Hey there, guys! It's me, Daitsu, and with a new one-shot story. As some of you probably already know, one-shots help me concentrate. BUT! This is not my usual C x J or something like that, not in the least. I decided to do something... Unusual. Not quite ordinary. A-and... To the point. It's a Krauser x Manuela. Kinda.

I am not nuts. At least I don't think so. I just want to try and write something... Interesting. Challenging, you know? Just to prove myself that I can write something besides C x J. My one-shots don;t always get much reviews, the only oneshot that was... Popular, you could say, was TThe falling ceiling, it got 12 reviews. My other only story that got more than 10 reviews is Resident Evil: The Weskertine Chronicles, which actually got into a community somehow (I never thought someone would like it so much really... Although it's pretty pleasing...) and already three people asked me to continue. I surely will continue it, maybe sooner then I even think... Who knows, who knows... I only know that I will continue I guess.

So, to the point - this is a Krauser x Manuela fic, if you're against it, click the button "Go back" right in the left side of your Mozilla Firefox, Opera or Internet Explorer browser.

Well, that was a way too long Authors Note. You can just skip it if you don't want to read it, it's just like a tradition. Kinda... *sweatdrops*.

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil, Jack Krauser or Manuela in any way, and I'm totally not making money by writing this one-shot... (yawns). Here you go, they're owned by Capcom and bla, and bla, and bla... And Shinji Mikami of course, I hope I wrote his name right, or angry fans would kill me... *Grabs a pan... Just in case*.

Summary: Leon and Krauser were both soldiers, but Leon was Light and Krauser was Dark. And as much as this darkness scared her, she knew - it attracted her so much more than light.

In the fairytales her mother read her when she was little, there always were good guys that saved the world and bad guys that were openly mean, nasty and always tried to spoil everything. In the fairytales good guys always beat the bad ones and restored the peace that had been broken by the evil ones.

In fairytales, good guys often fought with swords and bad guys used their diabolical arts. It always surprised her how they still couldn't win even if they mastered such powers; the good guys were much more weak in her opinion. When she asked her mother about that once, she just smiled and told that true power lied not in a weapon, but in a heart of a person. It doesn't matter who wins; all that matters is where to the fighter is looking - to the darkside, or the sun.

In fairytales, princesses fell only for the good guys and the bad ones tried to steal the beauties and make them marry them; the good guys, however, came to the rescue, saving the girls, and the bad guys were left all alone and unhappy. Manuela pitied bad guys more then the captured girls; in her opinion, they all were somewhat awfully clingy and helpless. They also had tendencies to lose their shoes or climb down their long hair, or eat poisoned apples... The lst was endless. In Manuela's opinion, princesses and good guys were somewhat both stupid, and the only ones who were smart were the bad guys. They used magic and knew so much more, and their world didn't concentrate on battles with ferocious monsters and dancing with the ladies at the parties.

Until her great escape from her father's house, she'd never met a lot of people. After her mother passed away when she still was little she didn't have full contact with the world since then. The only person who cared about her was her father, and with his wife's death he became less talkative and more gloomy; it was until he finally lost it, when he wanted to keep her alive still, even after he knew about the disease... Maybe he didn't want to lose this connection to his dead wife - the only connection that was Manuela, because she was so much alike her when she was young. Manuela didn't want to die, that was true, but knowing that people, more importantly innocent girls would suffer because of her... The thought was unbearable for her heart.

Leon and Krauser were the first people she met in years; personally, she liked Leon more when she laid her eyes upon him. He seemed like a cheerful young man, and his green military cap only completed the whole picture of naivety and cuteness that she thought he was.

He was friendly and all with her, and she would've believed this image he possessed if she hadn't looked him in the eyes. In all those years she lived alone, seldom visited by her father who was deep into his T-Veronica research, she may have become just like an animal that feared the unknown, but as an animal she became more sensitive. And as she looked him in the eyes, she saw that the "light" boy had dark past and some demons of his own that were hunting him at nights, she believed. Shadows of the past followed them for already long time, she sensed, because his eyes constantly had that serious glint in them; although his friendly and warm attitude nearly fooled her.

She could see right through Leon's heart, and she knew - although it was still radiating cheerfulness and joy, someday it would be overtaken by darkness. And therefore Leon scared her much more than Krauser.

He was the Dark the second she met him; she felt it, she knew this. He had this aura around himself, and there was nothing good about it in the least. There was nothing good, but she couldn't help herself watch him. Watch his every move, question his motives, question his meaning of life.

