Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Resident Evil characters, Capcom does. (this doesn't include the OC's that will be mentioned along the way.)
"So, are you guys like...boyfriend and girlfriend?", a 12 year old Sherry asks both of the young adults, curious as to why they know each other when he's only been introduced to her by Claire so casually a few hours back. And who could blame her for questioning? The two seemed very comfortable in each other's company, and why possibly can a boy and a girl be together alone in this type of place in Sherry's innocent mind.
Leon and Claire looked at each other awkwardly and embarrassedly grinning, shocked by the question, in the young man's mind, he wanted to tell the truth immediately, "No...we actually just met- last night.", he forces a smile as he answered that, as if he hadn't flirted with the said 19 year old and also fallen for another woman who he met the same night.
Claire also second the notion as she speaks right after him, "Yeah, it would've been one hell of a first date though...", she tells the girl but she was looking at him, as if expecting something from him, Leon didn't catch onto what she could have possibly meant by that but continues to stare at her and brushes it off once Sherry saw a truck driving by from a distance.
He reminisces of it as he stares at Claire, he never thought that the 19 year old college student he met back then and called a friend only will become the mother of his children 23 years later. It was the day after their talk, and he had took her out for dinner at a restaurant like he suggested and he knows Claire loves, and it was convenient because it was nearby a baby items shop, only a 5 minute walk away, they had agreed to buy the majority of their babies' necessities tonight so they wouldn't rush anymore when they are born, and as soon as possible while she can still walk easily. She is currently finishing up her ordered food, more specifically her last bite of the meal. They've been here for an hour now, talking a bit about past events with friends as they eat. Leon had finished up his food earlier than her, he didn't feel like eating, which is a rare occurrence for someone like him and he just ordered an appetizer while she picked a whole meal, he couldn't blame her though, she's eating for four.
"Done.", she speaks up, as she swallows the last bit of her food, all the while drinking the milk she ordered, she had been choosing dairy as a drink lately when she's typically a coffee person, maybe her obstetrician gynecologist advised her to consume some?
He comments on her choice of drink, "You've been drinking a lot of lactose lately.", as he rests his head on his hand that is supporting his chin.
"Yeah about that, Dr. Scott recommended that it's the best drink for pregnant women to have on a daily basis. I call her every week whenever I have questions regarding the kids.", she explains while leaning back on her seat, "What about you, why have you been drinking wine lately instead of vodka?", oh how she likes to challenge him back.
"You know I take a break from vodka every once in a while, even if it's still connected to alcohol.", Leon half smiles, "And Dr. Scott, I like how the doctor has the same name as me.", he states ironically.
"Whatever Leon.", she remarks at him, "Anyways, shall we get going?"
Leon smiles at her, getting his wallet from his pocket as he puts his hand up to gesture to the nearby waiter, "You really like to rush me, don't you?", he looks at her and she rolls her eyes. The waiter comes by them, handing him the holder and the bill, Leon opens the cover, reading at the end of the small paper immediately where he expects to see the total written at, computing to make sure, he pulls out $200 dollars for the expense and $50 for the waiter tip from the leather material, it exceeded the total amount but he doesn't mind, closing the holder, he hands it over to the young employee, "The $50 is your tip.", he smiles at the young man, "A-are you sure mister?", the waiter couldn't believe it and Leon nodded, patting his fellow man's forearm, "Thank you so much sir.", he slightly bows his head to the older man, but also looking back and forth at the two as he recalls encountering them months ago, "Wait- I think I know you guys...back at the bar in November last year? Mr. Leon? If you could remember.", he points out, both adults got confused for a moment before they recall and reacted.
Claire spoke up first, "Oh yeah, you were the bartender who helped me...I didn't get your name though."
The waiter replies back, "Oh it's Elijah, ms.?"
"Right- I didn't mention my name as well, but it's Claire by the way.", Leon can only watch as the two converse, left silent in his seat as he couldn't remember a single thing from that night. "Yes, ms. Claire...also congratulations- to the both of you?", Elijah greets as he notices that she is pregnant and also assumes that Leon is the father considering that they seem to be having a date, even though he can recall that Claire told him that the man was just a friend. "Uhh yes, it's triplets-", Leon speaks up awkwardly grinning for the first time and both turned their heads to him, Elijah can only nod happily, "Well- triple the blessing I guess...anyways, it"s nice running into you guys again. And thank you again for the tip Mr. Leon, it won't be forgotten.", he concludes as he glances back at Claire smiling and blushing, before backing away slowly and turning to walk.
Kennedy and Redfield watch the young man for a while before Leon switches his attention to Claire as she looks back at him as well, "It seems like "Elijah" has a little crush on you.", he teased her, "The youngster blushed for a bit there.", Claire on the other hand rolls her eyes at him, "Stop it Leon, it's not funny, the boy could already pass as my son if I had one in my early 20's. And who would have interest in a pregnant almost middle aged woman like me?", she defuses him, she doesn't have any interest in random men anymore, especially not the young ones.
