(Re- titled and revised.)
Title: Free Falling
Author: ShadowSilence
Date: 12/13/02
Chapter: Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
Rating: PG (going to change, soon)
Pairing: Steve/Claire . . . ^^;; Someone and someone. . .two guys. . .
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me but Kei. ^^ Kei is mine. XD ^^; I'm going to put some Linkin Park songs in here too, and those do NOT belong to me. NOTHING belongs to me. I own nothing, and have no money in case you were thinking about suing. I have NOTHING!!! ^^;
Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
||| Crawling in my skin Consuming all I feel Fear is how I fall Confusing what is real
There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface Consuming/confusing This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending Controlling/I can't seem
To find myself again My walls are closing in [Without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take] I've felt this way before So insecure.
Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me Distracting/Reacting Against my will I stand beside my own reflection It's haunting how I can't seem. |||
"Can I room with Claire," Kei chirped, skipping ahead in front of the group towards their two rooms. Claire rolled her eyes at his immaturity, but chuckled all the same, thinking of it as a joke. However, the two other males shot a burning glare at the teen.
"No," Chris and Leon said in unison, each not even sparing it a thought or finding it even funny. Chris turned his head to motion the end of the discussion, but Leon let his steely gaze soften, silently laughing at the teen's joke, and waiting for remark that was soon to come.
As Leon expected, Kei sighed dramatically, his head dropped, but all to fast he turned around a grin on his face and he smiled evilly. "But ya know, Leon is more likely to try somethin', than little, innocent, virgin, me!" The teen winked, still walking only backwards. . . But Leon had to restrain Chris from physically strangling the kid. Claire nearly choked, and just stared at Kei, but quickly found the humor in it, and shot a look back at the furiously blushing Leon.
"Oh, are you Leon?" The former RPD's face only reddened at Claire's sexy tone. Claire seemed to have that effect when she wanted to, and now was not exactly the right time, considering Chris was really wanting to strangle a certain hacker. "How are you so sure I wouldn't make a move first? I was never very patient, you know."
The seductive tone coming from his little sister was too much for Chris. The hacker was going to die. "That's it!!!! Everyone," Chris exploded, nearly screaming in an attempt to break it up, "Everyone, get to your room! Kei, get to hacking! You're wasting time!" Being the oldest, Chris knew nothing was gonna happen unless he made it happen. But why was no one listening to his demands?
"Chris, we were joking, man." Leon informed him, blinking at his elders over reaction. The Redfield brother, growled, glaring at them all, as each one of them blinked innocently.
"I really don't need to see my sister being.ew." He shuddered, as he snatched Claire's arm in his hand, pulling her into their room, but not before shouting a final 'get to work' for the hacker. Sighing, Chris slouched onto the nearest bed, placing the pillow over his head, and muttering a long string of curses that were muted by the pillow.
Claire grinned at her brother's vulnerability and after snatching up another pillow, stalked towards Chris. "Ewww, Chris, you need a shower!!! You reek of zombies!" After that 'warning' shriek, the pillow collided with Chris's side, and Claire giggled only able to imagine the face her brother would make. At the sudden impact and giggles, Chris only bolted to sit up right on the bed, his eyes blinking adorably as he tried to figure out what that was all about. Once he saw Claire's mischievous, his fears were confirmed.
His sister wanted to 'play.'
Claire was petite compared to Chris who had many more years of psychical training with S.T.A.R.S. and whatnot, but Claire fought dirty and hit hard. her being his younger sister, Chris knew he couldn't hurt her, but she had no such restraints.
All at once, Claire dived for her brother, hitting him with the fluffy pillow multiple time, and snickering while doing so. Chris desperately tried to block the on going stream of pillow-attacks with his own pillow. At first it was a serious struggle of survival for Chris, and then he just cracked; laughing as hard as Claire was.
Having realized the brutal pillow attack wasn't going to end til he made it, Chris took a chance and moved his own defense pillow. just to have a pillow smack his head. If it hadn't been a feathery soft pillow hitting his head Claire would have been worried.
"Sorry!" Claire mock-apologized, grinning as she drew back to hit again. Chris took her draw back to his advantage, raising his hand to meet the pillows blow and grabbing a handful of the fluffy pillow. Both siblings pulled in opposite ways, each demanding the pillow for different reasons. Claire's reason was to hit her elder brother around more. While Chris's being to end his torture and Claire's game. "Chris give me the!!" Before Claire even had time to finish her demand, Chris interjected, saying, "No way!!! I don't wanna be your punching bag!"
With a new motivation, Chris pulled back on the pillow with all his strength. And Chris went flying backwards, as Claire slipped onto the floor, the pillow ripped, and soft, seemingly weightless, feathers covered the bed, floor, Chris, and Claire.
"Claire!!!" The older brother mentally cursed, glancing over the mess they had made. Claire just laid back on the floor, thoroughly exhausted, and panting in-between giggles. Chris slid off the bed, and swiped a handful of the feathers off the bed, and motioned around him, "What are we gonna do with this Claire?!!" Okay, he'd admit it could be cleaned up, but what the inn's owner think? Four pillows turning into three? Hell, he wasn't paying a few dollars charge because Claire went insane. Well, he would pay, if he had the money.
Claire, regarded him thoughtfully for a few moments during her recovery, but quickly bounced up with an idea. "We'll just clean up the feathers. We leave in the morning, so they won't have time to notice one small pillow missing. and if they do, ya just pay for it!" Claire grinned at her plan, it wasn't the best but it's work.
