these feelings, she felt more than heard Leon humming into her shoulder.

"Good?"

"Too good."

Leon started a slow rhythm, withdrawing to the point he almost slipped out completely, before gliding forward again. She was already slick with pleasure, and while it felt nice it wasn't really doing it for her like it was for him. Still, it was nice to watch his chest flush red, to see his the curve of his jaw clench as he ground his teeth together.

"Hey, back up a bit," She whispered, creeping her hand down to where they were joined. She thought, maybe if she played with herself it would help her along. Her fingers strummed at her clit and oh! She had to bite her lip to keep herself quiet.

Leon, ever the quick study, noticed her reaction and bumped her hand out of the way to take over. His thumb worked circles around her clit and that was even better.

"That! Keep doing that!" She breathed in his ear, catching the lobe and sucking on it. Her hands gripped the muscles in his back and she could feel them clench and release as he rocked into her. She hitched her legs as high as she could herself and tightened them around his waist, and Leon's breathy moans in her ear became more frequent.

Suddenly, he bucked hard into her, almost pushing her into the sink. His teeth sank into the meat of her shoulder to stifle his moan. Realising he had just finished, Claire curled herself around him affectionately and brushed her hands over his sweat slicked body. That was, until his thumb still pressed against her, began stroke her in tight circles once more. With her body already thrumming on the edge, combined with Leon's occasional twitch inside her, it didn't take long for her to reach her peak as well. She whispered his name and he answered in kind, lifting to head to kiss her sensually. She wondered if he could feel her body convulsing around his cock, and if it felt good even after he had came.

He removed the condom and threw it in the bin, covering it up with toilet paper lest Sherry find it. Claire felt guilty enough knowing she was sleeping just behind the wall, she didn't need to go answering any awkward questions too.

"I'm glad it was you Leon. Not just this but in Raccoon City too. You saved me," She whispered, and hugged him close. Her head and heart felt heavy with the warm fuzzies again, and Claire wondered if she would ever want to let him go.

Leon kissed her forehead, wrapped himself around her, "We saved each other Claire. We will always be in this together. Remember that."

When Claire woke up the next morning, she watched the sunlight glow through the gaps in the curtains. Leon's arm was resting over her waist, his hand pressed underneath her shirt. She smiled to herself- never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she'd lose her virginity in a dingy motel bathroom.

She didn't know where they were heading or what was going to happen next, and maybe sleeping with a man who she had only known for a week wasn't the best idea she'd ever had. But he was kind, and strong, and she knew he would be there with a hand to hold onto.

Come what may.

Hope you enjoyed this little adventure! It's been up on AO3 for a little while but I figured I'd post it over here as well. I cleaned up the grammar a little too because I never bothered to proofread the first time, whoops.