All Resident Evil Characters Belong to Capcom
Onwards to Chp 2! Hope you enjoy!
Piers Meets Captain Chris Redfield
The first thing Piers noticed was how Chris treated his unit, alpha team. They were like a family, though there was always that underlying respect for captain Redfield. Though as a unit they joked around, played wrestle, and did stupid things but when it came to the captain, it was more professional, always. Chris isn't the type to watch them 24/7, but when he was with them, their attention was on him. If he wasn't leading the drills, he would be telling one of his hundredth stories of fighting Bio-terrorism, of course once Andy asked.
The best part was, Chris wasn't like the other captains in the BSAA. He was kind, and always ready to help any of his team members. He was more of a father than a captain, and for that alpha team did not hesitate to follow his command. Chris doesn't force his command, it comes naturally, as if he's made to do this, in which he probably is. With his record, Chris is holding the title as the BSAA's best soldier, and that's not an easy feat to achieve when there are so many branches in the world.
Piers looks at the mold growing on the side of the wall, a small frown tugging at his lips. Hazel eyes move over to Andy, his roommate, the man reading a manga book with headphones over his ears.
The young Ace walks over to Andy, tipping down the book with his pointer finger to be able to gain his attention.
"Hey…" Piers greets when he sees Andy look up at him.
The man instantly goes for his headphones and pulls them off. "Yeah, Nivans?" He says with a furrow of brow. "What is it?"
Piers takes a step back before he walks over to the mold growing behind the television. "We have a mold problem," He informs, while pointing at the growing substance. "I wonder why?" He adds with a sarcastic tone, as he crosses his arms over his chest.
Andy lived in Texas, and on top of that, hates the cold. Piers himself is not too fond of the cold, but Piers also knows that the air conditioner needs to be set at a certain temperature so the room won't start to grow mold. Of course Piers would be stuck with the one person who would deny that accusation and instead lower the temperature even more. Though Piers found the temperature just right, it becomes a problem now.
The open mouth of Andy tells Piers he sees it. "Shit. You were right!"
"Noo," Piers drags out his answer in a sarcastic tone. "It's pretty big." Piers adds while glancing at the green murky substance growing behind their tv, on the wall.
"Should we tell the captain?" Andy asks, pushing off the small Ipad that he was using to listen to music.
Piers nods his head. "Yeah, who else are we going to inform?" Piers says while making him way out of the door.
"I don't know." Andy ends up answering the rhetorical question Piers gave him.
/
After the mold was examined, it was deemed unsafe for Piers and Andy to sleep in the room. So, they were to share bunks with the other members of alpha team. With Carl away, Andy was able to bunk with Ben. Piers on the other had thought he was going to stay roomless, and would have to sleep on the lounge room couch, when his captain, Chris Redfield, suggest Piers to take the spare bed in his quarters.
Piers was having a hard time keeping it together, he was going to enter Chris' room, and not only that, but share it with the man for a few days until the repairs to his room were done. It was even harder with the other alpha team members tugging at his sleeves and rocking him back and forth with squeals. Some of course, muttering under their breaths why the rookie has the privilege of staying in Chris' room. Chris had looked at them as if they were crazy, especially the one's happily tugging at Piers, before giving them a small nod and heading off to his office to finish some work. Chris is after all a very, very busy man, having barely any time for himself before he's being called for something. Now that Piers thinks about it, he would be lucky if Chris crashes the night in his bunk- the man falling asleep countless times in his office, or not sleeping at all, especially when a new outbreak occurs. Regardless, Piers has the copy of the key, and it seems he will be staying in Chris' room, weather Chris is there or not.
Pies was assigned with one mission… tell the rest of alpha team how Chris' room looks like. No one has ever set foot in here, exception of Jill, so no one knows how it looks. Piers will be the first.