Chris was more than a little annoyed with the answer, but just sighed and shrugged, saying, "Sure sis, whatever. I'm getting the garbage can." The man walked out of the room, and returned in only a few moment with a can. He was relieved to see his sister's mood had returned to the normal half energetic half normal style. meaning, it wasn't likely she would try for a repeat performance.
Together, the two siblings wordlessly started picking up handfuls of feathers and dumping them in the can. It didn't take long to clean the bed, being the Chris just swept the feathers off and into the trash can. The floor didn't take much effort either, and soon they are were finished, and cleaning themselves off. Chris snickered, looking over at his sister. Unknowingly to her, there was a feather stuck in the back of her ponytail, probably from where she had rolled on the floor.
"Uhh. Claire," He managed to stutter before snickers. The way the feather was sticking out seemed. to defy the laws of gravity, making it even more humorous to Chris. Claire, oblivious to what he was snickering at, lifted a curious eye brow.
"What's so funny?" She asked, not liking being left out of a good joke. Chris coughed, clearing his throat from the snickers, "Your hair." That only served to confuse Claire more. finally, Chris just reached forward and pulled the law defying feather out of her hair, and showed her the object.
"Oh," Claire said ever so gracefully, before giggling in embarrassment.
-----____---_____---___________---*---____---_____---___________-
The moment Leon entered his and Kei's room, he sat down on the side of the nearest bed and started taking off his boots. Kei closed the door firmly behind them, and locking it to made no one stumbled upon something they weren't suppose to see. It was time to get to work. The youth sat down his pack next to the large wooden desk on the side of the room.
Leon rolled his beautiful eyes at the kid's straight to business attitude. "So serious. My-my, Key-key, no time for fun?" Kei only ignored the mockery, pulling out a laptop and various other computer related machines. Making an adorable pout, Leon 'hmpth'ed and stepped over to Kei's side to watch over the kid's shoulder.
"Your friends do know there's not much I can get from so far away, right? I mean, I'll be lucky if I can get any schematics from here. .. ." Kei finally said, his dark eyes darting up to meet Leon's in question. For a brief moment the cop thought about it, seemingly weighing out the possibilities, before just waving it away at Kei.
"Just get what you can.I--" Before Leon had time to finish Kei interjected, "Which won't be much!" Leon just glared for a moment, hushing Kei quickly, then continuing, "And if they don't know I'll tell 'em tomorrow. But don't work your ass off to some little map or something, we can and have done without anything at all." The cop directed, casually, then sauntered towards another door in their room. One, Kei assumed, went to the shower.
"Anyway, I'm cleaning up, and you should too, before we go into battle. Midnight is the latest you're allowed to be on that wretched thing. I don't want you falling asleep tomorrow. " Leon winked cheerfully at Kei, as though asking he'd pay heed to his request not to work too hard. Anyway, Leon was kicking him off the computer at midnight regardless of what he had or hadn't found.
Kei rolled his eyes, "Yes father," he commented with a quick chuckle. Ready to go digging for info, Kei turned back to the computer, catching a glimpse of Leon's smirk in the reflective laptop screen. It wasn't but a second later that he heard the crisp click of the door shutting, and Kei sighed, and ran a hand through his ebony locks. This was gonna be a tough one.
After a while of fruitless searching, the hacker youth pulled out a small portable CD-player. As annoyed as he was, the music would calm his nerves. It always did. The steady rhythm helped him calm enough to think of what would and wouldn't work amongst the computer world of locks and puzzles. With a glance towards the still occupied bathroom, Kei pushed the play button, grinning at how the words and beat blasted through the speakers. Loud, music, especially alternative, was best loud.
" 'Confusing what is real?' Hmmm, heh, good song." Leon mocked stalking out the bathroom finally. Kei snapped off his stereo instantly, to hear the mockery of the cop. Kei turned around to glare at his friend, but was stopped to gawk at a rather unexpected scene. He was still mad about Leo repeating the last line of the song and giving that ever-sarcastic comment. But that wasn't exactly what caught his attention. More like what Leon was wearing.eh, correction, what he wasn't wearing.
The ex-RPD officier was leaning against the door frame, dressed in a pair of simple black boxers, and was finishing drying of his short hair honey colored hair. and smirking mischievously. He looked good. Which had to be the understatement of the year! Leon had a lean, but a superb, muscular, tan body. Even his legs looked like that of an athlete that.Smirking? That!!!
Kei frowned, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks, and he once again sent Leon a glare, successfully this time! "I'm busy. And get some clothes on, Leon!" The ebony haired hacker could only imagine how 'scary' he looked blushing like some high school girl. "I can't. All the rest of my clothes are drying. I wanted to put my boxers in with 'em, but since this place doesn't offer any robes, I figured you wouldn't be able to maintain your self control with me just in a towel." Leon chuckled, bouncing on his bed once, before sitting Indian-style where he could talk to Kei.
Kei mutely turned around to face the computer, mentally thanking whatever god had been kind enough to not let Leon come in a towel. but at the same time, cursing them. Figuring Leon wasn't leaving him alone now that he had gotten a re-action, Kei started back working, typing away. "Kei.It's." Leon trailed off for a spilt second, turning to look at the digital clock beside his bed, "Ten! Your time is running out!" The energetic cop snickered, but laid back, relaxing on his bed.
"Are you gonna talk?" Leon asked curiously, fluffing the pillow under his head slightly. trying not to move his head.
"Aren't I? And you're hair still damp. The pillow's going to get wet."
Leon sat up at that, once again crossing his legs Indian style, "I thought you were working?. Oh, you spyin' on me?"