"Alright I'm sorry, I was just messing around...I missed teasing you.", Leon apologized immediately, seeing her uncomfortable, "And don't down yourself like that, you're still youthful and gorgeous.", he genuinely stated, but to Claire, this was just another one of his jokes so she doesn't follow it anymore and changes the topic.
"Anyways, going back to the $50 you gave him- that's a large amount for a tip Leon.", Claire comments, although she didn't mean anything bad from it.
He puts his wallet back to his pocket, before answering, "I was a waiter once, I know how it feels. So I try to give such people as much as I can now that I have more than what I need...and you did say that he helped you back in November with my drunk ass.", he stands up from his seat and offers his hand to Claire, to help her up.
It was somewhat new for Claire to see this side of her friend, yes, she knows he's tough, kind, clumsy, sarcastic, alcoholic...but to see him break out from his stereotypical self is refreshing for her to witness, and it made her warm up to him even more. She accepts his gesture and holds his hand as she gets up.
10 minutes later and they find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of baby items at the store, well- at least he's overwhelmed while she looks excited as she is already looking and checking out clothes at the newborn section of various outfits, she walks over to him as she puts the small item in the basket he's holding, looking down at what she chose, it is small blue polo shirt and light brown shorts, a baby boy's outfit, he smiles as he sees that she's picking out things for one of their two sons. It was still shocking for to think that he will have two boys in a few months, but nothing beats the thought of him having a daughter, a little girl, not that he's taken his sons for granted but he just knew in himself that if ever he gets the chance to be a father, he was always meant to be a girl dad. While Claire is at the boy's section, he walks over to the other side at the girl's section. Looking at small pink, purple, red clothes and et cetera, as well as printed onesies that had "Daddy's little girl", "Like father, like daughter", on it and many more, he grabbed the small things without hesitation and placed them in the basket.
"Picking out clothes as well Leon?", his ears perked up, hearing her soft voice get louder as she approaches him from the back, he turns his head to the right and can see in the corner of his eye that she placed another pair of clothes in the basket, "Uhh yeah, I'm picking out outfits for our daughter since you looked so busy at the other side.", he jokes and she stayed by his side, leaning her head on his shoulder, he didn't expect this but she was always a sentimental person to those she knew, and this is a normal behavior from her...he totally didn't think of anything more from it, "I just find boy clothes interesting- maybe because I've grown used to seeing feminine clothing. But our daughter will be lucky to have you as her dad.", she lifts her head from his shoulder and just stands beside him, "Our sons as well.", she adds, he sighs, and swallows as he felt a lump in his throat, such kind words from her almost brought him to tears, but he returns the gesture, "Nowhere as near lucky to have you as a mother though, you're the kindest person I know.", he looks at her eyes warmly, and she wraps her right palm around his forearm, gently rubbing her thumb on his skin, he loved the feeling of her touching him, but she soon removed her hand on his and backed away to return to what she's interested in buying.
After that, Leon got even more confused on what he is feeling for Claire, perhaps maybe it's just the fact that he feels a sense of security knowing that she is his children's mother, but there is really just something more to her than what he can explain, he knows but he just won't really choose to admit to it...he's happy with her.
An hour after they got to the shop and now they're just about to pay for the items, they bought- a lot, they basically bought almost everything needed for the babies. There were the clothes, including headwear, mittens, onesies, and socks, other accessories such as pacifiers, bottles, toys, and furniture like the three cribs. Leon silently prayed that this will all fit his car, otherwise, he has to come back for the bigger things. Swiping his card on the scanner to pay off, as the employees volunteered to carry items to his car, Claire had already gone back to his vehicle, he suggested that she went first to rest since she looked somewhat fatigued to him earlier before they finished shopping and she accepted his offer, he gave her the keys, the sedan was just outside near the entrance, so he can still somewhat see her.
Once Leon made sure that all of the items he bought were complete, he instructed an employee to follow him as he carried the plastic bags with contents of it being the lighter ones like the small clothing and accessories as the man behind him carried the boxes of the three unassembled cribs. They walked over to the back of his car, trunk already open, Claire must've opened it earlier for him, he instructed the man to place the boxes in the compartment while he loads the plastic bags in the back seat, he felt the cold air of the a/c as he opened the left rear door, he also glanced at Claire who seemed to be fast asleep in the passenger seat, he lets her be and gently closes the car door, he went back to the man who helped him and gave him a tip, he was thanked before he went back and Leon walks over to get inside the car, he stepped inside as quietly as he can.
He glanced at Claire, looking so peaceful in her sleep as she rests her head on the car window, he reaches for her seatbelt and buckles it up, his eyes fell on her belly, he didn't know what he was thinking but he placed his left hand on it gently, smiling at it, then he looked up at Claire and stared at her, her relaxed face looking so beautiful as she slumbers, and this feeling he has inside is bothering him, he wanted to just say it so badly, and he did, "I don't know why Claire, but...I'm starting to love you.