The young Ace is standing in front of Chris' door, the gold name plate over the door reading, Captain Chris Redfield quarters. With a deep breath, Piers slips the key into the keyhole before hearing it unclick and push open the door. Piers isn't sure what he was expecting, maybe a gold bed, with glass sheets and diamond floor, yeah that sound about right…
What greeted Piers was the opposite. The room is plain, to put it in simple terms. A desk with a chair propped next to it, a large bed, and to the corner a twin size. The room is slightly bigger than his sleeping quarter, but not by much. There are a few personal belongings on the floor- Piers can see a shirt on the bed and shoes discarded by the desk.
The young Ace steps into the room, closing the door behind him. Heading straight to the smaller bed, Piers can only assume is his. He places down his pillow and sheets, noticing then that the bed already provides one. Piers doesn't regret it, with the freezing temperature in the room, anyone would think Chris is trying to preserve a dead body. But Piers knows better. His captain suffers from the heat, and sweats like crazy when it is hot. This is to be expected after a long day. To relax in a cold, chilling room.
Glancing around the room again, Piers catches sight of a few other things, more personal things of Chris'. There is a small cabinet to the side of the room, slightly ajar where Piers can make out a few trophies. With Chris' reputation, of course the man would have them. Piers makes his way over, wanting to get a better look, and when he does, he sees something else that catches his interest.
Piers runs his fingers along one of the many trophies Chris has in closet. It's familiar in a way. Piers has his trophy just like this one, for holding the title as best sniper in the BSAA, which is to be expected, since it's his weapon of preference and on top of that his title. A sniper. He's known as the man who never misses a shot, but that's only with a rifle on his hands. But Chris, his title is much bigger, being the best marksman. Not only can Chris handle just about any weapon with precision and accuracy, his aim is beyond anything Piers has ever seen. Chris can perform the same shots Piers does with a sniper, but instead with a handgun. Chris is probably one of the best marksman out there. No wonder if he is considered the BSAA'S best.
"It can't be…" Piers mumbles to himself as he opens the cabinet a little more. Inside Piers sees a dark blue uniform, but more than that, hazle eyes catches sight of all the medals Chris has gotten through the years of fighting in the never ending war. There are so many, not all of them can be pinned at the same time, the other half stored in a small box. Piers runs his fingers along the hem of the long sleep uniform, feeling the fabric. He can see all the honorable metals, and some from foreign country, in which Piers can guess was when Chris stopped Wesker in his crazy plan to rule a chaotic world.
Forcefully pulling himself away from the jacket, Piers closes the closet, hazel eyes drifting to the spot on the desk. The Ace makes his way over and grabs a small photo set on the surface. It's old, but Piers can still make out the images. He can see the S.T.A.R.S logo on the sleeves of the people that work there, all of them lined up and facing the camera.
Piers frowns, not knowing why Chris would have this picture. That's when his eyes land on a familiar face, the only one he could not miss. "Jill." He can see her. She looks younger, her brown hair cut short, but it's the same face. "This must be before Chris joined S.T.A.R.S." Piers concludes, since he doesn't see the man, but a scrawny looking man next to Jill. The Ace looks at the picture for a little longer before placing it on the desk where it belongs.
Wait until Piers tells the others that Chris' room… is just a room. The cafeteria looks more exciting. On the other hand, Piers might just say the opposite. Platinum floor, gold pillow and what not. They don't know. Piers shakes his head, a small laugh escaping his lips.
Piers makes his way to his bed before he starts to unpack a few of his belongs, getting ready to read a little before calling it a day.
/
It's the unfamiliar noise that has Piers open his eyes. Sitting up, Piers rubs the sleep from his eyes, squinting through the darkness to find out the root of the noise he heard. For a second Piers believes he imagined it, but then he hears it again.
Shifting out of bed, Piers swings his legs off the bed, his bare feet touching the floor. Piers hisses at the cold contact before fully standing up. He almost forgot how cold the room can get, and now with both covers off his body, his skin has already broken into goose bumps. "It's cold." Piers mumbles to himself, wondering if maybe he can lower the temperature of the room. It's way too cold. No way can Chris find this comfortable to sleep in.