Kei smirked, looking down at his fingers typing on the keyboard. he didn't have to look, his fingers knew the way. Kei chuckled, "I am working, that's how I could see you. The screen's reflective."
"Can I see?"
"You can see from there."
"Can I see up close?"
"Why all the question?"
"I'm bored."
"Go to sleep." Kei smirked at his own words, at his brilliance. Leon sleeping and leaving him in peace, that sounded wonderful. Would Leon actually do it though?
"No." Leon snapped, laying back down pouting.
"Claire and Chris are--" Kei started interest in how the two siblings were fairing, but before he had chance to finish Leon cut in.
"Sleeping. At ten. You are working. Til twelve. And I am bored. Til tewlve."
Dear gawd. Kei sighed, he was in for some major distractions in that case. Leon had absolutely nothing to do, and the gods know why, he was hyper. no just being immature and trying to have fun. Besides, it was a good idea. Tomorrow they'd have to be serious, and could possibly die, tonight was the night to be childish. Just let Leon get it out of his system.
-----____---_____---___________-_---*---____---_____---___________-
"Good morning!" Claire nearly chirped, stepping off the last step, and smiling brightly at the rest of the team that were already down stairs. As she took a place beside Leon and Kei, Chris came down, not looking quite as enthusiastic but not grumpy either. "Somethin' wrong with Chris?" Kei quickly inquired with his usually cheery but curious attitude. Claire giggled, seeing how Chris was trying not fall down the stair or go to sleep. "He's. not a morning person. Once he gets his coffee he'll be awake."
"Well, that's gonna be coffee to go. Kei got a map of the place for us, but that's it. And he stayed up past his curfew to get that stupid map." Leon said, glaring at Kei who just shrugged it off. Claire curiously opened her mouth to ask, but Kei quickly silenced her by mouthing off 'don't ask'. Claire smirked, tossing a look at the mother-hen-Leon.
"If that's all, we best get going. of course after grabbing our breakfast to go. Bacon biscuit and orange juice for me, please." Claire stated, hopping towards one the tables to wait for whoever was ordering breakfast to order it. Leon sighed at her behavior, before turning to the other.
"Check. Who wants what?" Leon asked, figuring he was most suited for this "job". Kei grinned, "Pancakes and syrup, chocolate milk." Finished with his order he bounced over next to Claire. Chris, in a sleepy haze, muttered "Coffee. Coffee, and bacon biscuit. And. Coffee."
Leon sighed yet again at the gang's immature behavior, before quickly ordering the said breakfasts and then a biscuit and gravy and coffee for himself. Within a few minutes he grabbed the bags, juggling them and then handing one of the few bags of breakfast to Kei, and then another to Chris...
"Are we walking there?" Kei finally asked confused. Hadn't Leon said something at one point last night about Chris finding them a ride.
"Shoot! That's right! What time is it?!" Chris exclaimed, almost dropping his coffee over the matter.
"Six Twenty." Leon answered, curtly. Praying they hadn't missed their ride.
"We have ten minutes to get to the entrance of this town." Chris became fairly pale once he stated his little observation. "Where we entered from yesterday?" Claire snapped, her eyebrows rising in confusion. That was almost thirty minutes away. "Yep. Guys, hold onto you food, and run. Because this guy doesn't wait more than five minutes." Chris exclaimed, wrapping his food and coffee up quickly, as did the others, each trying not to spill whatever drink item they had. And Kei trying to struggle with strapping his hacking bag on.
Each waited for Kei, before dashing off, running down the dirt trail. Chris was easily running ahead of them, and then Claire, and Leon trailing behind just a little, and Kei dead in back with a fifteen-pound bag on his back and trying to deal with his 'breakfast' problem. Kei already being the least in shape, he was already lagging because of that but the added difficulties were making him lag further.
Finally when Kei almost tripped because his hacker pack hit him a little to roughly, Leon slowed back to cursing. "Go on, we'll catch!" Leon yelled, grabbing the bag and snatching it off Kei and slinging it over his shoulder, and making sure to hold his breakfast in the same hand and hold the hacker pack by his shoulder and arm muscle.
"Kei, com'on, we don't have time!" The ex-cop snapped at Kei, unintentionally making it harsher than he had meant. Quickly realizing it, he instantly, muttered 'sorry'. But also grabbed Kei's wrist, and started back running and running faster than before. Still Kei kept dragging behind. "Dammit Kei! Com'on! You can pant and drink as much as you want once we get to this car!" Leon encouraged, pulling more at Kei's hand.
Kei ground his teeth together., and pushed his glasses up with a finger. But he seemed to try harder, and Leon smiled, trying to push them to go faster, and Kei kept up. "Just a little further!" Leon cheered when he saw a familiar flower shop. Sure enough, just around the block there stood Chris and Claire panting and speaking with someone in a truck. Claire, turned around when she heard them come running towards and grinned around her breaths. Heh, maybe the kid wasn't so bad. A mile and some in ten minutes and a few seconds? Seven minutes for a guy running a mile was enough for an award.
"I guess with the right motivation, anything's possible." She muttered with a smirk. If they hadn't got here they'd be walking all day and some more. Kei and Leon both staggered up, both seemingly out of energy, but Leon looking to be the more lively of the two. "We made it!" He burst in laughs, between his rapid panting.
Kei grinned, but was looking more than a little pale and worn out from their little exercise. "This dud is givin' us a ride, right?" He slurred, pointing towards the driver. Claire nodded smiling; it was all he needed. In a matter of second, Kei was over the tail gate and laying down in the back of truck, sipping his chocolate milk. That caught Claire's attention and she reached over snatching the milk away from him, and he just glared at her.