He and Leon were both professionals. Both understood each other perfectly, and she could see it - they both were pretty much alike. Maybe that darkness within Leon was somehow mysteriously connected with Krauser's own darkness, and through this connection they supported each other. She guessed that Krauser, although Dark, was still hesitant - this light in Leon made him think, and his darkness, on the contrary, found it's way into Leon. They were like communicating vessels - sharing this Light and Dark within themselves, even not knowing about it.

Unlike Leon, Krauser wasn't trying to be gentle, to be friends - far from it, exactly. She knew he watched her - her every more, not believing her one bit. He tried to seem indifferent, but she knew - he didn't trust her.

She didn't know why though - she didn't do anything suspicious. Maybe it was because of all those minsters lurking around them. The way Leon dealt with them made her believe he'd dealt with them before - by the look in his eyes, the way he held a pistol, the way he avoided the creatures - everything.

Watching Krauser, on the other hand, was different. He never before encountered something like that - but he didn't panic. At least she couldn't feel his fear, and that's what amazed her to no end. Comparing to Leon, he was a rookie when it came to handling BOW's, but he didn't seem to be bothered by that in the least. The realization that came to her was a result of her watching - the air of superiority around him had such force that she was surprised Leon wasn't scared with it.

What interested her most was her fear. Not her fear of the ferocious monsters - she knew how to deal with them, after all - it was her fear of him. She feared him, feared looking in his eyes, and her fear of being attracted to him.

Sometimes animals are really attracted to something - or someone - they're scared of. When first animals millions years ago saw fire, they became nervous and ran as far as they could from it - but not too far because warmth attracted them, made them curious about it. The same situation was here - only Krauser hardly could be called "warm".

She was persistent to get through his image of a hardened soldier - she wanted to see real him, to see how he really was. She knew she couldn't heal him from the darkness that already claimed him as it's own - and she didn't want to, even if she could. She guessed this darkness within Krauser was helping him somehow, helping him reach his goal - whatever it was.

He, on the other hand didn't want Leon - or her for that matter - get to him, discover him. Maybe it is his true self, maybe he's not hiding anything, Manuela thought, sitting by the fire and watching him through it's wavery orange flames. Watched his every move, watched how he caught a snake with his blade and started literally frying it; Krauser didn't disgust her even after doing something like that.

Right for the moment their goal was mere survival, and she knew that being picky about food was certainly not the time.

"Hey, kid, you okay?" - she looked up at Krauser, who was standing now near her, holding a roasted snake. She didn't know if the snake was poisonous - and she certainly wasn't interested in founding it out - but she hoped it was at least edible. She glanced to where Leon was sitting a few minutes ago - it appeared he went off to find some fruits for them. It was South America and it was summer, so he'd most certainly be lucky, thought Manuela, before returning to watching Krauser - the most interesting human she'd ever met in her life.

"I'm fine, thanks" - Manuela answered in her lightly accented voice. Unconsciously, she shivered - it was quite cold in tropic forests at night she had to admit. And considering her light dress that didn't even go past her knees she felt especially exposed; chills traveled up and down her spine and she had a suspicion her teeth were clattering while she talked to Krauser.

He might have sensed it, because he sat down next to her, putting the snake aside and worriedly watched her up and down. Remembering that when they found her she had several wounds and her dress was marred with blood, his concern for her well-being was quite understandable.

Putting his large warm hand to her forehead, Krauser checked her temperature; he felt relieved when he realized it was average and there was no visual abnormalities about her.

"Don't want you to die on us, I don't want Leon blaming himself for it for the rest of his life" - he stated, half-joking, half-serious. Manuela's blue eyes pierced into him; somehow she sensed there was an entirely different reasoning behind his concern, but the girl decided not to ask.

Looking up to the sky that was already decorated with shining stars here and there, Manuela hugged herself tightly.

"You really seem to care about him" - she said thoughtfully. Krauser snorted, somewhat in a way an older brother would if somebody told him he loved his little sister - in an angry joking manner.

"I, care about the idiot? Who do you think I am!? I'm just worried he'll become a total crybaby if you die and I would have to handle the mission myself. And in the end, all glory and all ladies would be his, and I'll be royally forgotten."

"But you're still friends, right?"

Krauser cocked his eyebrow, his dark eyes glinting mysteriously in the uneven glow of the fire.

"We're partners, not friends. One day, kid, you'll understand the difference"

"But Leon thinks you're his friend" - this curious stare again, and he can't help feeling nervous. Only she can look at a person in such a way that you could get a feeling she's seeing right through him. Not every human has this gift of reading people; Krauser never knew such a person until he met her and Wesker...