"He's not in… maybe if I lower it just a little." Piers says to himself as he makes his way to the small device on the wall, his arms wrapped around his body as he struggles to retain the little bit of warmth his body got from being under the cover.
That's when he sees something move to his left. Hazel eyes shift to Chris' bed, and to Piers' surprise, he sees Chris fast asleep. The man is on his stomach, head turned so he's facing away from Piers.
Maybe the noise had come from Chris, Piers thinks, as he looks at his captain for a second before he continues on his task to not freeze to death. Piers only lowers the degrees down slightly. He doesn't want to get in trouble for touching it. Piers isn't sure how Chris would react if he found out. He could be one of those people who doesn't like when his things are messed with. But honesty, it's way too cold to leave it as it is. If Chris doesn't like it, Piers guesses he'll learn the hard way.
It's when he's returning to his bed that he hears the noise again. Piers stops in his tracks, glancing over to the BSAA captain. Taking a deep breath, Piers starts making his way towards Chris, as slowly and quietly as possible- glad for his sniping skills. But Piers also knows Chris was a SOA, and he's highly trained. On top of that, Chris ranked to be SOU. Chris is a force to not be messed with.
Piers manages to step closer to Chris, leaning onto the tip of his toes to be able to look over at Chris' face. With the moonlight filtering through the parted curtains, Piers can make out the BSAA captain's face. The man is sweating, his brow furrowed. Piers almost curses himself for turning down the temperature, but then it dawns to Piers that he just turned it down, and it's effects shouldn't be felt. At least not that quickly.
The Ace is about to shake Chris awake, thinking that maybe Chris has a fever, and like most times he refuses to acknowledge and thinks sleeping is the best remedy for any ailments, even a concussion. But that's when he hears it…
"Wesker…"
The name, Piers instantly recognizes it. Who wouldn't? The man had gone crazy, started kidnapping millions of people from around the world to experiment on them, and on top of that wanted to unleash Uroboros to infect the entire world so he can rule it. And that's not even mentioning the other things he's done before he became a crazy man with the intention of destroying humanity.
"Jill..." The BSAA captain mumbles, his brow furrowing. "Don't… you'll die." Chris' hand tightens around the sheets underneath him. "Stop… don't hurt her. You've done enough…"
Piers bites his bottom lip, torn on what to do. He wants to wake Chris, but he feels like he shouldn't even be here at the moment, witnessing one of Chris' nightmares. With the life that surrounds Chris, Piers can only imagine how hard it is to have a decent dream without it turning into a complete nightmare.
The Ace gently runs his fingers along Chris' scalp, a small sigh escaping his lips. Chris' hair is softer than Piers thought it would be, considering the man looks like he pays it little to no attention. Piers wants to do more, but he feels like he can't. Hearing the words leaving Chris' lips has Piers want to look away. His voice sounds like he full of pain. Piers can't begin to imagine what Chris went through. Being betrayed by his captain, Wesker, seeing him and the rest of aloha team die. Losing his closest partner, and friend, Jill to said madman and having to fight him until eventually killing him. Losing even more BSAA members in Kijuju. It seems like so much, and Piers doesn't know if he would have been able to keep going if he had to go through that.
It's when Chris shuffles in his sleep that Piers brings back his hand, now noticing what he was doing. He's not even sure for how long he's been sitting next to Chris. That's when Piers notices that Chris has stopped talking in his sleep and is now snoring softly. It seems Chris did find Piers' fingers soothing.
With a deep breath Piers stands up from his sitting position next to Chris' bed and goes back to lay down, feeling his spirit hit the ground. Piers never wanted to witness his captain like this. Piers is scared to know what more happens behind close doors. That maybe the Chris Redfield everyone respects and loves is nothing but a mask Chris has been trying to keep aligned for such a long time.