"After using so much energy and exhausting yourself I think any milk would only serve to make you ill. Here." Claire grabbed a bottle of water out of her small backpack, and tossed it over to Kei. Leon hopped over the tail gate, and carefully set the fragile hacker's pack down next to him. Then Leon laid down sprawled out next to Kei, panting and just trying got re- catch his breathe.
"Claire." The eldest Redfield's quick word, caught their attention and his little sister looked up, silently asking 'what.' "I want you to ride in the back, with the others." Chris gave her a brief hug, before stepping around and going into the truck.
Leon, who had somewhat regained strength, glanced up, as Claire jumped in with them. "Why'd he make you come back here with us?" The cop asked, knowing Chris usually went out of his way to make his sister comfortable. so why send her in the back of the truck in the sun and heat with the boys when she could be in a comfortable seat with AC?
"Chris doesn't trust the man. You know how he's been since Wesker betrayed him." Claire ruefully muttered, glaring at the truck's glass separating the ACed front from the back. Kei blinked in confusion, and opened his mouth intending to ask, but Leon cut before him, "He's still dwelling over their use-to-be-friendship?" Leon inquired incredulously, not quite believing it. Kei looked between the two, his ebony eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Dwelling over who?"
"Yea, he is. I think it really hurt him. and," Claire cut off giving Kei a quick glance, "don't worry 'bout it Kei."
Before the hacker had chance to make the indignant remark they both knew were coming, Leon quickly inquired, "Who is the driver, anyway?" His curiosity getting the best of him, Leon shot a glance towards the front at the shadowy driver.
The Redfield sister shrugged lightly, "One of Chris' acquaintances that is in the taking down Umbrella business." She supplied with a grin, remembering that were on a strictly business trip. Steve. It was all for Steve. Risking her neck along with Chris, Leon, and Kei. All for that Rockfort prisoner. Damn that kid. He was just to cute and sweet and attachable for his own good.
Claire couldn't bite back the smile at that thought, realizing when she had first met him she hadn't thought of him as any of those. More like an annoying hormonal teenager? Maybe. Steve let the façade slip after only a few meetings, though. Something she was very thankful for. although now she'd be happy just to even be able to see him façade or non.
Ignoring Steve and Leon who were chatting away and digging into the breakfast on the side, Claire looked up to the sky sighing. The sun was just rising, just peaking out over the mountains. And it was quiet, other than the sounds of the muffler, birds, and other wildlife. She could distinctly pick out the sound of wolf howling, and unconsciously wondering if it was the white wolf they had saw earlier.
"Steve." Claire muttered under her breathe, silently praying that he was out of harms way and actually alive.. They were on their way. If only Steve was safe. If only Steve was still one among the living. They'd find him. She'd find him. And she'd save him. After all, she still owed him one.
End Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
Author Notes: Ehhh. *sweatdrop * Sorry for the out of character-ness. I was bored with the seriousness, and figured their young they're alloed to have some fun before their death. XD
^^; Incase you're wondering why in most scenes it's Chris and Claire interacting and in other's it's Leon and Kei, it's because in groups of four that's commonly what'll happen.. The two closest we'll talk, because they have more in common/know what each other likes/or are just more comfortable with.
Chris is closest to Claire because they are siblings and have known each other longer. Chris doesn't particularly love Leon, but they get along well, because he is good friends with his sister and did save her and he is a cop. Kei just annoys him for three reasons.. 1) he acts like his younger brother/immature 2)Is too close to his sister.3) far too hyper.
Claire: Closest to Chris for obvious reasons. Then close to Leon, because they have been through so much together. Sometimes she'll even tell him things she'd never tell her brother. Kei lastly, because he is a new acquaintance, but she is fond of him. Just not overly. *sweatdrop *
Leon: Closest to Claire. Or rather is "interested" in her. He finds her attractive, fun, and one hell of a best friend. Nextly he is closest to Kei. Kei being his best friend while Claire is his romantic interest. Kei and him had a while to sit and talk while waiting, so they've figured each other out pretty much. Chris comes in last, but definitely not least, because they are on, friend with little sister/ Chris being big scary brother, grounds.
Kei: Closest to Leon, for already said reasons. Claire coming in after him because. Kei's a teenage guy. Look at Claire, and you'll see why. ^^; Chris lastly, because err. They're on olderbrother/younger brother terms. It requires sibling fighting.
Kei: *sniffles * How come no one's close to me?
Authoress: ^^; Because you're my character crammed in, meaning they have to have chance to get close to you. Or chance to hate you. XD Kei: ;.; Authoress: *pets him on the head * I have no intentions for anyone to hate you. *innocent smile * Leon: O.O She's lying.
Claire: O.o She's insane. Chris: o.o She'll kill us all. Authoress: ^_^ Thankies. But iie, nein, non, noppers, nay. She's not telling. XD
R+R!!! ^__^ LOVE reviews!
^_^; Oh, and I'm taking requests on couples. ehhhh, as long as it don't mess with the main pair, Claire+Steve, I'll do my best to put it in! ^.~ Yaoi, yuri, straight! ^_^ I'll write it. Everything from Claire and Leon to Chris and Leon. O.o; That's odd. ^^;; Anywayz, what pairs would you like to see in this fic? Any at all! ^^; Any RE character not in here that you want to see? Billy? Jill? Carlos? Rebecca? Nows the chance, I'm takin' requests!
