-1Chris's hand closes around the shirt of Elza's attacker, ripping him from her in a fury, snarling and pinning them to the wall away form her, unable to hear her yelp of shock and relief through his anger at -

Steve?!

He growls and shoves the younger man against the wall, gripping his top. "What the hell do you think your playing at?!"

The red-head glares at him sullenly, silence his only answer.

"You better say something Steve, or you'll -"

"Chris stop it!" Elza grabs his arm and tugs on it, somewhat astonished at his strength. He doesn't budge an inch, the same determined look on his face. "Let him go! I'm not supposed to be down here anyway. He had a reason-"

"There was no need for you to attack her!" Chris snarls at his friend, releasing his grip. "You stay away from her, you understand?"

"Whatever, last time I try to do you a favour jackass." Steve shoves past Chris, sending him back into Elza.

"…Chris, what did he meaning by that?"

He turns his back to her, using a hand to hide his eyes. She can't see him like this, not now, not without the sunglasses, he feels as if she'd be repulsed by their mismatched colours.

"You shouldn't be here. If I were you, I'd get back up top and forget this ever happened."

"I came down here to see you! I'm NOT-!" as she raises her voice to get her point across, his warm hand covers her lips and she falls silent, looking up at his face, expecting to finally see the colour of his eyes when with a frown she realises they're closed.

"Please…if he knows your down here…" there's a pleading hint to his voice. "Just…be quiet, and follow me."

She nods under the hand and he pulls it away, finding that her hand is suddenly in his as they walk along the silent hallways to his room.

---

The door closes behind them and Elza sets herself down on the bed as Chris still refuses to look at her until he has once more donned the dark shades that hide his eyes from her.

"Let me look at you," he murmurs, sitting down at her side. "He didn't hurt you did he?" he asked, one calloused hand touching her neck to check for damage.

"Oh, so now you want to look at me, when you've got those shades on. You can't see anything." she gives a soft smile and reaches for them.

His fingers curl around her wrist. "No…You don't…you don't understand." Chris whispers. "You…you can't…"

"Can't what? Chris what's wrong?" She leans closer, eyes creasing in worry. "You can tell me…"

"I…I can't…" he murmurs sadly, voice almost lost in the room.

"Please…let me see.."

He stares at her for a moment, his thumb stroking the back of her hand as he thought. If she saw his eyes…then there was every possibility that he'd lose her forever…

"Just…promise me…one thing?"

"Anything."

"Don't scream."

---

Krauser grumbles to himself as he reattaches the gym doors, driving the screws in by hand. Goddamn, next time he sees Chris, he'll give his fellow BOW a piece of his mind, and then a piece of his arm.

The screws are in now, and the doors are working once again. Time to head to Chris's room, hopefully to find the thankless brat who'd fled from their training, just as he was loosing too. Sore loser, he decides.

Indeed, as he walks away from the gym, his mind is filled with thoughts of beating the other BOW to a pulp, first for fleeing, the second for breaking off the doors. Finally in front of the door, his mind is too busy to think of knocking before he's shoved it open.

The scene inside reminds him that next time, he should knock.

---

Elza wonders why Chris is so seemingly terrified, she doesn't believe that whatever lies behind those shades will make her scream.

"I promise."

He lets go of her wrist, and she hesitates to pull the shades away. Does he truly want her to? What could be so terrible that it makes even him afraid to show her? She's never known him to be afraid of anything before, and she knows him now almost like the back of her gun.

He's looking at her expectantly, and her fingers gently brush against his cheek, barely touching the warm plastic before griming it between her finger and thumb, easing the specs down the bridge of his nose, painfully slowly.

His eyes are closed at first, and as she closes the glasses, pressing them into his hand, she gazes at the shut lids, waiting for him, waiting for them to open.

She hears him take a shaky breath, deep and slow, and her fingers brush the skin on his hand ever so softly, reassuring him. The hand tightens its grip on the glasses and she hears a snapping noise.

Slowly, the lids lift, and she feels an electric shock run down her spine, her entire body frozen as she stares at those entrancing eyes, one of green and silver, the other of gold and orange. She hears a sharp intake of breath, unaware it is her own. She's afraid, yet at the same time…they draw her in.

They are like nothing she's ever seen before in her life, not even in the monsters she's killed. They are wonderful…and terrifying.

He watches the flickering emotions cross her beautiful features, and tenses up. She'll hate him, hate what he is, and he'll lose her forever, he's sure of it…So sure he breaks their gaze and looks down at the broken glasses in his hand instead.

He doesn't expect to feel the hand on his face, soft, making him look up at her, at her normal grey eyes, and instead of the hatred, the fear he expects to see…he sees curiosity, wonder…and trust.

He opens his mouth, silent, trying to speak, to ask why she hasn't already fled the room in fear, but by then…her lips are already covering his, soft and half afraid to go on further. He pulls back sharply, mismatched eyes wide.

"Elza-"

"I don't care."

"But-"

"No…Chris. They don't frighten me…they're amazing…" She gives a nervous smile, gripping his hand. "I don't want to leave."

"You don't…" his lips twitch in a smile. He presses his lips on her once again, shifting closer, a blissful feeling encompassing them, his arm around her waist, pulling her closer -

The door slams open and the two break apart, staring at Krauser, who stares back.

"…Shit Redfield, you ran off for a shag? Did you have to break down the doors for that?"