/
As the days go by, Piers tries his best not to allow Chris' frequent nightmares affect him, or the man's tendency to pace the room at night, in which Piers thinks is a way to make his body tired enough to fall asleep, as if waking up before the sun is out, and working the whole day isn't enough.
"Hey, you ok?"
Piers jumps in slight surprise, his eyes darting towards the person who sat next to him. "Captain?!" Piers stuttered. Though Piers is sharing a room, he barely sees the man, since he comes in so late and wakes so early.
"Yeah…"
"You sure?" Chris asks while placing his hand on Piers' shoulder. "Jill told me you looked tired. And this morning I was looking over alpha team's performance, and you seem to be lacking lately. Still the top-" Chris says quickly when he sees Piers' eyes widen in panic. "Just not what I'm used to receiving from you, you know?" Chris studies Piers' face for a second. "Are you sleeping alright?"
Piers feels his face burn, "I…" Piers can not tell Chris that he's witnessed him tossing and turning in his sleep.
"If there is anything bothering you, you can talk to me."
Stop it. Stop offering help when you need it.
"Of course," Piers says with a small smile that does not reach his eyes.
"Great, I'm glad to hear that." Chris says with a small nod. "So what is it?"
"Huh?" Piers almost gags out. He didn't expect Chris to just ask him like that. "It's nothing. The room's a bit cold. It's all." Piers answers with a shrug of his shoulders, trying his best to give Chris an answer, that way Chris won't suspect of him and won't have to know the whole truth, since the room really is freezing cold.
Chris nods as he stands up. Gesturing towards the exit with his head, the BSAA captain tells Piers to get ready to train.
"Train?" Piers asks, with a tilt of his head. He just got off the field this morning, and Chris is normally in his office at this time.
"Yeah." Seeing the confused look still on his face, the BSAA captain chuckles. "You have to be in top form if you're going to be my lieutenant, right?"
Piers' hazel eyes widen, and boyish smile slowly taking his lips. "You mean?" Piers jumps up from his chair, almost stumbling onto the floor.
"Yeah," Chris says with a nod, while he ruffles Piers' short hair. "You're going to have step it up." Chris informs.
Piers nods his head, feeling his chest swell with joy. He's so happy Chris is making him lieutenant. What more can he ask for but to work right under Chris Redfield? But that means he won't be able to be a sniper. Piers already feels like he might be lacking since it's the weapon he's grown to know. A small pout forms over Piers' face. "Does that mean, I won't be able to be a sniper?" It's what he likes to do, and though working right under captain Redfield could not be any better, his weapon, what he is, is a sniper. He can't imagine himself doing anything else.
"Who says the best sniper in the BSAA can't be my lieutenant?" Chris ask with a shrug.
A smile slowly spreads across Piers' lips. "Yes!" Piers says with a cheer, holding himself back the moment he noticed his small outburst. "I mean, yes sir, captain Redfield." Piers says with a salute.
Chris smirks, as he makes his way to the training building, the Ace following his step.
/
Piers watches in astonishment at Chris' raw strength. They just started, and Chris has already broken three punching bags. Chris really does have upper body strength. The BSAA captain is shirtless, sweat going down his body. Chris' body is almost like a greek God, an adonis. Piers can't help but stare.
With a powerful punch, the bag brakes once again from the hinges and falls onto the floor with an audible flup. Make that four punching bags Chris has broken for the day. Piers is honesty impressed and it makes him wonder if he would be that strong once Chris is done with him.
Piers had never been the close combat type, always relying on his rifle, and if he had to fight, his legs were his best weapon, from the looks of it, Chris is planning to give him tips on hand to hand.
"Upper cut?" Piers echoes, as he steps closer to his captain when the older man calls him closer.
"It's an easy move, and you can use your body to give yourself more power behind your punches."