*cough * ^_^; Anywayz, next chapter should be up soon, I'm already working on it. They'll be going into the base. XD
Author: ShadowSilence
Date: 12/13/02
Chapter: Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
Rating: PG (going to change, soon)
Pairing: Steve/Claire . . . ^^;; Someone and someone. . .two guys. . .
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me but Kei. ^^ Kei is mine. XD ^^; I'm going to put some Linkin Park songs in here too, and those do NOT belong to me. NOTHING belongs to me. I own nothing, and have no money in case you were thinking about suing. I have NOTHING!!! ^^;
Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
||| Crawling in my skin Consuming all I feel Fear is how I fall Confusing what is real
There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface Consuming/confusing This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending Controlling/I can't seem
To find myself again My walls are closing in [Without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take] I've felt this way before So insecure.
Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me Distracting/Reacting Against my will I stand beside my own reflection It's haunting how I can't seem. |||
"Can I room with Claire," Kei chirped, skipping ahead in front of the group towards their two rooms. Claire rolled her eyes at his immaturity, but chuckled all the same, thinking of it as a joke. However, the two other males shot a burning glare at the teen.
"No," Chris and Leon said in unison, each not even sparing it a thought or finding it even funny. Chris turned his head to motion the end of the discussion, but Leon let his steely gaze soften, silently laughing at the teen's joke, and waiting for remark that was soon to come.
As Leon expected, Kei sighed dramatically, his head dropped, but all to fast he turned around a grin on his face and he smiled evilly. "But ya know, Leon is more likely to try somethin', than little, innocent, virgin, me!" The teen winked, still walking only backwards. . . But Leon had to restrain Chris from physically strangling the kid. Claire nearly choked, and just stared at Kei, but quickly found the humor in it, and shot a look back at the furiously blushing Leon.
"Oh, are you Leon?" The former RPD's face only reddened at Claire's sexy tone. Claire seemed to have that effect when she wanted to, and now was not exactly the right time, considering Chris was really wanting to strangle a certain hacker. "How are you so sure I wouldn't make a move first? I was never very patient, you know."
The seductive tone coming from his little sister was too much for Chris. The hacker was going to die. "That's it!!!! Everyone," Chris exploded, nearly screaming in an attempt to break it up, "Everyone, get to your room! Kei, get to hacking! You're wasting time!" Being the oldest, Chris knew nothing was gonna happen unless he made it happen. But why was no one listening to his demands?
"Chris, we were joking, man." Leon informed him, blinking at his elders over reaction. The Redfield brother, growled, glaring at them all, as each one of them blinked innocently.
"I really don't need to see my sister being.ew." He shuddered, as he snatched Claire's arm in his hand, pulling her into their room, but not before shouting a final 'get to work' for the hacker. Sighing, Chris slouched onto the nearest bed, placing the pillow over his head, and muttering a long string of curses that were muted by the pillow.
Claire grinned at her brother's vulnerability and after snatching up another pillow, stalked towards Chris. "Ewww, Chris, you need a shower!!! You reek of zombies!" After that 'warning' shriek, the pillow collided with Chris's side, and Claire giggled only able to imagine the face her brother would make. At the sudden impact and giggles, Chris only bolted to sit up right on the bed, his eyes blinking adorably as he tried to figure out what that was all about. Once he saw Claire's mischievous, his fears were confirmed.
His sister wanted to 'play.'
Claire was petite compared to Chris who had many more years of psychical training with S.T.A.R.S. and whatnot, but Claire fought dirty and hit hard. her being his younger sister, Chris knew he couldn't hurt her, but she had no such restraints.
All at once, Claire dived for her brother, hitting him with the fluffy pillow multiple time, and snickering while doing so. Chris desperately tried to block the on going stream of pillow-attacks with his own pillow. At first it was a serious struggle of survival for Chris, and then he just cracked; laughing as hard as Claire was.
Having realized the brutal pillow attack wasn't going to end til he made it, Chris took a chance and moved his own defense pillow. just to have a pillow smack his head. If it hadn't been a feathery soft pillow hitting his head Claire would have been worried.
"Sorry!" Claire mock-apologized, grinning as she drew back to hit again. Chris took her draw back to his advantage, raising his hand to meet the pillows blow and grabbing a handful of the fluffy pillow. Both siblings pulled in opposite ways, each demanding the pillow for different reasons. Claire's reason was to hit her elder brother around more. While Chris's being to end his torture and Claire's game. "Chris give me the!!" Before Claire even had time to finish her demand, Chris interjected, saying, "No way!!! I don't wanna be your punching bag!"
With a new motivation, Chris pulled back on the pillow with all his strength. And Chris went flying backwards, as Claire slipped onto the floor, the pillow ripped, and soft, seemingly weightless, feathers covered the bed, floor, Chris, and Claire.
"Claire!!!" The older brother mentally cursed, glancing over the mess they had made. Claire just laid back on the floor, thoroughly exhausted, and panting in-between giggles. Chris slid off the bed, and swiped a handful of the feathers off the bed, and motioned around him, "What are we gonna do with this Claire?!!" Okay, he'd admit it could be cleaned up, but what the inn's owner think? Four pillows turning into three? Hell, he wasn't paying a few dollars charge because Claire went insane. Well, he would pay, if he had the money.
Claire, regarded him thoughtfully for a few moments during her recovery, but quickly bounced up with an idea. "We'll just clean up the feathers. We leave in the morning, so they won't have time to notice one small pillow missing. and if they do, ya just pay for it!" Claire grinned at her plan, it wasn't the best but it's work.