At the thought of Wesker Krauser smirked unconsciously; the man was a weirdo, but a powerful weirdo at the same time. He could certainly give him something he wanted...

Remembering that he was under her watchful gaze, Krauser shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant and bored. He didn't like people who had this gift - he didn't like feeling himself like an object of great scientific interest, really. A meeting with Wesker in person was still fresh in his mind and the feeling the left wasn't quite pleasant.

"Nah, I'm sure he doesn't see me as his friend, you're mistaking, kid. We're both professional soldiers and on battlefield you don't have tme for creating bonds. War is not the place for making friends"

She shook her head and sighted, hugging herself as tight as she could; the cold was really getting to her.

"You're an unhappy man, Krauser..."

"Jack. My name is Jack" - her eyes widened as she looked up at him; it never occurred to her that she didn't know his name until now. When they first met, Leon introduced immediately by saying his first name, and only later she discovered his full name was Leon Kennedy. Not that it mattered; names meant very little to her, what mattered was the soul.

Krauser didn't introduce himself at all; all she got from him was a "hmph". Only later when she overheard them talking - or more like exchanging barking commands and rare words - she heard it. Leon always called him Krauser - and only that.

Knowing his first name didn't change anything to her - but then what meant to her was that he himself said it. It meant he was beginning to trust her, and that meant also that this barrier of his was slowly vanishing, or at least getting smaller.

"Jack. - She said, as if tasting the name. - Jack" - she repeated quietly after a pause.

"I like it" - was her final statement as Manuela smiled, looking at him. Krauser chuckled - a short, throaty chuckle with a husky undertone, that reminded her so much of a dog - and she couldn't help laughing. The atmosphere somewhat eased, and she realized that Leon wasn't even needed to lighten the mood - all that was needed was her and Kr... Jack.

She shivered once again when the cold wind blew, ruffling the leaves of the nearby trees. Krauser moved closer to her, and Manuela felt watmth, radiating from his large body. As if sensing her shy want, Krauser hugged her, his arms holding her tight, providing the heat she lacked and so much needed.

"Nights in South Africa aren't that good, huh, kid? Don't be shy to use me as a radiator - don't like watching you freeze"

Manuela felt heat crawl onto the skin of her cheeks; grabbing his warm arms with her palms she felt his relaxed muscles, and she noted... That sitting like that, his arms around her, wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation. On the contrary, it felt good. Almost immediately sleepness came onto her, and enveloped by the warmth she thought she could fall asleep.

"Th-thanks" - she mumbled, closing her eyes and moving a little, so her cold nose was pressed against his chest.

It was nothing like in fairytales - he didn't exactly smell like roses. On the contrary, his smell was musky, with a hint of gun powder and metal. His shirt was filthy and got blood on some parts of it - but still, it was much better then sleeping just on the cold ground. Besides, she was too tired to even feel the smell - as it was natural, it wasn't entirely too bad.

The situation was nothing like in fairytales - the prince wasn't actually prince, he was a soldier of darkness with a gun in a holster on his waist; he had a musky scent and husky voice, rough attitude, a difficult character, and didn't care about anyone much. She wasn't a princess, exactly - she was a girl with a deadly disease, T-Veronica inside her, on the run from her dad that went insane.

But even if it was nothing like in fairytales, Manuela still felt happy. Even though the situation for feeling so was highly appropriate. She just felt happy, because Krauser was sitting against a tree, holding her, and letting her sleep just like that, letting her rest these precious minutes, because it may be a long time until they can take a break again after this.

And maybe happiness wasn't even it; maybe she, just like an animal, felt content because it was warm and soft, her face in his chest and his arms on her back, but it still felt good. She never knew darkness could be this warm, so alluring and seeming to care.

Maybe Light and Dark are not even that important... After all, they are just different sides of a single coin, was Manuela's last thought until sleep claimed her and she peacefully fell into the dreamland.

When Leon came back, carrying some fruits and wood for the fire, he smiled, looking at the too sleeping humans; Krauser's head on top of Manuela's, her face hidden in his shirt, her arms around him and hs hands holding her back. Throwing wood into the fire that cackled approvingly, Leon took off his cap and wiped his sweaty forehead with his dirty gloved hand, sighting and looking up to the sky.

Just as he lift his head, a shiny dash of something flew across the dark blue sky. Smiling, Leon closed his eyes for a second and wished for something, glancing at the sleeping Krauser and Manuela.

Although the names mean little; it's only the soul that is true value of a human.

And looking at Krauser right now, Leon believed that his partner still had that value.