"It's an effective punch." Piers says knowly. He's seen first hand how strong Chris' punches are- being able to break parasite infected skulls with one punch. Piers isn't sure if he would get that strong, but it's worth a shot. But before that… "How about I learn a straight punch?" he asks, moving his hands up and close to his chest with his first balled tight, like a boxer, before giving a straight swing with his right, and closing one eye. "It's your strongest punch, right? Can even move a boulder?"
The BSAA captain chuckles. "Yeah, I guess. But I don't know if that's the best punch for you." Chris says with a thoughtful nod. The BSAA captain turns to face the punching bag, and with his left hand, he brings it back, before taking two steps closer, he punches it hard, making the bag break this time with one punch and land on it's side.
Piers' hazel eyes widen, mouth open as he watches the poor bag slide on the floor before it stops, some of it's insides spilling out. "Wha!" Piers says surprise his captain is this strong. But what could he expect when Chris punched a boulder almost three times his size, and lord knows how heavy, into volcano
Though there is something off about it. Piers notes.
"Captain?" Piers calls with a questioning face. "I thought you punched with your right? Is your left stronger?"
Chris looks back at Piers, his hand going limp to his side.
Piers stares at Chris, while can see the faraway look that takes over Chris' dark eyes. The young Ace studies Chris' face, and he can see that Chris isn't here with him anymore. Where his mind has taken him Piers does not know, but Piers this time, unlike the nights Chris struggles to sleep, touches his arm drawing the BSAA captain's attention back to the present.
"Captain?" Piers calls the man's name, hazel eyes searching for the life that should be in those eyes, and to his relief he sees it. Chris' eyes meet with Piers, and he seems to have come back to him.
Not knowing if Chris noticed his hand touching him or not, since he gave no indication, the BSAA captain lifts his arm, showing Piers his right hand. Pulling off the gloves Chris has over his them, Piers' eyes widen. "What happened to you hand?"
"That boulder you keep praising," Chris says, and chuckles when he sees Piers look away, his face going red. "It's fine. I guess it's something not everyone can do, huh?" Chris looks away from Piers, his eyes landing on the broken bag on the floor. "Broke it when me and Shave got separated. The volcanic floor was unstable, and it broke under my weight. I fell pretty hard on my back and she had stopped, wanting to help me, but I told her to keep moving away from Wesker." Chris says remembering that day. He barely had to strenght to tell her to keep moving, just opting to groan out a response and signal for her to move.
Piers' eyes avert from Chris' hand to his face. Though Chris tells them about the missions he been in, he tends to dodge the fight with Wesker, even if one of them asks. The fact that Chris is telling him makes Piers stay silent, not even making a noise to show Chris he is listening. The room is silent, except for Chris' words.
"Wesker went after me first, and that was fine by me, as long as she was safe. But there was no where to go, and that fall had hurt me. So sheva tried to help me. But that only led to Wesker leaving me and going after her. She had nowhere else to go, that boulder was in the way… I had to move it, Wesker had already taken so much from me."
Piers' thoughts instantly go to Jill. He heard about what happened to her. That she sacrificed herself to save Chris and to make matters worse, Wesker had experimented on her and had a device to mind control her, forcing Jill to fight Chris.
"I wasn't going to lose her. Without even thinking about it, I moved that boulder." Chris' eyes return to his hand. "Of course, not without any drawback. Doctor said it would be a miracle if I could ever hold a gun again, much less use it. But slowly my hand did start to heal, but…" Chris tries to curl his hand into a tight fist, but even Piers can see that takes a lot of effort from Chris' part.
The young Ace takes a hold of Chris' hand and gently pulls Chris' fingers gently. To his surprise they feel stiff and scared. Piers is able to open Chris' hand, but not fully, the tip of his fingers refuse to straighten, and it's when Chris hiss that Piers let's go.
"Sorry."
Chris shakes his head, "It's fine"
Piers looks away, wanting to tell Chris so badly about the nights he stays awake, but he holds his tongue and instead nods his head.
This chapter took a little longer to be written. If there's anyone reading it, thank you for the patience. Hope you enjoyed.