Chris was more than a little annoyed with the answer, but just sighed and shrugged, saying, "Sure sis, whatever. I'm getting the garbage can." The man walked out of the room, and returned in only a few moment with a can. He was relieved to see his sister's mood had returned to the normal half energetic half normal style. meaning, it wasn't likely she would try for a repeat performance.
Together, the two siblings wordlessly started picking up handfuls of feathers and dumping them in the can. It didn't take long to clean the bed, being the Chris just swept the feathers off and into the trash can. The floor didn't take much effort either, and soon they are were finished, and cleaning themselves off. Chris snickered, looking over at his sister. Unknowingly to her, there was a feather stuck in the back of her ponytail, probably from where she had rolled on the floor.
"Uhh. Claire," He managed to stutter before snickers. The way the feather was sticking out seemed. to defy the laws of gravity, making it even more humorous to Chris. Claire, oblivious to what he was snickering at, lifted a curious eye brow.
"What's so funny?" She asked, not liking being left out of a good joke. Chris coughed, clearing his throat from the snickers, "Your hair." That only served to confuse Claire more. finally, Chris just reached forward and pulled the law defying feather out of her hair, and showed her the object.
"Oh," Claire said ever so gracefully, before giggling in embarrassment.
-----____---_____---___________---*---____---_____---___________-
The moment Leon entered his and Kei's room, he sat down on the side of the nearest bed and started taking off his boots. Kei closed the door firmly behind them, and locking it to made no one stumbled upon something they weren't suppose to see. It was time to get to work. The youth sat down his pack next to the large wooden desk on the side of the room.
Leon rolled his beautiful eyes at the kid's straight to business attitude. "So serious. My-my, Key-key, no time for fun?" Kei only ignored the mockery, pulling out a laptop and various other computer related machines. Making an adorable pout, Leon 'hmpth'ed and stepped over to Kei's side to watch over the kid's shoulder.
"Your friends do know there's not much I can get from so far away, right? I mean, I'll be lucky if I can get any schematics from here. .. ." Kei finally said, his dark eyes darting up to meet Leon's in question. For a brief moment the cop thought about it, seemingly weighing out the possibilities, before just waving it away at Kei.
"Just get what you can.I--" Before Leon had time to finish Kei interjected, "Which won't be much!" Leon just glared for a moment, hushing Kei quickly, then continuing, "And if they don't know I'll tell 'em tomorrow. But don't work your ass off to some little map or something, we can and have done without anything at all." The cop directed, casually, then sauntered towards another door in their room. One, Kei assumed, went to the shower.
"Anyway, I'm cleaning up, and you should too, before we go into battle. Midnight is the latest you're allowed to be on that wretched thing. I don't want you falling asleep tomorrow. " Leon winked cheerfully at Kei, as though asking he'd pay heed to his request not to work too hard. Anyway, Leon was kicking him off the computer at midnight regardless of what he had or hadn't found.
Kei rolled his eyes, "Yes father," he commented with a quick chuckle. Ready to go digging for info, Kei turned back to the computer, catching a glimpse of Leon's smirk in the reflective laptop screen. It wasn't but a second later that he heard the crisp click of the door shutting, and Kei sighed, and ran a hand through his ebony locks. This was gonna be a tough one.
After a while of fruitless searching, the hacker youth pulled out a small portable CD-player. As annoyed as he was, the music would calm his nerves. It always did. The steady rhythm helped him calm enough to think of what would and wouldn't work amongst the computer world of locks and puzzles. With a glance towards the still occupied bathroom, Kei pushed the play button, grinning at how the words and beat blasted through the speakers. Loud, music, especially alternative, was best loud.
" 'Confusing what is real?' Hmmm, heh, good song." Leon mocked stalking out the bathroom finally. Kei snapped off his stereo instantly, to hear the mockery of the cop. Kei turned around to glare at his friend, but was stopped to gawk at a rather unexpected scene. He was still mad about Leo repeating the last line of the song and giving that ever-sarcastic comment. But that wasn't exactly what caught his attention. More like what Leon was wearing.eh, correction, what he wasn't wearing.
The ex-RPD officier was leaning against the door frame, dressed in a pair of simple black boxers, and was finishing drying of his short hair honey colored hair. and smirking mischievously. He looked good. Which had to be the understatement of the year! Leon had a lean, but a superb, muscular, tan body. Even his legs looked like that of an athlete that.Smirking? That!!!
Kei frowned, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks, and he once again sent Leon a glare, successfully this time! "I'm busy. And get some clothes on, Leon!" The ebony haired hacker could only imagine how 'scary' he looked blushing like some high school girl. "I can't. All the rest of my clothes are drying. I wanted to put my boxers in with 'em, but since this place doesn't offer any robes, I figured you wouldn't be able to maintain your self control with me just in a towel." Leon chuckled, bouncing on his bed once, before sitting Indian-style where he could talk to Kei.
Kei mutely turned around to face the computer, mentally thanking whatever god had been kind enough to not let Leon come in a towel. but at the same time, cursing them. Figuring Leon wasn't leaving him alone now that he had gotten a re-action, Kei started back working, typing away. "Kei.It's." Leon trailed off for a spilt second, turning to look at the digital clock beside his bed, "Ten! Your time is running out!" The energetic cop snickered, but laid back, relaxing on his bed.
"Are you gonna talk?" Leon asked curiously, fluffing the pillow under his head slightly. trying not to move his head.
"Aren't I? And you're hair still damp. The pillow's going to get wet."
Leon sat up at that, once again crossing his legs Indian style, "I thought you were working?. Oh, you spyin' on me?"
Kei smirked, looking down at his fingers typing on the keyboard. he didn't have to look, his fingers knew the way. Kei chuckled, "I am working, that's how I could see you. The screen's reflective."
"Can I see?"
"You can see from there."
"Can I see up close?"
"Why all the question?"
"I'm bored."
"Go to sleep." Kei smirked at his own words, at his brilliance. Leon sleeping and leaving him in peace, that sounded wonderful. Would Leon actually do it though?
"No." Leon snapped, laying back down pouting.
"Claire and Chris are--" Kei started interest in how the two siblings were fairing, but before he had chance to finish Leon cut in.
"Sleeping. At ten. You are working. Til twelve. And I am bored. Til tewlve."
Dear gawd. Kei sighed, he was in for some major distractions in that case. Leon had absolutely nothing to do, and the gods know why, he was hyper. no just being immature and trying to have fun. Besides, it was a good idea. Tomorrow they'd have to be serious, and could possibly die, tonight was the night to be childish. Just let Leon get it out of his system.
-----____---_____---___________-_---*---____---_____---___________-
"Good morning!" Claire nearly chirped, stepping off the last step, and smiling brightly at the rest of the team that were already down stairs. As she took a place beside Leon and Kei, Chris came down, not looking quite as enthusiastic but not grumpy either. "Somethin' wrong with Chris?" Kei quickly inquired with his usually cheery but curious attitude. Claire giggled, seeing how Chris was trying not fall down the stair or go to sleep. "He's. not a morning person. Once he gets his coffee he'll be awake."
"Well, that's gonna be coffee to go. Kei got a map of the place for us, but that's it. And he stayed up past his curfew to get that stupid map." Leon said, glaring at Kei who just shrugged it off. Claire curiously opened her mouth to ask, but Kei quickly silenced her by mouthing off 'don't ask'. Claire smirked, tossing a look at the mother-hen-Leon.
"If that's all, we best get going. of course after grabbing our breakfast to go. Bacon biscuit and orange juice for me, please." Claire stated, hopping towards one the tables to wait for whoever was ordering breakfast to order it. Leon sighed at her behavior, before turning to the other.
"Check. Who wants what?" Leon asked, figuring he was most suited for this "job". Kei grinned, "Pancakes and syrup, chocolate milk." Finished with his order he bounced over next to Claire. Chris, in a sleepy haze, muttered "Coffee. Coffee, and bacon biscuit. And. Coffee."
Leon sighed yet again at the gang's immature behavior, before quickly ordering the said breakfasts and then a biscuit and gravy and coffee for himself. Within a few minutes he grabbed the bags, juggling them and then handing one of the few bags of breakfast to Kei, and then another to Chris...
"Are we walking there?" Kei finally asked confused. Hadn't Leon said something at one point last night about Chris finding them a ride.
"Shoot! That's right! What time is it?!" Chris exclaimed, almost dropping his coffee over the matter.
"Six Twenty." Leon answered, curtly. Praying they hadn't missed their ride.
"We have ten minutes to get to the entrance of this town." Chris became fairly pale once he stated his little observation. "Where we entered from yesterday?" Claire snapped, her eyebrows rising in confusion. That was almost thirty minutes away. "Yep. Guys, hold onto you food, and run. Because this guy doesn't wait more than five minutes." Chris exclaimed, wrapping his food and coffee up quickly, as did the others, each trying not to spill whatever drink item they had. And Kei trying to struggle with strapping his hacking bag on.
Each waited for Kei, before dashing off, running down the dirt trail. Chris was easily running ahead of them, and then Claire, and Leon trailing behind just a little, and Kei dead in back with a fifteen-pound bag on his back and trying to deal with his 'breakfast' problem. Kei already being the least in shape, he was already lagging because of that but the added difficulties were making him lag further.
Finally when Kei almost tripped because his hacker pack hit him a little to roughly, Leon slowed back to cursing. "Go on, we'll catch!" Leon yelled, grabbing the bag and snatching it off Kei and slinging it over his shoulder, and making sure to hold his breakfast in the same hand and hold the hacker pack by his shoulder and arm muscle.
"Kei, com'on, we don't have time!" The ex-cop snapped at Kei, unintentionally making it harsher than he had meant. Quickly realizing it, he instantly, muttered 'sorry'. But also grabbed Kei's wrist, and started back running and running faster than before. Still Kei kept dragging behind. "Dammit Kei! Com'on! You can pant and drink as much as you want once we get to this car!" Leon encouraged, pulling more at Kei's hand.
Kei ground his teeth together., and pushed his glasses up with a finger. But he seemed to try harder, and Leon smiled, trying to push them to go faster, and Kei kept up. "Just a little further!" Leon cheered when he saw a familiar flower shop. Sure enough, just around the block there stood Chris and Claire panting and speaking with someone in a truck. Claire, turned around when she heard them come running towards and grinned around her breaths. Heh, maybe the kid wasn't so bad. A mile and some in ten minutes and a few seconds? Seven minutes for a guy running a mile was enough for an award.
"I guess with the right motivation, anything's possible." She muttered with a smirk. If they hadn't got here they'd be walking all day and some more. Kei and Leon both staggered up, both seemingly out of energy, but Leon looking to be the more lively of the two. "We made it!" He burst in laughs, between his rapid panting.
Kei grinned, but was looking more than a little pale and worn out from their little exercise. "This dud is givin' us a ride, right?" He slurred, pointing towards the driver. Claire nodded smiling; it was all he needed. In a matter of second, Kei was over the tail gate and laying down in the back of truck, sipping his chocolate milk. That caught Claire's attention and she reached over snatching the milk away from him, and he just glared at her.
"After using so much energy and exhausting yourself I think any milk would only serve to make you ill. Here." Claire grabbed a bottle of water out of her small backpack, and tossed it over to Kei. Leon hopped over the tail gate, and carefully set the fragile hacker's pack down next to him. Then Leon laid down sprawled out next to Kei, panting and just trying got re- catch his breathe.
"Claire." The eldest Redfield's quick word, caught their attention and his little sister looked up, silently asking 'what.' "I want you to ride in the back, with the others." Chris gave her a brief hug, before stepping around and going into the truck.
Leon, who had somewhat regained strength, glanced up, as Claire jumped in with them. "Why'd he make you come back here with us?" The cop asked, knowing Chris usually went out of his way to make his sister comfortable. so why send her in the back of the truck in the sun and heat with the boys when she could be in a comfortable seat with AC?
"Chris doesn't trust the man. You know how he's been since Wesker betrayed him." Claire ruefully muttered, glaring at the truck's glass separating the ACed front from the back. Kei blinked in confusion, and opened his mouth intending to ask, but Leon cut before him, "He's still dwelling over their use-to-be-friendship?" Leon inquired incredulously, not quite believing it. Kei looked between the two, his ebony eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Dwelling over who?"
"Yea, he is. I think it really hurt him. and," Claire cut off giving Kei a quick glance, "don't worry 'bout it Kei."
Before the hacker had chance to make the indignant remark they both knew were coming, Leon quickly inquired, "Who is the driver, anyway?" His curiosity getting the best of him, Leon shot a glance towards the front at the shadowy driver.
The Redfield sister shrugged lightly, "One of Chris' acquaintances that is in the taking down Umbrella business." She supplied with a grin, remembering that were on a strictly business trip. Steve. It was all for Steve. Risking her neck along with Chris, Leon, and Kei. All for that Rockfort prisoner. Damn that kid. He was just to cute and sweet and attachable for his own good.
Claire couldn't bite back the smile at that thought, realizing when she had first met him she hadn't thought of him as any of those. More like an annoying hormonal teenager? Maybe. Steve let the façade slip after only a few meetings, though. Something she was very thankful for. although now she'd be happy just to even be able to see him façade or non.
Ignoring Steve and Leon who were chatting away and digging into the breakfast on the side, Claire looked up to the sky sighing. The sun was just rising, just peaking out over the mountains. And it was quiet, other than the sounds of the muffler, birds, and other wildlife. She could distinctly pick out the sound of wolf howling, and unconsciously wondering if it was the white wolf they had saw earlier.
"Steve." Claire muttered under her breathe, silently praying that he was out of harms way and actually alive.. They were on their way. If only Steve was safe. If only Steve was still one among the living. They'd find him. She'd find him. And she'd save him. After all, she still owed him one.
End Chapter Two: Amongst Rivaled Siblings, Loonie Roomies, and Hormonal Hackers
Author Notes: Ehhh. *sweatdrop * Sorry for the out of character-ness. I was bored with the seriousness, and figured their young they're alloed to have some fun before their death. XD
^^; Incase you're wondering why in most scenes it's Chris and Claire interacting and in other's it's Leon and Kei, it's because in groups of four that's commonly what'll happen.. The two closest we'll talk, because they have more in common/know what each other likes/or are just more comfortable with.
Chris is closest to Claire because they are siblings and have known each other longer. Chris doesn't particularly love Leon, but they get along well, because he is good friends with his sister and did save her and he is a cop. Kei just annoys him for three reasons.. 1) he acts like his younger brother/immature 2)Is too close to his sister.3) far too hyper.
Claire: Closest to Chris for obvious reasons. Then close to Leon, because they have been through so much together. Sometimes she'll even tell him things she'd never tell her brother. Kei lastly, because he is a new acquaintance, but she is fond of him. Just not overly. *sweatdrop *
Leon: Closest to Claire. Or rather is "interested" in her. He finds her attractive, fun, and one hell of a best friend. Nextly he is closest to Kei. Kei being his best friend while Claire is his romantic interest. Kei and him had a while to sit and talk while waiting, so they've figured each other out pretty much. Chris comes in last, but definitely not least, because they are on, friend with little sister/ Chris being big scary brother, grounds.
Kei: Closest to Leon, for already said reasons. Claire coming in after him because. Kei's a teenage guy. Look at Claire, and you'll see why. ^^; Chris lastly, because err. They're on olderbrother/younger brother terms. It requires sibling fighting.
Kei: *sniffles * How come no one's close to me?
Authoress: ^^; Because you're my character crammed in, meaning they have to have chance to get close to you. Or chance to hate you. XD Kei: ;.; Authoress: *pets him on the head * I have no intentions for anyone to hate you. *innocent smile * Leon: O.O She's lying.
Claire: O.o She's insane. Chris: o.o She'll kill us all. Authoress: ^_^ Thankies. But iie, nein, non, noppers, nay. She's not telling. XD
R+R!!! ^__^ LOVE reviews!
^_^; Oh, and I'm taking requests on couples. ehhhh, as long as it don't mess with the main pair, Claire+Steve, I'll do my best to put it in! ^.~ Yaoi, yuri, straight! ^_^ I'll write it. Everything from Claire and Leon to Chris and Leon. O.o; That's odd. ^^;; Anywayz, what pairs would you like to see in this fic? Any at all! ^^; Any RE character not in here that you want to see? Billy? Jill? Carlos? Rebecca? Nows the chance, I'm takin' requests!
*cough * ^_^; Anywayz, next chapter should be up soon, I'm already working on it. They'll be going into the base. XD